The previous entry discussed the theory of essentia capacity; what it is and what it means. This entry will focus more on how it works in practice.
When Essentia Capacity Matters . . .
A higher essentia capacity allows a drucrafter to use more sigls at once. Technically it would also allow a drucrafter to use sigls with higher Lorenz ratings, but since these are so rare, the main use for a high essentia capacity is to allow the drucrafter to use multiple sigls with Lorenz ratings of 1 or lower.
Using multiple sigls at once is difficult. Using two is more than twice as hard as using one, and using three is more than twice as hard as using two. New channellers quickly find that even if they might have enough essentia capacity to operate two or three sigls at the same time, they don’t actually have the skill to do so effectively. The usual way to compensate for this is by using continuous sigls – since these require no concentration, a drucrafter can use one triggered sigl (and focus all their attention on that) while the continuous sigls do their own thing.
However, there’s a much simpler way to get around this problem – use one sigl at a time.
. . . And When It Doesn’t
The simple fact is that very few sigls have to be used simultaneously. If you have a medical sigl that stops bleeding, a levitation sigl that floats you up in the air, and a torch sigl that floods an area with light, then with enough time and practice you could build up enough skill to use all three of them effectively at once. But realistically, if you’re using a sigl to stem someone’s bleeding or levitating yourself off the ground, then you probably want to be focusing on that. Yes, you could end up in a situation where you have to provide emergency first aid in pitch darkness while hanging off the side of a building, but it’s not all that likely.
And, indeed, this is what generally happens. Medical sigls are used in hospitals, slowly and individually. Industrial sigls are used in factories – again, individually. The same applies to invisibility, flight, and so on. Even if you want to use two sigls at once, in most situations, you can probably figure out a way to use first one and then the other. And if either of those uses are important, you probably want to use them one at a time, so that you can concentrate on each.
So why does essentia capacity matter?
Environmental Differences
Essentia capacity matters very little if you’re somewhere safe. If you’re not being threatened or rushed or pressured, then there’s very little reason ever to need to use two sigls at once. But if you’re somewhere dangerous, then being able to use two sigls at once can be very important indeed.
However, the real reason essentia capacity is so valued is only partly related to ‘safe’ versus ‘dangerous’. It’s that in a one-on-one duel between drucrafters, having a higher essentia capacity is a huge advantage. If one of the two drucrafters can use two full-power sigls while the other can use three, then, all else being equal, the one who can use three will almost always win. They can use two sigls to counter their opponent’s two sigls, while using a third to attack unopposed.
This, more than any other other reason, is why people care about essentia capacity. It’s the playground question of “who would win in a fight”. Lots of people argue that it shouldn’t matter – and indeed, much of the time it doesn’t – but “who would win in a fight” is something people do pay attention to, even if they may not admit it. It’s roughly equivalent to height and physical prowess in adult men. Very few will say out loud that they judge based on these qualities, yet men who are tall, strong, and fit still tend to get preferential treatment over those who are short, weak, and flabby.
The Working Range
Most people’s essentia capacity falls in between 2 and 3. As a very rough guide, for men, 3 and above is high, between 2.5 and 3 is average, between 2 and 2.5 is low, and below 2 is very low (the term ‘essentia cripple’ is sometimes used, though this is considered insulting). For women, the brackets are roughly the same, but about 0.3 to 0.5 points lower (so ‘high’ would be 2.6 and up). These figures vary from country to country.
Very informative as always, with this info it makes me wonder if Tobias and Helen are using Essentia Capacity prejudice as an excuse for why they are not the heirs.
On the topic of Essentia Capacity, and since I love loophole abuses is it possible to use four sigls at once with one of them being a Primal sigl increasing essentia to “trick the body” as it were into thinking it can use three sigls?
You can use as many sigls as you want – you can use ten if you like – but unless you’ve got a superhuman essentia capacity, you’re only going to have enough essentia to actually activate 2.5 to 3 of them at once, same as anyone else.
Ah I should have clarified better!
I meant could you activate a strong enough Primal sigl to increase your essentia count, so you could activate three more. Thus using four activated sigls at once.
But I am guessing from your answer that is not feasible for most Drucrafters unless in cases where you have 2.8 or above Essentia Capacity where that is practical.
There’s no such thing as a Primal sigl that increases your essentia count. There are ones that let you store personal essentia, which lets you simulate a higher essentia capacity, but you don’t get something for nothing – you have to pay that essentia in first (and it’ll de-attune quickly unless you do something to stop it). Also, if your plan is to use multiple sigls at once, you have to actually have enough channelling skill to make effective use of them, which a lot of people don’t.
Ah so it would only be a temporary effect like if beforehand Stephen during a fight used a primal sigl that he stored essentia with to give him a temporary boost that he could activate three sigls when he could only activate two. A plus in his favor is that he seems to have the skills all he needs is the time and resources to get one.
And that is what I meant to say sorry for the confusion!
Seems like perhaps a life sigl that increases the rate at which your body converts ambient essentia into personal essentia might raise your essentia capacity?
And I’d imagine countries with greater or lesser average heights than the UK would tend to have corresponding greater or lessee essentia capacities.
Wondering what Calhoun’s essentia capacity is now. 🙂
I believe it is three it was in one of the AMAs. But it would be interesting to see if he could use some primal sigls to enhance his A class rank making them far more effective. I think we will get an answer when the Primal sigls guide comes up.
So, if I think of this like with standard weapons. The person with more essentia capacity is bigger and stronger so can carry (example) a shield with a sword. Having a second sword is great but unless this person has the skill to use all those tools at once, the advantage is nullified. And that is if the fight is a stand up one on one fight. But most fights won’t be that way. So, situational awareness and skill may compensate or more than compensate for the capacity disadvantage. Does this seem the best way to view it?
That’s pretty accurate, yes.
Essentia capacity is a rate of converting ‘free’ essentia to personal and (with good skills) one can maximize the usage of sigils by skills and combining usage on and off.
Are there sigils that could influence the flow of essentia around someone (or some area) to make it harder for person to use their capacity to full extent?
How strongly would being an “essentia cripple” affect someone’s ability to channel or manifest?
Sorry, mixed up my terms. When I said “channel” here what I should have said was “shape”. Essentially, how does having a low essential capacity affect your ability to shape and manifest your own sigils?