Research Points are one of the three magical resource categories in Master of Magic, and are used to allow a wizard to learn new spells: every spell has a Research Cost, which indicates the number of Research Points required to learn that spell via Spell Research.
Basic Spell Research Mechanics[]
The basic mechanic of spell research are very simple: starting on turn 1, and again at any time when you successfully learn a spell you are currently researching (this includes learning the spell through means other than research, such as finding it as Treasure, trading with another wizard, or capturing another wizard's Fortress), you get the chance to pick a new spell and your research total is reset to zero. Every turn, you generate Research Points, and when the total meets or exceeds the Research Cost of that spell, that spell is added to your spellbook as a known spell, and you have the option to pick a new research target.
Unlike Spell Skill, there is no overflow with research. On the turn a project completes, you lose any excess points invested. To micromanage this and consider what your next project should be, check the Apprentice (F3).
Generating Magical Research[]
There are three basic sources of Research Points: Power, Town Buildings, and heroes with the Sage ability. This gives a basic research total. This is then possibly modified by Spellbooks and Retorts.
Research from Power[]
Research from Power is the simplest but also most flexible source: on the Magic screen simply set the slider for Research based on how much you want; one Power for one Research. You start the game with 33% of your Power dedicated to Research. As any leftover Research is lost when you finish a spell, it may be worth reallocating one or two turns before you expect to finish learning a spell, so the excess is not wasted.
Research from Buildings[]
There are four Town Buildings that can generate Research:
Buildings | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Building | Production | Upkeep | Research | Cost per Research | |
Library | 60 | 1 | +2 | 30 0.5 | |
Sages' Guild | 120 | 2 | +3 | 40 0.67 | |
University | 300 | 3 | +5 | 60 0.6 | |
Wizards' Guild | 1,000 | 5 3 | +8 | 125 0.63 0.38 |
Of those, the Library is both the most cost effective, and the one that can be built in the widest variety of cities. Note, however, that unlike Power from structures such as a Shrine, Research Points cannot be moved around if you need them for another purpose.
Research from Heroes[]
Any hero with the Sage ability generates 3 per level of hero, or 4.5 for Super Sage. Only Zaldron the Sage comes with Sage as a default ability, but there are no fewer than 13 Heroes that can acquire Sage as a Random Ability.
Modification with Retorts and Spellbooks[]
Once your basic Research Points have been computed, as above, the game may increase them by a percentage depending on the your Retorts, Spellbooks, and the Realm of the spell, as follows:
- All Spells: +25% for Sage Master.
- Arcane Spells: +25% for Runemaster.
- Chaos Spells: +10% per Chaos Spellbook in excess of 7. +15% for Chaos Mastery.
- Death Spells: +10% per Death Spellbook in excess of 7.
- Life Spells: +10% per Life Spellbook in excess of 7.
- Nature Spells: +10% per Nature Spellbook in excess of 7. +15% for Nature Mastery.
- Sorcery Spells: +10% per Sorcery Spellbook in excess of 7. +15% for Sorcery Mastery.
- Summoning Spells: +25% for Conjurer.
All percentages are summed before computing the extra Research Points, and the final total is rounded down.
Events and Research[]
Any of the Conjunction type Events (Bad Moon, Conjunction of Chaos, Conjunction of Nature, Conjunction of Sorcery, Good Moon, Mana Short) can affect Research by modifying your basic Power income, and the events Earthquake and Great Meteor can affect Research by destroying Town Buildings. However, there are no events that directly affect Research.
Spells and Research[]
There are no spells that directly affect Research, though any spell that can destroy Town Buildings will indirectly modify Research, and the spells Dark Rituals and Transmute can indirectly modify your Power (and thus the amount of it you can allocated to Research).