I have a magic system that I've already finished, but I'm not sure if the narrative relationship between them is well established.

On the one hand, there's the Custody, a more "natural" magic system, so to speak, which consists of linking to natural spirits to obtain powers, such as Retrocognition, healing, perception of intention (both things and people), and modification of the cohesion of objects. The weaknesses of the system are that whoever uses this power cannot leave the ecosystem to which their spirit belongs without losing their powers, and that the spirit has the dominant position in the relationship, since it can break the link at any time.

I wanted to make a "counterpart" to this magic system, one that felt "unnatural" in comparison, this one is called Pneumophagy, instead of linking to natural spirits you have to devour them to obtain powers, in this case three, the transformation of matter into basic substances, control over thermal energy, and the manipulation of the senses. It differs from the other system in that its users are not tied to the earth, so they can travel the world freely without losing power, and by not being linked to a third party, their power is only theirs. But as a cons the powers can only be applied to the user's body, and it is necessary to complement it with another system to be able to use its powers on others, and they are even unable to absorb magic from the earth, as the Custody does, to feed their powers without this other system.

On the one hand, the fact that it had less power than the Custody was intended to give the feeling that it is an incomplete system, that it is missing something. And on the other hand, the fact that a second system is required in order to be used efficiently has the same purpose, something that does not feel like it exists in nature, but was created and therefore has flaws in its design.

But I don't know if this relationship was established well or if it is missing something.

Blood writing/spitting

This is spitting blood into a circle to create a message, or more likely create an enchantment. These circles are hard to make and tied to the individual whose blood is used. Relatives of that person can also use that circle, but the circle must be renewed every 3 to 8 years. But maybe the power behind the enchantment builds every time the circle is renewed?

Messages left in blood can only be read by whoever provided the blood. This is why most blood spitters are related. Because they are both trying to keep the secrets in the family and also allow them to read messages left by their kin.

Anyone can learn blood spitting, but it takes real skill to remember all the patterns and recreate them perfectly.

I don't really have any ideas for enchantments at the moment.

Blood curing/ draining

Removing disease, wounds, or other maladies through draining blood from an individual. The worse the malady, the more blood is needed to cure it.

Unlike blood spitting, only a special few can learn blood draining.

Edit: Maybe enchantments come from the person the blood is taken from. They give up part of or all of an aspect of themselves, and it is sealed away into the circle. So you can give up 10 percent of your vision so the next user, a descendant perhaps, can see 10 percent better. Then, as these effects stack, eventually, you have a descendant that can see 100 percent better.

Also, the concept of mixed blood comes to mind. If a circle is comprised of mixed blood, all participants can use the circle with diminished effects. This might make an economy for enchantments to transfer strength or immune system to another person.

How would you characterise 5 types of runes for demons? Im trying to build a rune system for demons using inspiration from already “existing” demon sigils and seals. I ended up really liked the “devil trap” seal but i want to use it as a way for the demons practice their magic instead. Any ideas welcome

I recently read a book where magic is secret and 'normies' don't know it exists. I gave this book to a friend and when I got it back after a few days she said she couldn't read it because 'it's just a copy of Harry Potter'. I was irritated. The thought never once crossed my mind since it's so much darker and more focused on magic. Do you compare every book with a hidden fantasy society that has its main setting in a school of magic to Harry Potter? Does it take away from the experience?

Mana spheres

There are those few lifted with large amounts of mana and the ability to produce gates at will.

However, not everyone is capable of using the high amounts of mana required to cast a spell, so they use mana spheres and artificial mana. Basically, someone creates an imprint of their mana into a data sphere. This creates a replica personality based on a select few neural pathways that one can link to.

The sphere is then connected to a reservoir of artificial mana and the user can connect to and instruct the sphere using small amounts of mana and this allows them to use spells.

Gate devices

Gate devices are manufactured to form a Gate out of metal or plastic. A device may have a handful of options, but those are more expensive and don't last as long.

Basically, magic is controlled by the flow of mana through gates. Like bubble wands controlling the size of bubbles as wind passes through, gates change the shape of mana as it passes through.

These gates can form artificially, biologically, or even geological as mana wears down a pathway through rock or soil. These gates can be simple and allow for minor changes, to complex allowing for major changes.

Hard-link

If one directly touches the mana sphere, there is a chance of hard-linking. A process where your mind temporarily links to the replica personality. This can cause immediate pain and mental fogginess among other problems for hours to days due to the personality feeding on your subconscious. This is rarely dangerous, but can damage the replica personality, so it is important not to let it happen.

In more advanced data spheres, like the Doppelganger's Core, I is possible that hard-linking can lead to mental imprisonment into the sphere. This is rare, but cannot be undone if it occurs, so always practice caution when using high level data spheres.

Mech suits

Mech pilots have their mana scanned during training to create a husk personality that is placed into a high powered Doppelganger's Core. The husk is a full replica of your personality without any drive or passions.

This Doppelganger's Core is tied to an individual and is how mechs are operated.

When a pilot takes on the use of a mech they will operate the Doppelganger's Core as one might a wheel, but they are trained to use mana to create a shield between their hands and the device.

Fusing ritual

When a pilot is considered talented enough, a Doppelganger's Core will be made with the emperor's mana. Not some duplicate, but the mana of the emperor himself.

Then the pilot will directly touch the device and fuse with it permanently. Their mind and the emperor's becoming one. This allows the pilot to become part of the Royal Mech Divisions. Those mech pilots that serve to enforce loyalty from the citizenry instead of fight in the military.

This is considered a great honor, but what the pilots think isn't so clear, as they never speak again.

Mana dependency

If you use too much artificial mana, you will stop producing your own. This leads to a quick drop in body structure. Over a few months, your body will weaken dramatically, and you can even die from this. The only solution known of is to consume high levels of artificial mana.

This condition can be passed down to one's children as well.

Hello! I'm working on developing a magic system for a story I'm writing, and I wanted to share it here. The premise is quite simple, as the system itself isn't necessarily the focus of the narrative and I want to cut down on instances of getting bogged down in the world.

But anyway, I hope it's interesting, and that there's potential for lots of unique ideas!

Wellmother’s Bounty

Wells, an Overview:

There are various forms of power seeded throughout the world, but the Wellmother’s Bounty is considered by and large to be the only true acceptable way to wield magic - at least, according to human civilization. 

The way in which the Wellmother’s Bounty works is simple: throughout the land, there are spots of power that collect, condense, and then eventually melt away again. These ‘Wells,’ as they’re called, are assumed to be the result of natural energy gathering in high concentrations, typically referred to as ‘geist’. 

Wells can form anywhere, although there seems to be a few requirements for them to appear.

• They must be in the vicinity of significant natural life. But more specifically, (and only known by the most skilled of magicians) this natural life must be in a state of true equilibrium. A lush forest, or a pristine coastline teeming with creatures are prime spots for Wells. Cities and towns, despite being obvious centers of bustling life, do not produce Wells very commonly, which has led scholars to theorize that it's the presence of a functioning ecosystem, or perhaps even a balanced food web that actually produces these Wells. Even more advanced theories suggest that a balanced ecosystem or web slowly releases excess energy, which is what eventually coalesces into the Well. (Of course, traditional followers of the Wellmother would claim that Her actions are to thank for the Wells.) Regardless, human settlements disrupt the natural cycle of life (they import food and drink from other locations, they are densely populated and overwhelm most other species in the area…) Research is ongoing. 
• Wells, being made of pure geist, will not form in places that are steeped in processed, or converted geist. A battlefield involving the use of magic, for example, will not form Wells in the aftermath, regardless of where it is. This is another reason attributed to why there are so few Wells in dense human settlements. Once anything other than pure geist is used, whether it be fire, or water, or even life geist, the area becomes too contaminated for pure geist to gather without prematurely converting to a forme. Wells, when discovered, can range in size and longevity, another topic that is under heavy research when considering which variables act as influencers. Still, every Well is always a spot of concentrated pure geist, which, if discovered, can be drained and converted into any of the six formes of geist (water, fire, air, earth, life, and death). 

Wells: Discovery and Usage: 

The truth is that Wells, especially in low-density areas, aren’t all that uncommon. If the landscape is healthy and in balance, they will actually appear in good numbers. The barrier for widespread magic is not then the Wells, but rather the amount of skilled geistforgers and casters who are capable of actually locating and wielding geist. 

Wells are ephemeral, invisible pockets of energy. Someone without the ability to sense them could walk right through one and be none the wiser. In the vicinity of a Well, for as long as it exists, plant life tends to appear more lush and healthy, and this in turn often attracts a higher-then-normal concentration of fauna. It’s possible that someone with powerful observation skills could ascertain if a Well is nearby, even without enough Sight. 

In reality, only some people can locate wells. It is a sensation-based awareness, where those born with enough Wellsight will feel prickles if a well is nearby, like that of an electric current. Affinity to geistformes is irrelevant; as long as you have a strong enough Wellsight, you can locate a Well. 

Of course, skill and Wellsight levels will determine from how far away, how accurate, and how much information is conveyed via the senses. In addition, those with an affinity to life geist have an enhanced version of this ability, without the need for heavy training. 

When a Geistcaster locates a Well, for them, it is essentially stumbling across a source of power. They will drain the Well, convert it into a geistforme (though only able to select from their affinities) and create an Instrument of power that will utilize that now-converted geist in various ways. 

Wellsight: 

Wellsight is simply the capacity for a person to locate Wells and use geist. The more Wellsight you have, the more power one is capable of coaxing out of an Instrument of power. This is an important thing to remember, for its interplay regarding the sharing of Instruments.  

For example, if a geistcaster finds a Well, converts it into fire geist, and makes a simple Instrument - let’s say that it's a wand that can launch a basic fireball - then they now have a tool that anyone can use well (although those with an affinity to fire will get the most out of it, moreso if their Wellsight is deep). 

If someone with deeper Wellsight than the forger does claim the tool, they will shoot stronger fireballs. Conversely, someone with a weaker Wellsight, even if they can’t even locate Wells - will be able to use the Instrument as well, but to a less impressive effect. Affinities work similarly. 

The fact that Instruments of power are not keyed to their creator means that one can eke a living out of supplying Instruments, rather than welding them. Creativity and an interesting set of affinities can go much further in Geistforging than the size of one’s Wellsight. After all, it's the user’s strength that determines its effectiveness, rather than that of the Geistforger themself. 

Importantly, Wellsight is a measure of *potential,* rather than pure power. The reason why the Wellmother’s Bounty is so important is that humans cannot cast magic with Wellsight alone. It simply dictates how much geist they can handle and use as the true source of power. 

Can you increase your Wellsight? It is believed that this is impossible, but research is, of course, ongoing. 

Geistforging: 

Geistforging is the act in which one creates an Instrument of power. A Geistforger only needs a few things to form an Instrument: a Well, sufficient Wellsight, the correct species of wood, as well as the correct monster remains. 

The typical process of Geistforging is as follows: 

A Geistforger with earth and water affinities has located a Well using her Wellsight. She approaches the Well, using her Sight to determine that the Well is of standard size - good enough for one or two basic-strength Instruments. 

As an earth and water forger, she is armed with applewood, as well as blackwood. Instruments that produce effects using water or earth are made of these materials, respectively. Every affinity has a corresponding wood that it is capable of channeled by. 

The Geistforger, in this case, has prepared her Instrument beforehand. She has carved a simple wand out of applewood, and supplemented this by soaking the wood in the blood of a common monster, perhaps a trunklasher or another species encountered across the world’s surface. This lack of specificity and simple design will result in the most basic of Instruments, in which the tool simply expels Geist of a specific forme. 

The Geistforger will reach out to the Well with her Sight, and pull it into the Instrument she has created. The blood won’t affect affinity, but the Geistforger’s own affinity, as well as the wood, will convert the pure Geist into water forme as it is channeled into the Instrument. In a moment, it is complete, and the Well is depleted

The Instrument she has created, is, in fact, a simple tool. When used by anyone with an affinity to water geist, it will shoot a powerful stream of water. It is still usable to anyone else, but without an affinity to water, its use is greatly diminished - even more so if the user *also* has a very shallow Wellsight. 

Instruments of power can be wielded for as long as the user has Wellsight - when it is depleted, they must wait for their senses to replenish before using the Instrument again. Depending on the size or portion of the Well used, and the quality of the ingredients, the Instrument can last a week, or months, or even longer. 

More complex wood carvings, and rare, or more specific monster ingredients will result in Instruments that do more than just expel a stream of Geist. For example, the blood of the aforementioned trunklasher is a basic strengthening ingredient, but its venom, when applied to a life affinity Instrument, will give the Instrument the ability to paralyze a target, or if combined with water geist instead, it can be forged to be able to draw out the venom in someone who has been poisoned by the same or similar substance. There are many ways to use the same ingredient. 

Miscellaneous:

Basically, most humans have the ability to use geist, and some can even sense its power. But the vast majority of them cannot produce geist themselves, nor can they channel it within their own bodies. Therefore, Wells - natural sources of geist - are used to create tools that can channel the it, allowing humans to stimulate and direct it using their Sight. 

If, for some reason, there was a human capable of generating their own geist, it would be considered an act of blasphemy. Only the Wellmother, through her Wells, may hold the keys to geist as a steward of humanity (or so the theology dictates…). 

Geist creatures, or ‘monsters,’ are living things with the capability to produce their own geist, and therefore have abilities that go beyond the six basic geistformes. They are generally rare, except for sites of intense, permanent geist. They are hunted specifically for their special properties, which can be used for advanced geistforging, or alternatively, elixirbrewing, which trades the power of Well geist for increased convenience and accessibility. 

To be continued…

How much technology etc before a setting turns from industrial fantasy to feeling scifi?

I have been working on a world building project for roughly some years now with many changes. Though it's technological level has always been roughly ww1 levels of technological developments give or take some developments. All done through integrated magical biomechanical aspects instead of electronics. Magic and technology are integrated and inseparable in the setting. My worries are that it might feel to scifi and science fiction.

Just some examples of technology:

The two main power sources are fuel blood extracted from the various seeded divine bodies throughout the world. Mostly used like gas is to power vehicles, airships, to boats and the few cars or motor vehicles.

Then their is essence harvesting for the creation of essence shells and burner units basically works as batteries. Powers the various rigs and magic items. Basically powerful demi god like creatures, I call lesser idols are hunted and their power is compressed into essence shells or burner units just larger variety of the former.

Things like display screens are done through fresh forging ie biomancy. Screens/ displays in most places are basically cuddlefish skin instead of pixels or cathode-ray tubes it's done through chromatophores.

Instead of electronics the cultivated magic system or cells and organelle I call the chromatic system harvested from lesser idols or divine vessels are used to transport magical energy/ chroma to power systems and devices ie technology.

This is the only thing I've been thinking about for a month and i thought i should write it down before i forget anything

The magic system i wrote for my story is basically; magic is manipulation of TEMPLATE, which is a energy which makes up everything in existence, energy, matter and space, everything. some people can see and manipulate TEMPLATE, it looks like code to them. but since most people aren't god, they can't just do it on a whim and they can only do magic in small scale. (That only means no changing the laws of physics, destroying the multiverse, real god level stuff, but glassing entire cities and stealing the moisture of everyone in a town is still feasible if you're a good enough magic user.) EDIT: THE LARGE SCALE STUFF IS NIGH IMPOSSIBLE, OR NEEDS AN EXTREMELY CAPABLE, LEBRON JAMES KIND OF TALENT TO PERFORM, SO most of the time, machinery is more efficient.

Program is the term for any manipulation of TEMPLATE, there's 2 main kinds of programs.

Rituals: They're long, complex, but they pump out better, more thorough results than spells, and their effects generally last longer. Alot of the time, you also have to create or buy physical materials made to better focus the TEMPLATE and shape it better, conduits, batteries, wires and shit

Spells are fast, take shorter time to cast, and takes less energy, but extremely simple, and worse than rituals in terms of results. (faster tho) Alot of the time, you don't need to prepare for it, but spells do exist where you need something that you had firsthand to further optimize it, like a projectile spell needing a projectile so it's actually just a spell that produces a amount of force behind an object to propel it sometimes, spells can be as good as rituals but need constant application of template to keep it from deteriorating almost immediately.

Rituals and spells aren't very specific terms, some programs are probably fast enough to not be considered a ritual but slow enough to not be considered a spell, but yeah

Onto tools and machinery, magical tools and machines exists, they're a thing, they're things modified, created, by magic or made to produce a magical effect, their purpose is to handle the magic we sometimes can't be bothered with, or just too dangerous to do by yourself, and because a magical car that can go faster than normal is more useful for daily commuting than a teleportation ritual that takes thirty minutes and leaves you physically exhausted. (it has its uses though, like when thirty minute teleport spell takes shorter than a 4 hour flight)

Long term programs (programs are what i call spells and rituals) generally need maintenance once in a while, since they slowly break down, the rate of how quick they deteriorate depends on the optimization of th program.

Magic is EXHAUSTING, since mortals aren't quite made to manipulate TEMPLATE, so using it causes hard fatigue, which continuously adds up everytime You use magic, and the higher it is, the worse you'll be doing at magic. Rituals creates higher fatigue than spells, obviously. And you're gonna need to vent it, by either resting or using another program to vent the hard fatigue faster, but venting it leaves you vulnerable since you're either asleep, or using a program that stops you from using programs whatsoever. (i kinda stole this part from starsector's combat system) It's like your stamina, and like your stamina, it'll build up the more you practice.

The materials and designs of programs that people use are varied, influenced by culture or just preference, schools of thought and systems might be created, people might use biological matter for their programs, some might use machinery, it really depends.

Examples of stuff you can do:

performing a ritual that Makes artificial muscles with superhuman strength and surgically implanting them inside you so you can have superhuman strength WITHOUT having to use a strength spell that develops hard fatigue everytime you use it.

Enhancing your car's engine to pump out more power than usual, Idk how cars work so I'm not elaborating on that.

A point defense system spell that cuts down any projectile coming towards you

A magical implant that puts a interface into your head so you don't need to carry your magical books everywhere

Get real creative with stuff fr, i feel like if magic exists, it'd probably get as advanced or even more advanced than what tech we see today, it's not like humans we're dumber in medieval times, they just didn't have the knowledge we have and all that

Okay so i'm working on this game concept for fun, right? and it's set in an ocean planet, with like pirates and stuff. My main inspirations are Final Fantasy, Red Dead, Monster Hunter, Inscryption, and Portal (although not all may be apparent). Essentially, I want a magic system tied to the story/world. The story has a kind of time loop/ fractured universe thing going on? So i'm thinking, right? Fishing magic. Underwater life would be vastly affected, with fish living through certain events millions of times, influencing their biology and capabilities,giving them unique abilities. So basically, when you fish them, you gain them kind of as like a spell? The way they'd function in battle would be some unholy fusion of a Summon from Final Fantasy, and a Pokemon. However, you'd have to routinely catch them in order to keep up with your spells, that way they almost function as items. Since you wouldn't always catch the fish you want, it would require you to put an emphasis on strategy and using what you have. Just think it could be neat. Any thoughts?

Any suggestions for what I can call spells that specifically deal damage like curses or hexes?

Existence itself is frequency, as a sword is made of iron, existence at its foundation is physically made of God's voice, which is why frequencies resonate with everything so well. There was (nothing) except God before the beginning, therefore the only thing existence had to build upon in the beginning was the frequency of God's words telling existence to be, and God himself. Therefore God and his voice, are the literal foundation stone of existence.

The power system, takes the shape of frequency patterns, because it has to do with manipulating what exists to do what you need.

Magic is what people call something they have no idea how it works, a magic trick is only magic to the audience, but to the magician it is only a trick, because he knows how it works. Many people know how the main power system works, so nobody thinks of it as magic,

Nobody knows nor understands the power system on dimensional levels, except for spiritual existences that aren't bound to a physical body, therefore most people call this side of the power system magic. Simulator to how the physical part of the power system takes the shape of frequency patterns, the dimensional level takes the shape of other dimensional shapes as we can comprehend it when interfering with the physical, shapes such as glome, tesseract, pentatope, polychoron, hyperplane, 16-cell, facet, if you were to for example erect a physical Wall of stone using the dimensional side of the power system it would look like it was made out of our detection of 4th dimensional shapes.

Not fully sure how to make a magic system, or at least how to make one interesting, but I thought I'd give it a shot.

In my world people operate electrical devices using mana instead of inputs like keyboards or dials. This allows near telekinetic control over these devices so long as someone inserts a Doppelganger's Core. A devise specifically tied to a person by scanning their mana and storing the data within.

This practice actually predates electrical tools and was used as early as the 1400s. There were primitive tools called mana clamps that surrounded ones wrists and pulled mana into objects called tokens. Tokens could do very minor mental tricks. Basically someone could store a memory into a token and anyone else could glimpse this memory connecting themselves to the tokens via a mana clamp.

Other powers includes seeing through a token if you are blind. Some tokens allow people to harness the memories of the dead, though these are outlawed save for police forces.

Anyway the whole point of this magic system is to justify my mech controlling device in the future.

The concept I'm working on is mech pilots have their mana scanned during training to create a husk personality that is placed into a high powered Doppelganger's Core.

This device is tied to an individual and is how mechs are operated. They have the same personality as the pilot that was scanned, but they have no drive, desires, or needs. They simply exist.

When a pilot takes on the use of a mech they will operate the MDC as one might a wheel, but they are trained to use mana to create a shield between their hands and the device. For touching the device will actually connect the two personalities and the pilot will be pulled into the MDC with no way of escape. The body will remain fused to the orb as well.

This is normally a horrible thing, but there is one instance where this is encouraged.

When a pilot is considered talented enough, Mana Doppelganger Core will be made with the emperor's mana. Not some duplicate, but the mana of the emperor himself.

Then the pilot will directly touch the MDC and fuse with it permanently. Their mind and the emperor's becoming one. This allows the pilot to become part of the Royal Mech Divisions. Those mech pilots that serve to enforce loyalty from the citizenry instead of fight in the military.

This is considered a great honor, but what the pilots think isn't so clear, as they never speak again.

Anyway, that's all. Tell me what you think.

Magic Power System

Arcane Magnitude = (Force Output x Magical Reservoir x Magical Aptitude x Genetic Ancestry)

(Class 1 to Class 10) Class 1 is the lowest, Class 5 is average, and Class 10 is the highest. Arc is the unified unit of measurement for magic in this world. It is used to calculate force output, magical efficiency, and aptitude. Each metric is graded on a scale of Class 1 through Class 10.

1 Kilo-Arc = 1,000 Arcs (Class 1 to 4)

• Class 1 - 1 Arc to 250 Kilo-Arcs

• Class 2 - 250 Kilo-Arcs to 500 Kilo-Arcs

• Class 3 - 500 Kilo-Arcs to 750 Kilo-Arcs

• Class 4 - 750 Kilo-Arcs to 1 Mega-Arc

1 Mega-Arc = 1,000,000 Arcs / (Class 5 and 6)

• Class 5 - 1 Mega-Arc to 500 Mega-Arcs

• Class 6 - 500 Mega-Arcs to 1 Giga-Arc

1 Giga-Arc = 1,000,000,000 Arcs / (Class 7 and 8)

• Class 7 - 1 Giga-Arc to 500 Giga-Arcs

• Class 8 - 500 Giga-Arcs to 1 Tera-Arc

1 Tera-Arc = 1,000,000,000,000 Arcs / (Class 9 and 10)

• Class 9 - 1 Tera-Arc to 10 Tera-Arcs

• Class 10 - 10 Tera-Arcs or more

Arcane Magnitude Metrics

• Force Output - This is based on how much magic can be produced in one single burst.

• Magical Reservoir - This is based on the entire amount of magic contained inside the body.

• Magical Aptitude - This is based on magical efficiency.

• Genetic Ancestry - This is based on how many ancestors were able to awaken their magic.

Arcane Magnitude Scale

• Grade 1 / 0 to 1,500 Arcane Magnitude (0.0 to 1.5)

• Grade 2 / 1,500 to 3,000 Arcane Magnitude (1.5 to 3.0)

• Grade 3 / 3,000 to 6,000 Arcane Magnitude (3.0 to 6.0)

• Special Grade / 6,000 to 9,000 Arcane Magnitude (6.0 to 9.0)

• Beyond Special Grade / Over 9,000 Arcane Magnitude (+9.0)

What do you guys think about this revamped version of my magic system.

A couple of days ago, someone posted in here about how they applied attributes to their magic system. It was interesting because the topic was "how do people unlock or reveal magic in your world?"so they responded with these magical tests to gauge force, focus, and magic reserves. I liked the idea and wanted to expand on that.

This isn't really about schools of magic but mainly how magic, regardless of affinity, is calculated and measured. I took some inspiration from some of my favorite medias (DBZ, Jujutsu Kaisen, Kaiju no.10) and kind of blended all their qualities together. I really like DBZ, and I liked how "for a time 🤣" power levels were actual numbers used to calculate strength. Same thing for Naruto Databooks, Marvel, and DC comics, I like the powerscaling catalogs.

So, I decided to make my own arcane battle system using arcs as a unit of measurement for magic/energy. Arcane magnitude, being the combined attribute of all the magical traits, translates to battle power in DBZ terms.

This is just a really barebones description of it, but I believe I was able to get all the main information I wanted to address. So if there are any suggestions or changes I could make to improve this system, it will be very appreciated.

Just want to share my idea here and if people would like to give suggestions its always welcome :). My character is set in a world with quite some powerful foes so thats why some abilities are a bit busted.

The character has umbrage teleportation and the ability to hide in shadows and to block light. Also the more standard rays of “darkness energy” are a part and my character can make mini black holes and the ability to create void just kind of delete stuff he touches and it will be replaced with a shadow remnant of what it once was.

Thats about it for abilities. It feeds of the world heart a big gem in my world that all magic feeds off of. This gives energy to use the magic but to use certain skills concentration and certain movements are needed just like in ATLA or TLOK.

A personal dragon (hatched from the heart stone) can also be used for a more direct and stronger source of energy.

I know im missing some info but i dont want to make this string of text to long because i actually want people to read it 😂.

I’m making a story and in it there is a runic magic system. I haven’t though to well about how it would work but have an idea. You would use a selection of runes as a sort of code to do things (it is inspired by the PSI mincraft mod) There would be 3 types of runes: Selection runes: this is what it is activating on, (caster, enemy, ally, etc) this does not have to be in it, and if it isn’t it would just activate where the runes are placed. Action runes: these would be the actions (explode, move, maybe the elements, etc) (Idk what to call these) runes: these would be the things that act on the other runes, and wouldn’t work on their own (increase, decrease, direction, etc)

Using these runes you would make a runic sentence such as: caster, movment, increase. This speed up the caster’s speed. Also each rune would have a specific name and symbol, like motus for movement (litterally just it in Latin)

So as I was trying to make an example of my magic system I got to much into it and it started to gnawa at me as to how it works with the real world mechanic. Like this is how I was try to narate it.

The mixologist( a magician in my world who specializes in mixing brews (brews are what I call magic in this world)) enters a forest field with monsters so he starts drinking potions(magic is done with the use or help of potions such as the name brew) his primer lets him store kinetic energy so basically has no kinetic energy during the duration so he moves and all those energy is stored and he gets to choose when to release it unless the duration expires, he then drinks the body(2nd dose of what ever the user decides to drinkt) let's him move very fast 70kph to 17kph to be exact his refresher(3rd pots usually consumables but can be anything) is silent war cry, it lets him cancel, mute, silence, move the origin or basically control sounds. So what with all this in a battle let's just say he stored all those kinetic energy with that speed and decides to unleash then it would be very destructive and by adding sound waves we all now it is really powerful but yet again I'm using REAL WORLD MECHANIC here and just using magic to manipulate it to a degree..

So does your magic also has really world mechanic behind it? Like does your fireball have kinetic energy that backs it up do your flight magic compute for air resistance? Does your boulder/rock throw counts weight and gravity in it's trajectory?

Understanding the Ambiguity Lens

Reality as Subjective

The Ambiguity Lens redefines reality as inherently subjective, shaped by collective perception and personal interpretation. Beneath the surface of the stable, agreed-upon world—the Consensus—lies the Ambiguity Field, a realm of infinite possibilities. In this system, individuals with extraordinary perception, known as Collapsers, can focus their personal lens on the Ambiguity Field to impose alternate interpretations of reality.

This manipulation is not simply about bending the world to their will; it is about reframing existence through unique Paradigms, conceptual frameworks that determine how the Collapser interacts with and reshapes reality.

The Ambiguity Field

The Ambiguity Field is the foundation of this system, existing as the “raw material” of existence. It embodies every potential version of reality in a state of flux, akin to a quantum superposition. Changes to reality occur when this flux is collapsed into a definitive state, either by natural Consensus or the deliberate will of a Collapser.

Key Properties of the Field

1.	Infinite Potential: The Field contains every conceivable state of reality.
2.	Consensus Stabilization: Most people unconsciously reinforce the Consensus, maintaining the illusion of an objective world.
3.	Resistance to Change: Large-scale or highly improbable changes face strong resistance from the Field to preserve stability.
4.	The Law of Attraction: The Ambiguity Field exerts a subtle, inexorable force that draws Collapsers toward each other. This attraction increases with proximity and the intensity of a Collapser’s activity, creating a natural convergence of those who manipulate the Field.
•	Implications: Conflicts, alliances, and rivalries between Collapsers are inevitable, as the Field’s influence ensures they cannot avoid crossing paths for long.

Collapsers and the Lens

What is the Lens?

The Ambiguity Lens is the metaphorical filter through which Collapsers view and manipulate reality. Unlike ordinary individuals, whose lenses are locked to the Consensus, Collapsers can adjust their focus, allowing them to perceive and collapse alternate states of existence. This process relies on their chosen Paradigm, which shapes how they interpret and interact with the Field.

Paradigms: The Frameworks of Perception

A Paradigm is the unique philosophy or conceptual framework through which a Collapser interacts with the Ambiguity Field. Each Paradigm grants specific abilities and imposes distinct limitations. By aligning their Lens with a Paradigm, Collapsers create a structured way to justify and actualize their desired changes.

The Law of Individual Interpretation

Even when multiple Collapsers adopt similar concepts for their Paradigms, their powers will differ significantly due to personal interpretation. A Paradigm is not just a method but also a philosophy, shaped by an individual’s beliefs, personality, and experiences.

Example 1: Rhythm Paradigm • Collapser A: Views rhythm as universal harmony, manipulating time by syncing events to a beat. • Collapser B: Sees rhythm as a tool for disruption, breaking the tempo of opponents’ movements to create chaos.

Example 2: Heat Paradigm • Collapser A: Interprets heat as pure energy transfer, capable of igniting objects or freezing environments by removing energy. • Collapser B: Views heat symbolically, using warmth to inspire courage or removing it to invoke dread.

This diversity ensures that no two Collapsers are alike, even if their Paradigms share a common conceptual foundation.

Collapsing Reality

How it Works

Collapsers manipulate the Ambiguity Field through a structured process: 1. Observation: Identify a phenomenon or situation to alter. 2. Justification: Use their Paradigm to logically frame the change. 3. Focus: Channel their willpower to collapse the desired state into reality.

Challenges and Risks

1.	Resistance: The Field resists changes that contradict the Consensus.
2.	Backlash: Overextending one’s abilities can result in Ambiguity Fractures, areas of unstable reality.
3.	Mental Strain: Collapsers risk psychological harm from overuse, as their perception of self and reality blurs.
4.	Convergence Pressure: When multiple Collapsers operate in the same region, the Ambiguity Field’s influence amplifies their awareness of each other, leading to heightened conflict or collaboration.

Constraints of the System

Natural Limits

1.	Paradigm Scope: Each Paradigm has inherent strengths and weaknesses.
2.	Energy Costs: Greater changes demand more focus and emotional investment.
3.	Consensus Pressure: The stronger the collective belief in the current state, the harder it is to alter.
4.	Individual Expression: The Law of Individual Interpretation means each Collapser’s abilities are as unique as their perspectives, preventing universal mastery over any single Paradigm.

Backlash Mechanisms

The Ambiguity Field self-corrects extreme disruptions: • Reality Reversion: Large-scale changes are undone over time. • Anomalies: Failed collapses can create unstable zones with unpredictable effects.

Why the Ambiguity Lens is Rare

The Nature of Consensus

The Consensus acts as a stabilizing force, ensuring the vast majority of people perceive reality uniformly. Attempts to explain or demonstrate the Ambiguity Lens are often dismissed or forgotten as the Consensus “corrects” such deviations.

The Ambiguity Shroud

The Ambiguity Field itself suppresses widespread knowledge of Collapsing by rewriting events that disrupt the Consensus. Public displays of Collapsing are typically erased, distorted, or reinterpreted.

Rarity of Awakening

Awakening the Ambiguity Lens requires an uncommon combination of creativity, emotional depth, and perceptual flexibility, making Collapsers exceedingly rare.

Applications of the Lens

1.	Rhythm Paradigm: A Collapser slows time during a duel by altering the tempo of the environment, allowing them to evade strikes with ease.
2.	Lines Paradigm: Using spatial manipulation, a Collapser creates a temporary shortcut through a dense forest, redrawing the geometry of space.
3.	Entropy Paradigm: During a crumbling building’s collapse, a Collapser stabilizes the structure by redistributing entropy, preventing casualties.
4.	Colors Paradigm: In a tense negotiation, a Collapser shifts the ambient lighting to soothing blue tones, calming emotions and fostering trust.

Advanced Dynamics

Collapsers in Conflict

When two Collapsers impose contradictory Paradigms, the Ambiguity Field heightens their awareness of each other and creates localized Ambiguity Zones—regions where reality flickers between competing states until one Paradigm dominates.

The Great Collapse

Legends speak of ancient Collapsers who reshaped entire regions, creating permanent fractures in the Ambiguity Field. These areas, known as Fractured Realms, are dangerous but contain untold knowledge and power.

If you've seen my previous post, you know that I'm making a game. Good new, my team and me have created about 200 hours worth of lore. But with that 200 hours, we some how never made the ability of one of the main characters. Like we had the old one, but it wasn't designed for a game so I just said that we needed a new one. Flash forward to now. We need a new one related to the military but can only use metal. No fire (Including molten metal but if you have an idea then go for it), water, etc. Does anyone have any ideas?

Hello, everyone! I hope you’re having a wonderful day! I’m making this post in hopes of getting ideas for spells someone might think to cast using the magic system in my work in progress novel.

The system can get a little complicated, but here’s a functional simplification: When you cast a spell, you speak the incantation of what you’d like to happen and expend the required spiritual energy. When you perform an incantation you are asking the world/universe/reality to do something, and all spells must be structured as if speaking to it directly. For example, saying “Die” would be asking the world to die, but saying “Kill” would be asking the world to kill another thing.

Secondly, the amount of power required and the power of a spell are both related to the number of words. Fewer words=More required power=More potent spell. In short, every spell exists on a spectrum of the relationship between power and complexity. More Complex Wording=Less Potent Spell. The gap in power between each added word grows exponentially. The difference in power between a three-word spell and a two-word spell is far greater than the difference between a two-word spell and a one-word spell, meaning each word you need to add to reduce the power (and power required) by a greater amount than the last.

With those two key components in mind, if you were a witch with this magic system, what are some spells you think you’d cast? What crazy spells do you think you could make?

Please help me refine my novel power system

So I started writing as a hobby and I am currently working on my first ever novel that is about monster taming so here is a list of core ideas and things I want to have:

_ point one : the monsters are a product of a massive event that happened centuries ago causing them to rapidly evolve and develop supernatural abilitie

_point two : the monster have this thing called beast marks which is the thing that gives each beasts their power it's inside Thier bodies they appear like tattos or patterns when oppserved ( they're not visible to the naked eye) the amount of beast marks determines the level of raw power a beast can exude and the shape and complexity and type of the beast marks determines the range and the type of abilities a beast can have( it's like the dao marks in reverend insanity)

_point there: the way monster grow stronger in the wild is by living in a unique environments and consuming the products of said environment to nourish the growth of they're beast marks ( I don't want it to be just another one of those kill others to grow stronger type of systems)

_ point four: human can't develop marks on Thier body's like beasts ( that's way it's called beast marks it's something unique to them) because human body can't support or handle such power but humans have much stronger souls compared to beast ( like the average human soul is still much stronger than the soul of high level beast) which is the source of Thier powers

_point five : human have this thing called a totem which is the crystalezition of Thier soul power they get it when they " awaken" and it has four main aspects which are : _shape: the shape of a totem determines the type of creatures you are best at taming like if get a wolf or a dog shaped totem you are most likely to be better at taming canine creatures _ power : each totem give they're owner a power or a "skill" which can be a passive or a active and have all sorts of uses for either combat or taming or nurturing beasts it mainly depends on what's the power's effect it's limitations and how it's used ( so basically I want the totems to have one effect each but each effect can have different applications depending on how you use it ) _taming : totems is what you use to tame a creature it's hard to explain so here's an example scenario ( you encounter a creature you want to tame so you summon your totem and with it you project your will and intentions to the creature and from there you can go about this in a variety of ways you can either use the raw power of your totem to force it into submission or you can use your totem to tempt the creature into joining you be it through convencing it with the benefits of submitting to you or beating in a challenge and once a creature is contracted it can't betray or harm you because its bound to you by it's soul which can't surpass a human soul (point four) _how to get : (a personne can have multiple totems )all people get only one totem when they awaken but they can get more later on through two ways one is to awaken another one by reaching a certain level and fulfilling a certain condition. second is to inherit a totem from someone else because in this world when a tamer dies they're totem can linger on after them and then acquired by others although there is an important distinction between the two. awakened totems can be used for taming and can grow stronger as you get stronger but inherited totems don't. you can use Thier powers but you can't tame beast with them and you can't make them stronger

_ point six : (domains) a domain is where you store you totems and your creatures to nurture them or even breed new ones a domain has certain amount of capacity it provides for each of your creatures to help them develop so the number of creatures you can tame is dependent on the amount of capacity you have available and each domain is like a small space which you can develop by adding materials and stuff to it in order to create a beneficial environment for your beast to grow Thier beast marks basically simulating the unique environment in the wilds (point 3) a beast domain can have some functions depending on how strong and developed it is like stamina and health recovery and depending on how you build your domain you can have some functions unique to you and finally when a tamer dies they're domain don't despair if it foundation is strong enough which it can then turn into a trail domain which is a domain that manifest a challenge based on the former owner personality,and The powers they used to have if you beat a trail domain then you get the right to everything in it be it resources or beasts or other stuff and you also get to inherit the totem of the trail domain past owner other than gaining full control of the domain and everything in it you can also anax it to strengthen your own domain

_point seven: (aptitude) a person aptitude determines how strong and how fast they can grow their domain and in turn Thier beasts as someone with high aptitude can achieve way better result with less effort and less time than someone with a low aptitude for example the domain capacity of a high grade aptitude would be bigger than that of a lower grade aptitude of the same level thus allowing it to tame more or stronger creatures compared to others and also have higher efficiency and better results when nurturing beasts

and that's all the ideas I have for now I am open for any suggestions or critique and I will try to answer any questions and discuss any opinions you offer me in the future whenever I can

im "writing" a fantacy novel where you tap into magic from "patrons" (like kinda like warlocks before lv3 in D&D)

but the magic is tangible it can be crystalized it can be fluid it can be air like its a force in the world not a conection to the gods

i want to use mana as the term but it seems really played out and the main theme is more western magic instead of eastern magic are their any other terms i can use

Hello, I’m in the process of drafting my magic system and have hit the point I need a little help.

The magic system consists of the 12 zodiacs, getting their powers from the stars.

Each grouped into 4’s for elements.

My issue is, what jobs would you assign the zodiacs in a fantasy setting? Based on their personality and zodiac?

Humans simply lack any magical capacity at all. The incantations, the arcane gestures, the elaborate rituals... it's all a mask for wizards outsourcing the labor to the true workers of magic, Madmin, by giving them commands and coordinating them en masse.

The Madmin are small, invisible creatures that coexist with humans and nature, often hanging out just outside of notice. They tend to congregate around people who can see them, who are generally assumed to be crazy. This, mixed with their propensity for mischief, has earned them the nickname "Mind Goblins".

Their common name is also human-made, though produced through a misunderstanding. Madmin don't write vowels in their language, and thus all references to them are transcribed as "MDMN", which with the appropriate vowels, is actually pronounced "madamana" and loosely translates to "material spirit".

Madmin are known to cause mischief, but typically they only do this when hungry, and will be much friendlier, even helpful, when offered the appropriate foodstuffs. In their natural environment, they eat seeds, berries, fruits, and nuts, but they will accept any food given to them if it's sufficiently nutritious... though "exotic" foods like pastries usually see them wait for their wizard patron to demonstrate its edibility first (at which point they devour it like so many sweet-toothed piranhas).

The relationships Madmin have with their patron are usually as varied as people themselves. Some might view their wizard patron as being akin to a god, a being of awesome power who provideth and can taketh away. Others see them as more of a convenient food source, treating them about the way one would expect from a house full of cats. Still others have a more filial view of them, with the Madmin seeing their wizard as sort of a kindly old grandfather/grandmother to the community as a whole. And some just view the wizard as a collective pet; fun to mess with, and to occasionally indulge, but a very un-serious sort of person.

That's about all I can stream-of-consciousness out right now. Any questions?

Does anyone have any powerful magic or ability ideas that could be linked to a unique trait that only one clan has and the powers are extremely feared and powerful, I’m also open to ideas of the trait being able to evolve. For example the Sharingan can evolve and one of its abilities (Susano) is extremely feared and known by all in the Naruto verse.

An idea I have already made is unnamed and yet to be decided but the ability is to use your voice to command anything living to do what you command kind of like Cursed Speech in JJK or The speech ability (I forget the name) in Dune, but the limitation to this ability is everyone in the clan has access to it but it’s super hard to master and to use it you have to sacrifice part of yourself or close ones to use the ability. It could be a physical part of your body like a finger or one of your senses or part of your sanity etc. Also the thing that the user commands has to be physically possible so it can’t just be like fly away or implode.

Abilities/magic that is provided by the world and/or the system that governs that world.

Or

Abilities/magic that is learned through tomes, experiences, and pools of mana/magic that everyone naturally has access to.

Do you put them into arbitrary divisions? Other patterns? Appearances? Or something else?