What would be a cool star magic system based off of constellations or similar?

[NiightLiight]

Hello everyone! I need some help with brainstorming some ideas for a star and sky based magic system. If anyone can put down their thoughts here that would be great, thanks!

[TheSurvivorofDeath]

So the first question is what kind of powers you’re trying to implement. Is it going to be enhancements based on the constellations present, kind of like zodiac constellations, or is it going to be like an understanding of the stars and their positions as a sort of language, used to manipulate the world around them, or something different? What do you have in mind here?

[GunslingerRadiant]

As an idea, you could say, with an extensive knowledge of the sky, create dots of light that would have an effect based on the constellations human interpretation. For example, a constellation assigned to the Fire God might allow the user a burst of fire. Of course, this is very similar to Elantrian magic, so do what suits you.

One more idea. There are major stars and minor stars. on this world it is always a form of night. Each star has its own thing. For example, the Fjordstar, Denizen of Ice. When called upon, this star can be manipulated into freezing large areas. If you want to access them though, it requires incredible strength. Play around with it and give me what you decided on.I am interested to hear how it turns out.

[Through the Living Heir he/him]

I’d recommend something astrology based, like different times of year and planetary locations causing different powers. 
Additionally, the world influence comes from a “flow from the stars” which would influence people’s emotions and destiny (that’s where astrology comes from). The mages could manipulate that star flow. The flow is related to theories of gravity, light, a fifth element, pheulestigen (definitely spelled that wrong) which is the theoretical liquid that is released as fire, the liquid of temperature, and a modern dark matter theory is named after it. 

[NiightLiight]

9 hours ago, TheSurvivorofDeath said:

So the first question is what kind of powers you’re trying to implement. Is it going to be enhancements based on the constellations present, kind of like zodiac constellations, or is it going to be like an understanding of the stars and their positions as a sort of language, used to manipulate the world around them, or something different? What do you have in mind here?

I was thinking of creating a hard magic system for star magic, since most are usually related to constellations or similar. But, I can't think of any ways to make mine different, so I swapped to something related more to the skies, such as weather magic. However, I don't want elemental magic, so honestly I made myself confused

I created a world already, just don't have a magic system for it that matches its thematics. My world is named Astralis, which is basically a bunch of skylands in a venus-like earth, so thats why they live above the clouds. That's why I figured sky or star magic would match the theme here. My other thought is implimenting a psychic magic system, but somehow related to the stars or the skies, but I can't think of how to combine these...

4 hours ago, Dragonheir said:

I’d recommend something astrology based, like different times of year and planetary locations causing different powers. 
Additionally, the world influence comes from a “flow from the stars” which would influence people’s emotions and destiny (that’s where astrology comes from). The mages could manipulate that star flow. The flow is related to theories of gravity, light, a fifth element, pheulestigen (definitely spelled that wrong) which is the theoretical liquid that is released as fire, the liquid of temperature, and a modern dark matter theory is named after it. 

I think it would make a good limitation to use different times of year and locations for different powers. Previously in another post I explored something related to rune magic, where the user can enhance or change the attribute of objects by runecarving, such as adding a sharp rune on a sword to enhance its sharpness or changing the property of a door by adding a barrier rune to it, which makes it impossible to open. I was wondering whether i can make this magic system star or sky themed... which i am having trouble with sadly...

4 hours ago, GunslingerRadiant said:

One more idea. There are major stars and minor stars. on this world it is always a form of night. Each star has its own thing. For example, the Fjordstar, Denizen of Ice. When called upon, this star can be manipulated into freezing large areas. If you want to access them though, it requires incredible strength. Play around with it and give me what you decided on.I am interested to hear how it turns out.

this would be interesting, but there are so many stars, so to make this work i will probably have to make my own sets of constellations. But it would definately be interesting if i can make it work or somehow incorporate this into my runecarving magic system. 

[TheSurvivorofDeath]

14 minutes ago, NiightLiight said:

I was thinking of creating a hard magic system for star magic, since most are usually related to constellations or similar. But, I can't think of any ways to make mine different, so I swapped to something related more to the skies, such as weather magic. However, I don't want elemental magic, so honestly I made myself confused

I created a world already, just don't have a magic system for it that matches its thematics. My world is named Astralis, which is basically a bunch of skylands in a venus-like earth, so thats why they live above the clouds. That's why I figured sky or star magic would match the theme here. My other thought is implimenting a psychic magic system, but somehow related to the stars or the skies, but I can't think of how to combine these...

The easiest way to make a magic system, especially if you’re new to it, is to keep it simple. Take inspiration from other sources and make it your own. I think something astronomically based is great, though if your world is one with a heavy gaseous atmosphere some manipulation of that might be in order. If you want a hard magic system, both those sources aren’t the greatest. By their very nature the sky and the stars are not to be bound by mortal rules, so you won’t get a really good truly hard magic system from those. You could implement psychic magic, based around the stars, by doing something like hearing the stars in the skyward series, except with actual stars and not ftl communications. Then again, a sort of star alignment magic system is definitely good. The questions that you need to answer, and that I need to know the answers to to properly help you, are the religious focuses of your world, the existing god(s) if there are any, the general (but somewhat specific) powers you want (things you can imagine happening with your characters and your world to make interesting scenes), and any other themes you want to take shape in your story. That last one isn’t so important, but it can be useful to building the magic. Magic doesn’t have to be based on the theme, but having it similar can make it fit the story better. I’m interested in this system, so I’m prepared to help you anywhere you need it.

Edited June 8, 2024 by TheSurvivorofDeath

[NiightLiight]

5 hours ago, TheSurvivorofDeath said:

The questions that you need to answer, and that I need to know the answers to to properly help you, are the religious focuses of your world, the existing god(s) if there are any, the general (but somewhat specific) powers you want (things you can imagine happening with your characters and your world to make interesting scenes), and any other themes you want to take shape in your story. That last one isn’t so important, but it can be useful to building the magic. Magic doesn’t have to be based on the theme, but having it similar can make it fit the story better. I’m interested in this system, so I’m prepared to help you anywhere you need it.

To be honest I don't really have a clear religious focus of my world yet. So far, I have a god named the Dawnbird (basically a phoenix) that basically represents the sun, and are worshipped by the people. Therefore, fire and light are huge symbols of the religion of the Dawnbird. The general powers I want for my world should be light, sky, or star themed but related to the mind or emotions. But right now I am stuck between two ideas of the magic system, where one is Runecarving I mentioned earlier where the properties of objects can be enhanced or changed with runes and the other is Psychic Magic since it has so much possibilities, such as illusions and others with light. I am more leaned towards psychic magic, but i am having trouble turning that into a sky, star, light, or Fire theme. I think I need the most help with that. 

Thanks for helping me:)

Edited June 8, 2024 by NiightLiight

[TheSurvivorofDeath]

10 minutes ago, NiightLiight said:

To be honest I don't really have a clear religious focus of my world yet. So far, I have a god named the Dawnbird (basically a phoenix) that basically represents the sun, and are worshipped by the people. Therefore, fire and light are huge symbols of the religion of the Dawnbird. The general powers I want for my world should be light, sky, or star themed but related to the mind or emotions. But right now I am stuck between two ideas of the magic system, where one is Runecarving I mentioned earlier where the properties of objects can be enhanced or changed with runes and the other is Psychic Magic since it has so much possibilities, such as illusions and others with light. I am more leaned towards psychic magic, but i am having trouble turning that into a sky, star, light, or Fire theme. I think I need the most help with that. 

Thanks for helping me:)

First of all, there is no reason you can’t use both magic systems. Runecarving seems pretty strong and you can incorporate constellation shapes into the runes to mesh the themes, if that’s the path you choose. As for psychic powers relating to light, fire, sky, and star, that’s a bit tricky. Psychic abilities are naturally broad so you have to narrow down what you want to happen. You could do a sort of psychic burning or fire effect, like a telepathic mind wipe or physical injury that feels like burning. For sky you could do some kind of atmosphere-kenesis type thing, since you said this world has a heavy atmosphere which I’m assuming is toxic, so manipulating it could be useful. For star you could do some kind of…. I don’t know I’m honestly at a loss on that. Maybe astral projection or something. And light could just be illusions or flashes of energy and stuff. Just suggestions. You could make it a sort of one power deal or an all inclusive package. If you make it a one and done, you could have it dependent on the constellations present at birth. Just some ideas. I’m happy to help.

[NiightLiight]

1 minute ago, TheSurvivorofDeath said:

You could do a sort of psychic burning or fire effect, like a telepathic mind wipe or physical injury that feels like burning.

I just had an idea for combining psychic powers with fire as in the psychic powers manifest in something called Solfire, which is from the Dawnbird. An example for the application of the psionic powers would be telekinesis, where Solfire appears around the object and can be moved around, or mind controling others where Solfire consumes the other person's autonomy and freewill. I think Solfire should burn on emotions or intent, so powerful emotions might lead to a brighter burn of Solfire. Also, combining the rune thing might be tricky, but I can think of people using Solfire to enhance attributes, whether physical or mental. So maybe the rune magic should be the main magic system, while the psychic powers are a subset of it, both using Solfire to function. I am still thinking about how people obtain Solfire... but maybe from the Sun? 

Maybe the Solfire is internal. I am thinking about making this all fire focused, where everyone has a flame within them, and that is also the power of their mind. The Solfire burns as long as the people are alive, and prolonged use of Solfire will drain emotions and causes exhaustion and apathy. I think that could relate with the character I have in mind, and would make interesting character arcs especially for villains. 

Now i just need to incorporate this into the Runecarving magic system, which is tricky...

[DustbringerAdmiralThrawn]

Check out Nicole Glover's Murder and Magic series. It is set in post Civil War Philadelphia with the two main characters used constellation magic when they were conductors on the underground railroad. The short of it is drawing certain constellations with your finger provides certain results (i.e. one provides light, one provides projectiles, one a shield, etc.). It can serve as an example of what you like and dislike in building your own.

[NiightLiight]

1 hour ago, DustbringerAdmiralThrawn said:

The short of it is drawing certain constellations with your finger provides certain results (i.e. one provides light, one provides projectiles, one a shield, etc.). It can serve as an example of what you like and dislike in building your own.

Ohh, I just had an awesome idea from this. Basically I can have special constellations or stars in the sky, and each star represents a rune. Of course, I won't be able to name all of them, but basically these stars represent different ideas, such as abundance, freedom, etc... So these are like words and ideas, and the drawing of Runes called Runescribing allows people to concentrate Solfire in the shape (idea, concept) of a rune. 

[TheSurvivorofDeath]

4 hours ago, NiightLiight said:

Ohh, I just had an awesome idea from this. Basically I can have special constellations or stars in the sky, and each star represents a rune. Of course, I won't be able to name all of them, but basically these stars represent different ideas, such as abundance, freedom, etc... So these are like words and ideas, and the drawing of Runes called Runescribing allows people to concentrate Solfire in the shape (idea, concept) of a rune. 

That’s a good idea. That’s a good way to mesh the two ideas. Would Solfire be used up permanently when used or would it replenish quickly? Would there be a specific method to drawing the constellation runes or would it just be simple drawing? Can anyone use the system with the right knowledge or is it a confined group of users?

[NiightLiight]

9 hours ago, TheSurvivorofDeath said:

Would Solfire be used up permanently when used or would it replenish quickly? Would there be a specific method to drawing the constellation runes or would it just be simple drawing? Can anyone use the system with the right knowledge or is it a confined group of users?

Solfire is basically like the aura of a person, so concentrating the aura requires training and to draw them out in runes requires study of the runes and a strong intent of what they want the runes to do. While Solfire cannot run out since it is a part of a person, prolonged use of it will cause a burnout, where the person is unable to concentrate their Solfire to form runes. There are different stages of burnouts, basically how tired a person gets from how much Solfire things they have been doing. 

Solfire can also be used as a weapon itself without Runescribing. Since the purpose of Solfire from the Dawnbird was to make humanity more harmonized, Solfire can be sensed from other people (think Magium), can be hardened into a protective shield around the person's body to block weapons or the invasions of other's Solfire, and can be attached to another person to allow telepathy, where the two individuals can communicate to one another without the need to speak. The Dawnbird believes in free will, therefore lets the Astrians (humans in Astralis) use the ability as they wish, but hopes that Astrians will grow more harmonized through more connection with one another (this idea needs more thought, kinda confusing). 

The idea to limit the knowledge of Runescribing would be a cool plot in my story, where there are evil and selfish organizations that discover new runes but limit these to use it themselves. The runes are basically a language of power, coming from the Primordial Runes themselves, so these organizations would definately want to limit new runes they discover. 

I just thought of a lot of this yesterday (and drew inspiration from a whole lot of different things), please let me know if you have any more questions/suggestions

[TheSurvivorofDeath]

1 hour ago, NiightLiight said:

Solfire is basically like the aura of a person, so concentrating the aura requires training and to draw them out in runes requires study of the runes and a strong intent of what they want the runes to do. While Solfire cannot run out since it is a part of a person, prolonged use of it will cause a burnout, where the person is unable to concentrate their Solfire to form runes. There are different stages of burnouts, basically how tired a person gets from how much Solfire things they have been doing. 

Solfire can also be used as a weapon itself without Runescribing. Since the purpose of Solfire from the Dawnbird was to make humanity more harmonized, Solfire can be sensed from other people (think Magium), can be hardened into a protective shield around the person's body to block weapons or the invasions of other's Solfire, and can be attached to another person to allow telepathy, where the two individuals can communicate to one another without the need to speak. The Dawnbird believes in free will, therefore lets the Astrians (humans in Astralis) use the ability as they wish, but hopes that Astrians will grow more harmonized through more connection with one another (this idea needs more thought, kinda confusing). 

The idea to limit the knowledge of Runescribing would be a cool plot in my story, where there are evil and selfish organizations that discover new runes but limit these to use it themselves. The runes are basically a language of power, coming from the Primordial Runes themselves, so these organizations would definately want to limit new runes they discover. 

I just thought of a lot of this yesterday (and drew inspiration from a whole lot of different things), please let me know if you have any more questions/suggestions

Interesting. This is developing nicely. Can Solfire be manipulated into any solid shape or is it more a defense mechanism with the solid shield? Is the linking for telepathy possible with only one party’s knowledge or does it have to be voluntary from both parties? Are the runes based on current constellations or did they come from past constellations and remain the same despite shifting star patterns? Is the Dawnbird a sentient being, and where does it come from? Does Solfire have universal strength or does it vary from person to person?

[NiightLiight]

1 hour ago, TheSurvivorofDeath said:

Can Solfire be manipulated into any solid shape or is it more a defense mechanism with the solid shield? Is the linking for telepathy possible with only one party’s knowledge or does it have to be voluntary from both parties? Are the runes based on current constellations or did they come from past constellations and remain the same despite shifting star patterns? Is the Dawnbird a sentient being, and where does it come from? Does Solfire have universal strength or does it vary from person to person?

Solfire can be manipulated into shapes, but nothing too big or fancy, plus the individual needs to know how to create the item itself, similar to aetherbounds (not sure if i got the name right) creating things with whatever aether spores are in them. Also, the object is an extension of the person's body, and it manifests as a sort of solidified golden light (from the Dawnbird). So to put it in combat terms Solfire can turn into a sword that is tangible enough to cut things in the physical realm, but requires concentration of the Solfire and knowledge of the object being created. 

The linking of Solfire can be forced or allowed, but if it is forced the connection becomes unbalanced, where one side can "mind read" the other while not allowing the other to do the same. Even worse, if the connection is forced one might be able to physically control another. The act of controlling another is seriously frowned upon like the imperium spell in the Harry Potter series, since free will is important. When the connection is voluntary it will be more equal, where both sides can communicate and share like how a normal conversation works. Normally everyone has a natural defence against invaders with their Solfire, but that can get stronger through training. 

For Runescribing, in my head the runes are basically a language. The Primordial Runes and the Runes of Power are unchangable, but runes can change their meaning over time, just like how stars may shift or change over aeons. Some runes may even be lost, and the Astrians definately do not know all the runes, since they are as numerous as the stars, so there are constantly new runes being discovered. 

The Dawnbird is a sentient being, much like a shard but is called a Daemon in my world. The Dawnbird is formed from Belief of the Sun, the concept that the Sun will rise and set everyday. In my world, Belief is an important concept since in the cognitive realm (Etheria), a universal belief can manifest and concentrate into raw power. This is also why Ley Lines form in places of strong history and Belief, such as the ancesterial home of a tribe or a monument honoring the dead. Runes are also the manifestion of Belief, of concepts turned into action. 

Thanks for all of these prompts, you helped me so much in developing my world so I can finally use this for writing :>. 

[TheSurvivorofDeath]

13 minutes ago, NiightLiight said:

Solfire can be manipulated into shapes, but nothing too big or fancy, plus the individual needs to know how to create the item itself, similar to aetherbounds (not sure if i got the name right) creating things with whatever aether spores are in them. Also, the object is an extension of the person's body, and it manifests as a sort of solidified golden light (from the Dawnbird). So to put it in combat terms Solfire can turn into a sword that is tangible enough to cut things in the physical realm, but requires concentration of the Solfire and knowledge of the object being created. 

The linking of Solfire can be forced or allowed, but if it is forced the connection becomes unbalanced, where one side can "mind read" the other while not allowing the other to do the same. Even worse, if the connection is forced one might be able to physically control another. The act of controlling another is seriously frowned upon like the imperium spell in the Harry Potter series, since free will is important. When the connection is voluntary it will be more equal, where both sides can communicate and share like how a normal conversation works. Normally everyone has a natural defence against invaders with their Solfire, but that can get stronger through training. 

For Runescribing, in my head the runes are basically a language. The Primordial Runes and the Runes of Power are unchangable, but runes can change their meaning over time, just like how stars may shift or change over aeons. Some runes may even be lost, and the Astrians definately do not know all the runes, since they are as numerous as the stars, so there are constantly new runes being discovered. 

The Dawnbird is a sentient being, much like a shard but is called a Daemon in my world. The Dawnbird is formed from Belief of the Sun, the concept that the Sun will rise and set everyday. In my world, Belief is an important concept since in the cognitive realm (Etheria), a universal belief can manifest and concentrate into raw power. This is also why Ley Lines form in places of strong history and Belief, such as the ancesterial home of a tribe or a monument honoring the dead. Runes are also the manifestion of Belief, of concepts turned into action. 

Thanks for all of these prompts, you helped me so much in developing my world so I can finally use this for writing :>. 

This has certainly developed nicely. Good work. And I’m happy to help. Magic systems are kind of my thing 

[Wlevas]

I imagined each constellation as a different “guild” of magic with its own personality and powers, and you can only draw power from the stars you're currently aligned with in the sky. To get better at reading or interpreting the constellations for guidance, characters might consult trusted psychics who can better sense cosmic shifts and help decide when to switch constellations for different magical effects.

Edited June 18, 2025 by Wlevas