Mana-Loop/docs/skills.md

Mana Loop - Skill System Documentation

Overview

The skill system in Mana Loop allows players to specialize their character through a deep progression system. Skills are organized by attunement, with each attunement providing access to specific skill categories.

Core Mechanics

Skill Levels

• Most skills level from 1 to 10
• Some skills cap at level 5 (specialized skills)
• Research skills are level 1 only (unlock effects)

Tier Up System

When a skill reaches max level, it can tier up:

• Tier 2, Level 1 = Tier 1, Level 10 in power
• Each tier multiplies the skill's base effect by 10x
• Maximum of 5 tiers per skill
• Tiering up requires attunement level prerequisites

Milestone Upgrades (The Perk Tree)

At every 5 levels (5 and 10), you choose 1 upgrade/perk from an upgrade tree:

• Starts with 3 base choices per milestone
• Each choice leads to branching paths
• You can always choose from previously available options
• Upgrades can be upgraded again at future milestones
• Upgrades meaningfully impact how the skill works

Example: Mana Well Upgrade Tree

Level 5 Choices:
├── Expanded Capacity (+25% max mana)
│   └── Level 10 upgrade: Deep Reservoir (+50% max mana)
│       └── Future: Can sacrifice capacity for regen
├── Natural Spring (+0.5 regen)
│   └── Level 10 upgrade: Flowing Spring (+1 regen)
│       └── Future: Regen scales with max mana
└── Mana Threshold (+20% max mana, -10% regen)
    └── Level 10 upgrade: Mana Conversion (Convert capacity to click bonus)
        └── Future: Threshold mechanics

Level 10 Choices (additional):
├── Mana Echo (10% chance double mana from clicks)
├── Emergency Reserve (Keep 10% mana on loop reset)
└── Deep Wellspring (+50% meditation efficiency)

Study System

Leveling skills requires:

1. Mana cost - Paid upfront to begin study
2. Study time - Hours required to complete
3. Active studying - Must be in "study" action mode

Study costs scale with:

• Current level (higher levels = more expensive)
• Skill tier (higher tiers = more expensive)
• Focused Mind skill (reduces cost)

Attunement Requirements

Skills have attunement requirements for:

1. Access - Which attunement unlocks the skill category
2. Tier Up - Required attunement levels to advance tiers

Requirement Type	Example
Single Attunement	Enchanting skills require Enchanter
Multiple Attunements	Hybrid skills require both attunements leveled
Any Attunement	Core skills just need any attunement active
No Requirement	Basic skills always available

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Skill Categories

Core Skills (No Attunement Required)

Always available to all players.

Mana Category

Skill	Max Level	Effect	Description
Mana Well	10	+100 max mana per level	Increases your mana reservoir
Mana Flow	10	+1 regen/hour per level	Faster mana regeneration
Elemental Attunement	10	+50 element cap per level	Store more elemental mana

Study Category

Skill	Max Level	Effect	Description
Quick Learner	10	+10% study speed per level	Learn faster
Focused Mind	10	-5% study cost per level	Learn cheaper
Knowledge Retention	3	+20% progress saved on cancel	Don't lose study progress
Meditation Focus	1	Up to 2.5x regen after 4hr meditating	Enhanced meditation

Research Category (Long Study Times)

Skill	Max Level	Effect	Description
Mana Tap	1	+1 mana/click	Better clicking
Mana Surge	1	+3 mana/click	Requires Mana Tap
Mana Spring	1	+2 mana regen	Passive bonus
Deep Trance	1	6hr meditation = 3x regen	Requires Meditation
Void Meditation	1	8hr meditation = 5x regen	Requires Deep Trance

Enchanter Skills (Requires Enchanter Attunement)

Enchanting Category

Skill	Max Level	Effect	Attunement Req
Enchanting	10	Unlocks enchantment design	Enchanter 1
Efficient Enchant	5	-5% capacity cost per level	Enchanter 2
Disenchanting	3	+20% mana recovery per level	Enchanter 1
Enchant Speed	5	-10% enchant time per level	Enchanter 1
Essence Refining	5	+10% effect power per level	Enchanter 2

Effect Research Category

Research skills unlock enchantment effects. All are level 1 only and require Enchanter attunement.

Tier 1 Research (Basic Spells)

• Mana Spell Research → Mana Strike enchantment
• Fire Spell Research → Ember Shot, Fireball enchantments
• Water Spell Research → Water Jet, Ice Shard enchantments
• Air Spell Research → Gust, Wind Slash enchantments
• Earth Spell Research → Stone Bullet, Rock Spike enchantments
• Light Spell Research → Light Lance, Radiance enchantments
• Dark Spell Research → Shadow Bolt, Dark Pulse enchantments
• Death Research → Drain enchantment

Tier 2 Research (Advanced Spells) - Requires Enchanter 3

• Advanced Fire/Water/Air/Earth Research
• Advanced Light/Dark Research

Tier 3 Research (Master Spells) - Requires Enchanter 5

• Master Fire/Water/Earth Research

Compound Mana Research - Requires parent element research

• Metal Spell Research (Fire + Earth)
• Sand Spell Research (Earth + Water)
• Lightning Spell Research (Fire + Air)
• Plus Advanced/Master variants

Utility Research

• Transference Spell Research
• Damage Effect Research
• Mana Effect Research
• Utility Effect Research

Invoker Skills (Requires Invoker Attunement)

Pact Category

Skill	Max Level	Effect	Attunement Req
Pact Mastery	5	+10% pact bonus per level	Invoker 1
Guardian Insight	3	See guardian weaknesses	Invoker 2
Pact Efficiency	3	-10% pact ritual cost	Invoker 2

Fabricator Skills (Requires Fabricator Attunement)

Golemancy Category

Skill	Max Level	Effect	Attunement Req
Golem Mastery	5	+10% golem damage per level	Fabricator 2
Golem Efficiency	5	+5% attack speed per level	Fabricator 2
Golem Longevity	3	+1 floor duration per level	Fabricator 3
Golem Siphon	3	-10% maintenance per level	Fabricator 3
Advanced Golemancy	1	Unlock hybrid golem recipes	Fabricator 5
Golem Resonance	1	+1 golem slot at max level	Fabricator 8

Ascension Skills (Require Any Attunement Level 5+)

Skill	Max Level	Effect	Requirement
Insight Harvest	5	+10% insight per level	Any attunement 5
Temporal Memory	3	Keep 1 spell per level across loops	Any attunement 5

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Tier Up Requirements

Each tier requires specific attunement levels:

Core Skills (Mana, Study)

Tier	Requirement
1→2	Any attunement level 3
2→3	Any attunement level 5
3→4	Any attunement level 7
4→5	Any attunement level 10

Enchanter Skills

Tier	Requirement
1→2	Enchanter level 3
2→3	Enchanter level 5
3→4	Enchanter level 7
4→5	Enchanter level 10

Fabricator Skills (Golemancy)

Tier	Requirement
1→2	Fabricator level 3
2→3	Fabricator level 5
3→4	Fabricator level 7
4→5	Fabricator level 10

Hybrid Skills (Multiple Attunements)

Tier	Requirement
1→2	Both attunements level 3
2→3	Both attunements level 5
etc.	Both attunements leveled together

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Upgrade Tree Design Principles

Branching Paths

Each skill's upgrade tree should:

1. Offer meaningful choices that change playstyle
2. Allow players to specialize or generalize
3. Provide trade-offs (gain X, lose Y)
4. Scale with future milestone choices

Upgrade Categories

Multiplier Upgrades: Increase the base effect

• Example: "+25% max mana" → "+50% max mana"

Bonus Upgrades: Add flat bonuses

• Example: "+0.5 regen" → "+1 regen"

Special Mechanics: Unique behaviors

• Example: "Mana Cascade" (+0.1 regen per 100 max mana)
• Example: "Steady Stream" (immune to incursion regen penalty)

Trade-offs: Risk/reward

• Example: "+20% max mana, -10% regen"
• Example: "+50% damage when below 50% mana"

Upgrade Persistence

• Milestone upgrades persist through tier-ups
• Tier 2 starts with all Tier 1's chosen upgrades
• New tier offers new upgrade paths

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Banned Effects

The following effects are NOT allowed in skill upgrades:

Banned Effect	Reason
Lifesteal	Player cannot take damage
Healing	Player cannot take damage
Life/Blood/Wood/Mental/Force mana	Removed elements
Execution effects	Instant kills bypass gameplay
Instant finishing	Skip mechanics
Direct spell damage bonuses	Spells only via weapons

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Removed Skills

The following skills have been removed because the player cannot cast offensive spells directly:

Removed Skill	Reason
Combat Training	No direct spell casting
Arcane Fury	Combat damage bonus
Precision	Crit chance for spells
Quick Cast	Spell cast speed
Elemental Mastery	Elemental damage bonus
Spell Echo	Spell mechanics
Guardian Bane	Direct damage to guardians

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Implementation Notes

Study Cost Formula

cost = baseCost * (currentLevel + 1) * tier * costMultiplier

Study Time Formula

time = baseStudyTime * tier / studySpeedMultiplier

Tier Multiplier

tierMultiplier = 10^(tier - 1)

• Tier 1: 1x
• Tier 2: 10x
• Tier 3: 100x
• Tier 4: 1000x
• Tier 5: 10000x

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Example: Complete Skill Progression

Mana Well Journey

1. Study Mana Well → Level 1 (+100 max mana)
2. Continue studying → Level 2-4 (+400 more max mana)
3. Level 5 Milestone → Choose "Expanded Capacity" (+25% max mana)
4. Continue studying → Level 6-9 (+400 more max mana)
5. Level 10 Milestone → Choose "Deep Reservoir" (upgrades Expanded Capacity to +50%)
6. Tier Up → Mana Well becomes "Deep Reservoir" (Tier 2)
7. Continue at Tier 2 → Level 1-5 with 10x multiplier
8. New upgrades available at Tier 2 milestones

Total effect at Tier 2, Level 5:

• Base: 500 * 10 = 5000 max mana
• +50% from upgrades: +2500 max mana
• Total: 7500 max mana from one skill!