Transfiguration is a branch of magic that involves altering the form or appearance of objects, such as turning a match into a needle. It is a complex and dangerous magic that involves altering objects or creatures via spells. The four branches of transfiguration include Obliviation, Confunding, Occulty, Legilimency, and the Imperius curse.
In the Harry Potter series, magic is depicted as a supernatural force that overrides the laws of nature. Albus Dumbledore chose Transfiguration as a speciality because he is drawn to understanding the universe, the psyche, and the mysteries of the living soul. Transfiguration seems to be a demanding branch of magic, which attracts some first-class minds, notably Dumbledore and McGonagall.
Arithmancy is a branch of magic concerned with the magical properties of numbers. Arithmancers practice this branch, known as Arithmancy. In the fictional universe of Harry Potter, magic is depicted as a supernatural force that overrides the laws of nature. Some first-class minds, like Dumbledore and McGonagall, are drawn to Transfiguration due to his interest in understanding the universe, the psyche, and the mysteries of the living soul.
The 15 Most Powerful Types of Magic in the series include legilimency, potions, and other magical techniques. Each of these branches has its own unique properties and limitations, making it essential for casters to exercise caution when casting these types of magic.
📹 Best Magic Systems in Fantasy
Today I’m going over some of the BEST Magic-Systems in Fantasy! I’ll be covering both soft and hard magic systems! Lord of the …
Is conjuration a form of transfiguration?
Conjuration is an advanced form of Transfiguration taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is distinguished from other branches by its ability to transfigure objects from thin air, unlike Vanishment which causes objects to disappear. Conjuration is more difficult than Transformation, Switching, and Vanishment and is only taught to students at N. E. W. T. level. Human Transfiguration is the only form that exceeds Conjuration in difficulty. Conjuration also overlaps with charms and dark charms, such as the Water-Making Spell and floating eye curse.
What is the branch of magic that deals with altering the form or appearance of an object?
Transfiguration is a magic branch that involves altering the form or appearance of an object, animal, or person. It is taught as a core subject at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and other wizarding schools. Transfiguration allows a witch or wizard to change the form or appearance of their target by altering its molecular structure. It can be done to most objects and includes Transfiguration spells. It can change an object into a different object, a living creature into a different species, inanimate objects into living creatures, and vice versa.
It is also possible to change things back to their original form. Transfiguration spells differ from charms in that they focus on altering the object’s properties, unlike charms which add to or change the properties of an object.
What type of magic is in Harry Potter?
Magic is the foundation of the wizarding world, and many people study and teach magic to young witches and wizards. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry teaches various fields of magical study, including Arithmancy, Charms, Dark Arts, Divination, Herbology, Legilimency / Occlumency, Potions, and Transfiguration. Special magical abilities include Animagi, Arithmancer, Legilimens, Occlumens, Metamorphmagi, Parselmouth, and Seer.
Arithmancy, a branch of magic, focuses on the magical properties of numbers. Famous Arithmancer Bridget Wenlock discovered the magical properties of the number seven in the 1200s. An O. W. L in Arithmancy is required to apply for a curse-breaker’s job at Gringotts. Professor Vector teaches arithmancy at Hogwarts, where students are expected to write essays and understand complicated number charts as part of their homework. Hermione Granger is the only Gryffindor in her year who attempted an O. W. L in this subject, which is her favorite.
What spell killed Voldemort?
Harry Potter’s signature spell, the Disarming Charm, was instrumental in defeating Lord Voldemort during the Battle of Hogwarts. The Elder Wand recognized Harry as its master, strengthening the Disarming Charm. Harry’s powerful spell, indicated by the scarlet jet of light, caused opponents’ wands to fly high out of their hands, resulting in Voldemort’s Killing Curse backfiring onto himself.
What is the transfiguration magic?
Transfiguration, a mandatory course at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, entailed the alteration of an object’s molecular structure into a different form and appearance until the conclusion of the O. W. L.
What is the rarest magic in Harry Potter?
Ancient magic, a mysterious and powerful form of magic, was largely forgotten in the wizarding world by the late 19th century. Those who could perceive and wield it were considered to have a unique and rare ability. Ancient magic appeared in traces or “whispers” and could also access unique expressions of ordinary magic, augmenting their spells with increased power and potency. Three known inherent wielders of ancient magic began schooling at Hogwarts in their fifth year, linking the ability with late-blooming. Xenophilius Lovegood believed that love was a great blessing bestowed upon the world by practitioners of ancient magic.
What is the difference between Animagus and Transfiguration?
The Animagus transformation ability allows an Animagus to change into an animal without a wand or incantation, while Transfiguration requires a spell. An Animagus in animal form still thinks as they normally do in their human form, as seen in Rita Skeeter’s ability to eavesdrop on others’ conversations as a beetle. However, their feelings are less complex, and beings with the ability to sense emotions may mistake them for individuals with “waning sanity”.
A dementor’s influence on an Animagus in their animal form is weaker. A reversal spell created a blue and white flash that temporarily forced an Animagus out of its animal form, which could be the Homorphus Charm used by Gilderoy Lockhart on the Wagga Wagga Werewolf.
What are the three magic types?
Anthropologists identify three main types of instrumental magic: productive, protective, and destructive. Productive magic is used to solicit successful outcomes from human labor or nature, such as bountiful harvest or good weather. Magic is a mode of rationality that looks to invisible forces to influence events, effect change in material conditions, or present the illusion of change. It is distinct from religious or scientific modes within the Western tradition.
Practices classified as magic include divination, astrology, incantations, alchemy, sorcery, spirit mediation, and necromancy. The purpose of magic is to acquire knowledge, power, love, wealth, heal, guarantee productivity, cause harm to enemies, reveal information, induce spiritual transformation, trick, or entertain. The effectiveness of magic is often determined by the magician’s condition and performance, who is thought to have access to unseen forces and special knowledge of the appropriate words and actions to manipulate those forces.
Magic is sometimes divided into “high” magic of the intellectual elite, “low” magic of common folk practices, and “black” magic, used for nefarious purposes, and “white” magic, ostensibly used for beneficial purposes. Magical practices have a sense of “otherness” due to the supernatural power channeled through the practitioner, who is often marginalized or stigmatized in some societies.
What is magic also known as?
Magic encompasses various practices such as divination, astrology, incantations, alchemy, sorcery, spirit mediation, and necromancy. In Western popular culture, it is often used to refer to acts of conjuring and sleight of hand for entertainment. Sorcery, a practice of malevolent magic, originated from casting lots for divining the future in the ancient Mediterranean world. Some scholars distinguish sorcery from witchcraft by stating that it is learned rather than intrinsic, while others argue that modern witches claim to learn their craft.
The term “sorcerer” has been feared due to its supposed knowledge of the occult and understanding of poisons. In the 13th and 14th centuries, most trials for “witchcraft” involved deaths attributed to malevolent magic, likely caused by poisoning. In the Malleus Maleficarum, Dominicans Heinrich Krämer and Jacob Sprenger associated the practice of sorcery with a group of “witches” who allegedly practiced Satanism.
In the early modern period, those who were known to pronounce curses were guilty of sorcery. The witchcraft trials in Salem, Massachusetts, in the 17th century were rooted in accusations against two women who had allegedly cursed their neighbor’s cows and caused them to stop producing milk. Contemporary witches, or Wiccans, do not practice Satanism and have denounced the practice of malevolent magic.
What does transfigure mean?
Transfigure refers to altering or changing something to make it more beautiful or amazing. It has a Latin root, transfigurare, meaning “change the shape of”. The meaning is often “make better”. For example, a clean shower and clean clothes can transform you after a camping trip, while adding grated cheese, basil, and olive oil can elevate a simple pasta dish. The term “transfigure” is also used to idealize Christ’s transfiguration.
What are the 8 types of magic explained?
Magic, one of the oldest forms of entertainment, has been captivating audiences for centuries. Magicians perform eight tricks: appearance, levitation, penetration, prediction, restoration, transformation, and transposition. These tricks manipulate perception, making it seem impossible. Some types are more common for beginners, like card tricks or sleight of hand. Most magicians know a core base of tricks and develop their repertoire around a few favorite pieces. Some magicians may use card tricks or sleight of hand.
📹 Explaining MTG Jargon, Terms, and Common Phrases
Magic the Gathering’s player base, like all gaming communities, has invented and adopted terms for certain effects, game actions, …
I love Sanderson’s magic systems in Mistborn, The Stormlight Archive, The Emperor’s Soul, Warbreaker, Tress of the Emerald Sea… but there is nothing quite like Pat Rothfuss’ Kingkiller Chronicle. The contrast between a very hard system like Sympathy and a loose and soft magic like Naming is particularly awesome, as Kvothe easily learns one but fumbles with the other because of his stupidity and arrogance. The thing is, talking about this remembers me that we still don’t have a date for book 3. Why, god, why? 😂😅😢
I recommend the system used in the manga Atelier of Witch Hat (or Witch Hat Atelier), where the mages limit themselves to only use magic throught magic item created via very precise and detailed magic circle drawn on them. The magic sistem is on the hard magic spectrum with all the wonders of a soft magic, so you have underwater city and soft bad made of cloud. Also the art is wonderful
I’ll be honest, I don’t have a preference between hard or soft magic systems. They both have their advantages. Hard magic, like Name/Wind and Mistborn, is fun to learn — usually along with the character as they’re learning. So it makes the story interesting. Soft magic is more whimsical, and keep the reader guessing as to what will happen next. As long as it’s done well, I enjoy a well written soft magic
For me elemental magic will never be overdone lol, i eat it up every time. There is something about it man idk. I think my favorite has to be Stormlight, because i just LOVE the idea of bonding spren, getting your powers through a bond with a cute lil creature by your side is just the best thing ever and i want a cryptic by my side so bad.
I love the Old Kingdom’s magic system. I read Sabriel in high school and it is the book I can pin point that made me fall in love with Fantasy. Its magic system is so unique and interesting. Also the world starts as Urban Fantasy and goes into traditional fantasy. A system that is very interesting and unique that I just finished is Witch Hat Atelier. This manga’s magic system is so unique. It is based on writing symbols. I highly recommend reading it!
I’d have to go with HxH’s Nen system. I mean, it’s really the gold standard for not only anime power/magic systems, but for power/magic systems in fiction as a whole. I mean, it’s the best of both worlds, on one hand mysterious and esoteric, and on the other hand so precise the majority of the series fights can be reduced down to a series of math equations if you were so inclined. Further, it’s rules are really well defined and laid out, with its system of self imposed conditions which give it a lot of interesting conditions and strategies Ultimately,I’d say HxH has one of the best power systems of all time
This article is seriously amazing! Not only made me want to read straight away The Earthsea chronicles, but also overall made me remember why I love fantasy so so much! Uhhh so inspired right now! One of my favorite magic systems would be the bone shard magic used in the Drowning Empire, creepy but seriously cool
This is such a good article. These are some great magic systems. I love how Patrick Rothfuss uses both hard and soft magic systems in the Name of the Wind. My favourite magic system is Beyond redemption. It’s a combination of soft and hard. What I love most about it is that it’s weaved into the world building and also the essential components that make up that characters themselves.
I was so happy when you mentioned Brent Week’s Lightbringer series! I adored that magic system and it gets better with each book. I’d also like to recommend his Nightangel trilogy – the magic system here is quite different but it’s brilliant. Also another sidenote on Brent Weeks – he has a fantastic way of writing politics without it getting boring. Saying that, my all-time favourite is Kingkiller by Patrick Rothfuss. It’s so well explained and easy to digest but also so complex.
Another fascinating magic system is in Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory’s Obsidian Universe, which consists of three trilogies. The first is the Obsidian Trilogy (also called the Obsidian Mountain Trilogy), then there’s the Enduring Flame Trilogy (set 1000 years later) and the Dragon Prophecy Trilogy (set 1000 years before). What’s fun is there are three types of magic with their own rules, but they work really well together and it’s fun to watch them interact with each other!
In terms of Elemental Magic, I really like how it is used in Codex Alera by Jim Butcher. It has the classic four elements, plus Metal and Wood, manipulated through the use of spirits called Furies. Each element has effects that go beyond just manipulating the element. For example, Watercrafters have healing and a degree of shapeshifting. Firecrafters can enflame emotions like agitation. Metalcrafters are naturally good at using swords. And so on. Nearly everyone (at least among the Alerans/humans; other races have their own magic systems) can use it, meaning everything from construction to cleaning dishes relies on it. And for the first half of the series, we follow someone who is unable to use his society’s magic and has to compensate. There are a few things I wish were a bit more fleshed out (like to what degree a personal Fury is needed, since someone who only had Earth and Wood managed to use Watercrafting to change his appearance, albeit over a long period of time), but overall I enjoy it.
The DarkSword trilogy has my favorite magic system. There’s a chaste system based upon power of mages of each of the elements but my favorite part is that the Light Mages act as Catalysts to fuel the other mages. Basically Magic is a force in nature but only the Catalysts can draw it out and give it to the other mages. Probably my favorite hard magic system.
I always come back to the basic, simple magic rules that were the first that I ever read – the Belgariad by David Eddings. Seems very simple at first, but if you actually delve into it, it is extremely complex and deals with 4 separate and distinct sources of power, which are unrelated, but linked and interconnected when applied in the “real world.” The delineation between “Sorcery,” “Magic,” “Witchcraft” and an unnamed prevalent power that exists is only touched upon here and there – with the exception of “Sorcery,” as it applies to the protagonist, and is more fleshed out.
The magic system in the web serial Worm. At its fundamental level is techinally hard sci-fi, but functions under soft magic principles. Essentially superpowers, but the minute details of the systems inner workings, and especially how the worlds society deals with the system, is truly fascinating. It makes you ask not what it can do, but why.
Nice list. For me, Alchemy from FMA and Nen from HXH are two of my favorites. Alchemy works so well in that you have equivalent exchange but from the getgo we have two exceptions: the Philosopher stone and the Gate of truth. Both are powerful, but have immense costs which tie into the story and themes associated with it. Nen from Hunter X Hunter is like an RPG player’s dreams. You have basic Aura powers, Ren, Ten, Hatsu, and Zetsu and within those categories you have more specific categories, like Hatsu which have their own capabilities and limitations.
I would argue that The Inheritance Cycle (Eragon Series) has a really unique and interesting magic system, tying the use of magic to knowledge of a language, mental fortitude and physical energy. It makes magic feel much more grounded and real by having its use bring consequences and it explores how the mental aspect of using magic is used in duels (magic duels rarely use any spells until a mental battle is won in order to cripple the opponent’s mind). I feel like it’s really unique and well-explored and deserves more respect than it gets
I’m a fan of hard magic, in general. I’m excited you’re digging into Malazan, my FAVE FAVE FAVE series ever. The magic there is pretty esoteric and it will likely be quite a while before you feel like you are grasping it – and even then, it is still purposely rather vague – but I suspect you will respect, if not love, the magic system there.
my favorite magic system is the one I designed for my story. in a nutshell. there is a universal energy source that permiates throughout all life. if you open your 7 chakras, and connect them to the star charka and the Earth charka. then you can start to website this energy through your charkas, and condense it into mana. once you have mana, you can use it to fuel any spells you have learned. the system itself is broken into 5 crafts, which are each further divided into 4 arts. example. magecraft deals with arcane powers and is divided into the four elements: earth, air, water, and fire. whereas druidcraft deals more with nature and is divided into teramancy (manipulating the sentient world around you.) shape shifting (manipulating you own body.) alchemy (manipulating the inanimated world around you) and manufacturing (manipulating magic itself, and changing how spells are cast.) each art has it’s own rules for how the spells are cast, but in general, spells are cast through intention. you can use wands, or staffs, or hand gestures to help focus that intention; but it ultimately your own intention that casts the spell. the entire premise of the book(s) is following the journey of the students at an academy that teaches them to harness mana and learn spells. but it’s only a 5 year academy. so you have to chose which path you want to take. do you have to specialize and focus on 1 craft, and it’s 4 arts? do you want to generalize and learn the basics of all 5 crafts? or do you want to mix and match.
My two most favorite magic systems are Cosmere and One piece…You have already talked about cosmere…with regards to one piece…you majorly have 2 types of magic systems…one is wrt devil fruits which when consumed takes away your ability to swim but gives you some power in return…the other is haki which in turn is divided into 3 different types (and sub types or rather variations of each)…it has a specific set of rules without any exceptions (as of now)…there is also awakening of devil fruits which acts differently for different category of devil fruits…
Raymond E. Feist’s magic systems are cool too, especially the grandness of them, they are kind of a soft magic because you don’t really get too much explanation other than it takes great skill, practice and patience to perform the amazing feats or perhaps let’s just say there is no magic just ‘tricks’. Magical rifts portals between worlds, creatures like dragons, serpents and demons. Not only does it have magic but also sneaky thieves and assassin type underbelly characters to go along with it. In master of furies from the Firemane Saga series Feist explains his magic system as the user the last of a royal bloodline (that was betrayed), who becomes the master of furies, needing to be able to visualise from a distance the multiple threads (furies kinda like matter) of people, environments and things in the world so they can be observed and manipulated in different ways sometimes intentionally and others not. Magic like farsight to observe people who are personally close (friends, family and love interests) to see if they are in danger, helping others by taking down the sides of cliffs, teleporting objects or people and burning 🔥 an enemy ship by accident when the user’s emotions got out of control due to being put in such danger and lack of training. Usually the children of this bloodline would have been trained at a young age but the last of the line was secreted away after the slaughter of his family and hidden on an island run by thieves and assassins and schooled in their arts.
One key factor in Runelord magic is that the Endowments only last while the donor lives. Those vulnerable donors is a pivotal concept that changes everything. It’s a stunning premise. It would be interesting to have a better writer do some novels in his universe. I’d be curious what they would do with it.
One magic system I love is in “Shadow of the Conquer” by Shad M Brooks. Basically, different physical aspects or skills of a person, such as speed, strength, weight, etc, are amplified by binding light. Hard rules bound by real physics principles. My only complaint is that Shad has only published one book in this series so far.
My top 10 favourite magic systems: 10. Classes – Homestuck 9. Naming magic – Earthsea 8. Schrifts and Zanpakutou – Bleach 7. Shinsu – Tower of God 6. Stands and Golden Rotation – Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure 5. Cursed energy – Jujutsu Kaisen 4. Magic – Umineko No Naku Koro Ni 3. Personas – Persona 2. Allomancy and Feruchemy – Mistborn 1. Nen – Hunter X Hunter
I think the absolute best and coolest power system outside of Anime/Manga is the Sacred Arts system from Will Wight’s Cradle series. Basically, everyone is born with a “core” of spiritual energy called Madra (specifically pure Madra), which can then be infused with any combination of different auras produced by literally anything like elements or objects like swords or stars, or even concepts like life, death, dreams, shadows, destruction, etc. all in order to practice certain “Paths” of super-powered martial arts that require certain Madra aspects. Then, once a path is chosen, there are four main ways to manifest said powers such as Enforcer techniques, which empower and/or reinforce one’s physical body. Striker techniques which are long range combat techniques such as beams or projectiles. Ruler techniques which infuse and control the environment with one’s Madra affinity for big environmental attacks. Or Forger techniques, which create physical constructs or weapons out of one’s madra type to use in battle. And any of those four can be combined or layered in any which way for a near infinite variety of techniques. Plus not to mention preforged weapons or special artifacts that grant other unique powers, and the complimentary “Icon Sage” system that allows a Sacred Artist to manifest the icon of any concept like swords, blood, void, strength, dragons, etc. becoming a Sage, or rather, the embodiment of that specific concept, granting them power and authority over anything having to do with that concept.
I’m 6 books into Malazan and I’m not sure I have a great grasp on how the magic system works at a detailed level. Sometimes some characters do some stuff and it’s cool. I really liked Wheel of Time, because I feel like the magic is a key component to much of the plot but also how it varies between men and women.
Something that stuck out to me in one story was magic getting experimented on to study it and perusal the characters’ slowly growing horror as they realize they have a soft magic system, as the results keep contradicting each other, or energy output seemingly spikes without any increase in energy input, as though the magic spontaneously decided to bypass the entire setup.
Some of my favorite magic systems are from “Master of The Five Magics” by Lyndon Hardy, it’s the magic system that heavily inspired Patrick Rothfuss’ “Sympathy”. The writing in Lyndon Hardy’s book wasn’t as good to me as Rothfuss’, his main character jumped from one magic system to another and there wasn’t as much of a story as I would have liked but, the magic systems were quite interesting and inspiring in my own writing.
I definitely prefer hard magic systems which is a contributing factor to my intense love of Sanderson’s universes. Mistborn and the Stormlight Archives have some of the most satisfying and creative fight scenes that I have read which is a large part due to their magic systems and the fact that I have not read nearly enough books. Personally I am working on a runic magic system for my own fantasy world and am drawing a lot of inspiration for its limitations from authors like Sanderson.
For me, it’s Nen from Hunter x Hunter. It is probably the most diverse and versatile system that can pretty much recreate any other ability you can think of within its rules, while also remaining balanced and integral to the world as well as its characters. It is genius in its applications, thought provoking in its mechanisms and interactions, and above all, super fucking cool!
The To Aru universe (A certain magical index / a certain scientific railgun) differentiates between magic and esper/psychic abilities. Esper abilities involve manipulation of any scientific concept such as vectors, electromagnetism, etc, while Magic is the supernatural abilities like element manipulation, summoning creatures, etc. The story shows how these different magical concepts clash with one another and how they affect each other.
Agreed! There are too many books and too little time to know the exact perfect order in which to read them! All we can do is the best we can to read what we want when we want to. And then I think it’s simply polite to let other people know when they should or should not give a book or series a chance in one’s own opinion since it might help them spend their time as they most would like.
As for cool and interesting magic systems that you didn’t mention, there’s the reality bending of Roger Zelazny’s Amber series, with the Pattern and the Logrus. There’s also the absolutely horrifying Fae in C. S. Friedman’s Coldfire Trilogy. I am also very fond of Patricia MacKillip’s Riddlemaster series, which has an awesome magic system that sits in that gray area between hard and soft. L. Sprague DeCamp’s Complete Enchanter is awesome. L.E. Modesitt’s Soprano Sorcerous series uses a magic system inspired by his wife, a noted soprano opera singer. Probably one of my favorites is Master of the Five Magics by Lyndon Hardy (5 hard magic systems). There are a lot of others. I’ve been collecting fantasy novels for decades now.
Surprisingly I really liked the magic in a Magic the Gathering book called Arena. Its a really good story with lots of intrigue. The characters use sachets of land as a source of mana, and spells have physical components that can be claimed after taking someone down, or betted on in street fights. Its been ages since I read it but it was such a fun way to handle spells that I really wished I could translate it to DnD or pathfinder.
Two recommendations: Jack Vance’s series Dying Earth was the basis for the magic system in D&D. (The series is also excellent). Steven Erikson, Ian C. Esslemont’s series Malazan Book of the Fallen has a very interesting magic system. It will take reading several of their books to understand it’s complexity.
I think the best magic system, like any worldbuilding element, is the one that facilitates the narrative best. That said, I WANT BOTH. Rothfuss had the right idea =) In my books, I don’t just have a hard and a soft system, I have 1 magic, 1 source, 1 universal power that is drawn on to create magic, and the story moves from hard to soft, reflecting the widening of the protagonists understanding of the world.
The irregular at magic high school has a hard Magic system which is very interesting it’s a mix between sci-fi and fantasy (magic is a phenomenon resulting from rewriting the “code” of the tangible world) there is a classification and hard rules based on a classification. It managed to interwove ancient and new magic. Very interesting if we can ignore the dubious relationship between the main protagonists who are supposed to be siblings (it’s a anime based on a japanese novel hence the dubious relationship 😅)
Percy Jackson/ Kane Chronicles/ Magnus Chase by Rick Riordon. The three ‘worlds’ do cross over, but each series has a main mythological source, but each character’s abilities are connected to their godly parent or the god they are a magician of. Percy can control water, talk to horses and fish, and breathe underwater. Annabeth is super smart. Nico controls zombie armies. Carter and Sadie have giant avatars of themselves. Alex and Sam can ‘shapeshift’. Then there’s Halfborn, who has been in Valhalla for so long that he speaks several extinct Germanic languages fluently.
I have to say, I don’t think I agree that Bending in TLA is “hard magic”. The only rule seems to be that some people are randomly born with the ability to generate (in the case of Fire) and manipulate elements. In fact, I would say it is one of the “softest” magic systems around since not only are there no real limits but it can spontaneously do different things as the narrative requires; see blood bending and metal bending and lightning bending.
I’m still in the planning stages of my book, and every now and then I think about the magic system. For now, it’s about the standard Four Classical Elements, but it’s tied to a spiritual realm. Characters in the physical realm are able to access the elements via technology. The good guys use the tech as a kind of bridge/partnership with the elements, while the villains abuse it. Right now I’m just trying to figure out how I could portray the contrasting methods between the heroes and villains.
Both Hamon and Stands from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure are excellent magic systems in manga/anime, and much better explained/implemented than exchange in FMA. Exchange is mostly just invoked to explain why you can’t do crazy things like bring people back from the dead or make talking animals; it doesn’t really explain how they do alchemy on the regular.
Not reading enough books is coming back at me.. I have adhd which means I really really need to be into the book before I even start reading it, plus I’m a picky reader and 90% of books I read are thriller. I’m a writer, it wasn’t much of a problem when I was writing a thriller book, but the problem began when my thriller book converted into a fantasy after some editing. Now I’m searching for some energy/spiritual something that every person possess similar to the 4 elements. But I need 7 of them.. I have no clue about fantasy genre since the only fantasy I can remember is Harry Potter and some anime. Also, I’ve only watched Harry Potter movies since reading can be overwhelming sometimes. Especially when I know most of the story. It’s true that not all writers are readers, and these kinds of people have the pros and cons. I’ve met with quite some pros, and now I’ve met my fated con.
If you like hard magic systems, you might want to take a look at Randall Garrett’s Lord Darcy series. These are detective fiction of the whodunnit variety, so it’s critical that you know what the rules are and that the characters follow those rules. Garrett did an excellent job. Also, Lyndon Hardy’s series beginning with “Master of the Five Magics” has five (surprise!) different magic systems each with its own hard rules. It’s been a very long time since I read those books, but they were quite good at the time.
Hi there, I’m personally a huge fan of Melissa Caruso, and I find her magic system really interesting. I won’t go into details, but there are mages who use an overall simple, elemental magic, but then it depends on the kingdom you’re in because cultural bias in different countries have changed the way the magic is used. Also non-mages can still use artifice, which is, to put it simply, a technical form of magic and a source of energy. It’s so interesting how well it’s ingrained in the world and I love it.
Lord of The Mysteries and Shadow Slave have really cool magic systems. LOTM utilises potions and artefacts. Meanwhile SS has aspects, memories, echoes and lineages. There are certain webnovels that are just too confusing to understand (magic that is categorised as hard but the author treats it as soft), one of which is dimensional descent.
The Vancian system of magic is by far number one. It’s hard to think of any system of magic that has been more influential than that. Through role playing games like Dungeons & Dragons and all of the computer games and fiction that came after that, the system of magic written by Jack Vance in the Dying Earth has entered into the popular culture.
The magic system in Libromancer and the rest of that trilogy by Jim C Hines is fascinating as a bibliophile. In short, magicians in his universe have the ability to pull items, creatures or magic from well loved and read books to use in the real world. With the exception of books that were “locked” by Gutenberg at the invention of his printing press to prevent dangerous items from being released.
I wonder how an Alomancer would function against a Qwaser from the anime Seikon no Qwaser. In that… imagine Fullmental alchemist except each person can only manipulate 1 specific element on the periodic table, and can affect organisms, and the source of their power requires period refeuling- and all Qwasers use the same fuel regardless of their element. Main character controls iron, side characters control copper and titanium, villains control most of the others. But also some of them can control forces? There’s one guy who controlled magnetism, but I digress.
Michael J Sullivan has an interesting take on a softer magic style. In his Riyria Revelations series, Magic is an Art, with a capital A. You can’t teach much about it, as it is fueled by the caster’s creativity. Being a Dungeons and Dragons player, I usually prefer harder styles like Andrew Rowe’s Arcane Ascension series. But the way Sullivan uses magic in his Riyria series is captivating. I highly recommend both series. Rowe does use enchantment as a cheat for getting around his “mages can only use one or two affinities”, but it’s still fascinating.
I need to revisit, since it’s been decades, but I love the magic system in Melanie Rawn’s Dragon Prince trilogy, and the followup, Dragon Star trilogy. The first is sunrunners, who use the power of sun to weave magic. They’re almost OP, but obviously powerless at night. The second focuses on starrunners, who can use stars for their power source. Again, powerful, but weak during the day. I’ve been meaning to re-read and the world building is great, but the novels are quite beefy (I believe each of the six novels averages 550 pages!)
I think a unique soft magic system is found in Song for the Basilisk by Patricia McKillip – musical instruments can be used for magical purposes, but the intentions of the musician affect the resulting magic. She primarily wrote stand-alone fantasy novels, all of which have different and interesting soft magic systems.
The magic systems in The Priory of the Orange Tree is amazing too, telling much about it would spoil the plot but here is a basic explanation, read under your own risk. We have Siden, magic from the natural fire of earth that comes to the surface through three magic trees with a fruit that if you eat it it gives you abilities (and eternal ageless life to the first person to consume it, the Firstbloods). If you eat the hawthorn, orange or mulberry makes you capable of doing spells mostly related to fire and air, but with a lot of possibilities, like speed and strength. But Siden from the orange is like a fire inside of you that more you use it, more it consumes itself, so if you don’t eat from the orange again you can’t do spells. Then is the other type of magic is Sterren, which comes from the stars (principally a comet that comes every 1000 years) and it’s difficult to master because it’s not from earth, and it gives you the ability to create illusions, change form and control minds, and is extremely related to water. All this world nature balance itself, as when Siden grows, Sterren gets week, and vice versa, and it’s the comet the one activates the circle. The dragons are extremely related to this two kind of magics, when Siden gets too strong it creates Wyrms (fire typical european dragons) that comes from the earth itself (really violent and being too close to them makes you stick to death), and from Sterren are created the dragons (asian type of dragons, without wings, but they can fly anyway), who are wise, noble and non-toxic, and can control water.
I don’t agree that Tolkien portrays ALL power as corrupting. Saruman was corrupted by listening to Sauron through the Palantir, not because he was the strongest of the Istari. Galadriel and Gandalf both hold Rings of Power and are very powerful in their own right (I would argue its Galadriel’s will that keeps her ring hidden from Sauron and yet lets her read his thoughts concerning the elves as she says she does in the books), yet they are not corrupted by it. The One Ring corrupts because Sauron put himself and his will to dominate into the Ring. Thus it dominates and grants the ability to dominate in proportion to the will of the weilder.
My magic system is referred to as the 7 arcana. Each arcana is named after the planets in astrology. However, there are some inspirations from the color pie in mtg. Each arcana rules over some greater cosmic force and even controls an element. They are as follows. Sol: Light and Healing. Luna: Spirits and water. Mars: Fire and Warfare. Mercury: Air and Mind. Jupiter: Lightning and Sovereignty. Venus: Earth and Nature. Saturn: Darkness and Death. The use of magic isn’t genetic. It just requires training, study, practice, and the act of connecting any one arcana. Alongside that, there’ll be a distinction between magicians and mystics. Magicians interact directly with the arcana (usually two at a time). But Mystics are those who website the powers of gods, fairy folk, demons, and other powerful beings, usually providing a service in exchange. So, Mysticism is meant to add more complexity to my system. There is even a faction that focuses more on a form of mysticism over magic by websiteing the names of their god in prayer.
I need to read some of these and like study them. I need to get more into fantasy I guess cuz I’m struggling with my magic system. I have a few ‘powers’ that it’s important for certain characters to have but I’m struggling to bring it together other then ‘some people are born able to harness certain abilities’.
SOME OF MAGIC SYSTEMS I LIKE: (most of them are hard magic) THE MAGICIANS- magic system ranges from very mathematical and scholarly to instinctual and will-based, balancing hand-finger movements, external and internal circumstances, and sometimes physical ingredients and incantations. MOTHERLAND FORT SALEM- magic system is based from sounds and frequencies, manipulating vocal chords to produce “songs” with specific effects; RENTAL MAGICA/FATE SERIES/A CERTAIN MAGICAL INDEX- these three different works mixed different branches of science and magic to perfection;
Fantastic article, I would really love to watch a book review of the AtlA series! Though the Mistborn magic system is probably my favorite one of all the books I’ve read, I also really enjoyed the one from Peter V. Brett’s Demon Cycle. I don’t know if you ever read the series, but you might want to look into it one day!:)
I think “fantasy” serves to show us the development of what is presented as barely probable towards highly probable, & to the same extent it was presented as less probable; & thus we are shown the development of the improbable towards becoming inevitable. Hence the awe kind of response. ” It is just so unlikely, i mean, but how? Just, wow! ” Indeed, a detective thriller, with no elements we’d usually call fantasy, or anything close, such as, erm, sci-fi, can be a fantasy. Also, with the above definition of the fantasy genre, we can solve the challenge of the sci-fi fantasy failures. And make it work, by making a sci-fi, but also making the story be a drawn-out presentation of a “what is (presented as) improbable” (you know still important/connected to the protagonist or whatever or something like that anyway) developing to become “what is (presented as) inevitable”.
the craft sequence by max gladstone. magic is law/economics. energy is money, contracts are spells, lawyers are necromancers who fight epic wizard duels in magical court by arguing. zeno’s paradox is used to deflect arrows. gods are real and they hate wizards, but also gods can die and wizards can bring them back to life (in a blatant analogy of corporate bankruptcy proceedings) so there’s an uneasy truce.
Consider the magic system in David Eddington Belgariad/Mallorca series. This is described as the Will and the Word,: Will the event to happen, then speak the word,but it is more than that. This magic is explained a great deal, especially when training the main character. To change to an animal form, you draw the image of the animal in your mind, then will yourself into that form. There is a limitation too, unmaking is forbidden. This is clearly hard magic. Contrast this with the system Eddings used in his Elenium/Tamuli series. That magic comes from the gods, but humans can make requests of their gods, through the use of spells; spoken incantations, and specific hand movements, effectively performing magic with their God’s approval. The only limitation is the power and will of the god.
Tolkien is a True Magic System. It’s very defined but also very abstract which is a perfect blend. I see people confuse “Hard and Soft Magic” as two distinct storytelling devices when you really want both in your story You want some spells to be defined and others can be more ambiguous. Gandalf in his own universe setting is a rare being. He is literally a Demi-God who has the deific powers to right the laws of the universe. When he shouted “You shall not pass” that wasn’t soft magic that was him saying in this reality nothing shall let you pass. I highly suggest looking up the full speech of Gandalf casting that spell because the book even showcases even Gandalf doesn’t know how truly powerful this spell is. But one thing is certain beyond a shadow of a doubt, he shall never pass. That’s both a Hard and Soft Magic System. Look at Avatar:Last Airbender as a prime example of using both Hard and Soft systems to create their world. Waterbenders manipulate Water. Very simple cut and dry Hard System. If you’re a waterbender you control “Water”. But what is “Water”? Well technically human bodies have water in them. Most of our bodies are in fact made up of Water so because of that they can Bloodbend when under the Full Moon. See that’s how you get a truly unique Magic System. You have to blend both styles or you’re not even trying. Tolkien never once said the phrase “The Magic System of Middle Earth is soft or hard” to him it’s just that, Magic. So whenever I see this new level of meta-narrative analysis it often feels like it just misses the point of why these stories exist in the first place.
I like ASOIAF magic. It’s not random, it seems to have some rules, seems to derive from somewhere. Just that we the audience don’t know exactly what’s going on. That mysterious nature makes it more interesting. Otherwise it would be just another plot tool. But then you don’t want magic to have no rules otherwise once again it’s just a plot tool. So mysterious magic that’s still guided by rules and fits into the narrative is great thing.
How have you not read the dragon lance series???? Those books are the reason I started reading fantasy books. Over 20 years ago. Still the best series I’ve read. An many other writers have added books to the world he created. But I am only about to start the 3rd book of the storm light archive .i didn’t know he hasn’t released the 4 th book yet I thought the series was complete.I am impressed tho . Can’t wait to read more of his books
No mention of Warhammer Fantasy? Imho it’s kind of interesting because it goes relatively strongly into the cause of magic, being more about the why and less how and what (at least narratively). Also wizards randomly blowing up is kinda fun. But yeah, it’s basically “inspired” and cobbled together stuff.
i gotta be honest, i like whatever Epithet Erased got goin on (epithets = powers based on single word. It’s called Epithet Erased because epithets get… erased1!!) You can have powers based on the word “Yeet”. It’s confirmed that yeet can be an epithet. Epithets can be really any word, and their like… attacks or whatever else they do depends on how the user perceives their word and how high their creativity is. Like Molly, main character, has “Dumb”, and she uses it to mute stuff… mostly… she will sometimes use another definition, but she isnt really good at that. Also Molly’s name is Molly-Wolly-Doodle-All-the-Day Blyndeff. Her last name is a pun with her epithet… haha Honestly I might only like this because of my hyperfixation… It’s been 8 months.
I love that you mentioned chromaturgy from the lightbringer series but I also like the light magic system of the oath breaker duology by S.R. Caught & J.B Redmond. I am also intrigued by the magic system of the kingmaker, kingbreaker series by Karen Miller which I haven’t actually been able to figure out.
I read Runelords like ~10 years ago. I couldn’t for the life of me remember the name of the book or the author till I saw this. I can’t tell you a single thing that happened in the story, but I can go on about the magic system all day 😂 I agree with the assessment that the author’s storytelling abilities aren’t quite up to the task, but as far as magic systems go, it’s one of my all time favorites. The Coldfire Trilogy by C.S. Friedman (not Lewis) has a great magic system too. Oh and it’s one of the best stories I’ve ever had the privilege of reading.
I like to think that magic in LOTR is used by wielding the Song of Creation, or at least it’s language, lost to us as it may be. Ancient, timeless beings such as the Isitari, elves or the Valar can wield it almost innately, as they may have been there when it was actually sung and used to shape the world. Younger beings might have been taught fragments of it, but rarely, so not often do we witness the race of Men using it. I also believe this is, in my head, how Sauron created the rings and imbued them all with such power and sorcery. Imbueing them with the very essence of creation and his foul sorcery allowed him to create objects that wrote into reality his dominion of will, literally.
The best magic blends the familiar and the fantastic. I find a “hard until a point .” magic works best. Where the base level magics are understood and used, but perhaps the antagonist has a magic that is not understood and veers into more of a soft category. Magic should retain some mysticism. When it seems like a D&D read-off, it loses wonder.
There’s always the Vancian system (Jack Vance, The Dying Earth books), which ended up being the basis of the D&D RPG magic system. The Marvel system is worth noting, especially its local/universal/dimensional aspects and the Winding Way concept. There’s also the system in The Magicians, which looks to more hard magic as well as Raymond E. Feist’s Riftwar series.
First Place: Emerahl’s … let’s call it ‘Deep Cell/Substance Transformation Magic’ in Age of Five by Trudi Canavan, that’s probably the most ‘scientific’ powerful and also most useful of all magics I ever read about. Once you got to that level, you can probably do – almost – everything. Second Place: The way the Witcher’s energy-transfer from sources works, Falka’s drawing from fire is certainly the most powerful (and devastating). Third Place: the different Magic ‘schools’ in Pierre Grimbert’s Le Secret de Ji. The ‘Erjak-Shaman-System’ along the culture behind it is probably my favourite. Fourth Place: Patrick Rothfuss: Naming & Sygaldry
I find it really hard to take this list seriously when you have soft magic systems in her (magic that can be used just cause) and not mention Inheritance or Songs of Chaos. Now I know that Inheritance is much like Earthsea (Inheritance is better) but you had other ones in here (especially the soft magic systems) that was almost identical. While Inheritance is like Earthsea it is far different as well. And I haven’t seen any magic system like Song of Chaos.
This is just the kind of article/resource I had been looking for: a catalogue and summary of popular, but distinct magic systems. Thank you! Do you know of other similar resources (like a wiki or something)? Two other REALLY well done magic systems come to mind: The manga Witch Hat Atelier has a much more in-depth rendition of a Fullmetal-like magic system with regard to magic circles. (Early spoilers) One uses a special ink to write magic circles with specific symbols to perform magic. The ink itself becomes a precious resource. Composing circles is itself a complex work that combines science and art. The circles are multi-tiered collections of symbols that are then enclosed by a circle. Many different core “sigils” exist that draw upon specific powers or elements while surrounding “signs” then descibe how the magic circle manipulates the power(s). So coming up with a spell involves many things: 1) knowing sigils/signs that allow one to create the effect they want, 2) the understanding of how to design/compose the structure of the circle to relate the sigils/signs in a manner that would create the intended effect, and 3) the actual handwriting/calligraphy skill needed to optimize the sigils’/signs’ traits lest the spell lack magnitude/power/etc. For example, if one has poor handwriting, they may be suitable for designing spells, but not producing them. The “signs” also describe a sense of balance radially with respect to the central sigil, so if you reinforce one side of a circle with specific signs, you’d end up with a more “directed” effect rather than something that happens uniformly, etc.
I think it’s worth mentioning that a magic system doesn’t have to be called “magic” in a setting. For instance, in DC comic books, super powers are a hard magic system, clearly defined so that readers know what to expect, and know as action plays out what the stakes are, because readers know the limitations of the magic available to the characters. In DC movies, super powers are a soft magic system that do whatever the writer wants done, because researching something an average tween learns without putting any effort into it is like, totally hard guys.
I like hard magic systems. Systems where I can learn how the magic works allows me to then think of my own magic for it, which can be a lot of fun. The magic in Dungeons and Dragons seems like a hard magic system to me, though one that could use some refinement. Not much refinement, just a little bit. Harry Potter could be made into a hard magic system and I think it would only improve the story. As for FMA Brotherhood, I think that one is perfect. Just the right balance of rules and wonder. Speaking of wonder, I am curious as to where you say Harry Potter contradicts its magical rules. Honestly, I didn’t pay attention to things like that when I went through it, so now I really want to know about this.
You have such great picks that it is difficult to add somethign here. Foundryside has a great magic system reminiscent of real life programming. It really reminds me of Sanderson (specifically Emperor’s Soul). Another good one is in Ink and Sigil, where the protagonists has to write the spell with special ink.
I never understand why The One Power is sometimes described as a hard magic system. It’s certainly described in detail, we get some details as to how specific aspects work, but we have no idea how it actually works in general, what its real limitations are, etc. It’s always like “this thing can’t be done… oh wait, a new weave has been discovered, actually it can be done.’ Not complaining, I love WoT and I tend to enjoy soft magic more anyway, but I think its a massive stretch to describe it as a hard system. It’s no harder than the magic in Harry Potter, anyway.
I really enjoy this type of articles from you Jake 🔥 keep it up I read the first book of rune lords a month ago and it was fun. Raj Ahten is an entertaining villain. Now I’m starting The Hunger of the Gods, the second book off the Bloodsworn trilogy by John Gwynne and it is 🔥🔥🔥 totally recommend that saga
Guess I should read mistborn and elemancy. My magic system is hard system but the people of the world don’t really understand that much, so it may seen as soft system from the reader perspective. After I watched this article, I just realized that I made such a strong worldbuilding but I’m suck at storytelling lol
I think that one’s preference to Hard or Soft magic might (at least, partially) be based around one’s personal leaning towards science or religion, or whether humanity are the gods or there is something higher. Tolkien, for instance. His world is heavily based around a soft magic that is inherent as biblical allegory, a higher power, power corrupting, etc. People who enjoy soft magic more may turn out to be more religious, spiritual, believers of things such as destiny, miracles. Sanderson, meanwhile, is much harder magic. Magic has rules much like a scientific breakdown of the world. Everything can be logically deducted as a cause and effect. We have the capability to utilize the world around us if we follow these rules. Now this isn’t an absolute rule or anything. Merely an observation I’ve made. I prefer hard magic, and I’m intensely skeptical of anything “spiritual” in reality, to put it mildly.
Honestly, I’m 40s into this article, and now I just wanna make a high-magic dnd campaign where magic is all around, and then give it a villain that has absolutely nothing to do with anything magical in the world. Like it’s just a dude that got abused at home and he doesn’t really feel like using magic to achieve his goals because he never really understood it, so instead he will just use whatever people in medieval europe would use to achieve said goals
Does Gandalf do cool magic stuff? Been a while since I read Tolkien but I only remember him lighting some pincones on fire and chucking them on some enemys, wolves I think… Anyway, the soft vs. hard magic systems are a bit limiting. Yes, I agree that Tolkien mostly uses a vague magic system but single elements are clearly defined. The One Ring for example grants the wearer invisibility with the added bonus of a one eyed stalker. I believe that hard/soft systems are more on a spectrum than clearly defined points, and while I too prefer clear rules, this can actually be detrimental – Midichlorians I´m looking at you…
jonathan strange and mr norrell. everything is alive, including extremely abstract concepts like Darkness and The Dawn and Mercy, and can be talked to and negotiated with. fairies are real, and they are nearly immortal beings that are able to use magic as easily as speaking, but have such an alien outlook to humans as to be functionally insane. seven hundred years ago a human boy who was raised in a fairy mound conquered all of england and ruled it for three hundred years as a magician king, and then disappeared.
I’m not a big fan of the Stormlight Archive. I will keep buying the books because I love the Cosmere but I feel like this is going nowhere. For every step forward the characters take it seems like they then take two backwards. And I don’t particularly like Kaladin so that doesn’t help. I really really like the Mistborn series however. I can’t wait to see how the magic will have evolved in the third era and what is going on with Sazed (or Harmony)
You forgot to mention that Saidin only drives male websiteers crazy because it got Tainted by the Dark One when it was used to imprison him. Spoiler Alert: Rand Al’Thor cleanses it (though crazy people are not healed, they are not going crazier either), and to avoid it getting Tainted again, he uses the True Source (proxied through Moridin) as gloves to Seal the Bore.
A couple of my favorites would be: 1) The Force from Star Wars. A cosmic energy that is controlled through a morality based system. The philosophical debates and ideals between the Jedi (those who use the Living Force manifested through selfless action) and the Sith (those who use the Dark Side of the Force manifested through selfish action) is utterly fascinating to me. 2) Spirit energy in the series: Bleach. Each faction uses the magic system is their own unique way. The Soul Reapers focus on nurturing the soul. Hollows devour souls to evolve and cultivate the body, while Quincy train their bloodline powers. Plus, each character gets unique abilities from their souls, which are based on their personality and true nature. You can get a good idea of what kind of person the character is simply by seeing what kind of abilities they possess. 3) True Names from the Inheritance Cycle. It was a simple yet HIGHLY lethal magic system that utterly terrified me as a teenager. It was the first fantasy world I found that I DIDN’T want to visit to move to. By learning the true name of something in the ancient language, you can gain complete control over that thing. It’s almost unstoppable and near impossible to defend against, even for other magic users.
Failed out of the starting block, on Tolkien. 1) Magic infuses the entirety of creation, an important codicil to ‘how were the Ancients so much better than the Fourth Age denizens. 2) Do not mistake any effect Gandalf does with magic – he is literally an Angel, websiteing power as the Creator deems it appropriate. No Spells, or spell books, and darn few overt actions. For a ‘leaping off point’ of Fantasy, he is actually lesser when compared even to Robert Howard’s Conan the Barbarian works. At least when someone commands snakes to do a task, they are limited in how many they can command, or their capacity to improvise versus the Hero’s improvisations.
we live in a universe that seems to be ruled by maths and logic, a world of probabilities and faith, we don’t quite understand the rules and if randomness is truly at the nature of our physic system or we just don’t see what’s behind yet. Isn’t that a magic system? Would it be possible to come up with an entirely new physic system with our brains from this universe that would include “magic-like” attributes as a result of its rules? I understand the concept of hard and soft magic in Fantasy but really I only see fantasy and human imagination, no matter how complexe it is. Like why would fire, earth, water and wind be a thing? Yes it seems crazy to think about but if you’ve gone this far into this comment, yes I’m talking about inventing something that doesn’t exists, which is a concept I cannot get my head around but I can still at least aknowledge the existence of the idea lol. Hence the question if it is even possible in the first place to think about something that is basically a combination of nothing that exists and all we could think of. Like if you picture a novel idea on how energy would flow and interact with the world to create magic like systems upon, well that’s already inspired by idk the flow of a liquid, so already it’s inspired by our world. What “inspired” even mean? Is consciousness capable of creating thoughts beyond the imaginable? when we say “the only limit is your imagination” we mean “there is no limit”, but is our imagination really capable of infinite thoughts and ideas?
Magic is one of those things that the less i see the more i enjoy, so soft magic systems are the best option for me. I enjoy when the magic exists but it’s rare enough that when it appears it’s a shocking revelation and incomprehensible, making it’s user seems more dnagerous and powerful by comparison and i also thing articlegames banalized magic for us nowadays. When spellslinging is akin to a man shooting a gun, the magic loses all it’s luster, it might as well be a superhero story imo.