Update 09/15/2022: The Spark Update

Leveling and Color Alignment have been changed! Spellcasting has been changed! Concepts have been changed...again!

This is an update that, on my co-dev's suggestion, would help make Ignited a game that lends itself to character moments, as well as combat that's big and flashy with the use of Command Spells. Also, I'll be running playtests with this version first before removing the previous version from the page so enjoy having both versions for now!

• Planeswalker Characterization
  • Increased starting Attribute points from 5 to 7.
  • EXP is split into 5, one for each color.
    • GM will be able to grant colored EXP.
    • Learning new Concepts now uses EXP of a certain color as currency to 'buy' them
      
    • Failing Actions no longer grants EXP (to be played around with, might revert in the future)
    • Removed Level Cap.
  • Added History and Motivation to Character Creation
    • History - Starting EXP based on how long your Planeswalker has been traveling the multiverse
    • Motivation - Starting EXP in certain colors based on what your Planeswalker's motivations for traveling the multiverse are.

This change connects a Planeswalker's characterization more closely to the colors they are aligned with, and by extension the Spells they cast. They're also now more free to "shift alignments" as they see fit simply by making decisions that suit their character in the moment. Everyone is aligned with all colors to some degree, but it's the colors you align with the strongest that manifest in unique personalities.

• Spellcasting
  • Learning and Casting Spells
    • Highest castable tier per level removed. You can now cast 5th tier spells at level 1!
    • Concepts are no longer structured in trees but are rather a pool, and each have a certain EXP cost to learn. 
      (You can now learn "endgame" Concepts right away but at the cost of taking too long to level up as they would cost the most EXP)
  • Focus
    • Focus is split into 5 for each of the 5 colors.
    • The Signature Spell no longer "holds" concepts. You can now cast all of your Concepts as Signatures.
  • Command Spells
    • No longer need Focus nor a roll to Cast
    • Spark Attunement - fill up a bar to be able to Cast a Command. Read the rulebook for more details.
    • Burnout - status received as a byproduct of Casting a Command

The changes to spellcasting are for two reasons: 1) make spellcasting connect to/reflect a planeswalker's character development, and 2) create more character moments during combat based around the use of Commands.

 Being able to learn and cast any spell as long as you have the right colored EXP and focus respectively lends itself well to freedom in character development and expression. A planeswalker that suddenly shifts away from one color and towards another will still technically know the spells they learned, but simply aren't inclined to use them anymore.

Lastly, the changes to how Commands work essentially incentivize building towards it as a fight progresses, while builds that don't intend to scale up into stronger spells but rather use the same low-cost spells repeatedly still get some benefit from the Spark Attunement mechanic.

• Concepts
  • Changed
    • All Concepts with identical Signature and 1st Tier forms were changed to be different
    • All Keyword Mastery II Concepts; they are now just "Keyword Mastery".
    • Blue
      • Ice Mastery renamed to Water Mastery
      • Ponder's other effects changed
      • Opt
        
      • Sound Mind
      • Mechanized Animation
      • Twincast
      • Essence Flux
    • Red
      • Wheel of Fortune
        
    • Colorless
      • Artifice: Brewing

• Removed
  • All Keyword Mastery I Concepts
  • White
    • Tactician's Mastery
    • Warding
    • Curseward
    • Law of Binding
    • Light Manipulation
    • Light Creation
  • Blue
    • Mind Overload
    • Mana Flux
    • Essence Capture
    • Expanded Thought
    • Water Manipulation
    • Water Mastery
  • Black
    • Control Shadow
    • Make Shadow
  • Red
    • Chaos Blast
    • Earth Mastery
    • Fire Manipulation
    • Electricity Manipulation