Editing Ars Magica (section)

===Character development===
All characters (magi, companions and grogs alike) improve their Abilities by applying [[Experience point#Activity-based progression|experience]] which can be earned through ''Exposure'', ''Practice'', ''Training'' or ''Study''.  Magic, however, is stressed as a multifaceted discipline with a greater variety of avenues for improvement.  Magi are expected to spend months at a time with books and/or laboratory equipment: inventing new spells (or learning or modifying existing ones), strengthening their Arts, enchanting items, and so forth.  ''Ars Magica'' includes rules for magical research within the game's standard 'advancement' timescale of 3-month '''[[season]]s'''.

These '''seasonal activities''' generally concern either study of a text or laboratory activity.  Although participating in adventures, missions and other endeavors outside of seasonal activity gives characters ''Story Experience'', the most substantial progress (and the ''raison d'etre'' of many in the Order) is nearly always from the seasonal activities of magi.  Hence, time in an ''Ars Magica'' campaign may pass much faster than in other RPGs (if, for example, all player-characters are engaged in seasonal activity, standard "roleplaying sessions" are unnecessary for that period) but is also more 'accounted for' (since regular and exact periods of activity give highly defined benefits).  To accommodate this, many magi prolong their lives with unique (to each individual) '''longevity''' formulas (generally called "longevity potions", though the form one takes is not always a potion); this only ''delays'' the aging process, however; beyond a certain point one's longevity formula will have no effect at all and must be reformulated (preferably with increased knowledge of the appropriate Arts and/or greater quantities of ''vis'').  The increased longevity has led to a prevalent attitude among members of the Order that Companions in general (and Grogs almost invariably) will come and go – perhaps killed in action, occasionally living long enough to retire – while the Magi carry on.  Magi ''may'' concoct longevity formulas for non-magi, but this is a rare consideration, less effective than devising one's own personal formula, and is an expensive prospect in time and resources in any case.

'''Study''' is primarily achieved with texts, each designed to enhance an Ability, Art or specific Spell(s).  A respectable covenant inevitably requires either a respectable library or sufficient commodities to exchange for the use of other libraries, since the dominant form of Hermetic Magic is a scholarly pursuit.  Magi who are able to write useful books or teach well can use these as commodities, trading with other magi for books or training (though the Code of Hermes places limits on what its members may sell to 'mundanes').

'''Lab Projects''' concern projects to enhance one's repertoire of spells or magical artifacts.  All projects have a level of effect to which the character compares their 'Lab Total':  '''Intelligence + Magic Theory''' ability '''+''' sum of a '''Form''' and '''Technique +''' other bonuses (which may be from local Aura, quality and specialization of lab, assistants, special knowledge, sympathetic connections from items, and in some circumstances an additional Ability).  Some merely require a Lab Total to match the Level of Effect; more extensive endeavors simply add up each Lab Total in 'points' until twice the Level of Effect are accumulated.

The following Lab Projects are the most commonly pursued:
* ''Invent Spells''.  The magus invents a new magical effect from scratch.  A variation of a known spell is easier to invent than a completely original one.
* ''Enchant Device''.  The magus may create a magical artifact which may hold a magical effect like those of Spells.  These can be used by even nonmagical individuals.  Usually they cost ''vis'' to make, but the Lab Total gets a bonus based on the sympathetic Shape & Material bonus of the material used; e.g. if one is enchanting a staff, the fact that it is a staff gives a bonus when the chosen effect is 'controlling things at a distance'.  They can be made as Charged Devices (which cost no ''vis'' but have a limited number of uses), Lesser Devices (which may only hold one effect, and must have a Level of Effect that the Lab Total can reach in a single season), or Invested Devices (which require additional preparation in advance and thus must be enchanted over several seasons, and may hold several effects based on size and material).
** ''Enchant Talisman''.  A Talisman is a personalized form of Invested Device with many additional features.  Talismans have a much higher capacity for effects with which they may be enchanted, and are easier to enchant.  However, should a Talisman fall into the wrong hands, it leaves the magus very vulnerable.
* ''Longevity Ritual''.  A Creo Corpus effect that prolongs the magus' life by granting a bonus for Aging Rolls, making it more likely to avoid the deterioration of age which typically begins after 35 years.  Thus may a magus live two centuries or longer, barring other mishaps.  Magi often pay specialists to devise this ritual for them, to get a better effect than they can personally achieve.
* ''Bond with Familiar''.  The magus may form a powerful mystical connection with another creature.  Usually this will be an animal which is thematically attuned to the magus' personality and/or specialty: an Auram magus might bond with a bird, or a Herbam magus with a squirrel.  The Bonding process is long and hard, but may very well be worth the effort.  The animal learns to communicate with the owner, and while it does not become intelligent ''per se'', it is almost always brighter than a normal animal of its type.  One major benefit of the bond is that the Familiar can be invested with many enchantments (with restrictions as to target and activation), but the primary, unique benefits are from the Bond Scores: the ''Gold Cord'' concerns magic, and helps the magus avoid magical botches; the ''Silver Cord'' concerns the mind, helps keep the magus focused and if strong enough may permit speech and telepathy between the two; and the ''Bronze Cord'' concerns the body, making the magus more enduring and tough.