A game with a satisfying magic/spell-casting system

Submitted by thebestaras t3_ygkqxy in gaming

I am looking for a game where the magic system isn't just " shoot different color orbs to do more damage " I want a game where different spells do different things and cause different effects, a game that makes using magic very satisfying. Preferably no isometric games

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Wade-M-Wilson t1_iu8z03o wrote

Have you played Morrowind before?

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thebestaras OP t1_iu8z6iy wrote

I have it but have not played it that much. Is the magic system really that great?

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Wade-M-Wilson t1_iu8zfzn wrote

You can fully customize every spell you want to use.

Example: Acrobatics is a skill in that game. Higher you go, higher you jump. You can create a spell that imbues yourself with fortify acrobatics and literally jump across the map.

That's just one basic idea. It works for every spell and skill in the game. Base game consoles or PC, no mods needed.

Athletics is also a skill. Higher run faster. Same idea, can turn yourself into a gazelle that can run across the map, jump over an ocean, and safe fall into Vivec city to go kill a God and break the game.

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logicality77 t1_iu8zk08 wrote

The magic in all the Elder Scrolls games is really good, and viable in a variety of play styles. Morrowind and Oblivion make it even better with spell crafting, where you can mix spell effects and durations as you see fit. It’s very fun, and can get quite OP if you spend time building your character’s skills there.

Edit: spell crafting in Elder Scrolls games goes back to the first game, but it’s harder to recommend Arena and Daggerfall unless you are already a fan of the series. Daggerfall is better if you play with Daggerfall Unity, but it’s still very much a product of its time, that being the late 90’s.

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Wade-M-Wilson t1_iu96iqb wrote

Totally agree. I intro'd to the series with Morrowind as a kid and I wish I'd had Oblivion as my launch point. Spent a bunch of time in all the Beth open worlds so far, but far and away more in TES than Fallout.

Skyrim is a GREAT all around game but they threw magic use to the wolves. It's fun and flashy but mostly useless.

Oblivion was a good learning point because it was, in hindsight, an almost exact middle ground between the potentially destructive freedom of Morrowind and more open-ended restrictions of Skyrim.

Morrowind these days is my favorite for going in to an open world fantasy setting, and basically acting like an immature God a la Grand Theft Auto style play freedom.

It's a STEEP learning curve if you're young. But the game will literally let you kill any NPC you want to at any point. Even if it breaks the game/story. You can irreparably mess up a save file at any point and sometimes not even know until you hit a cross point you didn't know would be coming unless you'd read elsewhere ahead of time.

And the utter, gleeful madness of the freedom they gave you with spellcrafting and enchanting. On CONSOLES!

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Hefty-Marzipan t1_iu8zpvx wrote

I know you said no isometric, but I can't help it to recommend Divinity Original Sin 2

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thebestaras OP t1_iu9aycw wrote

I see many people recommending divinity:original sin 2. how is the magic system in that game. Is it really that great

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metal88heart t1_iu9fd3l wrote

I wouldnt say its the magic system thats great. Its the environmental interactivity of the spells. Like water on the ground, if electrified will hit everyone in it, but then can be poisoned. If poisonous and fire i believe it makes necro-fire. Fire that wont go out with normal anti-fire measures. This sort of thing is the bread and butter of the game. I had a fire mage who would game more action points from being burnt and resisted fire, and so he would go nova and the entire map would be fire. And all the crazy interactions of fire and other things in the environment would make like electric fire and electrified blood steam and smoke that made it hard for ranged combat and breathing. The game is almost nuts for how many status effects and interactions there are.

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AnIntelligentZombie t1_iu8zxzk wrote

I actually like the magic system in dragon age origins. The later two DA games the systems are kind of meh to me, but in the first one the diversity of spells is cool, and you can't max all branches so you do have to pick your focus.

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133f4 t1_iu90b3r wrote

Dragon age (awakening and origins)

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RTGac t1_iu8zzjv wrote

>I am looking for a game where the magic system isn't just " shoot different color orbs to do more damage " I want a game where different spells do different things and cause different effects, a game that makes using magic very satisfying.

Divinity: Original Sin 2

>Preferably no isometric games

Oh, nevermind. Now I don't know.

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heeho10400 t1_iu90pm0 wrote

Two worlds series is famous for this. Spellmaking is one of the few redeeming qualities the game have and its great There also dragon dogma. Its not super creative or anything but really satisfyimg to cast. There a game called Lichdom battlemage which have a customisable spell you can create.

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CazT91 t1_iu92x11 wrote

Keep an eye on Wayward Realms. Two of the original Eldar Scrolls are producing it.

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SeleneMarie t1_iu9anz0 wrote

You need some Dragons Dogma in your life.

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WindInc t1_iu9hsrh wrote

Dragon Age games are pretty nice at making magic casters feel like more than shooting pretty balls :)

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Earllad t1_iu9o5w3 wrote

Arx Fatalis

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himynameisyoda t1_iuadbid wrote

Isometrics are the kings for RPGs, but I guess fable? Dragon age series.

A fun magic/combat game is wizards of legend.

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Pa11Ma t1_iuc2ubl wrote

Magic the gathering: Arena. Each card is a spell, build your deck. Deal with your opponents spells.

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