Affinities

Affinities are specialized areas of magic in Ars Magica 2(AM2) that the players may align themselves to. Currently there are 10 different type of Affinities, each with their own unique buff and debuff - Earth, Water, Air, Fire, Nature, Ice, Lightning, Life, Arcane, and Ender. Every Ars Magica 2 spell, depending on its components, is aligned to one or more Affinity. Successfully spell-casting will cause the caster to gain depth and shift into the spell's aligned Affinity. Using Affinity Tomes will also cause the caster to shift into its specified Affinity.

The caster's depth in an Affinity is measured by percentage and are displayed as small icon located at the bottom right of the screen. The icon may be moved around in the amucfg window, accessible by entering the command, /amuicfg. As the caster's percentage in a specific Affinities increases, the caster will start to gain access to its special buff(s) and debuff(s), which can be viewed via Occulus.

When the caster's depth in a Affinity reaches 100%, that Affinity will then become locked. A locked Affinity will cause the depth made in the other Affinities to revert to 0% and stall any future progression. Using a NONE Affinity Tome will unlock the locked Affinities and revert its depth to 0%.

Affinities Buffs and Debuffs

 * Earth Affinity: Being at 25% depth, the caster will start to receive less damage from attacks, capping at a 10% reduction. Players aligned (achieved 100% depth) with Earth Affinity will sink faster water and are more prone to fall damage.
 * Water Affinity: Grant a greater swim-speed and cause the player's oxygen meter to deplete slower. At a high enough depth, water flow will no longer affect the player, and Endermen will take damage if they come into contact. Players aligned with Water Affinity will start to lose 25% of their health if exposed to hot climax like the Nether.
 * Air Affinity: The player becomes less prone to fall damage and is granted a boost in their jump height. At 50% depth, the player will be able to jump one block farther. The boost will increase to 2 blocks at 75% and 3 blocks at 100%. Players aligned with Air Affinity will have difficultly moving in rain and thunderstorms. Casting a Gravity Well spell or sneaking will help negate the effect.
 * Fire Affinity: Grants fire and lava damage reduction, which increases as the player gains more depth, maxing at a 60% reduction at 100% Affinity. Players aligned with Fire Affinity will become able to light enemies on fire via punching, but will start to lose 25% of their health if in contract with Water.
 * Nature Affinity: Grants additional drops when harvesting seeds and saplings. At 50% depth, the player gains a build in Thorns ability (works similar to the Thorns armor enchantment)- the damage increases at 75% and 100% Affinity. Players aligned with Nature Affinity become able to regenerate health in direct sunlight and climb certain walls similar to a Spider but will suffer slower movement speed and a increase speed in hunger lost during night or in dark areas.
 * Ice Affinity: Cause a decrease in enemies' movement speed and at 50% depth, players will become able to freeze Water into Ice. At 100% depth, the player is able to freeze Lava into Obsidian. Players aligned with Ice Affinity will suffer slower movement speed unless they are in contact with Ice or Water.
 * Lightning Affinity: Causes a 1-30% inrcease in movement speed dependent on the player's depth. At 50% depth, player will become able to step over one block high walls similar to Thaumcraft's Boots of the Traveller. Lightning Affinity will cause the player to activate nearby TNT and supercharge Creepers, the range will deceases as the player gains more depth.
 * Life Affinity: Increase a player's regeneration speed, the rate of regeneration is dependent on the player's depth. Players aligned with Life Affinity will be able to regain health regardless of their hunger, but will suffer 4 seconds of Weakness II, Mining Fatigue II, Nausea II with 1 second of Hunger II if they were to kill a living mob (Undead mobs such as a Zombie won't trigger the negative effects).
 * Arcane Affinity: Reduce the Mana cost of spells by 5%. Spells casted by players aligned with Arcane Affinity will have a chance to grant them the Clarity effect, allowing the next spell casted to cost 0 Mana, but will receive more damage caused by Magic-related sources
 * Ender Affinity: Grants poison resistance at 50% depth and Night vision at 75%. At 100% depth, Endermen will become neutral, but the player will suffer health reduction in daylight and when they come into contract with Water.