However, if were shown the hero struggling more in fights as a result of exhaustion after using said ability (e.g. Theyre part of a task force to reweave the knots. If theyre distracted, panicking, drunk, or otherwise unable to focus the spell wont work. Also, how is this energy directed to a specific object and not blocked by everything in the way (including air?) . Holy magic is more reliable, but hard to learn. If you actually have light magic and youre just not telling them until later, then great; youve foreshadowed without even trying. 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). To the Avatar thing: the point is not using a scientific system for your magic. What do you think? On the other hand, it definitely sounds like Conduits could be oppressed now, because they cant cast magic to defend themselves, and Interferers have a strong incentive to control them. 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While the Harry Potter system certainly isnt perfectwill be checking out the linked article!I dont think the points raised in this article have much weight. Hey! These people are often social outcasts. Spellcasters cant blow up planets, because obviously that would take too much energy. Or just think up what you want to have be things that good and evil magic can do, put them in categories, and decide which good magic categories are opposites to evil magic categories, and create new areas to fill holes. Soft magic systems are the opposite of hard magic systems: they dont need to have a clearly defined set of rules. Ways to obtain magic: Magic types: For example, a character could bind own mind blob to a fire blob and basically then he will control those fire, while his body will unconscious. Mages connected to certain Primals are sometimes more common in parts of the world than others. This was, oh, maybe sixth on the list of fourteen or fifteen legendary impossibilities he demanded, all in the essentially same format. It does what it needs to do in the books. Used by the guy who commands sand zombies or something? I wouldnt work with spells with such a system. But the Mother eventually grows tired of such a long and drawn-out abuse of the balance, with the plants greedily hoarding the sunlight for themselves each day; in autumn she begins to draw water out of the plants, more than just the droplets that form on leaves in the morning. And the One became Two, Two became Three, and Three became All Things, (Actions) Or some other options?.. However, I am suspecting my response to it will be pretty long, and I have other things I need to work on. You need to lay down rules and follow them (which is where both Rowlings use of magic in Harry Potter and Lucas use of the Force in the original trilogy fail). dragon glass can kill them and both weapons were forged by dragon flame. If so, why? The main question becomes who set this up, and why? They cant use magic at all. For instance, some animals can also cast magic, and they do it pretty much the same way people do. P.S. If you fail to understand the role that . The questions which I usually ask myself are how difficult is it to inflict changes (which means does it take a two-day ritual or just a thought) and what are the costs (because if magic doesnt have a bad side, like the cost for a spell, there is no limiting it). As the reader, you may never truly understand what can and cant be accomplished with magic, but thats okayyou dont feel you need to in order to enjoy the story. My major problem is that the subtypes dont connect with the main types of magic (demonic and angelic). Are there multiple types of magic users? In my plant-based system, there could be a lineage with the biological adaptation to absorb the magical substance directly, without using the plant as an intermediary. Hey, dont know if anyones still commenting on this but here goes. Does it seem too unpredictable? This is the name list Tolkien draws from at least for a couple of the Dwarven characters in The Hobbit. Who can use magic? One more thing to keep in mind what if there is an underlying principle, but the characters dont know about it? But thats not the way Rowling goes. Lets say magic is generated by the vibration of continental plates, and each continental plate vibrates at its own frequency, creating different effects. Olwens father told Kilhwch he wanted that comb, razor and scissors to dress his beard with on the day of the wedding, before he would allow him to marry his daughter. These systems usually adopt limitations from physics, even though physics is no longer a limiting factor. And boy, rational magic systems arent new. Aurai are wind nymphs. Second thought was the good ol blood sacrifice, but a) kinda dark for what Im going for and b) why would spirits want blood anyway? Magic wielders might be shunned for being different, perhaps even dangerous, or they could be praised for their abilities. I see the basis of a rational magic system there, and you have good limits. Little fun fact: the Greek god Hermes was, among other things, the god of thieves and of merchants. Fire, transformation and order are strongly associated with this system of magic. The brain does use relatively weak energy for thinking, so that would not reach far. The expeditions that have come back tell of fantastical landscapes, filled with mystic flora and fauna. I really like the distinction between on the one hand the rational-nonrational scale, on the other hand the hard-soft scale. The Towers will 3 pairs of contrasting ideas. How big or small a role it plays in that story is completely up to you - but no matter what kind of magic system you're devising, you need to know it inside and out. You need to place incense in a semi-circle in front of you, drink fresh blood, paint your face with the blood, and focus on the person youre looking for. This same punishment theory may explain why humans are killed for trying to harness and redistribute sunlight. They're overall stregenth of that ability is average. Students learn all of the spells by memorization, because theres no logic underpinning how they operate. If you were to grab a stranger off the street and ask them what magic was, well first they'd probably mention someone like Penn and Teller, but once you clarified and said you meant magic in fiction, you'd very likely hear at least a few of these words: spell, wizard, fireball, enchantment, wand, curse, potion, witch, fairy, monster . Perhaps theyd have to choose two which are not opposites (fire/water or earth/air would be opposites). Im sorry. Ocean: Ocean magic draws power from the ocean, and by extension the rivers and lakes that are born from and eventually lead back to it. Here are four common categories you can consider. We have a knowledge of these beings, many of them exist in our mythology as gods, angels, demons, etc. Magic can be taught and learned, but like the Arts or sciences, whether someone is good at magic or not depends on their inherent skill, talent, and dedication to their training. When I say the tips may not be universal, Im referring especially to how you state that rational magic is based on a single, coherent metaphysical framework and describe things such as categories and symmetricality. Hard vs. soft magic is a spectrum, not a binary. You can also read his books to see his systems in action; personally I recommend Elantris. This page is absolutely huge, reflecting the fact that I have a rather large number of options in the generator. However, not understanding Gandalfs magic doesnt detract from the story, because the protagonists have to undergo most of their journey without Gandalfs help. In real history governments & monarchies & over influential groups typically only become so due to Power, which they get from either, Food, Armies, Technology or Money (and usually one of those can help get you any of the others)- but in a fantasy world Magic would be on that list (the extent of which would depend on its abilities but regardless a group of Mages would without a doubt. Forms of magic include earth magic, metal magic, plant magic, and animal communication/manipulation. The cycle of plants harnessing sunlight and Mother taking it back everyday is no longer considered a mystery, but an accepted fact of life. A grammar checker, style editor, and writing mentor in one package. Oh, I see what I missed last time. Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, on the other hand, use soft magic. That will tell you what the Empire could have that the mages cant just conjure for themselves. It is an epic drama that, year by year, is played out before humanity. Most magic systems fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. Im definitely not saying these problems are insurmountable, just that I do need to think a lot about them. So you already know that unraveling a knot has the opposite effect as weaving one. An entire category of limitations would no longer apply to them. This proposition sounds like a video game ideauseful in an environment where youre controlling an avatar with a remote/keys and dont have a quick reaction time. Your storys magic system may fall somewhere between these two extremes, and thats perfectly fine so long as you understand the role that magic serves within your story. Last limitation is that the caster has to concentrate on what theyre doing. A very interesting and well laid out post, though I dont quote agree with all the recommended reading. Is it connected to religion or religions of your world (since something based on the principle of good and bad [if you have to keep that, use evil instead of bad] should have a connection to religion)? For some systems it could be obvious: for example, as I understand, in the Avatar those guys can control existing non-magical things (water, air, fire, earth). Im on my first crack of trying to writing and my magic system feels too simple to me and not sure if its good enough and would like a little insight. Occult Network-- The magic Internet. Let the dragon ride again on the winds of time. 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). I know this comment was published a long time ago But oh my God, this idea Id fantastic. Slytherin still could breed dark wizards and witches perhaps they have a tendency towards dark magic. Humans cant curse (or maybe they just didnt figure it out yet!) If they can do whatever they want with it, it sounds like conduits being a battery is the only real difference between them. Why are naiads more rare and powerful than tree nymphs? Can one person wield both of them or only one? Nonhumans might think in ways that make little sense to humans. For instance: a person who has long hair could pluck a strand and send paint through it causing it to straiten making a weapon hard to see or maybe if you can use paint on something you arent touching you could carry a bag of sand around and channel paint into it giving you the power to manipulate it a will. Do you have any feedback or glaring flaws that you noticed? Its a generic job title for people whose main concern is to maintain relationships with local spirits and practice holy magic so they can pacify demons. Of course, its possible. Theyre bodies cant store energy, thats a Condit thing. How much of it might people attribute to the magic, and how much might they attribute to simply becoming blas in the face of so much death? : If your mage has a limit on their powers (and having a human with unlimited powers is probably going to break a story, at least with that human being the hero), the limit must always be the same or you need to give a reason why it is different (the character is exhausted and thus cant muster as much magic or the character took a specific potion which boosted their powers, for instance). How was magic created? ), Given how late it is, I hope this makes SOME sort of sense :-S. Thanks alot for your thoughts, it looks interesting! To keep your magic mysterious like in Game of Thrones, hide how it operates. There are medieval books detailing how to pluck a mandrake from the ground because it was thought that they screamed when unearthed and could kill everyone who heard the scream. So I know a few things. More like youre a easily broken, magical gun (Aim, shoot fireball, repeat.) SWAMP, kind of based off of iguanas in design, rare chance of getting magic. ), Fire/heat (fire is a more fickle form of energy and as it is intangible, it is harder to hold on to, though not as hard as air. However, a few fantastical powers can go a long way toward livening up many fantasy stories. If you want to create a soft magic system, I have some good news: you dont need to come up with a set of systematic rules, or even an underlying logic. Anyway, just to throw MY 2 cents in A while back, I was trying to design a magic system for a Skyrim Mod some friends of mine were attempting That ultimately went nowhere. Readers know little, if anything, about the nature, origin, or limitations of the characters fantastical powers. There are 391 different powers and variations in this generator, so you're bound to find one you like. Over time more Blacks appeared and White got lonely so they split their body into seven colours. In actual weaving, warp threads keep tension during weaving and are the main structure of the fabric. This article is very normative and I think its furthers clich. I agree. Though, Im thinking about giving them a secret ability that hasnt been discovered yet because theyre so rare. Old Magic might easily just be a reference to magic used on a more instinctive or subconscious level hence Lilys sacrifice can create a protection for her son, because she wanted with all her heart to keep him protected. Used by the Matrix and Mage: The Ascension, some magic systems are based on the idea that reality is more malleable than it seems, allowing some to bend it out of shape. Forms of magic include fire magic, light magic, healing magic, and transformation magic. Abilities Generator - Silvered Magic In a rational system, there would be an explanation for how magic works where it comes from, what limits there are, how it is used. Silver drains magic and therefore hurts all creatures that are magic. Even within one category, theres no way to extrapolate new spells because the rules are so eclectic. That more than one type of magic exists in a generally complex way not thoroughly understood by anyone feels very real, very much in fact like science. Korra did it but that was more so of Avatar state then an Airbending technique. 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.). As we dont seem to be focusing on that aspect much, however, I wont try to continue arguments about that part. In another world (a fantasy high-magic setting), I havent fleshed out quite as much, but I do know that magic is powered by your soul, which is also needed to run all brain activity. But that doesnt mean all magic systems work equally well for stories. Offensive like elemental magic and short time manipulation magic etc. Once you master the flow of paint in your body you can change your appearance temporarily. Then you would have to decide whether someone can use all elements that way or just one (as everyone safe for the Avatar in the series). The Lord of the Rings is a low magic setting, but it is a high fantasy setting. In this guide I will cover the major aspects part of most magic systems, hopefully it'll help you create your own magic system and provide you with a checklist of sorts to make sure you're not forgetting an important part. Maybe as a counterpart to motion? If you read up on no other system of supernatural beliefs, check out that one. It takes decades to master a Type of magic, and some mages (any magic user, human, dragon person, whatever) spend their whole lives perfecting one spell. Like the Force in the first Star Wars Trilogy, which I used as an example, magic in HP is pretty malleable. I just think that Sanderson hard-soft magic divide is much more useful for novel writers. This may or may not be an insuperable obstacle. Your powers will be just as draining as a Bornes magic. Magic System Generator Perchance Gaining power Combining powers Limitations However, they are actually Ancient Greek classifications and not modern science-based, so they arent really natural. Is magic kept secret in your story world? My magic system is based off of good and bad. My magic system is tied in with a lot of the religions and science of my fantasy world. On How Do I Portray Stupid Characters Respectfully? Moreover, the party must complete the quest without killing anyone. Another rare one is magic transference, my idea of that one is gaining an ability that an extinct race once used, examp. Caster is Eco, Given controls animals, which is basically mind control. Fortunately it's not that hard to create a magic system, so this guide will be relatively short, but the amount of work you'll have to put into the creation of your magic will depend entirely on how detailed you want to get. The more practiced & skilled to are then the less and less the Inspiration needs to be- if youre unskilled then youll need a person running by or a tree falling over to Inspire you. Although they would have to learn it (Nullifying). Maybe Im just saying this because Id defend Harry Potter to the ends of the earth. It takes many years to master. Varren slumped into his chair, a curse leaving his lips as he had forgotten to blow out the torch in the hallway. Interferers cant store energy like Conduits, so they have to use all of what they have in a few minutes or it explodes out of them randomly. Though this is all tentative, Id probably categorize it into two types: warp threads (like the structural threads you mentioned) for physical spells and weft threads for nonphysical spells. Wizards cast spells by waving wands and saying incantations. Do you want to bring in some elemental control? This isnt a formula for magic systems, but a guide for those not sure where to start or what exactly is a magic system. Trying to do anything that involves pushing against or even breaking natural law will require aid from outside forces. You might want to read them. I checked it out, and indeed it seems to just be another name for obsidian. I've kept the descriptions short in order to mimic descriptions you'd often find in games and other franchises. mental enhancements, the nanites acting as auxiliary brains. And the whole thing about souls & vampires! There are 7 types of energy that all link with one another (the first two I made up as a pseudo science which explains the workings of Life & Sentience in a pre-modern scientific age), Sentience Worldbuilding, Avatar, Magic Magic Systems Magic systems vary from colorful bears with tummy badges to ritual blood sacrifices. Perhaps magic-users know what magic can be used for but are not concerned about why it works that way; for all we know, that could be the way most wizards and witches feel in Harry Potter. Source Materials Who and what wields it How to wield it What are the powers? Magic is the practice of harnessing energy to manipulate aspects of reality. As the Wizard unravels the Great Mysteries, and gains understanding of the Universe, they unlock additional rune slots, allowing for more complex, refined spells. I do hope that this comment will help you understand the angle Im coming from. If youre working with leylines and the fabric of reality you should model the whole earth as a living thing(as it is)but not necessarily conscious, although that could add tension and the leylines and threads could be like vains in an interconnected system that gets clogged from the knots relating to all manner of natural and unnatural disasters/phenomenon and just like any living thing this system would naturally resemble a circulatory/lymphatic system with currents and nodes to regulate and cleanse said currents. Can they simply stretch their arm, make a gesture with their hands and shoot out a ball of fire or do they need a wand do direct the magic? Viewpoint characters dont use magic and the audience doesnt understand how it operates. donjon; RPG Tools You would paint specific patterns in the air in front of you while at the same time your mind involuntarily forces the molecules to obey and move into a new pattern, speed up, spread out (going for solid to liquid or liquid to gas), heat up (going from any other state to plasma). These terms, originally coined by Brandon Sanderson, are widely used by fantasy fiction writers today. The person who got the powers is called the Given. Hey Ryan R Im still plugging away at it (when Life lets me anyway! If so, what differentiates them? Dragon breeds or races (this is with Borne magic): If you only specify one source of magic, you cant suddenly drop someone into the story who uses something different. The jammers are slowly getting weaker, and the nanites, while the have mostly settled in these past centuries, slowly encroach upon the population. What kind of defensive and offensive things can they do? Are there different types of magic, or did magic diversify over time? For instance, lets say magic is powered by a substance found within the soil. But fighting style isn't the only thing that could change when you decide whether or not powers can be combined. But those who have returned have never been inside the Tower. Just because the system has volumes of lore and backstory to support it doesnt make it a rational system, though it does help to make it more believable. Specific effects include waking the dead, sending dead spirits back into the afterlife, and binding the dead to follow their commands. Yeah, I think your fabric metaphor works great. Magic that powerful would leave a large fingerprint on the world, and if you dont avoid ultra-powerful characters, it can also break your plot. A being of a higher Plane has the opposite effect, their presence and consciousness being far too much for the Universe to handle, and so it would just collapse on itself wherever the being would go. A guarded merchant named Willip seeks a company of . If youre curious about the source Theres no way to please them or ask them for help, they just do stuff because they want to (very much like the Greek/Roman or Norse pantheons we have). In Game of Thrones, the red woman throws leaches into a fire, and later several lords die far away. In the first book, Ron doesnt know any troll-slaying spells, so he uses the Levitating Spell to knock out a mountain troll instead. Ive also seen your above comment. If only a portion of the population can wield magic it could also mean the magic wielders are either the elite or the lower class. If youre curious about setting/technological era, itll take place in two time periods; one in what would be Victorian times in our world, one in WWII time period. Accio and depulso, for example, are taught one-after-another: pretty straightforward. Sandersons Third Law. So Id rather go science fiction, or full-on, its my world, I make the rules magic. I also want the systems to be distinct, but relatively balanced. The other is one of my own magic systems, as I want to hear what others think about it, especially in terms of this article. For your world, I take it the reason most people are magic users is that the common people were all killed. Waving around a wand isnt as simple as you bang it out to be. We've covered limitations in several parts already, whether it's how powerful spells are or how much power you can gain, but it's important to emphasize limitations again. They dont pay with utter exhaustion or even by losing several years of their life, because of the power they wield. Now we go back to the Beginning. Fifty years after the war ends the younger generation make massive breakthroughs. For example my magic is about energy- but you cant control energy like Motion in the traditional telokinies way (you think & point and it moves anywhere)- instead you can only increase the speed of a moving object or decrease its speed (to a full stop if your skilled enough) or create movement in a static object (only in one direction as if you hit it- and only that single inital pow of motion), So if youd like your magic to be one of the driving forces in the conflict of your story then itll be great to know what you can and cant do with it and understand if there are any limitation to the magic which may make it more rememberable, interesting and unique- plus create a challange for your protagonist who has to use their wits to work around the limitation and solve a problem. This ancient Wise One observed the natures tendency towards self-balancing and saw it as an Eternal Law. A cunning ex-adventurer named Wlfrilda seeks a company of adventurers to explore the Pikawas Jungle. In The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss, the magical discipline of Naming is a soft magic system. Martin or the show writers lean hard by revealing how it works, I think theyll reveal something thats logically consistent. Yes, its arbitrary which items have magical powers (though many plants have historically been said to have magical powers and Rowling obviously researched these). All spells require a minimum level of power to run, though many can be empowered further. VINE DWELLER, based off of forest nymphs from folklore in design, moderate chance of getting medium to strong Eco magic, extremely rare chance to get weak magic of another Type as well. Generally that means their strengths and weaknesses will be roughly equivalent. It might be argued that the wand and the spell serve to put the mind of the caster in the right mood so they can command the magic. However, Im not surprised youre getting overwhelmed, youre mixing a lot of different stuff together: And this is why I post my ideas on places like this someone will ask the really obvious questions I forgot to ask myself. For more inspiration and guidance in creating your magic system, I recommend these articles and resources. Its a life for a life type meaning it will kill the caster to save the person their healing, thats why nobody even bothers to learn it. The descriptions follow the same pattern overall, but the details will vary to create different magic systems. Are there any natural elements which are home to magical powers or are there any which could house magical powers? You don't have to have an exact cost, like making the average human able to cast 20 fire balls before being tired, but having a cost relative to each other spell will help make sure your magic system is at least relatively realistic in the sense that there's a logic behind it. What themes will your magic system discuss? What kinds of magical concepts and images would contribute to that atmosphere? As long as you dont change fundamental things in the universe, theres no problem with making enough changes to slip your magical or psychic powers in. Sound. I like the fact youve got a cool new way people gain magical abilities- FAR FAR FAR to many high fantasy novels just have it be the usual theyre born with it (theres nothing wrong with that way- heck Ive even used that, its simple and the easiest way to have it)- but I love seeing unique ways besides just being born with it. The audience must know the rules, because the heroes use magic during the story. And along the way you provided a lot of good supporting material. Their powers go far beyond what has ever been shown before and theres no repercussions for them.

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