Another look at magic:

Recently, the question of elements has arisen among the staff and players – what combinations are accepted in characters, how the elements interact, etc. etc. Some characters are originally submitted as being adept at the use of all elements, while others are proficient with two or three that do not interact (and thus is unrealistic). In order to put these questions to rest, this post was written as a resource for both players and staff.
Please keep in mind that there are many schools of thought on this subject, and there will be clashing opinions. Just like what kills a vampire, etc. The following information is drawn from a variety of sources, such as Dungeons & Dragons (since Berbusk is, albeit loosely, D&D based).
PRIMARY ELEMENTS:
~The Earth element is one that we are perhaps most familiar with. It consists of the ground beneath our feet, the sands of the desert, and the rock of the mighty mountains. The Earth element is likened to durability, dependability, and resolve. Earth magic opposes the elements of Wind and Lightning.
~Fire is the destructive force of nature, the forest blaze and dragon’s breath, harnessed by humans (and others) for the purposes of warmth, light, and eating. The Fire element is largely destructive in nature, though it also possesses a certain quality of renewal – when the old is burnt away, its ashes provide nourishment for the new. Fire magic opposes the elements of Water and Ice.
~Wind is one of the most chaotic elements, pitted closely against Fire for the title of most unpredictable. From gentle breezes to violent tornadoes, Wind is flighty, difficult to anticipate, and prone to very sudden “mood swings”. But for one who can harness its elemental energy, it can be a very useful tool for transportation. Though it is the most intangible element, Wind is every bit as powerful and important as the others, and never to be underestimated. Wind magic opposes the elements of Earth and Forest.
~Water is another element that we are very familiar with. Water is found in everything, from small quantities such as in food or living beings to the vastness of the oceans. This element can be docile and easily manipulated, or wrathful and unforgiving. The Water element is mainly refreshing in nature, powering many types of healing spells. Water magic opposes the elements of Fire and Magma.
SECONDARY ELEMENTS:
~The Magma element is wholly destructive in nature. It is the embodiment of the wrath of the very planet: violent explosions, boiling geysers, and devastating eruptions. Most Magma spells are aggressive in nature, focusing on destroying one’s opponents in the most spectacular, most painful fashion possible. Magma magic opposes the elements of Water and Ice.
~Lightning is another elemental tool of mass destruction. Though less aggressive and more focused than Magma, it is nonetheless equally potent in its own right. Lightning is a preferred choice for mages who wish to harness one of nature’s most destructive forces for the purposes of attack and combat enhancement. Lightning magic opposes the elements of Earth and Forest.
~The Ice element is a potent form of magic, drawing from the unforgiving powers of cold. Ice can be used dually for offensive and defensive spells, and can be quite potent when wielded by a competent elemental magic user. Ice magic opposes the elements of Fire and Magma.
~Forest is the least aggressive of all the elements, primary and secondary both. It is the magical manifestation of nature’s growth and life, and thus focuses almost fully on curative and healing magic. The Forest element can also be used toward other purposes – poison magic, much of which is derived from the Forest element, is a very potent form of aggressive magic when used wisely. Druids and rangers also use Forest magic for camouflage, plant control, and so on. Forest magic opposes the elements of Wind and Lightning.
THE FIFTH ELEMENT: The so-called “fifth element” (great movie BTW) is Spirit, the elemental manifestation of the more intangible substance that gives life… and takes it away. Mages who wield spirit can be evil or neutral as well as good, contrary to some popular beliefs. It is used to heal or to undo healing, to communicate with the spirits, travel the astral plane, and many other forms of magic. It is the element preferred by necromancers of all kinds. Most good Spirit Mages are healers and oracles, while evil Spirit Mages delve into the darker arts of undeath and blood magic. As a general rule, Spirit magic of all kinds possess little aggressive magic – but what IS there can be quite potent.
In addition to the basic four elements and their secondaries, two more forms of elemental energy exist. These are Positive and Negative. These two elements exist somewhat outside of the elemental spectrum, but are inextricably bound to it and play a crucial role nonetheless. These two elements are not directly accessible as forms of magic – there is no such thing as a “Positive Mage”. Rather, magic users draw spells from the Positive and Negative sub-elements. Furthermore, it should be noted that although Positive and Negative magic is stereotypically inclined toward Good and Evil (respectively), these elements do NOT represent these extremes of morality. It is entirely possible for a Shadow Mage to be goood-aligned, or a Light Mage to be evil, though the stereotype tends to often be true.
POSITIVE ELEMENTS:
~The Light element embodies the radiance of the sun and the glow of the stars. Like Spirit, it possesses the power to heal – and like Fire, it possesses the power to burn and destroy. The very nature of Light, and thus its elemental magic, is straightforward and without deception. It is all but incapable of subtlety, as nearly all Light magic is accompanied by a blinding flash of radiance.
~The Time element represents the constant flow of events, from minute seconds to sprawling eons. Time magic is used to tap into the flow of time and alter the “current” in a localized area – to speed time for an ally, or slow or stop it completely in an opponent. Contrary to popular belief, time travel is impossible for the vast majority of Time Mages. Only the masters of the art can change their position in the ages, and most often never more than a few years, by entering the Plane of Time (which is arguably the most dangerous of the planes, as most travelers are ground into dust by the sheer power of the current. Suitable punishment for those foolish enough to tamper with time.)
NEGATIVE ELEMENTS:
~Shadow elemental magic is the inherent enemy of Light, and its opposite in every way. Unlike its frank and spectacular sibling, Shadow is subtle. The world of Shadow magic is filled with deception and intrigue, and as a rule most Shadow Mages tend to be crafty and resourceful, relying on indirect means to attain their goal. Offensive magic is not paid much attention in the Shadow element, as it tends to go against the philosophy of subtlety. However, it does power some very potent aggressive magic; in particular the ability to copy numerous non-elemental attack spells.
~Perhaps the most obscure element of all, Gravity/Void deals with the dark, invisible forces in the universe. Aggressive in nature, Gravity/Void can be drawn from to utilize many forms of magical attack, from spells that crush an opponent or throw them high into the air, to forms of magic that open windows into the Void, a terrible source of power used to banish or summon. Gravity/Void Mages are often summoners and well-versed in planar travel.
RULES:
~Elemental magic-user characters may utilize 2 elements to power their spells: one at a “proficient” level, and one at a “novice” level (just as a fighter/mage is permitted to have their combat ability as “proficient” and magic as “novice”, or vice versa).
~Fighter/mages choose only 1 element at “proficient” or “novice”. The other rating is used to describe their fighting ability. For example, a fighter/mage with “proficient” Fire magic is a “novice” fighter.
~Non-elemental magic (non-linear, force magic, whatever you wish to call it) counts as an element for these purposes. In other words, for a standard mage character, Non-Elemental+Fire=acceptable. Non-Elemental+Fire+Wind=no-no. Examples of non-elemental magic are your standard illusion spells, “magic missile”-type pure energy attacks, and so on.
~When choosing elements for a mage character to use, NONE of the elements may oppose. For example, Lightning and Earth magic cannot be mixed, nor can Fire and Water. This is true in a logical sense, in that if one were to channel two opposing elements, the energies would cancel each other out. Spirit and Non-Elemental magic oppose no other elements. ALL Positive and Negative elements oppose each other (so, a Light/Gravity Mage is impossible, as is a Shadow-Time Mage).
~Certain races have a natural inclination toward individual elemental types, and shy away from others. As such, characters should reflect this realistically and accurately – one of CAPTIVELIGHT’s ice elves should not be able to use the Fire element, for example.