Pinned Comment (Melena): I will be deleting all comments about the fact that I'm a loli or that are inappropriate.

Comment: Condensing sounds like it could be very useful. Any reason it wasn't seen much during the Architect Tournament?

Melena: Condensed armor is not useful because its damage reduction is a flat 75%, with no additional bonuses beyond being essentially indestructible. Yes, that is equal to the damage reduction of the highest non-Skill, non-image armors, but it also lacks the ability to have other effects, such as being enchanted to grant Stat points.

The simple Mana Armor Skill has higher damage reduction with the same downside, though it can be destroyed and ignored with Skills, unlike condensed armor. Every other piece of armor worth its price will also give additional Stat points when worn, making it far more valuable than condensed armor.

If you are fighting enemies that can destroy and/or ignore armor, then yes, condensed armor is the correct choice. Usually, such enemies attack from ambush and you do not know they are coming, making you either use condensed armor that is not as effective as other armors or be good enough at condensing to have a soul armory.

The same can be said about weapons. Breaking weapons is more rare, at least when excluding Mana Weapon, but Mana Weapon does more damage, and normal weapons can have enchantments.

If damage from condensed weapons ignored Health, every fight would be decided by who has the stronger soul; this is not the case, however, so images and Skills continue to be the primary weapons of the strong, as they will always deal more damage, even when blocked by a condensed item.

Comment: How do I get my soul material out of my body?

Melena: How to envision is is different for everyone. Condensing teachers typically help someone learn how to do so in multiple hour, sometimes multiple day, sessions.

Comment: how can I know my soul's garjel score?

Melena: We are working on making a device that can quickly and easily test it. It is not easy to do so. The only way right now is to find someone who has the ability to manipulate soul material, give them a condensed item, and have them test it.

Comment: WHat came first, images or condensing?

Melena: As far as we can tell, images have been a part the System since the beginning, or at least as far back as has been recorded. Condensing potentially was, as well, but it has never proven one way or the other. Very little about the System interacts with condensed items. It is very much possible that condensing was the System for a time before it became even remotely similar to what it is today.

Comment: DID HE JUST BLOCK A SUPERNOVA

Melena: Yes.

Comment: Is this the first footage of Patrons fighting on YouTube?

Melena: It was not a fight, simply a demonstration.

Comment: nice cgi

Melena: It is very much real.

Comment: And this isn't the best Patron at destroying things?

Melena: Stars is the fourth best at destroying any arbitrary object, though the second best at wide area destruction. Destruction has them beat in both categories, and Demolition and Shattering are better at destroying arbitrary objects.

Comment: When will I be able to do stuff like that?

Melena: When you have a tier 3 image.