Topic: Hierarchy of Magic

[OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol]

RAW has the three Realms of Magic that are Essence, Channeling and Mentalism. The RoCo I introduced the concept of Arcane as a new Realm whilst the EC introduced Elementalism as a possible Realm (or up to 22...) and the SUC added the possible Realm of Prosaic. Just out of curiosity, what are the Realms of Magic in your world(s)? And their hierarchy, if there's one.
 
For my part, that'd be (with the stats used for the RRs between parentheses):

• Primal Realm: Arcane Magic ((EM+PR+IN)/3),
• Special Realms: Draconic Magic (min(EM, PR, IN)), Fairy Magic (min((EM+PR+IN)/3, EM+10, PR-5)), Necromantic Magic (min(EM+10, PR-5, IN-10)), Vampiric Magic (min(EM-20, PR-35, IN-40)),
• Basic Realms: Essence Magic (EM+10), Divine Magic (IN-10), Personal Magic (PR-5),
• Derived Realms: Elementalism-Essence Magic (EM), Elementalism-Divine Magic (IN), Elementalism-Personal Magic (PR),
• Non-Realm: Prosaic Magic (max(EM, PR, IN)+30).

Yes, Divine Magic is Channeling Magic renamed whilst Personal Magic is Mentalism Magic renamed (more or less...).
As a consequence, it creates a hierarchy between users of magic.

• Arcanists:
  • Arcist,
  • Archmage,
  • Four Forbidden Ways of Magic spellcasters (Primal Mage, Creation Mage, Destruction Mage, Negation Mage),
• Specialcasters (spellcasters using a Special Realm),
• Hybridcasters,
• Purecasters,
• Semicasters:
  • Semi-omnicaster (Knight-Mage),
  • Semi-specialcasters,
  • Semi-hybridcasters,
  • Semi-purecasters.

[rdanhenry]

Channeling, Essence, Mentalism.

There's also Chaos magic, but that's forbidden and pretty much lost.

[pastaav]

In my game all the special ones (dragon, fairy, vampire and so on) are flavors of Arcane. Essence, Channling and Menatlism is safe modern realms while everything else is either tainted by darkness or inherently unstable (magican goes up into smoke on a bad day).

[yammahoper]

I never thought of Prosaic as its own realm, but rather magic so simple it could be learned by anyone easily and use any realm (I did not allow channeling for all prosaic list but did proclaim a  few that belonged to only channeling).  These list were very useful for magic crafts and common guilds outside of the magic schools and wizzards guilds.

[rafmeister]

I break it into an entirely different system ...

Ritual Magic

Alchemy

Divination

Spell Casting

[markc]

 I have Prosaic magic being a list type, that being Universal Spell List. But I am thinking about changing that to Applied Spell Lists and having a sort of cantrip spell list called Universal Spell Lists.


 Where do magic abilities come in?


 Also why have special magic?


Note: In my grand design I also include psionics and list the chart as Known Powers of the Universe.
MDC 


MDC

[Dax]

In my view there is only one Realm of Magic: Arcaene.

It is the way the caster taps into the energy that makes the difference.

Arcaene
Powerful, but problematic

So "they" learned to use only potions of it (Essence, Channeling, Mentaslism, Semi-/Pure-Spelluser)

Then "they" learned to combine Realms (Hybrid-Spelluser)

Finally "they" learned to combine all again (Archmage, Arcanist)
Arcaene

You can imagine Magic with colours (White // Red:yellow (Green):Blue // White again)
Prosaic would be Arcane (yes! but at a low power level (look at the lists) colour would be "weak White", i.e. gray)

all the other Realms (?) Dragonic, vampiristic etc are its own colour (aka combination of RGB)

The only difference: Where does the caster get his power from IN, PR, EM

If I add new "Realms" I would add RE and ME to the list.

And I thought about it:
ME for Circle spells
RE for Power words
but where should I put Wards ...

[OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol]

Also why have special magic?

Because their source is neither of the other Realms, they don't react like any other Realm, you don't resist them like any other Realms, etc. As a matter of fact, they're similar but completely different Realms from the others, with their own laws, spell lists, etc., but are marked as being "special" because one can only access one through very special circomstances (they're not "public domain" Realms, if you want).

[arakish]

For my new world of Onaviu, there is only one realm: Power.

To be wholly honest, I have gotten tired of multiple realms.  Yes, multiple realms definitely adds some flavor, but I think it is too much.  Kind of like putting in a tablespoon of pepper when you only need a teaspoon.

For Onaviu, there are multiple forms of Power, but it all still comes from only one realm, regardless of the type.  Just because there is only one realm of power does not mean a power user could not still be a Cleric, or a Healer, or an Illusionist, or a Scribe Master, or Crystal Master, etc.  S/He simply focused their learning of the power into such spells.

See this thread for some development on Onaviu:
http://www.ironcrown.com/ICEforums/index.php?topic=11723.0

Even the psionics from Spacemaster are still from the same realm as what could be called magic on Onaviu.  The mechanics may be slightly different, but all power draws from just the one realm.

rmfr

P.S. - Yes, I know they are called psychic powers in SM, but I prefer psionics.  Yes, I know WotC has that in D&D, but the word psionics is actually decades older than D&D.  I think Arthur C. Clarke used in it one of his novels in 50s.  Or some other Golden Age author.

[intothatdarkness]

I kept the three basic realms, but had them as something of a recent creation in my world's history...done by the Young Gods to prevent the recurrence of the event that brought them into the world in the first place (the Cataclysm). Chaos magic exists, but it's treated as an offshoot of Channeling as it comes from a specific deity. Dwarves, for example, are restricted to Channeling by their gods as a direct result of the Cataclysm (their alchemists are channelers). Hybrids are a recent innovation, and as such aren't as common as their pure and semi counterparts (reflected in the available Professions in my world, which are determined by culture and race in some cases).

Arcane magic also exists, but it is only used by a handful of races and casters. That's because it originates from the original goddess of my world and was specifically restricted by the Young Gods (an Archmage was the one who caused the Cataclysm).

[Temujin]

At the moment I'm running a campaign with an old school approach to realms (i.e: D&D-like), with Essence and Channeling only.  Arcane is mostly eliminated with the exception of a few spell lists merged into Essence, and pure/semi/hybrid Mentalism are run as Essence professions.  Occasionally, I use Mentalism RR and rules for special creatures (like the afore-mentionned vampires).  I tend to approach the issue differently depending on setting, however.