Creating Magic Systems

Magic is a big part of most fantasy novels. It allows created worlds to operate under a unique set of rules that are distinct from the world we live in. With magic, the abilities and attributes of characters, creatures and places are only limited by the writer's imagination. But just because these worlds don't follow the same rules as our own doesn't mean there are no rules.

One of the most important aspects in building a believable universe is creating something that the reader can understand. This is especially important for magic systems. If the magic follows a clear logic, then the reader will be swept up in the narrative instead of trying to figure out how magic works.

For this post, I am defining magic as an ability of a character, object or place that has supernatural origins or that cannot be explained by the physical properties of our reality. This includes magic systems the characters might refer that to as science (as in The Stravaganza Series), but that don't follow the scientific principles of our world.

Overview of Magic Systems

There are two broad categories of magic systems: hard and soft.

Hard magic systems

Hard magic systems are rigid and can be thought of like math or science. They have clear rules on where magic comes from, what magic can do, who can use it, how it's used and the costs of using it. Truly hard magic systems are rare, since they require a great deal of development to be effective. Examples are The Young Wizard Series and The Book of Night with Moon, both by Diane Duane.

Soft magic systems

Soft magic systems exist at the opposite end of the spectrum from hard magic systems. These systems don't give the reader a clear understanding of how magic works, making it more mythological than scientific. Like with hard magic systems, it is rare to find a magic system that is truly soft since the lack of understanding of how magic works limits its usefulness as a plot device. The Circle Books by Tamora Pierce are a good example of a soft magic system.

Note: Hard and soft magic systems are best understood as the two extremes of a spectrum. The magic in most fantasy novels will exist somewhere along this spectrum.

Sanderson's First Law of Magic

Sanderson's First Law of Magic is important to consider when determining how magic is used to solve narrative problems. It states that "An author’s ability to solve conflict with magic is directly proportional to how well the reader understands said magic." This means that the "harder" your magic system is, the more effectively it can be used as a plot device to get characters out of jams. "Softer" magic systems have limited use for overcoming plot obstacles. Since the rules of soft magic are vague, using it to solve problems can feel like a cheat. Instead, it is better used for world and character building and creating problems.

Specific Considerations

Once you have a general idea of the kind of magic system you want to work with, it is time to think about the specifics. These can be figured out as you go along or planned out in advance. Regardless of the method used, you are going to want to take some time to map out all your magic independently from the narrative, even if this is part of the revision stage and not planned in advance. This will help make sure that the magic system is being used effectively in the narrative and help to eliminate any contradictions that could cause confusion.

Types of magic

After deciding on hard or soft magic, the next thing to consider is the type(s) of magic you will be working with. This can be very general or very specific. The first question to ask is "Are there different kinds of magic within your story world?" If no, then you only have to answer the following questions once. If yes, then consider the following questions for each type:

• Who has magic? What kinds of people? Is it something one is born with or something that is learned? Maybe a combination?

• How is magic gained?

• How is magic used?

• Are there different "flavours" of a type of magic? (i.e. within the same type, do different characters have different abilities?)

• What are the costs of magic?

Tamora Pierce's Tortall books have three distinct types of magic: the gift, the sight and wild magic. Each has its own origin and while each type of magic is something that a person is born with (or not) they are each distinct and don't overlap. The gift is the most varied of the magics and while the basis of the gift is the same for everyone who has it, the abilities the gift gives someone varies as does its strength. Some characters can heal, some have battle magic, some can perform simple tasks like lighting candles. Some characters can do all three and some can only access some of these abilities. The sight and wild magic are both very specific in the abilities they give. The sight allows the user to see things others can't, usually when people are lying, but can allow some users to see magic or poison. Wild magic connects the users to animals, allowing for better communication, although in rare cases wild magic allows the user to heal animals and shapeshift.

While none of these magic systems are extensively developed, they help to build the world and the characters as one's magical abilities help to define their place in the world.

Specific things to consider:

• What is the basis/origin for the magic? Is it internal or external to the user? Is there some kind of training or ritual someone must undergo to access or hone their magic?

• Is the magic constant or is it something that needs to be replenished? Can someone lose their magic and if so, is it possible to get it back again?

• Do different magical abilities mean different kinds of magic or are different abilities subsets of the same kind(s) of magic?

• Are certain kinds of magic specific to certain cultures, regions, races, species or people?

• Is there a difference between positive and negative magic? Or is magic neutral, and it's the characters that make it good or evil?

When developing types of magic, consider Sanderson's Third Law: Expand on what you have before creating something new. This means that quality is better than quantity. While there is nothing wrong with having several magic systems within a world, two or three well-developed systems are better than a dozen underdeveloped ones.

Powers and abilities

Coming up with the abilities magic grants is the most fun part of developing a magic system. It is also the most important from a storytelling perspective. The possibilities here are endless, but it is important to exercise restraint. Magic systems where characters can have any ability with the click of their fingers are boring because it makes things too easy. How will they have anything to strive for or any obstacles to their goal if they have an endless array of magical powers to get them out of trouble? However, if you have a magic system where characters have to draw an intricate spell diagram to access their abilities, even if the options are endless, the limitations to accessing these abilities will create suspense and obstacles for the characters to overcome and make the resolution seem less guaranteed.

For magical abilities, it's important to consider:

• What purpose is magic serving within the world/narrative? Is it part of the worldbuilding? Is it part of character development? Is it integral to the advancement of the plot? Is magic only used for small, inconsequential moments or is it important in big climactic moments?

  • If magic is integral to the big moments, what abilities are going to be the most important at the climactic moment of the narrative? How does the protagonist obtain/discover these abilities?

    • The climax will be more exciting if the protagonist doesn't start confident in the abilities that will win the day, unless they lose these abilities and the narrative is about them getting them back.

• Is magic a force for good, evil, both or is it ambiguous?

• Are the abilities associated with magic tied to the person, the type of magic or a specific spell, object or ritual?

• What specific abilities does magic grant?

• Is there anything magic can't do?

Using magic

This is the nuts and bolts of your magic system, where consistency becomes very important. The most important questions are:

• How is magic used? (spells, wands, hand motions, dance routine, potions, enchanted objects, stones, crystals, enslavement of imps, the possibilities are endless)

• What allows characters to use magic?

Other things to consider:

• If someone uses an object that can channel magic, does that mean they can do magic? Or are these things, while necessary for magic, simply facilitators (like squibs, wizards and muggles in Harry Potter)?

  • When considering something like a wand, is it a personal item that can only be used by its owner? If others can use it, does it have the same effect/potency as when used by its true owner? Can ownership be transferred?

• Is using magic easy or difficult? Is it something that requires the character to have a lot of training or something that is intuitive?

The use of magic also covers the imagery of magic:

• How is magic represented on the page?

• How does it look/feel when it's used? Are there flashes of light or changes in temperature? Are there any sounds or smells?

  • Do these things change depending on the character using the magic, the type of magic used or the specific spell?

• How does it feel for the character using the magic? How about the character(s) on the receiving end of the magic?

Limits of magic

The limits of magic are as important, if not more so, than the abilities of magic. This is Sanderson's Second Law of Magic: The ability of a character to use magic to solve problems is directly proportional to the limitations of the magic. Or more simply: Limitations must be greater than the powers if magic is to be used as a problem solving tool. Magical limitations not only make the narrative more interesting, they also make the magic systems feel more real. In our everyday lives, we are bound by the limits of what our bodies and minds are capable of and the physics of our reality. While magic systems don't have to adhere to the same restraints as our physical reality, having rules that magic has to obey makes things feel more realistic and, therefore, more believable.

Consider:

• What powers can magic not give a user?

• Are there limits to a character's ability to use magic? Are there certain people or creatures their magic doesn't work on? What about places magic doesn't work or is prohibited?

  • Are there external forces that can affect or impede the use of magic?

• Does society or culture place limits on the use(s) of magic? Are some forms of magic considered acceptable while some are taboo? Is magic itself taboo? What about the lack of magic? Does this have societal consequences like in A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony, where people without magic are exiled?

• Are there certain conditions where magic will not work?

• Does working magic have a time frame? Is it instantaneous or does it require extensive preparation?

• Are there any physical or mental limitations associated with the use of magic? Does using magic have physical or mental effects on the user? Do specific objects or conditions have to be present?

• Is magic tied to non-magical abilities like in The Circle Books where magical strength is tied to a character's abilites as a weaver, gardener, metalsmith, cook, dancer, etc.?

• Does magic have any weaknesses?

Consequences/costs of using magic

Without a cost to using magic, it can quickly become a deus ex machina. In addition to the previously discussed limitations of magic, there must also be consequences to magic.

Ask:

• How does magic affect the user? How does magic affect the world?

  • Does using magic cause a ripple effect? Is it an exchange? Does it take a physical toll?

  • Are these effects short term or long term?

• Are there societal or cultural consequences to magic?

• Does the user have to consume something to perform magic? Is this a finite resource?

• Can magic go wrong and if so, how does this manifest?

Magical Worldbuilding

Once the rules for your magic system have been mapped out, it's time to think about how that magic system ties into the world you've created. How does magic influence the setting of your story? Is the land magic? Is magic widely used or uncommon? Is it only used for specific purposes? How does magic affect the society you've created? Does magic play into a hierarchy? Are people with magic considered better than others or lesser? Are they ostracized or imprisoned? Or are they placed on a pedestal? Is magic legal or illegal? Are those with magic integrated with those who don't have magic? Are non-magic users aware that magic exists? Do magic users have to attend some kind of school?

When there is more than one type of magic, how are these different types of magic reflected through the worldbuilding? Are different types of magic associated with different cultures, species or religions? Do people with different types of magic get along or are they enemies? Is there a hierarchy to different types of magic? Are they simply different in the way that some people are great athletes and some people are great at math?

Magical places

Magical settings are less common than most people think. While magical realms that run parallel to our own are common, in most cases, these places are populated with magical beings as opposed to being magic themselves. (For an example of a fully magical world, see The Other Place in the Bartimaeus Sequence by Jonathan Stroud or The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede.) While this may seem like an arbitrary distinction, it is an important one from a worldbuilding perspective. The first question to ask about the setting when creating a magic world is "Is the world itself magic or does it just contain magical beings?"

If the world itself is magical, then you'll need to build it similarly to building a magic system.

• How does the world's magic relate to the magic systems you've developed? Is it the same or different?

• How does the world's magic operate? Can it be harnessed by the characters? Does it operate independently?

• How does this magic interact with the flora and fauna? How has the world's magic caused them to evolve?

• How does the world's magic affect the weather/climate?

Remember that the setting is the canvas the narrative takes place on, so any decisions made about the setting and its magical properties will have a ripple effect through everything else.

Magical creatures

There are two general types of magical creatures: those that only exist in magical realms, but that are not magic themselves and creatures that have magic. There is a subset that is a combination of the two. When creating magical creatures, this is the first decision that must be made: are they creatures that only exist in your world or do they have their own magic?

Developing creatures that have their own magic follows the same steps as creating a magic system. Rules must be established around how their magic works, what their abilities are and what their limitations are.

Magical items

Broadly speaking, magical items refer to (usually) inanimate objects that possess magic. This is an incredibly broad definition, but it can be broken down into three general categories:

• Items that give characters special abilities. The magic of these items can only be used through a character, but is intrinsic to the object. Without the object, the character loses the abilities. e.g. magic swords, time turners, invisibility cloaks.

  • Who can use these items is highly variable. Some can only be used by those who already possess magic or specific kinds of magic. Some can be used by anyone who picks them up. Some require specialized training, some do not.

• Items that channel characters' magic e.g. wands, wizard staffs, crystal balls

  • These items rarely have their own magic and are simply a conduit. As a result, they can only be used by characters who have their own magic.

• Items that have their own magic, making them sentient or semi-sentient e.g. the sorting hat, talking doors/door knockers, moving mazes or labyrinths

Each magical item operates as its own mini magic system. For items that give or channel magical abilities, establish clear rules for their use. How are they used and what are the consequences of their use? Make sure the rules around who is capable/allowed to use these items are also clear. Do these magic items operate as an extension of the pre-existing magic system (anything that channels a character's magic will be) or within a different system? If there are multiple magic systems in your world, does the item interact differently with the different magic systems?

A great example of this is the wizard's staffs in The Enchanted Forest Chronicles. Without a staff, wizards cannot use magic, however, non-wizards can use a wizard's staff to perform wizard magic if they understand magical theory. The staffs are the antithesis of other types of magic, absorbing all magic in their vicinity. This leads them to create burned patches in the Enchanted Forest and an allergic reaction in dragons. Both occur whether the staff is being used or not. The interaction between magical objects and other types of magic can be as simple or complex as you would like.

Items with their own magic require their own considerations in addition to determining the basics of the magic system they are operating under. The primary consideration is how sentient does magic make this object?

• Is the object sentient enough to warrant its own species or character like Luvo from Melting Stones by Tamora Pierce?

• Is the object intelligent, but only exists to perform a single task or tasks like the sorting hat from Harry Potter?

• Does the object interact with its surroundings in a way that shows awareness/intelligence, but doesn't rise to the level of full sentience like the treasures in A Wizard Abroad by Diane Duane?

With objects, it is important that they serve a purpose. At the very least, they need to be adding to the ambience and worldbuilding of a scene, but the best magical objects carry importance for character or plot development, think wand lore in Harry Potter or the glowing ember given to Alana by the Great Mother Goddess in In the Hand of the Goddess.

Conclusion

Creating magic systems is an involved endeavour. It takes time and patience to get it right. While it can seem overwhelming, building a magic system doesn't have to be tackled all at once. Start with the few pieces that are central to your magic system and go from there. Depending on how you write, the magic system doesn't have to be fully developed before you start. Regardless of the development you do beforehand, there will always be pieces that need to be reworked and revised once you have a completed draft. Don't be afraid to keep tinkering with the magic system as you develop the other aspects of the manuscript.

It is also important to note that not everything mentioned above needs to be included in your manuscript or in the rules of your magic system. As long as the reader can follow how magic works without being pulled out of the story, you've done your job. As with a lot of worldbuilding, many the details won't end up on the page. While this can feel like wasted work, it isn't. Having all that background knowledge is what creates a fantasy world that is believable and helps inform every aspect of a narrative.

And remember, the only rules that matter when building a magic system are the ones you create. Don't be afraid to push the limits of our reality.