: Advantages of a realistic magic system I always see good critics about Kingskiller Chronicles realistic magic system. But I cant stop wondering... "Why do people like it? Is it because its more

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I do not see this as a yes or no point, but as a gradable one, so the question is not whether I should have no rules or tons of rules, but rather between a few basic rules and lots of detailed, maybe even unnecessary for the story, rules.

Leaving out the 'no rules' extreme, I'll say that the fewer rules one has, the lazier the fictional world feels. A lot of pople might disagree with me on this particular point, but I like coherence in my fictional worlds so that is how I feel and, I suspect, a lot of other people too.

On a practical point, if the magic system gets created as the story progresses, there will be need for some spells or rituals later on that could have been useful at some event at the beginning. These will lead to readers asking 'well, why didn't they use that spell at that time?'. I believe this also happens in Harry Potter (I haven't read it but a couple of friends have said words to that effect). So, if you previously determine the rules for the magic system, these situations will not happen because, when an event pops up in the tale, you just go to the 'writer's magic rules book' and check what can be done.

A very detailed system, even going to the point where situations that will not happen in the story are taken into consideration, has the same appeal as mechanic has to those who have an interest in how things work. You see how that piece goes into the other piece and how, together, they make something else happen. It's alluring. Your mind starts conjuring and visualising a world of possibilities based on those pieces and their movements. You get an urge to create, you start thinking 'what if'. This is true for legos, engines, clockwork and magic systems.

But do not mix up a 'book of magic physics' with your story. Write it on a separate notebook or file or whatever. Let the rules be gleaned through how they're used and not through the mouth of a teacher.

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It should not matter. This is your world. You created it. You decide the rules. You choose how everything works. It really is as simple as that.

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