22 Questions You Can Use to Build a Unique Magic System

I’m in the early stages of writing a new YA fantasy novel right now, and one of my favorite parts of the process is brainstorming the magic system.

Every time I create a new fantasy world, I start by asking myself a set of 22 questions. The answers to these questions always give me a great starting point for fleshing out how magic works in this world, and often, they even affect my characters, setting, and plot.

Today I’m sharing those 22 questions so you can use them too. Try them out and see if they work for you!

The Basics of Your Magic System

1) What purpose does magic serve within your story? (e.g., a metaphor, a tool, an antagonistic force)

2) How hard or soft do you want your magic system to be? (i.e., does it obey logical rules, or is it more atmospheric?)

3) How does magic look, sound, feel, taste, and smell in your world?

4) What existing magic systems are you drawing inspiration from? (e.g., books, movies, TV shows, fairy tales, video games)

5) What makes your magic system stand out from those other magic systems?

The Origins of Magic

6) Where did magic originally come from? (e.g., a gift from the gods, a scientific discovery, a genetic mutation)

7) Who can use magic, and why? (e.g., genetically inherited, studied in school, bought and sold)

8) Does magic have a specific fuel source that keeps it going? (e.g., dragon blood, specific metals, the favor of the gods)

The Costs and Limitations of Magic

9) Does magic have any negative effects on magic users? (e.g., physical pain, faster aging, loss of sanity)

10) Does magic have any negative effects on the rest of the world? (e.g., climate change, pollution, chaos)

11) Is magic difficult to use? (e.g., it’s hard to learn, it requires tremendous concentration, it costs a lot of money)

12) What is magic unable to accomplish? (e.g., you can never bring someone back from the dead, you can never use your power on yourself)

13) Does magic have a fatal flaw that allows it to be defeated?

How Magic Interacts with Society

14) Is magic kept secret in your world, or does everyone know it exists?

15) Can everyone use magic, or does only a specific group of people use it?

16) How does magic intersect with race, class, and power?  

17) How is magic treated by the law? (e.g., magic is a crime, magicians write the laws)

18) How has magic affected the way society works? (e.g., government, economy, art)

19) Do you need to go through any societal processes to use magic? (e.g., a magic academy, a special ritual)

20) Does society treat magic-users and non-magic-users differently?

21) What cultural beliefs have formed around magic? (e.g., myth, holidays, traditions)

22) Do people know the full truth about how magic works, or do they have false beliefs about magic?

Once you’ve answered all those questions, you should have a unique magic system that feels three-dimensional enough to support a whole novel.

What kind of magic system are you using in your story? Let me know in the comments!