Fantasy Magic Systems RANKED!
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- Опубликовано: 18 авг 2019
- My ranking of various magic systems from accross the fantasy genre.
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What ranking video should I do next?
brent weeks lightbringer books made me understand my optics topic in physics class. That's S tier right there
Allomancy alone is already way more complex compared to other magic systems in fantasy. And then there's Feruchemy and Hemalurgy. Plus compounding as a bonus. Mistborn is like a love letter to magic enthusiasts.
Stormlight for me, is by far the most interesting magic system. 10 different magic systems with overlapping abilities, thats pretty fascinating to me.
I personally love how the magic system in Stormlight ties in with developing the characters in a very organic way so that each new ability feels like it's earned
I think by macguffin you mean deus ex machina. A macguffin is an object in a story that the characters need to get that the reader doesnt really care about(the philosophers stone or something like the Holy Grail), while deus ex machina is something that just conveniently gets characters out of sticky situations (Sword of Gryffindor out of sorting hat or the eagles coming in Return of the King).
One of the things I love about the Stormlight magic system is it is a forgotten magic system. There's no wise mentor to come along to explain everything. There are orders of knights radiant we haven't even seen yet! I like that Sanderson has drawn out the discovery of the magic system because the unraveling mystery of the magic system is a real hook for me. I also really enjoy how, in the absence of magic wielders and the traditional avenues of magical access, society on Roshar has figured out how to somewhat access magic via technology (ie fabrials). I hope we get to see some magic vs science/technology type ideas explored in later Stormlight books.
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Daniel Greene isn't invested in Surgebinding. He hasn't said the words to his spren, has he?
McGuffin is just a plot trigger, not necessarily a "Deus Ex Machina"
The only magic I'm invested in in Stormlight (hahaha get it?) is Kaladin's, because it's such a powerful motif for him. The use of flight to show him rising above his depression, especially by literally defying gravity, refusing to be held down.
We know you don't like Kingkiller, but as a scientist, Sympathy is the most accomplishly accurately and beautifull magic system!!!!!
I´m thinking Daniel maybe doesn´t know what McGuffin means. He seems to say it a lot whet he actually means deus ex machina.
Dresden Files magic system is so seamlessly self-concealing and culture agnostic, that I think it is the best magic system possible for an urban fantasy. You can literally think of any historical event or ancient tale and find away to fit it into the Dresden-verse. The world that Jim Butcher presents, is actually believable that people haven't discovered the magical world and why wizards haven't taken over the world.
Rank fantasy villains! Some if they are revealed later may be a little spoilery but could be cool!
Leaving out Warbreaker?
The Eragon magic system deserves a mention. It had a very elegant explanation for word-based magic systems, and very clear rules about the limitations of magic. The mind-magic duels were also cool.
IMO mistborns magic system is about as close to perfect as your gonna get. It is really detailed qnd well defined, you always know whats going on and what action can bring what reaction.
I can't agree with Harry potter being A tier- waving a wand and saying the magic words is pretty much the most stereotypical magic you could find. Also, as much as I respect Tolkien for bringing about the Fantasy genre, I don't think his magic systems really make it up to S-tier- they're just not well defined/explained, and while I'm willing to give him leeway since he didn't have much existing stuff to build off of, I definitely wouldn't put LoTR over inventive magic systems like the Lightbringer or Stormlight systems that are both unique and tied more directly into the story and characters.
One thing I would like to add to Brandon Sanderson's magic systems (in these 2 series in particular) is that he has a way of making you feel like you could almost do it yourself. In Mistborn, it is so well described and almost logical to a point where you learn together with the characters. At one point in the story, a character does something quite advanced with 2 metal poles and as a reader, you can fully see and know how advanced it is... it is not just being told how hard it is.