Game idea

So, basically, magic is powered by spiritual/emotional energy.  Magic is really powerful, but draining on its users, who require deep reserves of willpower to use it- And if they overdraw on those reserves, they can be permanently reduced. There are three "magic" bars. For now let's call them Mana, Mind, and Spirit. Normally, you cast from Mana, and most mental damage will affect it. However, once you're out of Mana, you enter "Psychic Strain", and cast from Mind, your deeper reserves of energy. When you're out of Mind, you're completely exhausted, and enter "Spirit Crush", where all spells cast will drain your Spirit. For all Mind you use up, half that percentage of temporary maximum energy will be used up. If you use up Mind completely, you get a 10% reduction to your -permanent- energy, and a "scar" on your psyche. In addition, when you use up Spirit, it will reduce permanent maximum by half that percentage. If you run out of Spirit completely, you become catatonic, without enough motivation to even move. You also gain a permanent "trauma". Some attacks will affect Mind and Spirit directly, but most will only attack Mana and/or HP. (The stress of pain will usually affect mental energy) to some degree even if an attack is primarily physical in nature)

While Mind and Spirit can recover, they can only do so with time, and maximum energy will never recover. Mana will also recover easily with time, and can have limited restoration in battle. Any time Mind or Spirit are less than their maximum, you'll receive detrimental effects. Also, each scar and trauma will permanently inhibit the character.


In addition to combat effects, the story is affected by which characters are currently in Psychic Strain or Spirit Crush in a given scene, in addition to the scars and traumas they possess. All of these affect the way characters process things emotionally.


Potential alternatives: Eliminate Mind gauge, have Spirit affect temporary max only, Scar at 50% spirit, only Scars and Traumas can affect permanent energy. Maybe make scars and traumas be worse over time- Add scars up to traumas? Limited number of traumas before permanent character death?