[!] ELEMENTAL GUIDE-BY-GRADE

[TAYLOR THE CANADIAN]

[bg=1C1C1C][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,500px,true] GUIDE BY GRADE - INTRO

[bg=090909][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,460px,true] First of all, please note that this guide is not exact. We don't expect you to limit your characters to the very few things that are mentioned in this thread, it is only a guide to help gauge the level of power a character will be at in any given grade. With that said, this covers the range of power and what elementals general study in the first and last six months of each year (terms one and two, respectively). If you have any questions about the guide, please PM an administrator.

[bg=1C1C1C][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,500px,true] I. NINTH GRADE

[bg=090909][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,460px,true] ( FIRST SIX MONTHS ) At the beginning of the year, they enter the school with no knowledge of how to control or manipulate their element. For the first six months they will be learning how the kinesis connects with the mind using simple methods like putting out candles, strengthening the power of fans, ect. By July when the first term is at an end, an elemental should understand how to call upon the element even if they aren't very good at actually doing anything with it. ( LAST SIX MONTHS ) Now that the ninth graders understand how their element works with their mind, they begin learning simple tricks on how to manipulate it. Please note that these are never anything extreme. A water elemental might be able to control a ball of water and play around with it, an earth student might be able to increase the beauty of an already established plant, but it is not yet enough to be used in proficient fighting.

[bg=1C1C1C][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,500px,true] II. TENTH GRADE

[bg=090909][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,460px,true] ( FIRST SIX MONTHS ) Where the ninth graders left off, the tenth graders pick up and review in the first half of the year. Simple tricks become a little more difficult as manipulating the element becomes easier, though they will not focus on actual fighting until the second half of the year. Expect to see Thunder elementals playing around with static shock and wind elementals messing with the gales on windy days, but don't expect anything too substantial in terms of elementals facing off. ( LAST SIX MONTHS ) As a general rule, the Academy does not encourage the pitting of one elemental against another in raw combat until college. Instead, they teach the elementals offensive and defensive moves to combat those which they are strong and weak against. In the tenth grade, elementals begin to learn strategy to use with the elements which they now have a good understanding of. It is not until eleventh grade that this becomes proficient, however.

[bg=1C1C1C][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,500px,true] III. ELEVENTH GRADE

[bg=090909][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,460px,true] ( FIRST SIX MONTHS ) Offensive and defensive strategy were touched on in tenth grade, but this is when it really starts to get serious. Use of one's powers and the pushing of limits helps to build stamina and lower the drain of certain things over time. When an elemental would once have gotten tired by simply moving around a ball of fire, they can now manipulate it easily and even shape it to suit their attacking or defending needs. An earth student could manipulate nature into aiding them with restraining vines, ect. ( LAST SIX MONTHS ) Up until now, all that has been focused on is the manipulation of an element. Whilst students can freely play around with something which already exists, they could not call into being what was not there to begin with. In the second half of their third year, however, that changes. Elementals will start out small just as they did in the ninth grade, such as creating plants, starting a current, or forming a puddle without the aid of any existing water. This will be further stressed upon in their final year.

[bg=1C1C1C][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,500px,true] IV. TWELFTH GRADE

[bg=090909][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,460px,true] ( ENTIRE YEAR ) Rather than splitting the year between two main terms and focusing on different things, twelfth grade is where things really get intense. It is the hardest and most stressful of the four years as students constantly push the limits of their kinesis until, by the end of the year, they can call upon the element no matter the conditions. Stamina varies between individuals depending on how hard they've focused, but more or less everyone should be on the same level if they are hoping to graduate. After high school, an elemental can either drop out of the Academy and pursue their lives separately, or head on to college.

[bg=1C1C1C][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,500px,true] V. COLLEGE

[bg=090909][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,460px,true] ( ELEMENTAL COLLEGE ) Note that whilst there is focus on the elements, the Academy's college operates just like the school itself. There are normal majors that you take such as Biology, English, ect. There is a tuition for college given that the Academy is free for the four years of high school and they have to make their money somehow. Elemental college also does not give you specific guidelines for control. Not every water elemental can learn to manipulate ice, nor every earth elemental gain enough power to shift a mountain. It truly depends on the individual, and college does not try to force the (now adult) elementals into such things. Instead, they focus mainly on the increasing of stamina and power through endurance testing. One of the optional courses is a course which fully stresses pitting your weaknesses against you to help build up more of a tolerance, though never a resistance; fire elementals will always be weak to water, water to earth, ect. Please note: Elementals who do not attend college can still increase their stamina, it will just take twice as long to reach certain milestones if they have not attended. Note: Until college, elementals cannot learn: heat manipulation (Fire), ice manipulation (Water), actual bolts of electricity (Thunder), tornadoes/wind vortexes (Wind), stone manipulation (Earth). They also cannot learn to heal with their element. Note that healing only works for injuries inflicted by the element in question. (Poisoning for Earth, frostbite for Water, burns for Fire, ect). When they are in their final years of highschool there may be the very very rare occasional freak accent, but it will either knock them completely unconscious or at least render them unable to fight, no exceptions. These outbursts would only happen in extreme points of rage or upset, and they would not be very powerful. If we see anyone abusing this or using it too often, we will take out even the 'very rare' occurrences. You shouldn't be using it all the time; even once a real-life month is pushing it.

[bg=1C1C1C][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,500px,true] VI. ELEMENT CAPABILITIES

[bg=090909][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,460px,true] ( FIRE ELEMENTALS ) Fire elementals manipulate flame, of course. When they reach college they can also manipulate the sub-element of heat. They can make things hotter, but they cannot take the heat out of a room if they didn't put it there in the first place. (ie, they can't make a summer day cold, but they can make it warmer). ( WATER ELEMENTALS ) Waters can manipulate the pure element of water, and (once reaching college) the sub-element of ice. This is pretty straight-forward. They can chill something with their ice, but they can't make it warmer. They cannot manipulate snow. They also can't manipulate other liquids (even if those liquids contain their element), only pure water. ( THUNDER ELEMENTALS ) Thunder elementals do not actually manipulate 'thunder; they are manipulators of electricity and currents. They can control static electricity and charge currents to shock their foes. Once they reach college—and only then—they can start to work on expanding their reach to the sort of lightning we see in thunder storms. Bolts of lightning, until they are very well-trained with a lot of stamina. Think about it for a moment; if an elemental's strength is drained based on the power of an attack, a bolt of lightning would kill them. Even when they start to learn the creation of bolts, it would take an immense amount of effort to create something with enough power/voltage to kill. ( EARTH ELEMENTALS ) They manipulate plants, dirt, trees, ect. Stone, as it is much less malleable and hard to change, cannot be started on until college. They can also cause earthquakes by shaking the ground, but again, this is a college-level type thing given that it takes quite a lot to shift and crack the ground. Only the pure element can be manipulated—no manipulation of buildings, concrete, paper, ect. Generally, the less malleable the substance, the harder it is to control. It's rather easy to manipulate dirt, but hard to move rock. Mud, as it has high water content, is not controllable. ( WIND ELEMENTALS ) Winds control gales, breezes, and actual tornadoes (at college level). It's pretty straight-forward—they control the movement and direction of wind. The element is wind, not air. They can't suck the oxygen out of the air, they can't stop you from breathing. They also cannot fly, thank you very much.