I’m very happy with the progress on restarting Sorcery Clans, but the five colors of magic really are starting to look like Magic: The Gathering ripoffs. So I’m adding a sixth domain. Let me spell them all out here!

CORE MECHANIC: Color magic comes from some special powers (there are colorless ones too of course). Elite clans may have a color power, and when you study special powers you have a % chance to discover an implantable color magic spell. Also if your clan does not have an implantation spell, the first discovery you make will probably be an implantable color magic spell (e.g. Necromancy but for all of the colors). Then magic users with those colors are required to advance your spellcraft. Each has a lesser and greater application, and requires an elite caster at some point

• Black Magic: Necromancy
  • Lesser: Summon static undead soldiers that follow the necromancer
    • Black magic special power required to control undead
  • Greater: Resurrect dead soldiers as greater undead
  • Elite caster: to cast resurrection
• Red Magic: Demonology
  • Lesser: Summon temporary powerful static demon soldiers that can complete missions
  • Greater: Implant greater demon into soldier to boost stats and curse rivals
    • Implantation takes the Special Power slot
  • Elite caster: to cast implantation
• White Magic: Angel Magic
  • Lesser: Discover angels and build icons to carry their power
    • Implanting angel blood to create Nephilim required to advance icon study
  • Greater: Build statues that harness the angel’s power
  • Elite caster: to build statue
• Green Magic: Beast Taming
  • Lesser: discover beasts to tame, creating partner soldier
    • Special power sometimes required to tame beast
  • Greater: discover magical animals or plants to hunt to boost stats of soldiers
  • Elite caster: to prepare harvested resources
• Blue Magic: Spirit Magic
  • Lesser: Summon static spirit soldiers that can be assigned freely (but cannot contribute to research)
  • Greater: Build spirit artifact that has a spirit soldier inside that grows in power to mighty levels
    • Spiritual Attunement special power required to be implanted to master spirit artifact
  • Elite caster: to build the spirit artifact
• Purple Magic: Faerie Magic
  • Lesser: Summon a faerie and attempt a bargain to complete a mission in exchange for a fae artifact, minor Purple power implantation, or just for positive credit to the court reputation
  • Greater: Summon a faerie and attempt to learn its true name. If you succeed in learning its true name, you can bind the faerie to a soldier with no power, imbuing the soldier with faerie luck.
    • Binding takes the Special Power slot
  • Elite caster: To attempt to steal the fae’s true name

Fun facts about Fey magic:

• Greater fey magic involves binding faeries, but this offends the faerie court they come from. Too many
• Faerie courts can go to war with each other and with you! If you have good relations with a court they may try to help you steal the names of their enemies to bind them
• Faeries bound for faerie luck provide a mix of the three benefits here:
  • Combat: adds a Faerie soldier that follows like a beast, greater spirit or lesser undead
  • Magic: adds a boost to research and research leadership
  • Subtlety: adds a boost to spying
• Something to consider: all forms of magic so far (except Blue) give you something nothing else can even imitate (Statues, reviving dead soldiers, harvest permanently boosting stats, and curses upon rivals). I would like Purple magic to do something new too. Boosting logistics leadership (which boosts research and medical in addition to magic) seems very tempting, but I have not yet drawn out how the other domains will influence leadership (probably harvests and icons will boost leadership at a minimum). So stay on the lookout for something unique!