Light Magic Disapperance?

[Axie]

I seriously doubt that - it wasn't relevant before, why in the seven hells would it be relevant now???

... because, as I said, the weapon triangle includes all weapon types in FE14, including tomes, so the three magic types could reasonably be included like standalone tomes were, so they'd have weapon triangle interaction with physical weapons, making it relevant because physical weapons are everywhere. I thought it was so obvious I didn't need to explain lol.

[Shadow Mir]

... because, as I said, the weapon triangle includes all weapon types in FE14, including tomes, so the three magic types could reasonably be included like standalone tomes were, so they'd have weapon triangle interaction with physical weapons, making it relevant because physical weapons are everywhere. I thought it was so obvious I didn't need to explain lol.

Okay, fine. That said, we don't know that this won't be a one-time thing.

[NekoKnight]

I don't think a magic triangle is really needed but the return of light magic (with new properties) would be a very welcome addition. They could be low damage but cause debilitating effects like Hidden Weapons are to most physical weapons. Like, they could lower hit and avoid of any enemy they hit while being really accurate themselves.

[Paper Jam]

Is Light magic really gone? FE11 and 12 had Aura and Starlight, and FE13 had the Book of Naga as bonus content. While I don't know much about FE14 yet, Moonlight looks like a Light tome to me too.

Or if those aren't Light magic, what are they?

Edited February 20, 2016 by Paper Jam

[Gradivus.]

The OP probably means that light magic as a separate weapon type is gone.

I don't think that's a big loss though, light magic was usually subpar in the GBA and Tellius games anyway (barring Thani and Purge I guess) and it being an extra weapon type never really added a lot. If there's a way to make the difference relevant enough I don't mind it returning, but it shouldn't be tacked on just for the sake of more weapon types since that's more clutter than variety. (It's still better than the way too homogeneous split between fire, thunder and wind though)

[Sylphid]

Since I like variety in my magic, I wouldn't mind seeing tomes split into anima/dark/light magic types. Assuming that said split comes with, you know, that variety in magic I so much like. Maybe something like what Awakening did with dark tomes, but with Fates-style drawbacks. Though perhaps less heavyhanded than what Nosferatu gets there. And similar treatment but different results to light magic. Maybe something like Hoshido's magic in Fates?.

As for the magic triangle, while it's been pretty much pointless as far as I can remember (I think I kind of benefitted from it maybe once, possibly twice), it might be interesting when included in Fates' weapon triangle. Let's say swords/anima > axes/light > lances/dark > swords/anima for argument's sake. But that has the issue of what to do with bows and hidden weapons. I can come up with couple ways to handle that, but nothing that I actually like so ehh...

[Shin]

A variety of magic is nice, but from a gameplay point of view, having several ranks for interchangeable weapons isn't necessarily a good idea. I do like how Awakening handled dark magic (other than it being really buff). Perhaps light magic being tied to certain classes would work too.

[Enaluxeme]

A variety of magic is nice, but from a gameplay point of view, having several ranks for interchangeable weapons isn't necessarily a good idea. I do like how Awakening handled dark magic (other than it being really buff). Perhaps light magic being tied to certain classes would work too.

PoR had light magic sharing ramks with staves.

Having light magic being actual high-ranked staves may be a solution. I mean, staves are still "light magic", right?

[Axie]

But that has the issue of what to do with bows and hidden weapons. I can come up with couple ways to handle that, but nothing that I actually like so ehh...

I mean, hidden weapons were basically created to fill a gap in the triangle so they could just stop existing (with light or dark magic inheriting their effects?), and bows could probably just stay out of it like they always did. Alternatively a sixth weapon could be introduced but that's probably excessive.

[Sylphid]

PoR had light magic sharing ramks with staves.

Having light magic being actual high-ranked staves may be a solution. I mean, staves are still "light magic", right?

I actually forgot about this, but it was pretty interesting system. Something similar could work.

I mean, hidden weapons were basically created to fill a gap in the triangle so they could just stop existing (with light or dark magic inheriting their effects?), and bows could probably just stay out of it like they always did. Alternatively a sixth weapon could be introduced but that's probably excessive.

Yeah, those are pretty much what I was thinking. I like bows in weapon triangle and hidden weapons so first one's not really to my liking. And like you said, sixth weapon would be hard to justify. Third (and worst I think) option I thought up is having two corners of the triangle have 3 weapons and one only two.

[NekoKnight]

One idea I had was all offensive magic being tome based but having certain classes with access to specialty magic of the light, dark and anima varieties. Light Mages, Dark Mages and Mages would share the basic tomes (Bronze to Silver variants) but the other tomes would be unique for their specialty. Magic using classes could easier switch from one or another while retaining their weapon rank and access to fundamental spells.

Overall, there is a lot of potential for differentiating magic.

[bookofholsety]

now, this is a subject i really like. fortunately i have a thing i wrote elsewhere a few months ago so i can just paste that in instead

i've been wanting to ramble about this for a while so i figured i might as well get it over with now

when it comes to fire emblem, there are two universal truths

• one, the different schools of magic are, from a narrative perspective, a nice touch in terms of worldbuilding, and i really appreciate how it explores, both implictly and explictly, how different magics come from different sources (have i mentioned how much i love canas and pent talking about that in fe7, and knoll and natasha doing the same in fe8? even yoder and niime did a bit of it in fe6 and that was neat too)
• two, in terms of gameplay, magic splits have always been fucking stupid

having to juggle multiple weapon ranks divided up on an arguably fairly arbitrary basis, between weapons which most of the time have no practical difference from each other, is something that's left a sour taste in many a fe fan. at first i never really understood these complaints, but i've grown to reconsider the matter and realise that yeah, it's a clumsy hindrance. unsurprisingly, fe9 is what made me realise there was a bit of a problem; as far as i'm concerned, two fe games in particular stand out as handling magic "types" particularly badly:

• fe9 is a fucking mess. so the full set of magic types is just the three anima schools and light... but basic mages have equal access to all three, no other class outside the mage/sage family can use them, and no real attempt is actually made to contrast them. it just seems unbelievably dumb
• fe13 has the opposite problem. on some level i can kinda appreciate how it included all these magic types... but being lumped in a single weapon type renders a huge chunk of them completely pointless. seriously, is there any point using anything other than fire magic* for everybody who can't nosferatu?

*note: i don't know if fire magic is actually the HOT MAGIC EVERYONE CARES ABOUT as far as fe13 is concerned. i don't keep up with that argument and it's been a long-ass time since i actually touched that damn game

the other side of this argument is, of course, generic weapon types. i mean on paper it makes the most sense, but idk... i've always felt a bit uncomfortable about it. in the case of both archanea's single tome rank and even how the gba era treats anima, it's always felt really haphazard and cluttered, with no real rhyme or reason to it. probably because i'm used to the idea of magic splits and distinctions raised between the schools

so we've got a maximum of five weapon types that mostly do the same thing. what do we do if we're going to keep them? (i mean clearly we aren't if the post-fe10 world is anything to go by, but bear with me) i was chatting wtih this with a friend a few months ago and i'd like to think we actually had some decent ideas on how to make them decidedly not the same thing. we figured that since magic is, well, magic, it sort of justifies having a variety of modes of attack that aren't otherwise present. we kicked the idea around a bit and this is what we ended up with

• thunder magic kinda becomes an entire class of siege tomes, inspired by fe2's thunder spell and its improved range. these would have decent power (nothing too fancy) and would have pretty impressive range (some only working in 3-4 range, others going the full siege tome), but conversely the accuracy would be... well, about where it is now. as a further counterbalance, they remain heavy as shit (note that this discussion assumes that weapon weight returns, because it really fucking should). these would be useful to have and pretty terrifying in enemy hands, but not the sort of thing you want to consistently rely on as the be-all and end-all of magical combat
• fire magic takes a leaf from the onager and ashera's judge attacks and starts specialising in spread damage. each cast would have you select a primary target as usual, but would also inflict slightly reduced damage on nearby tiles in a pre-set pattern depending on the individual tome; for instance, a basic elfire would cast in a v shape, bolganone would erupt in a + shape, and screw it, arcfire takes a hint from fe13 and is a goddamn flamethrower that pierces straight ahead. i mean, spreading out is kind of what fire does. it makes sense for fire magic to do that as well
• dark magic, imo, has always been on the right track by offering special effects you sure as hell won't see in other magic types. perhaps it might be worth emphasising those special effects more as the big draw, mostly ditching the huge power they're currently known for. nosferatu is the obvious flagship in this regard, but there's got to be some sort of compelling competition from other dark tomes so you're not just relying on it
• when it comes to wind and light magic, we came to the conclusion that one should stay pretty much the same as the bog-standard offensive magic we currently know, and the other should become weaker but have flawless accuracy and be always guaranteed to hit. then fe14 launched, and i have to say, i like how it made the basic lightning a brave weapon. perhaps wind takes the accuracy thing while light magic becomes an entire class of weak brave weapons? idk

this is probably complete horseshit because my grasp of fe gameplay has never been the best, but there it is

[solrocknroll]

I actually prefer the idea of a general Tome rank from Shadow Dragon on way more. I especially like how Starlight and Aura were usable by Mages and how Bishops used Anima.

I think that making Dark exclusive to Sorcerers and Light exclusive to Onmyoji/Sage with Anima being usable by either is my favorite idea. Maybe have Nosferatu, Mire, Flux, and Ruin vs. Lightning, Aura, Shine, and Purge.

[Light Master]

Seriosly, It doesn't make sense all main magic users having high resistence.

Like, imagine if all weapon users have high as hell defense? It doesn't make sense!

The solution, in my opinion is re-balancing the classes, for example:

- Anima Mages having mercenary type stats, with a good spread empathizing skill (with some spells acting like a "Light Mage slayer")

- Light Mages having low magic and high res, but really shit defense, like always.

- Dark Mages having low res/skill, but with high defence and magic.

The tomes should be changed a little too, with Nosferatu going back to his rightfull place (The light tome Resire), and with my favorite magic making a return! (Aircalibur)

Edited February 25, 2016 by Light Master

[X-Naut]

I like the idea of Light and Dark magic being given by a skill and tied to other weapon ranks, like Staff for Light and Anima for Dark. The triangle would still be a relatively minor thing but could exist; but one way you could make it more relevant is to reverse it. Dark is strong enough to break through Light users' high Res; Light could have a niche for mage-killing but being higher risk against Dark; and Anima... I don't have a justification. YMMV on whether that's better than Light being a cleric self-defense placeholder with niche use as a Dark counter.

EDIT: Actually wait, I do have a justification: knowledge > faith (as hard as the churches fought), nature > knowledge (nature always finds ways to confound us), and faith > nature (higher plane or something...).

Edited February 25, 2016 by X-Naut