A friend's blog inspired me to write a little bit tonight. Attempting to distract myself from the pre-election day conversations, debates, and accusations I thought about what he was trying to talk about and gave a thought out response that was probably too long for a comment on a blog on the remote corner of the internet. It got me thinking about what I picture the nature of magic in a fantasy universe, more specifically what I interpret the nature of magic to be in a Dungeons and Dragons based universe.
Magic in this system is basically split into 2 or more flavors. The two main flavors of magic are called Arcane Magic and Divine Magic. Arcane magic is the stuff of wizards and sorcerers. Divine magic is the stuff of belief. The power of the gods made manifest.
I typically will lump in a third type into the mix as well because I particularly like the flavor of it. It isn't typically considered a magic, but it fits in the category well enough. I am talking about Psionics, the power of the mind.
Each type of magic has its own strengths, weaknesses, and specialties. Arcane is typically associated with big, flashy effects. Fireballs and whatnot. Divine is a lot of buffing magic, typically capable fo subtle effects except when they call down lightning upon the heads of their enemies. Psionics is unique, it is a hybrid of the two, but typically only associated with the empowering of the self.
When I think of Arcane magic it is an art form or science. It is the ability of someone to look at the fabric of reality and be able to use a measure of innate talent or practiced knowledge to make the material world bend to their will. It is more of a nuanced approach to magic. It taps into what is physically there and alters it. It has roots in its own sets of laws, rules, and physics.
Arcane can be learned. It is about playing with the rules of reality using another set of rules. Magic items from this school are basically technology and follow formulas and patterns. Scrolls are basically instructions.
Divine magic is different. Divine is classically associate with Divine beings, gods granting a portion of their power, accumulated through worship, to their most devout worshipers to project their will into the material realm. This is only but one piece of the puzzle that is Divine magic though. Divine magic is the power of Belief. Yes, with a capital B.
Divine magic is the very nature of creation being channeled through the will of the caster. The nature of creation is by definition, unknowable. Everything is possible with it. Deities may be a piece of this energy, spontaneously rising to embody some aspect of reality. But not all divine power is granted to mortals through worship of these beings. Various divine classes exist that do not worship any particular deity and still they are granted power.
Divine magic has always seemed more organic than Arcane magic to me. If the Force were to be classified as a type of magic, I'd put it as Divine. It is powered by the very existence of reality.
Psionics is an interesting thing to consider as a type of magic. Classically it isn't considered magic in fantasy/sci-fi but in DnD it fits into the category. Where Arcane is like art or science and the Divine is the manipulation of that which powers existence, Psionics is the manipulation of the world around the character through sheer force of will.
The psionic character has unlocked the potential of their brain or has tapped into their own reserve of psionic energy to be able to manifest their will and basically force their perspective upon the world. I've always assumed that being a psionic character required a certain level of confidence. A confidence so strong that they just force their will upon the world and it bends to them.
The energies they manipulate are typically formed from their own energies and life force. That power source is what's represented by the Power Points system and feats like Body Fuel. These aren't learned behaviors, formula, or gifts granted by forces of nature. This is the manifestation of what the caster believes is their right.
Psionic characters have always seemed to me like the type that let their powers go to their head (no pun intended, well... maybe a little bit...). In order to manifest their abilities they have to be far more self obsessed and stubborn in nature. This is because their will must be strong enough to turn their own energy reserves into power.
Anyways, those are some of my thoughts on the nature of magics in DnD. Maybe I can delve into this type of thing more later and explain how all of this leads into the nature of magic in my campaign setting.
I mean, I do need to distract myself from the real world every once in a while.
Magic in this system is basically split into 2 or more flavors. The two main flavors of magic are called Arcane Magic and Divine Magic. Arcane magic is the stuff of wizards and sorcerers. Divine magic is the stuff of belief. The power of the gods made manifest.
I typically will lump in a third type into the mix as well because I particularly like the flavor of it. It isn't typically considered a magic, but it fits in the category well enough. I am talking about Psionics, the power of the mind.
Each type of magic has its own strengths, weaknesses, and specialties. Arcane is typically associated with big, flashy effects. Fireballs and whatnot. Divine is a lot of buffing magic, typically capable fo subtle effects except when they call down lightning upon the heads of their enemies. Psionics is unique, it is a hybrid of the two, but typically only associated with the empowering of the self.
When I think of Arcane magic it is an art form or science. It is the ability of someone to look at the fabric of reality and be able to use a measure of innate talent or practiced knowledge to make the material world bend to their will. It is more of a nuanced approach to magic. It taps into what is physically there and alters it. It has roots in its own sets of laws, rules, and physics.
Arcane can be learned. It is about playing with the rules of reality using another set of rules. Magic items from this school are basically technology and follow formulas and patterns. Scrolls are basically instructions.
Divine magic is different. Divine is classically associate with Divine beings, gods granting a portion of their power, accumulated through worship, to their most devout worshipers to project their will into the material realm. This is only but one piece of the puzzle that is Divine magic though. Divine magic is the power of Belief. Yes, with a capital B.
Divine magic is the very nature of creation being channeled through the will of the caster. The nature of creation is by definition, unknowable. Everything is possible with it. Deities may be a piece of this energy, spontaneously rising to embody some aspect of reality. But not all divine power is granted to mortals through worship of these beings. Various divine classes exist that do not worship any particular deity and still they are granted power.
Divine magic has always seemed more organic than Arcane magic to me. If the Force were to be classified as a type of magic, I'd put it as Divine. It is powered by the very existence of reality.
Psionics is an interesting thing to consider as a type of magic. Classically it isn't considered magic in fantasy/sci-fi but in DnD it fits into the category. Where Arcane is like art or science and the Divine is the manipulation of that which powers existence, Psionics is the manipulation of the world around the character through sheer force of will.
The psionic character has unlocked the potential of their brain or has tapped into their own reserve of psionic energy to be able to manifest their will and basically force their perspective upon the world. I've always assumed that being a psionic character required a certain level of confidence. A confidence so strong that they just force their will upon the world and it bends to them.
The energies they manipulate are typically formed from their own energies and life force. That power source is what's represented by the Power Points system and feats like Body Fuel. These aren't learned behaviors, formula, or gifts granted by forces of nature. This is the manifestation of what the caster believes is their right.
Psionic characters have always seemed to me like the type that let their powers go to their head (no pun intended, well... maybe a little bit...). In order to manifest their abilities they have to be far more self obsessed and stubborn in nature. This is because their will must be strong enough to turn their own energy reserves into power.
Anyways, those are some of my thoughts on the nature of magics in DnD. Maybe I can delve into this type of thing more later and explain how all of this leads into the nature of magic in my campaign setting.
I mean, I do need to distract myself from the real world every once in a while.
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