🌀 Mana
Mana is the universal energy resource for all System-integrated beings. Not just casters. Not just mages. Everyone.
A tank reinforcing his body with mana and a mage launching a fireball are drawing from the same well through different pipes. Mana is fuel. Core quality, level growth, and skill use determine outcomes in combat.
Core Principles
- Core quality is a major multiplier, not the only source of pool growth.
- Level increases affect both maximum mana pool size and regeneration.
- No base stat directly increases mana pool size.
- Harvested off-resonance abilities maintain full effectiveness while costing more mana.
- Overcasting beyond your current pool damages the body and can potentially damage the core.
Max Mana Formula
Max mana is calculated in two stages.
Stage 1: RawMP(L) = 100 + 10L + 2L(L-1) + 3*max(0, L-10)^2
Stage 2: FinalMP = RawMP(L) * Q
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| L | Level |
| 100 | Nascent induction baseline |
| 10L | Fixed growth each level |
| 2L(L-1) | Accelerating growth |
| 3*max(0, L-10)^2 | Post-level-10 acceleration |
| Q | Core quality multiplier |
Core Quality Multipliers
** Crude Core used as a reference example. Higher Tier cores use the same forumala and have higher Q values. **
| Core State | Q |
|---|---|
| Nascent (No core) | 1.00 |
| Crude (Early) | 1.20 |
| Crude (Middle) | 1.35 |
| Crude (Late) | 1.55 |
Reference Values
- Level 1 Nascent: 110 MP
- Level 10 Nascent: 380 MP
- Level 10 Crude (Early): 456 MP
- Level 10 Crude (Middle): 513 MP
- Level 10 Crude (Late): 589 MP
Mana Regeneration
Base regeneration: CombatRegenPerMin = (0.06 * MaxMP) + (1.5 * L)
Actual regeneration: ActualRegenPerMin = CombatRegenPerMin * V * S
Regeneration Multipliers
| Variable | Meaning | Value |
|---|---|---|
| V | Core velocity: Idle | 1.80 |
| V | Core velocity: Optimized | 1.00 |
| V | Core velocity: Redline | 0.45 |
| S | Base circulation mastery | 1.00 |
| S | Each circulation rank bonus | +0.08 |
- Routine spacing: recover to about 70% in 2 to 4 minutes.
- Major spacing: full recovery in about 8 to 12 minutes if uninterrupted.
- In combat: enough sustain for tactical choices while preserving attrition pressure.
Core Velocity and Combat Gears
Core velocity is a throttle system. Higher cultivation tiers increase both control and safe operating range.
- Idle favors sustain and recovery.
- Optimized balances output and economy.
- Redline increases output while reducing regeneration efficiency.
Off-Resonance and Harvest Exceptions
Resonance still amplifies efficiency and identity. Off-resonance skills can be learned unless explicitly gated by requirement.
- Standard off-resonance skills are less efficient and hit a lower soft ceiling.
- Core Harvested abilities keep full baseline effect even when off-resonance.
- Core Harvested off-resonance mismatch penalty is mana cost only.
OffResonanceHarvestedCost = BaseCost * 2.0
Core Harvest (Level 10 Unlock)
Core Harvest unlocks at level 10 for individuals with the minimum of a Crude Tier (Early) formed core. Targets must also have a formed core at death.
Early Stage Harvested Cores
Choose one stat before harvest resolves.
StatGain = floor(TargetStat * H1), recommended baseline H1 = 0.10.
Middle Stage Harvested Cores
- Choose one reward path: stat siphon, or one modified skill/spell/ability from a System-generated list.
- Profession recipe transfer can appear if both individuals share a profession.
Late Stage Harvested Cores
- Receive one stat siphon.
- Receive one skill/spell/ability claim.
Core Harvested off-resonance use does not trigger disapproval checks from associated resonant pantheons. These abilities are treated as spoils of war rather than devotion drift.
Overcast and Resource Burn
If current mana is below ability cost, the cast still fires at full effect. The deficit converts into body strain.
Deficit = AbilityCost - CurrentMP
HP loss = ceil(Deficit * 1.5)SP loss = ceil(Deficit * 0.5)- Overcasting causes the Strained debuff.
- Each overcast adds 1 Strain stack.
- 3 stacks: temporary regeneration penalty.
- 5 stacks: risk of core damage event.
Balance Guardrails
- Redline remains regeneration-poor.
- Overcast damage stays dangerous at all levels.
- Strain decays slowly outside combat.
- Regeneration should not exceed 25% of max mana in a rolling 30-second window unless a specific cooldown ability allows it.
- Harvested stat gains should use per-harvest and per-day caps during implementation.
Mana-Hungry Builds
Some builds demand more mana than their core naturally provides. Supplemental sources still matter.
- Gear enchantments that expand effective pool size or boost regeneration
- Gems and accessories crafted by Jewel-core specialists
- Titles that grant mana-related bonuses
- Consumables such as potions, elixirs, and tonics brewed by Alchemy-core crafters
Supplements support a build. They do not replace a strong core and good mana conservation discipline.