Across alternate worlds there are forces that can be called upon which seemingly act against
the laws of nature.
Some are mystical forces that bind all things together, unknowable and seemingly without limit.
Others are strict and clear, providing a reliable solution to various problems and the foundation
of entire civilizations.
These forces go by many names, but are generally known as magic.
While trying to categorize such mysterious powers may seem foolhardy, a magic system
is one of the most critical elements of many worlds and its applications or limits are
equally important.
Today on Incoming, we investigate the elements of magical systems.
In order to understand the basic structure of magic system design, we’ll be working
with the 3 Laws of Magic Systems as defined by Brandon Sanderson, which are:
1 - The ability to solve conflict with magic is directly proportional to how well the reader
understands said magic, 2 - Limitations must be greater than the power,
and 3 - Expand upon what already exists in the
system before adding anything new.
We’ll be referring back to these rules as we analyze various magic systems, but before
we can do that, we need to look at how magic can be categorized.
Magic systems often fall on a scale from “soft” to “hard”.
Soft magic is defined by its mystery and lack of clear rules.
It’s an ethereal and mystical presence that few can comprehend.
The magic used by the Istari of Middle Earth is an excellent example of a soft magic system.
It is ancient, unknowable, unpredictable, and very few in Middle Earth understand it
well enough to wield it.
On the other side is hard magic, where every practitioner has a clear understanding of
the magic - what it can do, what it can’t, and how to do it.
On the world of Scadrial, a magic user, such as an Allomancer, must consume a specific
metal to gain a specific ability.
Its use is limited to those who possess a genetic predisposition and those who use this
ability too much become physiologically damaged.
Through its use we understand exactly how this magic system works and its inherent limitations.
But what does it matter how well magic is understood, or why bother analyzing the use
of magic in the first place?
Sanderson’s First Law of Magic states that “the ability to solve conflict with magic
is directly proportional to how well the reader understands said magic”.
This means that if your audience doesn’t understand how the magic works, it should
rarely be used to solve problems.
Magic that the audience doesn’t understand that’s used to solve conflicts comes across
as contrived and unearned.
If magic is suddenly used to call forth a race of creatures or beings to immediately
solve some central problem, it can come across as an unearned magical solution.
It’s much more dramatic and interesting if magic causes problems, doesn’t behave
in the expected way, or is neutralized somehow, rather than relying on the magic as a deus
ex machina.
It is more interesting and rewarding when those who can use magic are forced to rely
on their own wits and cleverness to solve their problems, or instead fail and are forced
to solve a new and greater problem.
This principle should be applied universally.
Those who seek to bend magic to serve their own dark purposes are often defeated by their
own ambition and underestimation of the power they’re wielding.
But in order for this to be satisfying, the magic has to be established and be known to
behave unpredictably or it can feel cheap and lazy.
The Ark of the Covenant is rumoured to contain the power of God and any army that carries
it before them would be invincible.
We also know that the Ark is meant to be a tool against evil, not the means of world
domination.
When the Ark was opened and the Nazis were punished by its power and ultimately consumed
by their greed, we are left feeling vindicated when their faces melt.
If we hadn’t known about the Ark’s mystical history and powers, we might not have believed
its effects on the Nazis could happen.
If, however, there is a clear understanding how magic works in the world and the limits
imposed on those who wield it, then there is a lot of latitude to use magic to solve problems.
A solution based entirely on magic, but one that follows the rules of the magic system,
ensures the application of that magic remains grounded, consistent, and plausible.
For example, some magic wielders are born with an ability to “bend” a single element,
water, earth, fire, or air, and their powers are limited to only that element, with a single
notable exception.
So long as problems solved by element bending don’t break this First Law, no solution
would feel unearned.
Hard magic systems also allow for greater personalization as different characters manifest
or manipulate the magic in unique or creative ways, perhaps as a reflection of the character’s
values, beliefs, and intelligence.
In a hard system, magic is treated and utilized like any other tool or weapon - the character’s
skill and experience with the tool is what’s impressive, not the magic itself.
It can also act as an abstract externalization of the character’s internal journey, growing
and changing as the character grows and changes.
Of course, there are also many examples of magic systems that don’t fall on only one
side of the spectrum.
The magic practiced by the wizards and witches of Hogwarts lands somewhere in between soft
and hard.
The magical possibilities are endless, but a witch or wizard is bound by the spells they
have learned, practiced, and developed.
They are limited by their knowledge, but if they know how to create a giant swirling ball
of water to trap someone, they can.
The Second Law of Magic states that limitations in the magic system must be greater than the power.
Either there are more limitations on its use or the limitations are more powerful than
the magic itself.
Harry Potter is limited by the spells he knows and the knowledge he’s gained and waterbenders
cannot bend outside of their element.
By stating clear and easy to follow limitations, the audience understands exactly how far the
magic can go and can be surprised by clever ways the characters circumvent these limitations
or use them against their enemies.
Limitations can also manifest as a cost - such as an internal well of energy or power that
depletes as the magic is used, or through physical sacrifice.
Some Alchemists across alternate worlds for instance can only transmute with all the components
and matter needed to make their desired object.
The cost here is the materials they need to gather in order to transmute, and failure
to use these materials can end up costing a literal arm and leg.
Another limitation is weakness - either a character’s weakness or a weakness in the
magic itself.
This one is less common, but it can be an interesting way to build sympathy for a character,
and allow the creator to really force the character to rely on their other skills and abilities.
Superman is vulnerable to Kryptonite, which takes away his abilities entirely and we become
invested, waiting to see how he solves this unique problem.
Superman is a symbol of hope not merely because of his powers, but because even when stripped
of his superhuman abilities he is able to solve problems through his diplomacy, charisma,
compassion, and intelligence.
Finally, if a magic wielder is going to develop a new ability, it should be a natural extension
of a power they already possess.
People build on their existing skills and innovation is driven by what a person already
understands.
Famed Earthbender Toph Beifong is able to invent metalbending because it’s a more
refined version of the element she has already mastered.
It’s an expansion, not an addition and one that doesn’t feel cheap or unearned.
It doesn’t change or break any rules, but it allows for many new and creative solutions
to problems.
A natural and logical progression of powers and abilities grounds your magic system and
gives it a sense of growth and change, much like how technology, another problem solving
tool, grows and changes.
We’ve analyzed the structure of magic systems, but what about the style?
How the magic actually looks and behaves?
Magical styles have an enormous amount of variety, and can be combined, contrasted,
or decocted.
Magical styles can be Learned or Innate.
Learned meaning that the practitioner spends time developing and practicing these skills,
where innate magic is something someone is born with and knows how to use instinctively.
There can be elements of both qualities in any and all styles, but magical styles typically
fall into a pattern that looks like this:
Alchemical - potions and brews where the wrong ingredient at the wrong time can mean disaster,
as the Fullmetal Alchemist discovers, Ritualistic or Symbolic - where each spell
must be written down with utmost care or one chalk line can make the difference between
success and failure, like the spells Willow casts to help her friend Buffy,
Spoken - where each spell must be said with the proper annunciation or it doesn’t work,
such as Harry Potter’s incantations or the true names of Earthsea,
Shamanistic - where the practitioner reaches a spiritual state that allows them to see
or interact with the world in a special way, like Doctor Strange’s astral projections,
Enchanted objects - mysterious objects such as jewelry imbued with an ancient power such
as the One Ring to rule them all, Elemental - Where classical elements from
alchemy like water, earth, fire, and air or perhaps others can be manipulated in magical
ways, like the Avatar’s bending ability, Psychic - Where a practitioner of magic can
manipulate objects or people using only their mind, such as The Force or Pennywise’s ability
to morph into someone’s worst fear, And Religious - Where powers are bestowed
on a mortal by the will of a god or pantheon, like those granted by the powers of Chaos.
Of course these are only the most prevalent categorizations.
Magic can manifest in many different ways that defy more traditional archetypes.
Magic also doesn’t have to fall into only one style and even within the same world.
Different systems might exist that might be placed on different ends of the soft-hard
spectrum.
The warging abilities utilized by greenseers and other followers of the Old Gods are well
defined, we understand exactly what the capabilities and costs are.
By contrast, the Red Priests of R’hllor practice a dark sacrificial ritual magic that
can be difficult even for them to fully understand - placing their abilities on the soft side
of the scale.
But how is magic integrated into the world?
How common is it?
Is it omnipresent like in the Earth Kingdom, or consigned to the mists of antiquity as
in Westeros?
Does it only manifest in magical creatures like Pokemon?
How long does it take to master or learn?
How does the magic affect a world’s economy, religion, culture, justice and education systems?
How old is magic?
How would the presence of magic have affected the ecology and evolution of the flora and
fauna?
If alchemists have been brewing their potions for thousands of years and they consistently
use one particular flower, what happens to the economy of the kingdom if that flower
dies because of a parasite?
Are magic users celebrated, or are they incarcerated and repressed?
What happens with the absence of magic?
If it were suddenly to disappear, how would society be affected?
How would perception towards it change?
These questions can start from the top down, asking the broader world-encompassing aspects
like how the ecology of the Kingdom would be affected by magic, or the bottom up, starting
with the tiny details like how doors work in a society that can change the shape of
earth around them, or middle out, taking the elements that land somewhere in between like
how a magical school would work as an educational institution.
Ways to approach answering these questions is best left to another Incoming episode,
but this should serve as enough of a baseline to build a plausible magic system.
Figuring out where your system lands on the hard/soft scale and which primary style you’ll
use can function as a framework for answering the big questions and will give the anatomy
of your magic system and help you narrow down which existing systems you can use for inspiration.
But naturally all this is just my opinion, which means it is simultaneously irrefutable
and dubius, fact and legend.
Both beyond question and yet malleable.
Known to all, and yet none.
But what do you think?
Did I forget some critical examples of magical styles?
Do you disagree with how a certain style was categorized?
Is the real magic found in the smile of a child?
Let me know in the comments below.
If you’re interested in the Three Laws of Magic and would like to read the essays that
inspired this episode, a link can be found in the description.
Until next time, this has been Incoming.
The Templin Institute investigates alternate worlds and realities.
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