Legend of Mana - Abilities/Techniques Learning Info

Thanks to the help of @Polsybee, I think I've suddenly come to a realization on how Legend of Mana's Ability/Technique learning system works.

I knew from testing that they weren't learned by either use or via EXP gems. I had thought they were based upon kills. In my testing of Counterattack, going through the first area (with enemies) on Luon Highway, I killed 21 enemies with Defend on one slot, and 10 with it on both. So thus I thought I had an idea.

Turns out I was only partially right. I was correct on the idea that equipping an ability on both slots causes learning to happen twice as fast. But stuff seems to be learned based upon the number of fights, not the number of enemy kills! In my observations of my runs compared to the Legend of Mana Ultimania (which I acquired early Jan 2014), this seems to make sense.

In the guide, Counterattack states that you need to have Defend on, but states (8). I was confused at this because it didn't line up with anything from my testing. But thinking back to my testing and looking at how I equip it in my Dragon and Faerie runs, I think I've come to an understanding.

When I did the testing on Luon Highway, the first room with enemies contains a set of 3, a set of 2, and a set of 3 enemies. When I killed 21 enemies (single defend equipped), I fought all 3 sets of enemies twice (8 kills x2 for 16 total). On the 3rd time through, I learned Counterattack when I defeated the set of 2 (16+3+2 = 21 kills). When I was testing it with Defend double equipped, I fought the first two sets twice, which equaled 10 kills and a learned ability.

But how does the 8 fit in? Notice the number of FIGHTS I got into. In the single defend, I fought the following groups of enemies: 3, 2, 3, 3, 2, 3, 3, 2. This equals 8 fights. Seen that number before? Yep! The guide! And when I had it equipped on both slots, I learned the ability in 4 fights (3, 2, 3, 2). Which makes sense - equipped on both slots for the same length of time = 2x the learning speed.

This lines up with the runs too. When I do Niccolo's Business Unusual first, I learn Counterattack after the 4th fight (the battle with the Lillibud, Chobin Hood, and Stinger Bug) because I have it equipped on both slots. When I do The Lost Princess first, I learn it after beating Du'Inke because that's my fourth fight.

The wrinkle in the whole thing is boss fights. I went back to my old Jumi 3:17 run (the first speedrun I ever had posted at SDA). During those times, I had Defend and Crouch equipped. In that run, I learned both Counterattack and Rising Sun after beating Mantis Ant. Rising Sun is expected, since I need Crouch for 7 fights to learn it. But that's the thing. SEVEN. Not eight, which is the listing for Counterattack. I watched my first Faerie and Dragon runs, which both started with Niccolo's Business Unusual and both learned it the same way and at the same time. So what gives?

Well, without further testing, I'm not sure. I looked over the maps of Luon Highway in the Ultimania and the thing I noticed is that in the boss room for Mantis Ant, there's also a listing for Rabites x4 above it. While I've never possibly revisited the area after Niccolo's Business Unusual, my one theory is that I'm getting credit for both fights, even though I'm only doing one. While this is just a theory, I suspect it to be the case, since I've already proven that 8 regular enemy fights (single equipped defend) earns me Counterattack.

Another example of how I came to realize it was based upon the number of battles (and not kills) was the learned ability that gave it away - Defensive Lunge. I was curious to know when I learned Evade, which is earned by equipping Lunge and Retreat as your abilities. The guide said (18) on both. I watched my newest Dragon run from the start of Guardian of Winds (which was when I equipped them) and counted fights and kills. By my 8th fight, I had killed 20 enemies. However, I learned Defensive Lunge after this fight, but not Evade. So I looked up Defensive Lunge, which had Defend (12) and Lunge (8). So since Lunge was single equipped, made sense. ...technically mostly, because thinking back as to how long I had Defend equipped, that should have only been 8 points, not 12 (I have it double equipped in my Dragon 1:49 through the Du'Inke fight, but change both to Counterattack during Faeries' Light). Once again, a boss fight screws up the count. There is a 2nd fight listed in the room - this time Tonpole x4. But even with two fights counted, that's only 10 points out of the 12. Yeah, it doesn't make complete sense yet.

Hopefully I'll figure out the last tidbits in regards to how bosses count for points. But still, without @Polsybee's translation help with the guide, I don't think I would have even figured out this much about how the ability/technique learning system worked and would be still basing it upon ideas that are wrong.