Magic: Risk or Resource?

For Dark Crawl roleplaying, I've been thinking of magic as something other than a resource. Most other RPGs use magic as a resource, as either an additional tool for problem solving and aids to challenges or as an actual solution/resolution. In using magic this way it becomes a common player character utility, like a sword, 10' pole, or dark vision. It can even be elevated to metacurrency, an abstract mechanic aimed specifically at game elements, such as game defined rest periods, hit points, # of turn actions, etc. So why should this be different for dark crawling? First, consider the goals of a dark crawl: 1) Player Immersion 2) Game Affecting Stakes 3) Informed Player Choices 4) In-game Situation Resolution 5) Player Ingenuity Problem Solving And to a lesser extent: 6) Confronting Emergent Calamity 7) Survival 8) Consequences Magic as a resource can be at odds with these goals, which also seems to be the case with OSR as its goals are quite similar. Regardless if an RPG's design takes such goals into account, magic use often creates an experience similar to that in genre literature: Failure of the Suspension of Disbelief. With RPGs, what's happening is players and GMs become more aware of and concerned with closed game elements than in-game situations. It's the difference between a board game and novel, or a video game and a stage production. We become focused on triggering rules or pushing buttons, instead of experiencing/responding to a situation as a person would if they were actually in it. RPG magic can push us toward or away from this. When it's a resource we seem to be thinking more about spell effects, time and action mechanics, targets and area of effect. So how might magic as risk change this? To see magic as something other than a resource, it needs a cost beyond "running out of ammo." Consider the concept of magic itself as it emerged from myths, fables, legends--and yes, even history. From the depths of ages past, magic is to be feared, a cautionary tale of exceeding one's grasp and the repercussions of blind pursuit. Historically, magical endeavor centers around soliciting otherworldly entities, a willingness to compromise or sacrifice social morays and folkways, including the bonds of humanity, and the ignorance or apathy of cost and consequence. I.e.--magic can be mysterious, dangerous, and scary! Instead of limitations based on spell slots, how many can be known, and targets, you might conceive magic's framework as governed by risk of consequence. If you have the means of performing such rites, the only barrier is one's own discretion for its potential cost. Now refer back to the above goals. As you can see, we now begin engaging all of these. I've been delving into this pretty deep in the design of Dungeonmor's magic recently, and there's much to consider with this approach. One irony of game play has been the increased use of magic among character types bent to it (being the wizard and cleric classes). It's almost prophetic, the lure of magic toward the dark fates it deals out. And there are certainly potential game pitfalls in all this to look out for, primarily in player expectation. What are your thoughts on RPG magic systems? Comment below or start a forum post, let me know your opinions and experiences with what works, and what seems like a disaster at the table.