Black Mage

Categories: Final Fantasy character classes | Magic | Character classes

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Image:Black Mage Vivi.jpg
Vivi Ornitier is a Black Mage
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Type Magical
Skills Fire, Ice, Thunder
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History

The Black Mage is a character class (or job) in Square Enix's Final Fantasy series of computer role-playing games. It is occasionally referred to as the Wizard or Black Wizard, although this is sometimes a separate upgrade of the class. They are usually depicted wearing distinctive costumes consisting of a blue or black robe and a large hat which obscures their face, with two yellow eyes shining from within the shadow.

In contrast to a White Mage, a Black Mage has the ability to cast offensive magic spells. Often elemental-based, these spells may also cause status changing ailments to the enemy. Spells range from Fire, Ice, and Thunder, to more destructive spells such as Meteor or Flare, to darker spells such as Death and Doom.

Black mages include, but are not limited to:

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Reference

The concept of malicious sorcerers responsible for all sorts of mischief is near-universal in human culture. This stereotype is projected on anything from the shamans of rival tribes to the priests of foreign religions to the satanists of today.

However, the term black mage or black magician is found only in western society, as similar roles in other cultures are usually known by names without the color association. It is often supposed that the term 'black magic' originated as a corruption of the latin "necromantia" (necromancy) to "nigromantia" (black art or magic). The color black does connote evil and death in other societies, as evidenced by the Nordic Svartalfr (black elves) known to bring nightmares, but its application to magic and its practitioners is unique.

'Black' and 'White' shamans appear in the Siberian shamanic tradition, and the white ones deal with the powers of the upper world, while black ones work with the lower world, but their roles in society do not seem to reflect western concepts of black and white magic.

Despite the stereotypes of western cultures, the Black Mages of Final Fantasy are no more predisposed towards evil than their white counterparts.

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Other

  • In the online sprite comic 8-bit Theater, Black Mage is the name of a single man of that class, known mostly for his amusingly sadistic and controlling personality. He is known to kill old men for petty revenge and orphans for sport. He likes to get ‘stabby’ with his comrade-in-arms, Fighter and swoons over White Mage.
  • Many older fans note the traditional Black Mage has an uncanny resemblance to the He-man character Orko, who wears a similar, face-obscuring outfit.


Final Fantasy Character Classes

Berserker — Dragon Knight — Geomancer — Monk — Ninja — Samurai — Thief — Warrior
Bard — Black Mage — Blue Mage — Chemist — Red Mage — Summoner — Time/Space Mage — White Mage