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Infusion altar construct

Introduction[]

The Infusion Altar is one of the most important constructions in Thaumcraft. It is used to make the Silverwood Wand Core, thaumium wand caps, the Thaumostatic Harness, and all other items created through Infusion.

Recipe[]

The Infusion Altar has a complex and elaborate recipe. You need to craft a Runic Matrix, then place Arcane Stone, Arcane Stone Bricks, an Arcane Pedestal, and the Runic Matrix as per the image on the right:

It is necessary for all air spaces in the construct to be clear, including between the pillars and above the pedestal to allow the altar to work.

Then, you need to right-click on the Runic Matrix with a wand with at least 25 vis of each primal aspect, and it will make the Infusion Altar. Note that the "starter wand" (wood and iron) won't work for this; while it holds 25 vis/aspect, it also has a cost penalty which means it can't deliver all of that; unless you have equipment that lessens the vis cost.

Note that you need to purchase the Infusion research on the Artiface page of the Thaumonomicon (even in creative mode) in order for the Infusion Altar to form.

Usage[]

To use the Infusion Altar, you need to place a number of things around the altar to prepare. (Also: As with the crucible, you must have researched a given recipe before you can use it.)

  • Arcane Pedestals will carry the various ingredients for the chosen recipe, with the "target" item in the center. Pedestals need to be placed in symmetrical pairs around the Runix Matrix; specifically, 180° symmetry horizontally, but on the same vertical level.
    • If one pedestal is 3 blocks west and 5 blocks north of the matrix, its partner should be on the same level, 3 blocks east and 5 blocks south.
    • Pedestals need to be within 8 blocks of the matrix, must be below the Runix Matrix, and must be in line-of-sight of it. Unused (empty) pedestals can be left in place, as long as they are matched.
    • Do not use pedestals to display unrelated items within altar range, as the stray items will block recipes.
  • Stabilizer objects work to counter the natural instability of the infusion process, which if unchecked will derail the process and eventually damage the altar setup.
    • Stabilizer items include crystal clusters, mob or player heads, and tallow candles.
    • Like the pedestals, these need to be arranged symmetrically, but any stabilizer will match any other. Not only does candle color or cluster aspect not matter, but a candle will match a crystal cluster, and so on. Asymmetric stabilizers will count towards instability.
    • Stabilizers (and jars/mirrors) need to be within 5 blocks above to 10 blocks below the Runic Matrix, but they also need to be placed so that a flux spill won't wash them away. It is common to build a "candle room" underneath the altar; with multiple levels, several hundred candles can easily be stashed out of sight there.
  • Warded jars supply the Essentia needed to make the object. Advanced thaumaturges can instead use essentia mirrors to channel the essentia from elsewhere. Either jars or mirrors need to be within 12 blocks of the Runic Matrix, but these do not need to be arranged symmetrically.
  • Ingredients for the recipe need to be placed on the pedestals. All ingredients must be present, and in the proper numbers, or the infusion will not start. Blocks and golems need to be placed "in" the pedestals, rather than in the world atop the pedestal block.
    • Occupied pedestals should be matched 180° apart; If a recipe needs an odd number of ingredients, then only the odd item's pedestal should be matched with an empty pedestal. However, any ingredient matches any other, and (except for the central item) they do not need to be arranged in the order shown in the Thaumonomicon.
    • Unless the recipe specifically indicates otherwise, only the central item can have any damage or NBT data (such as being enchanted or named). "Imperfect" ingredients will let the infusion begin but will stall it when they would be absorbed.

When the essentia and objects are in place, the player can start the infusion, by right-clicking on the Runic Matrix with a wand. The altar will light up, and (with magical vision), the amount of essentia needed will be visible over the Runic Matrix. If all goes well, the numbers there will count down as the altar absorbs essentia. Next it will absorb items one by one from the outer pedestals, before transforming the central item into the final result.

If a problem develops (not enough essentia, defective items, bad luck, etc), a number of disruptive things can happen, including ingredients being knocked off their pedestals or melted into flux, flux lightning striking at the player, or worse. (If the essentia values are not counting down, that means you do have a problem,) These "instability events" will get worse until the problem is fixed, potentially escalating to the altar blowing up. To abort an infusion that is getting out of hand, just take the central item off its pedestal. Be warned that this can cause a final burst of instability effects.

For more details of the infusion process, see the pages Infusion and especially Infusion mechanics.

Common Problems[]

  1. Infusion altar does not transform from blocks:
    • The blocks may not be arranged correctly, or there are extra blocks.
    • You do not have enough vis in the wand, or you may be using the Iron-capped wooden wand(beware of the extra vis usage!).
    • You may not have purchased the Infusion research on the Artiface page of the Thaumonomicon. This is required, even in creative mode.
  2. Infusion does not start (matrix does not light):
    • There may be blocks between the central pillars of the altar (anywhere in the central 3x3x3 section). Snow, carpets, water, and so on will all prevent infusion.
    • The recipe is invalid. Either one of the items is missing or there's an extra item not needed for the infusion. This can happen if the player places an aesthetic arcane pedestal with an item too close for the infusion altar to detect it(if this happens, move the arcane pedestal away).
    • Sometimes, the item used may not be suitable for infusion due to certain restrictions(e.g. Ore Dictionary, blacklist and whitelist etc.)
    • A block or golem may have been placed in the world atop the pedestal, instead of "into" the pedestal. If this happens, remove the block with an appropriate tool (or the golem with the golemancer's bell) and retry by pressing Shift-Right-Click on the pedestal.
  3. Altar lights up, but essentia costs do not decrease, stop decreasing, or start to increase:
    • For an infusion enchantment, the player(s) nearby may not have enough levels for the enchantment.
    • The next essentia type needed may not be available.
      • Compared to the display over the Runic matrix, the aspects are drawn in reverse order, and the infusion will stall if the currently-needed aspect is not ready.
      • The supply may have been used up by prior infusions.
      • Jars, reservoirs and mirrors need to be within 12 blocks of the matrix.
      • Jars and reservoirs meant to be reached through a mirror must be within 8 blocks in front of the mirror(on the other side).
      • Essentia jars must be placed in the world, not in a chest, pedestal, or other inventory.
      • If this happens partway through the process, check if one of the ingredients has been knocked off its pedestal by instability (see below).
  4. All the essentia (and perhaps some items) were absorbed, then the process stalls: One of the ingredients was "imperfect", being damaged, renamed, or enchanted.
    • In versions before 4.2.3.5, the wooden golem used for the Traveling Trunk recipe had to be "virgin", having never been placed in the world. Even in current versions, the golem cannot have a core or any upgrades.
  5. Lightning from the matrix, flux appears, player gets Taint status, ingredients get knocked off pedestals or turned into flux, explosion: These are instability effects. If they are happening, the setup is asymmetrical, or does not have enough stabilizers for the recipe. Remember that instability increases sharply when enchanting an already-enchanted item.

Video[]

Thaumcraft 4.2 Tutorial [Infusion Altar]

Thaumcraft_4.2_Tutorial_Infusion_Altar

Thaumcraft 4.2 Tutorial Infusion Altar

This video was made by Zautos.

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