Breaking Out of Scientific

Magic Systems
Although they use a wide variety of mechanics, most fantasy role-playing
games have remarkably similar view of magic. I term this view "scientific
magic". This doesn't mean that magic follows the laws of science as we know
them. However, magic is a reproducible force that fits with modern scientific
viewpoint and culture. While scientific magic systems have their place, I think
there should be more games with non-scientific magic systems... magic
evocative of myth and folklore, as well as fantasy fiction which draws on myth
and folklore, like J.R.R. Tolkien or Charles De Lint.
Various RPG systems try different mechanics in an effort to make their
magic feel more "magical". However, I feel that most of these simply alter the
mechanics almost at random. The problem is in how magic is conceived of in the
first place, not in the stats and die rolls used to implement it.
In order to create a non-scientific system of magic, you need to consider
the basic principles on which magic works. As a designer, you should think
about what magic means in your campaign world before you start defining stats
or die rolls. The typical FRPG system makes a number of assumptions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Magic is a known system and thus non-mysterious

Magic is a force separate from Nature
Magic happens as spells from deliberate users
Magic obeys conservation of (magical) energy
Magic works regardless of morality, ethics, or other intangibles
Conclusion

Note that none of these assumptions is necessarily "wrong", nor do all five
of them need to be broken for a system to have a non-scientific feel. The
important thing, as I see it, is just to question these assumptions before putting
them in your designs.

1. Magic is a known system and thus nonmysterious

RPG magic systems can roughly be divided up into "fixed spell" and
"freeform" mechanics. Fixed spell systems are often highly mechanistic, where
the operation of each spell is exactly calculable. Freeform mechanics, on the
other hand, call for the GM to judge the difficulty of a spell based on little
information as well as a large degree of randomness.
1

Neither of these, however, is "mysterious". A mystery means that no

pattern is obviously visible -- but there is a hidden pattern. For a magic system
to be mysterious, there must be hidden patterns which the magician character
does not know at first, but which can with effort be discovered. In a game, this
means that there must be either hidden variables or even hidden rules. An
extreme of this would be that the GM secretly designs the magic system and
only lets the player learn it a bit at a time (i.e. completely hidden rules).
However, mystery can be injected by having hidden variables. i.e. How a PC's
magic works depends on factors which are defined by GM, but which the player
must deduce from other clues.
Example 1:
In a given magic system, chance of success of a spell might
depend on what type of spirits inhabit the place where it is cast.
There is no spell which simply answers this. The magician
would have to deduce from other clues to find this out. The
spirits might follow the traditional humors: choleric,
melancholic, sanguine, and phlegmatic. The spirits of a place
would subtlety influence it according to their nature. Thus, by
observing and learning the history of a place, the magician
could guess what types of spirits inhabit the place.
Discovering hidden variables of magic should not be the main focus of
adventures, unless that is the aim of the campaign. However, they should form
an important subplot or subplots. They must must be designed like any good
puzzle or mystery. There should be enough variety that it is not totally linear,
but not so many possibilities that it is too daunting.
Example 2:
In a certain magic system, the GM secretly assigns a distinctive
set of traits to each magician PC as he is created. Some may
have blatant effects, but which character caused the effect is
never obvious. The player will only slowly learn the true nature
of her character's magic, which should influence what further
abilities are possible.
One can easily go overboard with making magic mysterious. The important
point is just to consider having some mystery to magic, rather than assuming
that all variables and rules have to be open to the players.

2. Magic is a force separate from Nature

RPG's tend to say that the world works exactly the way that modern science
describes it, except for magic. Magic is required for anything that works
differently than modern science -- and conversely magic is never involved for
things which science can explain. Thus, the RPG system is designed first to
simulate a non-magical world, and then a neatly self-contained extra set of rules
is tacked on to handle magic.
This approach can make it easier for players to understand the gameworld. Since they are modern-day people, they can take their scientific
2

viewpoint and just add a few new rules. However, the concept of magic really
comes from a pre-scientific age. From a pre-scientific viewpoint, magic is not a
thing apart from Nature. Indeed, many things in Nature are inherently magical.
Magic is integral to explaining why it rains, the beating of your heart, and many
other things.
For example, many magic systems define spells like "Detect Magic" or
"Anti-Magic Field". If no magic is detected, or if all magic is prevented by a field,
then things work "normally" (i.e. according to modern science). The idea that
things work normally without any magic is contrary to a pre-scientific view. A
sorcerer can detect and cancel other spells, but taking away all magic does not
make sense.
In order to break this assumption, I think an RPG has to toss out the idea
that there needs to be a neatly self-contained "magic system" which is
independent of the rest of the rules. Magic needs to be a set of rules which mix
with the what we often consider normal systems. This may be difficult to
conceive of, simple because the assumption is extremely pervasive. Some more
examples:
Example 2: Most RPG's define a non-magical healing skill to
cover things like bandages, herbal poultices, and other things
explained by modern science. This is considered totally
unrelated to magical healing. To a pre-scientific view, this
division makes no sense: most scientific healing techniques
would still be considered magical.
Example 3: Most magic systems define enchanting items as
taking ordinary, non-magical items and adding a property of
"magic-ness" to it. Thus, a sword might be well-crafted out of
superior steel, but it is not magic. In pre-scientific views,
though, crafting of steel is itself a magical process. The
hardness of the metal is part of the magical-ness of the sword.
In general, RPG magic systems view magic as something ephemeral.
Effects are rarely permanent or even long-lasting. Even when they are, the
permanent magical effects are vulnerable to "dispel" or other ways of cancelling
them. This often stems from the view that magic is "unnatural". Thus, in a
scientific magic system, it takes continued magical exertion to keep things from
reverting to how Nature (aka science) intended.
In myth and fantasy, there is a common type of magic which is about
enlightening a person or perfecting a thing. Historical alchemy is not solely
about turning lead into gold, but also about the alchemist achieving ultimate
enlightenment or perhaps immortality. This sort of internal magic is frequently
ignored in RPG's.
Example 4: Many RPG's handle "Speak with Animals" as a
spell. With this, the magician casts a spell and for a limited time
(say a few minutes) can speak with animals. During that time,
the effect could be dispelled or cancelled by various means. In
myth and legend, if someone can speak with animals, they can
3

just do it. It is simply a skill they know. This could be put in an

RPG simply by treating it as a more major ability that is usable
at any time.
This doesn't mean that your game system has to be redesigned from the
ground up solely for magic. However, some "normal" sub-systems should be
changed to reflect the magical-ness of the world. Many natural phenomena are
commonly regarded as being magic to some degree. Highly magical events
include eclipses and giving birth, for example. Lesser magical events include
weather, ironworking, chemical reactions, and diseases.
One option to do this is to redefine some skills to account for magic. Thus,
"healing" would be a magical skill -- at low levels it is like a mundane healing
skill while at high levels it has effects that are clearly magical. Another
example... Rather than having "normal swords" and "magical swords", each
sword simply has a bonus which represents its quality, and may have special
attributes like "finely balanced" or "troll-bane". A very skilled smith -- or a smith
aided by a magician -- will make a sword with a higher bonus. Spells can harm
the sword and thus degrade its quality, but you cannot attack the magicalness of
a sword separately from the sword itself.
Another option is the reverse... Use magic mechanics and use them for
activities which are often considered mundane. A notable example in published
RPG's is Runequest, where all disease is treated as a disease spirit attacking the
victim and is fought off like other spirits. As an alternate example, "charisma"
could be considered a magical effect. Perhaps a magicians stored magical power
is literally his charisma score. As he loses power, he becomes less charismatic.

3. Magic happens as spells from deliberate users

A typical fantasy RPG magic system consists solely of rules for the useful
magical abilities of player characters (PC's) and their potential opponents. Thus,
if the party has no PC magicians and are not facing any magician opponents, the
magic system can be ignored. In myth and folklore, however, magic often
happens without anyone casting deliberate spells. There are magical events such
as omens, visions, destinies, lucky objects, and miracles. There are also magical
places and magical times. Lastly, there is magic of circumstance. For example, if
someone dies in certain circumstances he may return as a ghost to haunt his
killer. This isn't because the character had the "ghost" magical ability, it just
happened because of the circumstances of his death.
In terms of RPG's, breaking this assumption means thinking of magic as
more than just spells cast by PC's and NPC's. You can design magic into the
game-world by making magical events, times, places, and things. Magic can also
feature in adventure design. Adventures in a mythic-magical world should
reflect the magical principles which are at work.
Example 1: In a fantasy game-world with many spirits, the
GM decides that spirits have effects on their own besides being
a source for magicians. A variety of common rituals done by
everyone have in-game effects. For example, each house
4

generally have household gods symbolized by small idols. As

long as the household gods are properly appeased, the house
gains some measure of protection.
Example 2: In a Renaissance game, the GM decides that each
adventure is going to have a canonical tarot reading. The GM
can do a random reading to help think up an adventure and/or
set cards the way he likes. This reading is written down and
becomes the guide for omens and divination during that
adventure. A successful tarot divination roll will show this
reading.
Depending on the sort of magic which you want, magic can show up in
different ways. Magic times might be at equinoxes or solstices. Magic places
might include standing stones, mountain tops, or sacred groves. Magic rituals
might include marriage, blood oaths, rites for the dead, coming of age, and
consecrating ground.
You can also change the deliberateness of magic. Many RPG's tend to
assume that magic is a professional skill, which is learned in a mage's guild or
other organization. However, in myths, the wizard is often a solitary figure
whose magic is an inborn talent -- which can be a curse as well as a blessing. The
archetype of the wizard is often a mysterious hermit, who shuns and is shunned
by society at large.

4. Magic obeys conservation of (magical) energy

Most RPG magic systems have the idea that there is a magical energy
("mana", "vis", "power",...) that is used up in casting spells, and is then
recharged over time. This is often central to game balance, as the system gives
magician PC's very powerful spells, but limits them to only a few uses per day.
The mechanics treat it as energy which follows scientific principles. This is
inherently very different from magical power in pre-science stories.
For example, several games use the term "mana" for their magical energy.
Now, "mana" is a genuine Polynesian term for a variable property of divinity or
sacredness. Polynesian mana is very different than conserved energy, however.
For one, it is not lost due to use. Indeed, success is seen as proof of strong mana
being present. Instead, mana is lost by breaking of "tabu" or by defeat.
Breaking this assumption means first of all ignoring the idea that spells
need to be powered by magical energy. This may mean re-thinking how you
balance PC magicians, and what niche they will fill in a group. Magicians can be
limited by having a narrower range of abilities, by taking a long time to cast, by
needing hard-to-get ingredients, by requiring concentration, by being risky to
cast each time, or simply by their spells being less powerful.
Example 1: In D&D, mid- and high-level wizards can cast a
giant explosive fireball which is limited to a few times per day.
Clearly taking away that limit is unbalanced, but the only
reason is because the combat spells were made overly powerful.
5

If instead combat spells were more on the level of what skilled

fighters could do, then unlimited spell use would not be
unbalanced. Spells might be more subtle or narrow in their
usage.
Beyond game balance, though, there is the mere concept that energy does
not need to be conserved. This is a very ingrained to scientific thinking, so
deliberately breaking it by itself can give a system a less scientific feel. A good
example (detailed in the next section) is interaction of the metaphysical and the
physical.
Another part of the

5. Magic works regardless of morality, ethics, or

other intangibles
RPG magic systems tend to make magic physical rather than metaphysical.
For example, in myths a curse might only be by "true love" or a test might only
be passed by one who is "pure of heart". In RPG's, this tends to be reduced to
more tangible, mundane quantities, such as one's level, class, etc. This is
understandable since it can be difficult for a GM to fairly judge whether a given
PC is "pure of heart". Unfortunately, this also strips magic of an essential
quality.
At the heart of mythic magic is the idea that intangible things like morality
or purity have physical effects. If you want to retain this flavor, you should strive
to put in such effects into the magic of your game. For example, in many myths,
a moral test is at the heart of a magical advancement or a magical undertaking.
If the character passes the moral test, she accomplishes something different
than if she fails. However, both results must have an outcome which is in some
way desirable to the character. The key to designing an interesting moral test is
that there must be reasons for each side. If the PC is asked to choose between
adhering to his faith or becoming an evil pawn, the test is worthless.
Example 1:
In one magic system which I ran, any of the magical characters
had the ability to freely gain a power of limited mind control,
such that whatever the character said had some supernatural
influence. This also opened up further opportunities for related
magic powers. The catch was that this power could never be
turned off. The character could never again speak freely with
her friends, because her power would act on them. If others
learned of the power, they would (rather justifiably) be
extremely suspicious. In a time of stress, one of the PC's took
this power and used it to good effect to help her friends.
However, it caused her many headaches thereafter.
Most commonly, RPG's tend to reduce moral qualities to fairly rigid codes
or the dogma of a particular god. To the priest of a god with tangible powers,
sticking to the code is a no-brainer since breaking it will strip one of one's
powers. For it to be a real moral test, there must be a valid temptation.
6

Moral tests are in some ways easy in that they can be codified into only two
(or at least only a few) results. Each choice then has distinct magical results.
Other intangibles are harder to apply to a game. i.e. How does the GM decide
whether the attraction between two characters is "true love"? Applying these can
be difficult, but there is a major effect in the feel of the magic.
Example 2:
In one magic system for a particular campaign, the chance of
success for any spell was inherently based on how much the
magician knew about the specific target. i.e. Casting a spell one
a stranger was much more difficult than casting a spell on a
known enemy or friend. I implemented this by having a scale
from 1 to 20 for how familiar the magician was with any given
thing. This then went into the formula for success along with
other factors like magic skill and so forth. I had a rule of thumb
that skill rolls could gain you X points over time, but in-game
actions would also change it. This often made for judgement
calls, but it was certainly playable.
What sort of intangibles you want to incorporate into your magic is an open
question. Just remember the type of intangibles you choose will influence the
flavor of your campaign. Having true love be a key to certain magic will make
the campaign tend towards romance, for example.
One point to remember is that in medieval and ancient history, magic is
almost universally closely tied to religion. For example, the main reason why the
Christian church was so opposed to witchcraft was that it generally represented
pagan beliefs. Alchemy and hermetic magic were thoroughly tied up in Christian
theology, while in turn Qabbalah was obviously tied in with Judaism. Even if
your magicians are not priests, magic should be understood in a basically
religious worldview. The nature of the soul and similar issues should play a part
in magic.

Conclusion
The point of this article is not to say what magic should be. If you like any
of the ideas suggested, go ahead and work with them. But use whatever other
ideas come to mind as well. My main criticism of existing magic systems is that
they are too much alike, imitating each other rather than branching out to new
ideas.

John H. Kim <jhkim@darkshire.org>

Last modified: Sun Nov 10 10:24:25 2002
http://www.darkshire.net/~jhkim/rpg/magic/antiscience.html