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The One Power doesn't seem that unique or innovative to me. Tom Send a noteboard - 11/10/2012 04:05:06 PM
Obviously, D&D used a system involving spell memorization, but most other RPG systems had magic points of one sort or another. The idea goes back to Larry Niven's mana. The concept, using that exact word, has been used in lots of different settings, from GURPS to Magic: The Gathering. Palladium roleplaying used a similar concept with a different name (I forget what), as did Warhammer, Rolemaster and other similar systems.

After all, there's not really anything scientific about Jordan's magic system, beyond the fact that he had exact measures of who was more powerful. It essentially looks and feels the exact same as a spell system, except that spells are called "weaves". The idea that the knowledge needed to cast one or more spells was lost, or that it is like a technology, is almost universal to any magic system.

Breaking the One Power into five elements is also hardly new - four- and five- element systems are commonplace in most RPGs.

I am confident in saying that there is hardly anything novel in Wheel of Time. It is a repackaging of lots of popular themes and ideas, and the repackaging itself was cleverly done. That has been the charm of the series.
Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.

ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius

Ummaka qinnassa nīk!

*MySmiley*
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So when the book/series ends, what will it have all meant? - 08/10/2012 09:47:49 PM 2375 Views
Years of enjoyment. What else do you expect from fiction? - 08/10/2012 10:17:30 PM 1375 Views
I expect a lot from fiction, to be honest - 09/10/2012 02:43:59 AM 1387 Views
HAHAHA! - 08/10/2012 10:17:58 PM 1357 Views
Yeah, the use of my time does matter - 09/10/2012 02:45:15 AM 1308 Views
Not sure I'd call it mindless - 09/10/2012 02:53:00 AM 1224 Views
Well, it is a bit more complex than a D&D novel - 09/10/2012 02:55:40 AM 1254 Views
I'm not really a huge fiction reader to begin with - 09/10/2012 11:25:34 PM 1160 Views
I've noticed that quite a few here/wotmania have not been big fiction (fantasy) readers - 11/10/2012 05:48:02 AM 1299 Views
Re: I've noticed that quite a few here/wotmania have not been big fiction (fantasy) readers - 12/10/2012 05:11:20 PM 1189 Views
I like the TV series ... It's gritty - 13/10/2012 11:44:06 PM 1136 Views
Well... it's a bit late in the game... - 09/10/2012 02:04:16 AM 1464 Views
True, but it's never too late to ask people such questions - 09/10/2012 02:49:28 AM 1143 Views
I'm not sure... - 09/10/2012 06:03:08 AM 1182 Views
Well, we may be in closer agreement then - 09/10/2012 06:43:50 PM 1282 Views
Re: Well, we may be in closer agreement then - 09/10/2012 11:08:49 PM 1389 Views
Re: Well, we may be in closer agreement then - 11/10/2012 06:14:27 AM 1152 Views
Re: I'm not sure... - 11/10/2012 06:15:26 PM 1149 Views
There's a reason for this... - 09/10/2012 02:11:21 AM 1287 Views
True - 09/10/2012 02:54:12 AM 1323 Views
Re: True - 09/10/2012 06:19:42 AM 1179 Views
I am now visualizing WoT as a telenovela adaptation - 09/10/2012 06:59:11 PM 1145 Views
everything about Lanfear screams TeleNovela! - 11/10/2012 04:38:03 AM 1090 Views
Por ella, soy Luisa Therin? - 11/10/2012 05:44:32 AM 1175 Views
All of the names would have to be longer and more pompous - 11/10/2012 03:54:30 PM 1011 Views
Not in this particular telenovela adaptation - 11/10/2012 05:48:06 PM 1416 Views
It is a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. - 09/10/2012 02:21:20 PM 1248 Views
It also has Faulknerian allusions - 09/10/2012 07:04:55 PM 1273 Views
BTW, did you see the Folio Society's color-coded The Sound and the Fury? - 10/10/2012 08:06:18 PM 1490 Views
Re: BTW, did you see the Folio Society's color-coded The Sound and the Fury? - 10/10/2012 09:39:56 PM 1208 Views
The One Power doesn't seem that unique or innovative to me. - 11/10/2012 04:05:06 PM 1116 Views
Re: So when the book/series ends, what will it have all meant? - 11/10/2012 10:52:01 AM 1149 Views
Ah, where would we be without such bright lights like you around? - 11/10/2012 05:59:48 PM 1378 Views
It will have meant.. . - 11/10/2012 06:59:43 PM 1213 Views
So... - 11/10/2012 07:05:41 PM 1251 Views
For me, yes. - 11/10/2012 07:45:25 PM 1055 Views
I would think for most the money spent wasn't too bad - 11/10/2012 08:07:49 PM 1418 Views
I got my money's worth, oh yes. - 12/10/2012 07:59:58 PM 1205 Views
I'm not sure it means anything. - 11/10/2012 08:10:45 PM 1275 Views
I'm not sure there is too much meaning - 15/10/2012 05:57:57 PM 1269 Views

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