Aspect / Technique Mechanics
Here's a couple of minor clarifications on how Aspects and Techniques interplay, based on questions and feedback (mostly from Discord.)
Aspects + Notes on Techniques: Each Aspect represents its namesake, a section of possibility-space of what can be learned and utilized within the Role's purview. Less commonly, they are specific superpowers. Generally, at least partial stacking is almost always possible, and if certain Aspects have diminished effectiveness as a result of another Aspect, this is always noted, although it is also extremely uncommon and case-specific.
For instance: elevation of durability for a specific Role is usually achieved through the same underlying mechanism. Imagine, therefore, a theoretical "Strongman" Role, for which you have Aspect: Condition, and Aspect: Ironman. Condition is focused 50% on raising might and 50% on raising durability to properly handle that might without hurting yourself. Ironman only raises durability and potentially adds conceptual attenuation of hostile phenomena at higher levels. Therefore, having Condition 2 provides a similar level of durability as Ironman 1, and if you had both Condition 2 and Ironman 1, you'd wield a similar amount of durability as Ironman 2.
However, in other cases, this may not apply to the same degree, or may have other interactions. For instance, take a 'fireball spell,' and imagine two Aspects: Pyromancy and Spellcaster, both of which can theoretically cover that spell and its learning. If you've already learned it from Pyromancy, you cannot learn it from Spellcaster, due to the inherent redundancy. Therefore, the excess 'learning potential' from Spellcaster means it'd extend some 1% higher into its scaling, cover other areas of knowledge relevant to itself, or do something entirely else (it depends on the sort of Aspect it is, what knowledge it covers, etc.)
Aspects are best thought of as a 'basis,' a universal and broad fundament from which Techniques are built, although which can have a lot of applicability of their own.
For instance, the Olympian started out with access to Aspect: Empyreal, that focused entirely on manipulation and control of nebulous semi-thermal energy with selective kinetic properties. He then developed Technique: Empyreal Sight, that allowed him to project wavelengths of said energy to provide scans of objects (granting x-ray vision), and even later, chose a specialist sub-Technique (Technique: Heaven's Eyes) that focuses the Aspect entirely through his eyes, allowing for extremely powerful offensive laser beam vision, at the cost of limiting him from using the Aspect in other ways. Given his current status as long since graduated, it'd be extremely difficult to undo this change.
Techniques are generally rather granular, and less broad than Aspects. In most cases, they represent specific elements of an Aspect and work to enhance, express, develop, or alter its operation in some fashion. Improvement of the Aspect, therefore, also improves the Technique by sheer necessity.
For another example, the Aristocrat has Aspect: Dapper, allowing him to empower articles of clothing and style with supernatural power. Given its sophistication is low (merely Level 1), it's constrained entirely to making them materially inviolable and slightly better at their purpose. These are his tophat, overcoat, and cane. However, he's also developed Technique: Dapper Gadgeteer, allowing him to imbue each with a cantrip-level effect changeable during his afternoon tea. Improving the Aspect would make these effects substantially stronger, as the entire purpose of the Aspect is to grant these articles supernatural power.
There are no theoretical limitations to how many Aspects or Techniques you - or anyone, for that matter - can learn, aside from simple logic and XP costs. Keep in mind, however, that as new Aspects are learned, the aforementioned coverage of 'things already learned' can render some of them partially redundant, and focus them on more narrow or tighter purposes of development than what you may have originally intended (essentially making Aspects into a broader form of Technique.)
In these situations, though, it should be fairly intuitive (if you don't intuitively think Aspect: Elementalism and Aspect: Pyromancy might cover each other's territories at least to a degree, I don't know what to say), and I'll make sure to warn you beforehand just in case.
XP Costs: Generally, XP costs vary, although in 95% or more cases for Aspects, they'll start at 250 XP and double with every purchase. It's more varied for Techniques, which can have a set amount of XP added for each Level, or have other corollaries added to them. Most often, a level of anything costs double (or close to) the previous level, sometimes it scales higher or lower, and rarely it does something else entirely.
Combination Techniques: Combination Techniques are a crossover between two Aspected Techniques, an Aspectless Technique and an Aspected Technique, or rarely something else entirely. Given they can be partially based on unclear determiners, their scaling is more opaque than with Aspected Techniques.
For instance, Solomon's Connections is based entirely on his nature as the Magician, as well as his perception of the Architecture. From the former, he's drawn on the Magician's Aspectless capability to connect the above to the below, and from the Architectural perspicacity, the ability to follow intangible phenomena, in order to create a Technique that excels at spying and divination. Therefore, improving both his overall refinement in his Role as well as his Architecturalism would make the Technique better, and let him develop it with much greater sophistication.
Earning XP Outside Class: Can be accomplished in a number of ways. There are some Techniques or even Aspects that can allow for expanded learning. Generally, playing into your Role, finding novel situations to apply your Aspects or Techniques in, and even participation in combat encounters (as a natural extension of the previous point) can net you some XP gains. After you've finished your first year of Enrollment, a lot of new options will also open up, so you should keep an eye out for those!
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This'll be updated as needed.
