Gaining Levels

[solops]

I have seen messages inferring that magic users can gain levels through time or experience. I have never had a magic user gain any levels without spending jewels. Will someone please educate me on this? What are the ways that levels can be gained in the various magic disciplines?

[Jazzepi]

The only way I know to gain levels for free is from being "lost in time and space" which void summoning, and some items, do to your commanders. It returns you, eventually, with +1 astral. Maybe more.

Jazzepi

[Tichy]

The only way I know to increase a magic path on a mage is to "empower" him/her/it with gems. (Or use items to artifically increase it. Or the spell wish.) Experience will give mages more research points, though.

[lch]

Units gain experience automatically each turn, with enough experience they gain "stars" which increases some of their stats, including research for mages. They'll gain exp quicker per turn if they have been in a fight.

[Lazy_Perfectionist]

Twice born occasionally gives +1 death.

[llamabeast]

But generally, the answer is that experience will not increase magic skill. I spent ages and ages in my first game making sure a particular mage got as much experience as possible, waiting for him to 'level up' to fire-3 or whatever. But it doesn't work like that, a mage's magic paths are essentially fixed, and mostly experience doesn't help them hugely (although it increases their precision, and they may get a heroic ability of some kind which could be useful).

[Gandalf Parker]

Leveling up does not give them new abilities. It only makes them better at the ones that they do have. If they can fight then they can fight better. If they sneak, then they sneak better (I think?). If they can lead, then they can lead more. If they can do magic, then they get better results from the spells they can do but not get more spells.