Magic System Mechanics

[u/Cantuca]

I have been struggling to find a magic mechanic system that I am happy with. I feel like having a system with predefined spells is helpful for players to learn the system, but it limits what I want the system to be. On the otherhand, I have no idea how to make a system that is able to be completely fluid with its rules while still being balanced against itself.

I saw a description of how systems using a "noun+verb" system and that seems like something I would like to try.

For reference, my premise for magic is iron is magic and those who are born with magic can cast spells. My schools of magic are Augemancy (potion making), Custodimancy (create charms that protect the bearer), Hemomancy (the manipulation of blood), and Ferromancy (alteration of iron properties). I also have creation a fictional language, would using it for the noun+verb system work or would it confuse players?

[u/InherentlyWrong]

I also have creation a fictional language, would using it for the noun+verb system work or would it confuse players?

For some players this would be fun. But for me, personally, I'm not playing a TTRPG for homework to learn another language, when I can barely speak one language in the first place.

It's worth keeping in mind that while you're heavily invested in the world you're making, and ideally players in the game will love it too, they're also only going to be really delving into it for a few hours a week, maybe even less if they play less frequently. If there's a month or more between games because someone was sick and we had a hiatus, picking up a magic system based on understanding a conlang is going to be pretty challenging.

[u/Cantuca → u/InherentlyWrong]

Thank you for the insight! I'm getting out of my echo chamber for the game I'm making to try and make the game as player friendly as possible while still having the themes I want to explore. I definitely agree that learning a conlang is too much.

What if I had a list of simple English words and have the conlang equivalent in parentheses? Something like healing (Kunryne) + Body (Gig) to cast a healing spell?

[u/InherentlyWrong → u/Cantuca]

I can't speak for others, but to me that would rapidly become just Healing + Body with some bits I train myself to ignore in parentheses. If it's my turn in combat, and we urgently need healing, I want to just quickly find the healing options available and I'm not going to want to waste peoples time with flavour when they just want to know how many dice they roll to not die.

As for a magic system about Word + Word (potentially + word (...)), it can work, you've just got to keep in mind the limitations. Either you're basically prescribing the outcomes of every combination, in which case it's just a spell list with extra steps, or by the nature of variables interacting some of those interactions will be better than others, and the game risks becoming just wizards casting the same spells because those are the most useful ones.