Last session one of my players managed to finally aquire a spell and since I usually don't use the magic rules I was a bit unsure on how they interatcted with defense and soak. In this instance it was the petty magic card Magic Darts. Does the targets defense add misforutne dice to the roll? Can he use active defenses? Do you subtract soak from the damage?

Soak etc applies as normal unless stated otherwise on the card, Magic Dart has a boon effect to ignore armor soak if I remember rightly.

Sticking with Magic Dart, it is only a Spellcraft (INT) check, the card doesn't state that it is 'Vs. Target Defense', as such the target doesn't get their regular defensive dice. Nor can they use and Dodge, Parry or Block cards against it. The only active defense card they could play against it are the Counterspell cards.

At least that is my understanding, haven't had a magic user in one of my games for some time.

Ah yes, of cource. That makes sense. It works the same as all other action cards. It was just so long since I had read up on the magic rules that I wasn't quite sure. But then we luckily played it right.

As Umaril pointed out the spells that are "vs. targets defence" add defence dice from armour, shields or any other sources of defence.

However, the Active Defence cards differ a bit from each other. Parry can only be used against melee attacks, block can be used against melee or ranged attacks. Only dodge can be used against melee, ranged and spell attacks. This is detailed on the active defence card in question. Counterspell can be used against any spell (even beneficial ones).

Regarding damage, spell actions can some times have the wording wounds instead of damage. If a spell inflicts a certain amount of damage you use soak and toughness as normal, and you can use talents such as roll with it, or actions such as shrug it off, to reduce the damage further. When you inflict wounds you bypass soak, toughness and most talents/actions that let you reduce damage.

Regarding damage, spell actions can some times have the wording wounds instead of damage. If a spell inflicts a certain amount of damage you use soak and toughness as normal, and you can use talents such as roll with it, or actions such as shrug it off, to reduce the damage further. When you inflict wounds you bypass soak, toughness and most talents/actions that let you reduce damage.

Hm that was news to me. But then I don't think there are many cards that list "wounds" instead of damage.

Regarding damage, spell actions can some times have the wording wounds instead of damage. If a spell inflicts a certain amount of damage you use soak and toughness as normal, and you can use talents such as roll with it, or actions such as shrug it off, to reduce the damage further. When you inflict wounds you bypass soak, toughness and most talents/actions that let you reduce damage.

Hm that was news to me. But then I don't think there are many cards that list "wounds" instead of damage.

There are only a few of those cards I think, and the ones that do exist are spells (and maybe a few blessings as well). For example the rank 2 light order spell "Demonbane" inflicts a fixed number of wounds rather than damage. The rank 3 Amethyst order spell "Death's release" also inflicts wounds, but on that card it's also clarified that it ignores toughness and soak.