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<blockquote data-quote="Pbartender" data-source="post: 5236600" data-attributes="member: 7533">A while back, I actually came up with a reasonably metaphysical (as Umbran puts it) means to justify all the disparate styles of &quot;magic&quot; in D&amp;D-like games...The idea is that at its most basic any type of &quot;magic&quot; is just a way to break the rules of the universe through sheer force of will.&nbsp; In order to create a particular effect, you need to be thinking just the right abstract thoughts and then exert your will.&nbsp; Some people simply have a natural talent for it (Sorcerers!).&nbsp; Others use religious prayers their faith in a particular deity or philosophy to focus their mind properly (Clerics!).&nbsp; Still others treat it almost like a science, experimenting with speaking specific nonsensical words, making seemingly random gestures and manipulating odd items and ingredients that in combination trigger the appropriate frame of mind (Wizards!).&nbsp; While others simple enters into contracts with sorcerous creatures that do the magical heavy lifting for them (Warlocks!).It was all about having different methods to achieve the same ends.&nbsp; Even within the different &quot;schools&quot; specific prayers, spells, and rituals could be more or less different than each other...&nbsp; A Hobgoblin Shaman's magic missile could look very, very different from an Elf Bladesinger's.Unfortunately, none of my players at the time really noticed or cared.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Pbartender, post: 5236600, member: 7533"] A while back, I actually came up with a reasonably metaphysical (as Umbran puts it) means to justify all the disparate styles of "magic" in D&D-like games... The idea is that at its most basic any type of "magic" is just a way to break the rules of the universe through sheer force of will. In order to create a particular effect, you need to be thinking just the right abstract thoughts and then exert your will. Some people simply have a natural talent for it (Sorcerers!). Others use religious prayers their faith in a particular deity or philosophy to focus their mind properly (Clerics!). Still others treat it almost like a science, experimenting with speaking specific nonsensical words, making seemingly random gestures and manipulating odd items and ingredients that in combination trigger the appropriate frame of mind (Wizards!). While others simple enters into contracts with sorcerous creatures that do the magical heavy lifting for them (Warlocks!). It was all about having different methods to achieve the same ends. Even within the different "schools" specific prayers, spells, and rituals could be more or less different than each other... A Hobgoblin Shaman's magic missile could look very, very different from an Elf Bladesinger's. Unfortunately, none of my players at the time really noticed or cared. [/QUOTE]

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