Needs Help: Vancian Magic

Memers Since: Aug, 2013

#1: Sep 26th 2014 at 11:23:59 AM

Ok besides the really really really horrible name, there are really 3 specific and different tropes here and the page even goes so far as list the three types. These 3 types are quite common, like every videogame with magic uses at least 1 of them, and not always the same one but the page only has 186 wicks.

*Magical effects are packaged into distinct spells; each spell has one fixed purpose. A spell that throws a ball of fire at an enemy just throws balls of fire, and generally cannot be "turned down" to light a cigarette, for instance.

Spells represent a kind of "magic-bomb" which must be prepared in advance of actual use, and each prepared spell can be used only once before needing to be prepared again. That's why it is also known as "Fire & Forget magic."
Magicians have a finite capacity of prepared spells which is the de facto measure of their skill and/or power as magicians. A wizard using magic for combat is thus something like a living gun: he must be "loaded" with spells beforehand and can run out of magical "ammunition".

There are plenty of examples that cover only 1-2 aspects of this trope.

I propose splitting the trope into

Static Spells - A spell is just a spell it always does the same thing.
Prepared Spells, Preincantated Spell, Stocked Spell and such you cast it ahead of time and save it for later. Related to Instant Cast Magic
Finite Stocked Spells you can only stock so many spells at one time. In videogames like World Of Warcraft and Destiny these usually will have a stacking cooldown, the cooldown is up it gives you 1 charge and the cooldown starts over again. Pretty much a spell specific and cooldown version of Magic Points.
There are probably more.

And rename this for a supertrope of just pages/works with specific rules on Magic.

edited 26th Sep '14 11:47:28 AM by Memers

Madrugada Zzzzzzzzzz Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: In season

Zzzzzzzzzz

#2: Sep 26th 2014 at 1:19:34 PM

You've made a solid suggestion as to what to change the page to, but you haven't provided any evidence that it needs to be changed in the first place.

"I think the name is bad" and "I think the page is broken" aren't enough by themselves, to justify changing a page that has 186 wicks and 3600+ inbound links. By both of those standards, it's not merely "not broken" it's thriving.

Additionally, the three sections that you are calling separate tropes are three criteria that a magic system must meet to be Vancian. To use a food metaphor I'm rather fond of, Vancian Magic is analogous to a Ham-and-Cheese omelet. To have it, you have to have ham, eggs, and cheese; you have to have the eggs scrambled and the ham and cheese folded into them; and you have to have fried the whole thing. If you don't meet all of those criteria, you have something, but it is not a ham-and-cheese omelet.

Declining to open.

edited 26th Sep '14 1:23:49 PM by Madrugada

...if you don’t love you’re dead, and if you do, they’ll kill you for it.

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