History Main / SpellConstruction

Hooray, you've got phenomenal magical powers! Mastery of the universe is in your hands… at least the parts of the universe that let you [[PlayingWithFire throw fireballs]] or [[BalefulPolymorph turn princes into frogs]]. But wait… in order to [[ElementalPowers command the elements]] or [[SoulPower the spirits]], you'll need to follow very precise instructions and use just the right ingredients. Casting a spell, it seems, is less like pulling a trigger and more like baking a cake. You might find the recipe in a SpellBook.

* Aversion: In Feist's ''Literature/TheRiftwarCycle' the most powerful ''magician's'' would argue with you (if they'd tend to) since people such as nakor or Pug know rather well magic is just tricks and only idiots need chanting and those weird symbols others keep drawing.

* In ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'', most spells are MagicalIncantation, although Pactios seem to require GeometricMagic. There are also some MagicPrerequisite spells, which require that the magic of TheWorldTree is active before they can be used.

* [[TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}} Shadowrun]] has all of the above as entirely optional. By default, no magic requires anything (except the specific combination of [[HermeticMagic hermetic]] [[SummonMagic conjuration]] always requires [[EyeOfNewt expensive components]] and [[GeometricMagic a summoning circle]]). Otherwise, you can accept any of the above as a limitation to offset the magical power lost because CyberneticsEatYourSoul (at the cost of not being able to use magic at all when you don't meet the requirements). Alternatively, or even on top of this, you can learn individual spells with such limitations in order to make them even more powerful (but likewise, you can never cast that spell, even a weakened version, if you can't meet your self-imposed restriction).

* EyeOfNewt--physical ingredients

* FormulaicMagic--mathematical equations and formulas
* GeometricMagic--complex diagrams

* MagicalGesture--anything from simply pointing up to ritual dance

* MagicalIncantation--the words of the spell

* MagicPrerequisite--external factors that have to be right

* MagicWand--tools for doing magic

** FullContactMagic

** IKnowYourTrueName

* [[Main/BlackAndWhiteMorality Moral Inclination ]] A predisposition for the magic to be Good or Evil.
** WhiteMagic
** BlackMagic

* Magic in ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}'' requires {{Mana}}, [[MagicalGesture MagicalGestures]] and [[MagicalIncantation MagicalIncantations]]. Certain spells also need EyeOfNewt and complex designs. Energy requirements often necessitate items that provide additional power. Casters can ignore most of these (but never the mana) with sufficiently high skill or by taking penalties when casting.

* The British TV show ''Series/{{Knightmare}}'' featured spellcasting which was literally having to spell a specific word. However the spell first had to be taught by an npc or found within the dungeon (most often in pieces)

There are six different types of component that may be involved, each with associated tropes.

* In ''Franchsie/LyricalNanoha,'' most spells use InstantRunes which have to be properly calculated [[FormulaicMagic with math]]. Most mages also use a Device, a MagicWand with a built in AI to facilitate casting. A MagicalGesture or a short MagicalIncantation is often used as a trigger command to cast a spell once it has been prepared, although those are just mental shortcuts. There are also some spells, such as Nanoha's [[WaveMotionGun Starlight Breaker]], that recycle recently used {{Mana}}, and as such are more powerful at the end of a battle.

* In ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha,'' most spells use InstantRunes which have to be properly calculated [[FormulaicMagic with math]]. Most mages also use a Device, a MagicWand with a built in AI to facilitate casting. A MagicalGesture or a short MagicalIncantation is often used as a trigger command to cast a spell once it has been prepared, although those are just mental shortcuts. There are also some spells, such as Nanoha's [[WaveMotionGun Starlight Breaker]], that recycle recently used {{Mana}}, and as such are more powerful at the end of a battle.

* In the WhateleyUniverse, most magic is MagicalGesture or MagicalIncantation, but some of Hekate's really dark magic is more EyeOfNewt.

* ''Literature/YoungWizards'' and it's sister series, feline wizards has the True Language thing where spells are just talking to the programming code of the universe itself to re-shape itself. Thus, magic needs to be either written in magical mental runes or spoken in a particular language.

* ''YoungWizards'' and it's sister series, feline wizards has the True Language thing where spells are just talking to the programming code of the universe itself to re-shape itself. Thus, magic needs to be either written in magical mental runes or spoken in a particular language.

Compare LawOfPowerProportionalToEffort, for the kinds of efforts needed to use a superpower.