Magical Techniques
As magic has become commonplace, people have begun developing a whole host of magical techniques in order to gain an edge over other mages. Some of these techniques would be so helpful and effective that they would be adopted by other mages, to the point of some even becoming a standard technique that most self-respecting mages should learn.
Spell Tiers
The Spell Tiering Scale was originally made for Arcane magic by the Arcana Assembly, but as more people got introduced to other schools of magic they realized that the Spell Tiering Scale could easily be adopted to them, hence why it slowly became a common system to use when differentiating between different levels of a spell.
There are five levels to a spell:
α (Alpha) - First Level
β (Beta) - Second Level
δ (Delta) - Third Level
ζ (Zeta) - Fourth Level
Ω (Omega) - Fifth Level
For a derivative spell to be considered a higher level of an already existing spell, it must functionally have the same effect as the spell it's based upon, but have a big magical difference in the casting method (be it verbal, somatic, or material components of a spell), as well as the amount of mana used.
A spell being counted under a higher tier (such as Omega or Zeta) does not automatically mean it is stronger than some tierless spells. It simply indicates that it is a significantly stronger derivative of an already existing spell. Sometimes, spells have no choice but to be tierless as they can be so precise that any deviation from their established casting method could botch the spell entirely.
For the most part, the Spell Tiering Scale is reserved for standardized spells established by the Arcana Assembly, with said association also being responsible for deciding if a spell falls under the Spell Tiering Scale. Decisions made by the Arcana Assembly on what spells are included in the scale has been historically controversial, but despite that, the scale is still widely accepted and practiced as it makes distinguishing between different spells easier.
Mana Adjustment
Some spells are flexible enough to where a person can adjust the amount of mana they use for the spell while utilizing the same verbal, somatic, and material components.
Doing this results in the spell having different strengths, with spells that use more mana lasting longer, having a more potent effect, having better range, and so on. The opposite can also happen if a person reduces the mana used for a cast. This is a case-by-case basis though, as some spells may need such a precise casting method to where any variation may result in failure to cast the spell, while some are so flexible (such as Mana Barrier) to where the caster is free to do whatever they wish with the spell.
This concept is separate from the Spell Tiering Scale mentioned earlier, as this simply involves the adjustment of mana used when casting a spell. One does not need to pay much attention to Mana Adjustment, as it comes naturally to a majority of mages.
Component Adjustment
This magical concept comes as a compliment to mana adjustment, focusing on the slight adjustment of the verbal, somatic, and material components of a spell in order to achieve different spell effects.
While its counterpart allows a caster to control a spell's strength, duration, and range, component adjustment modifies how the spell comes out instead. A slight adjustment to the incantation may cause the spell to curve left upon firing, or perhaps using too much amethyst dust could change where the spell comes out. This technique grants casters greater control over how their spell is casted, allowing them to throw off their opponents by deviating from the spell's norm.
Just like mana adjustment, only some spells can be affected by component adjustment, as some will just outright fail if a caster fails to use the proper verbal, somatic, and material components.