Mana

Each Wizard hero has a set number of Mana Points.

This affects how many Mana consuming abilities a hero can use in combat.

To calculate your hero's Mana Points [MP], use the following formula: (10 x Number of Skill Trees) + (5 x Mana) = Total Mana Points

As an example, if your character has a Mana value of 6 and is a Novice Wizard, that character will have: 10 + (5 x 6) = 40 Mana Points

If your character is a Apprentice with a Mana value of 10, you will have: 20 + (5 x 10) = 70 Mana Points

Most magical abilities will be single use, such as a Lightning Strike, in which case the techniques will have a fixed cost based on the power level of the magic ability.

Continuous Use Magic Ability:

These can be classified using three different methods: Constant Cost per Round, Varying Cost per round, and Constant Cost per X Rounds. All three ideas are possible, as each works best for certain types of techniques.

Varying Cost works best for abilities that require more Mana to initially activate than they do to sustain. For example, a Wizard who makes a blade made of wind has to invest a significant amount of Mana to form the blade, and a minimal amount after that to keep it formed.

Fixed Costs work best for abilities that tax the hero equally over their duration. This also applies to stat boosts.

Constant Cost per X Rounds works best for abilities where the hero expends Mana in one burst to receive a bonus for a few rounds there after.

There are four levels of Mana Points costs for magical abilities, with definitions below: Wizards can supercharge their magical abilities! The hero can devote additional Mana Points to a technique to increase its power. The number of Mana Points a Wizard hero can add is restricted based on the Mana value.

For every 5 Points a Wizard has in Mana, the hero may add an additional 5 Mana Points to a desired spell. For example, a Wizard has a Mana value of 20 and wishes to charge a Lightning Strike to maximum power. The hero can add an additional 20 Mana Points to the magical ability [20 / 5 = 4 x 5 = 20], this means the total cost of the hero's Lightning Strike is 40 Mana Points.

Questions
What do the costs mean and how do spells of varying costs compare?

All 10 Mana Points offensive spells deal similar damage, and all 20 Mana Points offensive spells deal similar damage to each other, and are stronger than 10 Mana Points offensive magical techniques. Same goes for 40  Mana Points  offensive spells.

A 1 0  Mana Point  offensive spell  can cancel another  1 0  Mana Point  offensive spell, but a  2 0  Mana Point  offensive spell  will overwhelm a  1 0  Mana Point  offensive spell  or defensive spell, like barriers.

For example, a  2 0  Mana Point  offensive spell  will destroy a  1 0  Mana Point  barrier and deal some damage. The same offensive spell isn't able to destroy a  2 0  Mana Point  barrier and deal damage. Similarly, it requires a  40  Mana Point  barrier to stop a  40  Mana Point  offensive technique at the cost of that barrier.

'''I have the Lightning Strike (Adept Spell), but only have a Mana of 10, what do I do? '''

Really you have a weaker version of the real Lightning Strike, you cannot yet control your Mana well enough to manifest it into a full  Lightning Strike, this means you are using a lesser version. This weaker version will only cost 10 Mana Points, but will also not do as much damage as a real  Lightning Strike. When you have a Mana of 20 you may reevaluate your technique, increasing the damage and Mana Points cost of your  Lightning Strike, then ask an mod for approval.

'I have a technique that is sustained over multiple rounds, how many Mana Points'' does it cost? '''

This is by far the most confusing part of the system and it depends largely on the skill. Varying Costs apply to techniques that require more Mana Points to initially activate than they do to sustain.

Examples of these are barrier techniques, binds, and channeling techniques such as charging up your weapon with lightning or fire. In this instance the intiation cost is twice as much as the sustain cost.

Fixed Costs apply to techniques that equally tax the hero during the duration of that technique's use, for example stat boosts cost the same each round. Lastly, a hero can expend a certain amount of Mana Points for X rounds of benefit. Damaging spells have a maintenance cost of X-5 Mana Points per Round, where X is the initiation cost and determines how much damage can be dealt.

What happens when I run out of Mana?

When a Wizard hero has fully expended all available Mana Points, they hit Mana exhaustion. In this state they suffer a debuff of -10 to their Strength and Speed stats. This lasts for the duration of the battle/mission.