Tabletop RPGs: The flavour of magic
No, not like caramel (although I can see a bard from the college of confectionary brewing...).
When it comes to magic - whether in tabletop games or video games - I'm a huge fan. I love slinging spells and playing in a high-magic setting!
The design and writing of magic in tabletop systems can be incredibly evocative and exciting, but...how can you spice up your magic in your way, rather than somebody else's?
First, you need a GM who is open to the idea (which - I would argue - they all should be) of changing the cosmetics of your abilities. This can go for any ability, really, but we're focusing on magic today!
In something like Dungeons & Dragons, there is a canon to how things work, as well as a consensus (which you should always question!) on how magic functions. I have my own definitions of how spellcasters work, which are largely similar to the canon, but with slight variations.
Clerics: You gain your power from the power of divinity! You pray to your deity, and you get cool powers!
Druids: Your connection with the chaotic (note: chaotic doesn't mean "random" in this context) and natural world are where you get your power.
Paladins: With 5th edition, you no longer have to be a lawful-good character to be a paladin, nor do you have to follow a God. Now, you only have to follow an oath, which is a sacred binding power in which you get your divine powers. Your zeal and focused belief are so strong (Paladins are charisma-based spellcasters, after all) that you are granted supernatural abilities.
Sorcerers: You're inherently magical in some way. Something happened before, during or after your birth that infused you with the power to use magic just by harnessing the natural flow of, what the D&D canon calls, "the weave."
Warlocks: Something alien has granted these spellcasters their abilities. A fiend, a fey, a genie, an entity from the dark between the stars. I like to think of it like a transaction. You've promised to do some kind of task, a pact, to be given this power. You are granted that power, and now you have it - no take-backsies!
Wizards: You study magic like a scientist. An academic. You like to work out the ins and outs of how it can be applied. You use spellbooks, which in this analogy, I think of like a medical journal or textbook.
So, now with that out of the way, what's the point of this lesson? Flavour!
Let's look at eldritch blast, the favourite whipping boy of the D&D community.
"Boo!" They shout, "all warlocks do is fire eldritch blast! They're boring!"
But whose fault is that? Certainly I think Wizards of the Coast have a hand in making Warlocks much less exciting than previous editions (3.5 edition had Eldritch Blast as a class feature, with many, many different functions).
Who says we can't make our own changes to liven things up a little?
Anyone who has played in a D&D game with me knows I like to change things up and do things that aren't strictly according to Hoyle.
Who's running the game?
The rulebooks, or me?
So I like to change things up.
What does Eldritch Blast say in its flavour text?
"A beam of crackling energy streaks toward a creature within range."
Well now, that's very vague and simple, isn't it. Perfect for manipulation!
What does one do with that information? You mold it to your own uses.
I know what the books say Eldritch Blast looks like. What does your Eldritch Blast look like?
A Warlock with a Fiend as a patron has a very different source of power than a Warlock with a Fey as a patron.
A Fiend eldritch blast could look like a roaring blast of searing fire, drawn up from the earth beneath the Warlock's feet, rocketing towards their target!
A Fey eldritch blast could seem like it was drawn from a nearby tree, curling around the Warlock's hand with bright emerald energy and emanating a mischievous cackling reminiscent of untrustworthy pixies!
So that's Warlocks, and I think you largely get the idea. But let's take it a step further. You can do the same with any of these classes!
A Cleric who worships a God of Death will have spells that look very different to a Cleric who worships a God of Life.
Meet Makaldan, Cleric of Kelemvor!
As a devout follower of this God of Death, Makaldan casts guiding bolt! It takes the form of a terrifying visage of a skull, trailing black and grey mist! It still deals radiant damage, because divine =/= nice and pretty, so we're still following the mechanical rules of the game. We can still liven up our spells!
Now we come to Julia, Cleric of Tyr, God of War! She casts toll the dead! The sound of a great crashing bell echoes across the battlefield, accompanied by a mighty battlecry!
Doesn't that sound way cooler than just sticking to what the spell says?
Dazzlefinger, Gnome Wizard of Evocation, casts scorching ray! It still deals fire damage, as per the mechanical rules. But what does Dazzlefinger's scorching ray look like? Perhaps they have a fascination with mechanical trinkets, so it takes the form of summoning a spectral device that spews multiple streams of oil, igniting into searing fire as they arc through the air!
You can change anything in the game to work with who your character is, you just need to think about what they like, who they are, and where their power comes from.
I know what my eldritch blast looks like.
What does yours look like?
