White Mage

Categories: Final Fantasy character classes | Magic

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Image:Yuna White Mage.jpg
Yuna appears as White Mage.
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Type	Magical
Skills	Cure, Esuna, Holy

The White Mage (Japanese: 白魔道士, or しろまどうし in earlier games without kanji support) is a character class (or job) in Square Enix's Final Fantasy series of computer role playing games. It is often also referred to as White Wizard or Priest. In Final Fantasy III, a White Mage evolves into a more powerful form - the Shaman.

The White Mage is a portrayed as a skilled cleric who casts curative magic. Typically a poor physical combatant, with a limited repitoire of attack spells and an inability to utilize heavy weaponry or armor, its primary use is as support for other members of a battle party. There are traditionally a limited number of attack-based white magic spells (such as "Holy") which add some offensive capabilities to the class, but these spells are typically not available until the mage is much stronger. Because of the limited battle use of the class, the White Mage has occasionally been integrated with the Summoner class.

The White Mage has appeared in the following games in the Final Fantasy series:

• Final Fantasy I
• Final Fantasy III
• Final Fantasy IV
• Final Fantasy V
• Final Fantasy X-2
• Final Fantasy XI
• Final Fantasy Tactics
• Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

In addition, the characters Minwu (Final Fantasy II) and Rosa Farrell (Final Fantasy IV) can be roughly categorized as White Mage-like characters, as can Aeris Gainsborough (Final Fantasy VII). Garnet Til Alexandros XVII and Eiko Carol (Final Fantasy IX), and Yuna (Final Fantasy X) incorporate a number of characteristics of both the White Mage class and the Summoner class.

Reference

The White Mage is a reference to witchcraft and such folklore. A white witch was a title occasionally given to cunning folk - a witch who would be paid for removing the supposed effects of witchcraft. While there is no evidence for the existence of witches, white witches were a matter of record. Modern white witches use white magic for purification, cleansing and defense.

Dress

Like most Final Fantasy job classes, White Mages have a standard outfit/costume. The White Mage is usually depicted as wearing a long, white cloak/robe. The robe has long sleeves and a hood that covers the Mage's hair. Normally, female White Mages wear the hood over their hair, while Male White Mages normally do not wear the hood at all. This has lead most gamers to believe that the only practitioners of White Magic are female, seeing as most White Mage models have the hood over the head. Another feature of the robe is the red, trianglur patterns on the cuffs of the sleeves and bottoms of the robes.

Other

White Mage is also a regular character in the webcomic 8-Bit Theater. With an appearance based on the Final Fantasy job class, the White Mage is known for her kindness, her frustration with stupidity (Black Belt's in particular), and for walloping Black Mage with her large mallet whenever he offers her one of his often comically inept pickup lines.

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