This rework proposes to alter the way control currently works, by using control as a measurement of magical potential per post. This is a solid alternative to the current system, while also allowing a more dynamic feel. It will hopefully achieve this outcome through the use of some new easy to understand concepts, that of reservation, and direct mana costs.

Control: A Measurement of Flow

Just as Mana is a measurement of one’s magical capacity, control can be a measurement of the use of that capacitance. In its simplest form a single (1) mana is equal to one (1) control in order to use for that post.

How this works in practice:

Player Alina with 20 control and 40 mana decides to use a single specced junior spell during her post, a junior spell costs 10 mana to cast as a result she subtracts the mana cost from her current control for the post resulting in 10 remaining control, meaning she can if she so chooses to cast one more junior ranked spell.

Dual Specialisation Spells contain a control multiplier, requiring double (2x) the control to perform even though it will only cost the same amount of mana.

In Practice:

Player Levi has 20 control and 40 mana and decides to cast a Junior Healing + Defense spell, which costs 10 mana to cast. This results in Levi having to subtract 20 (Mana Cost x 2 due to dual specialisations) from his current control for the post, resulting in him being unable to use another spell for the duration of the post.

Sustained Spells, any spell that has a sustained mana cost will reserve control for the post as long as they are maintained

In Practice:

Player Almen has 20 control and 40 mana, he has a junior reinforcement spell which he is sustaining on himself from the previous post. Before casting any spells he must take into account this sustained cost. As a junior spell has a sustained cost of 5 mana he must ‘reserve’ 5 control points to maintain the spell. This will leave him with only 15 control for the remainder of the post to use for any further spell casting.

‘Ammo’: In order to not depart from the concept of multiple projectiles (As altering that is not part of this proposal but I feel investigating some possible changes to it could be beneficial) it will act in the exactly the same nature as it previously did, with the alteration of costing the same amount of control as casting the same spell again.

In Practice:

Player Burt has 20 control and 40 mana, he decides to cast a junior offensive spell towards a creature in this post, there are two creatures currently facing him. Burt decides that as a junior spell alone only costs 10 control to cast during the post he decides to use the other 10 control to increase his projectile count allowing his spell to hit another creature, or attempt to hit the same creature twice to ensure his junior damage.

User Cases:

I wish to outline how these changes will affect people who are not the typical 20,40 mana split I have used as examples, I will do so here with examples of actual characters from actual threads:

Player Yuurei has 230 control and 850 mana. He decides to cast ‘Wind Magic: Demigod Power’ a Senior Defensive | Reinforcement Spell at a cost of 30 mana; Due to this spell's dual specced nature its control cost is doubled so instead of 30 control, it will diminish his current control by 60. Leaving Yuurei with 170 remaining control for the post, he then decides to cast ‘Wind Magic: Quetzalcoatl’ a Grand Golem Spell at a cost of 50 mana, further diminishing his control to 120 for the remainder of the post.

He decides to not cast any more spells this post.

In his following post he has decided to not cast anything, however if he did he would only have 175 control to use for casting spells due to his previous spells reserving a portion of his control based on their sustain costs (15 x 2 + 25 ).

I am happy to discussion any alterations or assist in any way with any ruleset updates / alterations for this or any existing documentation!
Thank you for any consideration you give to this idea!