Formulaic Magic: Difference between revisions

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* '''Reduction of math to a magical artifact:''' The simple knowledge of an equation is powerful in itself. [[Powers as Programs|Committing a mathematical expression to memory might unlock superpowers, for instance.]]

* '''Giving math a will of its own:''' The mere presence of some mathematical statement on paper or in someone's mind has some effect on its surroundings—discoverers [[Go Mad ~~From~~ the Revelation|immediately go insane]], or logical reasoning ceases to work in its presence.

* '''Giving math a will of its own:''' The mere presence of some mathematical statement on paper or in someone's mind has some effect on its surroundings—discoverers [[Go Mad from the Revelation|immediately go insane]], or logical reasoning ceases to work in its presence.

Such "magical math" (or "mathemagic" or "[[Whatevermancy|Mathamancy]]") doesn't have to be connected to any aspect of reality, so it will [[E=MC Hammer|often be rather nonsensical]] as a result. In this way, such math is somewhat related to the [[Numerological Motif]], in which numbers get intrinsic properties.

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* In the [[Marvel Universe]], Amadeus Cho (the seventh-smartest person on the planet) sees the world as mathematical formulas. The [[Incredible Hulk]] does as well, according to Cho (albeit unconsciously), which explains how he somehow doesn't hurt any innocent bystanders while Hulk-smashing.

* Small time Marvel villain Mathemanic has an array of math psycho-powers. For example, making people aware of galactic-scale distances so that they can't aim properly.

* There was a ''[[Fantastic Four]]'' arc where Reed whipped up a mathematical equation that became sentient. It was a low-grade [[Reality Warper]] that dealt with reality in mathematical terms and demanded that Reed create a formula that equalled himself.

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== Literature ==

* Magic in [[H.P. Lovecraft]]'s mythos is often related to mathematics. In ''Dreams in the Witch House'', for instance, the protagonist is a mathematician who discovers an equation that would allow him to travel outside angled space (basically, to create wormholes). If you can understand the true nature of the universe, you can use that knowledge to do things that seem physically impossible to us. Provided you don't first [[Go Mad ~~From~~ the Revelation]] or attract the attention of some [[Eldritch Abomination]], of course.

* Magic in [[H.P. Lovecraft]]'s mythos is often related to mathematics. In ''Dreams in the Witch House'', for instance, the protagonist is a mathematician who discovers an equation that would allow him to travel outside angled space (basically, to create wormholes). If you can understand the true nature of the universe, you can use that knowledge to do things that seem physically impossible to us. Provided you don't first [[Go Mad from the Revelation]] or attract the attention of some [[Eldritch Abomination]], of course.

* Connected to the above, ''[[The Laundry Series]]'' by Charles Stross also shows magic as mathematics, to the point where computers solving certain equations can warp reality as per magical spells. Becomes a bit of a problem when the walls around reality start weakening, to the worst-case scenario of somebody solving equations in their head running the risk of accidentally summoning an [[Eldritch Abomination]].

* Jack L. Chalker's ''Well of Souls'' series: The Great Equation. A couple of supercomputers are capable of [[Reality Warper|warping reality]] retroactively (that is, those who didn't see the change actually happen are incapable of realizing that anything actually changed) by "altering" the Equation, which basically ''is'' reality. By moving a few numbers in the equation, the result—that is, our reality—changes to suit.

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* In the ''[[Young Wizards]]'' series, all magic is based in math and science, and the kids have quite high-level discussions of these things, because part of magic is being able to completely describe what you want to change.

* In "Career Day", one of the stories in the ''Chicks in Chainmail'' anthology, the protagonist comes from a world where magic is done with mathematical formulas. She brings her daughter's class there on a field trip to observe her in her career as a barbarian swordswoman. When her opponent in a duel cheats by hiring a wizard to help him, the other chaperon on the trip, her daughter's math teacher, counteracts the magic with his knowledge of calculus. [[It Makes Sense in Context]].

* ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'', in the later books, introduces the field of ''Bistromathics'', math that can be used to warp spacetime for purposes of Faster-than-light travel by taking advantages of the unique properties numbers take on when written down within the confines of an Italian restaurant.

* The Aons (runes) neccessary to make the magic system from ''[[Elantris]]'' work are very much like a combination of mathematical symbols and a very complex alphabet. Learning magic is incredibly difficult for this reason, and it can take weeks for even an experienced practitioner to write out the more complex spell "equations".

* The premise behind ''[[Simon Bloom]]''

* The anthology "[[Chicks In Chainmail]]" gave us a short story by Margaret Ball, later expanded to a full novel, called ''Mathemagics'' with this entire premise for the magical system.

== Live Action TV ==

* The ''[[Doctor Who]]'' story ''Logopolis'' features a planet where they've developed a branch of mathematics in which the act of performing the calculations changes the fabric of reality. The entire population takes shifts in calculating a never-ending formula that holds the end of the universe at bay.

** Bonus points to the Master for destroying an ''entire quarter of the Universe'' by killing a couple of the guys doing the math.

** A more abstract example is seen in the episode "The Shakespeare Code"; the Carrionites use words as magic, like witches, and the Doctor explains this as completely non-magical by comparing it to mathematics on earth; "With the right string of numbers you can split the atom!" Except, of course, that saying the number out loud will not cause an atom to spontaneously divide in two.

* While not stated on ''[[Lost]]'' itself,the [[Alternate Reality Game]] ''[[The Lost Experience]]'' states that the [[Arc Number|numbers]] (4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42) are {{spoiler|parameters in the Valenzetti equation used to derive the time remaining before humanity's extinction}}.

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== Tabletop Games ==

* In ''Complete Arcane'', the 3.5 Edition of [[Dungeons ~~and~~ Dragons]] rulebook, there is a [[Prestige Class]] called the Geometer. They learn to describe magic as using abstract geometric designs. This is an advantage, if nothing else, because they can save a ton on spellbooks: they need only a single page to depict any spell, regardless of complexity, whereas with the traditional method one would need more pages with higher-level spells. They can also use scribe glyphs of these designs to cast a spell silently.

* In ''Complete Arcane'', the 3.5 Edition of [[Dungeons & Dragons]] rulebook, there is a [[Prestige Class]] called the Geometer. They learn to describe magic as using abstract geometric designs. This is an advantage, if nothing else, because they can save a ton on spellbooks: they need only a single page to depict any spell, regardless of complexity, whereas with the traditional method one would need more pages with higher-level spells. They can also use scribe glyphs of these designs to cast a spell silently.

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*** The beauty of Level ''i'' Flare is that it's a factor of every number, not just real numbers, meaning it would affect ''everything'', {{spoiler|across all possible realities. Useful when your target can travel through dimensions.}}

* The [[Final Fantasy Tactics]] series has a Calculator class that uses various magical effects. How their abilities work from an in-universe perspective is not specified.

** According to the remake for the PSP's tutorial, Calculators are attuned enough to the flow of mist that they can manipulate it in unique and bizarre ways which other classes just can't pull off. In other words: SE knew it made absolutely no sense and handwaved it.

* In ''[[Umineko no Naku Koro ni]]'', the [[Power Levels]] for Leviathan and {{spoiler|Kyrie}} are determined in how many hours they've experienced intense envy. In-game, Leviathan attempts the multiplication for the latter's multiplication formula, along with revealing her own, giving players the idea; in the TIPS, {{spoiler|Kyrie}} is shown actually chanting her formula as she runs to give her husband (flirting with a younger girl) what for.

* [[Final Fantasy VII]] has an interesting example: When [[One-Winged Angel|Safer Sephiroth]] casts [[Overly-Long Fighting Animation|Super Nova]], four equations fly by the screen. They are, roughly, the potential attractive force between the sun and the planet, the Earth's potential attractive force, and... the area of a circle. You should see the [[Epileptic Trees]] some fans go through to justify that one. Still, 75% good scientific formulae being used in a magic spell is better than average.

* Rita's non-spell special attacks in [[Tales of Vesperia]] take the form of mathematical equations.

* Reinhart Manx, the playable mage character in ''[[Dungeon Siege]] III'' employs both this and [[Magitek]], using the power of math rather than fireballs.

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