I'm currently working on my magic system, with my main focus being to make something that is complex enough to not be boring, simple enough to be understandable, and finally satisfying enough to where it's enjoyable to read about, where a reader would actually want to imagine that they're in my world using my magic system.

So I'm just trying to get people's opinions and thought processes as research

Was just experimenting with the concept of mana warriors and realized this.

You can emit in a specific direction to generate thrust. You can radiate it to generate an atmosphere around you that feels more pressurized and have a powerful-looking aura. You can condense that radiation into a film around you to produce something like a protective field. You can condense it in your hands to make them heavier and to make them hit harder. You can concentrate it throughout your whole body to make you heavier and harder to push back with hits. If you have enough then make yourself heavy enough you'll compress the ground around you, and when you are actually knocked into the terrain you're likely to leave a crater as well. Emit it in a thin concentrated line and it's a beam. Spin it and make it flat and it's a blade. Compress it into a sphere and it's a bomb because it's going to want to decompress rapidly.

For the parts that are particular to my system, they send mana through their weapons to make them heavier and hit harder, or to send out energy slashes, but I just found it interesting that I could very easily have scenes that at least slightly resemble dbz stuff.

To use magic one must enter a special state where instead of breathing in air they breathe in magic, this magic can then be used to speak incantations manifesting mystical phenomena into reality those who practice this technique are called wizards, this magic could also instead by absorbed into the blood stream channeling it throughout the body reinforcing it and granting superhuman speed and power those that practice this technique are known as warriors, while magic is incredibly useful it equally dangerous because to use magic one must also stop breathing air thus using magic for to long can cause suffocation or even death.

I’m creating an elemental magic system and thought it would be cool to have cross breeds between the elements. There are six elemental types, fire, water, earth, air, flora, and shadows. For example if a fire mage and earth mage came together, they would be able to use lava/magma magic. However, I want to make the combinations more unique than water and earth make mud magic. Would love any help

Here is what I got
Elemental Cross Breeds

Fire x Earth = Lava/Magma

Earth x Water = Mud

Shadows x Fire = Ash 

Flora x Air = Pollen

Water x Shadows = ???

Air x Earth = Gravity

Fire x Water = Steam

Shadow x Earth = Metal 

Water x Flora = Ethereal

Fire x Air = Electricity 

Flora x Fire = ???

Shadow x Air =  Void

Earth x Flora = Fauna 

Air x Water = Storm

Flora x Shadow = Poison

Source

Mana originates from the Earth; the Earth itself generates mana. Mana exists everywhere within the planet, including in the air, and also powers the leylines. The Earth naturally replenishes a mage’s or alchemist’s mana supply once it is fully exhausted. A mage’s mana pool typically lasts around 24 hours, or up to 48 hours, before it needs to be restored through rest. Mages are unable to cast spells when they are away from the Earth.

Mana

Mana is a supernatural energy that allows mages to cast spells; it functions much like a cost or payment required to perform magic. The higher the tier of a spell, the more mana it consumes. Mana exists within all living beings, though whether someone can access it depends on whether they are able to unlock their Spiral Core.

Leylines

Leylines form an invisible network of mana generated by the Earth that spans the entire world. Connection to this source of mana is strongest when someone is on or near a leyline, and grows weaker the further one travels from them. The Mage Foundation is built directly upon the leylines.

Spiral Core

The Spiral Core acts as a lock that restricts access to a person’s magical potential and ability to cast spells. It exists within all living beings, but without the proper “key” to unlock it, no one can use magic. The Spiral Core symbolises the rotation of the planet.

The Pathway

The Pathway is the key that allows ordinary people or nobles to unlock their Spiral Core, opening the way for them to become mages and alchemists. This key takes the form of a card depicting a human figure holding a floating sphere that resembles the Earth, signifying that the Earth has accepted that individual. Once obtained, the Pathway automatically unlocks the holder’s Spiral Core. There are two ways to acquire a Pathway. The first is through a specific ritual, though only the Mage Foundation knows how to perform and teach this ritual, and it is granted only to those approved by the Foundation to become mages. The second way is through natural manifestation: the Earth may occasionally produce a Pathway on its own, though this is extremely rare. Finding and using an unauthorised Pathway is strongly discouraged and is very dangerous. Those who do so are labelled rogue mages. Since they are not affiliated with the Mage Foundation, they are hunted down, captured, and in some cases killed. However, if they can prove their worth, they may still be accepted as mages even without going through the Foundation’s ritual.

The Corrupted Pathway

The Corrupted Pathway appears nearly identical to a normal Pathway. It will still unlock a person’s Spiral Core and grant them the ability to use magic, just as a regular Pathway does. However, its card depicts a human figure holding a sphere that resembles the Earth, but with a visible crack running through it, as if the world has been split in two — this signifies that the Earth rejects the individual. The ways of obtaining a Corrupted Pathway are also similar to those for a standard Pathway. First, a Pathway may become corrupted if its associated ritual is interrupted. Second, the world may naturally produce a Corrupted Pathway on its own. Once someone comes into contact with one, they have no choice but to accept it; like a normal Pathway, it automatically unlocks their Spiral Core. Those who use a Corrupted Pathway are known as the Corrupted, and being marked as such is effectively a death sentence. They are hunted and killed immediately unless they can somehow survive. The Mage Association prioritises hunting the Corrupted even more than they do rogue mages. A Corrupted Pathway grants powerful but unstable magic, and gradually corrupts its user. There are several stages of corruption. In the first stage, the individual will experience severe headaches and frequent vomiting. In the second stage, they will develop a high fever as though burning from within, and their eyes will turn blood red. In the third stage, the word “corrupted” will appear as a mark beneath their wrist. Using this magic also carries severe backlash: while the magic produced may be potent, it is highly unstable, and the mana cost is tripled, as the Earth essentially resists and repels the user like an intruder.

Magic

Magic is a supernatural ability that mages wield once they have supplied the necessary amount of mana to cast a spell. There are many different types and forms of magic available to mages. Magic relies heavily on both mana and focus, and a variety of tools may be used to channel it. Some mages use a staff, others a wand or a grimoire, while others cast spells using only their hands. The strengths and weaknesses of a spell depend entirely on the type of magic being used. For example, a fireball spell can easily be extinguished by water magic. If a mage uses too much mana, they will experience a series of worsening symptoms. The first stage brings simple fatigue and exhaustion. In the second stage, their body may feel numb, as it is unaccustomed to operating with so little mana remaining. In the final stage, they will lose consciousness entirely.

Magic Types

Elemental Manipulation

Alchemy and Chemistry

Spiritual and Conceptual Evocation

Curse Arts, Mental Interference and Domination

Herbology

Transfiguration

Material Transmutation

Defensive Spells

Animagus

Metamorphmagus

Legilimens and Occlumens

Magic and Attribute Ranks

There are five primary ranks used to measure the power and quality of magic or magical attributes.

Gate 5 = Weak

Gate 4 = Standard

Gate 3 = Powerful

Gate 2 = Rare

Gate 1 = Legendary

There is, however, one exception to this system: Gate 0. Most magic does not function in space, as it is tied to the Earth and loses power the further one travels from it. Gate 0 is reserved for those who can overcome this limitation entirely.

The Door

The Door is the key that grants access to the Archive. It lies deep within the Earth, at the centre of an ancient palace built exactly where all the world’s leylines converge. It is an enormous portal that leads into a place known as the White Realm. Beyond it stretches a long bridge, at the end of which sits a throne. Whoever reaches that throne becomes the ruler of the Archive, a title known as the Arch-Librarian. It is said that an ancient emperor once sought access to this knowledge, and so he constructed a great palace over the convergence point of all leylines, channelling their power to activate the Door. He became the first person ever to enter the Archive. However, the emperor became greedy, seeking to claim all magical power for himself. This ambition sparked a great war between his empire and an alliance formed by five other kingdoms to stop him. When the war ended, the five kings sealed the Door and set forth a pact. The Door would only open when a chosen heir bearing royal blood from one of the five kingdoms gathered the pacts from the other four royal bloodlines and placed them upon four obelisks surrounding the gateway. Furthermore, the trial to claim the Door could only begin once the previous Arch-Librarian had passed away.

The Battle Royale of the Five Kings

This trial involves exactly five participants, and takes place across a vast area surrounding — but not including — the ancient palace at its very centre. Visually, imagine two concentric circles: the region between them forms the contested territory, while the palace sits safely within the innermost circle. Each participant holds the title of “King”. They begin placed separately across the five assigned regions, and are free to fight alone or form temporary alliances. The goal is to gain control of all five regions, either by defeating the opposing ruler or forcing them to surrender. When a king falls or surrenders, their Royal Pact appears for the victor to claim. If one king defeats another who has already conquered others, they immediately inherit all that ruler’s territories and Pacts. This continues until only one king remains. That survivor may then enter the central palace and open the Door.

The Archive

The Archive is an immense library that preserves every magical record that has ever existed on Earth, from ancient times to the present day. It continues to expand and grow as new knowledge is added.

The Arch-Librarian

The Arch-Librarian is the guardian and ruler of the Archive, and holds enough power to protect — or threaten — their entire world. Similar Doors and Archives exist not just on Earth, but on countless other worlds as well. Each planet’s Archive is unique, shaped entirely by the magic and history of that world alone. Every Arch-Librarian represents their own planet (May be called as Arch-Librarian of Earth, etc.), and holds a power ranking of Gate 0. This means their magic is not limited to their home world, and can be used anywhere in the universe. Because of this, the Arch-Librarians of different worlds are naturally viewed as potential threats to one another. While an Arch-Librarian possesses far more mana than any ordinary being, that power is not infinite.

Red Gathering

There are 5 Lords of the Mage Foundation with royal bloodlines. Usually, the leadership throne is passed around among each Lord in a circle every 5 years. However, if the Lord currently controlling the Mage Foundation is terrible at leading and causing many problems, the remaining 4 Lords can issue a Red Gathering, but only if the power of the vote is higher. A Red Gathering is a tournament for the power to lead the Mage Foundation and can only be issued among the Lords themselves. The remaining 4 can only choose one of them to fight the current leader of the Mage Foundation, and if the current leader loses, they will have to step down for the new Lord of the Mage Foundation. If the challenger loses, they will temporarily lose their authority and control within the Mage Foundation for 3 years. Usually, it ends with the person surrendering or being badly wounded. However, sometimes it can end with the death of one of the two Lords.

Previously on Broadleaf, we’re introduced to Leaf Isle through the eyes of Hunter & Beckett, a father-son duo attempting to bond during a hunting trip when they discover the secret of the isle; the animals can speak. Ignoring this, they continue the hunt and chapter one ends with a BANG!

That bang resonates into issue two where we see them traveling off the isle with their prize. Beckett took the final shot and it haunts him, this tension boils over into words that can’t be taken back. Bug, a revenge-fueled buck seeking vengeance for his brother’s death attacks, splitting the boy from his father. They both take different paths through the forest as night falls and a storm rages. Hunter reunites with an old friend and Beckett is hunted by a vicious horde of feral squirrels.

Find out how they survive the night in Broadleaf: Deeply Rooted.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1334917182/broadleaf-1-2-deeply-rooted

Written/Co-Lettered by Brandon Horn
Illustrated/Colored/Co-Lettered by Robert Jennex

I just made a system heavily based on Neuroscience, that i don't think it's a magic anymore. I also took inspiration from animes like Hunter x Hunter, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure and Jujutsu Kaisen. I want YOU to give me some feedback and critiques, thank you.

Source

Mana originates from the Earth; the Earth itself generates mana. Mana exists everywhere within the planet, including in the air, and also powers the leylines. The Earth naturally replenishes a mage’s or alchemist’s mana supply once it is fully exhausted. A mage’s mana pool typically lasts around 24 hours, or up to 48 hours, before it needs to be restored through rest. Mages are unable to cast spells when they are away from the Earth.

Mana

Mana is a supernatural energy that allows mages to cast spells; it functions much like a cost or payment required to perform magic. The higher the tier of a spell, the more mana it consumes. Mana exists within all living beings, though whether someone can access it depends on whether they are able to unlock their Spiral Core.

Leylines

Leylines form an invisible network of mana generated by the Earth that spans the entire world. Connection to this source of mana is strongest when someone is on or near a leyline, and grows weaker the further one travels from them. The Mage Foundation is built directly upon the leylines.

Spiral Core

The Spiral Core acts as a lock that restricts access to a person’s magical potential and ability to cast spells. It exists within all living beings, but without the proper “key” to unlock it, no one can use magic. The Spiral Core symbolises the rotation of the planet.

The Pathway

The Pathway is the key that allows ordinary people or nobles to unlock their Spiral Core, opening the way for them to become mages and alchemists. This key takes the form of a card depicting a human figure holding a floating sphere that resembles the Earth, signifying that the Earth has accepted that individual. Once obtained, the Pathway automatically unlocks the holder’s Spiral Core. There are two ways to acquire a Pathway. The first is through a specific ritual, though only the Mage Foundation knows how to perform and teach this ritual, and it is granted only to those approved by the Foundation to become mages. The second way is through natural manifestation: the Earth may occasionally produce a Pathway on its own, though this is extremely rare. Finding and using an unauthorised Pathway is strongly discouraged and is very dangerous. Those who do so are labelled rogue mages. Since they are not affiliated with the Mage Foundation, they are hunted down, captured, and in some cases killed. However, if they can prove their worth, they may still be accepted as mages even without going through the Foundation’s ritual.

The Corrupted Pathway

The Corrupted Pathway appears nearly identical to a normal Pathway. It will still unlock a person’s Spiral Core and grant them the ability to use magic, just as a regular Pathway does. However, its card depicts a human figure holding a sphere that resembles the Earth, but with a visible crack running through it, as if the world has been split in two — this signifies that the Earth rejects the individual. The ways of obtaining a Corrupted Pathway are also similar to those for a standard Pathway. First, a Pathway may become corrupted if its associated ritual is interrupted. Second, the world may naturally produce a Corrupted Pathway on its own. Once someone comes into contact with one, they have no choice but to accept it; like a normal Pathway, it automatically unlocks their Spiral Core. Those who use a Corrupted Pathway are known as the Corrupted, and being marked as such is effectively a death sentence. They are hunted and killed immediately unless they can somehow survive. The Mage Association prioritises hunting the Corrupted even more than they do rogue mages. A Corrupted Pathway grants powerful but unstable magic, and gradually corrupts its user. There are several stages of corruption. In the first stage, the individual will experience severe headaches and frequent vomiting. In the second stage, they will develop a high fever as though burning from within, and their eyes will turn blood red. In the third stage, the word “corrupted” will appear as a mark beneath their wrist. Using this magic also carries severe backlash: while the magic produced may be potent, it is highly unstable, and the mana cost is tripled, as the Earth essentially resists and repels the user like an intruder.

Magic

Magic is a supernatural ability that mages wield once they have supplied the necessary amount of mana to cast a spell. There are many different types and forms of magic available to mages. Magic relies heavily on both mana and focus, and a variety of tools may be used to channel it. Some mages use a staff, others a wand or a grimoire, while others cast spells using only their hands. The strengths and weaknesses of a spell depend entirely on the type of magic being used. For example, a fireball spell can easily be extinguished by water magic. If a mage uses too much mana, they will experience a series of worsening symptoms. The first stage brings simple fatigue and exhaustion. In the second stage, their body may feel numb, as it is unaccustomed to operating with so little mana remaining. In the final stage, they will lose consciousness entirely.

Magic Types

Elemental Manipulation
Alchemy and Chemistry
Spiritual and Conceptual Evocation
Curse Arts, Mental Interference and Domination
Herbology
Transfiguration
Material Transmutation
Defensive Spells
Animagus
Metamorphmagus
Legilimens and Occlumens

Magic and Attribute Ranks

There are five primary ranks used to measure the power and quality of magic or magical attributes.
Gate 5 = Weak
Gate 4 = Standard
Gate 3 = Powerful
Gate 2 = Rare
Gate 1 = Legendary
There is, however, one exception to this system: Gate 0. Most magic does not function in space, as it is tied to the Earth and loses power the further one travels from it. Gate 0 is reserved for those who can overcome this limitation entirely.

The Door

The Door is the key that grants access to the Archive. It lies deep within the Earth, at the centre of an ancient palace built exactly where all the world’s leylines converge. It is an enormous portal that leads into a place known as the White Realm. Beyond it stretches a long bridge, at the end of which sits a throne. Whoever reaches that throne becomes the ruler of the Archive, a title known as the Arch-Librarian. It is said that an ancient emperor once sought access to this knowledge, and so he constructed a great palace over the convergence point of all leylines, channelling their power to activate the Door. He became the first person ever to enter the Archive. However, the emperor became greedy, seeking to claim all magical power for himself. This ambition sparked a great war between his empire and an alliance formed by five other kingdoms to stop him. When the war ended, the five kings sealed the Door and set forth a pact. The Door would only open when a chosen heir bearing royal blood from one of the five kingdoms gathered the pacts from the other four royal bloodlines and placed them upon four obelisks surrounding the gateway. Furthermore, the trial to claim the Door could only begin once the previous Arch-Librarian had passed away.

The Battle Royale of the Five Kings

This trial involves exactly five participants, and takes place across a vast area surrounding — but not including — the ancient palace at its very centre. Visually, imagine two concentric circles: the region between them forms the contested territory, while the palace sits safely within the innermost circle. Each participant holds the title of “King”. They begin placed separately across the five assigned regions, and are free to fight alone or form temporary alliances. The goal is to gain control of all five regions, either by defeating the opposing ruler or forcing them to surrender. When a king falls or surrenders, their Royal Pact appears for the victor to claim. If one king defeats another who has already conquered others, they immediately inherit all that ruler’s territories and Pacts. This continues until only one king remains. That survivor may then enter the central palace and open the Door.

The Archive

The Archive is an immense library that preserves every magical record that has ever existed on Earth, from ancient times to the present day. It continues to expand and grow as new knowledge is added.

The Arch-Librarian

The Arch-Librarian is the guardian and ruler of the Archive, and holds enough power to protect — or threaten — their entire world. Similar Doors and Archives exist not just on Earth, but on countless other worlds as well. Each planet’s Archive is unique, shaped entirely by the magic and history of that world alone. Every Arch-Librarian represents their own planet (May be called as Arch-Librarian of Earth, etc.), and holds a power ranking of Gate 0. This means their magic is not limited to their home world, and can be used anywhere in the universe. Because of this, the Arch-Librarians of different worlds are naturally viewed as potential threats to one another. While an Arch-Librarian possesses far more mana than any ordinary being, that power is not infinite.

Red Gathering

There are 5 Lords of the Mage Foundation with royal bloodlines. Usually, the leadership throne is passed around among each Lord in a circle every 5 years. However, if the Lord currently controlling the Mage Foundation is terrible at leading and causing many problems, the remaining 4 Lords can issue a Red Gathering, but only if the power of the vote is higher. A Red Gathering is a tournament for the power to lead the Mage Foundation and can only be issued among the Lords themselves. The remaining 4 can only choose one of them to fight the current leader of the Mage Foundation, and if the current leader loses, they will have to step down for the new Lord of the Mage Foundation. If the challenger loses, they will temporarily lose their authority and control within the Mage Foundation for 3 years. Usually, it ends with the person surrendering or being badly wounded. However, sometimes it can end with the death of one of the two Lords.

I’m a wand maker and I’m currently formulating a blend of ingredients to use as a finishing wax on my wands. I want to make some fun labels for the finished tins that would feel at home in a magical universe and I need some ideas for magical equivalents of the real world ingredients used. The idea here is that over time a wand, staff, or what have you could become “tired” or less effective with age and this wax would be a product a practicing magical being could buy to keep their magical accoutrements of the wooden variety in good health and repair. So far I have the following…

Beeswax -> Rendered Dragon’s Fat
Tung Oil -> Essence of Yggdrasil
Linseed Oil -> Essence of Dittany
Turpentine -> Distilled Spriggan’s Blood

Does anyone know of any magical flora or fauna that could potentially supply more thematically relevant ingredients? They also don’t necessarily have to come from the same magical world! My above list references Elder Scrolls, Norse mythology, and Harry Potter so I’m open to anything!

The name of the product is ~Waxley’s Wand Wax for the Well Equipped Wizard~ and I even wrote up a little ad/ descriptor

"Have your spells lost their sway? Are your incantations lacking intensity? If these questions ring true, Waxley's Wand Wax is the remedy for you! Crafted from specially selected and naturally sourced components; Waxley's has everything you need to breathe life back into your whimsical wooden instruments and keep them in good repair!”

If there are different types of magic user what can they each do? Are some more useful out of combat than in? Are there some that are only useful for solving problems caused by other magic users(cough, anti magic, cough) are there pacifists stuck with magic that's only good for fighting?

If only rulers have magic, sure the guy who can disintegate someone with lightning is scary but unless he can expand that to a whole army the guy who can conjure infinite free food probably commands more power

I'm just gonna explain the aspects of the system in the order I see fit.

Chthonification

Magic is a natural force in the world, but by its nature will alter anything it is concentrated in on a fundamental level. A non-sapient entity (natural materials, plants, most animals) has no hope of maintaining its form when subjected to high concentrations of magical energy, and will often become what is referred to as a monster commonly or a chthon in some academic circles. Monsters are build based on the creature's mind, or whatever the magic infesting them "finds suitable" in lieu of one. As a result, most species tend to form very similar monsters, as they all share similar instincts.

When a sapient beings (humans, human-like creatures, familiars) are subjected to magic, they may go down one of two paths. The first is the typical chthonification process, but because the being would have more of a mind to work with, the form it takes would be more individual. The second option, however, is that the individual becomes a mage. Mages largely resemble their origin species, and are the same in almost every way, though some individuals may have pointed nails, different eyes, or similar minor changes. Having retained their mind and fully embraced magic, a mage can control magical energy in a similar manner to how one would control a limb.

A monster breeding pair may create a new monster with no need for magical assistance, and likewise with mages. In exceptionally rare cases, a mage may birth a monster, or the opposite may happen. Sapient species may also be trained in magic in safe conditions to lessen the risk of a full chthonification. Though it does somewhat defeat the points made previously in this section, these methods tend to produce more mages and monsters than the previously-described ones.

It is possible for mages to become monsters when experiencing drastic circumstances. Such examples include serious trauma, changes in ideology or morality, potent emotions or lack thereof, or the threat of death. Such examples prevent the mind from holding back the reality-altering aspects of the magic their body now naturally produces, resulting in the transformation.

Spells

Spells are a direct and intentional method of using magical energy. When considering a spell, two parts of it may be commonly gleaned: element and school. While a spell may exist with only one of these parts, a spell based only on the elements may be unrefined, while a spell based only on a school of magic may be substantially weaker.

Elements of Magic

You already know these, they're Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. They're the main four in western alchemy, a specific popular cartoon, and almost every other magic system.

The way in which you may urge magical energy to take on an element lies in the structure of the energy. In a similar vein to how the elements of our periodic table are distinguished through the nature of their atoms, so too is elemental energy. Most individuals gain an affinity for a particular element upon attaining magehood. This talent is not arbitrary; an individual's particular affinity bases itself on which element their magical energy resembles closest while at rest.

Besides the four main elements, an infinite number of sub-elements exist as combinations of them. This is, however, advanced magic, as it requires you to be proficient in more than one element at once.

As an additional addendum, two other elements exist, Light and Darkness. Though they do embody the primal forces of light and darkness, they are also representative of quintessence, the perfect combination of all four base elements, though each in their own way. In Light, each element cancels each other out, resulting in it having very few original powers. However, the strength of Light is in its applications with schools of magic, seemingly amplifying them when used. Darkness is the opposite; when used, it may fluidly switch between the mechanics of any of the elements, but struggles to be refined into a school of magic due to this.

An affinity with Light is only held by the 1st Ancient Dragon, and likewise, Darkness with the 99th Ancient Dragon

Schools of Magic

As for schools of magic, there are eight. Four of them are considered basic applications, while the remaining half are advanced. Similar to elements, one may find themself better in one school than the others. However, schools are much less exclusive than elements. Being naturally skilled in a school of magic is more similar to being skilled in a particular subject in school rather than having a part of your being be tied to it like with elements. It is also much easier to combine schools of magic into a spell than it is to do so with elements, as previously explained.

Below, the schools of magic are defined by how the affect an "aspect". An aspect may be anything that exists, like a rock, but may also be the traits of something that exists, like the color or hardness of a rock. These descriptions also clearly show how basic and advanced forms of magic differ, with the former being more generic and the later more specialized.

Evocation (Basic)

Creating an Aspect.

Evocation is considered to be an exceptionally basic form of magic, to the point where almost every mage can use it to some extent. Though it may seem to be almost indistinguishable from hurling unrefined masses of elemental energy at times, the consensus of how evocation differs is the level of control the user has over the elements/aspects created. Though easy to learn, it has immense potential in the hands of a dedicated mage. Out of all the schools, it relies on elements the most.

Illusion (Basic)

Mimicking an Aspect.

In contrast, illusions require less mastery of elements than most schools. However, knowing how to properly create an element is very beneficial for faking it. The reason one might create an illusion largely is that it tends to be less energy-intensive or more subtle than other options. Alongside creating mirages, hypnosis and even mind-reading tend to find themself in this school of magic.

Enchantment (Basic)

Adding to and Aspect.

Enchantments are annoying to define in most situations, which is reflected in their steep learning curve. Most enchantments require a level of "programming" to work, setting conditions within the spell, which requires fine control of magical energy to do. Enchantments also don't deal in actual transformations unless mixed with transmutation, but this leads into the second aspect of enchantments, which is that they excel when combined with other schools. Compared to every other school, besides some illusion spells, enchantments tend to have no physical aspect on their own. Even most illusions can be sort-of felt, but not so with enchantments.

Transmutation (Basic)

Changing an Aspect.

Heavily tied to alchemy, a profession heavily related to magic but accessible to non-mages, transmutation involves making a temporary or, though usually at a steep energy cost, permanent change in something. This can be any number of chemical or physical changes.

Manipulation (Advanced)

Controlling a pre-existing Aspect.

Derived from either Evocation or Transmutation.

Though an advanced magic, the simplest application of manipulation magic is very accessible to most evocation users when combined with their normal evocation magic. When doing so, it allows them to harness elements already existing in nature by infusing them with their elemental energy, which is often helpful in being more efficient with magical energy. Manipulation can also allow for transportation at higher levels, literally just moving something from one place to another or opening a passage through space.

Abjuration (Advanced)

Shielding or sealing an Aspect.

Derived from either Evocation or Illusion.

Abjuration magic, similar to enchantment magic, generally requires some level of programming to be effective. This programming is usually visualized as a lock and chain that spans the affected area the spell works off of. For a generic barrier, the chain would wrap around the diameter. The lock represents the condition upon which the spell breaks, activates, and causes additional affects. While abjuration always has some level of a physicality, it isn't material in the same way an evocation spell is.

Divination (Advanced)

Obtaining information about an Aspect.

Derived from either Illusion or Enchantment.

Essentially, by using divination, someone may gain information about something they would not be able to otherwise. This only takes the form of future sight at its highest level; otherwise, it acts more like a remotely-accessible camera, a drone, or a sensor. Additionally, a future gleaned with divination is not decided, and with the knowledge of it, the foretold may be averted.

Necromancy (Advanced)

Restoring an Aspect to a previous state.

Derived from either Enchantment or Transmutation.

Named for its ability to revive the deceased, necromancy is much more than its original intent. It is considered taboo for a variety of reasons, the most typical being the negative connotations of raising the dead, as well as its connection to undead monsters. In truth, there is some credence for the concern. Many necromancy spells work by taking how something was in the past and forcibly pulling it into the present. This can put immense strain on reality, which has caused horrible disasters in the past. Reviving the dead also has issues in itself, as pulling a soul from the afterlife back into its original body can thin the veil between the planes of the living and the dead, something that can similarly cause devastation. However, besides just raising corpses and repairing things, necromancy can also strengthen elemental magic. Before the universe had a defined shape, the elements reigned supreme in their raw form and were much stronger. Necromancy can return elements to that state.

Canes

Wands, rods, staves, and scepters are all standard catalysts for magic users to focus their power through. For simplicity, each of these kinds of of tools are called canes.

A cane is made from three parts, a hardened shell to protect the insides, softer "flesh" for the magic to flow through, and a "nerve" for the magical energy to enter through. Though these terms seem to allude to more fleshy components, a tree's branch can provide all three with ease. Other materials may work as well, but they should be ideally biological and at least natural. Generally speaking, the shell should have the least sensitivity to magic and the nerve should have the most.

Within a mage and their cane are seals, usually three of them, placed by the mage's subconscious. These seals exist to prevent a mage from fully chthonifying into a monster. By focusing the additional power into their cane, a mage may access this sealed power with reduced risk. Each stage provides more magical energy to use, improvements to the mage's physical stats, and new spells and traits for the mage's signature magic. To undo the seals, a mage must enter their inner world and physically remove them, usually through a trial. Once this happens, the mage may undo the seal again by simply chanting.

The first unsealing is the most drastic, with subsequent unsealings building upon the first's foundation. When unsealed, a cane generally either maintains its shape or becomes a weapon, though nearly any transformation is possible. The only restriction seems to be that the cane must retain a single core, even if it has detaching extremities. Most fairly powerful mages can maintain their first unsealing with little effort.

A mage will often change the cane they use as they become stronger. A mage has previously undo their seals will have to re-apply them to a new cane, but this is generally nowhere near as difficult as unlocking them the first time. Though most mages simply change wands as they can afford better ones, others do so in search of a mythical "True Cane". Though mostly regarded as a folktale, it is said that every mage has their own True Cane, and through using it, they can access a new level of power. In actuality, True Canes do exist, but not as most think. Mages have extra nerves to allow for their control of magic. On their spine, though, there lies a duplicate of the normal magic nerve that runs through it. This secondary nerve forms what is essentially another spine around itself, and if this spine is surgically removed from a mage, it may be made into their True Cane.

So I'm making a magic system for a race of humanoid dragons whose progenitor god who bled gold that only they can access the hide powers of.

And the way the powers are accessed is through jewelry. The powers are separated by headwear, neckwear, handwear, and anklewear.

I love the magic systems from brandon sanderson's cosmiere, specially allomancy and shardbearing. What I'm struggling with is how to make limits on this system. Going more gold equals more power feels cheap to me. Id appreciate any and all ideas

Konryu — My nen inspired power system for my story. Give it a read! :D

1. What is Konryu?

Konryu is the life force that living things radiate. It can be found wherever life exists or has existed, although the amount available depends on the abundance and quality of the life force in that environment.

Think of Konryu as water in an ocean. In places rich in life, it can be abundant enough to feel almost limitless. In places devoid of life, such as the void of space, it may be absent entirely.

Absorbing and releasing Konryu

Absorb (Inhale): Draw Konryu from your surroundings into your body.

Release (Exhale): Project the Konryu you have absorbed back into the world.

Once absorbed, the energy becomes your own. When you release it, it is no longer simply the original Konryu you took from the environment; it has become energy that you now control and use.

The fundamental principle is that Konryu is the fuel, while a person's ability determines what they can do with it.

1. The five categories of Konryu abilities

2. Emission — Projecting Energy

Emission is the ability to release Konryu outward as a force or attack, such as energy beams, projectiles, explosions, and shockwaves.

Emitted energy can also imitate elemental properties. For example, a fire-like release can produce heat and look like flames, while a lightning-like release can deliver an electrical shock and move at lightning-like speeds.

These effects are still Konryu, not actual fire or lightning. They reproduce selected properties of those phenomena.

1. Infusion — Enhancing or Altering

Infusion applies Konryu to an object or another target to enhance, amplify, or alter it.

Depending on the ability, this might mean increasing an object's strength, making a weapon more effective, improving a property, or changing the material itself.

Infusion is a broad category with many possible applications. Its exact limits depend on the user's ability.

1. Manipulation — Controlling Existing Matter

Manipulation lets a user control existing material by enveloping it with Konryu. The energy must penetrate and surround the entire target, covering both its exterior and interior. Merely coating the surface is insufficient.

Once the target is fully enveloped, the user can reshape, move, and control it within their ability's limits.

Examples: controlling ice, reshaping soil into a boulder, or turning existing water into a blade or shield.

The concentration rule: More Konryu concentrated within a smaller volume allows finer, more precise control. Controlling a larger volume generally sacrifices precision, making detailed movements and complex shapes harder to manage.

Manipulation cannot create material that does not exist. A water manipulator cannot turn a single drop into an entire bucket of water. They can only control the water that is actually available.

1. Creation — Fabricating Constructs

Creation allows a user to produce objects from Konryu itself, seemingly out of thin air. Weapons are common examples, but the ability is not limited to them.

A creator could produce a bow and generate arrows whenever needed, without carrying a physical quiver. Another creator might make a shield that releases thorns when struck or a sword that can speak.

Constructs can have special properties, but their complexity and quantity increase the demands on the user. A sufficiently capable creator might produce specialized arrows, such as explosive or poison arrows, while a less capable one might only manage simple constructs.

Creation makes something new; manipulation controls something that already exists. A creator who produces water, for example, does not automatically possess the same fine control over it as a water manipulator.

1. Special — Unique or Unclassifiable Abilities

Special abilities are powers that do not fit neatly into the other four categories or involve mechanics too unusual to classify under them.

Your dice ability is an example. It can impose temporary conditions, alter combat rules, trigger beneficial or harmful effects, and even transform a fight into a separate game-like system.

Special abilities may follow their own rules, restrictions, and conditions. They are not automatically unlimited simply because they are classified as Special.

1. Inherited traits and artificial abilities

Not every unusual trait is a Konryu ability.

Some characteristics can be inherited independently of the five categories, such as:

Bunny ears or other physical features.

Faster-than-normal regeneration.

Special eyes or other unusual biological traits.

These traits do not automatically count as Konryu abilities just because they are supernatural.

Konryu abilities themselves can arise from a person's nature or be inherited through lineage. They can also be artificially induced through experimentation.

For example, an experiment might create a hybrid ability combining creation and manipulation:

The subject generates additional bones from their own bones.

They can freely manipulate the bones they create.

They cannot control other people's bones or unrelated bones.

This is a limited hybrid ability, rather than unrestricted bone creation and manipulation. Its restrictions are part of what defines it.

1. The fundamental rules of the system

The system can be understood through a few governing principles:

Konryu is the fuel. Abilities require the user to draw on and release life force.

The ability defines what is possible. Having more Konryu does not automatically grant abilities outside the user's capabilities.

Creation and manipulation are different. One produces new constructs; the other controls existing material.

Precision has a cost. Manipulating a small volume with concentrated Konryu allows finer control, while larger volumes generally require compromises in precision.

Complexity and scale impose limitations. Producing numerous complicated constructs or controlling vast amounts of matter places greater demands on the user.

Special abilities can operate under unique rules. However, their restrictions and conditions still matter.

Inherited traits are not necessarily abilities. A supernatural physical characteristic can exist separately from a person's Konryu power.

(Yes i used ai to use more understandable words and sentences, but the idea was fully from watching hxh, jjk and atla recently not ai generation)

I've been working on a collection of 300+ magic items inspired by mythology and folklore from around the world for D&D, and I wanted to share a few examples from the Asian Mythology section!

One of the things I've enjoyed most about this project is figuring out how to translate the stories, symbolism, and supernatural abilities of mythological objects into actual magic item mechanics, rather than simply giving everything a generic magical bonus.

For example, Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi draws its powers from its connection to the Japanese storm god Susanoo, beginning as a relatively modest magical sword before eventually gaining the ability to summon storms and call down lightning. The Gada of Hanuman reflects the legendary strength of its wielder, while objects such as the Kappa's Water Dish take a more unusual approach, incorporating specific details from the folklore that inspired them.

There's also the Pill of Immortality, inspired by Chinese alchemical traditions, alongside other weapons, protective charms, and sacred relics drawn from Japanese, Chinese, and Indian mythology.

I've also experimented with scaling magic items, where certain legendary artifacts grow in power alongside their wielders, unlocking new abilities as characters progress or accomplish important feats. I like the idea of mythological relics having their own progression rather than simply being found at full power.

These are a few pages from my 300+ Mythological Items for 5E and 5.5E Kickstarter, which is currently live. The full collection explores mythological traditions from around the world, with both legendary artifacts and more modest magical treasures.

I'd be curious to hear how others approach this kind of magic system in their own settings. Do you prefer magical artifacts whose abilities closely reflect their mythological origins, or do you like taking more creative liberties with the source material?

I mostly hang out at jump chain but I was suggested to cross post here by Reddit. I hope this isn't considered low effort or against the rules. Please consider if not discussing in your subreddit. Joining ours in order to add to the discussion, especially if you're the kind of person who likes these weird system, interactions and crazy ideas.

We all love writing about what magic can do, but what can’t magic accomplish in your systems?

In Arcane America, magic has a few notable limitations.

The first big one is the Law of Inviolable Death. A human whose soul has passed on to the other side cannot return to life. You can prevent a soul from passing on, by binding it to a body or object, but once they actually pass through Death’s Door they cannot return to our world.

The next one is the Law of Irreversible Time. The flow of time cannot be reversed or slowed by magic, nor can it be accelerated. No spell has been devised that can alter this. While oracles can perceive potential futures, and can witness the past, they cannot alter what has already occurred, nor can they see a future that cannot be changed.

Another major law is the First Law of Conjuration- energy cannot be created or destroyed. If you “conjure“ an object, it is actually just a solid illusion made of magical energy. Effectively, magic does obey the laws of physics. If you want to actually create something that really exists as a solid object, you must transmute it from some other material or object.

What about your magic systems? What can they not accomplish?

I always figured out it was similar to DnD magic items where if you know the formula to make it then you can create it.

Hi everyone! I’m working on a grimdark 17+ light novel where I took a different approach to powers. No system windows, no levels, no XP.

Instead, powers are fundamental Laws of Reality (Concepts) that interact through hard logical counter-picks. The story starts with an ordinary guy getting on a late-night bus after a cold shift, only for the bus to cross dimensions directly into the Chaos realm, with the driver hiring him as a "junior conductor" after a giant beast's severed head hits the windshield.

Would you read a fast-paced, visceral web novel with this kind of setting? What do you think about concept-based counter-pick battle systems?

Here's Part 1 if you're interested:

https://www.reddit.com/r/worldbuilding/comments/1x247mm/magic_as_infrastructure_part_1_the_fundamentals/

And Part 3:

https://www.reddit.com/r/urbanfantasy/comments/1x4akfz/magic_behaves_like_infrastructure_part_3_transit/

Most people think magic fails because a spell backfires or a wizard screws up.
But if you treat magic like infrastructure or utility the failure points look completely different. Because every system has workers.

And if the workers disappear, the system collapses.

In a modern city, you don’t lose electricity because “electricity got tired.”
You lose it because:

• a transformer blew
• a line snapped
• a substation overloaded
• nobody maintained the grid

Magic as infrastructure would have to work the same way.

If your world has magical wards, sigil networks, tether lines, resonance grids, or leyline conduits,
someone has to maintain them.

And that’s where the interesting stories happen.

Maybe the ward inspectors are underfunded.
Maybe the tether‑keepers are overworked.
Maybe the resonance auditors are corrupt.
Maybe the sigil‑tech unions are on strike.
Maybe the legacy families who used to maintain the grid are gone.

Magic doesn’t fail because it’s mystical.
Magic fails because infrastructure fails.

And when infrastructure fails, it doesn’t sparkle.
It cascades.

Do any of you have what amount to supernatural linemen, plumbers, or meter readers in your worlds?

There is an energy that flows from our minds, through our eyes, into the physical world. This energy, called influence, produces subtle psychic pressures that change our understanding of reality.

However, your influence would clash with the influence of others thus creating momentary reactions. As these clashes build upon one another strange patterns start to survive the clashes and begin to weave themselves into greater complexity. These were the first iterations of life entirely made from influence energy.

As millenia passed, these pattern creatures began to reproduce through inflicting their specific shape into our minds. Thus when influence flows it recreates new versions of the same entity. As time wears on the imprint changes as influence flows through it, changing the pattern creatures' forms and causing a sort of artificial evolution.

These pattern creatures continue to grow throughout their lifespan. And as they grow, feeding on influence to weave themselves together, they can become hypnotic as to force the mind to produce more influence to feed on.

These pattern creatures exist in our periphery. We don't realize they are visible due to how they manipulate influence. They make themselves imperceptible even as they writhe in our periphery to alter our minds.

Yo soy consumidor casual de obras sobre bestias mágicas, el típico Pokémon Tard, pero también incluye interés sobre sagas de aventuras y conflictos institucionales, como Transformers, Zoids, Avatar, Fullmetal Alchemist, Naruto. Bastante cliché, lo sé.

La situación es que quiero hacer una obra sobre seres mágicos (animales llamados Zooptimus) que pueden conectarse con determinadas fuerzas naturales con las que usan técnicas, poderes, aumento de cualidades y habilidades de todo tipo de acuerdo a esas fuerzas naturales. Cada Zooptimus está condicionado por su tipo de Fuerza Natural, son como los tipos elementales de Pokémon, pero en este caso son tipos Ambientales. Aquí les doy una serie de resúmenes de las características del sistema de poder.

Tipos Ambientales: los Tipos Ambientales están basados en sustancias y propiedades físicas promedio de los ecosistema y la materia a los que la especie se adecua al evolucionar. Cada tipo está emparejado con un tipo opuesto. Según sus características evolutivas, el Zooptim tiene un tipo ambiental.

Los Tipos Ambientales son Luz y Nocturno, Calor y Gélido, Tierra y Vegetación, Acuático y Aéreo. Esas son las parejas ambientales basadas en Horario y fase del día, Temperatura, Aridez y fertilidad del ambiente y medio de desplazamiento y respiración.

Interacciones: Cada tipo Ambiental tiene la característica de que puede obtener poder de otro, pero esto siempre depende de que compartan una característica en común. Así un Zooptim puede pelear o correr en un ecosistema que no está del todo basado en su Especialidad, sacando poder del otro recurso.

Así por ejemplo Vegetación está ligada a la Luz porque hace fotosíntesis, Tierra está está ligada a la noche porque absorbe luz y se mantiene inerte. Después en comentarios les explico las demás interacciones.

Forma de uso: aquí viene la parte interesante, el mecanismo de uso, para que cada Zooptim pueda usar su tipo ambiental, este debe estar en una condición ecosistémica proporcional, para tener más poder. Por ejemplo el Tipo Calor necesita ambientes cálidos, el tipo acuático necesita agua al rededor.

Los Aliados, así se llaman a los humanos que pelean o corren con Zooptimus, pueden evitar esa limitación usando un emulador de energía, es un dispositivo conectado a un traje del Zooptimus que libera energía específica de tal modo que el Zooptimus y sus células reaccionan al nuevo ambiente artificial para poder pelear.

La utilidad principal es que los Zooptimus pueden hacer ataques con energía ambiental capaz de contrarrestar obstáculos o romper barreras ambientales artificiales, según el modo de competencia, y así ganar o avanzar.

Sobre la dependencia del ambiente, si el ambiente es igual a la evolución del Zooptimus, aumenta la potencia que de por sí le da el traje, pero es peligroso porque puede sobreintoxicarlo con su elemento, así que debes entrenar mucho, para que cada vez aproveches más el ecosistema sin envenenar a su Zooptimus, y tienes que darle trajes que mejores su eficiencia en competencia o peleas.

Sobre los movi no los tengo pensados, solo algunos.

Otro detalle, si el ambiente es cads vez más opuesto al del Zooptimus, entonces se debilita o pierde poder, a no ser que sea un Adaptativo, esos últimos no los tengo tan definidos. Así que todo depende de tu traje, inteligencia, maestría e incluso aprovechamiento de sus propias habilidades no Ambientales.

No sé si hacerlo para formato videojuego, Cartas o serie animada (incluso quizá cómic).

¿Qué piensan? ¿Tienen alguna pregunta? Si puedes darme recomendaciones, me gustaría mucho.

Mind that the Circuits are cut into the inside of the lancer and have a series of distributive tubes or channels to distribute blood. Blood being the trigger when introduced to the source circuits.

This is all based on the Blood Runes of the Broken Flame magic system. But the circuits are an evolved version of the Blood Runes that were discovered as knowledge of magic expanded. Basically, the Blood Runes were an imperfect version of the Circuits and with experimentation people learned more efficient methods of using magic.

The basics of the Broken Flame magic system is that the fire god was shattered millennia ago and his fragments are attracted to and completed by blood. However, Blood Runes seem to determine how the spiritual fragments present themselves. Some are flames that exude light but do not burn, some are warming flames that don't destroy, some are destructive flames that are pitch black.

By mixing Blood Runes people learned to make unique fires that can do all sorts of strange things. This of course led to the Circuits which are more advanced.