Well, the script is attached directly to the npc so I have no clue why it won't work. Both of these lines don't compile. debug.messagebox("NPC isdead? = "+(self as Actor).isdead() ) debug.messagebox("NPC isdead? = "+self.isdead() ) I tried it your way, but once I have that bool, I can't get it to make a function call back to let the NPC know that it's dead (or store the variable). The first script compiles fine, but the second part says : cannot cast a actor to a MyNPCscript, types are incompatible I left out the part about ondeath cast spell on self. --------------Script on the NPC-------------compiles fine--------- function amidead(Actor akTarget, Actor akCaster) debug.messagebox("Am I dead? = "+akTarget.isdead()) endfunction ----------------------------------------------------- ----------------Script on the magiceffect---------------doesn't compile---------- Event OnEffectStart(Actor akTarget, Actor akCaster) if (akTarget.IsDead()) npcdead = true (akCaster as MyNPCscript).amidead(akTarget,akCaster) endif EndEvent --------------------------------------------------- EDIT: Ok, I figured it out, my problem is that I took the default setting when adding a script. The default when adding a script to an NPC is ObjectReference Scriptname MyNPCscript extends ObjectReference Instead, it should be Actor Scriptname MyNPCscript extends Actor Now everything works fine.