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« on: September 24, 2012, 07:33:38 PM »
I think a well defined set of rules is very important.
It makes it feel more real, more thought out. Random spell casting without a good system comes off as cheesey to me. If you want magic to mean something you need to make sure what ever system of magic you use is well defined.
One of they key things to making your own magic system is figuring out what its limitations and costs are. Once you know what can reasonably be done you can work back and come up with spells that fit within your system. You dont want magic to become a fail safe to get characters out of every dangerous situation they get in.
Also with a defined system you can make stronger/weaker magic users fit where they belong better.
Molly and Harry are two very different grades of wizard but we would not know that if Jim didnt define it. Instead of just having two magic users that use different spells, we have an understanding of what both are good and bad at, and we get to watch them grow.
So I think the best thing you can do is really flesh out a system that fits your story, then stick to it. There is nothing I hate more than random magic, but that might just be me.