Here's the thing -- per creation pages: "Arete level in the Denver Mage game corresponds to the Mage's Rank." Thus, on this site we've tethered highest sphere to arete to rank. Meaning a rank 3 mage has arete 3, and has top sphere(s) of 3. Meaning also a rank 3 mage cannot have an arete of, say, 6. A rank three mage will always have arete 3 and thus three dice to roll; RPing until your eyes bleed won't earn you arete 5 billion.
In a system where we play by the book, and rank is merely tethered to highest sphere, and arete is kinda its own thing and a measure of a mage's enlightenment -- then yes. You shouldn't be able to gain enlightenment for free. In our system? As far as I can tell, arete will always be capped at rank, and rank is defined by highest sphere. They're all tethered. So we're basically forcing players to pay twice to rank up, and thus: my vote of yes, do away with the XP thing for arete.
In a system where we play by the book, and rank is merely tethered to highest sphere, and arete is kinda its own thing and a measure of a mage's enlightenment -- then yes. You shouldn't be able to gain enlightenment for free. In our system? As far as I can tell, arete will always be capped at rank, and rank is defined by highest sphere. They're all tethered. So we're basically forcing players to pay twice to rank up, and thus: my vote of yes, do away with the XP thing for arete.
BECAUSE OF LIGHT AND DUTY AND REASONS.