Training in Ultima VII

The training and combat systems of Ultima VII: The Black Gate and Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle are nearly identical. Characters possess three primary statistics of Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence as well as three secondary statistics of Health (Hits), Combat, and Magic/Mana. Trainers can raise one or more attribute per training session. Additionally, increasing a primary attribute usually results in a gain to a secondary attribute determined by a formula

Secondary stat gain
Secondary stats increase either through direct training or by training its associated primary stat. Training the primary attribute results only in a fixed increase in the secondary stat. Direct training, however, causes a "rubber band" effect. In short, the secondary stat increases by one half the difference between the primary stat and the secondary stat.

For example, the character of Spark starts with a Dexterity of twenty-two (22) and a Combat of ten (10). Training with Markus results in a gain of six (6) to Combat due to that fact that (22 - 10) / 2 = 6.

Trainers who teach both the primary skill and the secondary skill cause a fixed gain and a differential gain to the secondary skill. Denby trains +1 Intelligence and +1 Magic. The Avatar begins with eighteen (18) Intelligence and ten (10) Magic. Training with Denby causes a (18 - 10) / 2 = 4 differential gain plus one point for training Intelligence. (+2 to Intelligence would likewise create a +2 gain to Magic.)

This works even if the secondary attribute is larger than the primary. A character with low Dexterity and high Combat will gain Combat very quickly.