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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 2130 Views
Years of enjoyment. What else do you expect from fiction? - 08/10/2012 10:17:30 PM 1077 Views
I expect a lot from fiction, to be honest - 09/10/2012 02:43:59 AM 1134 Views
HAHAHA! - 08/10/2012 10:17:58 PM 1128 Views
Yeah, the use of my time does matter - 09/10/2012 02:45:15 AM 1047 Views
Not sure I'd call it mindless - 09/10/2012 02:53:00 AM 1007 Views
Well, it is a bit more complex than a D&D novel - 09/10/2012 02:55:40 AM 1033 Views
I'm not really a huge fiction reader to begin with - 09/10/2012 11:25:34 PM 924 Views
I've noticed that quite a few here/wotmania have not been big fiction (fantasy) readers - 11/10/2012 05:48:02 AM 1026 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 952 Views
I like the TV series ... It's gritty - 13/10/2012 11:44:06 PM 896 Views
Well... it's a bit late in the game... - 09/10/2012 02:04:16 AM 1228 Views
True, but it's never too late to ask people such questions - 09/10/2012 02:49:28 AM 940 Views
I'm not sure... - 09/10/2012 06:03:08 AM 950 Views
Well, we may be in closer agreement then - 09/10/2012 06:43:50 PM 990 Views
Re: Well, we may be in closer agreement then - 09/10/2012 11:08:49 PM 1116 Views
Re: Well, we may be in closer agreement then - 11/10/2012 06:14:27 AM 912 Views
Re: I'm not sure... - 11/10/2012 06:15:26 PM 911 Views
There's a reason for this... - 09/10/2012 02:11:21 AM 1047 Views
True - 09/10/2012 02:54:12 AM 1072 Views
Re: True - 09/10/2012 06:19:42 AM 962 Views
I am now visualizing WoT as a telenovela adaptation - 09/10/2012 06:59:11 PM 916 Views
everything about Lanfear screams TeleNovela! - 11/10/2012 04:38:03 AM 840 Views
Por ella, soy Luisa Therin? - 11/10/2012 05:44:32 AM 935 Views
All of the names would have to be longer and more pompous - 11/10/2012 03:54:30 PM 782 Views
Not in this particular telenovela adaptation - 11/10/2012 05:48:06 PM 1192 Views
It is a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. - 09/10/2012 02:21:20 PM 1003 Views
It also has Faulknerian allusions - 09/10/2012 07:04:55 PM 993 Views
BTW, did you see the Folio Society's color-coded The Sound and the Fury? - 10/10/2012 08:06:18 PM 1229 Views
Re: BTW, did you see the Folio Society's color-coded The Sound and the Fury? - 10/10/2012 09:39:56 PM 952 Views
The One Power doesn't seem that unique or innovative to me. - 11/10/2012 04:05:06 PM 875 Views
Re: So when the book/series ends, what will it have all meant? - 11/10/2012 10:52:01 AM 921 Views
Ah, where would we be without such bright lights like you around? - 11/10/2012 05:59:48 PM 1169 Views
It will have meant.. . - 11/10/2012 06:59:43 PM 974 Views
So... - 11/10/2012 07:05:41 PM 1011 Views
For me, yes. - 11/10/2012 07:45:25 PM 819 Views
I would think for most the money spent wasn't too bad - 11/10/2012 08:07:49 PM 1174 Views
I got my money's worth, oh yes. - 12/10/2012 07:59:58 PM 968 Views
I'm not sure it means anything. - 11/10/2012 08:10:45 PM 1027 Views
I'm not sure there is too much meaning - 15/10/2012 05:57:57 PM 1017 Views

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