I have seen many attempts at introducing a magic system in Minecraft and all of them have fallen into very similar traps: artificially imposed elemental systems, mana bars, “rare” items that are in weird places from a game design standpoint, overpowered systems, game mechanic replacement… The list goes on. I’m hoping this suggestion can be free from of most, if not all, of those things. Since I’m envisioning this an an entire update, the post itself will be long and detailed.
At its core, Minecraft is about manipulating the world and rules around you in creative ways to build, craft, and make each world your own. Just as Redstone follows this philosophy, so will this suggestion. The ‘magic’ in this theoretical update will be the Conversion of energies already present in Minecraft, along with a few added ones (since updates always include extra stuff).
Similar to how Redstone carries signals, Amber will carry energy. Amber Ores can be found between level 64 and 48. When mined, the ore will drop several ambers. There are 3 colors of Amber in the Overworld which correspond to different energies they can convert. They can be tempered to change their energy by using a furnace with lava as the fuel. Other Dimensions also have their own Ambers.
Fire
Absorb and Emit transform certain blocks, [Lava <--> Magma <--> Stone] , [Water <--> Ice] , [Clay Block --> Terracotta]
Emitting sets things on fire and absorbs active fires (will damage Blaze's on absorb)
Explosion
When absorbing on a block or entity that will explode, absorbs the explosion
Emitting on a block or entity causes a small explosion (half strength of TNT)
Motion
Absorb reduces speed of mobs for a short time
Absorb stops Minecarts in motion
Absorb stops water and lava from flowing turning them into 'Still' versions.
Emitting pushes mobs, carts and blocks. If a block cannot be moved it breaks. If a mob hits a wall it takes damage.
Emitting on a 'Still' water and lava turns them back to normal. Emitting on loose blocks like Sand and Concrete Powder makes them flow
Gravity
Absorbing on a block affected by gravity (i.e. Sand) stops it from falling.
Absorbing on a flying mob will ground it
Emitting on a block will make it 'Heavy' and fall like Sand or Gravel.
Emitting on a non flying mob would make it unable to change vertical position. Grounded mobs can fly again
Light
Absorbing on a source of light makes it stop emitting light, turning them into 'Darkened' versions
Emitting on a block makes it light up like the sun for a time, damaging undead mobs. Returns light to 'Darkened' blocks
Lightning
When absorbing during a storm, lightning will strike you, doing no damage and instead being absorbed
When emitting, lightning strikes the area. If a mob should transform, it will
Life
Absorbs and Emits hearts --> Decrease health on absorb Increase on Emit. Reversed for undead mobs.
Absorbing on a plant objects kills them [crops and grass --> Dead Bush] , [grass --> coarse dirt] , [leaves to sticks]
Emitting on plants and animals acts like feeding them or placing bone meal.
Soul
Absorbs experience
Emits a mob spawn based on inventory taken from top left downward [Bone --> Skeleton] , [Rotten Flesh -> Zombie]
Redstone
Absorbs and Emits redstone signal. Absorbing on a permanent redstone block only temporarily affects it.
Can emit on any block to turn it into a strong redstone source
Pressure
Emitting on a block searches for other same blocks adjacent to it. If there are enough blocks, they compress into one. [4 Sand adjacent to each other turn into 1 Sand Stone block] , [9 adjacent Ice --> Packed Ice]
Absorbing on a compressed block expands the block into any adjacent free spaces. If an entity is in a free space, it will be buried an take suffocation damage.
Once found, amber has to be ‘Set’ into things at a Gem Setter. The Scepter (below) is the basic tool made for Amber.
With the above Scepter in your hand, you would be able to absorb heat (right click) and emit light (left click). Ex: absorbing Lava turns it into Magma, filling the scepter with energy. If you then emit on another block, that block would glow like the sun for a time, draining the scepter of energy.
Natural secondary effects occur wherever applicable. Light will damage undead and pacify spiders; Lightning on a Creeper transforms it into a Charged Creeper etc.
Lastly, the bottom slot of the setter is to add modifiers, which are other crystals or crystal like items already found in the game.
Nether Quartz
Transmit energy between other equipped amber items
Ender Pearl
Double the casting range
Lapiz Lazuli
Doubles health of item
Emerald
Absorbing gives more energy
Nether Star
Doubles Energy Capacity
Prismarine Shard
Expands Effects to 4 adjacent squares as if you cast on them (+)
Prismarine Crystal
Expands Effects to 4 adjacent squares as if you cast on them (X)
Daimond
Emitting takes less energy
Armor and weapons can now be upgraded at a Smithing Table with glass. Amber can then be set into the upgraded equipment to either absorb or emit, not both. Amber equipment can’t be enchanted. The magic is activated contextually (i.e. jumping to activate boots). The same charge mechanic from scepters applies. New Charging/Dissipation Blocks will allow you to deal with energy levels in these items.
Other blocks can be set in the same way. Ex: A solar powered Furnace can be made with light and heat ambers. Or a Hopper with a Pressure Amber can turn Ice into Packed Ice.
Edit was made to shorten the post and simplify the system based on feedback and much thought.
Excellent Idea. Applies it in a way that will prevent it from becoming either irrelevant or dominant in the meta, and could potentially have a variety of clever uses.
I think that the game already has systems that could implement a magic system, that way a new one wouldn't have to be made, and a complex one at that.
I think lapis lazuli, being that it's already rare and used in enchanting, is already a good way to limit a player's ability to create wands/staves, and then requiring certain resources that pertain to the desired effect does this further. Though, if they worry about wands/staves being too accessible, a new resource, such as the Amber mentioned, could be a way to make it harder.
Most of the potion effects could probably just be made into magic effects, just requiring the potion emitted is made invisible and have the sound changed, along with a "durability" being the charge required to cast.
I think sticking mostly to what is already in the game would make it easier to use and implement in the game. Nether quartz and blaze rods for fire wands/staves, redstone for activating redstone components from a distance, maybe even ender pearls, or maybe an Eye of Ender, for a teleporting spell.
The problem with using in game stuff is that its very hard to balance. For instance, taking your example of a blaze rod and nether quartz for fire makes the fire stave exclusive to the nether. However, starting fires is not something that is so hard to do you need to wait until the nether; in fact, you need to start a fire to even get there. The same logic would then mean that I would need Gun Powder and Flint to make an explosion stave, which means that I can make a way more powerful explosion stave in the overworld way before I could ever think about making a lame fire stave from the nether.
The reason I chose to use amber instead of existing gems was to fix several problems at once.
Not enough reason to mine in Minecraft
No one mines at the top layers because there's nothing there. Amber in real life happens to be found at or near the surface and would give people a reason to mine there
Consistency. Most of the systems in Minecraft are consistent, when you pick up an ore, you know what to do with it, when you pick up any rock you know what to do with it. That kind of design can't continue if the new system uses blaze rods here, but lapiz there, but who know what over here.
I was also not going for potion effects because then whats the point of potions? Minecraft is engaging because you can shape the environment how you want. A magic system should allow you to shape the environment even more than you could before. That's why most of the amber effects are focused on the environment, not on fighting other things. If your clever, you can change the environment to deal with mobs and obstacles in a cool and wizardly way.
I will say though that the original post is overly complicated. I think the new edited post will be much easier to read, and the simplification to the system should hopefully make it more Minecrafty.
I would steer clear of magic in general for the player in Minecraft. Players mechanics mostly focus around machinery, technology, and "pseudo" magic like potions. I would focus on expanding these--certainly some of your ideas could work for new functional blocks or potions.
I would steer clear of magic in general for the player in Minecraft. Players mechanics mostly focus around machinery, technology, and "pseudo" magic like potions. I would focus on expanding these--certainly some of your ideas could work for new functional blocks or potions.
I would agree with you except enchanting exists. Enchanting is not pseudo magic it's full fledged magic and its linked to a gemstone, like my system. Evokers also exist and we're led to believe that they are a type of person like any villager or illager or even witch. People also seem to be enthralled with somehow gaining the Evoker power set and lots of people want the Illusioner to be introduced properly. I'd say that means that there's a large subset of people who want more explicit magic in Minecraft.
Unfortunately most people's solution is "craft a wand so that I can launch this super overpowered exploding fireball with my new mana bar that requires eating this new super rare fruit to replenish." Those kinds of suggestions don't fit with the spirit of Minecraft. I was setting forth an example that I think fits Minecraft because it is naturally limited, manipulates in game features, and encourages people to mine in new places. It basically parallels redstone. Additionally, this system gives an explanation to certain odd things in the game. After finding a life amber, a perceptive player could make the connection with a totem of undying with green eyes, and what the totem does. After crafting soul amber, it makes sense that Evokers and Mob Spawners can exist.
You're right in that these could be cool new functional blocks, but my argument is that amber would give a these new blocks an easy and understandable recipe that wouldn't exist otherwise.
I like this, but maybe if the crafting recipes and textures would feel a little less modded (if it does get added they probably would change them) and I don't think adding another ore in the overworld would be good, add it to the end instead cause the nether recently got another ore
I like this, but maybe if the crafting recipes and textures would feel a little less modded (if it does get added they probably would change them) and I don't think adding another ore in the overworld would be good, add it to the end instead cause the nether recently got another ore
Yea, I'm not a pixel artist by any stretch of the imagination, in fact those were my first textures ever done. I'm sure they'd feel much more integrated if the mojang artists did it. I'm curious about 2 things:
What part of the recipes feel modded? If Mojang said they were going to implement this tomorrow, what do you think they would do differently?
Why would you not want them in the Overworld? The way I have it laid out, there would be one dedicated to the Nether and one dedicated to the End. The reasons I have the main 3 in the Overworld is because
Their function is not powerful enough to be put in the End. I mean how does a Heat Amber stack up to a Shulker Box? Would you even care if you found a Heat Amber in the End when you can get an Elytra, a Shulker Box, and Dragon's Breath?
Thematically it doesn't make sense. The Nether is where you find Nether Quartz which massively boost your ability to Redstone, Therefore, I put the Redstone Amber there. The End is all about weird space, compression stuff via Shulker Box's so I put the Pressure Amber there. Things like fire, movement, light and life are introduced in the Overworld, so I put those there.
I would agree with you except enchanting exists. Enchanting is not pseudo magic it's full fledged magic and its linked to a gemstone, like my system.
Pseudo-magic perhaps isn't the right word, but enchanting a weapon to have somewhat improved functionality and creating an overt system of magic/spells via staves aren't the same. Moreover, the gemstone aspect of enchanting was only added after-the-fact to make enchanting more of an investment... it had nothing to do with lapis lazuli when it released, nor for quite a period afterward
Evokers also exist and we're led to believe that they are a type of person like any villager or illager or even witch
This is why I said "for the player." Yes, hostile mobs can do things players cannot. That's fine. Players cannot legitimately fly. Players cannot hurl fireballs. And yeah, players can't use magic. That's perfectly fine, though, because players can utilize technology and innovation to mimic these abilities. We don't need to just hand these abilities to players--this has been done through mods for years now, and the developers have thankfully shown little interest in implementing them because they're not really true to the way they've established that the player interacts with the world. Hence, even if a lot of people want it, that doesn't mean it should be implemented. A lot of people want wall tiles, too, but that doesn't mean they're going to be added because they're not consistent with how Mojang has established the player is intended to operate.
Unfortunately most people's solution is "craft a wand so that I can launch this super overpowered exploding fireball with my new mana bar that requires eating this new super rare fruit to replenish."
Yet that's essentially what this idea is. Ignoring that many of the more-popular magic mods don't actually involve super overpowered exploding fireballs and actually involve more-reasonable manipulation of the environment and game mechanics. Despite how you're framing it as being similar to Redstone, it's actually very similar to many magic mods
Moreover, many of the powers listed in this suggestion are very overpowered! The Explosion powers are ones that have been roundly rejected by the community for a long time because of how disruptive and griefy they can be. The Motion and Fire powers allow for effectively infinite lava generation at relatively cheap cost. Lightning essentially is an overpowered version of the Channeling enchantment, and Life is an improved Health/Damage potion combined into one. Many of these staves also are very overloaded, meaning they do way too much on top of individual powers being too good.
You're right in that these could be cool new functional blocks, but my argument is that amber would give a these new blocks an easy and understandable recipe that wouldn't exist otherwise.
I... think it delves too far into territory that's better suited to a mod, not the core gameplay of vanilla Minecraft. Like I said, some of these ideas are salvageable and could actually be quite good implemented into technology or into a constructed system (i.e. how players use pistons, redstone blocks, and slime and honey blocks to make flying machines). For example, using your Lightning and Redstone ideas... you could create a Lightning Rod item which attracts & absorbs lightning strikes in a 32-block radius, essentially protecting anything in that area from lightning (as long as they're not standing on the lightning rod), and briefly emits a Redstone signal when it is struck by lightning. Many people, myself included, have long been supportive of the idea of a way to store experience to reclaim later (probably at a significantly reduced return). Some kind of method to generate Lava isn't even out of the question, but I do think any method of doing so needs to be quite expensive.
You touch on some good ideas here, but I think they get lost in the whole magic thing.
I have seen many attempts at introducing a magic system in Minecraft and all of them have fallen into very similar traps: artificially imposed elemental systems, mana bars, “rare” items that are in weird places from a game design standpoint, overpowered systems, game mechanic replacement… The list goes on. I’m hoping this suggestion can be free from of most, if not all, of those things. Since I’m envisioning this an an entire update, the post itself will be long and detailed.
At its core, Minecraft is about manipulating the world and rules around you in creative ways to build, craft, and make each world your own. Just as Redstone follows this philosophy, so will this suggestion. The ‘magic’ in this theoretical update will be the Conversion of energies already present in Minecraft, along with a few added ones (since updates always include extra stuff).
Similar to how Redstone carries signals, Amber will carry energy. Amber Ores can be found between level 64 and 48. When mined, the ore will drop several ambers. There are 3 colors of Amber in the Overworld which correspond to different energies they can convert. They can be tempered to change their energy by using a furnace with lava as the fuel. Other Dimensions also have their own Ambers.
Fire
Explosion
Motion
Gravity
Light
Lightning
Life
Soul
Redstone
Pressure
Once found, amber has to be ‘Set’ into things at a Gem Setter. The Scepter (below) is the basic tool made for Amber.
With the above Scepter in your hand, you would be able to absorb heat (right click) and emit light (left click). Ex: absorbing Lava turns it into Magma, filling the scepter with energy. If you then emit on another block, that block would glow like the sun for a time, draining the scepter of energy.
Natural secondary effects occur wherever applicable. Light will damage undead and pacify spiders; Lightning on a Creeper transforms it into a Charged Creeper etc.
Lastly, the bottom slot of the setter is to add modifiers, which are other crystals or crystal like items already found in the game.
Nether Quartz
Transmit energy between other equipped amber items
Ender Pearl
Double the casting range
Lapiz Lazuli
Doubles health of item
Emerald
Absorbing gives more energy
Nether Star
Doubles Energy Capacity
Prismarine Shard
Expands Effects to 4 adjacent squares as if you cast on them (+)
Prismarine Crystal
Expands Effects to 4 adjacent squares as if you cast on them (X)
Daimond
Emitting takes less energy
Armor and weapons can now be upgraded at a Smithing Table with glass. Amber can then be set into the upgraded equipment to either absorb or emit, not both. Amber equipment can’t be enchanted. The magic is activated contextually (i.e. jumping to activate boots). The same charge mechanic from scepters applies. New Charging/Dissipation Blocks will allow you to deal with energy levels in these items.
Other blocks can be set in the same way. Ex: A solar powered Furnace can be made with light and heat ambers. Or a Hopper with a Pressure Amber can turn Ice into Packed Ice.
Edit was made to shorten the post and simplify the system based on feedback and much thought.
Excellent Idea. Applies it in a way that will prevent it from becoming either irrelevant or dominant in the meta, and could potentially have a variety of clever uses.
I think that the game already has systems that could implement a magic system, that way a new one wouldn't have to be made, and a complex one at that.
I think lapis lazuli, being that it's already rare and used in enchanting, is already a good way to limit a player's ability to create wands/staves, and then requiring certain resources that pertain to the desired effect does this further. Though, if they worry about wands/staves being too accessible, a new resource, such as the Amber mentioned, could be a way to make it harder.
Most of the potion effects could probably just be made into magic effects, just requiring the potion emitted is made invisible and have the sound changed, along with a "durability" being the charge required to cast.
I think sticking mostly to what is already in the game would make it easier to use and implement in the game. Nether quartz and blaze rods for fire wands/staves, redstone for activating redstone components from a distance, maybe even ender pearls, or maybe an Eye of Ender, for a teleporting spell.
The problem with using in game stuff is that its very hard to balance. For instance, taking your example of a blaze rod and nether quartz for fire makes the fire stave exclusive to the nether. However, starting fires is not something that is so hard to do you need to wait until the nether; in fact, you need to start a fire to even get there. The same logic would then mean that I would need Gun Powder and Flint to make an explosion stave, which means that I can make a way more powerful explosion stave in the overworld way before I could ever think about making a lame fire stave from the nether.
The reason I chose to use amber instead of existing gems was to fix several problems at once.
I was also not going for potion effects because then whats the point of potions? Minecraft is engaging because you can shape the environment how you want. A magic system should allow you to shape the environment even more than you could before. That's why most of the amber effects are focused on the environment, not on fighting other things. If your clever, you can change the environment to deal with mobs and obstacles in a cool and wizardly way.
I will say though that the original post is overly complicated. I think the new edited post will be much easier to read, and the simplification to the system should hopefully make it more Minecrafty.
Shortlist of changes made to the idea
I would steer clear of magic in general for the player in Minecraft. Players mechanics mostly focus around machinery, technology, and "pseudo" magic like potions. I would focus on expanding these--certainly some of your ideas could work for new functional blocks or potions.
I would agree with you except enchanting exists. Enchanting is not pseudo magic it's full fledged magic and its linked to a gemstone, like my system. Evokers also exist and we're led to believe that they are a type of person like any villager or illager or even witch. People also seem to be enthralled with somehow gaining the Evoker power set and lots of people want the Illusioner to be introduced properly. I'd say that means that there's a large subset of people who want more explicit magic in Minecraft.
Unfortunately most people's solution is "craft a wand so that I can launch this super overpowered exploding fireball with my new mana bar that requires eating this new super rare fruit to replenish." Those kinds of suggestions don't fit with the spirit of Minecraft. I was setting forth an example that I think fits Minecraft because it is naturally limited, manipulates in game features, and encourages people to mine in new places. It basically parallels redstone. Additionally, this system gives an explanation to certain odd things in the game. After finding a life amber, a perceptive player could make the connection with a totem of undying with green eyes, and what the totem does. After crafting soul amber, it makes sense that Evokers and Mob Spawners can exist.
You're right in that these could be cool new functional blocks, but my argument is that amber would give a these new blocks an easy and understandable recipe that wouldn't exist otherwise.
I like this, but maybe if the crafting recipes and textures would feel a little less modded (if it does get added they probably would change them) and I don't think adding another ore in the overworld would be good, add it to the end instead cause the nether recently got another ore
Yea, I'm not a pixel artist by any stretch of the imagination, in fact those were my first textures ever done. I'm sure they'd feel much more integrated if the mojang artists did it. I'm curious about 2 things:
Pseudo-magic perhaps isn't the right word, but enchanting a weapon to have somewhat improved functionality and creating an overt system of magic/spells via staves aren't the same. Moreover, the gemstone aspect of enchanting was only added after-the-fact to make enchanting more of an investment... it had nothing to do with lapis lazuli when it released, nor for quite a period afterward
This is why I said "for the player." Yes, hostile mobs can do things players cannot. That's fine. Players cannot legitimately fly. Players cannot hurl fireballs. And yeah, players can't use magic. That's perfectly fine, though, because players can utilize technology and innovation to mimic these abilities. We don't need to just hand these abilities to players--this has been done through mods for years now, and the developers have thankfully shown little interest in implementing them because they're not really true to the way they've established that the player interacts with the world. Hence, even if a lot of people want it, that doesn't mean it should be implemented. A lot of people want wall tiles, too, but that doesn't mean they're going to be added because they're not consistent with how Mojang has established the player is intended to operate.
Yet that's essentially what this idea is. Ignoring that many of the more-popular magic mods don't actually involve super overpowered exploding fireballs and actually involve more-reasonable manipulation of the environment and game mechanics. Despite how you're framing it as being similar to Redstone, it's actually very similar to many magic mods
Moreover, many of the powers listed in this suggestion are very overpowered! The Explosion powers are ones that have been roundly rejected by the community for a long time because of how disruptive and griefy they can be. The Motion and Fire powers allow for effectively infinite lava generation at relatively cheap cost. Lightning essentially is an overpowered version of the Channeling enchantment, and Life is an improved Health/Damage potion combined into one. Many of these staves also are very overloaded, meaning they do way too much on top of individual powers being too good.
I... think it delves too far into territory that's better suited to a mod, not the core gameplay of vanilla Minecraft. Like I said, some of these ideas are salvageable and could actually be quite good implemented into technology or into a constructed system (i.e. how players use pistons, redstone blocks, and slime and honey blocks to make flying machines). For example, using your Lightning and Redstone ideas... you could create a Lightning Rod item which attracts & absorbs lightning strikes in a 32-block radius, essentially protecting anything in that area from lightning (as long as they're not standing on the lightning rod), and briefly emits a Redstone signal when it is struck by lightning. Many people, myself included, have long been supportive of the idea of a way to store experience to reclaim later (probably at a significantly reduced return). Some kind of method to generate Lava isn't even out of the question, but I do think any method of doing so needs to be quite expensive.
You touch on some good ideas here, but I think they get lost in the whole magic thing.