Magic: Will or Wands?

[SeverinR]

I believe wands should be a focusing tool, like a magnifying glass or a prism to bend the magic to what you need it to do.

Wands help, but there should be magic without some tree branch.

 

[Derin]

I didn't explain my question very well I don't think. Rather than suggesting 'wands' literally, I just meant it as a metaphor for formulaic magic (i couldn't resist a bit of alliteration, as is always my downfall -> 'Will or Wands').

I've always loved reading books with looser magic systems, the idea of intention as a driving force of magic is always interesting to me (I'm a big fan of Eddings, for example). BUT I want to add a twist to the magic in my story, and here is where the bonus bits, such as crystals, come in.

Thanks for the great ideas, and thanks especially to Ravana who I presume had very sore fingertips from typing that response

I've never literally used wands, but I much prefer formulaic magic. I've always thought of performing magic as a bit like creating a chemical reaction in the lab. My magic needs to have rules, be a trainable skill, and preferably not be restricted to a few special people who were born with it (although innate variance in talent would be normal).

It doesn't need to be viable. It really doesn't. You're writing fantasy. The only limits are your imagination. If conforming to reality is your main concern then write historical fiction. Otherwise, do what thou wilt.

It needs to be viable in that it needs to be internally consistent.

 

[SeverinR]

I've never literally used wands, but I much prefer formulaic magic. I've always thought of performing magic as a bit like creating a chemical reaction in the lab. My magic needs to have rules, be a trainable skill, and preferably not be restricted to a few special people who were born with it (although innate variance in talent would be normal).

It needs to be viable in that it needs to be internally consistent.

1. For arcane magic I agree, someone with drive and enough mental capability should be able to learn, like other abilities, some will find it easier to master.
For religious magic, I believe anyone with drive to learn how to do the magic and a strong attachement to a god should be able to learn religious magic.

For mental magic: This one is born to ability. Possibly everyone has a small ability but in my world only a small percentage can do anything with their ability, and depending on their race. Elves have strong Psi ability but very rare, maybe a tenth the chance as a human. I have one humanoid race that is more comon then human to have psi ability but they have very weak abilities.(can't remember which one)

Wands work for religious and Arcane, not for psi.

 

[Derin]

1. For arcane magic I agree, someone with drive and enough mental capability should be able to learn, like other abilities, some will find it easier to master.
For religious magic, I believe anyone with drive to learn how to do the magic and a strong attachement to a god should be able to learn religious magic.

For mental magic: This one is born to ability. Possibly everyone has a small ability but in my world only a small percentage can do anything with their ability, and depending on their race. Elves have strong Psi ability but very rare, maybe a tenth the chance as a human. I have one humanoid race that is more comon then human to have psi ability but they have very weak abilities.(can't remember which one)

Wands work for religious and Arcane, not for psi.

I try to keep with one sort of magic at a time. I have, however, written stories where magic-users learn to channel their magic through others, becoming the gods of the divine magic model. But I've never been much of a god person.

My current work blatantly contradicts my normal preferences. Humans don't have magic (although mystics believe they have magic), and some creatures with innate magic that they operate as easily as their own limbs and doesn't really develop. Dragons, for example, are shapeshifters, and dwarves are seers who instinctively read "the memory of the stone" and don't understand why humans can't. I'm working on a webcomic draft that uses the magic I described above, though, and has vampires. Everyone likes vampires, right?

 

[SlimShady]

I personally think magic should be as much of a character as anyone. (Well in a sense.) In my world magic is a mysterious entity that no one understands. It is a fickle thing that is completely random at times. Not everyone has magic though. Only a handful are born with any magical abilities.

As such magic is essentially viewed as an omnipotent creator by some. As for a magic system, I've yet to work one up. Although I am desperately trying to.

As for wands, I kind of think they're cheesy. Remind to many people of HP. Although I rather like the idea of using the wands as focussing points for the magicians abilities.

 

[hhippen941]

i have to agree that naming magic is far under used and is extremely unique but also will magic is something that i think is very interesting because if someone could willingly use thier magic they could also unwillingly use it- like say they're in a high stress situation they could easily loose control and use thier powers. Personally i think the more unique and obscure your system the better but depending on the setting and characters of your writing that can determine your magi-system and you can easily use more than one like some novels use "old magic" and "new magic"- hope that helped and good luck with your writing!!!!

 

[JustSpiffy]

Personally I've been playing with a combination of the two, a sort of greater and lesser arts... Wizards vs Sorcerers maybe.

I like the idea of having one goup looked down on or subjugated by the other, but a necessary co-dependecy between the two. The people of the lesser arts for example work more with enchanting and the creation of magical aparatus, while the greater arts work with the more spectacular forms of magic, if you catch my drift.

I've also wanted to include aspects of science into the whole thing, a fireball for example is usually created by just willing it to exist... I thought it might be fun to have a better explaination for it, as in the mage, sorcerer, what have you causes the particles in the air to vibrate with tremendous frequency, enough to cause them to burst into flame! This would mean a greater requirement for them to understand the natural laws of the world.