[quote=@PrankFox]
Gonna stick with cryo but trying to decide if I want to go with maybe electro as the pairing in some way. Still trying to figure out, but that feels kinda fun to me. 

Definitely interested in playing a darker character, I haven’t gotten to do that in a long time and I love the idea of blood magic. Might go with that route in some capacity and mixed with cryo/electric feels fun. 

As for the XP, it would make it feel a lot more video gamey, but I’m open to the idea. Would it be similar to a a PbtA game where you have a list of abilities that are accessible and you spend the XP to get them? Or is it you need a certain number of points to unlock an ability?
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I just meant using XP to signify how well a Magi knows a specific Arcane Art, which each spell/effect requiring a certain proficiency in that Art to use that spell/effect, but I understand how that may seem a bit too video gamey. Instead of using XP/numbers, we could use terms to denote proficiency, like Untrained, Initiate, Novice, Intermediate, Adept, and Master. For instance, someone would need to be an Adept in Pryomancy to use an Adept-level spell. 

I'm also wondering if I should separate the colors from the specific Arcane Arts so that everyone can just pick whatever colors they want and say their Auras and magic are that color regardless of powers. For instance, right now, I have Pyromancy as Red Mana, but what if someone wants to be a Pryomancer with blue flames or purple flames or any other color? If we do end up changing the magic system to allow more freedom, we could just have White Mana from the Inner Core of the Aetherscape and Black Mana from the Outer Void, and each one is tainted to a specific color when channeled by a Magi. To allow more freedom, we can just say the color is just a personality trait and has no effect on how the magic works. So, you could have a Pryomancer who lobs purple fireballs or an Electromancer who unleashes blue lightning or a Hydromancer who summons tentacles of pink liquid. 

As for how the magic physically works, we could say there are genetic factors in Magi bloodlines that allow their brains to reach out into the Aetherscape like a wireless router and channel Mana, which is then refined through a Magi's Conduit and/or Arcane Tongue/Runes into specific effects. But all this is quite a big shake up from what we all were already discussing, so before I finalize the magic system, I want to know everyone's thoughts. What are some aspects you'd like to see? Any preferences? I want to use everyone's input to refine the magic system into a final form that everyone will enjoy XD.