Heres how this system might break down: A long list of constraints will make it much easier to craft conflicts in your story. . If youd like I can send you a link and you can follow along as I figure stuff out (dont want to clog up your comments section). : But in the real world, moving out of the way would be easier; since spells have straight paths when cast, why use magic when theres an easier non-magic method of avoiding harm? These systems usually adopt limitations from physics, even though physics is no longer a limiting factor. All three should work together to create the magic system. (Incidentally has one of the worst magic systems in literary history). Or you blame all psychic powers on quantum and be done with it, but I doubt you want to take that way out, otherwise you wouldnt have been plotting that much already. To build this logic, start by thinking about three things: the effects, sources, and costs of magic. Brings back memories of the magic system I was working on for a really trippy book not really super Lovecrafty per se, but set in modern day Maine among a world of dark magicks and secret cults, so in that sense an echo I lost track of back in my 30s and am just now remembering. Hard magic systems provide interesting limitations that allow your protagonist to solve problems using their own wits, not raw magical power. Your body can hold a fixed amount of paint (This is the same for everyone but full capacity is rarely reached). All of nature is in motion and all of natures motion serves to restore its own balance. I have two things to talk about. In most, if not all movies, there clearly arent rules for magic, or if there are, there arent many. You can CREATE new energy into an object that wasnt already producing that same energy (Eg- Can make a static ball move in any direction). Caster is Eco, Given controls animals, which is basically mind control. Or maybe have subtypes based on the seven deadly sins and heavenly virtues? Hey! However, it makes it harder to build tension when power levels can change at any given moment as needed, especially at climaxes, where emotions will naturally be high. If youre still reading, thanks for letting me ramble. If youll allow my humble but informed opinion. Here are more ideas for them. If you read up on no other system of supernatural beliefs, check out that one. We learn the limits of the hard magic systems in the series, such as Sympathy and Sygaldry, while we never learn the limits of Naming. There are hints throughout the story that its actually sci-fi. I just finished the entire creation story because of these questions as well as creating a more refined system of magic in my book! I wouldnt use categories of magic to add structure thats just adding more complexity. Nullify and boost it? a disease caused by the nanites Once you've figured out who can wield it it's time to figure out how they can wield it. However, in most cases a rational magic system works better. Another option is that there is a background magic field (see the TVTropes article) present everywhere that psychics draw on. Im now looking for consistency. To do this, I would need to work out whether adding the sorts of new particles and forces needed for this scenario to what exists in real life can be done in some mathematically consistent way. Thelema, Goetia, Gematria, Thaumaturgy, Alchemy, Hermeticism? They can only work through people that do their will voluntarily. I see where you are coming from on a few of these points but perhaps since Ive read the series so many times I think they miss the mark. Theres no balance, nothing to sacrifice for the use of magic. Hi there, I know this blog was posted a while ago but Ive only just found it and its exactly the kind of thing Ive been looking for, plus Ive seen more recent comments here so hopefully theyll be some people still interested. They have averge control over their ability. In Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson, magicians owe a demon years of their life in exchange for magic. To me, it seemed like I had everything figured out and I could write a story now. Creating a Magic System for Superpowers If the magic youre creating varies from person to person, this article is for you. Usually, magic comes from magic users, the gods, magical creatures, or a specific substance. 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. We'll also throw some brainstorming questions your way to help get those magical creative juices flowing! Fantasy Random Generator. And if you plan on writing a whole series of novels about this, you need to work out how it works beforehand, so things stay balanced. Forms of magic include earth magic, metal magic, plant magic, and animal communication/manipulation. If I were you, I would make sure every complication you have is something thats important to you. In a world where the entire population can wield magic you might not have this conflict, not unless some are worse at wielding magic than others. Others get a bit more pleasing mutations; sensory enhancements, enhanced reflexes, strength, bone density, accelerated healing. SO, questions: where is the magic energy coming from in the environment? Ill be talking more about it in another post, if someone wants to here it, of course. If I get this right, magic workers are using pieces of the infrastructure built to support their world for magic instead, at which time it is no longer helping to sustain the world, and by putting these pieces back in place, the protagonist is strengthening that infrastructure. Rituals are easy to execute, but can be dangerous. I want to make it rational, just didnt thought about it from this point. 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. I also had the idea that there would be some very powerful, old spirits who have long-standing contracts with humanity as a whole. 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 . Paint is everything and everywhere. Figured out the important themes and used them to craft something that fits more within the setting. Paint can depend on someones mental state and will And boy, rational magic systems arent new. I think that is arguable, but fine I personally want to read hard magic systems anyway. That would certainly make them dangerous to magic users. For now, Im thinking that the energy will be a 3D field spreaded around (basically, just a math function). Some of them, such as the Breath Weapons have been condenced a little bit for shortnesses sake. Many horror movies use soft magic systems to create a sense of fear and dread, while childrens books might use soft magic systems to create a sense of excitement and adventure. Im sorry. Who will use magic: the protagonist (hard magic), or the antagonist / side characters (soft magic)? Sorry for the late reply I had went out for the past few days. Curses are basically magic diseases. Telekinesis, telepathy, and teleportation are not something people can really use in everyday life, so you will find it hard to justify their existence through science alone. Are there multiple types of magic users? Although, to be fair, I do see the magic in everything - nature, science, writing. And good guys to heal people? This is really good! However, I am suspecting my response to it will be pretty long, and I have other things I need to work on. Do you need sage, or can you use oak leaves instead? [end worldbuilding] But you can use pretty much anything you wish, whether it's a magic absorbing rock, special water or perhaps a type of wood. In actual fact, some of the infected survive the Grey Death. I agree that a spell to dodge doesnt make much sense on first glance, but Ive also just realized that thats only true if we assume that the hostile spell were interested in dodging in the first place were as part of the basic nature of magical reality totally incapable of moving any faster than a theoretical average apprentice level user of magic can move without having recourse to their wizardry. Without the explanation you added (glutton for punishment), that sounds more like someone who consumes a lot. Bodily energies wouldn't make for a great choice as the body runs out of all types of energy, at least in real life and most works of fiction. powerful mages who control transportation but do not rule (again, difficult). ), Im just really curious to know more about your magic! I disagree. One of them is how I believe that the tips given may not be universal. If your mage has no limits to their powers, where would the conflict be? If you fail to understand the role that . If you follow this rule, readers will appreciate the awe and mystery of the magic without feeling like it cheapens the story. ), revising, scrapping, re-revising, Because I never seem to do anything by halves, my original idea for my book has spiraled out of control into a series, set in a Sanderson-esque system of loosely connected worlds. I think rule based magic is important for worldbuilding, not novel writing. So Id rather go science fiction, or full-on, its my world, I make the rules magic. The thing is, I believe that what seems natural in these cases can depend on culture and perhaps even species. Hope I dont sound like a rabid Potterhead but I dont think its irrational! Fast forward a couple thousand years and some genius manges to find a way to control paint by collecting it into a special bottle. Are all individuals able to tap into the magic source or only a lucky few? This is because an all-powerful antagonist makes the story more exciting and perilous, while an all-powerful protagonist achieves the opposite effect. A waterbender cant control air or earth or fire. You should ensure that the conflict and resolutions in your story arent as fickle as the magic. Hydro (water) Sometimes you just get turned into a chicken. One final aspect to think about is whether or not those who cannot wield power can somehow gain the ability to do so and if those who can wield magic can lose the ability do so and if those changes can be reverted. In a way you can see it as choosing between having 2 (or more) people using normal weapons to fight an enemy together. If you want to create a hard magic system, you need to create a specific logic that serves as the foundation for the entire system. Here are some examples of magical sources: In Percy Jackson & The Olympians by Rick Riordan, magic comes from the gods. To build this logic, start by thinking about three things: the effects, sources, and costs of magic. I love your blog a lot, but Im annoyed with your bashing of the Harry Potter series in almost every article. However, a few benders can bend their element when its in a different form or less pure. There are clear limits of what they can do, and things like resurrection and time manipulation are some of these limitations. Its not just about the energy needed to transform a body into energy and then back into mass, its also about controlling where the second transformation takes place (splicing would be a problem or manifesting through matter its what cost Heimlich from the Brian Helsing series his right lower arm). This adds a bit of strategy to the game, because you need to figure out how to use the different skill sets best together. Does it seem too unpredictable? Its important to note, that the Elements dont just represent their Physical Aspects, but also their Symbolic and Conceptual inferences as well (Through their Mental/Spiritual Aspects), for instance: Water is often associated with the concepts of Healing & Nourishment. That way, it would mean using that energy to influence an element. First off, Id like to say that your idea is amazing! Maybe each thought produces a tiny amount of energy that allows for sending a nerve signal to, say, cause a body part to move. I dont think that interactionist dualism (or psychic powers existing) is likely to be true in real life, but if I were creating fictionI could include that. If you dont have enough power to spare, the spell fizzles. It tries to convince the reader the newly defined rational magic system is what every fantasy writer should strive for. I do hope that this comment will help you understand the angle Im coming from. This could also link in nicely culture and tradition (festivals on summer or winter solace to celebrate the Mother). Apoglies if it comes off as confusing, Im not very good at conveying my thoughts and ideas, will explain in greater detail later. The descriptions follow the same pattern overall, but the details will vary to create different magic systems. If you think about it, youll realize theres no reason not to have a rational system. Its easy to get excited and bite off more than you can chew, but youll do better if you focus on fewer things. The houses are merely there to spark rivalry, they have no deeper meaning for the magic or the story. Ive been working on a magic system in my head, but would like help on a few things. Used by the guy who commands sand zombies or something? Heres what you need to think about. 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. Alternatively, soft magic systems remain nebulous. The same is true, if I use telekinesis to move that boulder. Creating a rational magic system allows you to add realism and depth to your world while still leaving room for new and interesting changes. Their eyes are blinded and their organs fail. Advantages: you can summon a physical form of your paint to help fight with you, you can make deals with your contractor sacrificing parts of your power to gain special moves or stronger attacks, becoming closer to your contractor makes your flow stronger Im sure theres a deeper meaning in this. For example, you can create a magic system that has very clear rules for your protagonist but only vague rules for your antagonist. Some dimensions have a lot of energy and a lot of lines, others have few. Just because there are rules doesnt mean theyre rational. 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. These expeditions have all been disaster, as the concentration of Ghoul (better then Specters at least) is much higher in those areas. And if so, is it because their culture is different and they learn to wield it in different ways, is it because they simply cannot wield it the same way due to biological differences or is it because they use different sources, like blood magic and magic pools? However, most societies dont have the resources to crank out wizards. But at extremely high levels (Demi god level) the breeze might be enough. Im working on setting up a writing blog on WordPress, mirroring it to tumblr. One of the most common elements in these books is a magic system. Mana is the clean energy, without any attunement. This creative freedom is exciting, but it also requires a lot of world building work to invent a fleshed out and textured fantasy world. Using this site means trees will be planted. GIVEN: obtained magic through an illegal potion or spell cast by a very powerful mage. Substances like these make it easy to put limits on the amount of magic used just limit the substance. Random Treasure Generator. What limitations does the magic put on the wielder? Depending on where the clusters are and how they are structured different effects emerge: Ive currently got 11 tabs open that I need to look through. How could a magic user be defeated? 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. dragon glass can kill them and both weapons were forged by dragon flame. People who practice this form of magic are called lucalurgists. If they can do whatever they want with it, it sounds like conduits being a battery is the only real difference between them. If Luke needs guidance to hit that exhaust port, the Force can guide him. Is magic inherited, gifted, obtained, or learned? Avatar works with four definite sources of power, which happen to be fire, water, air, and earth.
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