Specialist Skills + HM Specialization?

[sekira]

How exactly is the final creation cost of spells determined if you are getting discounts from both a specialist skill (Elemental, Conjuring, Alteration, etc) and the High Mage's (or other class) school specialization ability.

The obvious question is as follows...

25 skill in Elemental (25% discount on creation cost)
+
21 AP in High Mage School Specialization: Elemental (25% discount and an additional 63 point reduction)

is it simply added together (50% off, then 63 points off the new cost) or is it one first then the other? (25% off, then 63 points off the new cost, then 25% off of that cost) OR (25% off, then 25% off of that cost, then 63 pts off of that cost)

also, there is a maximum discount % on the HM specialization ability of 75%... how does that work with the maximum discount of 50% for 100+ skill in the specialist skill?

[Variaz]

The High Mage's ability is calculated first, then the skill mastery.

Assuming you have an ability of 25 and your Elemental skill is 100:

You create a spell with a cost of 2000. First, it's reduced by 25%, so it goes down to 1500. Then it's reduced by (25 * 3) = 75, so it becomes 1425. Then it's cut in half thanks to your skill, becoming 712.5, so 713.

[sekira]

Ok, here is another question (althouth I think I already know the answer...)

Does Elemental skill affect all damage that you deal that is Elemental in nature (from items, class abilities, and spells), or just Elemental damage dealt by actual casting of spells (no affect on items or class abilities)?

I'm guessing that Elemental skill affects only spells cast, and spellcraft affects all sources of magic damage (Spells, Items, and Class abilities)

[Variaz]

Exactly. Elemental only affects spells cast, while Spellcraft affects everything.