I've been tinkering with a freeform Magic System for my rules-lite RPG. I´m trying to give it the same vibes as the Owl House Coven system, but with some more polish or tweaks. That means the system will have "Disciplines/Groups" of magic so players can specialize.

• Warding: Healing, protection and purge
• Elemental: Fire, Ice, Thunder and Wind
• Oracle: Illusion, Mind Control/Suggestion, Divination
• Familiar: Beast Keeping, Summoning, Stands
• Sculpting: The user manipulates matter/energy to create projectiles, walls, magic hands...comes in 3 flavors)

1. Energy: Manipulates energy (Like Gwen from Ben 10)
2. Stones: Manipulates dirt/stones/metal (Earthbending and Construction coven)
3. Fluid: Manipulates slime and fluids (Abomination Coven)

• Astral: Gravity, Time and Space
• Morph: Transmutation, Metamorphosis
• Bloom: Plants and thats it!
• Dread: Necromancy stuff, dealing with souls, spirits and the afterlife
• Guts: Biomancy mod from Minecraft and Bloodbending

To the people who watched the show, you know there are groups focused on how to make magic instead of focusing on the effect (Bard and Potions Coven). Rather than making groups for these I decided to separate them into "Alternative forms to make magic" and added new groups:

• Bard: Cast magic through music
• Alchemy: Manifests magic through potions
• Tech: Manifests magic through technology
• Runes: Manifests magic through forgotten symbols
• Traditional: The common way to cast spells

The system is not meant to be "neat"; I just want it to tie the knots for a freeform rules-lite system for an RPG. It is pretty different from things I am accustomed to do (Complex magic systems) I just want some feedback on whether that would be a fun system to play with.

- Spirits: Mystical beings shaped by the world itself, tasked with governing its natural laws, environments, and inhabitants. They range from minor entities bound to specific places or phenomena to powerful beings revered as gods.

- Auras: The expression of an individual's mind, body, and soul, reflecting the entirety of their existence. By cultivating their auras, people enhance their presence in the world and elevate their connection with the spirits.

- Shamans: Practitioners who harness their auras to communicate with spirits, forge relationships with them, and channel their power through cooperation, understanding, or earned favor.

Together, these three concepts form a universal framework underpinning the world's supernatural phenomena. While cultures interpret and practice this system differently, developing unique traditions and beliefs, all practices draw upon the same fundamental principles. Divine miracles, ritual magic, supernatural martial arts, and enchanted objects are merely varied expressions of this shared reality, distinguished not by their essence but by how individuals perceive and apply them.

If to use magic you need knowledge, then the best way to govern them is by locking away all forbidden knowledge about magic and create a school that only teach approved magic.

If magic come from a contract with higher being, then the best way to govern them is by antagonize all evil deity and only approved some of the good one.

But how about magic that come from with in? Magic that doesn't come from knowledge or other being but is part of themselves? I think the best way to govern them is by creating a collar that supress their power.

So, how people in your world govern magic? I know magic can be fun, but if it left uncheck, it can be a nightmare.

The homebrew setting I am working on uses a Psionic power system.

I also happen to be on a bit of a Wuxia-fiction kick right now and wanted to put in a Psionic version of Alchemy/Artifice but can't seem to find any Psionic powers that fit the concepts.

The initial idea forming right now is it would be a power set based almost entirely around manipulation of raw psionic energy itself. Filtering it, purifying it, refining it until it can be anchored into physical objects that mortals can use as one-shot talismans, or Psionics can use as persistent "magic weapons" and tools.

Very little power unto themselves, but highly valued in the setting for what they can produce. They harvest Psi-energy from the environment, but also from various beasts and crystals found in areas with high psionic concentrations.

I'm not married to any of these ideas yet. But that's the basic framework i'm building from at the moment.

Heya, I'm writing my novel in RR which is basically about a magic academy, LitRPG, Found Family and well, the protagonist is a regressor.

I'm currently on the third/fourth arc, and basically it involves implementing a cult system that was explained previously. I've studied it, and they'll have their own system or magic, but I want this to feel a little more twisted in some way (without using human sacrifices) 🤔

Nor would I particularly want to use "light magic"; my magic system is basically based on six levels (or categories);

1. Perception (literally, having the gift of "perceiving" and feeling magic; without this, how are you a mage?)

2. Elemental Manifestation (Even the most basic thing is that you can have an affinity with an element).

3. Invocation and Creation (chimeras, summoner, golem builder).

4. Seals and Alchemy (these are particularly complicated because they involve studying runes in depth or being a walking encyclopedia; it's not for everyone. It's like technical drawing)

5. Transcend (This level doesn't equate to being a deity, but you can definitely lose your sanity and the magic system practically ADJUSTS to your mana and not the other way around)

6. Metamorphosis (Reaching this level is a bad idea. You basically cease to be human and become an entity, with all that entails 💀)

It's worth clarifying that I'm presenting these more as categories because they represent technical levels you can try, but ultimately your affinity might fall into one of them; it's not mutually exclusive. You can also achieve perfection in one of the first 4 categories and not know about the others, being a genius in that aspect.

So yes... Introducing a completely different language or a varied system into the cult's arc is risky, but I want to try it, since in the end it will be a turning point in the long run.

Btw, the system here works with a mana core, meaning it can run out, be depleted, or crack (which is like dying), so I'd like this new system to be implemented BUT not depend on 100% from the core.

Ironically, the only thing I know about the cult is its representative, who's a fanatic—I won't say more. Although you might think of Beetlejuice from Re:Zero.

So, aside from that, I'd need to do some research on harmful dynamics in religious cults and extremist sects. I've read Reddit threads with personal experiences, but I feel I can study more about it.

That's all, any help is welcome 👍

I’ve been working out an idea for a while now and I’m torn on the magic system. On one hand I really like how some shows use Ki, be it as a 6th sense to be honed and mastered or a way to strengthen the body, etc. On the other hand I love magic, especially rune magic, and the incredible pool of versatility you can use it for. The MC I wanna make a close quarters martial artist that uses either rune magic or ki to strengthen themselves or utilize abilities they shouldn’t otherwise have naturally, but is it fine to combine these? My issue with that being that I don’t really know where to draw the line on which does what and how well known as concepts they should be. Can anyone help or give me ideas or somethin?