What does 'malus' mean?

[siddham 19]

I keep coming across the word malus in skill descriptions and on the forums and guides

but I dont know what it means

For example on the Mind Strike modification 'Weakness' the game says this:

Weakness - Increases the regeneration malus

I get the impression it is some sort of technical term

Could someone please explain what is the regeneration malus

and what it means to increase the regeneration malus

and why that is a good thing?

Thanks

Edited September 17, 2016 by siddham

[Flix 5,116]

It means "penalty" in this case. Regeneration penalty.

 

If a spell (like Mind Strike) increases the regeneration penalty of your foes, that's a good thing. It means the foe's combat arts regenerate even more slowly. It would be a bad thing if it happened to you, the player. You'd want to decrease your own regeneration malus.

[siddham 19]

Thank you Flix

Malus is a rarely used word in English

I guess it must be a German word?

[chattius 2,522]

In the first case Malus is the scientific name for apple trees. I have a daughter who got her bachelor in arboristic a month ago. She planted like 100 apple-trees on nearby fields and all trees have their scientific name on a tag

In the part of germany which was occupied by the romans malus is the opposite of a bonus (get something extra which is good). I live on the other side of the limes, the border wall the romans did. Malus isn't often used here too. You get a bonus payment for good work, bonus miles if you fly often,....

But you don't get a malus payment for bad work, or malus miles if you prefer car over plane ... Bonus-Malus-Systems are a political invention. For example if you do all the dental controls you pay less in case you need something done. If you have to few control visits to a dentist you pay extra...

[Flix 5,116]

Thank you Flix

Malus is a rarely used word in English

I guess it must be a German word?

Malus sounds Latin. Mal- is a prefix which means bad, just like Bon- is a prefix that means good. Bonus/Malus. Makes sense. I tend to change the word to "penalty" in my mods.

[siddham 19]

You are both right

And thank you for replies

The word is applied to a genus of apple trees; specifically crabapples which are small and sour

Could that be why the term malus was applied

Or I wonder has it anything to do with the biblical myth of Adam & Eve - in the sense of the sin or evil of Adam & Eve

Also used in the sense of a penalty clause

The word is a Latin word - in Latin it means bad or evil

Strange they chose that word; it is not at all common in English