So, I Created a High Fantasy Magic System for D&D!

Summary

The video script delves into the intricate magic system of the world of Aceris, a setting designed for D&D campaigns. It introduces the concept of an 'Arcane Soul', a metaphysical muscle that fuels magic and can be cultivated for enhanced abilities. The system balances structured guidelines with the freedom for magic to flourish, and explores the idea of leveling up as a tangible phenomenon. The script also touches on the risks of artificially enhancing one's magic, hinting at the darker side of spellcasting in this richly detailed world.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The world of Aceris is a setting where magic is deeply ingrained in the culture and is influenced by the blood of the 'exalted one'.
• 🔮 The magic system in Aceris is described as a 'firm magic system', blending elements of both hard and soft magic, allowing for clear rules yet leaving room for the wondrous and unknown.
• 📚 The creator of the world has been refining this system for over five years, aiming to create a unique and comprehensible magic system for D&D campaigns.
• 🎯 The magic system has three main objectives: to be unique to the world, to be understandable yet mysterious, and to provide a tangible explanation for character progression and leveling up.
• 🌌 The 'Arcane Soul' is a metaphysical concept present in every creature in Aceris, serving as a conduit for magic and affecting physical and mental abilities.
• 💪 The Arcane Soul can be trained and cultivated, potentially leading to extraordinary magical abilities, but not everyone is a caster despite possessing this soul.
• 📈 The size of an individual's Arcane Soul at birth determines their potential for spellcasting, but cultivation and experience can increase their capabilities.
• 🚀 Adventuring and exposure to magic from other worlds can significantly increase an individual's Arcane Soul, allowing them to surpass typical mortal limits.
• 🌟 The pinnacle of mortal achievement in Aceris is represented by level 8, with individuals at this level being extremely rare and powerful.
• 🧙 The 'Magi capillaries' are a network of metaphysical veins that absorb and channel the magic of the Arcane Soul for spellcasting.
• 💡 The concept of 'magic flow efficiency' is introduced, describing how some mages can cast spells with less magical energy due to their skill and efficiency.

Q & A

What is the world of Aceris and what is unique about its magic system?

Aceris is a fantasy world realm where magic is deeply rooted in the lives of its inhabitants. Its magic system is unique due to its 'firm magic' approach, which combines clear rules with the freedom and wonder of a soft magic system, allowing for a blend of structured and wondrous magical phenomena.

What does the term 'firm magic system' refer to in the context of Aceris?

The term 'firm magic system' in Aceris refers to a magic system that has a certain network of guidelines, yet as one's knowledge deepens, it becomes more free and wondrous, akin to a blend of hard and soft magic systems.

What are the three main objectives the creator wanted to achieve with the magic system in Aceris?

The three main objectives were to create a unique system that combines the understanding of a hard magic system with the unknown beauty of a soft one, to base the magic casting system on fundamental ideas of D&D for ease of explanation in game settings, and to make the concept of leveling up a tangible and explainable phenomenon within the world.

What is the 'Arcane Soul' and how does it relate to an individual's ability to use magic in Aceris?

The 'Arcane Soul' is a metaphysical muscle inherent in every creature within Aceris, serving as a conduit for all matters of the arcane. It can be trained to become more powerful, affecting not only spellcasting but also physical and mental abilities. The size and potential of one's Arcane Soul is set at birth but can be cultivated through practice and experiences.

How does the concept of 'leveling up' in Aceris relate to the development of an individual's Arcane Soul?

In Aceris, leveling up is a tangible phenomenon linked to the growth and cultivation of an individual's Arcane Soul. As one's experiences and challenges increase, so does the strength and capability of their Arcane Soul, allowing them to achieve higher levels of magical prowess.

What is the significance of the 'Magi capillaries' in the spellcasting process of Aceris?

The 'Magi capillaries' are a network of metaphysical veins throughout the body that absorb magic from the Arcane Soul to fuel spells. They channel this magic to node points on the body, which are crucial for the emission of spells, encompassing both verbal and somatic components.

How does the concept of 'magic flow efficiency' impact a mage's ability to cast spells in Aceris?

Magic flow efficiency refers to how efficiently a mage can use magic to cast spells. A mage with high magic flow efficiency can perform spells with less magical energy, similar to a master craftsman using less material to create a masterpiece. This efficiency can compensate for a smaller Arcane Soul and allows for longer spellcasting without exhaustion.

What are the consequences of artificially increasing one's spellcasting effectiveness in Aceris?

Artificially increasing spellcasting effectiveness, such as through drugs, potions, or spells, can have severe drawbacks. It can overburden the individual's soul, shorten their lifespan, cause magic to backfire, and in extreme cases, lead to physical disintegration or transformation into an arcane monster.

How does the concept of 'half casters' in Aceris differ from full casters?

Half casters in Aceris are individuals who may have had a strong Arcane Soul for casting when young but did not cultivate it due to various circumstances. Their magic flow efficiency remains, allowing them to cast spells, but they do not achieve the same level of power as full casters due to the semi-dormant state of their Arcane Soul.

What is the significance of the location 'Althalus' in the context of Aceris's magic system?

Althalus is a location in Aceris where the practice of venturing to other worlds to test one's prowess and elevate their Arcane Soul is ingrained in the culture. This practice not only allows adventurers to find treasure or complete quests but also to surpass their mortal limits and attain higher levels of power.

What are the potential long-term effects of a mage from Aceris visiting other magical realms?

Visiting other magical realms can surge a mage's Arcane Soul with the magic of those worlds, leading to physical changes and an increased potential for power. This can allow well-traveled adventurers to attain levels up to 10, far beyond what is typically achievable within the primary world of Aceris.

Outlines

00:00

🌌 Introduction to the Magic System of Aceris

This paragraph introduces the world of Aceris, where magic is deeply rooted in the realm's history and is believed to be a gift from the 'exalted one.' The speaker describes their unique approach to creating a 'firm' magic system that blends elements of both hard and soft magic systems. This system is grounded in clear rules yet allows for the unpredictable and wondrous aspects of magic to flourish. The goal is to create a system that is both understandable and mysterious, with the potential for arcane theorems that could challenge the world's understanding of magic itself.

05:03

📜 The Arcane Soul: Core of Magic in Aceris

The second paragraph delves into the concept of the 'Arcane Soul,' a metaphysical entity present in every creature within Aceris that is the foundation of their relationship with magic. It is likened to a muscle that can be trained to enhance one's magical abilities. The Arcane Soul is intrinsically linked to an individual's potential for magic, with size and potency determined at birth and the capacity to grow through experience and exposure to magical energies. The speaker also discusses the limitations of cultivating one's Arcane Soul, with most individuals reaching a plateau around level two or three, and the exceptional few potentially reaching higher levels of power.

10:05

🔮 Advanced Magic and the Pursuit of Power

This paragraph explores the advanced stages of magic in Aceris, where individuals can transcend their mortal limits by adventuring and bathing in the magic of other worlds. The speaker explains how this process can lead to exponential growth of the Arcane Soul, allowing some to reach levels five to seven, which is considered the pinnacle of mortal achievement. The paragraph also touches on the concept of 'Magi capillaries,' metaphysical veins that facilitate the casting of spells by channeling magic from the Arcane Soul to specific node points on the body. Additionally, the speaker introduces the idea of 'magic flow efficiency,' which determines how effectively a mage can cast spells with minimal magical energy.

15:06

🚫 The Consequences of Overreaching in Magic

The final paragraph addresses the risks and consequences of attempting to artificially enhance one's magical abilities beyond natural limits. It discusses the existence of spells, potions, and substances that promise to boost magical power but come with severe drawbacks, such as shortened lifespan and the potential for magic to backfire or even cause physical disintegration. The speaker also mentions the emergence of arcane monsters born from the overuse of magic, which are remnants of ancient times and pose a threat to the world of Aceris.

Keywords

💡Aceris

Aceris is the fictional world setting in which the video's narrative takes place. It is a realm where magic is a significant part of the society and culture. The concept of an 'Arcane Soul' is central to the inhabitants' ability to interact with magic. The video discusses the intricacies of magic within Aceris, including its origin and the different levels of magical prowess that individuals can attain.

💡Arcane Soul

The 'Arcane Soul' is described as a metaphysical muscle inherent in every creature within Aceris. It serves as the conduit for all arcane matters, including casting magic and channeling arcane items. The size and potency of an individual's Arcane Soul at birth can determine their potential as a magic caster, and it can be cultivated through practice and exposure to magical experiences.

💡Magic System

The 'Magic System' in Aceris is a blend of hard and soft magic, termed as 'firm magic' by the creator. It has clear rules but also allows for the unpredictable and wondrous aspects of magic. The system is designed to be understood by the people of Aceris and is manipulated in various ways, reflecting a balance between structured knowledge and esoteric possibilities.

💡D and D

D and D, or Dungeons and Dragons, is the role-playing game that inspired the magic system of Aceris. The video mentions using the magic system in D and D campaigns, indicating that the concepts are designed to be integrated into gameplay, providing a tangible and explainable phenomenon for players to understand and interact with.

💡Level Ups

In the context of Aceris, 'Level Ups' are not just a game mechanic but a tangible, explainable phenomenon. The video discusses the idea of explaining why a character can level up and what differentiates a high-level mortal from a low-level one beyond experience, attributing it to the cultivation of the Arcane Soul.

💡Magi Capillaries

Magi Capillaries are metaphysical veins throughout a person's body that absorb magic from the Arcane Soul to fuel spellcasting. They are part of the mechanism that explains spell slots and the exhaustion that casters experience when their spell slots are used up, likening it to spiritual or mental tiredness.

💡Spell Slots

Spell Slots are a concept borrowed from D and D and are explained within the magic system of Aceris as being tied to the exhaustion of the Magi Capillaries. As casters use their magic, these 'slots' become depleted, reflecting a need for rest to recover, much like physical exhaustion after intense activity.

💡Magic Flow Efficiency

Magic Flow Efficiency refers to the concept of how efficiently a caster can use magic to cast spells. It is likened to a craftsman's skill, where a master requires less energy and makes fewer mistakes than an amateur. In Aceris, a mage with high magic flow efficiency can cast spells with less strain on their Arcane Soul, even if it is not inherently large or potent.

💡Half Casters

Half Casters in Aceris are individuals who may have had a strong Arcane Soul for casting magic when young but did not cultivate it, possibly due to circumstances. As a result, their Arcane Soul may have become semi-dormant, but their magic flow efficiency remains, allowing them to cast spells with reduced effectiveness compared to full casters.

💡Althalus

Althalus is a location within Aceris where venturing to other realms is ingrained in the culture. Adventurers seek to go to the fa Realms to continue their time, and this practice of traveling to other worlds is seen as a way to elevate themselves beyond their mortal limits, affecting their Arcane Soul and their potential for power.

💡Arcane Theorems

Arcane Theorems are mentioned as part of the magic system that could pose wider questions for the world of Aceris itself. While not fully explained in the script, they seem to be advanced magical concepts or principles that challenge the known boundaries of magic within the realm.

Highlights

The world of Aceris features a unique magic system that combines clearcut rules with the freedom and wonder of a soft magic system, termed as 'firm magic'.

Aceris's magic system is influenced by the blood of the exalted one, granting mortals the ability to cast magic.

The magic system aims to be understandable yet retains unknown factors, allowing for the development of arcane theorems that can impact the world.

The creator has been using this magic system for over 5 years in D&D campaigns, making it a tangible and practical concept for players.

The 'Arcane Soul' concept is central to the magic system, acting as a metaphysical muscle that can be trained to enhance magical abilities.

Everyone in Aceris possesses an Arcane Soul, which is not only for casting magic but also for enhancing physical and mental capabilities.

The size of one's Arcane Soul at birth determines their potential for spellcasting and their future archetype as a caster.

Cultivating one's Arcane Soul is possible through practice and exposure to magical experiences, allowing for growth beyond initial potential.

Adventurers can exponentially grow their Arcane Soul by venturing into other worlds and experiencing different magics.

The concept of 'leveling up' is explained as a natural growth phenomenon tied to the development of the Arcane Soul.

Magi capillaries are a network of metaphysical veins that absorb magic from the Soul to power spells.

Spell slots are likened to spiritual exhaustion, where the magi's capillaries tire from channeling magic.

Magic flow efficiency is introduced as a measure of how efficiently a caster can use magic, compensating for a smaller Arcane Soul.

Half casters are individuals with a dormant Arcane Soul but retain the ability to cast spells with reduced effectiveness.

Artificial methods to increase spellcasting effectiveness, such as drugs or spells, can have severe consequences including shortening lifespans and magical backfire.

The misuse of magic can lead to the creation of Arcane monsters, remnants of those who overburdened their souls with magic.

The video promises a follow-up discussing various mage archetypes within the world of Aceris.

Transcripts

in the world of aceris the very realm

and The Mortals in it are twice bathed

in the blood of the exalted one granting

them the ability to cast magic or so it

is said its earliest concepts are

decipherable and greeing the definitions

of a word in a dictionary but as you

delve deeper towards its core becomes

more and more esoteric some would say

this delving to the

void this will be a video about the

magic systems for the world of aceris a

home brw setting created by yours truly

and one that I've been using to run my D

andd campaigns for over the past 5 years

the first thought that came to mind was

what kind of magic system did I even

want did I want a soft or hard magic

system ultimately came down to wanting a

little bit of Bel magic system that has

some clearcut rules but one one that

also allows for the more wondrous

aspects of magic to still flourish it's

understood Enough by the people of the

world to have it be manipulated in

interesting ways but still possesses the

many unknown factors and possibilities

that can lend way to certain Arcane

theorems that could pose even wider

questions for the world itself this set

me on a path to defining some key

objectives I've wanted the system to

achieve my objective was mainly to do

three things one

have a neat system that's fairly unique

to the world that has a breath of

understanding like a hard magic system

and the unknown beauty of a soft magic

system I called this a firm magic system

it's soft but not quite hard either in

this system magic Works under a certain

network of guidelines but as your

knowledge deepens it becomes much more

free and wondrous but it isn't without

its dangers as going beyond the

threshold of pervade knowledge is

extremely difficult and often times

results in Madness sometimes piercing

the veil is the last thing you want to

do this second objective I had was that

I wanted to set out to make the pillars

of the magic casting system of my world

based on the fundamental ideas of D andd

because this magic system was to be used

and incorporated into my D and D games

as a way to describe and explain the

phenomenon of magic to my players in a

way that makes tangible sense and a way

that can be easily explained while also

cre creting stringent definitions for

what is and isn't possible within the

confines of magic within the world at

least to their knowledge for instance

one thing that the system sets out to

explain is why only certain classes can

wield certain magic items and how and

why a wizard can cast so many spells but

a sorcerer can't despite being quote

unquote closer to Magic than the wizard

is and apply this thought process across

an entire world setting making sense of

the phenomenon and going from the ground

up and third and lastly I wanted to make

the concepts of level UPS a tangible

explainable phenomenon that actually

makes sense I like the idea of being

able to explain why a character can

level up in the first place and what

exactly makes two Mortals different

despite them both being Mortals I mean

if you put them side by side they they'd

look the same there'd be no discernable

difference but there has to be something

more that makes a highle mortal

different than a low-level mortal than

just quote unquote experience because it

doesn't make a lot of

sense so within my magic system I set

out to not only explain level ups but to

also give the natural growth of my

players a grounded reason for its

occurrence in the first place and to

give an explanation for this growth and

also how it can be cultivated as well

and this is where we discuss the

backbone of magical Poss possibility

within the world of

aceras the Arcane soul and it's

something that every creature within the

worlds of aceris possesses and is a core

fundamental part of a mortal's

relationship with magic it works like a

metaphysical muscle you can train

through practice to become more powerful

as a magic Caster but this isn't always

linked to Magic casting you see magic

within aerus is like good radiation

having a suffused Arcane Soul can

toughen one's body it can sharpen your

mind it can Quicken your reflexes and

enhance your overall sensitivity to

Magic

itself I really love the idea of

everyone in a Giving World having their

potential be Limitless if they decided

to cultivate their arane abilities and

although everyone possesses an Arcane

Soul it doesn't necessarily mean

everyone is a Caster of some kind the

arcade soul is literally the soul and

serves as one's conduit for all matters

of the Arcane whether it be casting

magic or channeling a an Arcane item

like a sword or a shield it ties into

everything your arine soul is

indeterminately set when you're born and

from there on you're able to cultivate

it further as you go through life a

person can be born with a small average

or large arcan soul which determines the

overall potency of their spell casting

and what archetype of Caster they might

fall into later on if that's what they

choose to pursue starting early is

typically advised but not necessary as

there are a lot of very real Mortal

limits to how much one can simply learn

in practice this is where the concept of

cultivating oneself comes into play most

people of aceris who train in the Arcane

will usually cap out at around level two

or three with those who are exceptional

making it to the level three mark

there are some who will break past this

and potentially attain power along the

lines of a level four or five character

however this is only reserved for The

Talented going outside of Arcane schools

and into the life of adventuring is

where the Arcane Soul can grow

exponentially it strengthens through the

growth of you as a person and bathing in

the magic of the world itself being in

parallel situations or overcoming

hardships that serve to push one forward

this is how Immortal can break those

barriers of their physical boundaries

and seem almost Demi Godlike to the

average person Immortal we would Define

as being somewhere in the Realms of

levels 5 to

7 would naturally account for 15 to 1%

of the population depending on their

given area within the world so for every

1,000 people there'd be only 150 or so

individuals of this caliber walking

around freely within the city walls

the eighth level within the world of

aceris signifies the Pinnacle of what a

mortal can achieve by themselves in the

primary world and would account for

about 0.1% of the population breaking

pass this barrier for most Mortals is

impossible without the aid of ancient

relics the assistance of higher magical

creatures or even the deities themselves

you see when you bathe in the magic of

another world this surges one's Arcane

soul causing your body to physically

change as the ambient Magics of the

other world flow through it commonly

when a seventh or eighth level

Adventurer is brushing up on their

mortal limit they may naturally not know

that they are at all but see venturing

to other worlds as a test of their

prowess a way to find treasure or even

complete a quest which see some of them

walking many many worlds there is a

location within my world called althalus

where this practice is ingrained in the

culture itself adventurers seek to go to

the fa Realms to continue their time

there to seat themselves in the Mythos

of bars and taverns and have their SS

sing long after they're dead but what

they don't know is that by doing this by

seeking to go to these other worlds

they're elevating themselves and going

beyond their mortal limits a

well-traveled adventurer that's gone to

at least one other realm May attain up

to level 10 in terms of their physical

prowess their Arcane ability Etc the

creatures born on that world though will

have their Arcane Souls sufficiently

suffused with the magic of these

different Realms and from the very

moment of their birth will have a much

higher threshold for potential now this

does give way to there being entire

story arcs and Adventures that are had

had on completely other worlds there are

some players of mine that have never

even been to the prime plane but they've

been playing in my games for well over a

year and they've solely been having

their Adventure in a world that is in

addition to the prime

plane however I might talk about my

outer Realms and how all that stuff

works in a future video for now let's

get back to the Arcane

soul in this section we'll be discussing

casting magic and when a Caster wishes

to use a spell there is a natural order

for how things typically go they well up

the Arcane Soul or pull on the ambient

magic that flows throughout the world to

assist them with their

spellcasting as this Welling occurs an

Arcane practitioner will then funnel

this magic through their Magi

capillaries which run all throughout

their body Magi capillary to explain is

a network of metaphysical veins that run

throughout one's body and aren't

typically subject object to being

physically tampered

with the Magis capillaries absorb the

magic of the Soul into the body in order

to use it the fuel spells that are cast

funneling the magic to node points

located on the body these node points

are for the emission of spells and are

located at the hands feet and throat

which neatly encompasses the power of

verbal and sematic components as when

one casts a spell a shimmer can be heard

on The Voice and for sematic spells a

very visual magic circle brims to life

with runes as one might associate with

magic

casting I thought to explain the

mechanic of spell slots in that your

magi's capillaries are simply tired as

your spell slots are exhaused not in the

way of physical exhaustion but more in

the way of spiritual exhaustion a sort

of mental tiredness like you had just

got done with a 4-Hour intensive workout

and need to rest to completely

recover another side to Arcade Mastery

that I thought of was magic flow

efficiency basically how little magic do

you have to use in order to get the job

done think of how a master Craftsman

creates a beautiful work and half the

time it takes an amateur to make

something Half Baked there are less

wasted Strokes in energy every movement

and flow builds to a compounding sense

of completeness as the master Craftsman

works it is smooth and refined the

amateur less so with wasted energy which

tires them out a lot faster than the

master master can ultimately work for

longer on less

energy this example is in effect magic

flow efficiency a mage can have a small

Arcane soul but a great amount of magic

FL efficiency and can use tricks like

learning how to pull from the ambient

magic in the air to make up for the

potency they ultimately lack within

themselves a great Mage doesn't always

have to have a Mythic level Arcane soul

and they were born a legendary great

Mage effectively they just have to be

cunning and a little smart as to where

they plac their metaphorical weight when

casting a spell half casters are best

explained as individuals who may have

had a solid Arcane soul for casting when

they were young but maybe due to

circumstances maybe their family was

poor so they couldn't be sent off to

Wizarding school and maybe that

individual just wasn't really into magic

for one reason or another they never

cultivated it and much like a muscle

that's been unused for a long time it

goes semi- dormant and shrinks over

time but their magic flow efficiency

stays the same which is why they're able

to cast spells and partake in other

training types without having to devote

their entire lives to the practice with

of course reduced Effectiveness which

explains why half casters don't achieve

the same level of power as a full Caster

would in a given

World Magic flow efficiency comes down

to having it as a natural Knack and

Instinct and is something that can be

taught however one's ability to use this

effectively is what separates the Great

and the

mediocre and on the topic of hardships

what about those who wish to

cheat what about those who wish to

artificially increase their

effectiveness for spellcasting surely

drugs potions or even spells would have

been created to do just that right well

spells like that were invented however

tempering with something as sensitive as

the soul has its drawbacks and

complications forcing one's body to take

on more than it can handle more magic

than it can handle can overburden it and

place unprecedented amounts of stress

onto your soul in most cases it shortens

the individual's lifespan considerably

and does so each time they cast magic it

can cause their own magic to backfire

against them whenever they go to cast

and in the worst case scenario their

body cannot contain the excess that they

have taken on and they just fall

apart either in a violent explosion of

magic essence or in a gentle

disintegration your flesh and body

falling apart like burn

paper and sometimes they're Twisted into

some Arcane

monster whose will is simply to destroy

or consume any nearby sources of

magic even if it comes directly from the

forms of other

Mortals the rising of such creatures has

been stemmed in recent times however

there are some that exist from ancient

times and the chest cavities of old

Fallen kingdoms deep inside the hollowed

out

cubes as they lay there dormant and

waiting and that brings us to the end of

our video If you enjoyed this be sure to

like And subscribe as I'll be going over

the many archetypes of arcan Mages that

exist within the world of aceris in part

two of this

video thank you for your time and I'll

see you in the next

one