Test of Patronage

Every game month (11 to 13 RL days), each paid citizen of Egypt is entitled to one patronage coupon, plus one coupon for every test they have passed (initiations do not count). For example, someone who has passed 4 tests can receive 5 coupons. These coupons have no weight or bulk, and can be stored in chests or given to other players like any other items. At the end of every game month, the seven citizens who were most successful at collecting coupons will pass the Test.

In order to receive your allotment, you have to visit any school or university and ask for your coupons. This can be done only once during the month, and once you have received them you will not get more for that month even if you pass more tests.

The coupons are marked with the year and the month they were issued, and only the current month's coupons count for the test. Older coupons are useless.

In order to participate, you must have signed up for this test, and you must carry your coupons in your inventory at the end of the month. You do not have to be logged in. You will get one point for every coupon you carry, minus one point for every coupon you were entitled to, and the seven people with the most points will pass. So for example, if you have passed 6 tests (normally entitling you to 7 coupons) and carry 57 coupons, you will have a score of 50.

Don't forget: You must sign up for the test to pass. It doesn't matter how many coupons you collect if you don't sign up!

[Q: does it subtract the number of coupons you received, or the number you would be entitled to? These can differ if you neglected to pick up your coupons, or if you picked them up early and passed more tests afterwards.]

[A: From the looks of the re-run during Year 2 / Akhet IV, it takes into account what you are entitled to. Keely, Djehuty, and Shadez all had 1 less ticket amount in the re-run. Since all three would have counted a pass on the first run, they would have been entitled to 1 more ticket. --Aiiro] [To make it explicitly clear: if you collect coupons at school, then pass a test, you can not collect the newly earned one in that month. --Finkbug]

The reward for passing the test is the one-time ability to broadcast a message on the System channel and at the same time set a global waypoint that exists for one hour. The test can be passed multiple times to get this ability multiple times.

Patronage Coins and What Do You Do With Them

Every game month you get an allocation of Patronage Coins (image when dropped looks like stacks of currency). Only the coins for the current month have any value. Previously issued coins can go in the chest with dead pearls as they currently have no other uses.

You can collect the coins at any time during the game month and the quantity will be based on the number of tests you have passed at the time you collect them with a +1 bonus coin.

Consider 2 players Over Achiever A and New Noob B. Player A has passed 30 tests and Player B has passed 10 tests.

Patronage Scoring

	Over Achiever A	New Noob B
Tests Passed	30	10
Patronage Coupons with +1 bonus	31	11

At anytime during the game month they can collect their coins. They will only be granted coins for the tests they have passed at the time. If they pass any tests after they collected the months coins they will not get anymore coins for that month. The total number of tests does matter in the final count.

Patronage Scoring

	Over Achiever A	New Noob B
Tests Passed	30	10
Patronage Coupons with +1 bonus	31	11
Additional Tests Passed	3	0

Now comes the Patronage Penalty.

In short: Patronage Coins have NO VALUE for the player directly collecting them.

Every player is now assigned a penalty equal to ALL the tests passed including the game month. This effective negates all value of the patronage coins for the recipient.

Patronage Scoring

	Over Achiever A	New Noob B
Tests Passed	30	10
Patronage Coupons with +1 bonus	31	11
Additional Tests Passed	3	0
Patronage Penalty	-34	-11
Patronage Score Value	-3	0

So, holding your own patronage coins gains you nothing. So, what do you do now? You give your patronage coins to another player or get other players to give them to you. If the players give or get coins from other players their score will shift upwards.

If Over Achiever A gives their coins to New Noob B, New Noob B will have a score of +31

Patronage Scoring

	Over Achiever A	New Noob B
Tests Passed	30	10
Patronage Coupons with +1 bonus	31	11
Additional Tests Passed	3	0
Patronage Penalty	-34	-11
Patronage Score Value	-3	0
Over Achiever A gives to New Noob B	-31	+31
New Patronage Scores	-34 + 0 = -34	0 + 31 = +31

If New Noob B gives their coins to Over Achiever A. Over Achiever A will have a score of 8

Patronage Scoring

	Over Achiever A	New Noob B
Tests Passed	30	10
Patronage Coupons with +1 bonus	31	11
Additional Tests Passed	3	0
Patronage Penalty	-34	-11
Patronage Score Value	-3	0
New Noob B gives to Over Achiever A	+11	-11
New Patronage Scores	- 3 + 11 = 8	- 11 + 0 = - 11

The more tests Over Achiever A passes after they collect their coins, the bigger the penalty.

Patronage coins have no value to the player who initially collects them. They only have value to other players.