Spirits that become familiars dont affect ambient energy levels, making casters bound to them potential weapons, but also wild cards (whether theyll help you depends on both their own desires and their familiars). Im using the elements as chemical states and even nature transforms between them (ice to water, water to steam, or the other way around for water). However, most societies dont have the resources to crank out wizards. If your loved one is dying from a gunshot wound, youve a lot less time to bargain. That was confusing enough that I have difficulty figuring out what the posts premise is, but I THINK Disney Magic would be a better example. Your answer could have huge ramifications for your world. 7 Considerations for Writing Fantasy Magic and Magic Systems - JD Stanley The Interferer group split apart eventually and the two factions warred and almost killed all of the Conduits, but reached a treaty saying that they wouldnt kill anymore Conduits (Interferers need Conduits to do anything), but Conduits are still rare and fought over. And the other main faction (dont have a name for them yet) use mainly defensive magic like using a shield just strong enough to protect them from immediate danger and phasing (though still thinking about what that would entail) and others I cant think of at the moment and still trying to think of more. I just finished the entire creation story because of these questions as well as creating a more refined system of magic in my book! If you're using this generator, you might also find the Magical Artifact Generator useful. I was literally thinking How can I make a magic system thats as good as Avatar? and this article answered that question nicely. 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. 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. Most often, your audience should see the effects of magic but not the cause. Magicians are taught to learn about the natural forces within magic if they want to better control them. We've covered the source, the wielders and they way they wield power, but we still need to cover one of the biggest factors of magic, which is the power itself. Why are naiads more rare and powerful than tree nymphs? I also had the idea that there would be some very powerful, old spirits who have long-standing contracts with humanity as a whole. You could use a rock-paper-scissors relationship where earth beats air, but air beats water, water beats fire, and fire beats earth. However, I think vital your point about how a magic feels. Tolkiens magic confuses people who are looking for rules because no one sits down and says what the rules areto really understand whats going on that one has to delve into all his works (including letters and unfinished stories). ), Given how late it is, I hope this makes SOME sort of sense :-S. Thanks alot for your thoughts, it looks interesting! Thats really cool. Shapechangers all use either the strong or weak nuclear forces, and telekinetics and poltergeists use gravity. There is a certain logic to the magic in Harry Potter, too, but its never completely explained, because the magic only serves the purposes of the story. For Interferers to use magic energy, they have to maintain physical contact with a Condit, and if they lose contact they have to use up their remaining energy quickly, as it will burst out of them randomly otherwise (in a few minutes). This generator gives you names for their various alliances, covens, and clubs. They are infused with magic, its part of their genetic makeup. 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. Knowing what spell-casting is capable of is pretty important, if you havent decided that, I would think on it. If I use strength to push a boulder, that boulder gets the amount of energy while moving (with a little bit of entropy when it comes to friction, of course). If they need hand gestures to do magic, they cant do it while tied up. Calm Creature. Or it could indeed be a matter of merely thinking things into existence specific ability necessary. The only difference is Life energy contained in every living creature, and every creature has own Mind ball in place of real brain. Thelema, Goetia, Gematria, Thaumaturgy, Alchemy, Hermeticism? Dryads are usually depicted as tree spirits, or tree nymphs. Vindictive/less scrupulous ones will take the opportunity to ask for more than youd normally give. Of course, I wasnt interested in my universe following all of the laws of physics in our universe. 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. The knots must be undone, causing the reverse effect as the original magic, and rewoven into the fabric of reality. Anyone can use it, the power doesnt come from the gods, but you do have to follow a recipe. It doesnt take years of training. 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). Fantasy worldbuilding Magic systems Scifi worldbuilding Make Full-Time Passive Income From Book Sales FREE Creative Writer Class: How to Write & Publish a Fiction Book Taught by a Bestselling Author with YEARS of experience doing JUST THIS! Unlimited power allows for enormous epic battles, but you'll have to create tension by adding other forms of limitations, perhaps skill based or type based. Practically everyone uses it in their daily life. Emotion-based powers arent impossible, just easy to do in a way thats ultimately unsatisfying. Robert Asprins MYTH novels actually do a good job limiting magic in a similar way. Rowling has cherry picked her source material from myths that cross many cultures, Irish, Celtic, Greek, Welsh, Slavic, etc. the interactions between spells of opposing Wizards. Do you want to bring in some elemental control? Here we will get into seven different bases to help you create your unique magic system. Thisbook extrapolated the authors theory that this means that by our observation of the universe we are in fact playing some role in creating it and that that bolsters the philosophical school again, dont remember its name or nearly as much as I should if I hadnt been such a bloody stoner all through college ;) that each individual lives in their own separate universe which they create or have a part in shaping. These properties can give limitations but also make some stronger. These are some questions you should ask when you brainstorm. I have seen several people on StackExchange Worldbuilding, for instance, and commenters on the HPMOR fanfic, talk about how changing natural laws can cause problems and criticize many writers lack of thought about this. Magic isnt real, so it can be anything we want. The brain does use relatively weak energy for thinking, so that would not reach far. The protagonist doesnt understand Naming well either, so we never expect him to solve major plot problems using soft magic. I would use something else than Gluttons. Ask yourself what effects will help your protagonists solve the problems presented in your plot, and what effects will be fun to write about. If a villain is gloating about killing the heros friend, the hero gets really angry, they attack with powers drawn from their newfound fury, and then the villain *still* crushes them before mocking them for their pathetic temper tantrum, then the audience isnt going to establish a connection between sudden emotional outbursts and conflict resolution. Weft threads are what complete the fabric, what is woven through the warp to add the unique characteristics of the fabric (e. g., a 3/1 twill for denim or a satin weave for silk). And I had trouble writing with what nature aspects nymphs, dryads, and naiads would relate to, so I went with that. Wavelength: Determines how strong the affect it has And if they can add energy to it, it sounds like they have to absorb that energy like a conduit. It would also bring a limit, because the ley lines dont exist everywhere. To give them an exceptional ability that stands out from the masses, change or break one rule youve established for your magic system. So the way the world works is that this physical world we see and interact with is one of an infinite number, which exists on one of the 12 Planes of Existence. Your patronage keeps this site running. This works the same for all energy types. I want to encourage writers and worldbuilders to stray from this formula. ie: Water beats Fire, but MY level 5 Fireball beats YOUR level 3 Ice Wall. For which Ive added some more rules: It is divided into two domains: the stone, minerals, and metals of the land, and the flora and fauna of the natural world. o_o. I have recently, but have wrote before, in my world created a new magic systems. As fun as fantastical powers can be to write, crafting your magic system with care is key. If youre curious about the source You could explain telekinesis (telepathy, too, I guess) with having invisible energy arms which are connected to your body and grab the object in question (or create a connection to another being for telepathy). The source should give you an idea for how it might become available. OK that was alot and I totally understand if you choose to use none of my ideas or stopped reading halfway through, these are just my thoughts based on my research on how our world works physically and metaphysically. ), 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. ), 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. However, you can mix pieces of magic plants and animals in a pot and get powerful effects. SWAMP, kind of based off of iguanas in design, rare chance of getting magic. Now, of course, this is magic and doesnt have to follow real life but by the same token, as in real physics, it doesnt necessarily have to seem sensible to humans (think of how weird quantum mechanics is). There might be countless possibilities, but it will take countless years to figure it out. 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. I shall now splurge it out here If you like it, and you think you can bend it to fit your idea, then go for it!! How could a magic user be defeated? Perhaps then these powers could actually be based on nanobots or even totally new forces and particles that are not visually detectable. Another way of looking at sources is from a material point of view. 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). You need to think it through and you need to make it understandable for the reader, because otherwise they cant imagine your world and they cant dive into it which is why people read stories. These symptoms will get worse over time. Our physical universe is merely the extent that we can see with our mortal Perceptions limits. Im now looking for consistency. Because soft magic is often used by characters other than the protagonist, you should think about who the wielders will be. Iroh or Azulah are already pushing it when they control lightning (which could qualify both as air or fire). Or some other options?.. Thats a larger imbalance. Can they absorb a gust the then use that to start a fire, or can they only use it to create a stronger gust? Im sorry. the primary topics discussed in a story). See the LessWrong articles Universal Fire and Universal Law for one explanation of how all physical laws are tied together. Group B dont have magic at all. Probably best if I give you an example. Because that makes it much more obvious and harder to forgive if you do need to break a rule for plot. Learn everything you need to know about grammar. Maybe they are all for structural integrity, without them the world explodes outward into the vacuum of nothingness. So I would greatly appreciate some constructive feedback back. Or make your telepath one who can only read minds when touching someone else (Vulcans from Star Trek work telepathy that way). 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. One might be cost, but only if your magic source is limited. The steps of rituals are based on hearsay, so its hard to know whats actually necessary. Id especially suggest that, because your holy magic is used by priests, so it, too, is tied to the gods. Each blob of energy could be bound to the other blob of the same type of energy and it will result in kind of quantum entanglement from real physics everything what happens with on blob will happens with other blob. Sorry for the late reply I had went out for the past few days. Although, to be fair, I do see the magic in everything - nature, science, writing. 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. Terrifying. An alchemist transmutes lead into gold. 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. In addition, there are no boundaries on what magic could theoretically do in the Potterverse. When the nanites detect the presence of something within a host, the nanites become active, forcibly altering & rebuilding the subjects body from the inside out. I forgot to mention the Towers :(. Otherwise, how can the effect of the knot be decided? 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. This could also link in nicely culture and tradition (festivals on summer or winter solace to celebrate the Mother). Some dimensions have a lot of energy and a lot of lines, others have few. This same punishment theory may explain why humans are killed for trying to harness and redistribute sunlight. Just because there are rules doesnt mean theyre rational. I have three ways to get magic, and four types of magic, and several races of dragon. I think rule based magic is important for worldbuilding, not novel writing. was really misleading. Roughly, looks like extended noun+verb system, right? You will always need to wing it there, because you introduce something which has no base in our worlds reality. 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. (And I LOVE the idea of sea water improving magical power- its like a psudeo science in the sense that you could say that the Sea Water makes the magic (like electricity) conduct better and so being around it over long periods would wear off on you and make you more powerful? Hard magic is one where the audience knows about the rules of magic, so it seems to me that your mention of convey[ing] the rules of your system might actually be referring to hard magic. Mind energies are bit different: they could be bonded with any type of energy. 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). Just knowing how everything works can go a long way. Their eyes are blinded and their organs fail. Magic creation guide - Roll for Fantasy However, Im not sure whether adding a new field, force, particle, etc. Which is why you need to attach a heavy price. Note that this does NOT prove energy is conserved (at least I dont think so), it means that if energy is not conserved, the laws of physics must change over time this applies even if magic is involved. In the Shadow and Bone series by Leigh Bardugo, all Grisha have to serve the King. that were made by the gods. Magic, though commonplace, isnt an essential element in fantasy fiction. If you use magic (or psychic powers) like a Deus Ex Machina, enabling your magic users (or psychics) to do whatever the story needs, without any understandable reason why they can do all this, you have something else. Generate random magic shops with items from the d20 SRD. The Living Mother dreads chaos and wants balance. thanks for the feedback! There are many assumptions in this article, it only focused on a small, known part of magic. A basic form of mana manipulation is cloaking their bodies in mana to protect them from harm (sort of like Aura in RWBY). 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. Harry realizes what hes done and looks for a counter-spell, instead of just hopelessly thinking Oh no! This is super helpful, thanks so much for taking the time to write it and to provide examples. Plot-wise, yes. 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. ), the rarest of the three. Combustial (fire) It does, although thats what I want to do. Who knows! Hope I dont sound like a rabid Potterhead but I dont think its irrational! > 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. Spell description generator - Fantasy name generators 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? There is no right way to build a magic system. How was magic created? And the One became Two, Two became Three, and Three became All Things, (Actions) The random Magic Type Generator is a free online tool that lets you generate random Magic Type content for your fantasy or writing project with the click of a button. 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. (For the record, though, strong emotion results in power use isnt actually a element I like in a system.). Limits then usually come from the strength of the effects (a limit to the area spells can target or the number of spells a mage can use before resting). I gave the most basic rundown I could. Fire, transformation and order are strongly associated with this system of magic. Water was taken and later give back. The Harry Potter series is a splendid examplewe know what spells Harry can do, while we never find out the exact bounds of Voldemorts magical abilities. What I dont agree with is the idea that there is somehow an objective way to determine whether the rules of magic make sense or not, as magic isnt real and what is considered natural is culture-dependent. 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 If so, what differentiates them? Random Treasure Generator. If I knew that I could kill every jerk i know unapologetically and without remorse, and be assured that someone would be returned to life as a result of that action then whats stopping me from just killing indiscriminately all the time? If you do, how will you split the elements between the two sides? Worldbuilding sheet: Magic systems - v2 - DeviantArt Eg- How fast you can make the ball move (The heavier the object the slower it moves) I agree. I would think about the ways that physicists would classify energy kinetic energy (movement), electrical energy, heat and let your characters manipulate those. but humanity is creative and designs massive jammers that are able to disable the nanites that enter within X radius of them. Theres not much description sticking in my mind about the details of the contest, which tends to indicate to me how orders-of-magnitude outclassed of a mismatch Tolkien considered this one on the spiritual level he viewed as most important, since if theres one thing Tolkien excels at, its birlliant and poetic description of the details of those elements he viewed as important to convey in his work, which he approached with the carefully thought out professionalism he drew from his years in the academic world as professor and often chair of various university departments, most I believe relating to linguistics and literature, in particular of the Anglo-Saxon and Norse cultures (though the Welsh Mabinogion seems also to have influenced the development of Middle Earth and in fact some of the names, particularly of the Dwarves, were lifted directly from there check the Mabinogi of KILHWCH AND OLWEN; OR THE TWRCH TRWYTH, which basically explains the collection of the legendary royal treasures in terms of a pig hunt which in turn was demanded by the Bad-guy Ogre Father of the Heros Love Interest (basically because he was prophesied to, um, you know, DIE when his daughter was married, so he was REALLY interested in being as difficult a crusty old bastard as possible in terms of legendarily impossible tasks he was going to demand of his prospective son-in-law as the bride price. These expeditions have all been disaster, as the concentration of Ghoul (better then Specters at least) is much higher in those areas. Seventh Sanctum: Magic Generators I feel that doing so, would provide some much needed structure as I go through the worldbuilding process but Im worried that it could make my Mages feel less wizardy, and more like X-men? That was exactly what i thought! You might want to read them. A grammar checker, style editor, and writing mentor in one package. This is one of the most exciting things about writing fantasy: getting to design your own magic system. All of nature is in motion and all of natures motion serves to restore its own balance. Isnt that glove from the Aladdin TV series? 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. Havent figured out the second point quite yet. And this is why I post my ideas on places like this someone will ask the really obvious questions I forgot to ask myself. Forms of magic include water magic, healing magic, potion making, and purification. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Become a patron and chat with us on Discord. 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. Magical creatures all have an innate connection to one of the forces, which they can use in ways dictated by the kind of creature that they are. Viewpoint characters dont use magic and the audience doesnt understand how it operates. If the story needs someone to tell Luke and the others on the Falcon something terrible happened at the other end of the galaxy, the Force can provide Obi-Wan with the necessary information through a vision of sorts. Motion/kinetic energy: you stop an object in its tracks. There could be just one type your system is already very interesting or more than one. It depends on how you build up your magic system. If Luke needs to suddenly call out for help while hes hanging below a floating city, he can make contact with Leia (without their relationship already being an item). 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. Thanks a million! Lets say powers are granted by a changing lineup of gods, and the ocean goddess has three children that control the wind, waves, and depths. powerful mages who control transportation but do not rule (again, difficult). Once again, grab a sheet of paperthis time to brainstorm magical sources. If you are the child of a Given and you are born with magic, you are called a Twisted mage, and have the same powers as your Given parent. Post time-skip, with my second protagonist, magic is rarer due to shifts in the spirit world and how humans access it. Its crazy long but definitely adds logic to the system :D and its a nerdy heaven. Each time Harry, Ron, and Hermione find themselves in danger, they can only escape that danger using magic that weve already seen them learn. Though some have tried since the beginning, it has been deemed impossible for a human to harness and redistribute sunlight.