Mana

Mana is the form of energy which magic is comprised of, and is measured in mana points (MPs). Casting a spell requires the expenditure of a certain amount of mana, generally equal to the level of the spell being cast. For example, a level one (1) spell would cost the caster one (1) mana. Mana regenerates naturally over time, based on a variety of factors. A character's base capacity for mana is based upon their level zero statistics (enter the INFO START command to view).

To increase a character's maximum mana capacity, training in Harness Power is required. Every rank of harness power up to and including the character's level provides 3 mana per rank. For example, a level 25 character with 25 ranks of harness power will have 75 mana just from his/her training in harness power. For every rank past the character's level only 1 mana is added. An example would be the same level 25 character above, but with 26 ranks of harness power, would have 76 mana from his training.

Mana Control Benefits

Training in the appropriate mana control skills (Elemental Mana Control, Mental Mana Control, Spiritual Mana Control) can unlock additional usages of this verb. Note that the threshold tiers for each case differ.

Multi-casting

A caster may more quickly stack the duration of defensive spells, one additional shot per threshold tiers. The relevant spell circle (single-sphere or hybrid) will determine how to calculate the necessary ranks for each tier. For single-sphere professions, each tier is 25 ranks of the appropriate mana control. For hybrid professions, fully count each rank of mana control in the sphere of the particular spell circle, and sum with it half the mana control ranks of the complementary professional hybrid sphere mana control, each tier represented in blocks of 25 skill ranks of this total. For hybrid circles, the primary mana control skill is whichever of the two is higher. The mana cost scales with the total number of casts while casting roundtime remains fixed.

For example, a cleric with 25 ranks of Spiritual Mana Control (tier one) could cast two shots of Spirit Warding I (101) simultaneously. This can be done for example to one's self:

>incant 101 2
You gesture while calling upon the lesser spirits to aid you with the Spirit Warding I spell...
Your spell is ready.
You make a complex gesture, increasing the potency of your spell.
A light blue glow surrounds you.

or on an arbitrarily appropriate target:

>prepare 101
You gesture while calling upon the lesser spirits to aid you with the Spirit Warding I spell...
Your spell is ready.

>cast rolton 2
You make a complex gesture at a rolton, increasing the potency of your spell.
A light blue glow surrounds a rolton.

Mana Spellup

A caster may invoke all known defensive spells (with a few exceptions) at the same time at zero mana cost a number of times per day equal to the threshold tier. The profession's magical domain (single-sphere or hybrid) will determine how to calculate the necessary skill ranks for each tier. For single-sphere professions, each tier is 75 ranks of the appropriate mana control. For hybrid professions, sum the larger of the two relevant mana control skills with half of the ranks of the complementary professional hybrid sphere mana control, each tier represented in blocks of 75 skill ranks of this total.

For example, a sorcerer with 50 ranks in both elemental and spiritual mana control (tier 1) and knowledge of every spell in the Minor Spiritual Spells, Minor Elemental Spells, and Sorcerer Base Spells can invoke this ability once per day (note Wall of Force (140) is excluded):

>mana spellup

With your advanced understanding of spiritual and elemental mana, you transcend the normal limitations of magic and release upon yourself a flurry of abjurations...

A light blue glow surrounds you.
The air thickens and begins to swirl around you.
You suddenly feel more powerful.
There is a dim flash around you.
You feel a strengthening of your internal fortitude.
There is a dim flash around you.
You feel a strengthening of your blood flow.
A deep blue glow surrounds you.
A dull golden nimbus surrounds you.
You suddenly feel a lot more powerful.
You are surrounded by a white light.
A silvery luminescence surrounds you.
A bright luminescence surrounds you.
A brilliant luminescence surrounds you.
You are filled with a sense of great confidence.
Your skin tingles for a moment and you feel more secure.
A shadowy patch of ether rises up through the ground to encompass you, swiftly sinking into your skin.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.

This ability should be considered particularly useful after deaths or during invasions.

Mana Pulse

Any character may speed up the next natural mana pulse if it would occur within a number of seconds equal to the threshold tier. The profession's magical domain (single-sphere or hybrid) will determine how to calculate the tier. For single-sphere professions, each tier is one rank of the appropriate mana control. For hybrid professions, sum the larger of the two relevant mana control skills with half of the ranks of the complementary professional hybrid sphere mana control, the tier equal to this total. The amount of mana obtained from this skill is always equal to the character's standard off-node value, regardless of the character's location. In trade, the next natural mana pulse will skip the character, and the character cannot use the skill again until that time.

Messaging for invocation:

>mana pulse

An invigorating rush of mana pulses through you.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.

Messaging for termination of the cool-down timer and skipped mana pulse:

You feel mana pulse within the area, but it does not reach you.

This skill will never give characters additional mana (and provides even less mana if the character is on a node when the cool-down pulse skips), but does allow characters more control over when to get mana. This can be useful for example to finish off a creature, get a final pulse before a hunt, or shortly before invoking Sign of Wracking so the natural pulse does not occur when a character is nearly full of mana.

Reference

• http://www.play.net/gs4/info/magic-guide.asp#mana

See Also

• MANA (verb)
• MANA (saved post)