Vancian Magic: Difference between revisions

* ''[[Suikoden I]]'' used a magic system similar to ''[[Final Fantasy I]]'' and ''[[Final Fantasy III]]'', but it's more restrictive since each character could only have one magic-granting "rune" implanted, so there can only be a single spell chosen from each level. And those that are permanently equipped with a non-spellcasting rune (which enable things like special physical attacks or stat enhancement) can never use magic. This is very much [[Gameplay And Storyline Segregation]], as one particularly powerful mage that you recruit is explicitly stated to have over 100 magic runes implanted in him. As do the other games of the ''[[Suikoden]]'' series, though they allow a bit more flexibility by allowing two to three "rune slots" instead of just one. This allows most characters the option of casting spells, though some will be bad at it no matter how powerful the rune they're given.

* ''[[Chrono Cross]]'' uses a system like this. Each character has a set number of rows and columns in which "elements" can be set. Each element can only be used once per battle (except for "consumable" elements, which act like items do in other [[RPG]]s). And even consumable elements have a limit of five uses per slot.

* Similarly, the roguelike ''[[Ancient Domains of Mystery]]'' uses the same system, Vancian Casting from MP. [[Nintendo Hard|Somehow]], ''ADOM'' is somewhat more forgiving than ''Elona'' about spells. Some of the best books are extremely rare, but reading an entire spellbook grants hundreds of castings.

* The ''[[Enchanter]]'' trilogy from [[Infocom]] plays this almost completely straight. The spells themselves are very tongue in cheek with "fold dough 13 times", "balance checkbook", and "turn original into triplicate" being several examples. Or, for that matter, "turn purple things invisible".