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posted October 17, 2026 06:31 AM |
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A Hybrid Magic System – Heroes
Good day!
As few people started joining in the conversation, I feel more like amplifying the range of discussions.
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The magic system I've picked, for now, is Metaspells which can be altered by Magic Schools.
In levels, it takes into considering both Heroes system and Might & Magic system: basic, advanced, expert, master and grandmaster. So, yes, you need at least Basic Wisdom skill to learn basic magic (lv 1), as in Might & Magic example regarding magic guild skills. In Heroes 2, 3, I think you can learn up to level 2 spells by only having a spell book, right? Then Level three for basic skill, 4 for advanced, and 5 for expert.
Why I chose the former model? I think spell casting is too much of a powerful tool to be that easy to learned, specially that some low level spells are already powerful on their own, even without elemental specialization. This choice also incorporates Heroes 4's model of magic guild presented in town. If I'm not mistaken, you had a guild aligned to your town, but supporting spells from 'sister schools' as well. For me, it made most sense.
The Magic Guilds selected are: air (incorporates lightning), earth (incorporates magma), fire (incorporates ash/smoke), water (incorporates ice), body, mind, spirit and arcane (this one is light + dark + exotic nature). In short, the same as in most popular M&M games with Arcana grouping Light and Dark together. I had considered grouping body, mind and spirit too, meaning less of a Hero's skill slots occupied by magic schools, but these schools seem so different between themselves, that making a selection of school similar to the elemental schools felt lacking, although there's not a fixed number of spells for all magic schools either.
Some things to consider:
**** MAGIC SCHOOL SKILL SLOT
This skill slot situation minds a matter of Might or Magic hero classification, with a fixed number of slots specifically for learning schools, detached from slots to learn other secondary skills. Say, for example, a Magic hero can learn 4 different schools of magic, or 1 for each Wisdom level (total of 5), whilst a Might hero can learn 2, or 1 for every two Wisdom level and a third for Grand Master level (total of 3). Also, if a Magic hero has some specialization or even their faction has, that number could vary, add 1 or so. Of course, these magic slots would only unlock after learning the Wisdom Skill, in first place.
**** FACTION-TIED MAGIC SCHOOL
In H4, spells had a theme deeply related with the Faction, although they could use different elements or body/mind/spirit/arcane mixed in some way (Chaos magic, for example, used multiple elementals). You also had spells with different names, with repeated effects, like Haste (Chaos School) and Speed (Nature School). And in your guild, you also had an added selection of spells from schools of similar nature, or 'sister schools'.
The model I'm using right now is that of those 8 guilds I've mentioned up there, a few of them naturally incorporated by faction-themed alignments (Air, Body and Spirit being guilds naturally available for Human faction, for example, not necessarily limited in 3 options for all factions, given some are more magical than others); and spells offered in that town have a theme-effect based on those guilds, meaning that air spells offered in guilds in different factions might be different, with some matching results (repetition). Heroes who had already learned a certain magic school skill would be able to learn additional spells from that school in another town of a different faction, allowing said hero to act as a scholar and write down new learned spells to their guild, broadening their scope.
The number of specialized spells are not the same for every magic school (air can have like 30 different spells among all factions, whilst body has 20 in total). I'm toying with the idea that spells get researched, rather than promptly, randomly getting available as you build your level 1 guild. Why? Because you need to learn a metaspell first. Where? When you first build your guild, weekly, there's an acolyte of sorts who brings bookspells and make it available for that week, for a value or not. You can also learn meta spells on certain places of the adventure map. Other heroes can also write down scroll of metaspells, just like writing down specialized spells. The difference is that learned metaspells can become permanently available at your local guild. Learning spells consumes 1 turn per visit (independently of the number of spells). I'm not yet sure if powerful, high level spells would consume more time, but it can be counterbalanced by having Wisdom at righer levels to being with, you see. I don't know yet if this 'acolyte' visits you guild, or if you have an annex to your market that's something like a magic store, with a better name hohoho.
But what the hell is a metaspell?
It's the raw version of a spell, not tied to any elemental (4), or existential (3) or arcane schools (1), but more like conception-wise, or non-elemental and cosmical. The same metaspell might be cast on allies or foes alike, with antagonistic effects. They can lose their versatility, when they get specialized by schools, though, although not all of them have versions in every schools, although the same school can have different approached on specialized spells depending on the faction, where the guild is located. For example, the metaspell Momentum (I've chosen using Latin for Metaspells, to help distinguishing them from the others) causes the Haste effect on an ally, and a Slow effect on the enemy. In the Air Guild of the Regalia faction (castle faction), Momentum can derivate the Air Shield spell, casting a haste effect basically, and when the target moves, layers of air gather one after the other, like veils, through the motion. When the unit arrives at their destination, there's an air shield built. If the shield's strength depends on distance? That's a detail to consider, yes. Now, Momentum in the Air Guild of the Oasis faction, derivates the Shockwave spell, working in a similar fashion as the Air Shield, however, when the unit reaches its destination, the layered air explodes forward, damaging/pushing a target, or causing a delaying in initiative. Just an example of what can be done.
Of course, due the nature of an overwhelming array of specialized spells being possible, I don't think Metaspells pool must be too numerous, although I have not designed a lot of them yet, because I'm not 100% certain of using this system. You see, H2 and H4 are my preferred installments, and H2 feels the closest thing as a Metaspell system, when you consider: Magic Arrow, Disruption Ray, Elemental Storm, Dispel, Summon boat, Anti-Magic, Meteor Shower, Town Gate, Dimension Door, Mirror Image, Dragon Slayer; and few others in Heroes 4, like Fortune, Implosion, Magic Leech, Mana Flare, Pathfinding, Precision, Retribution, Steal Enchantment, Teleport. Even in Might and Magic RPG, you could borrow some examples: Shrinking Ray, Awaken, Day of Protection, Hour of Power, Lloyd's Beacon, Mass Distortion, Pain Reflection, Sunray, Shield, Wizard Eye..
I'm also undecided with combined spells from two or three spells at the same time, unless through very specific directives, such a a hero specialization, or specific skills levels, dunno yet.
In short:
A) Metaspells are learned in raw form on local guild/market, at some locations on the adventure map, or through hero tutoring
B) Metaspells get altered by Magic Schools based on Faction-themes creating specialized spells in local guilds, or through an NPC involvement, quests etc.
C) Specialized spells of the same Magic School can be shared between towns with that same specialized school, regardles a Faction's theme, when a hero shares that knowledge
D) Metaspells learned by a hero can be made available in local guild permanently, and shared to allies through market
E) Specialized spells unnatural to a faction cannot be made available in local guilds (for example, Atlantis faction has no use for Fire Guild, so fire spells a hero might know won't be available in a town without a Fire Guild), but a hero can teach another through scholarship.
F) Metaspells don't have, by rule, a variable version of every spell in every guild. Some metaspells are left untouched by certain guilds.
G) A hero can still cast Metaspells on their raw form. Just because they're raw, doesn't mean the effect is weak or gets outdated later in game. After all, they're the primeval version of all other specialized spells.
I think this covers what I had in mind.
What about you now?
I won't post a poll here because there are too many variables, but I'd like your take on what you prefer on a magic system. If you prefer as in Heroes 3 without anything to add, or Heroes 4, or 5, or any of the modded versions, which I'm not familiar with.
If you wish to point out anything regarding what I have chosen, or suggest, tips, I'm all ears.
Or you can skip all that, and present your views and takes on the matter, and, if possible, elaborate it in a bit more detailed form following your reasoning.
Cheers. o/
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