'''-Minimum Skill''': There appears to be a minimum skill tick size that is set by your current skill and possilby some other factors like how far above the critters skill you skill is. You get the minimum when your skill is higher than the soul crystal creatures skill. Effective ql, critter idenity, and rare+ seem to have little or no affect on the minimum skill gained, especially if you skill is much higher than the critters. Rare+ may give higher skill, but not if its a minimum gain.
When you get a minimum gain the event tab says: "[01:30:04] Your knowledge of Body control already surpasses that of the former rooster, but you still manage to learn something."
Dirk Minimum Strength Data:
Some critters appeared to have a much higher level of characteristic stats than others. ''Remember, tick size depends on your skill vs the critters. If your skills are higher you may just get the minimum skill gain''
When you get a tick bigger than the minimum the event tab says: "[01:34:17] You absorb some of the former sea serpent's knowledge of Body control."
These doods gave me higher than the minimum gains on Dirk: