Tropes and Cliches

Magic Systems: In General

Okay so Magic is..complicated to explain. Mostly due to magic systems. So you ask,"What are magic systems?" First we need to define magic. Magic is... hard to define and I've looked everywhere to get a good definition. Let me explain, magic is often co-signed with the supernatural. This is not always the case, as what magic is will depend on what your work is, like if it's horror fantasy or sci-fi. However, magic systems is easier to define as the rules changes so first I will try to finish defining magic by types and then explain magic systems.

Now magic can ofte fall into one of five categories ( and can cross into one another): Potions, Incantations and spells, Curses ( yes there is a difference), magic items and Prophecies. I sort of covered prophecies in one of the earlier chapters, in fact the first four chapters of this very book.With these five categories, we can sort of place hard and soft rules on what can and can't be done, but at the same time they might not even fit in the five category, What do I mean? Well let's look at Avatar the Last Airbender and Legend of Korra. There are both hard and soft rules in their magic systems, and it is magic, just not how we normally see magic. In order to bend any of the four elements, you have to be born a bender, but your parents don't have to be. Neither one of Katara's parents are waterbenders but she is. However, you can flip this and have bender parents and no be a bender yourself. Bumi ( Aang and Katara's eldest son) wasn't a bender for two seasons but gained bending abilities through this thing called Harmonic Convergence. There are also sub-bending skills such as metal and lava bending ( though I think in order to lava bender you have to have a firebender and earthbender parents) for earthbending. Anyone can earthbend, but it takes training to be able to metal or lavabend. But how is that a mix of hard and soft rules? Like I said, each nation have their own bending abilities, but there are some exceptions. All the Air Nomads can airbend, but marrying a water or firebender may change the inherited bending abilities or their child may not even be a bender. ( This is because Air Nomads are the most spiritual, passing their teaching to the kids and everyone can bend, whereas other nations have a mix of benders and nonbenders) And then you can only be one type of bender and be able to master a subbending technique, not none of the others. So you can be a waterbender and master healing, but you can't firebend. However, there is one exception to the: The Avatar. He or she can master the four elements, they're reborn into a different nation in the cycle ( water, earth, fire, air). There is a loophole though, that not many noticed. You can learn differet techniques....Okay so Iroh ( the first) created lightning redirection by watching waterbender, so by learning the fighting styles of other nations, you can sort of incorporate it into your bending style.

Another example of a mix of hard and soft rules can be looked at with DC, specifically Young Justice. Wally West aka Kid Flash was able to use magic, despite not being able to do magic and brushing everything off as science. There are many rules when it comes to magic in this universe but to break it down to the basics: born with the ability, was not born with the ability but was able to learn it, the supernatural, or magic items...or a mix of this. Some must say a spell in order to perform magic, while others just need to concentrate and poof whatever they need happens. By putting on the Helmet of Fate, Wally became Fate and was able to use magic.

So what does this have to do with hard and soft rules? A lot. A magic system have to have rules set in place that way it makes sense. In the Percy Jackson and the related series, magic is something that not all the campers can do. Those of Hecate cabin, magic is there thing but there are some that suck at it. Campers from other cabins have magic items they had to learn how to properly use before being sent out. Hephaestus Cabin can sort of make magic weapons, but they were also sort of cursed after the death of their previous leader, Charles Beckondorf.

Magic Systems have these rules on what can and can not be done. Take Fullmetal Alchemist, the laws of equivalent exchange is in place,which is why brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric got fucked up the way they did.However, these rules fall ino hard and soft. Soft rules are flexible while hard rules are essentially sent in stone. For a further explaination, let's look at Genie's rules in Aladdin. (1) You can't make someone fall in love with you, (2) Don't ask him to kill anyone, (3) No bring back the dead. You see Genie make a car appear in what 4 BCE ( before common era), but he won't kill anyone. You got your hard rules and your soft rules.

So how do we make a magic system? Well let's look at Sanderson's three laws of magic are creative writing guidelines that can be used to create magic systems for fantasy stories.

1)An author's ability to solve conflict with magic is directly proportional to how well the reader understands said magic.

2)Weaknesses, limits and costs are more important than powers.

3)The author should expand on what is already a part of the magic system before something entirely new is added, as this may otherwise entirely change how the magic systems fits into the fictional world.

So let's start with the source of magic. Where does it come from? Were they born with ability or did they learn it or can they learn it? Natural Energy or is it drawn from within the user? This where you can do what you want. Like there can be tribes that can use magic naturally while others must learn it. Also do you have to use some sort of wand or staff or can you just gesture in the direction you want it to go? Is there a spell you have to say?

Next we move to the purpose of magic. Yes purpose. Like, are they an oracle for the kingdom or is it a tool in warfare? Also define the users as well. this way we know who's who. In DC universe we have two categories of magic users that is like the main two, and then everything just branches off: Chaos and Order. Or for you fantasy fans : Light and Dark. Witches, fairies, mudbloods, etc. categorizing them can come later but please do so. Even if a specific type of magic is just for a specific race,like Fire Elves using Fire magic, and so on.

What are the constrants? Like stated before with the Avatar example, there have to be some limits to what a person can and can't do. Like do they have to say the spell peerfectly or can they say it however they want? Is there some limit on what they can and can't do based on their skill level. Also what are the weaknesses. Like if their a light mage, can their powers work in places without, if yes is it like a battery they have to recharge. With potions and magic items, state of mind can effect them or they were made for specific purposes. Like a sword only descendants of a king can wield. Or a potion that have a time limit before it's useless. Even the dangers of using said magic should be added ( destruction if left unchecked, what happens if they use a skill they barely know, etc.)

Before you add anything new, make sure you estabilshed your magic system. This way you can sort expand. In Legend of Korra, we learn that bending was given by the giant lion turtles, but bending styles was taught by the bison( airbenders), dragons(firebenders), badgermoles(earthbenders), and the moon( yes the moon, waterbenders). I mentioned Lavabending as a subbending for earthbending. Earthbending and metalbending was established, but lavabending was added.

Also consider it's culture. Yes, it's cultue. Looking to the world of Avatar, each bending is based on Asian and Native American cultures, just adapting it into the world. Waterbenders are in areas ( for the most part anyway) that are mostly ice and water vs and Earthbenders being on the mainland. Airbenders live high up in mountains, while Firebenders are surrounded by volcanos. The way the dress can show how they are close to their respective elements. Firebenders often have dragons depicted on their clothing. Waterbenders have the moon,and so on and so forth. There could be some hierarchy of magic users, languages, celebrations, etc. I think I covered this in a previous chapter.

Anyway, I get into more details when I cover Hard and Soft Magic Systems. Leave a requests if you want.