why MAGIC USERS are more interesting than magic systems

Summary

This script delves into the intricacies of magic systems in fantasy, emphasizing that the users of magic are as crucial as the systems themselves. It introduces the 'Almighty Pyramid of Magic Users', a framework to analyze magic usage diversity, knowledge, and logistics. The speaker discusses how magic systems can be hard or soft, diverse or same, affecting the narrative's feel and purpose. They explore how user knowledge varies, impacting interactions and combat, and how logistics like classification and power scale frame the story's magic-related structure. The goal is to inspire creators to consider user perspectives when developing engaging magic systems.

Takeaways

• 🧙 The importance of magic users in defining a magic system is emphasized, as their interaction with the system shapes the reader's perception of magic.
• 🌟 'Use diversity' is introduced as a key concept, highlighting the variety in how magic can be wielded and the inherent differences in the magic system itself.
• 🎯 The magic system's classification into 'hard' and 'soft' magic, and 'diverse' vs 'same' categories, influences how magic is perceived and utilized within a story.
• 🌈 Examples from various media like 'My Hero Academia' and 'One Piece' illustrate the concept of use diversity and how it can be implemented effectively.
• 📚 The 'knowledge layer' of magic users is explored, discussing how much they understand about the magic system and the implications of differing knowledge levels.
• 🤔 The impact of knowledge on user relationships and power dynamics is considered, with the potential for knowledge disparity to affect combat, beliefs, and social structures.
• 🧠 The logistics of magic use, including classification, learning structures, and power sources, are discussed as foundational elements that set the stage for a magic system.
• 🌟 The 'Ghibli Corner' is introduced as a quadrant of magic systems that are whimsical and defy conventional logic, offering a unique narrative experience.
• 🔮 The concept of 'mystique' in magic systems is presented, where a singular known aspect of magic is explored in depth, fostering a sense of familiarity and curiosity.
• ✍️ The video script suggests that writers often start with a preconceived idea of the magic system and then refine it through the lens of user interaction and system logistics.

Q & A

What is the significance of considering the users of magic in a magic system?

The users of magic are crucial as they define the perception of magic within the story and to the audience. They bring the magic system to life and can make a high concept system more relatable and engaging.

What does the term 'use diversity' refer to in the context of magic systems?

Use diversity refers to the variety of ways magic can be utilized by different users, which can be influenced by the inherent diversity of the magic system itself or how users choose to apply it.

How does the diversity of a magic system affect its perception?

A magic system's diversity can lead to a wide range of applications and user experiences, which can make the system feel more dynamic and engaging. It can also lead to unique character interactions and problem-solving scenarios.

What is the relationship between 'use diversity' and the hardness or softness of a magic system?

Use diversity is adjacent to the hardness or softness of a magic system. Hard magic systems with diverse applications provide a playground for users, while soft magic systems with less diversity can be more about wonder and mystery.

Why is it important to consider the knowledge layer in a magic system?

The knowledge layer determines how magic users understand and interact with the magic system. It affects their confidence, curiosity, and the way they approach using magic, which in turn influences the reader's perception.

How does the difference in knowledge between magic users impact the story?

The disparity in knowledge can lead to power dynamics, conflicts, and different approaches to problem-solving. It can also affect the pacing and tension within the narrative.

What is the significance of logistics in a magic system?

Logistics provide the clear, structured aspects of magic, such as classification of users, learning structures, and power sources. These elements help frame the story's overall structure and the scale of magical abilities.

How does the scale of power within a magic system influence the story?

The scale of power sets the tone for the story's conflicts and the stakes involved. It can range from intimate, personal struggles to large-scale, world-threatening events.

Why is it beneficial to consider the user's perspective when developing a magic system?

Focusing on the user's perspective allows for a more intuitive and engaging magic system. It helps in creating a dynamic where readers can problem-solve along with characters and enhances the overall narrative.

How can understanding the different layers of a magic system help in worldbuilding?

Understanding the layers of a magic system, such as use diversity, knowledge, and logistics, provides a framework for developing a rich and consistent world. It allows for the exploration of themes like class systems, politics, and racial dynamics.

What is the purpose of the 'Almighty Pyramid of Magic Users' mentioned in the script?

The 'Almighty Pyramid of Magic Users' is a conceptual tool used to analyze and categorize different aspects of magic systems, helping to understand how they contribute to the story and the user's experience.

Outlines

00:00

🧙‍♂️ Magic User Diversity

The paragraph emphasizes the significance of magic users in defining the perception of magic within a story. It argues that while the magic system itself is important, the variety of users and how they wield magic is crucial. The concept of 'use diversity' is introduced, suggesting that the inherent differences in the magic system and the unique ways users apply it are what truly bring a magic system to life. Examples from various media, such as 'My Hero Academia' and 'One Piece', are used to illustrate the point that even within a single system, the diversity of abilities and user application can be vast. The paragraph also touches on the idea that the magic system's restrictiveness or flexibility can influence how users interact with it and the story's development.

05:03

🎢 The Magic Quadrants

This section delves into the concept of a 'hard' versus 'soft' magic system and how it intersects with the diversity of magic use. The speaker creates a quadrant system to categorize different magic systems based on these two axes. The first quadrant, characterized by hard and diverse magic, includes systems like 'Lightbringers' and 'Chromaturgy'. The second quadrant represents hard magic with less diversity, such as 'Orogeny' from 'The Broken Earth' series. The third quadrant, dubbed the 'Ghibli Corner', is for soft, diverse magic where rules are less defined and wonder prevails, as seen in Studio Ghibli films. The fourth quadrant, which lacks clear examples, would represent soft magic with a sameness among users. Each quadrant is said to evoke different feelings and serve different narrative purposes, influencing how magic is perceived and utilized within a story.

10:04

📚 Knowledge and Logistics in Magic Systems

The final paragraph shifts focus to the knowledge aspect of magic systems, discussing the layers of understanding that magic users have about their abilities. It raises questions about the extent of a user's knowledge, the disparity in knowledge among users, and how they acquire more knowledge. The paragraph suggests that these factors can significantly influence user interactions and the narrative's dynamics. It also touches on logistics, such as the classification of users, learning structures, and power sources, which set the stage for the magic system's impact on the story. The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of considering the user's perspective when developing a magic system, as it enriches the narrative and provides a more engaging experience for the reader.

Keywords

💡Magic Systems

Magic systems refer to the structured rules and mechanics that govern the use of magic in fictional works. In the video, the speaker emphasizes that while these systems are important, the users of magic are equally, if not more, significant in defining the magic's perception and impact. The video discusses how different magic systems can range from hard and diverse to soft and same, and how this affects the story.

💡Use Diversity

Use diversity is a concept introduced in the video to describe the variety in how magic is utilized by different users. It's not just about different styles of using magic but also about inherent differences in the magic system itself. For example, the video contrasts 'use diversity' in 'My Hero Academia' and 'One Piece', where no two characters have the same powers, leading to a wide range of applications.

💡Hard and Soft Magic

Hard magic refers to systems with clear, well-defined rules and mechanics, whereas soft magic is more fluid and less constrained. The video uses a quadrant model to illustrate how magic systems can be a combination of hard or soft, and diverse or same, affecting the narrative and the reader's engagement with the magic in the story.

💡User Perspective

The user perspective is the viewpoint from which the magic system is explored and understood within the narrative. The video argues that looking at magic from the user's perspective is crucial for creating an engaging story, as it shapes how magic is perceived, learned, and utilized, and how it affects the plot and character development.

💡Knowledge in Magic

Knowledge in magic pertains to the understanding that characters have of the magic system they are part of. The video discusses how the level of knowledge a character has can influence their interaction with magic, their confidence, and their actions. It also touches on how differences in knowledge among users can create dynamics of power and competition.

💡Logistics

Logistics in the context of magic systems refers to the practical aspects such as classification of users, learning structures, sources of power, and methods of magic use. The video suggests that these logistics provide a foundational structure for the magic in a story and can greatly influence the scale and scope of magical interactions.

💡Scope of Impact

The scope of impact is a concept used in the video to order the layers of the magic user pyramid, suggesting that certain aspects of magic systems have a broader impact on the story than others. For instance, the logistics of a magic system might have a consistent, overarching influence on the narrative, while use diversity and knowledge can create more nuanced, situational effects.

💡Alchemy of Storytelling

The alchemy of storytelling refers to the process of combining different elements of a story, such as characters, settings, and magic systems, to create a compelling narrative. The video uses the metaphor of a chemical reaction to describe how the interaction between users and their magic systems can create a 'premium' story experience.

💡Characterization by Magic

Characterization by magic is the technique of using a character's magical abilities and their approach to using magic to reveal aspects of their personality and backstory. The video suggests that how a character customizes or applies their magic can be a powerful tool for character development and worldbuilding.

💡Problem-Solving Function

Problem-solving function in magic systems is the role that magic plays in overcoming challenges or obstacles in the story. The video discusses how certain magic systems are more adept at problem-solving, which can influence the types of scenarios characters find themselves in and how they utilize their magic to navigate these situations.

💡Mystique

Mystique, in the context of the video, refers to the sense of mystery and intrigue that can be associated with a magic system. The video describes a quadrant where magic is soft and has a sameness to it, creating a sense of mystique as readers become familiar with a singular concept of magic without fully understanding its extent or limits.

Highlights

Magic systems are often the focus, but the users of magic are equally important in defining the magic's perception.

The 'almighty pyramid of magic users' is introduced as a framework for analyzing magic systems.

Use diversity is the first layer of the pyramid, emphasizing the variety in how magic is used.

Examples like 'My Hero Academia' and 'One Piece' illustrate vast use diversity where no two users have the same ability.

The concept of hard and soft magic systems is explored, affecting how magic is perceived and utilized.

The 'Ghibli Corner' is a quadrant of magic systems that are unique, with their own laws and a sense of wonder.

Knowledge about the magic system varies among users, affecting their interaction with and perception of magic.

Differences in knowledge between users can lead to power dynamics and affect combat and storytelling.

The acquisition of knowledge by users is crucial and can be a point of character development.

Logistics is the third layer of the pyramid, covering the practical aspects of magic use.

The scale of power among magic users sets the stage for the story's magical conflicts.

The order of the pyramid layers is based on the 'scope of impact' on the story.

Writers often start with a preconceived notion of the magic system and build from there.

The video concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding the magic system's role in storytelling.

Transcripts

Magic systems get a lot of attention. And for  good reason, it’s magic. Stormlight inhaling,  

cursed energy using, scriving, all dope stuff.  But something I think might be more important  

than the system itself and doesn’t get enough  attention are its users. Who wields the magic? 

There are high concept systems that are just  cool regardless of the person it’s attached to,  

but even then the users still define it. And that’s the keyword here, definition.  

The perception of magic both in-world in  the story and to whomever is experiencing  

it is largely defined by the users. I mean  how differently would we perceive the Lord  

of the Rings magic if “grand” wasn’t a word  Tolkein decided to tie to everyone who had it? 

The system is only one half, these guys, the  ones directly affecting the course of the story,  

they bring it to life, but the question is how? Hold on a second. 

Observe. The almighty pyramid  of magic users™. Every layer is  

necessary to create that premium chemical  reaction between the user and the system. 

I analysed way too many fictional characters  doing things that aren’t possible for this. Also  

this totally isn’t an arbitrary list I came up  with for my own writing. I am objectively right. 

In an order that I will disclose later, this first  layer is what I have dubbed, “use diversity.” 

On the surface, you would think it’s self  explanatory, how differently do people use  

the magic right? But it goes several layers deep.  Like for starters, what is the system in question?  

Is it even wieldable? Again, half and half. The system could vary wildly in terms of  

diversity, which isn’t always recommended. Go deep not wide, thank you Brando Sando. 

But it can be done and done well. Fantastic  example of this is an anime My Hero Academia,  

or One Piece actually if you  ignore the other thing where  

no two people ever really have the same ability. In that case, the use diversity is massive, people  

are obviously going to use it very differently  because they don’t have the same power. 

I see use diversity not as how  differently people use magic,  

but an inherent difference in the system. So it’s less about there are different styles of  

earthbending or waterbending and more about there  are three other full bending disciplines and as a  

rule, you do not have access to them. I’ll get to why that divide,  

as little as it may seem, is very important. But the thing is as varied as the fruits are  

in One piece, Oda still allows classification,  an umbrella type that these unique magic fruits  

fall under. Horikoshi still narrows My Hero’s  diversity. There are techniques like flashfire  

fist that you can only do if your powers work  a certain way and also broad classifications  

which implies some level of sameness. A different level of diversity is  

the type of system where you have a standard  set of abilities, but then there is heavy  

customisation or you can pick and choose. Think Nen from Hunter Hunter. 

Here is still very diverse, but they all use  the same basic principles. Which is always  

fun to see, and it can say a lot about the  character by how they choose to customise. 

Side note, characterisation by  magic is immensely fun to play with. 

Yet another level of diversity, though  is: doing magic thing A will always give  

you magic thing B. This style is the most  restrictive when it comes to use diversity. 

I mentioned Sanderson, this is pretty much  every magic system he does. And as much as  

this is restrictive, the users can still find  ways to apply it that are unique to them,  

in spite of constraints and rules. This is the, “There are different  

styles of earthbending.” Speaking of rules though,  

you might have noticed how the “use diversity  spectrum” is similar to the hard, soft magic  

spectrum. This is really fascinating  because the thing is it’s not parallel,  

it’s actually adjacent. Again, half and half. No shot I’m the guy using graphs to explain magic.  

Yes I am and I absolutely love it. This first quadrant with hard,  

diverse magic is where a surprising amount  of magic systems fall into, like a lot. It’s  

usually in the form of the system divided  into classes and it being made clear what  

those classes are–what they bring to the table. On the harder side we would have Lightbringers  

Chromaturgy, around that same hardness scale but  more diverse would be Stormlight’s Surgebinding.  

A little bit softer less diverse but still  hard leaning is where Avatar’s Bending would  

sit and a similar softness but way more diversity  would place Jujutsu Kaisen’s cursed techniques. 

Also go watch that anime if you haven’t, I’ve  been screaming season 2’s praises off the  

rooftops. Mainly because it's a fantastic study  for the relationship between user and system. 

The second quadrant housing hard magic  systems with a sameness about them has  

Broken Earth’s Orogeny, Aon Dor from Elantris  but a little on the softer side–and if we were  

to take a lot of the individual classes from  the previous quadrant as full on magic systems,  

they would probably fall in line really well. Here everyone is pretty much given the same  

abilities and since it’s hard magic,  it’s exposited decently well which has  

its own effects in the story that I will  get to, as well as what all this means. 

But this third quadrant though, I have christened  the Ghibli Corner. Nothing really makes sense  

here and everything is different, unique and  has its own laws that it plays by. Watch a  

Ghibli movie, you’ll get it immediately. This last corner though–I couldn’t come up  

with an example, if you have any in mind please  let me know, because as commonplace as hard,  

diverse magic systems are, soft systems with a  sameness–a lack of inherent diversity–are just  

as rare. Either that or I’m not as well-read as  I thought, but I found it intriguing regardless. 

I imagine a system, let’s say telekinesis.  Everyone has the same power, move stuff  

with your mind, but nothing else is really  given. No extent, no limits, no conditions. 

If it wanted to move up the scale with hardness,  maybe we would explain how you could only move  

the amount you weigh, and then only at the speed  you could throw it at. Let's actually make speed  

scale with the size of the object. People would  definitely use that differently but if we wanted  

to shift it towards diverse we would have to come  up with a fundamental delineation in ability.  

These guys can only push, these guys can only  pull, these guys can only affect inorganic matter. 

BUT as fun as this is breaking it down, I’m  not just doing it for propriety’s sake–I’m not  

classifying to classify–each of these quadrants  have their own unique feeling, a purpose they  

bring to the magic system and the story at large.  Which is why looking at your system from the  

user’s perspective is so interesting. The first quadrant systems reads like  

a playground, it’s hard-leaning which means  there’s a level of understanding that you have,  

but since it’s diverse, it becomes  a matter of application. It's easily  

adaptable towards a problem-solving function. Which user is best for the situation at hand?  

Who’s most geared towards solving this issue? Knowing this is what you’re doing with the  

magic system means you can put the character in  scenarios where they are the worst person for  

the job. Or if a user breezes through a problem  we know, “Hey, their magic is especially adept  

at this, the rules were set up earlier and  they were pretty much made for this problem.” 

If the first quadrant is a playground though,  then the second quadrant is just ground I  

guess. Or rather groundedness. Everyone  has the same abilities, you the reader  

know exactly what they do, it is the epitome of  doing magic thing A will equal magic thing B. 

The second corner is a tool. And this is why acknowledging  

that divide I mentioned is so important,  because it separates the first and second  

quadrant. People can obviously use tools  differently but here there is no inherent  

diversity, they all get the same thing. It’s more focused on how adept you are at  

using that tool and it tickles the logicing part  of the reader's brain, you might even figure out  

applications before they’re explained to you.  Because you’re imagining how you would use it. 

And it is so satisfying when you’re  shown a new application to solve a  

problem that makes sense and you could have  thought of within the rules but didn’t. 

The Ghibli corner however is the complete  opposite, it runs on pure wonder. Since nothing  

really makes sense and everything’s different,  that becomes the constant; that you don’t know  

anything. And that could be used to achieve a lot  of different emotions, pure wonder like I said,  

boundless curiosity, unbridled fear of the  unknown. Because this magic doesn’t have a shape,  

it becomes incredibly simple to conform it to  whatever the story demands, amplify themes,  

characterise. Simple, not easy though. This is what purists believe all magic in  

fantasy should be, but I digress. Systems  in this quadrant can do problem solving,  

but eliminating stakes rather than navigating  them is almost never a good story thing. 

And magic is kinda prone to that especially if  the particular aspect that’s used is not explained  

sufficiently enough, which it probably isn’t in  this case because of the nature of this quadrant. 

Which is probably also why this style of  magic tends to solve an immediate problem  

but make the overall situation worse.  Increasing stakes not lowering them. 

If this is pure wonder though, I  see this last quadrant as mystique. 

Because there is a sameness–there’s not too  many different things to keep track of–the  

reader will probably develop familiarity,  there’s one aspect they kinda understand.  

It’s the “Everyone has telekinesis,” thing. But  since nothing else really gets revealed because;  

soft magic, it would revolve around that  singular known concept. Without the upper or  

lower limits of what that means being revealed. I imagine a common theme revolving around  

magic would be learning more about the system  probably with a bit of apprehension. Maybe Aon  

Dor from Elantris actually falls in here. By the way if you’re curious about any book  

I reference, it’s linked down below. Read the  synopsis, maybe pick it up for fun or further  

exploration, which I always recommend you do. Again, these are just theories and machinations.  

Oh wait I forgot, I’m objectively right. Regardless of where a system largely  

falls though, it can still have specific  elements that pull from other quadrants. 

But that takes me to the second layer of  the almighty pyramid, where we start to  

tackle knowledge in every facet of the word. Knowledge isn’t just power, here it’s magical  

power and once again it has its own mini layers. Questions. 

How much do the magic users know about the  system? What is the difference in knowledge  

between users? How do they acquire more knowledge? Just like use diversity, it’s something you might  

touch on while coming up with the system on  its own, but it doesn’t really get concrete  

until you start writing about the people  actually using the system. You don’t get a  

real feel for how answers to these questions  play off each other till it’s on the page. 

And I wasn’t expecting it to go there, but  somehow the knowledge layer ends up determining  

a lot of relationships. My train of thought: 

How much do the magic users know? This question  intrinsically implies that there is a lack of  

knowledge, that the users don’t have complete  comprehension of the magic system. Kind of  

like a puzzle but you only get one piece  at a time. And how adept you are at magic  

stuff depends on how many pieces you have  and if you’ve put them in the right place. 

Pretty hard to get a full picture, and some  users start with more pieces than others,  

some users get individual pieces faster.  Regardless of the rate of learning though,  

the average base knowledge of the users  determines their interaction with the magic. 

Are they apprehensive or curious because they  don’t understand? Confident or reverent because  

they do? Shaping their perception of the magic and  by extension, the readers’. Stormlight Archives,  

the behemoth it is, does this pretty well;  it has this magical renaissance thing going  

on with people really trying to wrap their  head around something they don’t understand. 

But it leans into the next question. What is  the difference in knowledge between users? If  

the first question deals with the relationship of  user to magic, this interaction is user to user. 

What does it mean when one person understands  the system better than another? Does it mean more  

proficiency? Is it a strength or ranking thing?  Is it actually desirable to not know as much  

because it can mess with you? How does it change  the way they fight, when combat is involved? 

If there is a big difference in the amount  of puzzle pieces one user has over another,  

it goes without saying it can change how they  interact, fight, talk, beliefs even. But also  

the perspective you choose to convey the story to  the reader changes how they look at it as well. 

Side note, this why I love writing in  multiple POVS, it’s so fun painting the  

same thing from varied perspectives,  characters asking different questions. 

The third however, how users acquire  more knowledge is a moot question  

if the answer is they can’t acquire more  knowledge, they can’t increase their skill,  

which is mostly true for softer systems, but can  be for the other side of the spectrum as well. 

This relationship is between the user and  themselves. It can characterise them by how  

eager they are to learn. If the means towards  learning is unsavoury, will they go that far? 

This also touches on whether their ability  is inborn or not, if there’s still a learning  

curve after that, if the magic is even teachable.  Inborn abilities could explain why acquiring more  

knowledge is impossible, you just gotta have  it. Which could lean into other worldbuilding  

spheres like class systems, politics, races. Think of knowledge like you’re playing a video  

game where you build out your character  and each of these three questions are  

sliders that change how they interact with  the story, at least around magical themes. 

And there are other questions, other sliders  as well. How trustworthy is the knowledge?  

What is the limit to the skill a person  can attain and what affects that limit?  

Can proficiency be measured and how?  I’m sure you can come up with more. 

These three are the ones I’ve deemed most  important to my stories. Your stories can  

prioritise others, just deduce what the  answers to those questions can mean for it. 

That being said, the third layer is what  you probably had in mind when you heard me  

say magic users and that is logistics. Not  the word you thought I was going to say? 

This is the clear, cut and dry stuff, the part  of magic relating to users you would naturally  

go over when you’re just coming up with a system. Is there a classification of users? What are they  

called? A structure to learning? Different  sources they draw from? Methods they use?  

Different races by extension? How rare is it  to be a user then? Questions upon questions. 

But the one that I think impacts the story most  is: what is the scale of power? It is a simple  

thing but it frames the entire structure of the  story relating to magic. If users are chucking  

suns at each other, it becomes harder to write  an alley gang war where everyone has powers. 

Also remember when I said I would disclose  how I ordered the layers, yeah this is that  

part. And the order is the “scope of impact.”  Because these are the questions a lot of writers  

naturally default to doesn’t make them any less  valid. These three layers are pretty much of the  

same importance to magic and the story as a  whole. But their effect on the story differs,  

narrowing along with the pyramid. The logistic questions impact on a  

much broader scale because it’s pretty  much set for the entire story when you  

answer them. Some answers can change, and lead  to their own interesting outcomes, usually  

for the plot, not just purely worldbuilding. But they’re constant for the most part, firm  

structures that all these sliders can play off  of and when one changes it’s usually a big deal. 

Imagine a magic system where they all draw power  from the same sources. We want it to be a pretty  

rare race that uses this magic but their demand  is high and the resources don’t always meet that. 

Those are our constants, now  we apply the knowledge sliders. 

They know a lot but not everything about  the magic system–they have a decent amount  

of puzzle pieces. Knowledge is pretty varied  though–not everyone has the same pieces and  

getting more is doable but not always easy. So far we’ve created a situation where it’s  

every user for themselves, maybe  a little war for resources even. 

But what does the diversity  spectrum bring to the table? 

As we’re thinking about how this magic is used for  the plot, if at all, we decide it’s going to be  

a harder system, so that would mean the puzzle  pieces users do have are shown to the reader. 

And since we already have this  battle for resources kinda going,  

we could amplify that feeling of scarcity  by giving everyone the same abilities. 

So the readers are told exactly why those  resources matter and what a user can do with them,  

because we decided the nature of  the story needed a harder system. 

And at this point there’s a decently clear  understanding of the strengths and weaknesses,  

which creates a dynamic where readers  can problem solve along with characters. 

The magic system I just described is a  deconstruction of Mistborn’s Allomancy. 

And that’s another thing I want to touch on,  writers tend to start with the answer first. 

I don’t know where Sanderson started from, but  I can guess it was somewhere along the lines of: 

I want a system where people ingest metals  to give themselves different abilities. I  

want this ability and this ability to tie to  these metals, and it’d be cool if some metals,  

some abilities are rarer than others. Maybe Tolkein did start by tying the  

word “grand” to every magic user and  figuring out what it means from there. 

Whatever it is, you have preconceived notions  about the magic system itself and how it's  

applied. That gives us the foundation of our  pyramid, our constants. Then you can move up  

the pyramid, ask all these questions, play with  sliders and figure out what the answers mean  

for your story. Then figure out which answers  can elevate that particular piece even more. 

Because even though you have what you want to  do in mind, this isn’t a formula to plug in  

some parameters and the output you get  is a complete, engaging magic system. 

No. It works in tandem as you develop  the system, an effort to recognise what  

you’re doing in the moment so it becomes more  and more intuitive. Keeping users in mind,  

instead of only what the system can  do is a great step towards that. 

And as always, the goal is to inspire through  understanding, not to have all this crammed  

into your head while trying to write. And in  the vain of understanding, this video talks  

about why you want to have a magic system in the  first place. I hope I made some sense. K Bye.