Magic Systems: A Worldbuilder’s Guide

Magic systems are often the first thing storytellers get excited about when creating a fantasy setting. But they can also be the thing that breaks your story if not handled carefully. In this guide, we’re going to discuss the different types of magic systems. We’ll cover the mechanics of worldbuilding a magic system. And we’ll highlight some things you’ll want to keep in mind. 

So let’s get started! 

What is a magic system?

A magic system is the collection of rules, theory, limitations, abilities, and characteristics that explain how magic works and what it looks like in your fictional world.

For some storytellers, a magic system is a set of guard rails that keep you from creating a world where magic is so useful and ubiquitous that it can solve any problem. For others, it is a way to ensure you don’t ruin your audience’s suspension of disbelief by introducing contradictory or inconsistent powers and abilities.

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Types of Magic Systems: Utility & Control

This covers what some writers call hard versus soft magic. It’s a way to describe how useful magic is in your setting. Utility falls on a spectrum, with hard magic being fully harnessed magic. There are clear, well-documented rules about what magic can and can’t do and how to use it. A hard magic system is like baking. It often requires precise instructions, but if you follow them, you can be relatively certain you’ll get the same results every time.

‍Soft magic is the other end of the utility spectrum. It’s mysterious, unpredictable and flexible. 

Neither type of magic system is better than the other. They both serve different purposes in your stories and games, and have different advantages and drawbacks. Hard magic systems are good for problem solving, and grounds readers in the reality of your setting. Soft magic systems add a sense of wonder and atmosphere to your world, and make magic feel more wild and unpredictable.  

Types of Magic Systems: Ubiquity & Power

Another way of classifying magic systems is how common or rare magic is in your setting. This is usually framed as low versus high magic. A low magic system is when magic is in short supply, or isn’t powerful enough to accomplish more than simple tricks or things that could be accomplished through non-magical means. A high magic system means magic is easily available, or powerful enough to accomplish miracles.  

Again, neither of these types of magic systems are better than the other—they simply have different purposes, advantages and disadvantages. 

Additionally, you can create two axes to describe magic systems. You can have a hard low magic system, a soft high magic system, a hard high magic system, or a soft low magic system.

• Hard low magic: clear rules for magic that’s useful for daily tasks, but not great feats. 
• Soft high magic: wild magic that accomplishes wonders but can’t be controlled.
• Hard high magic: trained adepts slinging powerful spells that rewrite reality
• Soft low magic: magic creates a subtle whimsical (or ominous) backdrop

Types of Magic Systems: Schools or Domains

Of course, if you’re coming from the world of tabletop RPGs, you might have a totally different thing in mind. When you hear “types of magic systems,” you might be thinking about the “schools of magic” from D&D. These types of magic systems describe the source of magic, the effect it has on the world, or the kinds of things it can affect.  

These are also common tropes in fantasy fiction, so here are some of the most common ones. 

🌿Elemental or Nature Magic

The world is LITERALLY magic. 

Magic is derived from the primal forces of the natural world, or is an expression of the animus of living things. Examples are the “benders” from Avatar: the Last Airbender or druids in D&D.

🙏 Divine Magic

The power of belief. 

This is miraculous power bestowed by a god or deity. Examples are clerics in D&D and The Divine Cities trilogy by Robert Jackson Bennett.

🩸 Biological or Blood Magic

The power is in YOU! 

This could mean you inherit magical abilities through your bloodline. Or it can mean using blood to fuel spells as a magical reagent. The former, also called hereditary magic or ancestral magic, is the basis for most fiction where magic is considered an innate ability, like sorcerers in D&D. The latter is common in vampire fiction (for obvious reasons) and the Dragon Age videogame series. 

⚡ Technomancy/Magitech

Mad science

This is where magic is explained in pseudoscientific terms, or where the magic primarily or exclusively affects technology. It’s very common in early science fiction, gaslamp fantasy or steampunk stories, cyberpunk, and is a feature of the artificers of D&D. 

⚔️ Enchanted Objects 

+1 Sword of Destiny

Magic is channeled through or contained within a magical device or artifact. Sometimes, these objects can be used by anyone–in other cases, they can only be used by people who also have magical talent or training. The lamp in Aladdin is a good example of a magical object that could be used by anyone. 

🫖 Potions/Alchemy

Drink me!

Similar to enchanted objects, some magic systems are based on consumable potions, draughts or concoctions. There may be a pseudoscientific explanation, or the magical properties may be attributed to magical ingredients or an infusion of magic from their creators. Potions are typically usable by anyone, but there is often a cost associated with use to balance this power.  The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde is a good example.

💀 Necromancy 

Death is only the beginning

Magic that either gains power from death, or is used as a means of reanimating and controlling the dead. Examples include traditional zombies, and magic rituals that require animal or human sacrifice.

📜 Symbols/Runes/Language

Word magic: they’re called spells for a reason

Magic is performed through specific words, written symbols, or languages. This includes spell incantations, magical runes that must be inscribed or drawn, and sometimes entire languages with inherent magical properties. Examples include the rune magic in Norse mythology, and Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin.

👁️ Perception/Emotion/Illusion/Mind/Divination

I know stuff, and/or I can make you think/feel/see stuff

This encompasses magic that affects the mind and senses. It includes illusions that deceive the eye, telepathy, emotional manipulation, visions of the future, and the ability to perceive hidden truths. Examples are oracle characters who can see the future like the Fates in Hercules and Percy Jackson, or the witches in Macbeth.

🪄 Transformation

Turning princes into frogs & teens into wolves

Magic that changes one thing into another, either temporarily or permanently. This includes shapeshifting (werewolves, animagi), transfiguration of objects, and curses that transform people into animals or objects. Classic examples are the Beast's curse in Beauty and the Beast, and lycanthropy.

🎩 Conjuration

Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat!

Magic that summons or creates things from nothing—or from somewhere else. This includes summoning creatures or demons, creating objects out of thin air, teleportation, and pulling things from other dimensions or planes of existence. Examples include summoning magic in Final Fantasy, and demon summoning in Supernatural.

Mechanics of a Magic System

When designing a magic system as a worldbuilder, you need to consider several key questions. First, what's the utility of your magic? What can it actually do, and how reliable is it when someone tries to use it? 

Just as importantly, what are the costs and limitations? Magic that solves every problem makes for boring stories, so you need to establish when and how magic is NOT the answer. 

Consider the flavor of your magic system—how is it actually used in practice, and who gets to use it? Is it available to everyone, or only to a select few? You might also think about alignment: does your magic have moral implications, or can it be used for good or evil equally? 

Finally, determine the power source: where does the magic actually come from, and does that source have any bearing on how it functions?

Creative Considerations

Beyond the internal mechanics, there are practical storytelling concerns to address. If you're writing for games or interactive media, does your magic system create game balance issues where some abilities are clearly superior to others? 

More broadly, does your magic risk being plot breaking—can it be used to instantly resolve conflicts in ways that undermine dramatic tension? 

A strong magic system should support your story's themes rather than work against them. And don't feel limited to just one approach: many rich fantasy worlds feature multiple magic systems operating simultaneously, each with their own rules, sources, and practitioners. The key is ensuring that whatever systems you create serve your narrative rather than derail it.

World Anvil has a special worldbuilding template for Spells, with prompts to help you think through all these elements. You can also use Content Trees to map out all the magic systems in your world, from domain to practitioners to individual spells. And our community of friendly worldbuilders is a great place to talk through this complex topic. Create a free account today to check it out!