I've been told by my friend that he cannot make heads or tails of my magic system. I always pictured it having a leveling system, similar to RPGs. The more they level the more they can do. For example, a level one can heal minor cuts and scrapes but a serious, and life-threatening cut will wear them out or they must heal it in stages; a level 10 can do heal the life-threatening injury without breaking a sweat. As the wizard levels, he can store and use more magic at once and perform more complicated spells. Once he becomes level 15, then his magic celebrates each level by a sizzling display of sparks at their feet followed by a magic effect like chains spiraling up. As for the spells themselves, they range from simple healing to complex manipulation of elements like water or time itself. Aden's been known to use a combination of spells to seek out, find and capture amulets planted from the evil king that grows into metal monsters and tuck them into a time stop hoop of holding to be disposed of later. Fireballs, water balls, shields, and telekinesis Aden uses them all as he gains in power. Now, what I want to know is examples of magic systems. Am I being too broad as to what my hero can do or do you think it's fine to have a wizard with the primary element of water able to temporarily stop time in an enclosed space based on the cryogenic theory?
I don’t see how levelling would work in a story if I’m honest. Let’s take sports for example, people have various different levels, and are therefor categorised into the appropriate level, however this doesn’t mean that everyone at Olympic level can do all the same abilities, nor at beginners level. So to you, how do you see a level? Why can’t the mage not use a greater heal at level 1, but can as soon s/he’s the right level, can? Would they fail completely, or gradually be able to do better? Secondly, be careful with time manipulations, as it can create very quickly story destroying loopholes.
I've dealt with similar issues in developing my magic system. It all comes done to answering one question: "What is magic and how does it work?" Yea, that's pretty close to "What is the meaning of life, the universe and everything?" I didn't get the complete answer at once, but, eventually it did arrive. And, now that I have the answer, writing magic in my books is a lot easier. Still, I second @Gadock answer. Regardless, it needs to makes sense. Plus, not having everything explained or known creates tension and conflict, which is good for a story. Even though a line up of Olympic swimmers are basically all at the same level, we still don't know who is going to win the competition or even why. That is why we watch.
Well, in a story I'm making there are quite a few different Kinds of magic. So to start out, you need to explain what magic IS, what is the Energy, What gives Life, to the spells you are using. Is it just manipulation of what is around you? Is it the manipulation of the Energy in the body(Or soul). Is it manipulation of the energy around you, such as in plants, the air, and such? What is Magic. That's what you have to start with. Next, To use your 'leveling' system, so to speak. You need to make it far more natural. Like for instance, In mine. For a sorcerer, specifically, To get stronger, or better at their craft, they either need to get better catalysts, Learn more about the Recipe for whatever spell they are making(Such as H2o for water), or Just practice. Almost like muscle. It can't just be, OH YOU DID THIS ENOUGH TIMES, here's a level up! Unless you are literally in an RPG, Like virtual reality, which if that's the case, ignore everything I said. Go nuts. However if it's not the latter, then remember, for it to be in a natural world(Unless it's unlimited power) than there needs to be a plateau. Finally for your last question. It depends, Is the magic natural for him, or is it from a specific item? If it's the former, How did he come across time magic, is it simple for those of his world. And if it's the latter, how rare is Time based magical items, and if they are rare, then it'd be difficult to get ahold of. If there are magical items, How do they become magical? All these things are quite important, Because Time Manipulation can get into some pretty complex stuff. I'd need to know more to give anymore of an opinion on it.
We see questions like this almost on the weekly basis. To answer your question, learn what Allegory is and how to use it (namely in crafting yourself a magic system.) To be frank, I -and I imagine I'm not the only one- Magic systems are largely boring to read about and usually shallow. https://www.writingforums.org/entry/horror-a-study-on-cliver-barker-part-14-rawhead-rex.63836/ The above link is a look at how Clive Barker used Allegory to craft a monster in his story, Rawhead Rex.
Consistently is the rule I live by for such things. You get to write the rules but once you do, you're stuck with them. Unless your target demographic is d and d players I don't recommend actually referencing a level system in your work. If you see it that way and it helps you think. That is fine. I see no reason why not to keep a personal note book with each characters level as a way if helping you write but you really want to find a way to write the material without using it. Because if you state such a strong factor in the face of battle. It is gonna undercut the drama. As for the time stop by cryogenic theory. You mean freeze people in time with cold? Lol. I mean, in actual application, you'd kill people. So it is a bit.... Hard to swallow. Just me.
well, the time stop hoop of holding can only be used and made by a water wizard, since it uses water as the catalyst, sometimes even the biological water if Aden is unprepared. This is dangerous because he gets dehydrated quickly this way. Water is used because it freezes. However, the time stop hoop is for inanimate objects. If something living enters there is no change to them. So the growing metal objects that the villain sends over are defeated. There is a way to put people in statis using the time stop as a base but this is only temporary, much like putting someone in a coma to operate on them is temporary. As for the amulets that grow to monster portions, they have the extra mass attached to them in a space of holding. For example, the spider has a large hollow abdomen and inside is the holding space for the extra mass. No one dares to find out how big they can get, they've been known to absorb rocks and even other amulets in their quest to destroy their target. The only way to defeat them is to get them into a time stop hoop. However, I've been thinking about cutting both the time stop and the amulets out for something else, maybe just regular monsters that Aden must deal with that's trapped within the amulets and turned mean by the villian. This would give them a set size but still make them dangerous. I'll have to think about it and get feedback from the forum. Currently, magic comes natural to Aden. There aren't any magical items that someone previously turned magical. He absorbs magic energy from the air and manipulates it by his mind. The more he learns the more he can control and store, much like a magic muscle. The level system isn't just "oh you used this much magic here's a new level" it's more related to how much Aden can store and use at once. The more he uses the magic the easier it is to get more. At first his magic was wild, with energy buildups that forced him to use it or store it. A month later he was able to store it without problem, as his mind learned how to refine the magic and where to store it in his own unique energy. Not everyone has access to magic except by magic talents, one thing that everyone can do that isnt classified as magic. For example, Aden has second degree equal mass exchange as his talent. Anything he knows the wearabouts of he can exchange if they are the same mass. If they are not the same mass, say one is larger than the other then parts of the larger is left behind. (not unlike getting splinched in the Harry Potter books but I had the idea long before HP came out.) Usually it's minor parts like hair, or parts of a plant. Aden can choose what gets left behind, like the pot from a planter. I think I need to rethink my magic system to make it easier for the reader to understand. I like the idea of a wild period and love the magic talents, which is inspired by Peirs Antony's Xanth series. But the actual magic system for wizards itself might be a little confusing. Thanks for all your input and have a wonderful day!
Mystery is a good thing. It peeks the reader interest. In the LOTR, magic is never explained. In a Brian Sanderson book I read, the magic users didn't understand how magic worked, so, the reader followed them along as they tried to figure it out. To me, a good magic system has these three elements: Consistency Believably (within the fiction) Coolness
Oh yeah that is a good point. In this sense. Magic really falls under two categories. 1. Magic that "needs" an explanation. 2. Magic that "is" an explanation. @InsaneXade Both are equally fine in their own right. It is more important to understand which you are using because they require very different things. Take for example my magic system. It is differently one that needs an explanation. Because it is diverved from a source of energy and the energy can be used to create a simple list of effects. Thats it! lol. So, how the energy creates those effects is very important. The interesting thing about this system is that often times people explain my own system to me! Sounds strange but my system is just those short lists of effects and their various application. Often time after I explain them, people think up a new application I never thought of. And often time it fits my rules, so yeah! lol. I suppose this can to some degree work in the later type. Personally, your magic sounds like it is an explanation. Because it sounds like you want lots of random little things, such as growth and time stop. Which is fine! It just means you don't need to worry about explaining how time freeze works in the sense of why objects are not moving. You do need to explain why only some people can cast it and what conditions they can cast it. Otherwise an audience with wonder why they aren't using it at times that seem like it should be used.
well, the time stop requires at least a pound of water, an old-fashioned watch with gears (them new-fangled digital watches just won't do) and a water wizard. Depending on the size of the time stop, depends on how much water is needed. When Aden had to start with a house-sized one, he used about a quarter of his body's water and had to replenish it magically by absorbing water from a jug once his unicorn got him back to the king, but he also had to drink a lot to jumpstart his recovery. Anyhow, I'm thinking about rewriting that but I don't know how. First I need to rethink my magic system, rethink my characters, I have a vegetarian werewolf that needs more screen time somehow and a sister that needs the same. But that's neither here nor there in this thread. I need to start with the basics. The magic system. Magic is a tool that Aden and a few others use. As to where it comes from it is in the very air of Xade. Some people can use it, others just can't. Everyone has a magic talent, called simply their talent and has degrees specifying how powerful they are. Aden's father has first degree equal mass exchange, his mind goes where he wants to exchange, leaving his body vulnerable, but he can exchange anything anywhere or spy if he doesn't exchange. Meanwhile, another character has third, he must see them with his own two eyes, even if it's via camera. Other talents include teleporting, enhancement, intimidation, following any trail, walking on air, illusion and even self-healing. These are skills and talents that anyone has, some range from spot on the wall while others are powerful enough to be classified by the common folk as magic itself.
Well I always like magic systems, and are always interest to help those with systems that needs to have some different eyes looked at. Others have stated that there are two ways looking at it, needs and is, and they're quite alright in that description. Others call it soft and hard magic, and maybe you can look at the following page for further info. https://brandonsanderson.com/sandersons-first-law/
thanks for the interesting read. It was very informative and gave me food for thought. Does anyone else have any interesting thoughts about a magic system or any other essays about them?
