This could be a spell that encapsulates the series’ magic system, or just a notable standout that stuck with you, or whatever.
Favorite - Giga Slave from The Slayers. It’s a spell the main character cobbled together from an ultimate spell invoking a demon god, instead changing the incantation to instead invoke an entity greater than that. It 100% destroys its target if it connects, but requires a level of control and focus or it would destroy the world outright. It’s cool to me in that it was an invented spell and you don’t often get to see active creativity in a magic system. It also creates a cool moral question for the characters about using such a spell. The magic system of Slayers is just really cool like that.
Least Favorite - Avada Kedavra from Harry Potter. It’s an instant death spell and anyone hit by it dies instantly with no chance of resuscitation or revival. It’s illegal in the setting, but it’s only ever used by the bad guys. There’s no history to the spell, no counter measure, and it’s considered just evil. Meanwhile there are other spells that are technically lethal on hit, but are perfectly fine to use against an opponent during mortal combat. It’s interesting because on the surface, it invites moral questions. A quick and painless death spell that has little chance for collateral damage if it connects.
I’m a sucker for shit that makes it impossible for people to lie (e.g., prevalent in the wheel of time). I think it sets up for interesting relationships.
Least favorite are time travel spells, pretty much for similar but opposite reasons. I think time travel spells ruin immersion.
Time travel ruins any narrative that isn’t carefully set up from the very beginning to support it. Chronological cause-and-effect is the foundation of story telling. What are the stakes if the characters can simply rewind?
Avada Kedavra
abra cadabra
abracadabra
🤯
Favourite - not an individual spell but, sword singing in Elder Scrolls. It’s this mythical Yokudan art that involves swinging a sword in a way that it fucks with reality to cast magic. One speculation for the reason Yokuda sank into the ocean is because the Ra-Gada (the precursors to redguards) fought so intensely during a civil war that the force of their sword singing sank it.
I just find the idea of some buff guy swinging his sword so fast it becomes magic funny.
Least favourite - any form of healing spell. Unless there are clear and dire consequences outlined, magic being able to instantly cure any and all illnesses destroys any tension from characters getting injured or sick.
Favourite spell: Summon Skeleton.
Hell yeah, i can get a skeleton buddy? Let’s go ham on these low level woodland critters!
Least Favourite spell: Summon Skeleton.
What do you mean he only has 25 HP and lasts for 30 seconds?
Shout-out to discworld for magic being very real and very impractical
Tiffany got up early and lit the fires. When her mother came down, she was scrubbing the kitchen floor, very hard.
“Er…aren’t you supposed to do that sort of thing by magic, dear?” said her mother, who’d never really got the hang of what witchcraft was all about.
“No, Mum, I’m supposed not to,” said Tiffany, still scrubbing.
“But can’t you just wave your hand and make all the dirt fly away, then?”
“The trouble is getting the magic to understand what dirt is,” said Tiffany, scrubbing hard at a stain. “I heard of a witch over in Escrow who got it wrong and ended up losing the entire floor and her sandals and nearly a toe.”
Mrs. Aching backed away. “I thought you just had to wave your hands about,” she mumbled nervously.
“That works,” said Tiffany, “but only if you wave them about on the floor with a scrubbing brush."
