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November 26, 2023 at 7:03 pm #167058
Yeah, that could be interesting. The perception thing I still think if given to the right person with the right mental discipline, they could do a lot if there isn’t so much of a specific form of “power” you receive. Perhaps it could always be intellectual power, or influential power, ect. If that were the case though, if you could give up your sanity, no amount of intellect would be very useful.
He is perfect in Justice, yet He is perfect in Mercy, even when we fail Him. For this, He is good.
December 17, 2023 at 3:58 pm #170038@thearcaneaxiom @highscribeofaetherium
Alright, I’m going to post an overview of each of the magic systems I’ve completed. I want anyone who wants to participate to point out any universe hacks included in these, including interactions between them, as they are in the same universe. (I don’t want to break the universe with these!) Also feel free to point out anything ridiculously OP, even if it isn’t worldbreaking.
Arcweaving
This one’s a bit difficult, since it’s softer than most of my magic systems. It lets you weave together “Arcpoints” into “Arcweavings” which can create complex effects. There are many different types of Arcpoints that affect different things and weaving them together lets them interact to create these effects.
Resonance Crystals
A person consumes the bud of one of these crystals and becomes capable of generating more of them on their body and gains other abilities. The crystals are very hard and can hold a very sharp edge, making them useful for generating weapons. The crystals disintegrate when no longer attached to the host. The host also gains really fast healing, but they can’t heal from something that would be immediately deadly. All powers use up Resonance. A list of the powers:
Fusion (Physical Combination)
There are three main abilities this power allows. First, sticking to objects together. (Essentially, this is the surge of Adhesion from SA. I don’t have a problem with this, since it’s basically a less complicated version of the second power.) Second, telekinetically combining two objects. Any forces acting on one act on both, and they act as though they are attached at their centers of mass. Third, tethering objects together with intangible tethers. The user can control the length and stretch of these tethers.
Destruction (Physical Separation)
Allows the user to disintegrate objects with a touch. It rips molecular bonds apart. The energy from these bonds is safely siphoned away in the process (so we don’t get gigantic, deadly explosions.)
Recollection (Physical Absorption/Infusion)
Allows the user to mentally store an object. The object ceases to exist in the physical realm but can be returned whenever. It takes increased amounts of Resonance to keep it stored while moving, because otherwise you could break physics by doing the following. Store the object, then move higher and drop it. If you collect the energy from its fall, you would be able to generate unlimited energy, because you are not expending any additional energy to lift it. Instead, an equivalent amount of Resonance must be expended in the process.
Presence (Physical Distortion)
Allows the user to shift themself and other objects out of the physical plane. This allows you to move through physical objects.
Connection (Spiritual Combination)
Allows the user to form a mental link with another person, sharing thoughts, emotions, and memories.
Consciousness (Spiritual Separation)
Allows the user to separate their consciousness, creating aspects of their essence that can move freely, but only have a spiritual existence.
Empathy (Spiritual Absorption/Infusion)
Allows the user to absorb and infuse thoughts, emotions, and memories into other people at a touch.
Temporality (Spiritual Distortion)
Allows the user to manipulate their progression through time. (Side note: I’ve thought about splitting temporal powers into their own category. Then we would have Temporal Combination which would let you fast forward an object through time, Temporal Separation, which would let you reverse an object through time, Temporal Distortion which would be this power, and Temporal Absorption/Infusion, which I’m clueless for. I would also have to find a new Spiritual Distortion power. If you have ideas for either of those, let me know!)
Condensation (Energetic Combination)
Allows the user to draw trace energy from the environment and infuse it into an object. There are two main advantages of this over Dynamism: first, it doesn’t require physical contact. Second, it can convert between energy types.
Dispersion (Energetic Separation)
Allows the user to strip energy away from an object and disperse it into the environment.
Dynamism (Energetic Absorption/Infusion)
Allows the user to absorb energy and infuse it into other objects. There are several types of energy that can be affected this way:
Kinetic
When being absorbed from an object, the object slows down or stops. When being infused, an object speeds up. The direction of movement stays the same.
Thermal
Cools an object when being absorbed, heats in when being infused.
Gravitational
When being absorbed, this depletes or entirely blocks an object’s gravitational interactions with its surroundings. When being infused, it increases them.
Radiant
When being absorbed, a glowing object dims or goes out. When being infused, an object starts glowing. It could also simply absorb light from the air.
Electrical
When being absorbed, it blocks electrical flow. When infused, it applies electricity.
With Dynamism, point out any powerful combinations of energy that could be achieved.
Momentum (Energetic Distortion)
Allows the user to “bend” forces. Imagine a line drawn in the direction of the force. This power lets you bend the line.
Metal Bonding
On to another magic system! Metal Bonders use spirits known as Wisps to bond pieces of metal to their will. Wisps are not common, so most Metal Bonders don’t have many. Some Wisps are sentient, while others are not. Bonded pieces of metal are controlled just like a natural part of your body. For example, you can’t use it to lift yourself up, just like you can’t pick yourself up with you own hand. You can use them to push off or pull on other objects though, so that could be used to lift you up. Wisps bonded to you also let you heal faster, but not as fast as Resonance crystals do.
Those are my only mostly complete Magic Systems, so I’ll leave it at that.
π° Fantasy Writer
β¨ Magic System Creator
π Character RPer
π Appreciator of BooksDecember 18, 2023 at 5:01 pm #170273@highscribeofaetherium @thearcaneaxiom
I just made some significant changes to Crystal Binding. I used to have it organized like this: three types of powers: energetic, physical, and spiritual; and four effects: combination, separation, absorption/infusion, and distortion.
There are now six types of powers, but only three effects.
The types are Material (formerly physical), Energetic, Mental (formerly spiritual), Temporal, Spatial, and Arcane. Material powers affect matter, Energetic powers affect energy, Mental powers affect the mind, Temporal powers affect time, Spatial powers affect space, and Arcane powers affect magic. I haven’t come up with a good naming system for the effects.
I’ve tried several things. One was +, =, and – (standing for positive, neutral, and negative) but that didn’t have as good a sound to it as the others, but this is the most technically accurate naming scheme I’ve found. The one I’m currently using is Combination, Balance, and Degradation, but there are some inaccuracies to that one. Degradation doesn’t accurately refer to what some of the Resonance do. Balance is misleading, because all the powers follow general conservation laws. Combination also does not accurately reflect some of the powers. Overall, +, = , and – get the idea across best, but they don’t sound as good as other things I’ve tried.
Material Powers
Fusion
Connects objects.
Recollection
Stores objects.
Destruction
Breaks down objects.
Energetic Powers
Condensation
Increases energy in an object, using Resonance to do so. (I think I need to rename this one and its pair, Dispersion, because they used to work a bit differently.)
Dynamism
Absorbs energy from objects and infuses it into others.
Dispersion
Strips energy from an object, converting it into Resonance.
Mental Powers
Connection
Creates a mental link between two people.
Empathy
Absorbs thoughts, emotions, and memories, and infuses them elsewhere.
Consciousness
Splits your consciousness.
Temporal
Positive Dilation
Accelerates an object’s progress through time.
Age
Absorbs age from an object and infuses it elsewhere.
Negative Dilation
Slows an object’s progress through time.
Spatial Powers
Teleportation
Connects points in space.
Dimension
Warps spatial properties.
Presence
Phases objects between planes.
Arcane Powers
Enhancement
Enhances another Arcane Artist’s powers.
Conversion
Absorbs Arcana and infuses it elsewhere. It can be converted between types in the process.
Absorption
Draws in nearby Arcana, converting it into Resonance in the process.
So, as you can see, I have a general trend where the first power in each category increases, connects, or combines something; the second power transfers, converts, or bends something; and the last decreases, breaks, or separates something. As I said, I think the terms positive, neutral, and negative describe these well, but phrases like “Positive Energetic” Resonance don’t sound as good, so if anyone has suggestions for a naming scheme, I would appreciate it.
π° Fantasy Writer
β¨ Magic System Creator
π Character RPer
π Appreciator of BooksDecember 18, 2023 at 5:17 pm #170276I don’t remember exactly how it worked previously but I like how the updated version works.
I forgot about your previous post π€¦ββοΈ
Any noun can become a verb if you don't care enough.
December 18, 2023 at 5:20 pm #170277The most important thing that I noticed that definitely should be addressed is: how do you stop people from creating infinite Resonance Crystal factories? Couldn’t someone generate a piece of crystal, break it off, and someone else consume it, or do they degenerate INSTANTLY (which would be a bit weird)?
Any noun can become a verb if you don't care enough.
December 18, 2023 at 5:20 pm #170278I forgot about your previous post π€¦ββοΈ
No problem!
I donβt remember exactly how it worked previously but I like how the updated version works.
The previous version was fairly similar. The new one is a bit more symmetrical. It has twice as many categories of powers (material, mental, etc.) but one less effect (I got rid of distortion.) The Resonance of Momentum no longer exists, the Resonance of Temporality (formerly a spiritual power) has been split into Positive and Negative Dilation, and the Resonance of Presence is now a Spatial, rather than Material, power.
π° Fantasy Writer
β¨ Magic System Creator
π Character RPer
π Appreciator of BooksDecember 18, 2023 at 5:21 pm #170279December 18, 2023 at 5:22 pm #170280The most important thing that I noticed that definitely should be addressed is: how do you stop people from creating infinite Resonance Crystal factories? Couldnβt someone generate a piece of crystal, break it off, and someone else consume it, or do they degenerate INSTANTLY (which would be a bit weird)?
You need the crystal bud. You can grow more crystal from the bud, but it won’t give you powers if you break some off. You can break the bud and it will still work, but the powers will be less useful.
π° Fantasy Writer
β¨ Magic System Creator
π Character RPer
π Appreciator of BooksDecember 18, 2023 at 5:23 pm #170281Ohhh, so the bud is different from the actual crystals? Gotcha.
Any noun can become a verb if you don't care enough.
December 18, 2023 at 5:25 pm #170283One of the tricky things for this story is how do I get people to eat these? Who’s going to just try to consume one of them and hope it does something? To make it worse, at least three characters are going to figure it out independently.
π° Fantasy Writer
β¨ Magic System Creator
π Character RPer
π Appreciator of BooksDecember 18, 2023 at 5:27 pm #170286Yeah… could someone somehow ingest one on accident?
Any noun can become a verb if you don't care enough.
December 18, 2023 at 5:28 pm #170287I mean, it they’re eating while doing something with these, I guess, but who would do that? XD
π° Fantasy Writer
β¨ Magic System Creator
π Character RPer
π Appreciator of BooksDecember 18, 2023 at 5:29 pm #170288Someone could swallow it to prevent it from getting confiscated or something XD
Any noun can become a verb if you don't care enough.
December 18, 2023 at 5:32 pm #170289Hmmm… that could work I guess. So, the characters that figure this out on their own are Vlydia, who’s a scientist, Nedan, who’s a miner, and Krenna, who’s a thief. Maybe Vlydia would be weird enough to try eating them as an experiment? But she’d have to see some evidence that they would do something. Maybe Nedan accidentally takes a bud home and then it falls in his food or something? I could have Krenna put it in her mouth when she’s stealing it, and then she accidentally swallows it. That could work.
π° Fantasy Writer
β¨ Magic System Creator
π Character RPer
π Appreciator of BooksDecember 18, 2023 at 5:35 pm #170292Who wouldβve thought it was so hard to make characters consume bits of crystal XD
Any noun can become a verb if you don't care enough.
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