---
id: 6a151d32d772271dd2448c2d
title: "Challenge 311: Spellcaster"
challengeType: 29
dashedName: challenge-311
---

# --description--

Given a string of spell codes you are casting, calculate the total score.

Each character in the string represents a spell:

| Code | Spell| Category | Base Score |
| - | - | - | - |
| `"f"` | Fire | Destruction | 3 |
| `"l"` | Lightning | Destruction | 3 |
| `"i"` | Ice | Control | 2 |
| `"w"` | Wind | Control | 2 |
| `"h"` | Heal | Restoration | 1 |
| `"s"` | Shield | Restoration | 1 |

A combo multiplier is applied based on how many spells in a row have been cast from different categories:

- The first spell always scores at base value.
- Each consecutive spell from a different category than the previous increases the multiplier by 1.
- Casting a spell from the same category as the previous resets the multiplier back to 1.
- The score for each spell is its base score multiplied by the current multiplier.

Return the total score from the sequence of spells.

# --hints--

`cast("fihwl")` should return `33`.

```js
({test: () => { runPython(`
from unittest import TestCase
TestCase().assertEqual(cast("fihwl"), 33)`)
}})
```

`cast("lwswfi")` should return `45`.

```js
({test: () => { runPython(`
from unittest import TestCase
TestCase().assertEqual(cast("lwswfi"), 45)`)
}})
```

`cast("wislhfl")` should return `37`.

```js
({test: () => { runPython(`
from unittest import TestCase
TestCase().assertEqual(cast("wislhfl"), 37)`)
}})
```

`cast("sihwlih")` should return `50`.

```js
({test: () => { runPython(`
from unittest import TestCase
TestCase().assertEqual(cast("sihwlih"), 50)`)
}})
```

`cast("wishlfihwslwifihl")` should return `101`.

```js
({test: () => { runPython(`
from unittest import TestCase
TestCase().assertEqual(cast("wishlfihwslwifihl"), 101)`)
}})
```

# --seed--

## --seed-contents--

```py
def cast(spells):

    return spells
```

# --solutions--

```py
def cast(spells):
    lookup = {
        "f": ("destruction", 3),
        "l": ("destruction", 3),
        "i": ("control", 2),
        "w": ("control", 2),
        "h": ("restoration", 1),
        "s": ("restoration", 1)
    }

    total = 0
    multiplier = 1
    prev_category = None

    for spell in spells:
        category, score = lookup[spell]

        if prev_category and category != prev_category:
            multiplier += 1
        else:
            multiplier = 1

        total += score * multiplier
        prev_category = category

    return total
```