Take Noethers Theorem for example. Caster is Eco, Given controls animals, which is basically mind control. 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. The Living Mother may hardly notice a tiny imbalance such as this. Plot-wise, yes. Divine gifts are enchanted items (like swords, hats, necklaces, etc.) :-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. Magic is part of an enormous range of stories, but finding 2 stories which use the same magic system isn't as easy as it may sound. I definitely have more work to do. 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)? And I had trouble writing with what nature aspects nymphs, dryads, and naiads would relate to, so I went with that. This person, the Avatar, bends all four plus spirit energy. Summon up a spirit to help you move a piano, and you can spend hours debating over price. Witches and wizards need to learn each spell individually and practice speaking their enchantments in exactly the right way in order to achieve the intended results. All magic is fueled by mana, a form of energy found in all living organisms. Knowing what spell-casting is capable of is pretty important, if you havent decided that, I would think on it. Moon magic: Moon magic draws power from the spirit and energy of the moon. Magic is one of the essential elements of any fantasy story. And sorry about the length of this comment. 12 Prompts to Create a Magic System - Quixotic Quill Alrighty, its late and Im tired. 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). 3. BORNE: obtain magic through genetics. Professor of Political Theory in Star Trek, contradicting something shes already invented, distill and concentrate the plant down to an elixir, Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, heres a fun chart showing the details of magic systems in the most popular works, Building the Raksura: How Martha Wells Fell Into Toxic Tropes, Five Tips for Using an Arbitrary Magic System, Building Wings of Fire: How Sutherland Propped Up Her Plot, Building Hyperion: How Simmons Scattered His World, Building Roshar: How Sanderson Bungled Culture, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi_hcwB8i64, https://mythcreants.com/blog/how-to-create-an-eclectic-magic-system/. 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. While characters can invent some potions, it appears they only do it by trial and error, not through a formula that guides what goes into a potion to create specific effects. More so they come out on the other side changed Like I said, its early days but any feedback or suggestions would be super-welcome!! Like the Force in the first Star Wars Trilogy, which I used as an example, magic in HP is pretty malleable. This has been extremely helpful! that you realize that the magic system in Tolkien is actually much more a spiritual and religious system based on the two fudamental pillars of his sincere Catholicism and his strong distaste for the worlds of contemporaries like C,S, Lewis where the Christian allegory was blatant or at best obvious enough to leave the writer open to the charge of being preachy. Tension and payoff are reduced if the reader feels like a solution to something is as simple as a character just ratcheting up their feelings. The most common form of magic is to make a contract with a specific spirit for a specific outcome, and then the spirit uses its power to reach that outcome (level of cooperation varies). What themes will your magic system discuss? The knots must be undone, causing the reverse effect as the original magic, and rewoven into the fabric of reality. Your powers will be just as draining as a Bornes magic. Further into the future two young men of solitude manage to unlock the greatest fighting potential by breaking mental barriers making them the strongest people to exist since Black and White but they have a fight on morality causing a great war. Novice mages are taught how to bring out their mana to create energy bolts, shields, weapons, and constructs. As bestselling author Brandon Sanderson explains, most magic systems can be classified as hard or soft in nature. They already have enough problems with inter-house violence. Skill also plays a part, and is determined by both intelligence and creativity. 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. 6 Key Questions To Ask When Creating A Magic System Trying to do anything that involves pushing against or even breaking natural law will require aid from outside forces. The flickering flame casting irregular patches of shadows against the wall was the evidence. Why can only some people do time magic or elemental magic? 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. An alchemist transmutes lead into gold. One of the most common elements in these books is a magic system. Directing magic can involve a range of activities, but it commonly includes these aspects: The more elaborate your direction method is, the harder youll need to work to make it feel rational. To avoid adding a sense of arbitrariness, your choice of categories must feel natural. :). If you think about it, youll realize theres no reason not to have a rational system. Its not uncommon for people to have phantom sensations or memories weeks later. More like youre a easily broken, magical gun (Aim, shoot fireball, repeat.) Here are some examples of magical sources: In Percy Jackson & The Olympians by Rick Riordan, magic comes from the gods. Roughly, looks like extended noun+verb system, right? The source should give you an idea for how it might become available. Those affected will suffer from chronic pain, skin lesions, and become prone to violence; but they will also gain super human strength. Like it doesnt work on them or around them? 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. But the curse also leaves behind a power that is unique for the person. Even within one category, theres no way to extrapolate new spells because the rules are so eclectic. There are hundreds or even thousands of magical techniques and spells that a magician can learn. mental enhancements, the nanites acting as auxiliary brains. ie: Water beats Fire, but MY level 5 Fireball beats YOUR level 3 Ice Wall. A rational magic system follows rules, thats what makes it a rational system. This works the same for all energy types. Does it just move objects/parts of object? First, the magical system is based off European history and mythology. Magic creation guide - Roll for Fantasy 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. I wouldnt use categories of magic to add structure thats just adding more complexity. If you want spells, you shouldnt work with elements, but work on the premise that magic is real and a power like light or sound which can be guided with the voice. Magic is a dominant trait, but rare in some races. When a person deliberately causes an imbalance that person becomes the cork plugging up the hole, so to speak. I know this is an old article, but it inspired me to create my magic system. Wind, or life, or just movement? And along the way you provided a lot of good supporting material. In my example of magic that is acquired by consuming a plant, a clever alchemist might distill and concentrate the plant down to an elixir that is digested more quickly. How does this constitute a magic system? Toward the last point, I think the inclusion of old magic in reference to Lilys motherly love protecting Harry I believe is more for the benefit of the themes of love and goodness triumphing over evil and hate (Rowling was dealing with grief toward her own mothers death while writing). Elements are a system which people understand easily, other systems would have demanded more explanation. Just watch out for the unaffected 1%. If they are limited, its usually not by some universal magical law, but rather a handicap in their source of power. Now, to those who contain their power. If you want you can also make a difference between Nyads and Nereids the usual river and spring nymphs and large powerful Sea nymphs. But to elaborate a bit further The name Grey Death was inspired by the Bubonic Plague pandemic of the 1300s, known as the Black Death because, lets face it, thats a kickass name! What dangers does magic pose to the user, whether directly or because the use of magic is scorned or envied by society? Alternatively, soft magic systems remain nebulous. It requires words of power, and a magical energy called Deathlight, which is obtained by killing ghosts. 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. A Song of Ice and Fire, by George R.R. Thank you so much! 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. However, this doesn't have to be the case, the hero might not be strong enough on his own, but with other fighters the combined power might be enough to defeat the villain as well. 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. Once eaten, the magical substance builds up in their systems until they focus their will to cast magic. This is super helpful, thanks so much for taking the time to write it and to provide examples. Sympathetic spirits will take pity, accepting minor payment (maybe even the painful memory of seeing said loved one get shot). Many soft magic systems include magical creatures: centaurs, mermaids, nine-tailed foxesthe possibilities here are endless. 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. However, Im not sure whether adding a new field, force, particle, etc. Magic isn't real, so it can be anything we want. However, I am suspecting my response to it will be pretty long, and I have other things I need to work on. All of Creation is born from a single point in time, that exists both Space, Time, Existence, or Consciousness, what we call The Sephirot, or The Spark, or the Egg of Creation, it goes by many names. What did you think alchemy was? Sandersons First Law You could just as well do the Magic The Gathering approach and use stuff like decay or nature as base for the magic (which would give you white magic based on life/nature and black magic based on death/decay). While she does talk about how it adds limitations, that doesnt actually seem to be her primary focus. Perhaps, a ritual needs chants which will take most of the night. some sort of selection criteria the nanites have Remember the problem with any kind of existing lore: someone out there whos reading your stories is an expert in it and will be pretty annoyed if you just wing it and your version has next to nothing in common with reality. Eco (plant life). Like species in our world evolved so did the magic in their world, with their ancestors using a specific type of magic and pased it down it just became a part of them. Some well-known examples of hard magic systems: In Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa, magic is like chemistry. I also had the idea that there would be some very powerful, old spirits who have long-standing contracts with humanity as a whole. Entire body effects:: 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. Each spell shortens their lifespan by an unknown number of years. Other than that, most answers are really just what do you want? However, I will say that if magic uses up energy in the environment putting out fires and stopping movement for instance that would probably create some interesting scenes. Im now looking for consistency. Now, there is a scene in the Silmarillion where Luthien goes to rescue Beren, the mortal man she loves, from the dungeons of Sauron (who is a corrupted angelic spirit somewhere around the same level in the angelic hierarchy that her mother occupies on the good side); and in the process she engages in a duel of song with Sauron himself, since song/music is the primary metaphor Tolkien chose to express the use of this spiritual/magical energy in the writings which were collected into the Silmarillion. But magical things do have specific usesHarry writes essays on the uses of different plants in potion-making, for example. (A quiet lunch with my friend is much more repeated/repeatable than when I first met my best friend). I've kept the descriptions short in order to mimic descriptions you'd often find in games and other franchises. All people that use magic are split up into different yet powerful factions. Give me your thoughts! Others say that this is blasphemy; for a gift of water, if not taken from somewhere, would disrupt the balance, however little, and Mother would never stand for it. Sandersons Mistborn series and Stormlight Archive both contain excellent examples of hard magic systems. However, not understanding Gandalfs magic doesnt detract from the story, because the protagonists have to undergo most of their journey without Gandalfs help. There are, of course, drawbacks. Sometimes, as in the example I made, other natural processes, such as life and death (or decay) or day and night are added. Having people combine spells into more powerful versions could make for a great epic battle at the end, but at the same time not allowing them to be able to combine spells could provide for epic fights as well. A combination of both is also perfectly possible and used a lot. 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. So a Mage might give as payment a concrete memory, like their first day of school or attending a particular play, or something more abstract like the taste of chocolate cake or the pain of stubbing ones toe (spirits are interested in all experiences, even if humans see them as negative). Theres things like creating food out of thin air, which means magic can add something to the world which wasnt there before (alternately, some people have all the rotten luck and their fridges are constantly empty and they dont know why). They are infused with magic, its part of their genetic makeup. For instance, lets say magic is powered by a substance found within the soil. Are you looking to define what weaving one can and cant do? SWd6 System Generator. But fighting style isn't the only thing that could change when you decide whether or not powers can be combined. Either way, the recipients of the power lose whatever memories gained before or during their stay at the Towers. I just think that Sanderson hard-soft magic divide is much more useful for novel writers. Decay would be speeding up entropy, life would be slowing it down or trying to instill some kind of anti-entropy into the world. 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. Basically the spirits want more knowledge of the human world, to experience it through human eyes. Magic is the practice of harnessing energy to manipulate aspects of reality. Paint can be placed on any object and 1 in 15 people can use paint on something they arent touching. 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). However, if were shown the hero struggling more in fights as a result of exhaustion after using said ability (e.g. Is it light and full of wonder? 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. The Towers radiate an energy that interferes with circuit boards, so the only expeditions have been with primitive tools. So if you think multiple types would be cool, go for it, if you want to keep it simple, dont. 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. In the Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix, necromancers can control the dead using bells and music. 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. I think the easiest way to explain how magic (any kind, really) affects the world is through will. Its time to create a system of rules that will feel cohesive and logical. As far as using body energy outside of the body is concerned, this is something you will have to wing. I think that should cover it, and I hope to get more advice to help me become a better creator. Everyone has their own power level amount of energy they can produce in one go. Ive also seen your above comment. Interferers can make things happen because when they add energy to the system, it is concentrated in one place. Wraith, lich, or revenant for example. If you actually have light magic and youre just not telling them until later, then great; youve foreshadowed without even trying. *I noticed a notification in a tab I hadnt refreshed in a while about a new comment, but when I checked, there wasnt one. If you eat after dark, shell take away the blessing. A guarded merchant named Willip seeks a company of . Perhaps Mages can use all the magical abilities, but CHOOSE to specialize? Whether you use the force, a principle like Yin and Yang, some nano-bots, the aether, or something different, is up to your kind of story and what you like most. For example, a tree nymph can make a leaf tornado appear, but cant work with other materials. What I really dont like about this article is the formula on how to create a magic system. The Goddess of Exchanges would be less random, but you wouldnt be able to reliably make exchanges with her. Anger Heat. Some consider it Her gift, a compensation for taking back the light they harnessed. 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? There are roughly two types of fantasy. Now, if magic in Tolkien just went by power levels like a Pokemon duel, Sauron would have won this handily, being pure blood of an order of beings who if we looked at these things just on the power level dimension clearly outranked the mortal clay that was mixed into Luthiens veins. Most magic systems used in medievalish fantasy have groups of people with access to the same spells and abilities, though their talent with magic will vary. Ill be talking more about it in another post, if someone wants to here it, of course. Learn the most recent fiction marketing tactics, Amazon algorithm deep-dive, with case studies, & more. To have the power of the Towers, one must have originated from them, or been taken to it by someone from the Towers. The reader needs to be able to understand the basics and rely on that understanding throughout the story. Theres a lot to figure out about the basics, before you can think about sub-types. Other magic that is extremely rare is healing lethal injuries or bring someone back that was just killed (only have a certain amount of time to do it). Its the subtle way magic leans toward fire or ice. This article was extremely helpful to me in figuring out my magic system. As mentioned, Im still working on the plot details, but I was thinking the decrease in magic availability from protagonist 1s time to protagonist 2s time had to do with spirits withdrawing from the human world and not dealing with mages. It happens as the tale sees fit. Most everyone is either a Conduit or an Interferer, and it is genetic. However, in most cases a rational magic system works better. Frequency: The core strength of a Vibration, determines how far and fast it travels If youre new to the genre, its easy to fall back on tropes youve seen before. Even without understanding the details, it feels like it all fits together. Is magic kept secret in your story world? Ill consider what you said and make some changes. You mentioned Mana, Life and Mind as the elements of your magic system. Another way of looking at sources is from a material point of view. 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. Stoking fires sounds like a natural fit. To build this logic, start by thinking about three things: the effects, sources, and costs of magic. Yeah, I think your fabric metaphor works great. World-Building, Prepare to Write, Revising for Publishing, As bestselling author Brandon Sanderson explains. Why are some people spell book readers but not others? Hey Ryan R Im still plugging away at it (when Life lets me anyway! 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. When you look at all your categories together, you shouldnt find any large gaps where a category should be, and two categories shouldnt be unusually similar. Its easy to get excited and bite off more than you can chew, but youll do better if you focus on fewer things. Sophie, if youre having trouble with elements heres a few ideas but no need to add them. Might a healer whos seen one too many field hospitals after a brutal siege just stop caring enough to heal effectively? Which is why you need to attach a heavy price. It may sound similar to Avatar but it is growing. The first and probably most important aspect of magic is its source. A waterbender cant control air or earth or fire. 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. Paint can hold curses that are also genetic (curses can make a person stronger but the price is extremely high) The key traits of a soft magic system are outlined in the graphic below. This isnt a formula for magic systems, but a guide for those not sure where to start or what exactly is a magic system. He shrugged and complained, feeling too tired to trudge away from comfort. Light 405 Favourites 13 Comments 43.8K Views Revised and translated version of this. 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. Creating a system from scratch can feel incredibly overwhelming. Also, I have another magic system that sort of more on the traditional side that Ive been wrestling with for my story. So, basically it will be a portal (or teleportation, in case if anyone makes the bond from surrounding air blob, for example). So this sentence: What do you think? While it can be fun to have wacky spells, wouldnt it be even cooler if you could reveal how your wacky spells all click together? Random Treasure Generator. Below, Ive outlined six general steps you can follow to forge an effective magic system for your story. If the mage could deal great damage, at the same time protect themselves, and had no limit in the form of mana, either, why have any other party members at all? Creating a rational magic system allows you to add realism and depth to your world while still leaving room for new and interesting changes. I also thought about adding elementals (People that impersonate a specific emotion and can change when overloaded with emotion) and some lore. Of course, its possible. Im definitely not saying these problems are insurmountable, just that I do need to think a lot about them. In the fourth book, Harry doesnt know any flying spells, so he uses the Summoning Spell to call his broomstick. It would foreshadow his powers at the end of the story, when he faces off against Voldemort controlling all types of magic. The second Twist to my setting is that the magic in my world is in fact technological in origin, Yep, Im doing the whole forgotten tech trope :-), The Grey Death is in fact a invasive form of Nanotechnology, accidentally released into the public. Origami, cutting, painting, burning. Some people make a long-term contract with a particular spirit to channel its energy themselves, with the spirit becoming the casters familiar.