Mastery, also known as Proficiency, is an intricate leveling system for Special Arts and Symbology in the Star Ocean series. It allows these skills to grow and improve over time through steady usage, increasing their effectiveness or even changing the execution of the ability entirely.
Appearances
Star Ocean: Fantastic Space Odyssey/First Departure
A Mastery counter is not actually visible in Star Ocean, but the usage of Special Arts is recorded. Special Arts that correspond to stronger arts within Secret Fighting Techniques must first be "mastered" through a number of uses before the new technique can be learned in combat.
Star Ocean: The Second Story/Second Evolution
Known as Proficiency in The Second Story, most Special Arts and Symbology record uses up to 999 times. Most individual abilities have their own 'level' of proficiency points before they improve one or multiple times; the amount of uses to improve each art and spell vary.
Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
All Battle Skills and most Symbology have ten levels of Mastery, slightly improving in some way with each increase in level. The Mastery points needed to reach a level varies from skill to skill.