diff --git a/res/spells.xml b/res/spells.xml
index b7866e016..4ec6f9fce 100644
--- a/res/spells.xml
+++ b/res/spells.xml
@@ -24,12 +24,12 @@
   </spell>
 
   <!-- draig spells -->
-  <spell name="earn_silver#draig" type="draig" ship="true" variable="true" rank="5" level="1" index="159">
+  <spell name="earn_silver#draig" ship="true" variable="true" rank="5" level="1" index="159">
     <function name="cast" value="lua_castspell"/>
     <resource name="aura" amount="1" cost="level"/>
   </spell>
 
-  <spell name="create_firesword" type="draig" ship="true" rank="5" level="12" index="148">
+  <spell name="create_firesword" ship="true" rank="5" level="12" index="148">
     <function name="cast" value="lua_castspell"/>
     <resource name="aura" amount="100" cost="fixed"/>
     <resource name="p10" amount="1" cost="fixed"/>
@@ -37,19 +37,19 @@
     <resource name="permaura" amount="1" cost="fixed"/>
   </spell>
 
-  <spell name="create_trollbelt" type="draig" ship="true" rank="5" level="9" index="48">
+  <spell name="create_trollbelt" ship="true" rank="5" level="9" index="48">
     <function name="cast" value="lua_castspell"/>
     <resource name="aura" amount="20" cost="fixed"/>
     <resource name="permaura" amount="1" cost="fixed"/>
   </spell>
 
   <!-- gwyrrd spells -->
-  <spell name="earn_silver#gwyrrd" type="gwyrrd" ship="true" variable="true" rank="5" level="1" index="159">
+  <spell name="earn_silver#gwyrrd" ship="true" variable="true" rank="5" level="1" index="159">
     <function name="cast" value="lua_castspell"/>
     <resource name="aura" amount="1" cost="level"/>
   </spell>
 
-  <spell name="create_magicherbbag" type="gwyrrd" ship="true" rank="5" level="5" index="165">
+  <spell name="create_magicherbbag" ship="true" rank="5" level="5" index="165">
     <function name="cast" value="lua_castspell"/>
     <resource name="aura" amount="30" cost="fixed"/>
     <resource name="permaura" amount="1" cost="fixed"/>
@@ -57,18 +57,18 @@
   </spell>
 
   <!-- illaun spells -->
-  <spell name="earn_silver#illaun" type="illaun" ship="true" variable="true" rank="5" level="1" index="159">
+  <spell name="earn_silver#illaun" ship="true" variable="true" rank="5" level="1" index="159">
     <function name="cast" value="lua_castspell"/>
     <resource name="aura" amount="1" cost="level"/>
   </spell>
 
-  <spell name="create_dreameye" type="illaun" ship="true" rank="5" level="14" index="149">
+  <spell name="create_dreameye" ship="true" rank="5" level="14" index="149">
     <function name="cast" value="lua_castspell"/>
     <resource name="dragonhead" amount="1" cost="fixed"/>
     <resource name="permaura" amount="5" cost="fixed"/>
   </spell>
 
-  <spell name="create_invisibility_sphere" type="illaun" ship="true" rank="5" level="13" index="178">
+  <spell name="create_invisibility_sphere" ship="true" rank="5" level="13" index="178">
     <function name="cast" value="lua_castspell"/>
     <resource name="aura" amount="150" cost="fixed"/>
     <resource name="money" amount="30000" cost="fixed"/>
@@ -76,12 +76,12 @@
   </spell>
 
   <!-- cerddor spells -->
-  <spell name="earn_silver#cerddor" type="cerddor" ship="true" variable="true" rank="5" level="1" index="159">
+  <spell name="earn_silver#cerddor" ship="true" variable="true" rank="5" level="1" index="159">
     <function name="cast" value="lua_castspell"/>
     <resource name="aura" amount="1" cost="level"/>
   </spell>
 
-  <spell name="create_roqf" type="cerddor" ship="true" rank="5" level="11" index="63">
+  <spell name="create_roqf" ship="true" rank="5" level="11" index="63">
     <function name="cast" value="lua_castspell"/>
     <resource name="aura" amount="20" cost="fixed"/>
     <resource name="money" amount="1000" cost="fixed"/>
@@ -89,25 +89,25 @@
   </spell>
 
   <!-- tybied spells -->
-  <spell name="earn_silver#tybied" type="tybied" ship="true" variable="true" rank="5" level="1" index="159">
+  <spell name="earn_silver#tybied" ship="true" variable="true" rank="5" level="1" index="159">
     <function name="cast" value="lua_castspell"/>
     <resource name="aura" amount="1" cost="level"/>
   </spell>
 
-  <spell name="create_antimagic" type="tybied" ship="true" rank="5" level="7" index="38">
+  <spell name="create_antimagic" ship="true" rank="5" level="7" index="38">
     <function name="cast" value="lua_castspell"/>
     <resource name="aura" amount="50" cost="fixed"/>
     <resource name="money" amount="3000" cost="fixed"/>
   </spell>
 
-  <spell name="create_rop" type="tybied" ship="true" rank="5" level="9" index="1">
+  <spell name="create_rop" ship="true" rank="5" level="9" index="1">
     <function name="cast" value="lua_castspell"/>
     <resource name="aura" amount="100" cost="fixed"/>
     <resource name="permaura" amount="1" cost="fixed"/>
     <resource name="money" amount="4000" cost="fixed"/>
   </spell>
 
-  <spell name="create_bagofholding" type="tybied" ship="true" rank="5" level="10" index="155">
+  <spell name="create_bagofholding" ship="true" rank="5" level="10" index="155">
     <function name="cast" value="lua_castspell"/>
     <resource name="aura" amount="30" cost="fixed"/>
     <resource name="permaura" amount="1" cost="fixed"/>
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@
   </spell>
 
   <!-- gray magic -->
-  <spell name="create_runesword" type="gray" ship="true" rank="5" level="6" index="135">
+  <spell name="create_runesword" ship="true" rank="5" level="6" index="135">
     <function name="cast" value="lua_castspell"/>
     <resource name="aura" amount="100" cost="fixed"/>
     <resource name="permaura" amount="1" cost="fixed"/>
@@ -123,20 +123,20 @@
     <resource name="laensword" amount="1" cost="fixed"/>
   </spell>
 
-  <spell name="create_chastitybelt" type="gray" ship="true" rank="5" level="7" index="134">
+  <spell name="create_chastitybelt" ship="true" rank="5" level="7" index="134">
     <function name="cast" value="lua_castspell"/>
     <resource name="aura" amount="50" cost="fixed"/>
     <resource name="permaura" amount="1" cost="fixed"/>
     <resource name="money" amount="3000" cost="fixed"/>
   </spell>
 
-  <spell name="create_focus" type="gray" ship="true" rank="5" level="9" index="2">
+  <spell name="create_focus" ship="true" rank="5" level="9" index="2">
     <function name="cast" value="lua_castspell"/>
     <resource name="aura" amount="100" cost="fixed"/>
     <resource name="permaura" amount="1" cost="fixed"/>
   </spell>
 
-  <spell name="create_ror" type="gray" ship="true" rank="5" level="9" index="3">
+  <spell name="create_ror" ship="true" rank="5" level="9" index="3">
     <function name="cast" value="lua_castspell"/>
     <resource name="aura" amount="100" cost="fixed"/>
     <resource name="permaura" amount="1" cost="fixed"/>
diff --git a/src/bindings/bind_unit.c b/src/bindings/bind_unit.c
index 3b0198d2c..1184617d8 100644
--- a/src/bindings/bind_unit.c
+++ b/src/bindings/bind_unit.c
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ static int tolua_unit_addnotice(lua_State * L)
   return 0;
 }
 
-static void unit_castspell(unit * u, const char *name)
+static void unit_castspell(unit * u, const char *name, int level)
 {
   quicklist *ql = spells;
   int qi;
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ static void unit_castspell(unit * u, const char *name)
         log_error("spell '%s' has no function.\n", sp->sname);
       } else {
         castorder co;
-        create_castorder(&co, u, 0, sp, u->region, sp->level, sp->level * MagicPower(), 0, 0, 0);
+        create_castorder(&co, u, 0, sp, u->region, level, level * MagicPower(), 0, 0, 0);
         sp->cast(&co);
         free_castorder(&co);
       }
@@ -477,7 +477,9 @@ static int tolua_unit_castspell(lua_State * L)
 {
   unit *self = (unit *) tolua_tousertype(L, 1, 0);
   const char *str = tolua_tostring(L, 2, 0);
-  unit_castspell(self, str);
+  int level = (int)tolua_tonumber(L, 3, 1);
+
+  unit_castspell(self, str, level);
   return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/battle.c b/src/kernel/battle.c
index ad01108b5..d0d0f9a31 100644
--- a/src/kernel/battle.c
+++ b/src/kernel/battle.c
@@ -1896,7 +1896,9 @@ static void do_extra_spell(troop at, const att * a)
   if (sp->cast == NULL) {
     log_error("spell '%s' has no function.\n", sp->sname);
   } else {
-    cast_combatspell(at, sp, sp->level, sp->level * MagicPower());
+    int level = a->level;
+    assert(a->level>0);
+    cast_combatspell(at, sp, level, level * MagicPower());
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/magic.h b/src/kernel/magic.h
index b129368e9..5edefbd7d 100644
--- a/src/kernel/magic.h
+++ b/src/kernel/magic.h
@@ -165,7 +165,6 @@ typedef struct sc_mage {
     fumble_f patzer;
 
     /* this is not so much the spell's data, but the school's studying data */
-    magic_t __magietyp;
     int level;                  /* Stufe des Zaubers */
   } spell;
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/race.h b/src/kernel/race.h
index b1ec8f889..c2cafa01f 100644
--- a/src/kernel/race.h
+++ b/src/kernel/race.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ extern "C" {
       const struct spell *sp;
     } data;
     int flags;
+    int level;
   } att;
 
   struct param;
diff --git a/src/kernel/xmlreader.c b/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
index bdeba293e..008c6a4d1 100644
--- a/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
+++ b/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
@@ -1956,6 +1956,10 @@ static int parse_races(xmlDocPtr doc)
         xmlFree(propValue);
       } else {
         attack->data.sp = xml_spell(node, "spell");
+        if (attack->data.sp) {
+          attack->level = xml_ivalue(node, "level", 0);
+          assert(attack->level > 0 || attack->data.sp->level > 0); /* magical attacks need a level */
+        }
       }
       attack->type = xml_ivalue(node, "type", 0);
       attack->flags = xml_ivalue(node, "flags", 0);