Materia

Materia are special little crystal orbs that contain magicite, which provide a magical effect when attuned to a weapon, shield, or suit of armor (or any other item that grants an armor bonus to AC). These materia are carefully crafted by spellcasters, using the Craft Materia feat. All new materia begins its life at level 1 and 0 MXP, as long as the spellcaster meets the requirements and has the requisite gil. 
Different materia require different amounts of materia experience points (MXP) in order to level and become more powerful. When you have materia attuned, whenever you gain XP, you add that amount to each of the materia you have equipped. Any materia you have but are not attuned will not earn any MXP. As a materia earns more MXP, it can eventually advance in level, unlocking new powers. The amount of MXP required to increase in level is dependent on the materia in question. 
A list of materia can be found HERE.
The level of the materia not only describes the relative power level of the materia’s effect, but also the minimum required armor, shield, or weapon bonus (Enhancement + Special Ability) for the materia to gain MXP and function:
* A 1st-level materia gains MXP and functions only when attached to an object with a bonus of +1 or higher.
* A 2nd-level materia functions only when attached to an object with a bonus of +3 or higher.
* A 3rd-level or higher materia functions only when attached to an object with a bonus of +5 or higher.
When you attune to a materia, choose any item or slot-equivalent you have invested ABP Points into. Each item or slot can only have one materia attuned to it at any one given time, and should you reallocate the ABP, the materia stops functioning until it is re-attuned to a different slot. Once attuned it immediately activates and provides the user with all its bonuses. If the attached item is sundered, the materia is not destroyed. If the attuned item is deactivated for whatever reason (such as wearing armor with a higher armor bonus on top of clothing with a +1 bonus), the attached materia also ceases to function.
For materia to function, it must be attached onto an item/slot with the appropriate bonus. Higher level materia will function as lower-level if slotted into an item that doesn’t have a correct amount of bonus. Each item/slot can hold a single materia, but an attached materia can be swapped for another one at any time. Attuning a materia to (or removing it from) an item requires a move action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity. Effectively, each eligible item has a single “slot” that can be filled by any appropriate materia. 
Bonuses from the same type of materia don’t stack unless they provide different types of bonuses. A level 2 or 3 materia will receive all the bonuses of lower level versions of that materia in addition to the bonus for its level unless those bonuses are of the same type, in which case it will only receive the highest of those bonuses.
Materia cannot be used as Improvised weapons for Style Feats such as Shikigami Style.
Materia can be attuned to companions and familiars that you share ABP points with, and gain exp as normal, following the rules as if they were attuned to you. If you attuned a Materia to a Thrown Weapon or an Animated Doll, You stop benefiting from the Materia’s effect 1 round after it’s left your possession. 
== Casting Spells: ==
Casting a spell takes a standard action which provokes attacks of opportunity, and unlike normal casting, does not require somatic or verbal components. Spell manifestations are still present, however, usually denoted by the attuned materia glowing brightly. Otherwise, generally treat spell materia as casting a spell. Users may cast spells or use effects they may not usually be able to from a Materia. However, you cannot alter the effects of Materia with class abilities, metamagic rods or other similar items.
To cast a spell from a materia, a user must make a DC 15 + spell level (for example, 15 + 7 for a full cure materia) UMD check. Failing this check does not expend a charge, but if you roll a natural 1 you cannot use the materia for 24 hours. 
Once you make the check, choose one mental attribute mod (intelligence, wisdom, or charisma), and your character level or caster level, whichever is higher, to calculate the effects of the spell, unless otherwise stated. 
Magic Materia have 3 charges each, refreshed at the beginning of each day whenever you rest for 8 hours. Spells can be cast from the materia's list at a rate of 1 spell per charge, unless otherwise stated.
A caster may also pay the normal MP cost of the spell + 1 MP to cast any spell they can cast from a materia as if it was on their spell list, without making the normal UMD check. Spells cast this way do not use up the materia’s charges, but once a materia is out of charges for that day, a spellcaster may no longer use this ability. Spells cast this way may have metamagic applied to them by paying the increased MP cost, however, you must make a UMD check (DC 25+MP cost of Metamagic). Failing this check means the spell is cast as normal without metamagic applied, although you still lose MP as if the metamagic feat applied.
Enemy Skill Materia doesn’t follow the rules of Spell Materia. They use the CL they are made with as their static CL while using the minimum ability score to cast the spell and to calculate the DC.
== Buying and Selling Materia: ==
You can buy Materia normally until stated otherwise.
Materia can only be sold at 1/2 of the base price of their level 1 variant rather than the normal 1/2 of the base price for the level they are at.
(For example, a level 5 Alexander materia will only sell for 26,000 gil.)
Category:Systems