What is the Vancian Magic system? [Archive] - Wizards Community

What is the Vancian Magic system? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
bahamut920
02-09-07, 05:24 PM I've encountered several references to this magic system here on the House Rules board, but despite searching all the pages of the message board, plus the archived House Rules threads, I could find no thread actually defining the system. I understand that it is based on the "magic system" that is used in a series of fantasy novels, but I can't seem to find anything more in-depth than that.
Eerongal
02-09-07, 05:29 PM Buy it. Read it. Love it. (http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Dying-Earth-Jack-Vance/dp/0312874561)

(and vancian is because of the authors last name. It's the standard D&D magic system, coined in those books)
JustinA
02-09-07, 05:29 PM I've encountered several references to this magic system here on the House Rules board, but despite searching all the pages of the message board, plus the archived House Rules threads, I could find no thread actually defining the system. I understand that it is based on the "magic system" that is used in a series of fantasy novels, but I can't seem to find anything more in-depth than that.

The term "Vancian magic" refers to the fantasy author Jack Vance. It's from his books that Gygax and Arneson pulled the idea of wizards memorizing spells which, when cast, are wiped from the mind and must be memorized again.

After two decades of people being confused by the idea of a wizard "forgetting" a spell while casting it, the mechanic was redescribed as "preparing" a spell.

So when people say "Vancian magic system", they mean "a magic system like D&D" or "fire-and-forget" or "prepare-and-use-once".

(As far as I know, the only other time a similar system of magic was used in fiction -- outside of D&D tie-ins, of course -- was Zelazny's Second Chronicles of Amber. Although I wouldn't be shocked to discover minor examples scattered here and there.)

Justin Alexander
http://www.thealexandrian.net
bahamut920
02-09-07, 05:35 PM I see. Thanks, Eerongal. That clears up a couple of questions.

Edit: And thanks to JustinA for his more specific reply. At the time I typed this post, I could only see Eerongal's post.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
bahamut920 02-09-07, 05:24 PM	I've encountered several references to this magic system here on the House Rules board, but despite searching all the pages of the message board, plus the archived House Rules threads, I could find no thread actually defining the system. I understand that it is based on the "magic system" that is used in a series of fantasy novels, but I can't seem to find anything more in-depth than that.
Eerongal 02-09-07, 05:29 PM	Buy it. Read it. Love it. (http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Dying-Earth-Jack-Vance/dp/0312874561) (and vancian is because of the authors last name. It's the standard D&D magic system, coined in those books)
JustinA 02-09-07, 05:29 PM	I've encountered several references to this magic system here on the House Rules board, but despite searching all the pages of the message board, plus the archived House Rules threads, I could find no thread actually defining the system. I understand that it is based on the "magic system" that is used in a series of fantasy novels, but I can't seem to find anything more in-depth than that. The term "Vancian magic" refers to the fantasy author Jack Vance. It's from his books that Gygax and Arneson pulled the idea of wizards memorizing spells which, when cast, are wiped from the mind and must be memorized again. After two decades of people being confused by the idea of a wizard "forgetting" a spell while casting it, the mechanic was redescribed as "preparing" a spell. So when people say "Vancian magic system", they mean "a magic system like D&D" or "fire-and-forget" or "prepare-and-use-once". (As far as I know, the only other time a similar system of magic was used in fiction -- outside of D&D tie-ins, of course -- was Zelazny's Second Chronicles of Amber. Although I wouldn't be shocked to discover minor examples scattered here and there.) Justin Alexander http://www.thealexandrian.net
bahamut920 02-09-07, 05:35 PM	I see. Thanks, Eerongal. That clears up a couple of questions. Edit: And thanks to JustinA for his more specific reply. At the time I typed this post, I could only see Eerongal's post.