When you start a new mystic character how many starting spells do you get? If you are a wizard with a 9 Int and a magic level of 40, the book indicates that you should start them with half their magic level. Does this mean the character knows every spell in the chosen path up to level 20 to start with? Or do you give them a hand full of usefull spells and make them find the rest?

They get one book up to 20.
or two books up to 10
or two books up to 5 and one book up to 10
or four books up to 5

Normally, however, they get 20 levels in one book.

Since I'm not familiar with magic do i understand this right:

e.g. 40 Point in Light = 20 level

2 Level = Create Light

8 Level = Blinding Flash

10 Level = Shield of LIght

= 20 Level

So i'd have these 3 Spells and no more?

~ Sofia Corba

No. 40 Spell Levels in Book of Light would give you every spell of level 40 or below (16 spells and 4 free access spells). Buying spells individually is different, and costs more.

So, for example, a level 1 wizard with 9 INT would have 40 spell levels possible, but could only spend 20. If he put all 20 in Book of Light he would have:
Create Light
Imbue Calm
Blinding Flash
Shield of Light
Perceive
Armor of Light
Banish Shadows
Detect Negative Emotions
and 2 free access spells.

He could then invest the other 20 spell levels during play (probably before reaching level 2)

How does the player invest the additional 20? Do they just state that they would like to spend the points and through "self-study" they know the additional spells or do they need to find them in game through Masters, scrolls and grimoires?

They can advance in any book they know by self study. In order to start a new book, or learn a specific spell from a book they don't have any knowledge of, they need to find a scroll or teacher or something to get them started.

How long does it take? http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp?efid=85&efcid=3&efidt=548527

For the most part, after the start of the campaign and spending your initial allotment of spells, further advancement is determined by what the GM and player work out. So the GM could drop a couple of scrolls into an adventure, or a tome, and the player could spend ML points on learning the spells individually, or could use them as a springboard for learning a new Book. I'd recommend working out something that both GM and player feel to be equitable as probably the easiest solution, as there's not a lot of guidelines after initial creation.

Thank you, Lia and Arikail. That is what I needed to know!

I honestly just recommend letting them spend all their points as they gain them, rather than use the optional rules in Arcana Exxet(or Dominus Exxet for Ki stuff and martial arts). Training times are for npc's IMO and the opinion of everybody else who plays at my table, luckily.

There is no sense of accomplishment for being forced into training times, only a wish that you were adventuring with the rest of you party.

So with an Int of 9 and a Magic Level of 40, I understand for one book, they get all the spells up to level 20.

If their Magic level was 60, they would get all the spells up to 30 for one book.

what happens to the "slots" for levels 21-40 [or 31-60]? Are those open slots for learning additional spells?

Kalis said:

I disagree I think it adds realism (which is admittedly not something everyone likes). But you should not be studying while others in the party are adventuring, you should be studying spells while the others are training their techniques and powers. I find the best way to do this is is to use assumed study time. If the party is traveling somewhere, for example, they spend 10 hours a day on the road, 1 hour setting up and taking down camp, 3 hours eating and 8 hours sleeping. This gives them 2 hours a day of training/studying/etc. Keeps the official rules and adds realism to the characters without taking time away from the game. I count 8 hours of training as 1 day worth, therefore 4 days of training while traveling equals one full day of training.

As per the spell levels a wizard has not used yet. Ya they are just waiting to be used, or untapped potential. If the wizard studies he can use them at any time (I posted the advised time this takes above, but really they learn spells as fast the the GM wants, or at the "Speed of Plot").