Could anyone explain to me what the meaning of the last sentence about Flawless Magic is about? (p. 42 in my Ars Magica 5)
"Further, your Study Totals for mastering spells are doubled."

What is a Study total? Lab Total - okay. How is the Mastery ability developed?

Thank you in advance.

The study total is generated by one of four things:

1. Practice
2. Adventure experience
3. Studying a book on mastery of that spell
4. Being taught by someone who has mastered the spell themselves

Hope this helps. Its possible that there are more ways to learn spell mastery. But anyway the study total for each method is different, and I don't have the rules with me but for number (1) that is 5 xp/season spent practicing. See the advancement rules later in the rule book.

"Thank you, Paul. This means *every* point of experience gained by practicing, reading books or being teached a spell mastery is doubled, right?"

Your welcome.

I would assume that is what it means yes. Not an official answer mind you, but there is not too many other ways to interpret the line you originally quoted that I can see. If there is a study total it should be doubled...experience gained in an adventure might be problematic as I am not sure that is a "Study Total" per se but I think it would make sense to double it as well but I could see why arguments for it not being doubled would also make sense.

//This means *every* point of experience gained by practicing, reading books or being teached a spell mastery is doubled, right?"

Your welcome.

I would assume that is what it means yes.//

I think so, too.

In the Apt Student Virtue 'Study Total' has been - IIRC rather recently - errataed to mean 'Advancement Total'.
So my guess is, that also everywhere else in the book the undefined 'Study Total' is intended to mean 'Advancement Total'.

Kind regards,

Berengar