Power pips are a special feature within the game and with good reason. A wizard has a base chance of getting a power pip, starting at level ten. This chance goes up by one percent every level until you reach level fifty, where it is maxed at 40%.
Power pip chance can be increased with gear (pets can also develop a talent for increasing a power pip chance.) Depending on how the game is played by the individual, some may favor another stat. Others will devote a whole gear set just for power pip chance. Higher power pip chance is found on better gear, and as your wizard gains more levels, the gear has a higher power pip chance. Balancing power pip chance with other stats is a part of the game.
(These are just examples. Not all rings will offer 12% power pip chance.)
Once you reach a certain level, wands will start to give you either a pip or a power pip. This is just a standard power pip, it doesn’t affect power pip chance.
Power pips are, as stated above, a two-for-one deal. One power pip represents two normal pips, but only for spells that are from your primary school. A storm wizard who has two power pips could not, for instance, cast Satyr (a four pip spell.) This is because life isn’t their primary school, and the power pip would only count as one.
The number of pips a spell cost is in the upper left-hand corner of your spell card.
Spells that have an X in their upper left-hand corner are based on the number of pips you have on hand. Tempest and Dryad, for example, have this symbol. However, Dryad is a healing card, and based on the number of pips you have, is how much it would heal you for. Dryad heals 200 health for one pip. A life wizard who wanted to heal 800 would have to wait for four turns. This life wizard would only have to wait for two turns if they received a power pip each turn.
No power pip: 200 [amount of health on the card] x 4 [the number of normal pips] = 800 [the amount that would be healed]. This would take four turns.
One power pip: 200 [amount of health on the card] x (2 [the number of normal pips] + (1 [ number of power pips] x 2 [value of power pips])) = 800. This would take tree turns.
Two power pips: 200 x (2 [number of power pips) x 2 [value of power pips]) = 800. This would take two turns.
Tempest would be the same way, only for damage. If a storm wizard wanted to do 320 damage, that would require four turns. (As it is 80 damage per pip).
Power pips can be used for a side school if you have the school’s mastery amulet. There is a mastery amulet for each of the seven schools of magic. You can buy the basic mastery amulets in the Crowns Shop, but you cannot buy the amulet of your own school.
There are also exalted mastery amulets that do the same thing but offer extra stats for your wizard. Critical block for two other schools, damage boost, and balance and life offer incoming or outgoing health boosts. Exalted amulets have to be farmed for as they cannot be bought in the Crowns Shop.
Spells that take pips (Mana Burn, Lord of Winter, etc.) will specify on the card. Mana Burn is a balance card that does 80 damage per pip and takes the enemy’s pips as well. It takes 3 pips from your opponent.
Spells that take pips will only take what it lists on the card. If the enemy has three power pips, it will take the three pips the enemy has and give you three normal pips, even though the power pips would equal out as six pips. If an enemy has two normal pips and a power pip, it will take the two normal pips and a power pip. It won’t leave a pip behind. Power pips cannot be taken apart and you are only given what you’re promised on the spell. It’s all or nothing.
It’s important to know that if you cast a spell, and someone casts a spell on you that removes your pips, you still attack even if you have nothing. If you are hit with a Mana Burn, and the seven pips you had go to four, you still use the spell you selected that costs seven pips.
In short, power pips are considered a fundamental part of the game because they help with performing a spell quicker. Every school uses some form of the pip, and power pips are just a two-in-one pip deal. Increasing the power pip chance is invaluable as well, however, some wizards may choose to increase another stat.
What about secondary school spell cards given by pets or equipment? Will they require an amulet in order to use power pips?