Once Upon a Time's Magic System...

...is going to be a highly complex one with an infinite amount of tactical options.

We just recently picked up the discussion about the magic system again since we now are finally at a stage where we can implement the things we work into the existing game, and this is the base we are going to work with. Consider it to be a rough conceptual outline, that still has to be hammered into playable shape:

There will be 6 different archetypes of magic. Each archetype has its own energy (manabar) it is using. This also means you have to gear up and develop your character according to the archetypes of magic you want to play.

All spells will be obtained by quests. So if you want to be able to cast something new and different, you will have to work for it.

On the subject of spellcomponents: trivial and everyday-type of spells will not require any additional components to be cast, simply because it hampers the gameplay and would only mean people are not able to play their character as intended if they are somewhere far off or deep down in a dungeon and out of components. However for overpowered or rare spells with great impact, there will be rare components, limiting those spells for special occasions, also a good way of balancing.

Each manabar should regenerate moderately quick, in a timescale that brings enough downtime so people have time to chat and be social but fast enough to avoid unnecessary delays.


Here is a list of the different archetypes:

Elemental Magic: Direct Damage Spells, Controling Elements, Transforming Matter

Shamanism: Buffs, Dots, Root, Snare, Animal Control, Healing, Nature Based

Psionism: Mind control, Illusions, Mez, Charm


Necronmancy: Dark, Evil Magic, Undead Control, Lifetaps, Dots, Snares, Resurrection

Summoner: connected to other dimensions the summoner can bring forth all sorts of things and beings, demons, creatures, spirits as well as objects to help her/his cause. She/He can also create portals to other dimensions, summon people to his side, teleport.

Divination: devoted to a deity the diviner gets to learn and study the deity specific set of miracles (spells). In everydays life it is practiced like magic, but every now and then the devote diviner can perform extraordinary miracles. Drawback: diviners get hard punishment if they should use their powers against any other follower of their own deity.

Vision behind all that is to have a great and diverse variety of playstrategies to choose from and an endless amount of different combinations of spells from different archetypes. A system that allows you to express and put all your personality into your strategy.