Ascension
Ascension is a levelling system for earning a specific set of traits.
This system is intentionally kept separate from gameplay progress as art updates are required to take levels, which can be a hindrance if frequent updating is required to unlock major gameplay elements. It does, however, have greater tie-ins with lore rewards.
Summary
Ascension is a system that is applied only to Wishmakers. Its progress is measured in experience, levels and spheres: experience earned from activity can be spent to gain levels, which correspond to the sphere of transformation the Steorling is at.
Note that Ascension level is separate from job proficiency. Both will increase as the Steorling performs their job, but Ascension level remains constant even if the Steorling changes jobs.
Spheres
This is a measure of the level of corruption that a character is currently at. It mostly serves a lore purpose, but certain trait tiers are only available to higher spheres of transformation. Here are the relevant milestones:
| Sphere | Level | Information | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | The Steorling has only recently become a Wishmaker. Gains a small star object floating above their head. | |
| 2 | 60 | Having gained some experience, the Steorling is a little stronger than most. Gains a minor transformation into an enhanced form, not unlike a magical girl. Unlocks Tier 3 traits. | |
| 3 | 100 | Augmented by their star, the Steorling has given a good part of themselves over to power. Gains an eldritch abomination form that is both highly volatile and powerful (must be submitted as a design update to claim this level). Unlocks Tier 4 and 5 traits. Requires 2 design updates: (1) the base form of the Steorling loses its gemstone horn, which is replaced with a third eye; (2) a monstrous and powerful transformation is gained. |
|
| END | 1000 | This is the maximum achievable level - the Steorling is lost to the star and goes out in a blaze of glory, turns into a rampaging beast that soon dissipates, etc. If you choose to go this route, the Steorling is lost as a character (you cannot get it back) but you gain a MYO with traits that were on the original Steorling (with some exceptions) as a "reroll"/New Game+ MYO. Of course, you don't have to do this and keep it at maximum level indefinitely if you wish. | |
| # Levels & Traits | |||
| --- |
As a character gains experience through activities, the owner can cash in the experience to gain levels and traits on that character. Experience by itself does not lead to gaining levels, it must be actively spent (so the character gains levels equal to the traits obtained).
Trait costs by level/tier are as follows:
| Tier | Level Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | |
| 2 | 20 | |
| 3 | 50 | |
| 4 | 100 | |
| 5 | 500 | |
| X | Free at Sphere 3 |
Experience requirements per level remain constant, while experience gain is increased at later levels, which means that the rate of level growth actually increases as the character grows stronger.
Some edge cases:
- If you don't intend to get the level 1000 reroll, you cannot exceed level 1000 in trait purchases. However, if you do, you are allowed to exceed 1000, e.g. on a level 800 character purchase a tier 5 (500 levels) trait. It doesn't have to be exactly 1000.
- If you are below a sphere that unlocks traits that you want, I'll allow purchasing of traits from that tier as long as you hit that required level. For example, if your character is level 10 and want a tier 3 trait (unlocks level 60) without taking other traits - you are allowed to hoard experience and directly purchase a tier 3 trait that will put you at level 60.
Inheritance Rates
(todo: check what I meant by "quantity limited")
Ascension traits
- Tier 1: 30% chance of passing per child, quantity limited
- Tier 2: 20% chance of passing per child, quantity limited
- Tier 3: 10% chance of passing per child, quantity limited
- Breath weapon and higher tiers are not inheritable.
- The chance increases by half (rounded down at each step) for each parent with that trait. (e.g. 1 parent w/ a tier 1 trait = 30%, 2 parents w/ the tier 1 trait = 45%, 3 parents w/ the tier 1 trait = 52%)
Transfers
Unlike job proficiency, Ascension levels and experience do not reset when a character changes hands. This is because the character design would be affected by a reset.