Power Perceive skill
Power Perceive (abbreviated as PP) is the skill to sense and identify the various mystical forces in Elanthia. Mana (all magic-users), life essence (Empaths), heavenly bodies (Moon Mages), and things of sacred or spiritual nature (Clerics). This skill, along with Harness Ability skill, determines the amount of available energy a magician can use to fuel their spells.
Syntax
The basic command to perceive magic is shared by three synonymous verbs:
See the articles for details.
Room-Based Power
Room-based (holy, life, elemental) mana varies greatly from place to place, and -- to a lesser degree -- time to time. See the article on Mana for more information.
- The default roundtime for perceiving mana varies between 8 and 12 seconds. Every 60 ranks of PP the minimum and maximum roundtimes drop by 1 second up to 300 ranks (3-7 seconds). Every 60 ranks after 300 the maximum roundtime drops by 1 second until 540 ranks when every perceive will take 3 seconds.
- Messaging for adjacent mana still exists, but is now simply an FYI. At around 100 ranks you can get a sense of whether the mana in a room over is hotter or colder than your current room. At around 300 ranks you will see the absolute mana value of the adjacent rooms (so instead of "it's better" you'd get "it's lambent").
- The only room that matters for determining your mana contribution now is the one you're standing in. A room, under its natural power, will only take you up to around Glowing. Anything beyond that is the providence of the PP bonus and mana boosters.
- While mana growth is not linear (you gain more, faster, at lower ranks of PP), the mana scale was weighted to take into account 2000 ranks worth of PP growth and access to mana boosters beside. Do not expect to sit at the top of the scale casually, nor anticipate that you need to do so to cast effectively.
- The new adjacent mana system is considered a skillset perk. Magic Primes (excluding Moon Mages) see more mana from the adjacent area faster than secondaries, who get it faster than Tertiaries.
Lunar Power
Lunar mana is consistent throughout Elanthia, fluctuating greatly with the cycles of the moons. Power Perceive is the primary sphere of influence for Moon Mage magic, its spellbooks having the unique distinction of being affected separately by changes in Lunar power.
- Xibar is ascribed dominance over Psychic Projection magic as well as influence over Moonlight Manipulation and Transduction magic.
- Yavash is ascribed dominance over Perception magic as well as influence over Psychic Projection and Transduction magic.
- Katamba is ascribed dominance over Moonlight Manipulation magic as well as influence over Perception and Transduction magic.
Other Uses
- Clerics are able to perceive the number of other people's favors, level of memory degradation on dead people, and items to discern their cursed or blessed nature.
- Moon Mages can perceive what spells are active on other people, the residue of their mana type, and whether they are preparing a spell or holding mana.
- Warrior Mages can perceive familiars to identify who they belong to.
- Empaths have the ability to Perceive Health.
- Paladins can perceive the availability of their Smite ability, and items to discern their cursed or blessed nature.
- Bards are able to Perceive History, which allows them to detect emotional or magical imprints in a room. This ability is also commonly know as Hindsight.