Writing A Soft Magic System
Hey everyone, I’m really happy to finally be able to sit down and get back to writing on this topic! If you’re new here, welcome! If you’re coming back for part two of this series on Magic Systems, welcome back!
Today we’re going to talk about writing Soft Magic Systems; my last article was a discussion on Hard Magic Systems, its pros, cons, and everything in between. If you didn’t read that—or you want to brush up on the topic—I highly recommend checking it out here. If you’re all good, then proceed! We’ve got a lot to cover.
Just to make things easier on my fingers with all this typing, I’m going to abbreviate Hard Magic System as HMS, Soft Magic System as SMS, and Magic System as MS when needed. Keep that in mind so you don’t get confused as you read!
The first thing I want to do is define a SMS; this is a system of magic that has a broad (if any) set of rules, limitations, and little consequence to the use of magic or for breaking any of the rules of magic. In contrast, a HMS has very strict rules for its magic/magic users, and it has clear limitations and consequences for the use or abuse of magic.
When we say magic, we do not only mean wizards casting spells with a wand or witches reading from a grimoire or ancient seers whispering incantations in an unknown language. Magic comes in many forms and can certainly fall within the lines of these very classic examples but do keep in mind that magic has no limitations and, for the sake of this article, the term magic is used as a basic term for any powers, skills, or abilities that are not possible within our reality or able to be performed by humans in our society.
Game of Thrones is one of my favorite examples of a SMS; you have dragons, frozen zombies, foreign gods who can bring people back from the dead, and giants too. This is a world filled with magic, but the source of this magic is never really explained and the way it can be used isn’t explored very deeply.
For starters, magic users are never truly defined in the world of Westeros; dragons are known throughout the world but where do they come from? How are they made? What is so special about the Targaryen bloodline that only they can ride the great serpents? There are also many gods in GOT, some of which are simply there as an element of worldbuilding, but there are others that seem to grant inhuman powers to their most devout worshippers. Characters are able to drink deadly poison as if it is nothing more than apple juice, see visions in flames, and even bring the dead back to life. But the limits, the extent, and how this magic power is practiced is unknown—even to some of the characters in the story.
The mystery behind the magic in this series is what makes it a SMS. There are no clear rules to define what makes a Targaryen special, there is no explanation as to where all the giants, the Children of the Forest, and other mythological creatures came from, or where they went after hundreds of years, there are no limitations to the power of the gods and, in some cases, no real power to the gods to begin with. Magic is a mystery in Game of Thrones but that does not mean it is something that cripples the story.
Some may complain and say, magic is a convenience, you never know when its going to swoop in and magically save the day with no explanation.
But others will smile and say, magic is an ancient mystery, you never know what’s going to happen next.
Another example of a SMS is the famed anime, Naruto. If you aren’t a fan of Japanese anime and have no idea what I’m talking about, don’t fret; Naruto is about a gutsy ninja who seems to have no skill whatsoever but aims to become one of the greatest ninja in the world. The MS in this show is very simple; ninjas can use a special power called, jutsu, that gives them inhuman strength and abilities.
There are some vague rules and limitations to jutsu, like the 3 different classifications called ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu; there is also kekkei genkai, a special type of jutsu only certain bloodlines can use, and dark powers called, forbidden jutsu, which ninja may never practice.
Unlike Game of Thrones, the MS in Naruto is explained and is in fact loosely based on real elements in Japanese history, culture, and religion (yes, religion can be included in fantasy in amazing ways! Read my article, Writing Religion in Fantasy for more detail). But just because the MS is explained does not mean it then becomes a HMS.
In this case, Naruto is a SMS because, despite there being rules and limitations, these guidelines are very broad and vague. In my last article we talked about the show Avatar: The Last Airbender and how it fits into the guidelines of a HMS. One of the main reasons for this is because the limitations and the rules of the magic users in this world are very clear and very well explained.
Water benders can only bend water.
Air benders can only bend air.
Earth benders can only bend earth.
Fire benders can only bend fire.
The Avatar can master all 4 elements.
Of course, there are extensions to this power, such as fire benders also having the potential to bend lightning, and exceptional water benders having the potential to bend blood. But these power extensions are well explained and also have their own limitations in the fact that they are unique to their own element. You might catch Katara bending water, ice, and even blood, but you will never see her use fire bending.
In contrast, ninjas in Naruto are able to learn and use pretty much any jutsu as long as it is not forbidden or part of a kekkei genkai outside their bloodline. That means you can see ninja using the same techniques as the protagonist or they can surprise you at any time and pull out a new jutsu that audiences never knew existed until that very moment in battle. As an avid Naruto fan, I know I’m just skimming the surface of the true nature of what is and isn’t possible in the ninja world, but, all things considered, it is very accurate to classify this show/manga as a Soft Magic System.
This might seem like I’m only listing the cons of a SMS but, believe it or not, I’m a huge fan of SMS and prefer stories with this sort of foundation, but I also recognize how easy it is to get lost in the unknown of a SMS. Many readers find fault with softer magic systems because there are stories that use magic as a convenience to the plot instead of a way to grow and develop the characters and the story. It feels very dissatisfying to have a character fighting an epic battle and as soon as all seems lost, they overcome their enemy by pulling out an incredible ability that saves the day with no explanation to it. This sort of writing leaves readers scratching their head and thinking, I didn’t know he could do that. Or, when did she learn that?
When you don’t set rules for your MS, you stand in danger of it becoming a convenience or a safety net for your story.
Is your character standing in a pit of poisonous vipers totally naked with no weapons? There’s a spell for that!
Is there an enemy stronger than your protagonist with thousands of years of ancient dark magic under his belt? There’s a spell to take him down in one blow!
Did your main character just die in an unexpected event? There’s a spell for that too!
A SMS is just as good as a HMS but it becomes very disappointing when authors allow magic to swoop in and solve every issue. The explanation for every single problem, solution, miracle, or whatever, then becomes BECAUSE MAGIC.
Jon Snow was brought back to life BECAUSE MAGIC
Naruto was able to overpower the creator of jutsu BECAUSE MAGIC
Its almost as lame as letting your protagonist win the major battle at the close of your series by leaning on the power of friendship. You just chuckled because you’ve seen that before and you remember how cheesy it is. So, yeah … don’t do that.
Thankfully, there are ways for you to incorporate rules and limitations into your MS without it becoming a HMS.
Let’s look at one of the most popular shows in the animation industry right now: My Hero Academia.
In this show characters have superhuman abilities called quirks which can range from the ability to see through objects to the ability to harden your skin to the point of being indestructible. Obviously, this is a very soft magic system but there is a surprising sense of organization here.
The rules in this MS are broad and linear at the same time. The sky is the limit with quirks; any person can have absolutely any ability and not all abilities are hereditary. My mother could have the power to become a fire breathing lion at night while my quirk gives me the power to speed up time. Very soft magic system … very soft …
But there are rules and limitations.
One of the characters in the series has the ability to create objects—any object she wants—but she can only create non-living things and she must know what the object is made of, right down to its molecular structure.
Another character has the ability to emit electricity from his body, but he cannot aim it; it goes out in every direction and is uncontrollable which often puts his own allies in danger.
The MS in My Hero Academia is soft overall, in the fact that anyone can have any ability, but it has a set of rules and limitations that are unique to each individual. This is incredibly creative because it allows so much room for character growth and through the growth and development of individual characters and quirks, the story also progresses as our cast faces stronger and stronger enemies and obstacles to overcome.
I hope you see the pros and cons of soft magic systems; I hate to cut it off here but this article is already longer than I’d like—though I should say I could go on about this for hours. If that wasn’t enough information, don’t worry, I’ve got one more article planned for this series as I dive into Writing Christian Magic Systems—available now! Use the form below to subscribe and be notified of updates, check out our archives to find other useful material for authors and readers alike.
I’ll see you in the next discussion!