13+ Types of Magic in Fantasy (with Real Examples + Cheat Sheet)

When I started planning out my fantasy novel, I knew one of the most important aspects would be my magic system.

Aside from the rules and consequences, I first had to decide the type of magic system I wanted to use. And with so many to choose from, it was no easy feat.

Spoiler alert: I went with a variant of elemental magic, though I gave it a twist to make it unique and not your run-of-the-mill "I can conjure fire" type of magic.

In any case, I did a ton of research before creating my magic system, and I wanted to share some of that with you.

Let's get into it.

Quick list of magic types in fantasy

Here are some of the most common types of magic systems used in fantasy stories:

• Elemental magic
• Blood magic
• Necromancy
• Dream magic
• Shadow magic
• Nature magic
• Alchemical magic
• Technomancy
• Wild magic
• Divine magic
• Mind / psychic magic
• Rune magic
• Illusion magic
• Time magic

Magic types cheat sheet

If you prefer visual references, this cheat sheet summarizes some of the most common types of magic in fantasy ⬇

Categories of magic in fantasy

Most fantasy magic systems fall into a few broader categories.

Understanding these categories can make it easier to design a system that feels coherent instead of randomly assembled.

Elemental magic

Magic tied to natural forces like fire, water, air, earth, lightning, or ice.

Sacrifice-based magic

Magic that requires a cost such as blood, memories, physical pain, or life force.

Mind or perception magic

Magic that manipulates thoughts, dreams, emotions, or sensory perception.

Divine or cosmic magic

Magic granted by gods, spirits, or cosmic forces.

Reality-altering magic

Magic that bends physical laws, including time manipulation or dimensional magic.

Many fantasy worlds combine a few of these magic categories into one system.

➡ If you want a deeper breakdown of how these systems are constructed, you can also read my guide on how to create a magic system.

Hard magic vs. soft magic systems

Before we break down the types of magic list, let’s talk about the big divide in fantasy: hard magic systems and soft magic systems.

Hard magic systems

Hard magic is all about structure and logic. Think of it like a science: magic has clearly defined rules, limits, and consequences. Readers know exactly how it works, which can make it satisfying to see magic-users solve problems creatively within these constraints.

Examples of hard magic systems:

In Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson, magic comes from ingesting metals. Each metal grants a specific ability, and once the metal burns out, the power disappears.

Soft magic systems

Soft magic, on the other hand, leans into the unknown. It’s the magic of myths and fairy tales (i.e., enchanting, awe-inspiring, but not always explained). With soft magic, readers focus on the emotional impact rather than the mechanics.

Examples of soft magic systems:

In The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf clearly possesses powerful magic, but Tolkien never explains the full rules governing it.

13+ types of magic in fantasy (with examples)

2. Blood magic

Dark and often taboo, blood magic requires sacrifice. This could mean using literal blood to power spells or taking a more symbolic approach, like tying magic to family bloodlines.

Examples:

• The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska: A lush, gothic story where blood magic is tied to sacrifice, forbidden love, and moral dilemmas.
• Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli: A dark tale where blood magic is fueled by both the caster’s blood and the blood of others, raising the stakes with every spell and forcing characters to grapple with the moral consequences of their power.

Ideas to make it unique:

• What if blood magic uses life experiences rather than physical blood—draining memories or emotional bonds instead?
• Perhaps blood magic is misunderstood in your world, seen as evil but secretly the key to salvation.

3. Necromancy

Often overlapping with blood magic, necromancy focuses on raising or communicating with the dead. While traditionally associated with villains, modern stories have reimagined necromancers as heroes or morally complex antiheroes.

Examples:

• The Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix: Necromancers use magical bells to control the dead, exploring themes of duty, mortality, and corruption.
• The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska: A fresh take on necromancy, where sacrifices fuel a witch’s forbidden powers.

Ideas to make it unique:

• Instead of raising bodies, necromancers could summon the memories or skills of the dead to aid them.
• Explore the societal cost: What if necromancers are the only ones capable of maintaining order, but they’re feared and hated by everyone else?

4. Dream magic

Dream magic allows characters to enter, manipulate, or draw power from dreams and the subconscious.

Examples:

• The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater: Ronan Lynch can pull objects from his dreams into reality, but this power comes with emotional and personal stakes.
• The Sandman by Neil Gaiman: The Dream King, Morpheus, wields immense power tied to dreams, imagination, and storytelling.

Ideas to make it unique:

• Perhaps dream magic only works on people who are experiencing nightmares, adding stakes and danger to its use.
• What happens if dream magic spills into reality, creating a warped and surreal world?

5. Shadow magic

Shadow magic taps into darkness, stealth, and fear, often symbolizing corruption or power from forbidden places.

Examples:

• The Grishaverse by Leigh Bardugo: The Darkling wields shadow magic, summoning darkness and terrifying creatures.
• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros: The MMC, Xaden Riorson, wields shadow magic. His ability to manipulate shadows is not just visually striking but also tied to his personal mystery, strength, and the deep, complex relationships he navigates.

Ideas to make it unique:

• Maybe shadow magic can only be used in literal darkness, making users vulnerable during the day.
• Explore the idea of shadows as sentient beings that betray their master when misused.

6. Nature magic

Nature magic draws power from the natural world—plants, animals, weather, or the land itself. It often symbolizes balance, growth, and the interconnectedness of life. This magic can range from healing and nurturing to wielding the destructive forces of nature.

Examples:

• The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden: Vasilisa’s magic is tied to ancient nature spirits and the wilderness.
• The Books of Pellinor by Alison Croggon: The Earthsong connects magic to the harmony of nature, allowing users to heal or manipulate the environment.

Ideas to make it unique:

• Tie powers to the seasons—spring magic could heal and grow, while winter magic decays.
• Require a bond with a specific animal or plant to access power.
• Limit magic to thriving ecosystems, rendering it useless in barren or polluted areas.

7. Alchemical magic

Alchemy blends magic and science. It often involves transmutation, creating potions, or transforming materials into something extraordinary.

Examples:

• The Witcher by Andrzej Sapkowski: Alchemy is essential for crafting potions, oils, and mutagens that enhance the abilities of Witchers.
• Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson: Alchemy blends seamlessly with magical artifacts and a world full of enchanted grimoires.

Ideas to make it unique:

• Introduce rare ingredients that can only be harvested under specific circumstances, like moonlight or the first snow of winter.
• What if failed alchemy creates sentient creatures or dangerous byproducts?

8. Technomancy

Technomancy is a blend of magic and technology, often found in fantasy worlds with a steampunk, sci-fi, or futuristic twist.

Examples:

• Arcane (based on League of Legends): Hextech fuses magical crystals with advanced technology to power weapons and machines.
• His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman: This series merges mystical elements like Dust with advanced tools like the alethiometer, a device powered by metaphysical forces to reveal truth.

Ideas to make it unique:

• Maybe technomancy is illegal, with traditional magic users waging a war against progress.
• What if technomancy is powered by magic harvested from ancient, extinct magical creatures?

9. Wild magic

Wild magic is unpredictable and chaotic. It doesn’t follow a strict system and is prone to spiraling out of control.

Examples:

• Dragonlance by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman: Wild magic is tied to the chaos of gods, resulting in both disastrous and miraculous outcomes.
• Tortall series by Tamora Pierce: In The Immortals Quartet, Daine’s wild magic allows her to communicate with and transform into animals. Unlike more structured forms of magic, her abilities are deeply tied to instinct and emotion, making them powerful yet unpredictable.

Ideas to make it unique:

• What if wild magic is tied to emotions, only activating during moments of intense fear, anger, or joy?
• Maybe wild magic users are ostracized for being walking disasters, even though their magic has immense potential.

P.S. Wild magic is also a fan-favorite concept in Dungeons & Dragons, where it’s famously tied to the Wild Magic Sorcerer subclass and chaotic magic zones. If you want to learn more about wild magic in D&D, check out this guide to Wild Magic in D&D.

10. Divine magic

This magic is granted by gods, spirits, or celestial beings. Users might serve as priests, prophets, or conduits for divine power.

Examples:

• The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang: Rin’s ability to channel the power of the gods, particularly the vengeful fire god, gives her destructive magic at the cost of her mental stability. 
• The Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin: This trilogy revolves around a world ruled by gods, where divine magic influences nearly everything.  

Ideas to make it unique:

• Perhaps divine magic is granted sparingly, and gods require constant “worship energy” to maintain their gifts.
• Introduce a world where divine magic is failing as gods grow weaker or die.

11. Mind/psychic magic

Mind magic involves telepathy, telekinesis, or manipulating thoughts and emotions. It’s an ideal magic type for stories involving spies, court intrigue, or morally gray characters.

Examples:

• The Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin: Magic users called orogenes can manipulate energy, including controlling others.
• A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas: Fae magic in the ACOTAR series includes strong mind-based abilities. Rhysand, for example, uses telepathy to communicate silently and shield others’ minds from manipulation.

Ideas to make it unique:

• What if using mind magic leaves the user vulnerable to being influenced themselves?
• Maybe mind magic can only be used on people the caster has a strong emotional connection with.

12. Rune magic

Rune magic is tied to symbols, glyphs, or written language. It involves carving or drawing runes to channel magic, often requiring knowledge of a secret alphabet or ancient language.

Examples:

• The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare: Shadowhunters use runes as physical marks that grant temporary powers or protections.
• The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson: Glyphs and written symbols are tied to different kinds of magical abilities and bonds with spren.

Ideas to make it unique:

• What if runes can only be activated under specific conditions, like during eclipses or in certain locations?
• Explore how misuse of runes could lead to catastrophic consequences, like unleashing a curse instead of a blessing.

13. Illusion magic

Illusion magic revolves around deception. Users create mirages, manipulate senses, or bend reality to trick others. It can be powerful when paired with stealth, intrigue, or psychological manipulation.

Examples:

• The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss: Sympathy, a form of illusion magic, creates believable tricks by understanding physical connections.
• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: Illusion magic is central to the mysterious competition between Celia and Marco. They use their abilities to create elaborate, magical illusions within the circus

Ideas to make it unique:

• What if illusions can only be maintained by taking memories or emotions from others?
• Add stakes: If someone sees through an illusion, it physically backfires on the user.

14. Time magic

Time magic involves manipulating the past, present, or future. It’s rare in fantasy due to its complexity, but when done well, it adds depth and tension to a story.

Examples:

• The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow: Magical doorways in this story allow travel across worlds and time, blending wonder with the mystery of exploring new realities.
• The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson: Time is central to this series, with the concept of the Wheel weaving past, present, and future together.

Ideas to make it unique:

• What if time magic comes at a price, like aging the user rapidly or fracturing the timeline?
• Explore a character who can only pause time for a single moment but must make critical decisions in that frozen moment.

Uncommon types of magic in fantasy

If you're tired of the same old tropes, these uncommon types of magic in fantasy are great for forcing your characters into corners they can't just "blast" their way out of.

1. Linguistic Magic: This is magic where words and grammar matter. A great example of this is the Russian novel Vita Nostra, the only fantasy novel I’ve read that uses linguistic magic. A must-read IMO. It's often compared to a super dark, kafkaesque version of Harry Potter.
2. Economic or Currency Magic: Imagine a world where "mana" is a literal, physical coin. You want to heal a wound? You have to spend your literal life savings. This turns every magic encounter into a high-stakes financial decision. It’s great for gritty, urban fantasy.
3. Memory Magic: Memory magic focuses on the manipulation of recollection. It's the ability to erase, alter, or uncover what someone believes they’ve lived through.
4. Chromomancy (color-based): This would be pigment magic. Mages might need to consume or wear specific colors to access certain powers. It makes fashion and art supply a matter of national security.
5. Olfactory Magic (scent-based): We always see magic through light or sound, but why not smell? Mages who "brew" specific scents to induce hallucinations, courage, or sleep. 

Tips for choosing the right magic type

When designing a magic system, think about how it affects the world.

Questions worth asking:

• What does magic cost the user?
• Who controls access to it?
• How does magic affect politics or society?
• What happens when magic goes wrong?

Magic becomes far more interesting when it creates problems instead of simply solving them.

For a deeper breakdown of building entire worlds around your magic system, see the Ultimate Fantasy Worldbuilding Guide.

FAQ about types of magic in fantasy

What are the most common types of magic in fantasy?

Elemental magic, necromancy, divine magic, illusion magic, and blood magic are among the most commonly used magic types in fantasy literature.

How many types of magic are there?

There is no fixed number. Different stories categorize magic differently, but most systems draw from similar ideas such as elemental forces, divine power, or mind manipulation.

What makes a magic system feel original?

Originality usually comes from rules, limitations, and consequences, not the base concept itself. Even familiar magic types can feel fresh when they carry unusual costs or cultural implications.

How do I decide who has access to magic in my world?

Think about the power dynamics in your story. Is magic rare and inherited, granted by gods, or something anyone can learn? Limiting access can create tension, while widespread magic can reshape society. Either way, consider how magic access affects your world and its conflicts.

What’s the best way to make my magic system feel original?

Look at your world’s culture, history, and environment. Unique settings or philosophies can shape how magic works. You can also twist familiar ideas—for example, necromancy used for farming or illusion magic powering an economy.

How much should I explain my magic to the reader?

It depends on your system. Hard magic usually needs clear rules so readers understand the stakes, while soft magic works better when some mystery remains. A good rule of thumb: explain only what the story needs.