AP Tracking

AP (Astral Points) is the main way you level up your character. It is tracked per-character, not per-user. Whenever you earn AP, you must decide which of your characters will receive it! AP is counted on your character's Astral Tracker, an essential piece of SA gameplay that is submitted at the same time as your character. 
For how to score your art pieces, head to Astral Points.
== Making Your Astral Tracker ==
Every character should have an Astral Tracker uploaded to SA's gallery. You can find the blank AP Tracker templates here! The Tracker shows your character's current level and rank, as well as any Talents and Blessings they may have. The tracker also shows a characters Skill Points, which mark a character's personal strength and weaknesses. 
As you earn AP and assign it to your character, you should keep their Tracker updated. When you apply for Blessings, Talents, or any rewards, your Tracker will be checked and should be up to date! You can't claim rewards of use your blessings in the game if they can't be found on your tracker. If you're having issues updating the artwork, you may update the artist description as a temporary measure - but you should try to update the artwork as soon as possible too. 
Make sure to list and link each AP earning piece to the artist description of your tracker so the AP may be verified. An outside linklist (google sheets etc) may be used, but must be clearly and visibly linked, and should still include links to all pieces for verification purposes.
=== AP Allocation ===
* Your AP total should be at the top left area of the tracker. This number indicates how much AP you have to distribute between your character's Rank and Talents.
* As you gain more AP and allocate it to your character's Rank and Talents, you unlock rewards. In the example on the left, the character has a total of 100 AP, split between her Rank and Mediator Talent.
** Having AP distributed to Rank/Talent does not deduce it from your total. The AP goes both into the main level, and either Talents or Rank. 
** It takes 300AP to max out both talents and your rank. 
* AP is not distributed to the Blessing section in the top right of the Tracker. Blessings level up as your character levels up (details in the AP Levels section below).
* As your character gains levels, mark the corresponding boxes-- with a word, drawing, or symbol of your choosing.
=== Skill Points ===
* The six stats in the center of the Tracker help visualize your character's strengths and weaknesses.
* Every character starts with 300 Skill Points that you can distribute through these stats as you see fit. Every 2 levels a character gains, they earn +10 Skill Points. In the example tracker, the level 5 character has a total of 320 skill points, distributed to her different stats.
* You gain additional skill points from leveling up your Talents and Ranks. These are tied to specific stats only, and can not be freely distributed. 
* Skill Points for each stat max out at 100.
* If you have an item from the Magic Shop (also known as an imbuement) that gives a bonus to your character's Skill Points, you do not have to add that bonus to the Tracker, as it is only in effect while the item is in use in art or a roleplay.
* You can switch up how your skill points are allocated at will, except during Chapters.
== Uploading Art & Literature ==
Uploading artwork to DeviantArt is one of the main ways to earn AP and other currencies. You can also earn AP and CS by participating in roleplays in our Forum - these roleplays do not need to be uploaded to DA, but are instead checked here.
If you are uploading to our gallery, this is the quick guide for you!
=== Before You Upload ===
Include, at the top of your artist description: 
* The work's AP count 
* The "breakdown" of the AP ("2 shaded fullbodies", "600 words" etc) - help for all that here!
* The character receiving the AP
* A link to the character(s) featured in the piece
* If a collab, who participated.
* If reference was used, credit and link!
Please be as clear as you can with your point tally - don't leave the mods guessing as to what you might mean. If the piece is very complicated, for example a full comic page, it might be a good idea to break the AP down further. Going panel by panel might be a good solution in such cases.
A piece's AP count cannot be modified after being accepted into the group, unless the art itself is modified and the piece is resubmitted for approval. Modifying AP counts after acceptance is cheating and will result in a strike.
If you aren't sure about your AP count, don't worry. The mods will correct you as needed, and help you arrive at the correct total. Just submit your best guess! 
=== Adding to Group Gallery ===
This is a key part of the process. Artwork only counts for AP/CS if it's in our gallery. If there are any kind of timed rewards involved (such as events or monthly prompts), make sure the piece is submitted to our queue before the deadline. As long as it is in queue before the deadline, it's good for the rewards, even if it needs corrections.
To submit a piece to the group gallery, simply choose the correct folder. Each Herd has folders named "Herd Daily Life (for all artwork)", "Herd Memes (for all memes)" and "Herd Literature (for writing)", so for example "Breim Literature". Artwork and literature of subfactions goes to the same folder as the stuff for their main faction, so Serora Daily Life accepts both Serora and Water Bandit submissions. If the submission has characters from across several factions, it would go into Mixed Herd.
Events generally specify where the piece should be uploaded (generally either Mini Events, or a specific folder). 
Once your piece is in, you can officially tally the earnings from it on your AP tracker.
== AP Levels ==
Here are the perks your character receives as their AP level increases! Every time your character reaches an even-numbered level, they gain 10 Skill Points to any stat. 
* Level One (5 AP): Accessories can now be purchased from your herd's Shop! This level is unlocked by default unless you assigned away the AP your character got from their reference. 
* Level Two (20 AP): Catalyst items can now be purchased from the Magic Shop! (+10 SP)
* Level Three (40 AP): Receive a Tier 1 Talent for free! 
* Level Four (60 AP): First level Familiars can now be purchased from the Familiar Shop! (+10 SP)
* Level Five (100 AP): First Blessing can be received, a choice of two selected by your patron Deity! You also unlock a new character slot! Mark the new slot on your Character Slot Tracker. 
* Level Six (140 AP): First Blessing can be chosen, if you don't have one! (+10 SP)
* Level Seven (180 AP): First Blessing is now Level 2!
* Level Eight (220 AP): Receive second Talent for free! Second level Familiars can now be purchased from the Familiar Shop! (+10 SP)
* Level Nine (260 AP):  First Blessing is now Level 3!
* Level Ten (300 AP): Second Blessing can be received, a choice of two selected by your patron Deity! Holy Blessings can now be applied for. (+10 SP) 
* Level Eleven (340 AP): First Blessing is now maxed!
* Level Twelve  (380 AP): Third level Familiars can now be purchased from the Familiar Shop! (+10 SP)
* Level Thirteen (420 AP): Second Blessing can be chosen, if you don't have one! 
* Level Fourteen (460 AP): Second Blessing is now Level 2! (+10 SP)
* Level Fifteen (500 AP): ??? (Send a Note with Character's AP Tracker to the group!)
* Level Sixteen (540 AP): Second Familiar slot unlocked! Own two familiars at once! (+10 SP)
* Level Seventeen (580 AP): Second Blessing is now Level 3!
* Level Eighteen (620 AP): RP with your character's patron deity! Note the group for details! (+10 SP)
* Level Nineteen (660 AP): Receive a special accessory from character's patron deity!
* Level Twenty  (700 AP): Second Blessing is now Maxed! (+10 SP)
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