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Useful Spells for Exams


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Hey, everyone. I just thought that it should be time to compile the best spells for increasing your class skills the day before final exams. Feel free to chime in for your classes or if you can see improvements to what's already here.

 

So far, I can see that

 

Calligraphy - Quick writing, for an extra 1 to the parent skill, It lasts 8 days so You can probably add something else too.

 

Negation - Improve Negation, for 1 to the parent skill and 1 to the subskills for +2 total.

 

Revision - Any spell(preferably roll-less, I prefer wizard's aid) and add as many "Revision" phemes as your skill will allow, Easy +2 to the parent skill for every pheme added. Easiest. Class. Ever.

 

History - Pitfalls of the Past, +2 for Parent skill.

 

Also, Arm Brace is a powerful Enspell Spell for just about all of your Y1 magic classes.

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Yeah, I want to focus on using spells to completely increase the given skill as much as possible in one casting. I dislike random effects because you have no control over them. I'm straddling the line as far as *erhem* certain magical pillars are concerned. I don't need actual casual contact with Gates and Mastery to push me beyond my deliberate "Casual" contact with them, and as a rule I dislike save scumming, so that's out of the picture just because it's possible.

 

As a rule I also don't like casting spells for temporary gain either, but for a class score I can live with it. Would you mind sharing the phemes you typically use for your classes, Schwarzbart?

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Base spell + Pheme:

 

Inspirational Thinking (Rev) in combination with Revision Stone.

6th Finger (Enchant) with Grand Forge Personal Forge. There're lots of location for Enchant and GFPF is pretty easy to get.

Organized Mind (rev methods) not as good but if you have better Intelligence and great Rev methods then by all means go.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hey, everyone. I just thought that it should be time to compile the best spells for increasing your class skills the day before final exams.

Assuming that "the day before final exams" wasn't an intentional restriction for imposing some challenge into an otherwise unbalanced matter its:

 

1. 6th finger.

2. 6th finger.

3. 6th finger

4. 6th finger

5. 6th finger

6. 6th finger

7. 6th finger

 

You need: The spell, a known pheme that increases your enchant skill (preferably enhance; arid doesn't work with 6th finger), and a collection of phemes for your tests (be ABSOLUTELY sure that you have at least one pheme combination for each test that can increase your SL, and can be used with 6th finger).

 

The point is - you have 6 exams within a relatively short period, instead of holding back and using short spells it might be a better idea to rely on long term spells.

 

6th finger has a duration of week, Difficulty of 3 and helps with it own roll. There might be better candidates, but I doubt it.

 

So how are we going to cheat past exams? (And don't you tell me that useing magic for scores has anything to do with being fair)

Well, by looping of cause!

 

First, take a look at your schedule. Note which exams go with more than a week difference between them.

Calculate how much extra skill levels you want for each exam.

Browse your pheme selection. Write down the ones that give bonus to your tests. Choose the ones that give the most SL per DP (difficulty "point")

Based on those phemes efficiency and your desired SP heights (say, would you like 200 score points per exam?) calculate how much DP you need for each of your tests.

 

Ok, next you might want to do some real-world real math, because that might save you a period or two. Otherwise, just mimic the forthcoming example, and adjust it to fit your case as best as you can.

 

Anyway, here's the "basic" strategy, portrayed through example.

 

I'm assuming that we start at 10 points in enchant skill, enhance pheme, and similar phemes (1SL per 2 DP) for all 6 tests. We want 5 more Skill levels per tested skill.

 

We have a long period after the second exam.

 

 

Cast 6th finger with 4 enhance phemes. (you could probably add more if you care to spare some stress, or get a good area influence)

This brings us up to 16 points in enchant.

Cast 6th finger with 7 enhance phemes.

This brings us up to 25 points in enchant.

Cast 6th finger with 9 enhance phemes and 2phemes that add to the first exam.

This brings us up to 36 points in enchant and +2 to E1.

Cast 6th finger with 9 enhance phemes, 3 phems to E1, and 5 phemes to E2.

This brings us up to 47 points in enchant, +5 to E1, and +5 to E2. This should be cast in the evening before exam 1.

 

Now we need to preserve our uber enchant skill through the long gap.

We wait until the next exam comes or untill the first cast is about to expire.

See how many exams your can cover. If it's expiration time, check If skipping a day lets you cover second or third exam, If it does, skip a day, otherwise cast now.

 

We'll assume that our schedule was a big disaster and we've hit the expiration date rather than the next exam. (if we didn't, ease the following steps up to your specifications)

 

1) If we only cover one exam (shouldn't happen unless your schedule is a total nightmare), cast the 6th finger with +5 to E3, 9 enhance phemes, and as many enchantment SL increasing phemes as you can stuff by useing other phemes (in case you didn't know, we can only add any given pheme up to 9 times per cast). Ideally, this'll give us +15 enchant SLs that are not going to expire any time soon. If we got at least +11, we wait until we can cover 2 more exams and cast the 6th finger with +5 to E4 and +5 to E5 (forget the enhancement pheme, we don't need that any more). Then, we wait untill we can cover the last one, and cast at +5 to E6. OR, If we got less than +11, we wait until we cover one, cast it with +5 to E4, and as much enhancement phemes as we can stuff into it, then wait for two more and cast the last time at +5 to E5 and +5 to E6.

 

That's +5 skill points per test for 7 casts.

 

2) If we cover two exams, cast at +5 E3, +5 E4, + 9 enhancement, and squeeze in an extra pheme if you want. If we can cover two more while the bonuses of this cast last we do so, and check in at 6 casts. Otherwise we cast once we cover one exam and again once we cover the last. That checks out at 7.

 

3) If we cover three exams, cast at +5 E3,E4,E5, add whatever we want, and wait till we cover the last exam to finish it with our 6th cast.

 

4) If we cover all 4, you guessed it, we cast at +5 to all, and add something for the remaining 5 DP. Congrats we've got through at 5 casts.

 

The above should give you a general idea how to build-up and preserve the + Enchant SL stack. Your results will vary greatly based on your pheme collection (primarily, and most drastically based on whether you have the enhance pheme), your cheating needs, your enchanting skill specifics, and your schedule. For example you can cast your spells at an area with an Enchantment bonus, or add some stress at key points (like 1st cast), which should noticeably cut the number of casts. Bad selection of phemes can really complicate things here, forcing you to use more time on making build-ups and preserving suitable bonus levels. Schedule can affect the actual approach, but shouldn't increase the casting time much. It can greatly decrease the casting time though, if your exams are closely packed.

 

For example a greatly polarized schedule (3 in one weak early, 3 in one weak late) can be solved by 2 separated sequences of 3 casts.

 

+4 En (10->16)

+7 En (16->25)

+5 E1, +5 E2, +5 E3, 4 DP for personal gain.

 

An evenly spread schedule can be solved even with next to no build-up. Actually, If you have a full set of phemes +1 SL per 2 DP for your exams, and neither large gaps nor big concentrations you can do it in 6 casts with virtually no build-up. Just be sure your first cast works with at +5 and keep re-casting before the native +2 to enchantment bonus expires.

 

 

Anyway, would now be an appropriate time to pester the legate about elimination of stacking from same phemes on different spells and from multiple spells with same base, and also about mandatory dispell before examination procedure?

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Nah. Dispel before exam? What are we, students of a mundane school? It's like asking a computer students not to use their computers for exam. Absurb!

 

My proposal above is based on a single criteria: *minimum time slot*. Time is the most valuable resource of all so we must spend it carefully. And each exam worth maybe two or just one time slot for buffing. If we have exams close together, that a 9 day duration is enough, then yes, your grouping of 6th finger make sense. Heck, generally speaking, 6th finger make sense with its longest duration, smallest threshold, and easy to get +4Personal Forge.

 

BUT I keep other considerations in mind. Like doing adventures during these days. Or events. And for that purpose the buff to Enchant doesnt help much if at all.

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It always depend on your goal, if all what you aim for is a exam score of 200+ in each class then fine go for this. But if you aim to use this char in year 2 I wouldn't do this as in my opinion to be he best by maybe 20 points in each class is enough. Especial considering that the Exam score we get in year 1 is maybe not exportet to year 2! Instead its probably new calculated with the import!

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Nah. Dispel before exam? What are we, students of a mundane school? It's like asking a computer students not to use their computers for exam. Absurb!

 

My proposal above is based on a single criteria: *minimum time slot*. Time is the most valuable resource of all so we must spend it carefully. And each exam worth maybe two or just one time slot for buffing. If we have exams close together, that a 9 day duration is enough, then yes, your grouping of 6th finger make sense. Heck, generally speaking, 6th finger make sense with its longest duration, smallest threshold, and easy to get +4Personal Forge.

 

BUT I keep other considerations in mind. Like doing adventures during these days. Or events. And for that purpose the buff to Enchant doesnt help much if at all.

It's like asking computer students not to download "their" "works" from the internet. Which is perfectly reasonable.

It's a school for crying out loud, why did we have to sleep through a beeping lot of classes of zoology or grammar if all we need to do to pass is some spell casting?

 

It's our OWN skill that should be put to test, and skill at over-buffing isn't the only skill in (imaginary) life.

 

As far as time frames go, could you show me an example that gives you +5 to all 6 exams with only 5 spells cast without a similar technique? 7 Only came into the equation because I was showcasing a tough case. For easier skill levels, with a bit extra stress, a good casting area, and a decent schedule you could get away with far less than that. And yes, we may have other activities in between, and since we'll be spending time on spell casting anyway, why not pump-up the stack and use that to squeeze in a few extra phemes for non-exam use? Like some stress removal, or stat buffs? That'd actually mean LESS wasted effort, since less build-up is wasted.

 

It always depend on your goal, if all what you aim for is a exam score of 200+ in each class then fine go for this. But if you aim to use this char in year 2 I wouldn't do this as in my opinion to be he best by maybe 20 points in each class is enough. Especial considering that the Exam score we get in year 1 is maybe not exportet to year 2! Instead its probably new calculated with the import!

 

OR you could take whatever study disciplines you want, buff up to +10 SL and never spend a day training them. I'm not saying that it's a great option or a reasonable option, but it's an option.

 

Your Exam Score will transfer, but it looks like 125+ is lumped into one category, so you need to go way over the top unless you just want the bragging rights. We may put in a minor easter egg for you over achievers, though. :)

That could have been a nice surprise... spoilsport. ;P

 

Way over the top as in around 500? 1000? It's a magic school! Of course we want bragging rights. And utterly destroy the grading curve. It's only fair.

 

Speak for yourself. I want a mandatory dispel before exams. Those buffs are circumventing the whole point of examination.

AND I dislike bragging regardless of the source or form.

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Well, I think that a cap on buffing might be nice, but I suspect the reason why we are allowed to use such crazy buffs unrestricted is because in future years, as a certain capacity for magic is expected, being able to do this sort of thing will be required in order to get even passing grades. (Though the Legate has been nice enough say that at least some classes will not do this. Instead they will only test what you actually know.)

 

Take a Grandfather clock for example. I believe that normally, only a *Master* wizard could conjure up all the intricate moving parts in a fashion that when done correctly produces the desired whole machine.

 

But! The absolute BEAUTY of this setting is, "magic can build upon magic", so, one can make a grandfather clock *without* being a master. It's longer, and more complicated because you'll have to build spell upon spell, piggybacking them. At the end, though, you'll have your clock. It's hard to see this right now because all we've been exposed to is Y1, and I'm speculating a bit because of this, but I can see there being classes in Y4-5 dedicated to teaching students how to use magics that even most of the professors might shy away from. These classes will be possible because of this buffing ability.

 

The Chameil Academy is said to inspire it's students to create something "perfect" Well, the only way they could even attempt this is to train their Revision skills to the breaking point, and buff their skills ever higher to produce such items that they are renowned for. So, no, I don't think that the Academy of Magic of Mineta is going to discourage that sort of thing.

 

This is also why I've *extensively* trained my character's magical skills in Y1. I'm going to be the mage who can not only incant up a grandfather clock, but revise it to dance, while putting a glamour for singing on it. If my own skills in those pillars are insufficient for that because I've been trying to learn ALL pillars, then increase them with magic! With a strong foundation in the magical skills, you should be able to do just about *anything* even if you normally couldn't. It requires an open mind, I know, but I think that BCS has, is, and will continue to capture the most pure essence of what it would feel like to be in a magic school!

 

That's why I gravitate very strongly to the game! (Even though Y1 had a VERY sharp learning curve and that will probably not abate!) Thanks BCS!!!!

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Well, I think that a cap on buffing might be nice, but I suspect the reason why we are allowed to use such crazy buffs unrestricted is because in future years, as a certain capacity for magic is expected, being able to do this sort of thing will be required in order to get even passing grades. (Though the Legate has been nice enough say that at least some classes will not do this. Instead they will only test what you actually know.)

 

Take a Grandfather clock for example. I believe that normally, only a *Master* wizard could conjure up all the intricate moving parts in a fashion that when done correctly produces the desired whole machine.

 

But! The absolute BEAUTY of this setting is, "magic can build upon magic", so, one can make a grandfather clock *without* being a master. It's longer, and more complicated because you'll have to build spell upon spell, piggybacking them. At the end, though, you'll have your clock. It's hard to see this right now because all we've been exposed to is Y1, and I'm speculating a bit because of this, but I can see there being classes in Y4-5 dedicated to teaching students how to use magics that even most of the professors might shy away from. These classes will be possible because of this buffing ability.

 

The Chameil Academy is said to inspire it's students to create something "perfect" Well, the only way they could even attempt this is to train their Revision skills to the breaking point, and buff their skills ever higher to produce such items that they are renowned for. So, no, I don't think that the Academy of Magic of Mineta is going to discourage that sort of thing.

 

This is also why I've *extensively* trained my character's magical skills in Y1. I'm going to be the mage who can not only incant up a grandfather clock, but revise it to dance, while putting a glamour for singing on it. If my own skills in those pillars are insufficient for that because I've been trying to learn ALL pillars, then increase them with magic! With a strong foundation in the magical skills, you should be able to do just about *anything* even if you normally couldn't. It requires an open mind, I know, but I think that BCS has, is, and will continue to capture the most pure essence of what it would feel like to be in a magic school!

 

That's why I gravitate very strongly to the game! (Even though Y1 had a VERY sharp learning curve and that will probably not abate!) Thanks BCS!!!!

You know, you can keep +33 to enchant and 60+ DC worth on phemes on yourselve on a regular basis if you keep casting 6th finger slightly more often than 3 times per week. If there was a spell with similar duration that could stomach more bonuses to itself you could go beyond that. And if you want to build up a skill with no time pressure involved...

 

In other words a Y1 student should be able to enchant a grandfather clock that can dance, run, sing, write, play chess at grandiose level, and even pass all Y1 exams for him, including the ones he doesn't need to pass, it could probably tackle the sphinx (both literally and with comparable knowledge), mask it's identity as Orso Orsi, and impart knowledge of gates on all innocent bystanders, but that's bound to attract the attention of authority and the student doesn't want his whaky spree to end.

 

Besides, a world where "magic can build upon magic" is bound to have it's magical tradition adjust to that practice (common sense check here). In other words, it should be a common knowledge that mundane skill isn't worth a thing to a spell caster, and "mastery" is an obsolete concept. Doesn't look that way from the game though. In fact, surrounding area seem to have barely adjusted to a swarm of barely enchanted Y1 students running around. I never saw a 70+ DC locks on any important doors, and predators don't seem to be fleeing from the first sight of a wand-wielding kid. Which with 40+ SL magical NEWBIES should have become an instinct of all survivors by now. Furthermore, none of the kids bumping into me seem to have been doing it at 40+ SL of running, as I didn't need 10+ skill to dodge them, catch up to them or even plain and simple "take the hit".

 

Should I continue, or is it clear enough already that the only person in the world to use this technique is the player?

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"Create Formal Invitation

 

With a Finesse/Calligraphy Roll of 27 or greater, you can effectively seize Control of another student for two entire days.

 

A properly created Formal Invitation . . .

 

. . . and note that proper creation is very, *very* hard to manage . . .

 

. . . is practically a command; when issued correctly, it can actually give control of one person over another for a few actions.

 

With all the style and grace one can muster, a properly created formal invitation is a thing of beauty. When done absolutely perfectly, this invitation is impossible to resist. Interestingly, no one is ever offended from being ordered around via a formal invitation; they just accept that such a thing is done and move on accordinglly."

 

I wonder why mail practice wasn't banned along with mastery if even a Y1 student can do the above.

 

I mean, really, all it takes to perform an otherwise inhuman feat (how many real world irresistible documents do you know?) is a magical student with a bight head, right kind of spell and couple of right phemes?

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I understand the desire to keep us in the dark, Legate, but If I say anything blatantly incorrect, please say so.

 

Well, again we're only in Y1 right now, and there's no real way to use skill capacity past I'd say around 20 right now. Therefore the game has no real distinction between base skill knowledge and magically buffed knowledge. It keeps track of it sure, but in gameplay you just add them together.

 

In future years I think we will see a difference in that. In all honesty I don't think that a Y1 student, even a bright one would be capable of all the magics required to make a grandfather clock. Several of them at the end of the year, working together, maybe. Realize that the PLAYER CHARACTER, or YOU can be either a dumb moron that got in with connections, or a genius that awes everyone he meets, the game is mostly written for somewhere inbetween, with an emphasis on the higher end.

 

In future years I think we will see that in order to incant a grandfather clock (or any major incantation feat) with less that the required amount of skill, (or even without any skill in incantation) We will NOT do it the same way. To simplify it, imagine trying to use a screwdriver to hammer a nail. I'm almost positive the reason why it APPEARS as though you can do this now in Y1 is because of a game engine limitation, because according to the lores of the game you really aren't expected to do all this right now and the focus is still on learning. This is an issue which will certainly be fixed in future years when the ability to actually do this sort of stuff is realized. You have to realize that Y1 is only a small part of the picture.

 

Let's Say in the start of Y3 you have a base skill in incantation at 20, but can buff to 100 (just pulling a number there) By that time I'm sure students can magically enhance themselves to make a clock even if their base skill is insufficent, but the engine for Y3 will surely have improved so that if you try to use all buffs with no real skill the results will be less satisfying to a large degree. Maybe the duration will be reduced? Maybe if you buffed with glamour the clock only APPEARS to be there? who knows? But the point is that the LORE all points to what I'm talking about, while you are looking at the game engine for all the solutions.

 

I can tell even without knowing the Black Chicken team that they are pretty die-hard Pen&Paper/tabletop games fanatics. Academagia was obviously influenced by this. In these kind of games, Red, there's usually a moderator who helps balance the game and prevent you from delving too deep into the mechanics of the game, as the REAL reason why those games are fun to play is not because of X amount of statistics and gaming the system, (people who do this excessively often RUIN the fun) but in immersing yourself in the lore and using your imagination according to those limitations. Imagination is the key.

 

Now the Legate has said that a skill number of 50 would be that of a career wizard in a skill. There was no mention of buffs, so I think it's safe to assume that is a base skill figure, and probably will not even be attainable within your 5 years at the school (unless you REALLY specialize in one field). If you can already buff to 50 in Y1 in certain areas if you really try, then how high could you go when you're already at it? But even then, at the End of Y5, you're not really at 300 or whatever crazy number it might end at. And there will be a HARSH penalty of some sort to whatever insane doomsday spell you're trying to do.

 

Also, Mastery literally enslaves one's body and mind to the whims of another. Mail doesn't do that. It's treated the same for gameplay reasons but is very, VERY, VERY different. Read the lore, not the game system.

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You were the one who originally advocated a game mechanic with lore, and now you're telling me that I shouldn't mix them? I wasn't even planing in the first place!

 

You see, these are two conflicting concepts:

1. Only a master can...

2. You don't have to be a master to...

 

If there's a method in the world, there a method in the world. The game's own events and adventures "cap" our capabilities between those of a well developed kid and a non-magical grown-up. It never ever hints to the fact that in a the game's world exists a method that lets us reach crazy heights. Therefore, there's no lore reason for it to exist as a gameplay element. There's no gameplay reason for it to exist as a gameplay element either, it's not fun, it's not fundamental, and it's not even hard to fix (at least partially, anyway).

 

Looping should be fixed, and if that fix conflicts with lore than the lore contradicts itself.

 

And yes, there's an important difference between PnP and PC single player games. It's that the job of moderation has to built-in into the game itself. It should not be the player's role to watch his own actions and put a stop to them once they start leading down the wrong path of designer's plan. In a broader view of picture, the primary role of games is to LIMIT our mind's freedom and to give it a puzzle to crack. This is why we play games and not just spend our time daydreaming on a sofa instead. Whether that puzzle involves determining hidden intentions of a deceiver or smashing the face of a goblin, the game's primary task is to set obstacles on our way that stop us from simply "making it happen" and force us to "make it happen by the rules".

 

The role of the rules subsequently, is to insure that "making it happen by the rules" is an interesting process. This, BTW is why game's rules will never accomplish the same effect as a living moderator. Engaging in a game of wit with a set of rules is not the same process as engaging in a game of wit with a living being. Set of rules cannot cover it's own loopholes in the process, which is why designer has to make sure that they aren't open in the first place, which in turn puts a heavier limit on imagination. It's grounding, but that's how it has to be, the rules can't afford to have loopholes.

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I'm NOT saying that you should disregard the entire game system. You can't even play the thing if you don't understand the basic rules of the game, I support understanding and comparing X amount of statistics and such but in the end they HAVE to give way to the lore, you are taking it a bit too far here! This is a grey world and you seem to accept only either black and white here.

 

You see, these are two conflicting concepts:

1. Only a master can...

2. You don't have to be a master to...

 

OR!!! Is it entirely possible that you can use magic to make yourself "a master" if you aren't one already? That seems to tie up that loophole quite nicely, and again the lores support this! There are stories where you are literally magically given knowedge to cast spells that normally you shouldn't be able to cast. If you are trying to nitpick something, the best that I could say is maybe the wording could be a little different, but I find it satisfactory. There is no loop to fix and the lores are fine.

 

In a broader view of picture, the primary role of games is to LIMIT our mind's freedom.

 

I disagree with this so much it's not funny. The point of ANY game is to stimulate one's imagination and creativity, I can agree that there needs to be a focus so that you don't wind up with pink elephants or whatever, but that's what the lores are for anyway, to stipulate that which is and that which is not possible, and in THIS game a pink elephant probably would not be entirely out of place.

 

It should not be the player's role to watch his own actions and put a stop to them once they start leading down the wrong path of designer's plan

 

I mostly agree with this, but keep in mind that the developers have no real way to keep EVERY player from misinterpreting certain pieces of information and making bad assumptions, which I do believe is the case in our current discussion.

 

 

The role of the rules subsequently, is to insure that "making it happen by the rules" is an interesting process. This, BTW is why game's rules will never accomplish the same effect as a living moderator

I agree wholeheartedly, but the whole point of this conversation is (what I believe to be) a misinterpretation of the rules of the game. The rules of the game, are partly in the game mechanics, and ALSO partly in lore. The rules of the game do a fine job, but your complaints are based on logic that only the gameplay rules count. That cuts off half the rules and are why you are confused. You are attacking me by saying that I only follow the lore, but that is also a mistake. A moderator would help with that, but in the end it's up to you to understand this if you play the game.

 

Now the Legate has steered wide clear of this discussion because if he was to even say anything it'd be full of spoilers, but if I was saying anything totally off the wall, I'm sure he'd pipe in.

 

Good day, Red.

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Personally, it would be nice flavor if we cannot buff Theory of XXXX AND makes really complex stuff dependent on Theory skill.

 

Say, I buff Freespace's Incantation skill to skyhigh, so he'd have the ability to create a Legate-shaped cotton candy the size of Mineta.

 

But he lacks the Theory and isn't aware that you can actually go for cotton candy with Incantation.

 

------

Now the Legate has steered wide clear of this discussion because if he was to even say anything it'd be full of spoilers, but if I was saying anything totally off the wall, I'm sure he'd pipe in.

 

Ah, but you are [redacted], because [redacted]. :)

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I agree that excessive buffing should probably be tempered a little in future years. That might be a good way to go about it, so that you don't wind up with 400 or so in Y2, but I trust the team.

 

Ah, but you are [redacted], because [redacted]. :)

 

So are you saying that the legate was [redacted]?

 

...By [redacted]!? HOW COULD YOU!?

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  • 3 months later...

I usualy only use Pheme to increase the Main Skills for the exam and for this the spell From Nothing Knowledge is absolut great as it gives you a permanent increase in 2 random SS.

cast me spell so that i can pass my exams. am starting on tuesday to 16 may

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  • 4 months later...

That was raised as a bug during beta-testing but I think that given time constraints the view taken was the school didn't worry about it for first years as only the ones who'd actually studied would know the phemes, spells, etc to make a difference so really it would just differentiate the top 2 or 3 kids in the class and surely they wouldn't do such a thing anyway.

 

In later years I'd expect a heavy-duty dispel magic, or possibly magical enhancements to act as amultiplier rather than be additive, so that to truly excel you'd need both natural/learned skill and magic.

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  • 2 weeks later...

You guys just plain dont have witnessed the competitive streaks in overachievers. Let Hermione's use of Time changer a lesson to you: nothing is out of consideration when you think about cramming.

 

Sure, in normal schools the competitive streaks of students wont get free reign. at best, it's satiated during sport events.

 

BUT we are talking about a campus filled to the brims with youngster divided into several competing colleges, that has competitive streaks a mile wide and a mile deep. That curriculum are full of tools for overachievers.

 

They most certainly will use magical methods to ensure high points, not just for the CV, but to put one over others. And the teachers will encourage them.

 

Dispell before exams is kind off a wet blanket. It level the racing field between the ones work like slaves all year, and the so-so students, between the magical-talented and the nonmagical...

 

Other than *redacted name of a nation*, i cant think of any nation that can think of this wet blanket policy. And it certainly dont fit the Academagia as experienced in Y1 events.

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The problem is that none of the other students make use of spells to optimize their exam results, which is somewhat reasonable considering that it's the first year and the main character is quite exceptional, but for the next years exams either the other students should attempt to emulate the over-achiever of last year OR the teachers should restrict magical buffs.

 

One problem is that putting much effort into raising the skill maximums has little effect compared to just throwing a powerful spell buffing it five times as much or more, with various artiffacts and perhaps even stacking more on top of it. Then it isn't truly a test of personal ability anymore, in theory another student could have buffed you.

 

Has the Legate said anything the examn mechanics for next year? I really hope either there is a dispel mechanic or using magic prior to exams is acknowledged as a valid strategy that other students also make use of.

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You guys just plain dont have witnessed the competitive streaks in overachievers. Let Hermione's use of Time changer a lesson to you: nothing is out of consideration when you think about cramming.

 

Sure, in normal schools the competitive streaks of students wont get free reign. at best, it's satiated during sport events.

 

BUT we are talking about a campus filled to the brims with youngster divided into several competing colleges, that has competitive streaks a mile wide and a mile deep. That curriculum are full of tools for overachievers.

 

They most certainly will use magical methods to ensure high points, not just for the CV, but to put one over others. And the teachers will encourage them.

 

Dispell before exams is kind off a wet blanket. It level the racing field between the ones work like slaves all year, and the so-so students, between the magical-talented and the nonmagical...

 

Other than *redacted name of a nation*, i cant think of any nation that can think of this wet blanket policy. And it certainly dont fit the Academagia as experienced in Y1 events.

 

Hmm, the level of competition in the academagia seems fairly routine to me, if not on the low side - where are the teachers setting up fights between students, or rigging tests and trips to benefit their favourites? The routine scholarly brutality I recall from some parts is, I suppose, politically incorrect nowadays but where are the exhortions by house masters to get one over other houses or suffer the consequences? Perhaps schools are quieter nowadays given exam pressures and rigid curriculums.

 

I'd expect that students could sneak some stuff in, but the concept of an exam is to test the student - not to encourage a year goofing off and then a spell to fake it on the day, or to encourage the nobbling of competition, so in future years I'd either expect a "cast your best spell from this class before the exam" so that everyone goes in with native knowledge and one spell, or a split of the exams into "theory" and "practice" where the theory is done without magical aid to test what actual knowledge and skill the student has, and the practical exam is then where the spellcasting ability is tested, again however the idea would be "what can you cast on the day from cold", not "what can you stack up over a week with buffs from your buddies and hired help" so there would be a dispel before the practical. In both cases, a heavy-duty dispel isn't a wet blanket that smothers difference it is the key rule which prevents the so-so from faking ability and that therefore ensures that the brilliant are properly sorted from the bright, the bright from the average, and so on.

 

Of course no system is flawless, and some professors might encourage rules to be bent a little - and some students would aim to push it even further - but any school that wanted to "be the best" would want to make sure that it had pushed its students to succeed, and that requires a rigorous testing system that is only excelled at by the best.

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