Trying to create a distinct magic system (if ever this is even a thing)

[MoodyFoxCat]

I must admit, trying to come up with something so simple and magical turned out to be... more grinding for my brain. I didn't expect it to be actually difficult.

Basically the magic approach I want to go for is something like this:

To put it simply, they "cast" but these people aren't limited to like a certain affinity for an element. They aren't locked behind something like that but I also don't want them to be also "too OP" right away in a sense. To think with ideas and emotions mixed together and that they can will it to... well make it happen. That along the way also makes me really try to think of how do I want to develop my MC since they're... well the protagonist. Aside from character development, I hope to try approaching the hard way first so that it will seem that the MC has difficulties first.

This also means that it matters with their life because it's a part of them now, a chance to become something else too.

Does this make any sense? If so, I just need to ask, How do I develop and improve upon this? This is what I want to go with because technically there can potential from it.

 

[Deleted member 53101]

So, you're writing some kind of soft magic based upon a person's thought and emotion, then?

But here's what I thought about the soft magic; if you don't want to make your character too OP, try to put on certain limitations or conditions of activation on him/her ... or them. But yeah, I know that if the magic work after fulfilling certain conditions, then it becomes hard magic, which I don't think that's what you're after. However, you should have prepared some guidelines..., or, set of rules on the magic system so that they don't get overboard and too game-breaking.

 

[ArcadiaBlade]

Programmer's guide to magic:
Certain magic starts out when writing a code. Hello world can be made simple but sometimes you can recreate many codes upon codes on just a single line by inputing different functions such as line manipulation, color scheme and etc on each line of code to which functions differently from the basic mechanics of the simple code.

Hard Magic Guide:
Magic is created through simple magical circles on the pentragram which functions differently from just using thoughts or emotions. Different incantations also are made through the use of the pentragram as the symbols represent each different spellslots needed to create or use magic. From simple casting a fireball, one must not only memorize the correct symbol of fire but also connect each symbol in making magic either more functional to powerful.

Soft Magic Guide:
Thoughts and process of magic but needed scientific process of not only understanding the law of logical physics but also the manipulation of alchemic chemistry within the mature of elements. From fairies using magic to the elemental creation of magic.

Mild Magic Guide:
The basic thought process of magic creation but only limited through the use of mana capacity, imagination or magic aptitudes.

Low Magic Guide:
Anyone can cast magic however it is limited through one's aptitude or bloodline through ancestry.

Take your poison.

 

[Joyeuse]

So, you're writing some kind of soft magic based upon a person's thought and emotion, then?

But here's what I thought about the soft magic; if you don't want to make your character too OP, try to put on certain limitations or conditions of activation on him/her ... or them. But yeah, I know that if the magic work after fulfilling certain conditions, then it becomes hard magic, which I don't think that's what you're after. However, you should have prepared some guidelines..., or, set of rules on the magic system so that they don't get overboard and too game-breaking.

Essentially a semi-soft magic system, there's some rules but they are rather loose

An easy way to bring a limit would be to set a resource that is consumed to use magic I guess?

 

[witch_sorrowful]

Along with the above responses, consider what they can cast and what they cannot. Are there any rules for the magic when affecting the physical realm? Can it physically destroy the world or can it simply boost a person's fighting power (or whatever)? Are there any hacks that the MC can use, or learn as the story progresses to eventually reach the OP status?

 

[Agentt]

If elements are the problem here then remove them. Simple. It is equally hard for everyone to do water magic and like.
As to not make it op, don't put anything like
"The sharpness of wind, the destruction of fire. Together, they make the strongest magic!"
Bring a logic behind why everything is happening. The most easiest way is to have people posses limited mana

 

[Ehitogami]

To put it simply, they "cast" but these people aren't limited to like a certain affinity for an element. They aren't locked behind something like that but I also don't want them to be also "too OP" right away in a sense. To think with ideas and emotions mixed together and that they can will it to... well make it happen.

So, no being locked in elemental affinities, and ideas and emotions are the basis of "casting" magic.
You could do what some other people do, using "themes" instead of affinities, according to their physical form or properties. Ex: Atomic Clockwork theme from Titan of Steel
You could also make it so that casting takes mental strain to use, since it's using your ideas and emotions.
You could make it so that instead of "casting", maybe magic users impose their images of reality into the real world?
Also, a setting for the MC might be that the MC was using magic the wrong way in the eyes of the world or he was self taught, and got proficient using magic that way, and when he got to using magic the way other people used it, it was easy for MC to use it that way because that way he used magic was harder. Also, maybe add some more benefits for the MC to do magic their way.

 

[TotallyHuman]

To put it simply, they "cast" but these people aren't limited to like a certain affinity for an element. They aren't locked behind something like that but I also don't want them to be also "too OP" right away in a sense. To think with ideas and emotions mixed together and that they can will it to... well make it happen.

Here's my two cents (the idea I offer is for a darkish story, I got carried away here and wrote a basic plot for a novel lol. But that's how I would think when writing a fantasy story: set environment => derive the rest of environment
=> add characters and how they would act in this environment ) :
What makes magic, magic? Well, to me, magic is something supernatural, something beyond whatever reason, logic and laws of nature should allow.

Since you want to use "ideas and emotions", how about using the word "will" as an umbrella term for them? And since you want to use will as a component of magic, then perception would be a key component in it.

Then, I'd use a lot of symbolic imagery for spells. Here's an example: some sorcerer cursed a mirror and ground it to dust. After scattering the glass shards all over an area, somebody got this dust in their eye, causing them to think differently from before. Here I used the symbolic connection between sight and perception and between perception and thinking (or will).
Another example: raven got cursed with blood of a victim. The victim ended up having a long life but their heart grew dark.
Here I used the connection between blood and its symbolic meaning of tying people together (blood ties) as well as the heart's connection to blood and heart's symbolic meaning of behavior, belief and love. Ravens are associated with longevity and their black appearance is used with the meaning of uncleanness.

I think this makes for an original enough magic system that can be either extended to a very hard one or be used as a soft system.

But first, you want to put limitations on your magic system.
Let's first go to the source of power. I would use demons/other entities as the sourse, because that would allow me to expand the lore, but you can do whatever, tbh.

Let's say that by using magic, the caster "opens" a door in their heart(will) to the other side, also referencing vampire lore, where they couldn't enter without an invitation, but extending it to all supernatural entities. Them entering, obviously, being metaphorical.

So, the longer someone uses magic, the more susceptible they become to the influence from the other side and, physically and mentally, they become more worn out, losing the original "non-fantasy" characteristics (like, turning into zombies, ghouls, vampires etc) and their ability to interact with the not-magic world also becomes smaller and smaller, as they get pulled to the other side. Let's say their will also gets eroded as they pay with it(their souls) to the entities providing magical powers.

So, we came to the first limitation:
1) magical things become more expensive the more it comes with contact with the "real" world. Especially "real" people.

The last bit was added because the entities need payment in form of the will of "real" people, so if the "real" people could interact with the entities casually, it would take away from the idea of separation of non-real, fantasy, things from "real", not fantasy.

Then, comes second limitation
2) mages should either do magic secretly, or pay a lot.
Which could add an additional limitation
2.5) mages don't teach their knowledge casually, as it also requires affecting the will of others, therefore, a price

Also, there can be a third limitation
3)the more a person is susceptible to believing in magic, the easier they are affected and theess a person is susceptible, the more they are affected

Therefore
4)mages tend to cast spells that can be reasoned out to be non-magical, as the price is not as steep when doing so
And
3.5)mages tend to operate in places away from civilization, as they have more power there. Especially in places with no people.
4.5)mages are often well-versed in sciences, because it would allow them to come up with explanations for their spells. They are also good with rhetoric.

Also, a battle of mages can be made interesting if
5) mages can also fight by making their opponents lose believe in themselves, lose concentration or some other way in the same vein.

And how about another limitation
6) if a mage doesn't want to waste away too quickly, they have to take breaks from magic to recover their sanity.

Of course, not every mage will be fine with their fate, so they want to change the real world to beore favourable to them. Let's say there are factions:
1) extreme anti-civilization faction wants to bring back the dark ages
2) mild anti-civilization wants to make the role of science less important, make people believe that it can't solve a multitude of problems so that peoe believe in magic more
3) mild pro-civilization faction wants better growth of technology so that people can buy that a lot of magic is just technology
4) extreme pro-civilization faction, aka mage hunters, just hate magic and are afraid that the other side will grow powerful enough to affect the real world directly so they want to kill all magic heritage


Now, let's describe the process of payment:
Usage of spells should have a direct and immediately visible effect on the caster (because otherwise it would feel like some deus-ex-machina)
Things like, loss of mood, loss of appetite, headaches, visible ageing, hallucinations, whatever else to show that the caster is losing grip on reality.
A mage would often muter to themselves, cackle creepily or get weirdly focused on something, disregarding everything else.
A numerical representation would be fine, but it's not necessary.


So, this way the magic system would not be op and not limited to affinities or attributes. It's also pretty original

That along the way also makes me really try to think of how do I want to develop my MC since they're... well the protagonist. Aside from character development, I hope to try approaching the hard way first so that it will seem that the MC has difficulties first.



This also means that it matters with their life because it's a part of them now, a chance to become something else too

This can be done quite simply. Mc has some rl problem: let's say their relative or themselves have some incurable fatal disease. Mc finds out about magic. Mages don't share easily and ways of borrowing power from entities are all about information : what rituals to do and how and when to do so, how to bargain for a good price, what never to do etc.

Mc tries finding knowledge in that circle and it endangers them as they are now "open" to the influence of magic and have no means of protecting themselves. They are attacked by ghosts and monsters and they end up getting into all kinds of accidents

After mc acquires power, they may use it to escape from their troubles, because the nature of magic makes mages tend to lose grip on reality and contact with normal people and now they have to balance their real life and the troubles that having contact with the other side entails. They lose grip on themselves, so they rely on their family and friends not to lose their identity, which causes their concern.
Mc can't get other people into "the game", as 1) they can't afford it and 2) they don't want their loved ones to face the consequences of being in "the game"
Mc can't pull out, it's too late for them. Now they have to either try to live with an additional burden and slowly solve their problem (as they can't magic the terminal illness away immediately, they don't have that much power and can't pay) or they can live in a perfect world of their dreams while indulging in magic(alone, a mage can do pretty much anything as long as they pay the price, so things like a very long life and youth, comfort, they can hang out with lesser magical creatures(not entities that grant magic, but beings that can do magic on their own, but can't affect the "real" world) like dryads and elves and mermaids) , but they would have to lose their normal life and eventually, themselves too.

Then they can mature as individuals and learn how to cherish what they have and use their maturity to bargain with the other side better. They can use small magics to help them get better in rl (buying health, beauty, wealth) and get better at sciences to become a better mage.


They attract attention of the factions
The factions have table manners for acting in "real" world, as any mage can climb to the top of it with relative ease

Also, say, the entities behind mages are having some conflict, so the prices against mages under conflicting entities drop and dead mages under an enemy of your deity yield rewards. So, mc, a young mage gets swept up in this and rises through the ranks

 

[MoodyFoxCat]

So, you're writing some kind of soft magic based upon a person's thought and emotion, then?

But here's what I thought about the soft magic; if you don't want to make your character too OP, try to put on certain limitations or conditions of activation on him/her ... or them. But yeah, I know that if the magic work after fulfilling certain conditions, then it becomes hard magic, which I don't think that's what you're after. However, you should have prepared some guidelines..., or, set of rules on the magic system so that they don't get overboard and too game-breaking.

That is indeed something I'm working on, I just need time and more self-motivation.

Programmer's guide to magic:
Certain magic starts out when writing a code. Hello world can be made simple but sometimes you can recreate many codes upon codes on just a single line by inputing different functions such as line manipulation, color scheme and etc on each line of code to which functions differently from the basic mechanics of the simple code.

Hard Magic Guide:
Magic is created through simple magical circles on the pentragram which functions differently from just using thoughts or emotions. Different incantations also are made through the use of the pentragram as the symbols represent each different spellslots needed to create or use magic. From simple casting a fireball, one must not only memorize the correct symbol of fire but also connect each symbol in making magic either more functional to powerful.

Soft Magic Guide:
Thoughts and process of magic but needed scientific process of not only understanding the law of logical physics but also the manipulation of alchemic chemistry within the mature of elements. From fairies using magic to the elemental creation of magic.

Mild Magic Guide:
The basic thought process of magic creation but only limited through the use of mana capacity, imagination or magic aptitudes.

Low Magic Guide:
Anyone can cast magic however it is limited through one's aptitude or bloodline through ancestry.

Take your poison.

interesting, I feel like mine may be basically a mix of some here since whatever I came up with before.

Essentially a semi-soft magic system, there's some rules but they are rather loose

An easy way to bring a limit would be to set a resource that is consumed to use magic I guess?

I have actually thought of a set of categories, basically there's the basic, doesn't have a high price, depends on application as well.

Then move to another level, same thing but the cost is higher

and so forth

Along with the above responses, consider what they can cast and what they cannot. Are there any rules for the magic when affecting the physical realm? Can it physically destroy the world or can it simply boost a person's fighting power (or whatever)? Are there any hacks that the MC can use, or learn as the story progresses to eventually reach the OP status?

Pretty much u got me there at all hitting all the points I asked myself back then, good one!

So, no being locked in elemental affinities, and ideas and emotions are the basis of "casting" magic.
You could do what some other people do, using "themes" instead of affinities, according to their physical form or properties. Ex: Atomic Clockwork theme from Titan of Steel
You could also make it so that casting takes mental strain to use, since it's using your ideas and emotions.
You could make it so that instead of "casting", maybe magic users impose their images of reality into the real world?
Also, a setting for the MC might be that the MC was using magic the wrong way in the eyes of the world or he was self taught, and got proficient using magic that way, and when he got to using magic the way other people used it, it was easy for MC to use it that way because that way he used magic was harder. Also, maybe add some more benefits for the MC to do magic their way.

I do have something like that in mind, it's already within the story but I want to change some things cause rn it doesn't seem to be too clear either.

 

[WasatchWind]

I must admit, trying to come up with something so simple and magical turned out to be... more grinding for my brain. I didn't expect it to be actually difficult.

Basically the magic approach I want to go for is something like this:

To put it simply, they "cast" but these people aren't limited to like a certain affinity for an element. They aren't locked behind something like that but I also don't want them to be also "too OP" right away in a sense. To think with ideas and emotions mixed together and that they can will it to... well make it happen. That along the way also makes me really try to think of how do I want to develop my MC since they're... well the protagonist. Aside from character development, I hope to try approaching the hard way first so that it will seem that the MC has difficulties first.

This also means that it matters with their life because it's a part of them now, a chance to become something else too.

Does this make any sense? If so, I just need to ask, How do I develop and improve upon this? This is what I want to go with because technically there can potential from it.

Ah, my favorite topic. Before I make redundant explanations, I must ask, are you familiar with Sanderson's laws of magic?

 

[sereminar]

Oooh, magic based from emotion/thoughts. That sounds like a huge incentive for a society to develop therapy and or meditative tools. If you can better recognize your emotions through introspection, practice, thought shaping, meditation etc. Than you would have a pretty good footing for consistently and safely using magic.

Like other people have said this would pair really well if you made the cost of using magic mental exhaustion. Because when you are hungry or stressed or tired or generally mentally exhausted you have a much harder time recognizing and regulating emotions (ex: hangry)

you're mc could be a just really good at emotional regulation and self care as their special ability or whatever. Taught by their parents/siblings when they were young how to do things like breathing exercises and naming emotions.

Could be really wholesome honestly.

 

[Szaku]

shouldn't be too hard as what you're describing is literally the concept of "origin" magic. sometimes its sub-categorized as creation magic or rather the rules that a particular world works under that enables the magic math in the first place.

ive.. well, actually reading this post reminded me that ive only seen very few novels/manga that touch on the issue in any detail, but the general principle is that an entity of sorts, be it a god, or a portion of the universe itself, at random (artificial vs natural formation) creates a world or a realm. for that realm to hold, produce life, as well as sustain that life, it needs a set of constructs or rules that work on the back end, just as much as in the forefront.

you can almost think of this as the "magic" or programming that creates the subroutines that persist and keep the world balanced, and in some cases allow and provide for magic to exist in a world. magic is normally defined as a phenomenon brought about by taking the medium that exists in that world (mana) which starts off in a pure state supplied by the world itself, then an individual "colors" that mana with their own will, to create..whatever.

the concepts of elements, higher or lower magics, uh.. void/gravity etc are essentially only limited by peoples understanding of the world they're in (as well as personal creativity because that has less to do with knowledge and more with how one's will or even desires are exerted into their personal magic). you usually see cases of this in stories where someone from a different world with a different understanding of how the world works (modern science or physics or something) showing up in a lesser educated world, and being able to grasp a magic that is fundamentally different from everyone else even if it works with the same principles and mana.

this is described quite well in "Nidoume no Yuusha" where it was suggested that our planet earth, in fact, IS filled with mana, its just we haven't learned or understood the concepts of utilizing our inborn "force" to stimulate and control it.

Spoiler

the mc there, who previously had been dragged to another world and learned of mana and magic, was yeeted back to earth for a brief period where he basically reigned as a god on earth because he knew magic and literally nobody else did. fun arc, btw

anywho. for any and all of the above to actually happen, the world is following a program set from the foundation of that world (or depending on which story you're reading, the very foundation of a life sustaining planet is predicated upon it) and understanding said program allows one to be able to work with, alter, or even recreate how the world works on a deeper level, hence "origin" magic.

whoever up there mentioned "programmer's guide to magic" was mostly spot on, even if they werent specifically what the OP was looking for. you just need to set a rule as the basis to the way in which magic works in your story. you mentioned "emotions" as one. ok, so, do you understand how emotions work? well, you're going to NEED to, if the basis for how the supernatural elements of the world relies on it.

when a story character who starts off on the same playing field as everybody else but learns to maneuver, act, and behave in such a way that the world itself literally begins to move in accordance to what that person wants, thinks, feels, or decides, on a supernatural level, that person is now off the path of player and on the path to moderator

it sounds less like you're struggling with what you want for your character and more on "how long and complex should i make their pathway"

They aren't locked behind something like that but I also don't want them to be also "too OP" right away in a sense. To think with ideas and emotions mixed together and that they can will it to... well make it happen.

this is = they don't need to function in the world under the same rules most other people do, that legit make up the world around them, but i dont want them too powerful yet (lol). i just want their thoughts and feelings to drive the world around them

yea thats god, more or less. you just want to tone it down a bit, which i understand. and you want to prolong it to give it the image of a journey or what not. basically this is the issue i see with most scribblehub or fanfic writers, the pacing is shit. stuff happens way too fast or drags on way too long.

now, to answer THAT issue, i got nothin. as a reader i can just tell you subjectively what i like or dislike in a story, what i wish had more detail, or what i could use less of, and when something has gone on for too long. but usually that's after its already been written.

there's a lot of different techniques ive seen to give a growth style journey more meaning but after seeing so many similar stories its hard not to go cliche. you could throw in curveballs such as the current world goderator changing up the system as they see your protagonist is growing too fast. or you could come up with some b.s. plot device that improvises a penalty for someone gaming the system. there could be a backend program to the world that rejects users who become too powerful or attempts to restrain them from doing so (fun fact, in a cultivation novel, this would literally be that lightning tribulation you hear of so much)

like there's lots of ways to do it. be creative, do your best, good luck! i probably have more to say but am now just tired of typing hope it helped

p.s. when i first read your post i immediately thought of this video:

i know asking somebody online to watch a video is nigh impossible but if you hear out their argument it legit sounds identical to your original post

 

[COLOC_Kid]

I must admit, trying to come up with something so simple and magical turned out to be... more grinding for my brain. I didn't expect it to be actually difficult.

Basically the magic approach I want to go for is something like this:

To put it simply, they "cast" but these people aren't limited to like a certain affinity for an element. They aren't locked behind something like that but I also don't want them to be also "too OP" right away in a sense. To think with ideas and emotions mixed together and that they can will it to... well make it happen. That along the way also makes me really try to think of how do I want to develop my MC since they're... well the protagonist. Aside from character development, I hope to try approaching the hard way first so that it will seem that the MC has difficulties first.

This also means that it matters with their life because it's a part of them now, a chance to become something else too.

Does this make any sense? If so, I just need to ask, How do I develop and improve upon this? This is what I want to go with because technically there can potential from it.

I feel you want to make a soft magic system my tips are as such

1. keep it vague
2. make sure there are risks
3. make it so that emotions affect the spells outcome
4. how do you unlock magic
5. how do you limit the characters by making sure the risks affect them.
6. is magic natural do animals and plants also possesses it
7. who is the villain and how did magic make him the villain
8. how does the magic alter your body for better or worse
9. how does magic enforce itself while not existing at the same time
10. what is the history behind magic
11. at what point in time do the characters exist in, if they exist during the early days of magic they will build the pillars for the future, fi they live in the future will they be under a prophecy or be affected by one.

all of these things affect how powerful the world is and how powerful a person is expected to be. If you make it so everyone is relatively weak in magic but they've had it for thousands of years that wouldn't make sense but if they have just discovered magic then the characters have the ability to compete with each other on equal ground.

 

[Kenjona]

The problem with trying to systemize magic, is it is then no longer magic but a system with laws and codification.

mag·ic
/ˈmajik/
noun
the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces.

But being snarky aside. I can suggest typing in any Noun or Verb + Magic in your browser and you can see a lot of different "styles" of magic. Some weirder than others, others not so much. Heck, some of the actual believed in magic can be weirder than what is written in fiction.

Remember if you do not have Godric Gryffindors sword, always carry a weasel in your pocket, just in case of basilisks you know.

 

[MoodyFoxCat]

Ah, my favorite topic. Before I make redundant explanations, I must ask, are you familiar with Sanderson's laws of magic?

Ah nope, I'm afraid not but I could look it up

shouldn't be too hard as what you're describing is literally the concept of "origin" magic. sometimes its sub-categorized as creation magic or rather the rules that a particular world works under that enables the magic math in the first place.

ive.. well, actually reading this post reminded me that ive only seen very few novels/manga that touch on the issue in any detail, but the general principle is that an entity of sorts, be it a god, or a portion of the universe itself, at random (artificial vs natural formation) creates a world or a realm. for that realm to hold, produce life, as well as sustain that life, it needs a set of constructs or rules that work on the back end, just as much as in the forefront.

you can almost think of this as the "magic" or programming that creates the subroutines that persist and keep the world balanced, and in some cases allow and provide for magic to exist in a world. magic is normally defined as a phenomenon brought about by taking the medium that exists in that world (mana) which starts off in a pure state supplied by the world itself, then an individual "colors" that mana with their own will, to create..whatever.

the concepts of elements, higher or lower magics, uh.. void/gravity etc are essentially only limited by peoples understanding of the world they're in (as well as personal creativity because that has less to do with knowledge and more with how one's will or even desires are exerted into their personal magic). you usually see cases of this in stories where someone from a different world with a different understanding of how the world works (modern science or physics or something) showing up in a lesser educated world, and being able to grasp a magic that is fundamentally different from everyone else even if it works with the same principles and mana.

this is described quite well in "Nidoume no Yuusha" where it was suggested that our planet earth, in fact, IS filled with mana, its just we haven't learned or understood the concepts of utilizing our inborn "force" to stimulate and control it.

Spoiler

the mc there, who previously had been dragged to another world and learned of mana and magic, was yeeted back to earth for a brief period where he basically reigned as a god on earth because he knew magic and literally nobody else did. fun arc, btw

anywho. for any and all of the above to actually happen, the world is following a program set from the foundation of that world (or depending on which story you're reading, the very foundation of a life sustaining planet is predicated upon it) and understanding said program allows one to be able to work with, alter, or even recreate how the world works on a deeper level, hence "origin" magic.

whoever up there mentioned "programmer's guide to magic" was mostly spot on, even if they werent specifically what the OP was looking for. you just need to set a rule as the basis to the way in which magic works in your story. you mentioned "emotions" as one. ok, so, do you understand how emotions work? well, you're going to NEED to, if the basis for how the supernatural elements of the world relies on it.

when a story character who starts off on the same playing field as everybody else but learns to maneuver, act, and behave in such a way that the world itself literally begins to move in accordance to what that person wants, thinks, feels, or decides, on a supernatural level, that person is now off the path of player and on the path to moderator

it sounds less like you're struggling with what you want for your character and more on "how long and complex should i make their pathway"

this is = they don't need to function in the world under the same rules most other people do, that legit make up the world around them, but i dont want them too powerful yet (lol). i just want their thoughts and feelings to drive the world around them

yea thats god, more or less. you just want to tone it down a bit, which i understand. and you want to prolong it to give it the image of a journey or what not. basically this is the issue i see with most scribblehub or fanfic writers, the pacing is shit. stuff happens way too fast or drags on way too long.

now, to answer THAT issue, i got nothin. as a reader i can just tell you subjectively what i like or dislike in a story, what i wish had more detail, or what i could use less of, and when something has gone on for too long. but usually that's after its already been written.

there's a lot of different techniques ive seen to give a growth style journey more meaning but after seeing so many similar stories its hard not to go cliche. you could throw in curveballs such as the current world goderator changing up the system as they see your protagonist is growing too fast. or you could come up with some b.s. plot device that improvises a penalty for someone gaming the system. there could be a backend program to the world that rejects users who become too powerful or attempts to restrain them from doing so (fun fact, in a cultivation novel, this would literally be that lightning tribulation you hear of so much)

like there's lots of ways to do it. be creative, do your best, good luck! i probably have more to say but am now just tired of typing hope it helped

p.s. when i first read your post i immediately thought of this video:

i know asking somebody online to watch a video is nigh impossible but if you hear out their argument it legit sounds identical to your original post

I'll be sure to check it out soon, thanks for that link!

The problem with trying to systemize magic, is it is then no longer magic but a system with laws and codification.


But being snarky aside. I can suggest typing in any Noun or Verb + Magic in your browser and you can see a lot of different "styles" of magic. Some weirder than others, others not so much. Heck, some of the actual believed in magic can be weirder than what is written in fiction.

Remember if you do not have Godric Gryffindors sword, always carry a weasel in your pocket, just in case of basilisks you know.

Man... It can be THAT diverse, didn't expect that.

 

[WasatchWind]

Ah nope, I'm afraid not but I could look it up

Sanderson's Laws of Magic - The Coppermind - 17th Shard

coppermind.net