OK I'm wondering if this can work out as a system, critiques/personal attacks welcome Magical beasts (not normal animals, there's a difference in my world) have a core of crystalline magic that acts as their engine. Kill them before they use it all and die, and you get to use what magic is left. Crystals are rechargeable to an extent, and they can be concentrated to make stronger, more capable crystals. But you have to kill the monster quick, because if it exaysts itself fighting you, you get a crap crystal. Crystals can have elemental atributes, making it easier to cast spells in tune with that element, or neutral, which has no bonuses or detriments
It sounds like an interesting, fairly original system, but whether it works is up to you. You have to make it work. Is that enough of a personal attack?
It sounds intriguing. How are the crystals recharged? And does everyone know about this? I feel like these magical beasts would be hunted into extinction pretty quickly if everyone were running around killing them for their core crystals.
Maybe they are 1) protected by law, 2) farmed for sustainability, and/or 3) so tough that less-powerful hunters don't bother them?
I was thinking a combination of the 3. a magical beast has 3 tiers- "herbivore" tier eats plants, dirt, water,air, or anything else with potent magic content, and metabolize this to a crystal. These are plentiful and some are farmed as livestock, in dungeon-like farms. People hunt in these farms with a guide employed by the farm. Tier 2 are the carnivores. These eat the herbivores for their crystals. Harder to farm and hunt, but they are worth it. Tier 3 are the apex predators. They eat anything they want. Crystals can be refilled if you choose with your own energy, but they're better drained and then filled with a specific effect. (A potion or grenade perhaps?)
I'm thinking that the bodies of magical creatures are also more valuable than that of non- magic creatures. And magic is redistributed when used. Say you use a fire spell- you get the effect and when the spell "decays" it's back to pure mana and can be re-metabolized by whatever eats it.
Sounds pretty cool. Not much of a magic system yet though. It explains where the power comes from, but how do you use it? Do you just absorb the power? Do you have to ingest it? Burn it? And what limitations are there (besides having to kill a magical beast to use it)? Once you have a crystal can you perform any 'spell' you want, or does it depend on what beast you kill?
Kind of reminds me of Soul jems in the game Oblivion (and the other elder scrolls i think) where you can trap the soul of a creature in a Soul Jem and then use it to power magical items. I think it's a pretty good idea that you could do a lot with. I could imagine a world like that having some kind of industry set around farming the crystals and possibly laws to protect overfarming, or maybe even people protesting against it.
Final Fantasy MMO: Kill creatures -> harvest elemental crystals -> use crystals as the energy source to make goods. Final Fantasy 14 took this to an extreme end, but scaled it back a little. Though crystals do not "recharge" and they are expended regardless of the success or failure.
Are the crystals used like batteries, connected to devices which cast the spell? Do the crystals dissolve as they're used, or are you left with a bunch of rocks when you're done?
This sounds like an excellent prospect. Just keep in mind that if these creatures are too weak, or too stupid, they will be hunted to extinction. Make them strong, make them cunning and elusive. Be sure that most hunters end up dead, torn and mutilated. Make the creatures dangerous, but valuable. But this is all my take, so do what you want.
