Spell efficacy
Spell Efficacy is a set of systems that alter the amount of mana available in an area due to environmental influences. There are several forms that this mechanic takes, and only certain categories of spells are affected.
Elemental Efficacy
When casting certain elemental spells, a number of environmental conditions, available to view via PERCEIVE/CONCENTRATE ELEMENTS, will be checked to determine how favorable the conditions are to that particular element, which will in turn control how efficiently your mana is used. Perceive elements requires 42 attunement ranks. You can think of this as having somewhat different levels of room mana available to you depending on the spellbook you’re using, though the under the hood mechanics are rather different than that description. This does not currently apply to mana supplied from cambrinth or HARNESS.
Warrior Mages
All Warrior Mage spells are affected by Elemental Efficacy.
Bards
All Bard spells from the Elemental Invocations spellbook are affected by Elemental Efficacy. Bard spells outside of the Elemental Invocations spellbook are not affected even if they mention one of the elements in their messaging. E.g. Because it is in the Emotion Control spellbook, Faenella's Grace is not affected by air magic efficacy even though the messaging indicates that you are using elemental air when casting the spell.
Effect
The strength of the effect depends on the overall climate, the season, the time of day and severity of weather. The variability ranges from +/-10% of the mana normally available in the room.
Condition Efficacy modifier overwhelmingly favorable 10% strongly favorable ~8% favorable ~6% moderately favorable ~4% slightly favorable ~2% neutral 0% slightly detrimental ~-2% moderately detrimental ~-4% detrimental ~-6% strongly detrimental ~-8% overwhelmingly detrimental ~-10%
Hybrid elemental spells
Most Warrior Mage spells and spells in the Elemental Invocation spellbook are fairly straightforward in their type, however, the following spells are hybrids and affected by conditions that affect both elements:
- Desert's Maelstrom - This is an Earth and Air hybrid.
- Shockwave - This is an Air and either Water or Fire hybrid depending on whether the metaspell is active or not.
- Breath of Storms - This is normally Electrical but when Will of Winter is in place it will use Water.
- Phoenix's Pyre - This uses Fire and will use Water in addition when Will of Winter is in place.
Known elemental environmental conditions
- Aether magic is deeply tied to the Plane of Abiding and is the least understood of the elements. As a result, most of its practitioners operate more from practical experience and careful measurements than extrapolation from a unified theory.
- Air magic is favorable in outside areas where wind is plentiful. Practitioners excel in the afternoon, Spring and in stormy weather and languish while indoors or during the Summer months.
- Electrical magic is favorable in stormy, tropical conditions. Practitioners find the most success in the Spring and Summer months, the later part of the day and reach their full potential during heavy rainfall. It is less effective indoors.
- Earth magic depends on solid ground, preferably unworked. This leads to a very predictable and reliable form of magic.
- Fire magic is favored in hot, dry conditions. Practitioners are cautioned to avoid moist, humid conditions and large bodies of water.
- Water magic is subdivided into two branches, depending on how the practitioner is attempting to manipulate the water in question. Most water spells work best around plentiful, cold water though some favor humid, tropical conditions instead.
Environmental Efficacy
When casting Ranger spells, the wilderness conditions will determine how efficiently your mana is used. You can think of this as having somewhat different levels of room mana available to you depending on the environment. This does not currently apply to mana supplied from cambrinth or HARNESS. (This replaces the old terrain modifiers that Ranger magic was subject to.)
This can be checked by using PACE.