There are currently 5 factions (aka species/races) in the game. Raven Cult and Shattered will not begin to appear until you reach a certain MAGE score, usually two or three weeks into the game.

• Humans have 100 base HP and 120 base Mana. When they use a spell in combat, they have a 20% chance to spend no mana on that spell. (Currently, they also spend no HP when this procs on Tentacle Lash/Miasma/Consecrating Drops, but I'm unsure if that's intentional or a bug.)
  
• Wolfkin have 80 base HP and 80 base Mana, with +10 Power and +20
  Speed. They receive no Conviction penalty for sleeping outside or on the floor, and if the only available meals have Conviction penalties, they will instead fetch and eat a raw Dire Rat or Croa (if allowed and available).
  
• Vivified have 175 base HP and 90 base Mana, with +5 Power. They receive no penalties or bonuses to Conviction from food, and they will eat the lowest quality food available. They also do not receive the "In Pain" debuff when below 80% max HP.
  
• Raven Cult have 150 base HP and 110 base Mana, with +20 Power and +10 Speed. They start with one Scar Effect, an action they hate doing.
  
• Shattered have 30 base HP and 100 base Mana, with +15 Power. They start each combat with armor equal to their max HP. They are immune to negative statuses from most plants (Sporeshroom Rash, and they cannot be Bound by Trapdoor Vines, but they are vulnerable to Voidshroom Mana Drain).

Each element has a number of Tasks associated with it. Most tasks require level 1 or higher of the associated element, but some have different requirements, generally indicated on the workstation or item involved in the task.

• Air: Assemble furniture, paint paintings, haul items
  
• Dark: Create Quilted, apply Wards
  
• Earth: Construct floors/walls/stairs/supports/doors/hallways, mine stone & ores, carve statues, repair damaged furniture
  
• Fire: Cook meals, destroy marked plants, hunt wildlife and annoyances
  
• Lightning: Charge Mana Lanterns, perform research, summon Gifted students, Augury (create Crystal Portents & Prophecies to use when scouting battles).
  
• Nature: Craft wands, harvest plants, plant seeds, tend crops, chop trees
  
• Water: Brew potions and alchemical salts, clean messes

There are various rituals to achieve different ends. I won't list all of them here - there's a great Book of Rituals in-game, just to the right of the Mana Font - but I will specifically list the ones that require certain elements or statuses among students/staff, so that you can prepare.

Some Refining Beasts require students with elements of specific levels to hatch. These mages must be students, not staff, and the ritual must be completed before the beast can actually refine anything.

• Weaver Bird: Air 4 student, Fire 4 student
  
• Cronebug: Earth 4 student, Nature 3 student, Water 3 student

Unlike refining beasts, the Jade Dragon does not require the ritual participants to be students; they can be students or staff (with one exception).

• Bloom the Jade Eggplant: Nature 2 mage, Dark 2 mage, and a mage with both Nature 2 & Dark 2
  
• Hatch the Jade Egg: A mage with both Nature 4 & Dark 3, and a mage with both Air 4 & Earth 3
  
• Grow from Baby to Juvenile: A mage who is Full, a mage who is Rested, and a mage who is Tranquil
  
• Grow from Juvenile to Adult: A mage who attended a Feast ritual (Dining Table), a mage who attended a Dance ritual (Enchantophone), and an apprentice who Did All The Work (Chalkboard)

Skills are in the order that they are acquired according to the level of the relevant school, with the following format:

• Name (Mana Cost) [HP cost] - Description (Status description)

The final skill listed is that school's Ultimate skill. Each Mage can only use ultimates a limited number of times per day. By default a mage can use one ultimate per day; while at high conviction, they can use an ultimate an additional time, and if the mage Apprenticed in the same element as their wand, they can use their ultimate an additional time. Note that this limit is on the number of times the mage can use ultimates per day; it does not apply to different elements separately.

1. Multistrike I (15) - Deal 3+Power damage to target enemy 2 times.
   
2. Shield of Wind I (30) - Caster gains Shield 2. (Shield: The next time this Mage would take damage from an attack, prevent it.)
   
3. Haste I (60) - Target ally gains Hastened for two rounds. (Hastened: Unit acts at the beginning of the round in addition to their normal spot in the turn order.)
   
4. Mass Shield of Wind I (60) - Allies in target row gain Shield 1.
   
5. Multistrike II (30) - Deal 3+Power damage to target enemy 3 times.
   
6. Haste II (120) - Allies in target row gain Hastened for two rounds. (Hastened: Unit acts at the beginning of the round in addition to their normal spot in the turn order.)
   
7. Mass Shield of Wind II (120) - All allies gain Shield 1.
   
8. Tornado Trap (150) - Deal 3+Power damage to target enemy 5 times. Caster gains Shield 3.

1. Tentacle Sweep I [20% max HP] - Deal 80+Power damage to target enemy. Only costs [10% max HP] if there is a Shadow Cloak anywhere on the allied side of the battlefield.
   
2. Shadow Cloak I (20) - Target ally position gains Shadow Cloak for three rounds. (Shadow Cloak: Unit in this position has a 33% chance to dodge incoming attacks, avoiding all damage but still suffering status effects.)
   
3. Miasma I [33%] - Deal 20+50% Power damage to all enemies.
   
4. Tentacle Sweep II [20%] - Deal 120+Power damage to target enemy. Only costs [10%] if there is a Shadow Cloak anywhere on the allied side of the battlefield.
   
5. Shadow Cloak I I(30) - Target ally position gains Shadow Cloak for four rounds.
   
6. Miasma I [33%] - Deal 60+50% Power damage to all enemies.
   
7. Tentacle Sweep III [25%] - Deal 200+Power damage to target enemy. Only costs [15% max HP] if there is a Shadow Cloak anywhere on the allied side of the battlefield.
   
8. Waves of Death (150) - Deal 30+Power damage to the front row of enemies 3 times. Any enemies killed become a Pustulant Carcass after the last wave. (Pustulant Carcass: At the end of the round, or when hit with an attack, explode to deal 40 damage to all enemies.)

1. Smash I (10) - Deal 15+Power damage to target enemy.
   
2. Earth Armor I (40) - Caster gains Taunt 2 and 20% of their max HP as Armor. (Taunt: The next time an enemy can target the unit with an attack, they will do so.)
   
3. Smash II (30) - Deal 45+Power damage to target enemy.
   
4. Quake (45) - Deal 40+Power damage to the frontmost row of enemies, then swap their positions.
   
5. Earth Armor II (80) - Caster gains Taunt 3 and 30% of their max HP as Armor.
   
6. Smash III (50) - Deal 70+Power damage to target enemy.
   
8. Quake (90) - Deal 80+Power damage to the frontmost row of enemies, then swap their positions.
   
9. Stoneskin (150) - Caster gains Taunt 4 and is Damage Immune until the end of the next round. (Damage Immune: Take no HP damage.)

1. Fireball I (14) - Deal 10+Power damage to target enemy. 50% chance to cause a Critical Hit for double damage.
   
2. Vengeance I (40) - Target ally gains Counterattack for 2 rounds. (Counterattack: When this mage is attacked, they cast their first learned spell. This does cost mana as normal and will not occur if they do not have enough mana.)
   
3. Fireball II (23) - Deal 20+Power damage to target enemy. 50% chance to cause a Critical Hit for double damage.
   
4. Flame Lash I (75% current mana) - Deal damage equal to mana spent+Power to target enemy.
   
5. Vengeance II (80) - Allies in target row gain Counterattack for 2 rounds.
   
6. Fireball III (30) - Deal 50+Power damage to target enemy. 50% chance to cause a Critical Hit for double damage.
   
7. Vengeance III (80) - Allies in target row gain Counterattack for 3 rounds.
   
8. Lance (150) - Deal 250+Power damage to target enemy. 50% chance to cause a Critical Hit for double damage. Pierces all shields, armor, and resistance. Any excess damage is dealt to the enemy behind the target.

Note: Unlike most combat skills, Lightning skills can hit any enemy, not just the frontmost row.

1. Bolt I (15) - Deal 5+50% Power+50% Speed damage to any target enemy.
   
2. Recharge I (15% max Mana) - Target ally gains Mana equal to the Mana spent.
   
3. Inspiration I (80) - Target ally gains 30 Speed and is guaranteed to score a Critical Hit on their next attack, dealing double damage.
   
4. Bolt II (15) - Deal 25+50% Power+50% Speed damage to any target enemy.
   
5. Recharge II (25% max Mana) - Target ally gains Mana equal to the Mana spent.
   
6. Bolt III (15) - Deal 45+50% Power+50% Speed damage to any target enemy.
   
7. Inspiration II (40) - Target ally gains 30 Speed and is guaranteed to score a Critical Hit on their next attack, dealing double damage.
   
8. Polarize (150) - Deal 15+50% Power+50% Speed damage to any target enemy, then to a random enemy, then the target enemy, then a random enemy, etc. for a total of 8 hits. Each time an enemy dies, a random ally regains 75 Mana.

1. Growth I (14) - 5+Power damage to target enemy; inflict Thorns on that position for 2 rounds. (Thorns: At the end of the round or when a unit is leaving this position, the unit in this position takes 10% of their max HP as damage.)
   
2. Surging Strength I (30) - Allies in target row gain +10 Power for 3 rounds.
   
3. Swirling Vines I (30) - 25+Power damage to target enemy and the enemy behind them, and they swap positions.
   
4. Surging Strength II (60) - Allies in target row gain +20 Power for 3 rounds.
   
5. Swirling Vines II (60) - 50+Power damage to target enemy and the enemy behind them, and they swap positions.
   
6. Surging Strength III (90) - Allies in target row gain +30 Power for 3 rounds.
   
7. Growth II (33) - 15+Power damage to target enemy; inflict Thorns on that position and the position behind them for 2 rounds.
   
8. Wither (150) - Inflict all enemies with Wither. (Wither: At the end of each round, target gains Poison 30. When an enemy with Wither dies, the most hurt ally is healed for the Poison amount.) (Poison: Target takes damage equal to their Poison at the end of the round.)

1. Torrent I (10) - Targets the two positions in front of the caster (the position in front of the caster and the position in front of that). Allies gain 15 Armor; enemies take 5+Power damage.
   
2. Flow I (30) - Deal 15+Power damage to target enemy. Lower their Power and Speed by 7 for 3 rounds and increase yours by the same amount.
   
3. Consecrating Drops I (60) [15% max HP] - Allies in target row gain Armor equal to the HP spent and lose Sadness/Fearful/Restless.
   
4. Flow II (60) - Deal 30+Power damage to target enemy. Lower their Power and Speed by 15 for 3 rounds and increase yours by the same amount.
   
5. Torrent II (25) - Targets the two positions in front of the caster (the position in front of the caster, and the position in front of that). Allies gain 35 Armor; enemies take 15+Power damage.
   
6. Flow III (105) - Deal 45+Power damage to target enemy. Lower their Power and Speed by 30 for 3 rounds and increase yours by the same amount.
   
7. Consecrating Drops II (60) [15%] - All allies gain Armor equal to the HP spent and lose Sadness/Fearful/Restless.
   
8. Tsunami (150) - Deal 50+Power damage to all enemies. Heal each ally 25% of the total damage dealt.

When a mage upgrades their wand to tier II, they gain a new need, depending on the element of their wand. When they upgrade their wand to tier III, their need intensifies, draining more quickly. As with other needs (hunger, sleep, recreation), if their element need is not fulfilled periodically, they will suffer penalties to Conviction.

Kinetophile: Go up and down stairs/ladders or fly on brooms

Moonlight: Time outside at night, in rooms with windows at night, in skylit rooms at night, or near Moonlight light sources such as Mana Crystals and Solemn Braziers

Terra Firma: Time on the ground or on fully supported blocks

Victory: Kill enemies in battle, hunt things, and participate in battles (from greatest to least effect).

Introversion: Time in rooms without other mages present

Sunlight: Time outside during the day, in rooms with windows during the day, or in skylit rooms during the day.

Extroversion: Time in rooms with other mages present

When an initiate (basic student) becomes Fully Trained (max level, max skills), you can promote them to an Apprentice at a specialized Apprentice Station. When you do, they gain certain effects based on the school of their wand and the school of their Apprenticeship, including a change to their skill caps. They also get +1 to their level cap multiplier.

Apprentices can only learn at Apprentice Stations, not a basic Learning Stone.

If a mage takes an apprenticeship in the same school as their wand, they become a Mancer (Pyromancer, Hydromancer, etc.). They get +3 to the skill cap for that element, and take -1 to the skill cap of the two opposing elements; see below. They get +1 ultimate use per day, be that of their primary school or another school (if you somehow get another school to level 8 without apprenticing in it).

• Pyromancers get +3 Fire and -1 Dark and Water
  
• Thundermancers get +3 Lightning and -1 Nature and Dark
  
• Aeromancers get +3 Air and -1 Earth and Nature
  
• Hydromancers get +3 Water and -1 Earth and Fire
  
• Necromancers get +3 Dark and -1 Fire and Lightning
  
• Vitaemancers get +3 Nature and -1 Lightning and Air
  
• Geomancers get +3 Earth and -1 Air and Water

If a mage takes an apprenticeship in an adjacent school as their wand, they become a Conjurer. They gain +2 to the skill cap of their wand's school and of their apprenticeship school, and they take no penalties to other schools.

If a mage takes an apprenticeship in a school two away from their wand, they become an Arcanists. They gain +2 to their Apprenticeship school, +1 to their wand's school, and -1 to two opposing schools. Arcanists gain a Relic Slot of their apprenticeship school. If they already have a relic slot for that school, they instead gain a random rare relic slot. Thus, unGifted Arcanists will have four relic slots, and Gifted Arcanists will have five.

If a mage takes an apprenticeship in a school three away from their wand, they become a Sorcerer. They gain +2 to their Apprenticeship school, +1 to their wand's school, and -1 to two opposing schools. They also gain a special combat passive according to their two schools, as shown below. (For the combat passives, it doesn't matter which school is the wand and which is the apprenticeship.)

• Fire & Water: Your Critical Hits deal triple damage instead of double. Your damaging Water skills (Torrent & Flow) gain 50% chance to Critical Hit. -1 Dark and Earth.
  
• Fire & Dark: 25% Dodge (avoid all damage from a hit). When you kill an enemy, you heal 10% of your max HP. -1 Lightning and Water.
  
• Lightning & Dark: Whenever you cast a non-attack spell, a random enemy becomes Doomed. (Doomed: Take 50% additional damage from the next attack spell.) -1 Nature and Fire.
  
• Lightning & Nature: When you receive a beneficial effect from a spell or potion, a random ally who does not have that affect also receives it. -1 Dark and Air.
  
• Air & Nature: All of your timed effects last for one additional round. -1 Lightning and Earth.
  
• Air & Earth: When below 50% of your max HP, deal +33% damage. -1 Nature and Water.
  
• Water & Earth: Whenever you cast a spell that hits, gain Armor equal to the mana spent. -1 Air and Fire.

These Keywords are required to build various rooms. Keyword requirements change according to the architectural style you choose at the start of the game, so I've not listed which rooms require which keywords.

No adjacent room below, and none of the floor is Foundation. This can be achieved by supporting the floor with support pillars (indoor or outdoor), magic supports, or by building the room hanging off the side of a supported wall (possibly using arch supports).

All of the floor is Foundation. Note: This means you can't build any floor higher up in the room, either!

Has adjacent rooms on all sides and no adjacent outside space. Double-thick walls do not fulfil this requirement, though you can build tiny rooms that are one block thick or wide. (You'll need your ghost to take care of any incidents that occur within such rooms, though, as your mages won't be able to reach them; likewise, any spectral rifts will not be able to be defeated without deconstructing walls to access them.)

No path to another room. This means you must wall off or destroy the entrance after your mage enters, and then let them out again if/when need be.

The room is taller than it is wide.

No furnishings (windows, torches, etc.) attached to the back wall. (Note: Ladders ARE allowed!)

Contains no negative Luxury items, including messes.

The room has only one entrance (via Hallway, Door, Stair, Spiral Stair, Ladder, or Broom Station).

Not adjacent to any Classroom, Rec Room, Ritual Room, or Workshop. (This refers to the rooms within those categories, not just rooms with that name - so it can't be adjacent to a Kitchen, as that's a type of Workshop, or a House Commons, as that's a type of Rec Room.)

One outer wall of the room is at least three blocks taller than the other outer wall.

The entire "ceiling" is Glass Roof, not Floor or normal Roof.

No adjacent room to the left, right, or above. This can be achieved by isolating it on its own foundation (possibly with rooms below!), or by ensuring the adjacent areas are not fully enclosed to become rooms, or the adjacent areas have roofs inside them so they are not counted as rooms, or make your walls two blocks thick so the adjacent rooms aren't counted as adjacent.

The room is in the Underschool. The rooms with the Student Summoner, Mana Font, and Book of Rituals do not count; neither does the room immediately beneath the Mana Font. (Yes, you can use many rooms in the Underschool as normal rooms! You just can't build anything from the Constrtuction menu down there, and you can't build in rooms that were part of The Spine or have ladders, stairs, or sloped floors.)

Thanks to everyone in the discord for being lovely and helpful!

I will try to keep this guide updated as I play further and gather more information, but I can't promise that it will be immediately updated with each patch.

I wrote a broader overview of various game mechanics over here!

This guide was last updated October 30, 2024.