Sanderson's laws - Revision history

Sdhjk: /* Sanderson's Second Law of Magic */

2025-08-08T07:00:35Z

Sanderson's Second Law of Magic

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:00, 8 August 2025
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	* [[Elf\|Elves]] are only fun if they're weak in some way or going against type.		* [[Elf\|Elves]] are only fun if they're weak in some way or going against type.
	* Part of what made the D&D [[Wizard]] so OP was that his main limitation was Spells per Day, which became less important as he went up in levels.		* Part of what made the D&D [[Wizard]] so OP was that his main limitation was Spells per Day, which became less important as he went up in levels.
			*[[Powergamer]]s, [[Munchkin]]s and "Monty Haul" campaigns may be exceptions - if player finds using unlimited power to defeat enemies and get even more powerful to be interesting in itself.

	==Sanderson's Third Law of Magic==		==Sanderson's Third Law of Magic==

imported>Administrator: 9 revisions imported

2023-06-22T15:51:25Z

9 revisions imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 15:51, 22 June 2023
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imported>Administrator: 1 revision imported

2023-06-19T03:26:22Z

1 revision imported

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1d4chan>Saarlacfunkel: /* Sanderson's Third Law of Magic */

2023-01-16T22:30:57Z

Sanderson's Third Law of Magic

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:30, 16 January 2023
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	'''"Expand on what you have already, before you add something new."'''		'''"Expand on what you have already, before you add something new."'''

	Less directly /tg/ relevant, but still good DMing advice. It's usually more interesting to the players to see some new aspect of an already understood thing (for example, ~~an unknown new~~ part of town with understandable interactions with the rest of the town) than an entirely new thing.		Less directly /tg/ relevant, but still good DMing advice. It's usually more interesting to the players to see some new aspect of an already understood thing (for example, a previously mentioned but mostly undefined part of town with understandable interactions with the rest of the town) than an entirely new thing.

180.191.247.80: /* Sanderson's Second Law of Magic */

2022-08-08T10:12:04Z

Sanderson's Second Law of Magic

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:12, 8 August 2022
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	Limitations are more interesting than powers. Almost nobody cares about a [[Superman]] story unless it either involves Kryptonite, magic, maintaining his secret identity, and/or his personal morality (all of which act as limitations on his power) or it features an at least roughly equally-powerful enemy (which usually revolve around the ''relative limitations'' of the two characters). Keeping this in mind is one of the best ways to avoid creating a [[Mary Sue]].		Limitations are more interesting than powers. Almost nobody cares about a [[Superman]] story unless it either involves Kryptonite, magic, maintaining his secret identity, and/or his personal morality (all of which act as limitations on his power) or it features an at least roughly equally-powerful enemy (which usually revolve around the ''relative limitations'' of the two characters). Keeping this in mind is one of the best ways to avoid creating a [[Mary Sue]].

	* [[Elf]]s are only fun if they're weak in some way or going against type.		* [[Elf\|Elves]] are only fun if they're weak in some way or going against type.
	* Part of what made the D&D [[Wizard]] so OP was that his main limitation was Spells per Day, which became less important as he went up in levels.		* Part of what made the D&D [[Wizard]] so OP was that his main limitation was Spells per Day, which became less important as he went up in levels.

1d4chan>Saarlacfunkel: /* Sanderson's Second Law of Magic */ On second thought...

2020-06-16T17:45:36Z

Sanderson's Second Law of Magic: On second thought...

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:45, 16 June 2020
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	'''"Limitations > Power"''' (For the purposes of reader interest)		'''"Limitations > Power"''' (For the purposes of reader interest)

	Limitations are more interesting than powers. Almost nobody cares about a [[Superman]] story unless it either involves Kryptonite, magic, maintaining his secret identity, and/or his personal morality (all of which act as limitations on his power) or it features an at least roughly equally-powerful enemy (which we'~~ll ignore here as irrelevant to our point~~). Keeping this in mind is one of the best ways to avoid creating a [[Mary Sue]].		Limitations are more interesting than powers. Almost nobody cares about a [[Superman]] story unless it either involves Kryptonite, magic, maintaining his secret identity, and/or his personal morality (all of which act as limitations on his power) or it features an at least roughly equally-powerful enemy (which usually revolve around the ''relative limitations'' of the two characters). Keeping this in mind is one of the best ways to avoid creating a [[Mary Sue]].

	* [[Elf]]s are only fun if they're weak in some way or going against type.		* [[Elf]]s are only fun if they're weak in some way or going against type.

1d4chan>Saarlacfunkel: /* Sanderson's Second Law of Magic */ I /think/ this is better, although I'm open to disagreement.

2020-06-16T17:31:30Z

Sanderson's Second Law of Magic: I /think/ this is better, although I'm open to disagreement.

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:31, 16 June 2020
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	'''"Limitations > Power"''' (For the purposes of reader interest)		'''"Limitations > Power"''' (For the purposes of reader interest)

	Limitations are more interesting than powers. Almost nobody cares about a [[Superman]] story unless it either ~~features him facing off against a nigh-cosmically powerful antagonist or~~ involves Kryptonite, magic, maintaining his secret identity, and/or his personal morality (all of which act as limitations on his power). Keeping this in mind is one of the best ways to avoid creating a [[Mary Sue]].		Limitations are more interesting than powers. Almost nobody cares about a [[Superman]] story unless it either involves Kryptonite, magic, maintaining his secret identity, and/or his personal morality (all of which act as limitations on his power) or it features an at least roughly equally-powerful enemy (which we'll ignore here as irrelevant to our point). Keeping this in mind is one of the best ways to avoid creating a [[Mary Sue]].

	* [[Elf]]s are only fun if they're weak in some way or going against type.		* [[Elf]]s are only fun if they're weak in some way or going against type.

1d4chan>Brick3621 at 16:50, 16 June 2020

2020-06-16T16:50:41Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:50, 16 June 2020
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	* This statement applies to players, as well. If they can understand it, they can control it.		* This statement applies to players, as well. If they can understand it, they can control it.
	* You don't need to go too deep; the fact that the Ring ~~of Power~~'s effects are undone by destroying it, and that there's only one place on Middle ~~Earth hot enough to destroy~~ it, are sufficient if the point is that the Ring is uncontrollable, and wants most of its wearers dead.		* You don't need to go too deep; the fact that [[The Lord of the Rings \| the One Ring's]] effects are undone by destroying it, and that there's only one place on Middle-earth where it can be destroyed, are sufficient if the point is that the Ring is uncontrollable, and wants most of its wearers dead.

	==Sanderson's Second Law of Magic==		==Sanderson's Second Law of Magic==
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	'''"Limitations > Power"''' (For the purposes of reader interest)		'''"Limitations > Power"''' (For the purposes of reader interest)

	Limitations are more interesting than powers. Almost nobody cares about a Superman story unless it ~~leans on one of~~ Kryptonite, his secret identity, his morality, (all of which act as limitations on his power) ~~or him facing off against an at least equally strong being~~. ~~Of interest because keeping~~ this in mind ~~can help you in avoiding perpetrating~~ a [[Mary Sue]].		Limitations are more interesting than powers. Almost nobody cares about a [[Superman]] story unless it either features him facing off against a nigh-cosmically powerful antagonist or involves Kryptonite, magic, maintaining his secret identity, and/or his personal morality (all of which act as limitations on his power). Keeping this in mind is one of the best ways to avoid creating a [[Mary Sue]].

	* [[Elf]]s are only fun if they're weak in some way or going against type.		* [[Elf]]s are only fun if they're weak in some way or going against type.

1d4chan>Saarlacfunkel: I'd say nobody cares about those stories nowadays except for fans of Superdickery.

2020-02-11T01:06:51Z

I'd say nobody cares about those stories nowadays except for fans of Superdickery.

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:06, 11 February 2020
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	'''"Limitations > Power"''' (For the purposes of reader interest)		'''"Limitations > Power"''' (For the purposes of reader interest)

	Limitations are more interesting than powers. ~~Nobody~~ cares about a Superman story unless it leans on one of Kryptonite, his secret identity, his morality, (all of which act as limitations on his power)~~, is about~~ him facing off against an at least equally strong being ~~or (in the Silver Age) he's ''causing'' the problem as some kind of moral lesson/prank/elaborate plan~~. Of interest because keeping this in mind can help you in avoiding perpetrating a [[Mary Sue]].		Limitations are more interesting than powers. Almost nobody cares about a Superman story unless it leans on one of Kryptonite, his secret identity, his morality, (all of which act as limitations on his power) or him facing off against an at least equally strong being. Of interest because keeping this in mind can help you in avoiding perpetrating a [[Mary Sue]].

	* [[Elf]]s are only fun if they're weak in some way or going against type.		* [[Elf]]s are only fun if they're weak in some way or going against type.

1d4chan>Agiletek at 19:21, 10 February 2020

2020-02-10T19:21:10Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:21, 10 February 2020
Line 14:		Line 14:
	'''"Limitations > Power"''' (For the purposes of reader interest)		'''"Limitations > Power"''' (For the purposes of reader interest)

	Limitations are more interesting than powers. Nobody cares about a Superman story unless it leans on one of Kryptonite, his secret identity, his morality, (all of which act as limitations on his power) or him facing off against an at least equally strong being. Of interest because keeping this in mind can help you in avoiding perpetrating a [[Mary Sue]].		Limitations are more interesting than powers. Nobody cares about a Superman story unless it leans on one of Kryptonite, his secret identity, his morality, (all of which act as limitations on his power), is about him facing off against an at least equally strong being or (in the Silver Age) he's ''causing'' the problem as some kind of moral lesson/prank/elaborate plan. Of interest because keeping this in mind can help you in avoiding perpetrating a [[Mary Sue]].

	* [[Elf]]s are only fun if they're weak in some way or going against type.		* [[Elf]]s are only fun if they're weak in some way or going against type.