Circle Vows
What it is
The later Heart Circles that bring no lesson or perk of their own ask you for a vow instead. Each vow is a choice between two sides: more mana or faster mana, stronger spells or cheaper spells, and so on. You pick the side that suits how you cast.
Seven circles ask for a vow: IX, XI, XIII, XV, XVII, XIX and XX. The others past VIII (X, XII, XIV, XVI and XVIII) open a Master lesson instead.
How to get it
- Form one of the vow circles by meditating, as usual.
- Chat shows “The IX Circle asks for a vow” with both sides as buttons. Hover a button to read it, and click it to choose.
- Or type
/vowat any time to see every vow and pick one.
If you put the choice off, meditating reminds you once per session while a vow is still open.
The Vow Circle, a roadside shrine with a pillar for each vow, has a book that explains every vow. See Roadside Sites.
The vows
| Circle | One side | The other side |
|---|---|---|
| IX | Wellspring: +30 max mana | Quickening: +1.5 mana regeneration a second |
| XI | Keen Edge: spells 6% stronger | Spare Hand: spells cost 6% less mana |
| XIII | Swift Hand: cooldowns 7% shorter | Long Echo: spell effects last 15% longer |
| XV | Overcharge: spells 10% stronger, but cost 5% more | Austerity: spells cost 10% less, but are 3% weaker |
| XVII | Torrent: cooldowns 10% shorter, effects 10% briefer | Vigil: effects last 25% longer, cooldowns 5% longer |
| XIX | Reservoir: +60 max mana, but 0.5 less regeneration | Spring: +2.5 mana regeneration, but 20 less max mana |
| XX | Crown of Power: spells 10% stronger | Crown of Ease: spells cost 8% less and cooldowns 5% shorter |
Your vows stack with each other and with everything else. Strength, cost, cooldown and duration changes multiply with your circles, Cord enchantments and perks. Mana and regeneration changes add to your mana.
Commands
| Command | Does |
|---|---|
/vow |
Lists every vow: what you chose, what you can choose now, and what is still ahead |
/vow take <vow> |
Takes one side, for example /vow take wellspring or /vow take crown_of_ease. Free |
/vow release <circle> |
Gives up that circle’s vow, for example /vow release 9. Costs 5 experience levels (free in Creative) |
The names for /vow take are: wellspring, quickening, keen_edge, spare_hand, swift_hand,
long_echo, overcharge, austerity, torrent, vigil, reservoir, spring, crown_of_power
and crown_of_ease. The command suggests them as you type.
How it works
- One side per circle. To switch, release the vow first, then choose again for free.
- You need the circle. You can only take a vow once that circle is formed and whole.
- Cracked circles go quiet. If overcasting
cracks a vow circle, its vow does nothing until the circle mends.
/vowmarks it as silent. You can still release it while it is cracked. - Vows last. They are kept when you die and when you log out.
- If a vow lowers your max mana, any mana above the new maximum is lost.
Tips
- Short fights, big spells: Keen Edge, Overcharge and Crown of Power stack up to about 28% more strength.
- Long fights, many casts: Spare Hand, Austerity and Crown of Ease make every spell much cheaper.
- Buffs and shields: Long Echo and Vigil make anything with a duration last far longer.
- Quickening and Spring suit casters who meditate on a ley line, because regeneration boosts multiply the base they add to.
- Not sure? Take one now. Releasing later only costs 5 levels.