However, if your magic system serves more to create a fantastical ambience than to resolve any major conflicts, then explaining how magic works on the page likely isnt necessary. Also, how is this energy directed to a specific object and not blocked by everything in the way (including air?) I was wondering if any of you could give your thoughts on it. But magical things do have specific usesHarry writes essays on the uses of different plants in potion-making, for example. However, a few benders can bend their element when its in a different form or less pure. How does a user summon magic, and how does that magic manifest (i.e. suggestions? Generate random magic shops with items from the d20 SRD. Avatar is, essentially, based on elemental magic which is the ability to control one or more elements. These expeditions have all been disaster, as the concentration of Ghoul (better then Specters at least) is much higher in those areas. Spell lists ala D&D can be fun, but spell creation in a limited system can be very flavorful. Sometimes you just get turned into a chicken. Examples of rationality in spell design include: 1) Theres a spell for emitting light from ones wand (lumos, which is connected to the Latin word for light) and theres a spell for extinguishing your wand light (nox, which is literally the Latin word for night). Certain effects that were considered: ^_^. Magic isn't real, so it can be anything we want. Its said more than once that really powerful wizards and witches can do wandless magic or even do magic without saying the spells. The duration for using paint is limited and if your paint bottle runs out life will slowly start to sap out of you. Spell description generator. Ones that havent made many contracts and dont know much about human emotion yet will be much more objective. It has been decided that the human body is too impure of a vessel, being asynchronous with the rhythms of nature, to successfully accomplish this with sunlight. In Avatar, there is one person every generation who violates the rule that people can bend only one element. There are a number of times during the series when Harry performs magic out of anger or fear. Source Materials Who and what wields it How to wield it What are the powers? Im going to have to find my Physical Science notes my goodness, that class was boring. Bit of background on the names, also random worldbuilding you can skip: Conduits were though to be channeling the energy of the gods, as when they are full they glow slightly but Conduits cant do anything with their energy by themselves. That was exactly what i thought! In the Matrix, lifting something huge is harder than lifting something small. You might want to read them. Luckily for the majority of the population of the Voden Imperium, the nanites are happy to sit mostly dormant, quietly replicating away. However, they are actually Ancient Greek classifications and not modern science-based, so they arent really natural. The cosmic balance is set up to where the Aether and Souls rely on eachother, Aether creates and maintains the World and Aether flourished and continues to exist through our Actions. Instead, I would work on getting the rational rules for how this nanite magic work nailed down really well, and make sure you have lots of limits, and ways in general for that magic to stop working. Hi there, I really like the sound of your magics (especially the high fantasy one)- I like the idea about the colours representing the power levels. You have the damage dealer, usually a mage, who can deal out a lot of damage, but has weak health and often limited choices in armour, making them vulnerable in a battle. Since the protagonists are on this side, it would remove a lot of tension. I know this is an old article, but it inspired me to create my magic system. The houses are merely there to spark rivalry, they have no deeper meaning for the magic or the story. The key thing to remember when creating a soft magic system is that it should create problems for your protagonists, rather than solving problems for them. As a quick example, just think about how many movies and books reuse the theme of elemental magicfire, water, earth, and air. I just wanted to run a few things past eyes that arent mine any feedback/critique/comments would be hugely appreciated!! Heres a couple ways to mix it up while retaining a consistent feel. However, a few fantastical powers can go a long way toward livening up many fantasy stories. Why should the magic be complete or symmetrical? You cant have conservation of energy violated by magic that also keeps the laws of physics the same over time, any more than you could have magic that makes 2+2=5 (unless, perhaps, the laws of physics in a universe dont involve Lagrangians, but then that would likely be a universe totally different from our own). Even with a teacher it takes years to become proficient. Our bills are paid by our wonderful patrons. The source should give you an idea for how it might become available. The old magic is, of course, pretty coincidental, and used in specific ways that drive the plot. Where does it source its power? Summon up a spirit to help you move a piano, and you can spend hours debating over price. Therefore, its probably a power you should consider not using unless its absolutely plot relevant for you to have a character who can do that. So you already know that unraveling a knot has the opposite effect as weaving one. The Way of King s is one of the most renowned fantasy novels to date. Those affected will suffer from chronic pain, skin lesions, and become prone to violence; but they will also gain super human strength. So I know a few things. Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, on the other hand, use soft magic. This ancient Wise One observed the natures tendency towards self-balancing and saw it as an Eternal Law. Your powers will be just as draining as a Bornes magic. From the other side, putting lot of fire energy into single point will produce real fire, moving air energies will make air blows. What dangers does magic pose to the user, whether directly or because the use of magic is scorned or envied by society? However, we can only identify that its missing because the system is logically consistent as a whole, even if it isnt perfect in every depiction. I dont like giving writers a formula for magic systems. It happens as the tale sees fit. And the HPMOR fanfic mentioned above is about a Harry who does want to find out this why although I dont think it succeeds at conveying this particularly well in the story itself.). Theres no balance, nothing to sacrifice for the use of magic. I forget the episode but Aang (obviously) and Zaheer do it also. I really hope you go through with it! See the LessWrong articles Universal Fire and Universal Law for one explanation of how all physical laws are tied together. My protagonist would be one of the paranoid who wants to conserve the thread. And the One became Two, Two became Three, and Three became All Things, (Actions) However, it sounds like theres a gap between the rational aspect and the large assortment of different things your magic casters are doing. Preview. So, in my story world theres a plague spreading among the populace known as the Grey Death (somewhat analogous to the Bubonic Plague). Tell us about them in the comments below. The story is at a climax when emotions are always high? Heres how this system might break down: A long list of constraints will make it much easier to craft conflicts in your story. All are well known for changing things theyre associated with into other things or even changing other women into one of them, so that can be fun. Notes on the world: humans are at a hunter-gatherer to city-state level of development, gods are real but you can never talk with them, spirits are everywhere and run on fae logic, and demons are corrupted spirits that will ravage towns/cities and curse people. Its time to create a system of rules that will feel cohesive and logical. With so many spec fic books, its not unusual to have such coincidences. Professor of Political Theory in Star Trek. . Magic, though commonplace, isnt an essential element in fantasy fiction. Magic wielders might be shunned for being different, perhaps even dangerous, or they could be praised for their abilities. Were he an adult already, thered be hardly a limit for him, apart from morals. In the series Rowling shows that wands and spells channel the magic within an individual so witches and wizards are not without magic if they dont have a wand. If you think of the Sea of Energy as like the actual ocean, than the Planes of Existence can be compared to the different depths, and the deeper you go, the more pressure that exists. If your characters will use magic to resolve that conflict, then establishing a clear set of rules for your magic system is necessary to avoid cheapening tension via contrived magical solutions. Demonic magic is based on bad and Angelic magic is based on good. When the spell is done, the deactivated knots simply float around, unattended. Fantasy Random Generator. Powers are similar to Borne, but are not very draining. Group B dont have magic at all. Who knows! If a character casts spells with a combination of substances, dance moves, and symbols drawn in charcoal, assign a role to each component. The costs of magic can be physical, societal, or even financial. Those who are consumed are called Specters (im going with an evil theme for this one). There are roughly two types of fantasy. If you have multiple races, or even species, who can wield magic, are there any differences between the different races and species? Eminently true and a tension-building moment to remind your readers that your heros magic depends on this very emotional energy that is at this point of crisis so much more likely to be BURNED OUT or at the very least, already at their maximum ability to deal with well, EMOTIONALLY even without the added stress of having to consciously Tap Into Them EVEN MORE to get them to the point of directed personal connection to the whole of your entire current being which is necessary to actually use them magically. Below, Ive outlined six general steps you can follow to forge an effective magic system for your story. Gandalf didnt use his powers to destroy the One Ring, so readers didnt need to know how his magic worked to find the ending of The Lord of the Rings to be believable. Like something to do with the changing of the victims skin? For now, Im thinking that the energy will be a 3D field spreaded around (basically, just a math function). Your answer could have huge ramifications for your world. Nevertheless, I will go with your assumption for what follows for the moment, as it does involve fewer changes to known physical laws and is easier to discuss (plus, I already mentioned some of the consequences of lack of conservation in my previous post). When it comes to telepathy have you considered that connecting to another mind might simply mean making changes in their neural system (which runs on small amounts of electricity created by the body)? Gaining power can be done through a whole range of methods, you could train, gain power through an artifact, channel power into 1 person or spell, enhance a body through magic (or other means), simply study magic and how it works, siphon souls from other magical beings, gain a blessing (or curse) of a god or demon and much more. Actually, one of the principles of old-time portions-making was that a plant which looks like a certain body part is good for curing that body part (actual results may vary). a creative air bender could do a lot with access to elite skills. This has been extremely helpful! On Star Treks Mediocre Antagonistic Species. So, basically it will be a portal (or teleportation, in case if anyone makes the bond from surrounding air blob, for example). Lich could do for those who contain the energy, as liches go on living long after they should be gone, so essentially containing life energy past their due date. Magic does exist and it follows rules is the first rule of a rational system. a conspiracy to hide everyone selected (difficult to justify how they manage this) If you combine spells you'll get something similar to fighting together as one being, shield against shield to maximize the defense and striking with swords at the right time (like Roman armies did). Mistings have to ingest and burn these metals in order to use their powers. moving more slowly, using other abilities less effectively, taking more hits), and the hero tries and fails to use the ability when theyre already at their limit, then we come to understand exhaustion as a real limitation that doesnt just go away as needed. This is where Im stuck for, to the moment. Combining powers for a summoning could mean larger creatures could be summoned and a teleportation spell could be able to teleport far more people, or even entire cities. Its easy to handle in books, because author can just describe the effects. The only downside is that these systems require thought thought that will make your setting stronger. We also have a step-by-step guide to building magic systems if you want to review the components of a magic system. Magic in Tolkien is a reflection of _spiritual_ power. I would point to Ancient Magus Bride as an example where you have both soft magic such as that used by both creatures of myth and the various magi, as well as the more grounded hard sort practiced by sorcerers. She ran Well-Storied from 2014 - 2021, sharing hundreds of articles, podcast episodes, and other resources on story craft and creative living. In this world, soon to be named, certain people have access to an energy that is the personification of nature. Sandersons Mistborn series and Stormlight Archive both contain excellent examples of hard magic systems. As such, a being of the Physical Plane cannot exist in a Higher Plane, as their Consiousness isnt on a high enough leven to be able to sustain itself, you wouldnt even be able to think of yourself as an actual being, and so you just, cease to exists. What limitations does the magic put on the wielder? Other than that your spells can be pretty much anything, from destructive to healing spells, elemental to demonic spells and from conjurations to enchantments. Another thing you have to keep in mind is how strong the spells are and if they're overpowered. Youre deluding yourself if you think that. In my world, priests arent like Catholic priests and all that. Varren slumped into his chair, a curse leaving his lips as he had forgotten to blow out the torch in the hallway. Magicians have no power of their own except through the spirits they command. My point was that this would essentially entail creating a new set of physical laws, and I wanted to find out whether this could be done in a consistent way while still keeping most things in that universe somewhat similar to our universe if the magic did not affect them (for example, having stars, planets, space, Earthlike life, etc) It turns out that there are some things that are mathematically impossible, so I have to be careful. Lets delve further into this topic together. Theres a lot to figure out about the basics, before you can think about sub-types. Wizards arent included in this; as far as we know, you cant just simmer a wizard in a pot for a few days and end up with a magic potion. This article is very normative and I think its furthers clich. Thelema, Goetia, Gematria, Thaumaturgy, Alchemy, Hermeticism? Other beings and worlds exist on the other higher planes, essentially are in a higher state of Existence, or State of Being, determined by Spiritual Awareness, beyond what a mortal of our Plane can even fathom. Then I really thought about the setting and that would breakwell, everything. Anyway, an Order ofMages (havent thought of a proper name yet) is working in overdrive to contain the outbreak, taking the dying, destroying corpses, etc to prevent the spread of the blight Or so you think Dryads represent trees but usually can move about unless they are hamadryads which are locked to a particular tree than a tree type. And finally, I was thinking about a story involving space travel, so FTL would be convenient to explain how the aliens managed to meet each other in a relatively short amount of time. Aside from this, the only other limitation a mage has in magic is their stamina. Maybe if their contact to spirits is limited, or the spirits themselves have goals that dont line up with the protagonists goals. It is the rarest of the Primals to be connected to. Another way to look at it is evolution. Could you perhaps link the tides and the moon? Look at your three lists and try to find patterns and connections. Nanite clustering effects::kind of dangerous though, theyre a lot like tumors, and have a tendency to grow. And the thing that makes up all of the energy is spiritual Vibrations. An even more interesting idea may be that the aliens are actually made of an alternate kind of particles I mentioned earlier. Mother takes away the gift of sunlight and its heat and sends all of the water down upon the plants to punish them in their death. Moon magic is cyclic in its strength, strongest during a full moon and weakest during the new moon, and is also weak during the day. Eventually, after many long and cold nights, Mother returns the sunlight and the heat, for even in just anger she cannot maintain an imbalance. It wasnt meant to be a rational system (although the EU developed it into one and, no, Im not going into the midichlorian desaster), it was simple old-fashioned fairy-tale magic, the kind which does exactly what the heroes need it to do. Another way of looking at sources is from a material point of view. It is divided into two domains: the stone, minerals, and metals of the land, and the flora and fauna of the natural world. Those are the things I thought about, let me know if it helped you improve! That boar, the Twrch Trwyth? I was literally thinking How can I make a magic system thats as good as Avatar? and this article answered that question nicely. As fun as fantastical powers can be to write, crafting your magic system with care is key. :-D. So the idea was born out of the fact that in a lot of computer games, playing a Mage just doesnt feel very Magey. What atmosphere will my story have? However, certainly Interferers might be rewriting history to make themselves look better. These symptoms will get worse over time. Ask yourself what kind of problems magic will cause your protagonists, and whether your antagonist will use magic to achieve their goals. Thats a larger imbalance. Because I have 3 systems and they all lean soft-irrational, Im concerned that I have glaring problems that I overlooked. For instance, the Patronus Charm is a spell that is critical to the plot of multiple Harry Potter books. Few ideas are original at this point. The pulp could be made of something special that allows for different effects when treated differently. Ive found this post while looking any information about making own magic system for an cRPG. Silver drains magic and therefore hurts all creatures that are magic. Some prices for their cooperation can even be steep, such as sacrificing something precious or offering up ones soul. Its not uncommon for people to have phantom sensations or memories weeks later. One might be cost, but only if your magic source is limited. In time cities arise around these safe harbors, and ever so slowly life begins again. However, then I realized a key problem: Could I make this a logically consistent system? You could also INCREASE existing energy in an object (Eg- Can make a Moving ball move faster) Or you could DECREASE existing energy in an object (Eg- Can make a Moving ball slow down and even stop & become completely static). Each of these works with each other and the level of each step determine how much oomph the next step has to produce an effect in our world. Furthermore, nervous systems and brains have different structures and encodings, even merely among humans how could someone understand all the different people? This system was mostly me being annoyed that magic usually violates the Law of Conservation of Energy, so I made a system built around that principal (until it spiraled out of control) Theyre more afraid of the death of their world than their own personal death, however. Viewpoint characters dont use magic and the audience doesnt understand how it operates. If there are important mines in your world, for example, it might make sense for magic to come from metals. There are pros and cons. What are those with magical powers called within your story world? A strong starting point in order to define your world as "other" to our own is selecting your world's name. I generally call the opposite of rational arbitrary, and that one I just chose arbitrarily, you might say. Magicians summon magical spirits, like djinni, and command them to do their bidding. Now you have all the tools you need to create your own magic system. Its way too easy for me to make everything very logical with a specific and predictable reaction to every action, which is why Im trying to challenge myself with a more whimsical(?) Im only using that as a place holder name because mostly priests use it but priest carries its own connotation thats probably also misleading. So thats where the other two paragraphs of my previous comment come in. And boy, rational magic systems arent new. You could even have a combination of two or more sources, but choosing which are best suited for your system will largely depend on what you need from your magic within your story universe. If anyone interested, here is description of my magic system: This has been extremely helpful! There's a reason why I write about fantasy magic - magic is my most favourite thing! Humans have no idea. Earth magic: Earth magic draws power from the energy of the land itself. Using mana is no different from using up stamina, the more magic you use, the more energy that is used up. Magic types: Players cast spells by arranging corresponding runes in different configurations to express the Spells intention, With the Runes inter-playing off each other in a Rock/Paper/Scissor manner. The term magical effects refers to the ways in which magic influences and alters the world around it. Harrys mother inadvertently casts a protective spell on him by dying for him. ): magical technology (uses the "uses of a spell casting focus/item" cost in addition to any others) fiendish/evil divine the far realm a mutation that is part of the users spirit-related natural limbo/the elemental planes unknown Really Smart that would make a great power for the Apaths. > how are you handling the problem that (I would imagine) youd have to assign EVERY object/environ in your game world a energy attribute/variable. You can get away with a strange assortment if you have mechanics that explain it. However, you still need to put in the work to create a unique and compelling system that will serve the needs of your story. However, they seem to require non-biological properties, so they probably wouldnt evolve naturally. These individualized magic systems can be a great way to make characters stand out, but they also come with their own challenges. This allows for the reader to know what is or isnt possible. There are two types of people in this world, Conduits and Interferers (though Inteferers prefer to be called Whisperers). You can make it mysterious just by hiding how it operates. SWAMP, kind of based off of iguanas in design, rare chance of getting magic. Mystical Paths A slightly humorous generator that produces new mystical practices for characters. Another limitation is that you have to touch whatever youre casting a spell on, e.g. Readers could not have guessed that Harry might create something like a Patronus, so if it hadnt been explained in depth, using it at pivotal moments would have felt cheap. What fuels the use of magic? But the curse also leaves behind a power that is unique for the person. Forms of moon magic include illusion magic, shadow magic, and spirit magic. Around this time Paint is able to be used freely until the children of White wage a war on the Blacks causing their power to be sealed away until further notice. Forms of magic include earth magic, metal magic, plant magic, and animal communication/manipulation. If you're using this generator, you might also find the Magical Artifact Generator useful. Interferers can make things happen because when they add energy to the system, it is concentrated in one place. Paint is everything and everywhere. Here are four common categories you can consider. Human variation in magical ability is determined by how much excess soul they have, after running all of their brain activity. None of those energies could be stored by characters themselves, so they can only use energies from environment. I would suggest that you make it so your gods just randomly interact with the world. I would use something else than Gluttons. However, a few fantastical powers can go a long way toward livening up many fantasy stories. (Incidentally has one of the worst magic systems in literary history). Paint can be collected from the surrounding area into your body and be channelled through your bloodstream. Well, there is the Restricted Section, which includes books on the Dark Arts, I made a magical system right after I read this article and this is what I came up with: Magic is powered by emotion and certain emotions affect your environment in different ways. If youre still reading, thanks for letting me ramble. ), the rarest of the three. Calm Creature. Be hugely important In politics. So far, the types of energy that can be manipulated in this way are: Air/wind (although due to its constant motion and near-intangibility, air cannot in most cases be held, but is almost always instantaneously redirected. Does it seem too unpredictable? Plus, itll make the villain look rightfully confident and in control, rather than stupidly arrogant for powering up his adversary, and itll build up their threat level when the hero at seemingly full power wasnt a match for him. To build this logic, start by thinking about three things: the effects, sources, and costs of magic. However, not understanding Gandalfs magic doesnt detract from the story, because the protagonists have to undergo most of their journey without Gandalfs help. To make an arbitrary assortment of abilities feel like they fit together, he gave them a strong theme. What is the development of science, your description of kinetic or thermal energy makes me think the inhabitants have some scientific knowledge, but if thats the case why is it that they havent studied transpiration? This also gives some spirits incentive to become a mages familiar they get much more experience of the human world by being there than collecting random memories. Offensive like elemental magic and short time manipulation magic etc. Or some effect it has on the world? Hard magic systems provide interesting limitations that allow your protagonist to solve problems using their own wits, not raw magical power. Is magic (or the source that fuels it) a limited resource in your story world? The flavor might be of magic based on communication with spirits, although these spirits do have to obey at least some physical laws. Another limit would be limited ability of the user, like Gummy Bear who uses magic, but half of the time cant remember the spell, doesnt find the right one, or just does it wrong. There are others who feel this way as well. Now, to those who contain their power. I think natural disaster can be explained in this world as terrifying manifestation of the imbalances in nature, things that the Mother wants to avoid by seeking to restore balance always. Hes also known as the God of Mischief. : Many possibilities). How could a magic user be defeated? Knowing what spell-casting is capable of is pretty important, if you havent decided that, I would think on it. Also I thought about it and further developed it. He was, um, originally a king that God transformed for his sins into a boar, and his seven sons as piglets, and he had, um, a comb, razor, and scissors between his ears and HE was prophesied to die when he lost them. Limiting what magic can theoretically do will dramatically cut down the number of plot-breaking scenarios you might have to deal with. One thing to keep in mind is how much power somebody can gain. If anyone wants more detail and is interested to see the actual magic just comment and feel free to critique. But, in general, all those energies are more-less equally distributed everywhere. Magic systems vary from colorful bears with tummy badges to ritual blood sacrifices. I will say that I do enjoy thinking about all of these issues. What do you think? You can find that kind of magic partially in a system like Magic The Gathering (which has earth, fire, and air I think its been a while). Again, you can have variance if there are rules that explain it. If there are intelligent creatures with thought processes different from humans in your story, it would seem especially weird that magic must follow rules that conform to human divisions precisely. With the exception of the Avatar, people who cast magic are only attuned to one of the four main elements.
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