02-17-2016, 03:52 AM | #1 |
Join Date: Jul 2013
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What does magic do?
The question is simple enough, what does magic do for a setting, why is it important to certain settings or genres, and when is it unnecessary?
Of course the answer will vary from genre to genre, but hopefully we can cover a lot of the possibilities. |
02-17-2016, 08:38 AM | #2 | |
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Re: What does magic do?
This is surely the primary (high level) question that any creator needs to ask themselves shortly after deciding that they are going to have magic in the first place.
The following is culled from The Arcana Wiki's cover page on magic: Quote:
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02-17-2016, 09:02 AM | #3 |
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Cincinnati, OH, USA
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Re: What does magic do?
Well, magic is a great inspiration for writing speculative fiction. "What would happen if people could bend reality?" can really be a good way to overcome writer's block. Readers also aren't expecting the writer to come up with an entire consistent alternative physics as is often the case in sci-fi. So it frees up the author's time for other things.
Magic is especially important for fantasy settings. Many fantasy settings take place in medieval settings. On our world, medieval medicine was horrible. Up until the discovery of germ theory, death by infection was a real possibility if you received an injury. This is problematic for a GM/writer of a realistic medieval setting. Killing your characters over every injury will drive away your audience. But you also risk suspension of disbelief if your audience realizes that you will never injure or infect your characters. Notoriety of medieval medicine means that you will have to deal with this problem. Healing magic is a convenient way to handle this problem without completely changing the genre of your work. After all, magic has been an accepted part of the fantasy genre since at least the Odyssey. And you can keep injuries dramatic by limiting the capabilities of healing magic. In fact, you almost need to do this to keep injuries dramatic. Once you've introduced healing magic into your setting, it isn't much of a leap to add other branches of magic. Being able to draw upon the vast well of supernatural creatures and effects from folklore can save you a lot of brain storming. Which is why the fantasy kitchen sink is a trope. That, and having your characters face off a jet sized dragon is just cool! |
02-17-2016, 09:16 AM | #4 |
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Cincinnati, OH, USA
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Re: What does magic do?
I think that magic is only unnecessary if you are never going to do anything interesting with it. Claiming that magic exists in your setting is all well and good, but if it doesn't figure into the plot then you shouldn't include it.
On the other hand, magic becomes unwelcome if it is used to justify deus ex machinas ad nauseum. Imposing limitations on magic can help to avoid this situation. For example, having an equivalent exchange rule explain why mages can't blow up entire armies at will. This is very helpful for preserving drama and suspense. |
02-17-2016, 11:13 AM | #5 |
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Southeast NC
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Re: What does magic do?
It's equivalent to the science fiction rule that you can't hang a plot on technobabble. Your key plot has to be something your audience can understand. So fixing the problem of the week with a nonsensical whatzit might be okay, but the conflict needs to be about retrieving the stolen spellbook, or reaching the reverse ion generator before the ship explodes.
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RyanW - Actually one normal sized guy in three tiny trenchcoats. |
02-17-2016, 06:36 PM | #6 | |
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Re: What does magic do?
Quote:
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02-22-2016, 12:09 PM | #7 |
Hero of Democracy
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: far from the ocean
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Re: What does magic do?
Sanderson’s First Law of Magics: An author’s ability to solve conflict with magic is DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL to how well the reader understands said magic.
Its phrased for writing, but works just as well for games. Its not deus ex machina if its understood. Magic can have several roles: Expanding player options: I think D&D had a lot of this. If you wanted to do something beyond move or attack, you used magic. Empowering Players: Related to but not the same as the above, magic is an easy way to make characters powerful and relevant on the grand scale with out doing boring and often limiting politics. Creating Interesting tactical situations: Magic often changes the rules of engagement. It makes foes that have to be defeated in different ways, and creates odd challenges. Creating a mystic feel: Magic helps to distinguish a world from earth while keeping it accessible to those without an anthropology degree. You could run your game in china and try to hammer in how differently society works, or you could just use magic. Thought Experiments: What if? This usually comes as a side hobby and consideration to the others, but its also an underlying theme to the others. Figuring out how this new world works can be fun!
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Be helpful, not pedantic Worlds Beyond Earth -- my blog Check out the PbP forum! If you don't see a game you'd like, ask me about making one! |
02-22-2016, 02:04 PM | #8 |
Join Date: Jul 2013
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Re: What does magic do?
There have been some really interesting and very helpful responses so far, ones that I think have probably covered that topic as much as it can usefully be covered. So I thought I'd change the question slightly: What does magic do for a setting that superpowers don't?
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02-22-2016, 02:34 PM | #9 | |
Hero of Democracy
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: far from the ocean
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Re: What does magic do?
Quote:
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Be helpful, not pedantic Worlds Beyond Earth -- my blog Check out the PbP forum! If you don't see a game you'd like, ask me about making one! |
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02-22-2016, 02:41 PM | #10 | |
Join Date: May 2009
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Re: What does magic do?
Quote:
Based on that, I propose the following: magic is a subset of superpowers; one source of powers among many. |
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