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Magic as a whole is constantly being changed from idea to idea, and all sorts of different people have different ideas on how it works, both in real life and in an RP setting. While most would say it’s impossible, or at least no easy feat to perform acts of true magic in the real world, it’s a different story when it comes to the realm of creativity. As such, this is just an analysis of some common ideas I’ve seen and used.


Musings on the Grouping, Source, and Function of Magic.
D.H. ~ Lord Andarel

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Summary of Intro:
Magic is constantly changing in idea form, and is controlled by many different factors. This is an analysis of several forms of magic and factors behind it.

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Magic as a whole is constantly being changed from idea to idea, and all sorts of different people have different ideas on how it works, both in real life and in an RP setting. While most would say it’s impossible, or at least no easy feat to perform acts of true magic in the real world, it’s a different story when it comes to the realm of creativity. As such, this is just an analysis of some common ideas I’ve seen and used. The numberings here do not reflect later order…

First: Aura. People almost always put a sort of “enabler” on magical ability, and this tends to be aura. Aura users are people who can manipulate the energies of whatever, or in some other way use their own life energies to cast magic. Alternate types would be the form featured in Magic: the Gathering where the user draws magic from lands, artifacts, and natural beings to cast progressively stronger and more intricate spells. Some magic comes directly from the person, some is stored in items or text, and some is brought on by the situation.

Second: Variety. “Magic” as a concept is vast and basically anything beyond human understanding can fall into it. People with super-advanced science could be labeled as magicians, but those in the fantasy genre would disagree that this is the correct term. Magic-users go by an endless amount of titles, such as Mages/Magi/Magicians, ‘Mancers (Pyromancer, Geomancer, etc), Adepts, and such. Working just off titles may give a solid idea sometimes but they are often confusing since these to not have simple one-or-the-other aspects to them.

Third: Situation. Magic directly relates to the user’s situation and will be modified depending on need. Underwater, a Pyromancer or other flame-user has little reign while an Aquamancer has a distinct advantage. This could even apply to someone whose homeland or talents differ greatly from the current place and inadvertently hinder magic.

Fourth: Source. Magic is often brought about by one of a few things – talent, hard work, understanding, an outside source, transformation, or inheritance. While there are far more, these are the most common. Talent, hard work, and understanding all tend to imply that the magic is free for anyone to use, assuming they meet certain requirements that can be met with skill or time. An outside source reflects distinctly on the person’s past – a divine transformation or the gift of, say, Aeromancy would be magi acquired from an outside source. Transformation and inheritance mean similar things but come from different sources. Transformation may mean the modification of the self to obtain magic, using advanced technologies, basic arts, or the like. Inheritance is bloodline magic like lycanthropy or race-magics.

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Summary of Part 1: Classifying Magic –

Magic is classified in many different ways because of its variety. A few types are:
The Magic: the Gathering (nature-based) model.
Elemental models.
Reality-altering magic.
‘Mancies and other manipulation.
Enhancement or Nullification magic.
Mind-Based Magic.
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Classifying magic is exceedingly difficult because of its variety. To start should be a mention of a time-honored method, used in the card game Magic: the Gathering. This groups magic into six major archetypes, sorted primarily by natural influence. These magics are those of the swamp, mountain, forest, plain, and island, with a special mention to artifacts and constructs which have no natural allegiance and can use any energy source, though many work well with a specific type of nature.

These are not simple classifications, however. The swamp is the magic that would be considered “dark,” with spells to sap life and dissolve the opponent’s creatures or resources, and with summons generally horrors, shades, nightmares, dabblers in the dark arts, and the undead. The mountain magic uses fire, summoning furious beings like goblins, giants, or dragons and having a very fast and destructive. The natural magic of the forests specializes in giving life and energy to their controllers, and grant unusually large amounts of resources. As well, all sorts of creatures large and small live in the forests, like elves and beasts. Islands use the magic of the mind, relying on trickery and knowledge as well as nullifying the mages of others. Most of the water’s summons are merfolk, wizards, birds or powerful beings from the depths. The plains brings soldiers loyal to their causes as well as knights, clerics, birds, and healers. Plains magic specializes in granting life, protecting and granting defense to the self and summons, and making opponents harmless by pacifying them or shielding from their types. Artifacts are the most varied and are in their own distinct class, with a wide range of abilities and potentials.

This is still a rough classification, but it has been very successful and works excellently to introduce complex concepts of magic use into a card-game setting and make them playable. A common role-playing classification of magic is into elements, which bears more than a passing resemblance to the previous. Note that the –mancy suffix, literally meaning “to read from,” is often used with these elements as they are often based on knowledge of such an element:

Fire: Strong, damaging magic with little defensive ability.
Water: Trickery magic, balanced and varied.
Wind: Magic of air, hard to see and with potential to both attack and defend with speed.
Earth: Defensive and sturdy magic, often slow but strong.
Lightning: Magic of electricity, another not very defensive type with strong attacking ability.
Light: Healing and protection magic, often low and specialized attacking abilities.
Dark: The magic of curses and forbidden knowledge almost always bears strong abilities and has a tendency to come at a cost to the user. Can use well both trickery and true offense.

These seven elements are much like the Magic classifications, though Magic groups lightning and fire together (almost all lightning spells are Red) and spreads Wind between Light and Water (the White and Blue magics). This elemental classification is reliable and has a tendency to break down well for plots requiring several distinct characters. Still, it can both help and hinder character design.

But first, a better analysis of these elemental styles of magic:

Fire magic, or Pyromancy, is the magic of setting things aflame. While the natural grouping of it sometimes allies it with Earth, it is a primarily offensive magic that relies on sheer power to destroy whatever is in its tracks. Fire magic is often straightforward and without trickery or deceit.

Water magic, Hydromancy or Aquamancy, is the magic of many things to do with such a complex element. Water is known for its purity and healing, with many healing abilities falling into the water category if they have to do with cleansing. As well, water is known to wash away impurity and be resistant to other forms of magic (a long-thought of weakness of vampires is the inability to cross running water) and is sometimes linked to disguise or trickery. However, water also has a violent side and water mages sometimes have spells that can cause floods, tidal waves, or shape water into weapons.

Wind magic, Aeromancy, has to do with being free-floating and moldable. Such spells as forming shapes out of air for offense or defense, or granting flight to the user or those around them, are considered air magic at its finest. Wind is often also linked with grace and speed. Wind is another element that is often calm but can cause severely powerful effects – wind mages are often associated with the gathering of storms or whirlwinds for offensive purposes.

Earth magic, Geomancy, is steady and strong. Earth magical beings and mages often rely on it for strong physical attack or strength, as it offers little in truly magical attacking beyond absorbing the attributes of other elements. While the ground is such a strong force in a land-based society, not that all magics are situational and Geomany is a very specialized type. As well, Geomancy holds the best for those wanting to shield, as it often enhances defenses physically.

Lightning magic, going by different names but called Electromancy for purposes, focuses on speed, power, and the ability to disorient or weaken opponents. Paralysis is a very electrical effect, and as technology grows electricity has become glorified for many reasons, some far beyond what it originally meant. Lightning magic is in many ways an offshoot just from lightning and the awe it brings, lightning mages can manipulate electrical charges to send bolts of lightning from themselves or the sky into foes.

Light magic is often associated with holiness and has another very cleansing or healing aspect to it. Light brings the ideas of divine strength or angelic blessings, as well as magic from very Christian ideas – righteousness, prayer, awe and, almost ironically, heavenly vengeance. Light and Dark are considered in many ways opposites, but both are magics that require severe strain on the body and a high level of devotion. Note that light is one of the most common “granted” magics, using “holy tools” often bearing Christian religious symbols.

Dark magic is, conversely, related to inherent fears in people. Death, disease, curses are all tied to dark magic, and it often brings a cost on the body where it gives extremely strong power. Dark magic has become in many ways “cool” as culture brings forward the fanciness of assassins and other strange horrors and beings. Still, it is a strong form of magic that will give tremendous variety, if at a price.

These are a good basis for simple elemental magics, but there are a tremendous amount of magical types which simply do not fall into any of these categories due to being either too specialized or different. The first of these to be mentioned is the magic of language, words, images, and other alterations of reality. These often use said words or pictures to create a desired effect by bringing things into existence.

Runic magic and the magic of shaping are key in this set of magic. Users of reality-altering magic cannot be classified into the elemental magics and therefore cannot be grouped or balanced in the same way. These spells are either extremely complex, writing out all the necessary criteria for their alteration or require an extreme amount of focus and energy, paired with writing or symbolism to give their effect. Note that alchemic magic falls under here, as does shape shifting. Most of these magics are dependent mostly on willpower and focus.

While items that inherently increase or store magical abilities would seem to fall under the previous category, they are in fact directly tied only to their effects. The magic of enhancing the physical attributes – strength, speed, reflexes – is tied to what could simply be called enhancement magic, which is very personalized to the user. Similarly, actual artifacts are imbued with a type of magic they can store. Ancient scrolls are often used to store the words of Runic magic as well as pass on the knowledge for almost all types of magic. Shaping magic can be stored in any artifact with a very similar form to what will be shaped. Elemental magic is often stored in items with a strong tie to that element – earth or fire magic may be formed in a talisman carved from a volcanic rock, say.

The ‘mancies themselves are very varied and often do not fall into these categories. The use of Cryomancy or Necromancy, while some would consider them water and dark arts respectively, differ from the norm in that they are very specialized and have distinct effects and drawbacks. Cryomancy needs water to freeze and can sap energy but not much else, and Necromancy requires corpses to animate or other forms of dead to summon for use if needed. Such specialized forms of magic are often classified differently from other “traditional” forms, and an extremely notable form of magic is the dual type of Biomancy and Technomancy.

Biomancers are mages who specialize in altering the body by absorbing idea traits, not just increasing basic attributes. Adding arms or eyes for more complex motion, enhancing muscles and the mind for more precise manipulation, or strengthening the skin into an armor-like defense would all be within the domain of this form of magic. While Biomancy is often supported by technology, the resulting creations are natural in origin and should not have any technological enhancements to them.

Technomancers, on the other hand, use the technology to their advantage. Almost all the best Technomancers are tinkerers, experimenting to see what is the best possible way to achieve a certain result from technology they have available to them. As well, they often deal with weaponry or cybernetic enhancements, or on the other side of the spectrum the development of machines to fulfill roles, like artificial intelligence or androids. This is a totally legitimate power, but note that it takes huge amounts of resources to pull off – Technomancers need a supply of parts and new ideas, and the second is much easier to obtain than the first in many scenarios. On a miscellaneous note, “Steampunk”-style inventors can be loosely categorized into Technomancy.

Other types of magic include groups that distinctly focus on changing the effectiveness of magic. These include the artificers that make magical implements for use, like staves or swords that have enchantments on them. As well, there are Void mages who either specialize in the use of nothingness as an offensive, reality-eating weapon or as a method of canceling other magical sources. Nullification magic falls here as well, with disenchantment and exorcism to a degree. Mages who can add their energy to other magical sources would also be included in this category.

Mind-based magics, like telekinesis or telepathy, are essentially natural enhancement based on senses. Telekinetic abilities allow remote motion of objects (only motion, though) with mental ability, while telepathic abilities allow one to read minds. Scrying falls in here faintly because it is a perception-enhancing magic that allows one to see long distances through a focus or sense thoughts. Note that “reading minds” is not particularly simple, and most results are either clear ideas or strong feelings. Actually reading anything other than very strong memories is practically impossible due to degradation and forgetting.

Magical beings fall into their own arch-category, which will be covered later.

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Summary of Part 2: Magical Sources –
While there are different types of magic, there are just as many different sources for magic. Aura, natural strength, the land, familiars, and many others all have supposed impacts and should be viewed in turn as different.

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Mages are always looking for ways to increase their power or knowledge of magic, as it is their greatest asset and the capacity for more magical power is as much a matter of survival in some cultures (especially in those based largely off of intrigue and guile) as much as ego. While wars between true Magi are often either of tremendous scale or minute, combat magic takes both power and intelligence.

Raw power can be gotten by magic-users in many different ways. When dealing with enhancement magic, a magic-user often stores aura which can be converted to take on different properties, a reliable idea is. Sometimes this adds to muscle density and sometimes it adds to toughness of skin, but they’re all very basic self-modifications using one’s own store of power. This store of power can also be extended through artifacts or repositories, giving a more convenient way to call on whatever power is needed.

Land-based magic is situational but can be very powerful. Calling upon the essence of a land will allow a magic-user to tap a resource of ancient, concentrated, and usually immensely powerful magic (Magic calls it “mana” after, and the term has become decently commonly used). However, it requires one to not only be in an area rich in that type of magic, but to sometimes deal with essences seeped into the land. A mage who can make the essence of a powerful land his ally will have a tremendous advantage in combat there, but a mage who is scorned by the land’s spirit may be unable to draw any power from it.

Natural strength is similar to Aura, but is often inherited and has deep bloodline ties. Both it and aura can be enhanced with training, and natural strength can work with almost any kind of magic. Elemental natural strength includes being born attuned to an element, and some other forms of natural strength can be passed down through a ritual. Natural strength is not always exclusive, but can make it difficult to use standard Aura.

Familiars have some variety to them, but generally fall into a few different groups. Constructed familiars are usually some creation a mage creates to store their own excess powers, or to try and form a growth period, or to serve some other functional purpose. Functional familiars, sometimes a subtype, serve a specific role not related to holding power – one might keep a library sorted while another might be a repository of extra spells. Companion-familiars are almost always sentient and tend to have some powers of their own, even if not major. These often are kept around both for company and advice.

Some mages will use powers based off of borrowing, and while these vary they can also be extremely strong. Mages will sometimes bind a being and use it as an attendant or power source, and while it is sometimes against its will that does not always apply. Crafty mages can and will strike deals with stronger beings, while some mages have simply earned the respect of those and gotten them as supporters or allies. Similarly, ancient artifacts can be a useful power supply, but they are inherently temporary and can have many severe flaws if not understood.

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Summary of Part 3: Situational Magic –
Magic is by nature dependent on what is happening within, with, and around the user. All magic needs to have a base and a result, and these are the situation and goal for any decently-trained mage. This mentions the advantages and disadvantages of the situationality of magic, and the specifics of some powers.

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Magic needs to have a source, but it also needs to have a goal in mind. Setting large amounts of magical energy free for no good reason is inviting nothing but catastrophe, and so all accomplished mages get an idea of what they are aiming for before calling upon magical power. This solution depends greatly on the mage – while an angry creature staring down a Fire mage may be best disposed of, the same creature could be a valuable resource for a Biomancer, or of no concern to an Aeromancer. Even if it does come to a fight, the Aeromancer approach is very different from the Pyromancer, and not just because of different elements.

A Pyromancer works best in warm-to-hot temperatures, and preferably somewhere without much wind where a fire can be easily started. A powerful Pyromancer can shield flame long enough for it to grow, and then wind is an advantage. An Aeromancer wants moving air and, in general, anything that would allow free movement. Neither of them function well underwater, though the Aeromancer would be much better off, by extracting air from the water to breathe with and then improvising from there. This is situationality – another Aeromancer may head for the surface when a more experienced underwater fighter would stay below.

This is a very crude example, but it is always appearing over and over. Land-based power is extremely key in some areas and not so much in others, especially as it wears down through many uses. Pyromancy has problems in the cold and damp, and needs oxygen to function. Hydromancy needs to be able to leech water from the air or ground, and Geomancy needs to have solid ground as well as a strong footing so they don’t get backlash. Wind magic is arguably the least situational as there’s always air, but with limited air motion they are severely weakened. They also need space to make their spells have any effect. Lightning magic works badly with metal touching the body, and has several problems with accuracy and charge, while Light and Dark magic depend very much on the user’s surroundings, mood, and other more psychological and insidious causes.

Biomancy and Tecnomancy often take time, while Necromancy needs resources. A good Biomancer will have inherent precautions, usually having strengthened their own body to fighting form, and a good Technomancer is fast with his or her hands and tends to have spare parts. Still, Biomancers do badly against vibrations in the air and Technomancers have problems against electricity or minute parts damage.

Reality-altering magics are much harder to pull off in a crowd, as crowds lock in the current reality with more force. Enhancement and Nullification magic only work in the cases when their specialties come up, and artificers need to be able to use their mystical creations with precision and speed. Every mage has ups and downs, and these have to be taken into account when choosing a battle plan or tactics. Terrain, companions, weather, all can change the effectiveness of magic drastically.

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Okay, this is huge. Anyone reading, feel free to share your ideas or any corrections...the bulk of this is still to come as it's still in index form right now.

Mind your minds,
~Andarel

I usually run spellcheck after I finish a first draft xp . Anyways, Void and Null magic, along with Mystic Support and Reshaping are to come up in a bit, referring to magic that specifically enhances or dissolves other types of magic.

Yes, I have played Magic: the Gathering, and for about six years now. I still play daily, it's an awesome game. The efficiency of the system it uses is notable and really should taken into account when trying to find a way to classify magic.

Hehe. I knew you did. I still have my decks but they are somewhat piling dust as we speak. I haven't played in so long but I somehow still remember most of the rules. Well I can't wait until you finish up since I did enjoy reading the first part.

Not-so-minor edit including zomg Categorization. Makes things easier.
Also, finisher Part 1 (of...4? 5? God knows.)

While an Earth mage couldn't actually use metal, or the opposite, I'm not saying that "Metal" is a subgroup of "Earth," just that they behave very similarly. What is often seen as Metal would better fall into the range of Technomancy, the use of technology. This, in many ways, includes advances in metallic shaping and the use of metal. As well, Metal is not, at a conceptual level, a truly distinct element - it comes from the Earth and is almost never totally separated. At a raw conceptual level, it's better to use Earth and not Earth plus Metal.

I forgot Mental magics, like Scrying and Telekinesis. Fix'd.

Part 2 posted...it's concise. Nothing too crazy.

Wood is debatable as an element because it's, more than anything, Nature magic or Life magic. If you consider Earth and Nature to be linked then wood falls straight under there. If not, then you have to classify Life magic separately.

I don't agree that the composition of metallic ores being separate from stone makes it a different magic entirely. Not all Earth mages can use stone - some specialize only in reinforcement or other effects. Metal is intrinsically linked to Earth (and, to a lesser extent, Fire) and therefore I would group it under that. Each of these "Elements" is a sweeping characteristic description, and so there is legitimacy in stretching the description to avoid unnecessary classifications.

In my own groups I use Life and Negation as counterpoints - Life (Totality) would group wood under it. However, that doesn't work well with elements. While I have seen a wood mage or metalcraft mage work well, when it comes to elements I don't think they merit their own elements (at least, Metalcraft doesn't in my opinion). Wood is fuzzier but still is open for debate.

Also, you can't forget the illusionary magic. Sending images into people's minds, making them suffer from fake illnesses, and the such. It may seem like I am talking about hypnotism, or Phsycick abilities, but I am not.