Magic and fantasy go hand-in-hand. If you want to read more, check out the article that covers magic fantasy. You might be wondering what goes into creating a magic system? You think it’s easy but it’s more complex than just tossing in a wizard who can mutter spells and calling it a day. You have to develop your own system, your own set of guidelines, in how magic operates in your world.
Magic functions differently in many worlds. In some cases, it’s encouraged — think of Harry Potter for example — whereas in others, users are looked down on. Only a select few possess magical abilities in some settings. However, in other worlds, everyone has it.
Creating your magic system is a vital necessity in world-building. While it’s easy to copy from other works, it’s better if you developed your own unique system. Originality counts a lot here. There’s a few guidelines you need to keep in mind and this article is designed to help you devise a system that’s unique to your world
Three important components go into creating a magic system:
This article will go over each in detail, so let’s dive in!
The first thing to consider when it comes to creating a magic system is the world. Like everything else, magic has its own place.
Think about how people view it. Is it good or bad? Does magic help make their lives better or are their lives more difficult because of it? Can anyone perform spells or is that power only reserved for a select few? Can it be used everywhere or not?
Another thing to take into account is whether it’s looked upon favorably by the majority of its residents. In some worlds, sorcerers and wizards are revered for their great contributions in advancements in magic and helping better everyone’s lives.
On the other side of the coin, some societies expressly forbid the use of magic and violators are punished severely. This means people who possess such witchcraft must keep it to themselves, lest they be made an example of.
Is magic fading as time marches on? Are people rejecting it, in favor of technology? Is it because technology is more accessible to a larger number of people than magic? There’s natural tension between magic and technology and such tension can add a powerful dynamic to the story.
As civilizations advance in technology, the need for magic declines. Why bother powering up my house with magic when I can use electricity all the time? Wizards and other users become looked at as relics of the past. They become outcasts of society and before long, magic disappears from the world, never to return.
Magic and technology are opposing forces and this tension permeates the world. This tension adds a complexity to the world as sorcerers and technocrats have to navigate both external and internal politics that favor one side or the other. Moreover, these two sides constantly work to win the hearts and minds of the people.
But what if that tension didn’t have to exist? Advancements in technology doesn’t necessarily have to come at the expense of magic. Why, you can have them work in tandem, a fusion if you will. Instead of building machines by hand which can take hours, just flick your wand to quickly assemble it and it’s done in a few minutes.
That fusion can extend to medicine and battle. You could use magic to attach a machine arm to an one-armed patient without him having to undergo surgery, enabling him to live a full live. Perhaps you could transplant a prosthetic heart without having to cut him open? In battle, you could cast a spell that instantly heals all your troops after suffering a bruising attack. It all comes down to your imagination!
The second part of creating a magic system is its set of rules. These rules govern the use of magic. They’re also meant to prevent abuse, to ensure that those with magic cannot take advantage of those with none.
What are the rules?
Of course, you could always opt to enable them. If you do so, have it come at a great cost. Perhaps resurrecting a lost loved one means you lose your power? Or changing the past leads to you no longer existing?
How do you implement it in your world? In some worlds, there’s a government that monitors all magical activity, like the Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter, and punishes those who break the law. Other places have no central government, leaving it to the powers of the world to establish their own rules on the use of magic.
The third and last part of creating a magic system is the cost of using it. There’s a cost to everything and magic’s no exception. With great power comes great responsibility. Sorcerers and other users must consider how using it affects them, which dictate how often they can use it.
The majority of worlds just have physical exhaustion as the cost of using it. Wielding such awesome power taxes the user, tiring him. This cost is simple to implement as the energy to use it is easily replenished by either sleeping or eating or drinking something that will give you more energy.
The second cost is your soul. Using magic for evil purposes corrupts the user’s heart, sending him down a dark path. The more someone uses it for evil, the more he loses his soul. Before long, he’s just a shell of himself and only a vessel for evil. You see this in works such as Harry Potter where Tom Riddle, in the process of becoming Voldemort, became more twisted as he delved deeper into the dark arts.
Another cost is the time needed for magic to recharge. This is typically featured in video games. The player character (PC) has a special meter where once it runs out, he has to wait for it to recharge. This is designed to prevent the PC from abusing it. Skyrim and The Legend of Zelda come to mind. Players can either wait a few seconds for it to recharge or they can drink potions that replenish it immediately.
A core component of fantasy world-building, the magic system you develop depends on what kind of world you’re making. The way of the world dictates how magic is viewed and whether it’s accepted by the majority of its citizens. Decide whether magic and technology are at odds with each other or if they’re allies. Magic has its own set of rules and it comes with its own costs.
When creating a magic system, don’t rush it. Take as much time as you need to make it because it’ll play a large role in your world and it’ll impact your story. Put your unique spin on it. It’ll help you stand out from the others.
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