So I've been studying source material for different forms of magic for a homebrew project, and the Vancian magic of Pathfinder is well suited for its game and all, but I'm wondering a few things about how it all works. Don't say 'because it's magic'.
I didn't know the exact perfect place to post this, but because it's for a homebrew project, I figured that this made the most sense.
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Some things about sympathy:
-The general idea (in my understanding) is that everything has a relationship with everything else, either weak or strong or whatever.
-If one manipulates or controls the relationships between things, then they can control those things.
-Sympathy is this idea, coupled with some others, applied 'practically' through arcane means of volition, mana, whatever the setting requires.
-An example I've heard: If you can get a rooster to crow, you can make the sun come up/have control over it.
This is LARGELY generalizing and oversimplifying the subject, (protip: Google it rather than take my word for it) but my first question is this:
Under the assumption that most 'Evocation' school magic is sympathetic in nature, how would one summon a Fireball or cast Produce Flame using the laws of sympathy, and how much time/effort/implements would be practically expended, rather than the ~6 seconds used to take a 'standard action'?
This is concerning deep arcane wizardry, spontaneous casters need not apply.
I'll probably have more questions, but this is the main one for now.
Thanks for your sympathy in this matter.
Metaphysics is always tricky, and trying to apply sympathetic or contagious magic can yield some odd results.
To deal with Fire using sympathetic magic, one would need something red or associated with fire or warmth. Red-colored gems (such as rubies) would work fairly well, but cheaper gems (like red quartz) could be equally effective. Trees or other plants that have strong associations with fire or the sun would also work here. Flints could work as well. Bits of fur or feathers from 'solar' animals (like the lion or rooster) might be possible. Even simply creating a tiny spark with a fire-starting kit could be enough to cause a larger conflagration.
I don't see that it would take much longer than the standard action unless you have the person recite a long rhyme or something similar. Remember, the key to sympathetic magic is that the association has to exist in the mind of the caster between what the object represents and what the intended end result is.
Okay, but I would imagine then that the implements used would make a proportional effect? Maybe not directly or based on mass of the implement, but it would have a tax on it? Would those implements be consumed?
Also, I feel as if the duration would be instantaneous. Fireball hits a dude, he falls over burning. /End of sympathetic bond.
Now, if the sympathetic bond were strong enough, or maybe even not (I don't fully understand how sympathy works) could the magician then bend the flames which burn the person and ground to the shape of his will?
How long would that sympathetic 'bond' last? Can the sympathy just direct an object or force in a direction as a one-shot, or can you establish a bond that stays over time? Also, dealing with other popular 'elements', not just fire.
What would it look like practically to do this? I would imagine it would take more than what the action economy of the system designs it as. (which I think is fine, I'm just trying to figure everything out for myself)