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Aspects are the basis for all of Thaumcraft's resources, structures and research. They represent the "flavors" of magical energy (vis and essentia), and the knowledge used for research. Nearly every item, block, construct, and entity (including mobs) in Thaumcraft (or add-ons designed for Thaumcraft) is represented by a characteristic combination of aspects. (Players have Humanus and two random aspects.)

Mobs and objects from other mods may also have aspects: These can be specified by the mod, or supplied by a "bridge" mod connecting it to Thaumcraft. For many crafted items, Thaumcraft itself can calculate the aspects from their recipe, even if the mod itself has not specified them.

Each aspect is identified by a Latin name, an icon, and a characteristic color. The six Primal Aspects are Aer (air), Aqua (water), Ignis (fire), Terra (earth), Ordo (order), and Perditio (entropy), which are combined pairwise to produce successively more complex Compound Aspects. The example from the Thaumonomicon is combining Terra and Aqua to produce Victus. There are 48 aspects present in Thaumcraft itself, but some "add-ons" add additional compounds.

Thaumonomicon Entry[]

"Every item, object, or creature is bound by varying mystical elements known as aspects. Aspects describe the objects makeup and bent toward the magical elements. A simple stone may possess the aspect of Terra while more complex items like trees or even creatures can be made up of various different aspects in varying amounts. There are close to 50 known aspects with more being discovered all the time."-Basic aspects, Thauminomicon

"There are two main types of aspects: Primal and Compound."

"Primal Aspects are the most basic types of aspects and there are only six of them: Aer (air), Terra (earth), Ignis (fire), Aqua (water), Ordo (order), and Perditio (entropy)."

"These form the basic building blocks of all other aspects."

"Compound Aspects are built from two other aspects. The simplest compound aspects are made from two primal aspect, but it is possible to have incredibly complex compound aspects made from successive layers of simpler aspects."

"The simplest example of such a compound aspect, is the aspect of Victus (life) that is the combination of Terra and Aqua."

"To view what aspect an item possesses, simply hover your cursor over the item and press sneak (shift), and you will see what aspects that item has and what amounts of each, Though you will first need to study that item with a Thaumometer, until then the aspects will remain unknown."


"Aspects that have somehow been separated from their object and purified is known as Vis and is very valuable: both as a crafting ingredient and as a subject for magical research."

"Vis is most often bound into wands, but it is also possible to store it as a magical liquid. Vis stored as a liquid known as Essentia."

Research[]

The player begins with knowledge and research points for each of the primal aspects. They can gain more research points, and learn compound aspects, by scanning mobs, blocks, constructs, items, or nodes with the Thaumometer. This scan will reward the player with research points in the associated aspects. However, if the scan target has aspects the player has not yet learned, additional restrictions apply: The item cannot be scanned unless the player knows both the component aspects of each unknown aspect. If the player does have this basic knowledge, they will learn the new aspect (and gain triple points for "discovering" the aspect). If an item somehow has no aspects, there will be a message "Nothing can be learned from this item." This applies to some items which are not crafted (especially if they come from another mod), or whose crafting recipes would suggest that their aspects would be less than a point.

In general, most scannable items will yield research points equal to their own aspect values. However, nodes will give points of approximately one-tenth the nodes strength in its various aspects, and if a player's point totals become high enough, they will receive fewer points than they would otherwise expect. A common Warp effect can also give single research points in random primal aspects. These points are spent in the process of researching new devices and informational topics. Once scanned, an item's aspects can be viewed at any time by hovering the cursor over the item in any inventory. The Thaumonomicon keeps a list of all aspects discovered by a player, along with a listing of their combinations, and a summary of the items containing each aspect.

The Research Table also allows combining aspects to discover new ones or gain points for known compounds. Other aspects which are useful to discover at the research table are Spiritus (found only in certain items from the Nether), and Tempestas, which is not otherwise found in the world (the occasional wisp notwithstanding). Note that combining research points is "lossy", you get only one point of the compound for 1 point apiece of each component.  The research table cannot separate compounds into their component aspects. However, the Deconstruction Table can produce primal research points from surplus items, which can then be combined as above. 

Placing bookshelves and crystal clusters around the research table will also provide "ghost points", which can be used (only) when the player has otherwise run out of points in that aspect.  Ghost points regenerate over time, and are indicated by a "sparkle" on their icon in the table GUI.  See the research table's page for full  details.

Magic[]

The two forms of magical energy, vis and essentia, can both appear with any aspect.

Vis is generally extracted from nodes and stored in wands (including staves and scepters), but slain mobs will also drop "aspect orbs" which a wand (etc.) can absorb. However, vis of compound aspects (found in some nodes) cannot be directly used: Whenever it is extracted or transmitted, each point of a compound aspect is replaced by a point of one of the primal aspects the compound is ultimately composed of.

Essentia, in liquid or crystalline form, can appear in any aspect. It is normally extracted as a liquid from objects, by dissolving them in a crucible or distilling them in an Alchemical Furnace. However, the advanced item Liquid Death can also extract aspects in crystalline form, from mobs. The liquid form of compound aspects can be separated into its components with a centrifuge, yielding at most 1 point of either component for each point of the compound.

Neither vis nor essentia may ever be combined aspect-wise, thus the more complex aspects must be collected from items or mobs.

Aspect Table[]

The list below contains Aspects and combinations present as of Thaumcraft 4.2, with notes on prior versions. Aspects added by add-on mods are listed in a separate section.

Many aspects had their recipes changed in versions 4.1 and 4.2, their legacy recipes are given in the "notes" column. A couple of aspects were removed entirely in 4.2:

  • Granum ("seed", Ordo+Victus)
  • Saxum ("stone", Terra+Terra)

Also listed are various sources for essentia of each aspect; both items to be distilled, and any compounds of the aspect. The sources given below are not meant to be exhaustive, merely the most common and available (and especially, renewable) sources at various points in the game.  Italicized items are "perfect" sources, containing only that aspect.

There are renewable sources given for all except Tempestas.  In addition to the sources below, ethereal essence and mana beans can both have any aspect (including Tempestas), and be distilled for essentia of that aspect.

Downloadable Version Here or Here

Aspect Keyword Component 1 Component 2 Source Aspect(s) In-world Sources and Notes

Aer

/ˈaː.eːr/

air Primal Volatus, Auram, Sensus, Motus, Lux, Vacuos, Arbor, Tempestas grass, tall plants (notably sugar cane), (vanilla) workbench

Alienis

/a.liˈeː.nis/

eldritch Tenebrae Vacuos ender pearls, banners

Aqua

/ˈa.kʷa/

water Primal Limus, Victus, Venenum, Tempestas cactus, sugar cane, lily pads, water source
flowering oak saplings and leaves (Biomes O' Plenty)

Arbor

/ˈar.bor/

tree Aer Herba logs (greatwood and silverwood are not perfect), any wooden items

Auram

/ˈau̯.ram/

aura Aer Praecantatio ethereal essence

Bestia

/ˈbeːs.ti.a/

animal Motus Victus Corpus, Pannus, Humanus raw meat, eggs, spider eyes, animals

Cognitio

/koˈɡni.ti.o/

mind Ignis Spiritus Humanus paper, zombie brains, books, bookshelves

(formerly Terra + Spiritus)

Corpus

/ˈkor.pus/

flesh Bestia Mortuus rotten flesh, all meat

Exanimis

/ekˈsa.ni.mis/

undead Motus Mortuus zombie brains, ghast tears, undead mobs

Fabrico

/ˈfa.bri.koː/

craft, repair Humanus Instrumentum crafting tables and its variations, cooked meats, wool

Fames

/ˈfa.meːs/

hunger Vacuos Victus Lucrum melon slices, meat nuggets, cooked food, wheat

Gelum

/ˈɡe.lum/

cold, ice Ignis Perditio snowballs, snow blocks, ice (formerly Aqua + Ordo)

Herba

/ˈher.ba/

plant Terra Victus Arbor, Messis seeds, vines, nether wart, most plants, leaves (formerly Terra + Granum)

Humanus

/huːˈmaː.nus/

human Bestia Cognitio Fabrico, Instrumentum, Lucrum, Messis, Perfodio rotten flesh, golems, (multiplayer)other players

Ignis

/ˈiŋ.nis/

fire Primal Cognitio, Gelum, Lux, Potentia, Telum coal/charcoal, gunpowder, blaze rod, lava source

Instrumentum

/in.struːˈmen.tum/

tool Humanus Ordo Fabrico, Machina, Meto, Pannus,

Telum, Tutamen

flint, shovels, axes

Iter

/ˈi.ter/

travel Motus Terra boats, ender pearls

Limus

/ˈli.mus/

slime Aqua Victus slimeballs, eggs, tainted goo

Lucrum

/ˈlu.krum/

greed, wealth Fames Humanus gold, emeralds, gold coins, gold items

Lux

/luːks/

light Aer Ignis Tenebrae torches, glowstone

Machina

/ˈmaː.kʰi.na/

machine, device Instrumentum Motus buttons (wood or stone), redstone, levers other devices

Messis

/ˈmes.sis/

crop Herba Humanus Meto pumpkins, wheat, other crops (formerly Messis + Humanus)

Metallum

/meˈtal.lum/

metal Terra Vitreus metal nuggets, ingots, metallic items. (formerly Ordo + Saxum)

Meto

/ˈme.toː/

harvest Instrumentum Messis hoes, shears

Mortuus

/ˈmor.tu.us/

death Perditio Victus Corpus, Exanimis, Spiritus bones, raw meat

Motus

/ˈmoː.tus/

motion Aer Ordo Bestia, Exanimis, Iter, Machina, Vinculum, Volatus trapdoors, doors

Ordo

/ˈoːr.doː/

order Primal Instrumentum, Motus, Permutatio, Potentia, Sano, Vitreus silverwood logs, smooth sandstone, (vanilla) workbench
Candleberry (Pam's HarvestCraft)
Wax (Forestry, Pam's HarvestCraft)
Steel (modded, any)

Pannus

/ˈpan.nus/

cloth Bestia Instrumentum string, wool, leather

Perditio

/ˈper.di.ti.o/

chaos Primal Gelum, Mortuus, Permutatio,

Tenebrae, Vacuos, Venenum, Vinculum, Vitium

cobblestone, cactus, gunpowder, (vanilla) workbench

Perfodio

/perˈfo.di.oː/

mining Humanus Terra pickaxes (formerly Humanus + Saxum)

Permutatio

/per.muˈta.ti.o/

exchange Ordo Perditio Copper, quicksilver, droppers, dispensers, shimmer leaf (formerly Aqua + Motus)

Potentia

/poˈten.ti.a/

energy Ignis Ordo Praecantatio coal/charcoal, redstone

Praecantatio

/prae̯.kanˈta.ti.o/

magic Potentia Vacuos Auram, Vitium greatwood logs, silverwood logs, chiseled sandstone, nether wart, magical items, blaze rods

Sano

/ˈsaː.noː/

healing Ordo Victus milk buckets, healing potions, regeneration potions, Triple Meat Treat (formerly Victus + Victus)

Sensus

/ˈseːn.sus/

senses Aer Spiritus all dyes, cocoa beans, carrots, glowstone

Spiritus

/ˈspiː.ri.tus/

soul Mortuus Victus Cognitio, Sensus soul sand, ghast tears, mob heads

Telum

/ˈteː.lum/

weapon Ignis Instrumentum arrows, weapons (formerly Perditio + Instrumentum)

Tempestas

/temˈpes.taːs/

weather Aer Aqua Only available from mana beans or ethereal essence in vanilla Thaumcraft
iron fence, wind mill (IndustrialCraft 2, with Electro-Magic Tools addon installed)
weather collector (MineFactory Reloaded)
clouds (Natura)

Tenebrae

/ˈte.ne.brae̯/

darkness Lux Vacuos Alienis mushrooms, obsidian (formerly Lux + Perditio)

Terra

/ˈter.ra/

earth, ground Primal Herba, Iter, Metallum, Perfodio,

Tutamen, Victus, Vitreus

dirt, smooth stone, potatoes, cobblestone,

Tutamen

/tuːˈtaː.men/

armor Instrumentum Terra leather, any armor

Vacuos

/ˈwa.ku.oːs/

void Aer Perditio Alienis, Fames, Praecantatio, Tenebrae wooden bowls, chests, buckets, bottles, phials

Venenum

/weˈneː.num/

poison Aqua Perditio quicksilver, spider eyes

Victus

/ˈwiːk.tus/

life Aqua Terra Bestia, Fames, Herba, Limus,

Mortuus, Sano, Spiritus

eggs, fibrous taint, whitestone (available for scanning in MineFactory Reloaded)

(This is the Thaumonomicon's necessary example for combining research points.)

Vinculum

/ˈwin.ku.lum/

trap Motus Perditio amber, potions of Slowing, soul sand, tripwire hooks
quicksand (Biomes O' Plenty)

Vitium

/ˈwi.ti.um/

taint Perditio Praecantatio tainted goo, taint tendrils, crusted taint, tainted soil, fibrous taint, tainted mobs

Vitreus

/ˈwi.treu̯s/

crystal Ordo Terra Metallum glass, diamonds, emeralds

Volatus

/ˈwo.la.tus/

flight Aer Motus feathers, bows

Aspects added by other mods[]

The add-on mods listed here may or may not work with the latest stable release of Thaumcraft.

Thaumic Warden[]

  • Exubitor (Warden, Vigilance, Victory, Sacrifice) = Alienis + Mortuus (tier 4)

Forbidden Magic[]

  • Desidia (Sloth) = Vinculum + Spiritus (Tier 4)
  • Gula (Gluttony) = Fames + Vacuos (tier 3)
  • Infernus (The Nether) = Ignis + Praecantatio (tier 3)
  • Invidia (Envy) = Sensus + Fames (tier 5)
  • Ira (Wrath) = Ignis + Telum (tier 8)
  • Luxuria (Lust) = Corpus + Fames (tier 4)
  • Superbia (Pride) = Volatus + Vacuos (tier 3)

The Elysium[]

Sanctus (Holy) = Spiritus + Auram

Gregtech[]

  • Electrum (Electricity, Lightning) = Potentia + Machina (found in different types of machines and wires)
  • Magneto (Magnetism, Attraction) = Metallum + Iter (found in magnetite ore)
  • Nebrisum (Cheatyness, Raiding) = Lucrum + Perfodio (found in platinum ingot)
  • Radio (Radiation) = Potentia + Lux (found in aura node, maybe in Uranium)
  • Strontio (Stupidity, Incompetence) = Perditio + Cognitio (found in aura node)

Avaritia []

Terminus (Apocalypse) = Alienis + Lucrum

Magic Bees


Tempus (Time) = Vacuos + Ordo

Botanical Addon[]

Tincturem (Color, Iridescence) = Lux + Ordo

See also[]

Graphic[]

Aspect Chart 4.2.3

Trivia[]

  • All Aspect's names are derived from latin; vitium (taint), for example, means crime, or misstep.
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