Summary
Magic inDungeons & Dragonscan be a lot of fun, but it does come with certain limitations, and one upcoming tabletop RPG might finally feature a magic system that delivers exactly what I’ve always dreamed of. The heroic fantasy flavor ofDnDhas always put a big emphasis on magic, and destroying a horde of enemies with a well-placedfireballis as satisfying today as it was 50 years ago. At the same time,DnD’s magic system doesn’t always feel as exciting as it does in its best moments, and I’ve often found myself wanting a little bit more.
My main problem with magic inDnDhas to deal with how codified it is. A lot ofspells offer some flexibility, and a good DM will typically allow for creative use of spells if it makes the game more fun for everyone. Despite these allowances, however,most magic inDnDis designed to be used in highly specific ways. Although a Wizard can have a lot of fun experimenting with the more creative inclusions in the spell list, a lot of their options still come down to hurling damage at enemies, and other spellcasters can be even more limited.
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The Cosmere RPG Could Make Magic Interesting
Great Magic Systems Are At The Core Of An Upcoming TTRPG
One huge TTRPG on the horizon is Brandon Sanderson’sCosmere Roleplaying Game, and although books for the game won’t start releasing until 2025, I’m already getting excited about the magical possibilities. Like a lot of fantasy readers, I’ve been a fan of Brandon Sanderson’s books ever since I first readMistborn, and I’m always happy to pick up TTRPGs based on novels that I love.The One Ringis the pre-eminent exampleof a great TTRPG that stems from a fantasy novel, but I’m also proud to have a copy ofThe Wheel of Time RPGon my shelf.
Brandon Sanderson’s books aren’t my absolute favorites in the fantasy scene — that honor goes to Robin Hobb’sThe Realm of the Elderlings— buttheir strengths are perfectly poised for the TTRPG space.Mistborndoesn’t feature lush prose or deeply human character work, but it’s electrifying thanks to a dynamic plot, fascinating world, and an absolutely killer magic system. All of these can translate well to the TTRPG space, especially because Sanderson is involved in writing at least one of the adventures himself, but the magic system is what makes it a slam dunk.
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The thing that makes Brandon Sanderson’s magic systems tick is that they aren’t just an array of spells, but clever ways of interacting with the world.Mistborn’s allomancers can burn metals in their body to enhance abilities and manipulate their environments, from stretching time to pushing themselves off of metals in their surroundings.The Stormlight Archive’s system of Surges can be used to similarly creative effect, and the first book in the series,The Way of Kings, quickly demonstrates how Surgebinding can turn a skilled user into a nearly unstoppable force.
Magic inElantrisis a more mysterious element revealed across the course of the narrative, a storytelling element thatElantrismaterial for theCosmere RPGcould also play on.
Magic Is More Fun With A Focus On Improvisation
D&D’s Relatively Rigid System Has Its Limits
Ultimately,magic in Brandon Sanderson’s novels provides a structured framework that naturally lends itself to experimentation, and that’s exactly what I want out of a TTRPG magic system. By the sound of it, it’s also what the creators of theCosmere RPGwant to bring to the forefront. TheKickstarterpage for the TTRPG describes an emphasis on “improvisionational magic,” explaining how Abrasion, the magical manipulation of friction, might help a character swallowed by a monstrous Chasmfiend. Making magic flexible in the same way that mundane skills are inDnDintegrates it more deeply with every moment of gameplay.
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TheCosmere RPGisn’t the first TTRPG to take magic in this direction, but many others that emphasize improvisation can run into the opposite problem of lacking a structure around it.I like using my miracles in a creative way inWhitehack, a system where magic is balanced more by HP cost than by restrictive wording. Without hard rules about the nature of that magic, however, I often feel hesitant to push my ideas to their limits, as it tends to feel less like clever problem-solving and more like abusing loose game mechanics.
In the case of theCosmere RPG, magic systems should all be bound to fundamental properties of nature and the manipulation of senses, heightening things without losing a tangible structure. For those who prefer aDnD-like system of specific choices,there are still a lot of discrete magical abilities in theCosmere RPG, so there’s minimal risk of jumping into play and feeling unmoored. This combination could make it a good way to ease players used toDnDinto a magic system focused more on creativity, and I can imagine some of my players taking to it quickly.
I Really Hope The Cosmere RPG Sticks The Landing
I’m Excited As A DM And A Player
The other thing about Brandon Sanderson’s magic systems is that they’re inherently cinematic, leading to dynamic action moments that fuse the superhuman abilities of spellcasters with the direct impact that’s often exclusive to martial classes. As a regular DM, I might be most excited about describing how scenes featuring magic users in theCosmere RPGplay out. Throw the clever addition of anew feature called the plot dieinto the mix, and it feels way more likely that using magic will result in an interesting back and forth between players and game masters.
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I’m obviously placing a lot of faith in a product that isn’t even out yet, and for all I know,the approach to magic in theCosmere RPGcould end up disappointing me. Even if it doesn’t stick the landing, though, the idea of magic that gives players and game masters a solid framework that flexes as needed is the golden ticket that I’ve been searching for. At the end of the day, I loveDungeons & Dragons, but something that makes dynamic improvisation easy has the potential to thrill me in a way thatDnDmagic never has.
