I can’t agree. My favorite magic systems tend to be ones that are hard, fundamental rules of the universe they’re in, for two reasons. 1, if magic existed in the real world, with real, measurable, physical effects on the world, I would expect it to be examined like any science.
2, I like the idea that if you’re just good enough at studying, good enough at math and linguistics and history and you just read enough you can alter the fabric of reality. The concept that if you just understand the laws of physics well enough you get to break them is :chefs-kiss: to me.
But that’s all 100% personal preference, and I think my preference for those has to do with my being in academia most of my life.
Probably my favorite representation of magic is the show The Magicians. You want to be good at magic? Hope you enjoy grad school, better start learning Arabic and Ancient Greek.
Another magic system I absolutely love is Full Metal Alchemist, where the magic is explicitly a kind of science.
The Vampire Diaries and it’s spin-offs also do a method I like.
The worst kind of magic imo is like Harry Potter, where magic has hard set rules except when it doesn’t and it never explains those rules and no one seems to know why anything works the way it does, and there don’t seem to be any limits on the magic except that you can be “more powerful” (whatever that means)
Yeah I agree here. Although that might just be because I like scifi. I am fine with mysterious unknowable magic if and only if the protagonist isn't the one who can do it. Lord of the rings has no rules on magic, but frodo isn't the one doing any magic.
Yes! 100% agree. Or if the protagonist does have it, they’re basically the only one who does and just got it.
The more people that know how to do it, the better I need to know how it works. If hundreds or thousands of people are using magic every day and spent years studying how to do it, people will figure out how it works
Have you heard of the TTRPG series Mage, by White Wolf? I don't have much experience with the series but it sounds almost exactly like what you're describing. Mages kind of 'awaken' to the fact that reality is just whatever is agreed upon, and if you're aware of that fact, you can just change it.
I can’t agree. My favorite magic systems tend to be ones that are hard, fundamental rules of the universe they’re in, for two reasons. 1, if magic existed in the real world, with real, measurable, physical effects on the world, I would expect it to be examined like any science.
2, I like the idea that if you’re just good enough at studying, good enough at math and linguistics and history and you just read enough you can alter the fabric of reality. The concept that if you just understand the laws of physics well enough you get to break them is :chefs-kiss: to me.
But that’s all 100% personal preference, and I think my preference for those has to do with my being in academia most of my life.
Probably my favorite representation of magic is the show The Magicians. You want to be good at magic? Hope you enjoy grad school, better start learning Arabic and Ancient Greek.
Another magic system I absolutely love is Full Metal Alchemist, where the magic is explicitly a kind of science.
The Vampire Diaries and it’s spin-offs also do a method I like.
The worst kind of magic imo is like Harry Potter, where magic has hard set rules except when it doesn’t and it never explains those rules and no one seems to know why anything works the way it does, and there don’t seem to be any limits on the magic except that you can be “more powerful” (whatever that means)
Yeah I agree here. Although that might just be because I like scifi. I am fine with mysterious unknowable magic if and only if the protagonist isn't the one who can do it. Lord of the rings has no rules on magic, but frodo isn't the one doing any magic.
Yes! 100% agree. Or if the protagonist does have it, they’re basically the only one who does and just got it.
The more people that know how to do it, the better I need to know how it works. If hundreds or thousands of people are using magic every day and spent years studying how to do it, people will figure out how it works
Have you heard of the TTRPG series Mage, by White Wolf? I don't have much experience with the series but it sounds almost exactly like what you're describing. Mages kind of 'awaken' to the fact that reality is just whatever is agreed upon, and if you're aware of that fact, you can just change it.
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Unfortunately I’m one of the insecure nerds they’re appealing to lol
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