<<However, I am not sure I understand how Empower Moonblade works. I create the moonblade, then shape it to create the nodes, then cast spells into it? And then, the next time I prepare the spell, it will be cast from the node?

It simply allows you to store preparation time in your moonblade. How it works:

1. Prepare the spell you want to use.
2. Wait until full prep. This is a must, since this is what you're actually storing. It will fail to store if you don't.
3. Align with your moonblade to prepare the node. (This step can be done first if desired, just be aware that you might have to do it again if left too long since the alignment fades after a short time.)
4. Cast the spell normally. The moonblade will absorb the spell instead of it casting. (I think all normal costs still occur here, but I can't recall.)
5. As long as you are shaped to that node, the next time you prepare that spell while holding the moonblade it will reach full prep instantly. I.e. it lets you nigh instantly cast the spell the next time by spamming PREP <spell> and CAST {target} in quick succession. You still have to provide everything else like attunement costs, cambrinth augmentation, etc. (It used to be that you had to invoke the moonblade to prepare the stored spell, but that was back when it stored the spell itself instead of just the preparation time.)

The stored preparation time persists through moonblade refreshing and shaping. After using it up the node will be burned out, but you can refresh all burned out nodes by simply refreshing the moonblade.

<< And there is no way to cast that spell normally if it is stored in my blade? (I don't yet have Empower, so I cannot test it at the moment).

If you don't want to use up the store preparation time on your next cast then I think you can wear the moonblade since I believe it only works while held, although I've never tested. Barring that, you can shape to a different node if you have one available to avoid it too.

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<<Do you use it? Do you find it useful?

I don't, and do not. PvP people might find some use for it, however.

<<I was considering using it to have a teleport ready at hand. Might it be better to use contingency?

Contingency is better, since you don't need to juggle a material item and can simply INVOKE CONTINGENCY to trigger it anyway.

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"I have some tentative plans for improving EMMO but - as always - my time is the major limiter."

Would love to see that. I am really enjoying using my moonblade.

btw - can you answer the other part of my initial question:

Do moonblades do elemental damager? Or are fiery / icy merely messaging fluff?

__
"Technically correct" is the worst kind of correct.

I want to say that it's been discussed in the past letting Moonblades do elemental damage... it seems like we would have had to have had that conversation at some point while we used the same logic for TKT ammo. However, I don't actually remember having that conversation right now. My gut is that moonblades already do a LOT for not very many spell slots for a guild that really shouldn't be heavily invested in weapons and that pushing them harder, particularly at the baseline, isn't really something we want to do. Compare to the elemental weapon system Warrior Mages have now. This is the same reason we're not really interested in expanding the number of templates.

Overall my vision of a Moonblade is that it something that should be a functional weapon but nothing amazing - the real place it should shine is to enhance your ability to be a mage as opposed to a warrior.

-Raesh

"It was wise enough to know itself, and brave enough to BE itself, and wild enough to change itself while somehow staying altogether true." ― The Slow Regard of Silent Things