Can't think of a third magic machine... any suggestions?

[RalphKastro]

Well, magic in Don't Starve is usually already kind of 2 tiers, so you'd probably have to create the entire new tier.

As I see it, Magic goes from basic element manipulation and necromancy, straight to manipulation of shadows and the obscure. What could be done is either a different set that treats of necromancy and manipulation of beings, you could do one of light to counter the shadow(because really, light magic sounds better than light science), or you could just scrap the prehatoatoator and make 2 new magic things that work on blue or red gems, making the Shadow one for the purple gems.

Or you could, y'know, accept assymetry.

[DarkXero]

A brand new tier: THE WILSON TIER.

 

Wilson, the scientist mocked by everyone for doing stupid pseudo-sciencey stuff that doesn't work, is going to prove them all wrong. After obtaining the items of the giants, which have magical elemental properties, Wilson tries to fuse them with a stand made of thulecite and moon rocks. This stand allows Wilson to infuse his useless creations with nightmare fuel and gems, making them break all the walls of physics and logic! That which would have never worked is now a reality, a product of the energy in the rift between shadows and humanity.

[XirmiX]

A brand new tier: THE WILSON TIER.

Wilson, the scientist mocked by everyone for doing stupid pseudo-sciencey stuff that doesn't work, is going to prove them all wrong. After obtaining the items of the giants, which have magical elemental properties, Wilson tries to fuse them with a stand made of thulecite and moon rocks. This stand allows Wilson to infuse his useless creations with nightmare fuel and gems, making them break all the walls of physics and logic! That which would have never worked is now a reality, a product of the energy in the rift between shadows and humanity.

And that's something we like to call the Jury Rigged Portal :3

[StaypuftMMM]

An additional magic tier that may fit either before or after the Shadow Manipulator, would be an altar. 

I think of the Shadow Manipulator as a "dark art/religion."  So this would be a logical step in that direction.  Crafting would be akin to making sacrifices which would then reward you with the item.  What it could be called is up to you, I suppose. 

 

Being some type of altar, the ingredients wouldn't necessarily have to make logical sense to create the item.  Instead, it could focus more on the "souls" of other creatures (monster meat, pig skins, thick fur, feathers, stingers, Deerclop's eyeball, etc).  Holy items (protection from evil, sanity restoration, etc) may use ingredients from typically passive mobs while weapons and other instruments of harm would require evil creatures.  The more powerful the weapon the bigger the foe (giant items).  Also, by not being completely tied to the logical ingredients = item crafting, it may help to get rid of some of those items that we never have much use for but tend to stack up over time.  

 

Would you ectoplasm come from fighting ghosts, shadow monsters, or something else?  It would definitely work as a crafting ingredient with my idea regardless but just wanted some clarification because I associate ectoplasm with ghosts and they are basically souls (which ties into my idea well).  So this could help incorporate into the altar idea, requiring souls of both the living and the dead. 

 

 Image-wise it could either be a statue (Maxwell, shadow monsters, Charlie, Giants) or a more traditional altar.

 

As far as what the items would be, I don't know exactly.  I know you could easily throw the Meat Effigy, Hunger Belt, and Bat Bat in there but I'm sure you'd need/want to come up with plenty of new items.  Otherwise, what would even the point of adding another tier.

[Johnnyprofane]

You'll have to excuse me, I read through this entire thread a month ago and couldn't be asked to do it a second time to remember what's been said. Aaaaaaanyways.

I could have sworn there already was a third tier of magic: ancient. You get to summon shadow tentacles, make a force field, have controlled tele-poof-tation, wear really ugly armor... Pretty magical. Of course it's weighed down by the immovable crafting station. But as someone else said, it is an altar/shrine, and moves along the whole magic=religion thing or whatever. So with the photon manifestulator thing, aren't you done? Three tiers both ways. And that's not an innuendo. (But if somehow you could make it one, I'm impressed/disgusted)

[StaypuftMMM]

The OP wanted to add a third craftable "magic" related structure for his mod (to go along with an additional Science one).  Yes, there already is one but it shouldn't be moved from the Ruins.  

 

I agree, the Ancient Pseudoscience Station is religious in my opinion.  However, I think of that as "old gods" (ancient/greek versions) and not particularly sinister.  While my suggestion, was intended to be more of a witchcraft/religious scenario.  

[Johnnyprofane]

The OP wanted to add a third craftable "magic" related structure for his mod (to go along with an additional Science one). Yes, there already is one but it shouldn't be moved from the Ruins.

I agree, the Ancient Pseudoscience Station is religious in my opinion. However, I think of that as "old gods" (ancient/greek versions) and not particularly sinister. While my suggestion, was intended to be more of a witchcraft/religious scenario.

I always pictured them as "old gods" as in Lovecraftian "old gods" that push you to madness and the unseen.

[AquaAtia]

Well with the machines of this game, I always got this view of progression/regression with the science and magic machines respectively. With the science ones, you start off with something made out of wood and stone to something made out of metals and looks pretty high-tech. With the magic ones, you start off with something that's human-like then it turns into something out of this world. I would suggest the third one being something that is incredibly far from human-like. Possibly something you would find in the depths of hell or something incredibly odd. 

[StaypuftMMM]

I always pictured them as "old gods" as in Lovecraftian "old gods" that push you to madness and the unseen.

 

Yes, that works even better and makes perfect sense in the context of the game.  

 

Speaking of possible influences, the Ruins always reminded me of Wonder City from the Batman Arkham City game.  Both are abandoned worlds which were highly advanced and before their time.  They also had mechanical guards protecting it and the city itself was destroyed after the people were exposed to the underground substance they tried to harness (nightmare fuel/lazarus pit).