Black Mage

Template:FF class The Black Mage (黒魔道士; kuromadōshi, or くろまどうし 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 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 conical, wide-brimmed hat which obscures their face, with two yellow eyes shining from within the shadow. Some Black Mages also wear trousers with vertical stripes.

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, Blizzard, Thunder, and Water, to more destructive spells such as Flare or Ultima, to darker spells such as Death.

History

The Black Mage has appeared in some form in nearly every Final Fantasy installment.

Final Fantasy I

The Black Mage appears in the first title of the Final Fantasy series as one of six selectable classes at the start of the game. During the adventure, the player purchases increasingly powerful spells for the Black Mage, which can then be used in combat. The Black Mage's list of learned abilities is organized into eight numerical spell levels. Four spells are contained in each level, but only three of these can be learned by the Black Mage at any one time. Thus, an important part of strategy in Final Fantasy involves customizing the Black Mage by choosing certain spells over others in order to achieve maximum potential from the character. The player has the option of upgrading the Black Mage to a Black Wizard at a certain point in the adventure by completing a short quest from Bahamut, the King of Dragons.

In the original NES game, the Black Wizard lacked both the hat and obscured face that would become the defining features of the Black Mage. An interesting point is that it did prove that Black Mages are human. (There is some controversy since Black Mages never take off their hat.) This was changed in the WonderSwan remakes and Final Fantasy Origins so that he still looks like a 'proper' Black Mage after becoming a Black Wizard.

Final Fantasy II

In Final Fantasy II Black Mages exist as inhabitants of the village of Mysidia. The village itself appears to be filled with red-robed Black Mages and is extremely important in the player's quest to receive the Ultima Tome. It also house a Library of sorts to help out Firion and his group to learn more about the passwords he has attained.

Final Fantasy III

Black Mage is one of the earlier jobs that can be available at the start of Final Fantasy III, after defeating the first boss. Later in the game, the Warlock (Magus in the Nintendo DS version) job will be available, which is the equivalent of the Black Wizard of the first game. Both jobs behave the same as the first game and spells can have to be bought and can only learn three spells. Also, some of the most powerful spells can't be bought, they have to be found in certain places.

Final Fantasy IV

In Final Fantasy IV, Mysidia is the name of the city from which Palom and Porom originate, although this incarnation is occupied by both Black Mages and White Mages. Palom is a black mage (though he doesn't wear the typical Black Mage garment) and he can also use Twin magic with his sister to unleash more powerful attacks. Tellah and Rydia also can use black magic, though the former is considered more as a Sage and the latter as a Black Summoner.

Final Fantasy V

The Black Mage job becomes available after defeating the Wing Raptor boss in Final Fantasy V. Unlike Final Fantasy III, however, there is only one Black Magic-based job. The Black Mage can learn and use all of the spells available in the game since there are no more than three spells per level. However, in order to use a certain level of black magic, the player must use the job and train to an appropriate level. There are 7 Levels to this version, and they go as follows:
!Black 1
!Black 2
!Black 3
!Black 4
!Black 5
!Black 6
MP +30%

Final Fantasy IX

In Final Fantasy IX, the Black Mage Village is a forested hamlet where many mass-produced Black Mages have somehow become self-aware, and work to carve out an existence for themselves beyond the reach of their makers. Final Fantasy IX is also notable for its high focus on the "classic" Black Mage, as depicted in previous installments of Final Fantasy. Both a playable character (Vivi Orunitia) and a series of bosses (the Black Waltzes) are clothed in the traditional garb of Black Mages and can use black magic in battle. Final Fantasy IX was the only game (so far) that had Black Mages as a completely different race.

Final Fantasy X

The character Lulu of Final Fantasy X is clearly based on the traditional Black Mage, at least in ability. However, she dresses in an exaggerated gothic style, and has no ties to traditional Black Mage garb.

Final Fantasy X-2

In X-2, any character can use the dressphere system to transform into a Black Mage, typified by the character donning an oversized Black Mage hat. The spells they are missing from the original are: Bio, Demi, Drain, Osmose, Death, Flare, and Ultima.
However they do acquire newfound abilities such as: !Focus, !MP Focus, Black Magic Level 2, and Black Magic Level 3.
Other ways of getting Black Mage related stuff is through:

Accessories
Red Ring - Halves Fire Damage. User can cast Fire. Magic +4, and Fire Ward.
NulBlaze Ring - Nullifies Fire Damage. User can cast Fira. Magic +6, and Fireproof.
Crimson Ring - Converts Fire damage to HP. User can cast Firaga. Magic +10, and Fire Eater.
White Ring - Halves Ice Damage. User can cast Blizzard. Magic +4, and Ice Ward.
NulFrost Ring - Nullifies Ice Damage. User can cast Blizzara. Magic +6, Iceproof.
Snow Ring - Converts Ice damage to HP. User can cast Blizzaga. Magic +10, and Ice Eater.
Yellow Ring - Halves Lightning Damage. User can cast Thunder. Magic +4, and Lightning Ward.
NulShock Ring - Nullifies Lightning Damage. User can cast Thundara. Magic +6, and Lightningproof.
Ocre Ring - Converts Lightning damage to HP. User can cast Thundaga. Magic +10, and Lightning Eater.
Blue Ring - Halves Water Damage. User can cast Water. Magic +4, and Water Ward.
NulTide Ring - Nullifies Water Damage. User can cast Watera. Magic +6, and Waterproof.
Cerulean Ring - Converts Water damage to HP. User can cast Waterga. Magic +10, and Water Eater.
Black Ring - Nullifies Gravity damage. User can cast Demi. HP +10%, MP +10%, and Gravityproof.
Black Lore - Use Black Magic abilities learned as a Black Mage. Magic +12.
Black Tome - Black Magic requires 40% less time. User can cast Osmose. Agility +5, MP +10%, and Turbo Black Magic.
Mortal Shock - Adds Death to attacks and skills. User can cast Death. Strength -6, Magic +6, and Deathtouch.
Venom Shock - Adds Poison to attacks and skills. User can cast Bio. Strength -5, Magic +3, and Poisontouch.
Minerva's Plate - Dramatically increases magic power... but what's the point? MP +100, Strength -80, Magic +100, Turbo Black Magic, No AP, No EXP, and Use Black Magic.
Wring - From an ancient war. Makes its user a spellcasting machine. HP -40%, Magic +80, Defense -20, Majo's Soul(generates a constant Poison/Haste effect on character; Black Magic spells require 50% less time to cast); Use Black Magic.

Garment Grids
Heart of Flame - Fire, Fira, Firaga, Firestrike, and Fire Eater.
Ice Queen - Blizzard, Blizzara, Blizzaga, Icestrike, and Ice Eater.
Thunder Spawn - Thunder, Thundara, Thundaga, Lightningstrike, and Lightning Eater.
Menace of the Deep - Water, Watera, Waterga, Waterstrike, and Water Eater.
Downtrodder - Demi, Gravitystrike, Gravity Eater, Double HP.
Restless Sleep - Sleep, Bio, Sleeptouch, Poisontouch, Sleepproof, and Poisonpoof.
Bitter Farewell - Death, Doom, Deathtouch, Doomtouch, Deathproof, and Doomproof.
Covetous - Drain, and Osmose.
Black Tabard - Use Black Magic, Magic +15, Magic +15, Magic +15, Magic +15, and Black Magic wait down.
Conflagration - Flare, and Use Black Magic.
Megiddo - Flare, Ultima, and Use Black Magic.

Even though Black Mage only gets the 12 elemental spells (plus Flare and Ultima, if you use the Megiddo Grid), Dark Knight gets: Bio, Break, Death, Doom, Sleep, Drain, Osmose, Confuse, Silence, Blind, and Demi.

Final Fantasy XI

In the MMORPG incarnation of the series, the Black Mage follows Final Fantasy tradition, being a mage class that specializes in damage-dealing through "nukes," or powerful offensive magic. Because of the new battle system used in Final Fantasy XI and other similar massively multiplayer online games, in which the monster will direct its attack towards the player that it perceives as the largest threat, it is not practical for the Black Mage to nuke without caution as they have in previous installations in the series. Despite these restrictions, they remain one of the biggest damage dealers in the game. Black Mages equip staves and clubs almost exclusively, they are also able to equip a certain class of swords called bilbos; unlike their White Mage brethren, they are unable to equip most shields. At later levels, they also have access to several scythes.

Final Fantasy Tactics

In Final Fantasy Tactics, the Black Mage (called Wizard here) is an unlockable job rather than a class - every character can theoretically become a Black Mage and Black Magic, once learned, can be used by characters with other jobs. Spells are not bought with money but rather with Job Points, which are awarded for successful actions. The Black Mage is one of the more expensive classes to master.

Unlike in the traditional Final Fantasy games, in Final Fantasy Tactics the Black Mage has to charge up a spell before it becomes effective. During this time the Black Mage cannot perform any actions besides moving without interrupting the spell, which makes charging Black Mages an important target, as they are relatively defenseless. Also, since most spells affect an area it's possible to use magic against the caster by standing close to him or his allies when the spell goes off. (Note that charging and area effects are common in Final Fantasy Tactics and by no means limited to Black Magic.)

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

Unlike most other Final Fantasy games, in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Black Mages only learn the first, second, and third-levels of the three standard elements: Fire, Blizzard, and Thunder. Black Mages can also become Time Mages after mastering 5 Black Mage skills. Black Magic affects the area in a cross formation (+), attacking one space in each cardinal direction from the center of origin. In the game, the job is limited only to Humans, Nu Mou and Moogles.

Other games

• In Kingdom Hearts, some of Donald Duck's rods have the figure head of a Black Mage. The Heartless are in a way based on Black Mages, since they have the black faces and yellow eyes. Some of the spellcaster Heartless, such as the Wizard and especially the Blue Rhapsody, also resemble Black Mages. Even though Donald Duck starts off with Fire and may resemble a Black Mage, he is in fact equivalent to a Red Mage.
• Vivi Orunitia makes an appearance in Kingdom Hearts II, though he is never referred to as a Black Mage nor does he practice any magic.
• A Black Mage is a playable character in the PlayStation racing game Chocobo Racing. He rides a cloud and can power up the magic stones he collects during the race.
• Black Mages also appear in Mario Hoops 3-on-3 for the Nintendo DS, along with other Mario and Final Fantasy characters. His special shot is Meteor.
• Ragnarok Online features the Mage and Wizard jobs, being similar to that of Black Mages in their ability to use offensive magic. While physically weak (like other jobs of this type), they are capable of dealing great amounts of damage through the use of their magic.

Black Mage Archetype Characters In Other Games

The Black Mage has become a popular archetype for different characters in other games. Usually, these characters follow Final Fantasy's Black Mage as a template, having low attack power, defense, and HP, but having high Magical power, defense against magic, and MP. Black Mages usually eschew physical attacks in favor of all-magical offense.

• Genis from Tales of Symphonia can be considered a Black Mage, because he is very weak physically, but has powerful spells.
• Magus from Chrono Trigger fits the Black Mage description perfectly, because he starts out with: Fire 2, Ice 2, and Lightning 2. While the other characters can learn Black Magic (Crono being Lightning, Lucca being Fire, Marle being water but casts Ice, and Frog being Water), They also have tendencies to be able to cast White Magic as well. Magus later learns Dark Bomb, Dark Mist, Magic Wall, Dark Hole and his ultimate Magic, Dark Matter. (It even says "The Ultimate Black Magic Spell").
• Arche of Tales of Phantasia is a Black Mage, with the ability to use various types of magic proficiently.

References in culture

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), in ancient Greek "νεκρομαντία" or a kind of divination which makes use of dead bodies to predict future events, to "nigromantia" (black art or magic). (Maybe this belief originates the myth of the necronomicon or book of the dead.) 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.

The outfit of the Black Mages is likely a reference to the Norse god Odin who, during his training in magic, travelled the world of the mortals wearing long baggy robes and a large steepled hat to obscure his face.

Black Mages have also been referenced in various mediums;

• The Black Mages is the name of Final Fantasy music composer Nobuo Uematsu's band that plays remixes of Final Fantasy music.
• Wizardmon from the Digimon series bears many similarities to a Black Mage.
• The Wizzrobes in several The Legend of Zelda games bear some likeness to a Black Mage. It should be noted that The Legend of Zelda and, thus, the Wizzrobe, predate the Black Mage and Final Fantasy by one year.
• The Mage (Innocent Devil) in Castlevania: Curse of Darkness looks almost identical to black mages (Vivi).
• In 8-Bit Theater, a webcomic parodying the original Final Fantasy, Black Mage Evilwizardington is a villainous and bloodthirsty sociopath who has next-to-no redeeming traits whatsoever and revels in acts of senseless violence. The character is based on the stereotypes that Black Mages are inherently evil.
• In the game Kirby Superstar, the character Simirror looks nearly identical to a black mage, with the only differences being the robe colour and star on his hat.
• The character Orko from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe somewhat resembles a black mage; he has a black face, yellow eyes, and an oversized wizard hat.
• The character Marvin the Martian from Looney Tunes resembles a Black Mage in that his head looks and is colored like a bowling ball, but with no yellow eyes. However, the Looney Tunes series, and thus Marvin as well, predate the release of the first Final Fantasy by over half a century.

Black Magic

Aero - Wind elemental damage on one/multiple enemies.
Asper/Aspil/Osmose/Psych - Transfers MP to caster. Reverse if used on undead.
Aura - Infuses a random elemental property into one's sword.
Bane/Scourage - Poison Gas that sometimes kills enemies in one hit.
Banish/X-Zone/Zap! - Send an enemy into the cleft of dimension.
Berserk - Ups target's attack power. (Not to be confused with White Mage spell, "Berserk")
Bind/Hold/Shade - Weaker version of Stun; still has a chance of paralyzing an enemy.
Bio/Virus - Viral infection that starts to eat away at a victim's HP.
Blind/Dark - Blinds an enemy, lowering their accuracy.
Blizzaga/Blizzard 3/Ice 3 - Causes big-time Ice elemental damage on one/multiple enemies.
Blizzaja/Ice 4 - Causes massive Ice elemental damage to all enemies.
Blizzara/Blizzard 2/Ice 2 - Causes Ice elemental damage to one/multiple enemies.
Blizzard/Ice - Causes small Ice elemental damage to one/multiple enemies.
Bolt/Lightning/Thunder - Causes small Lightning elemental damage to one/multiple enemies.
Bolt 2/Lightning 2/Thundara/Thunder 2 - Causes Lightning elemental damage to one/multiple enemies.
Bolt 3/Lightning 3/Thundaga/Thunder 3 - Causes big-time Lightning elemental damage on one/multiple enemies.
Bolt 4/Thundaja - Causes massive Lightning elemental damage to all enemies.
Break/Stone - Lower chance of turning an enemy to stone.
Break 2/Breakga - Higher chance of turning an enemy to stone.
Comet - Rains down a series of small meteroites on one enemy.
Confuse/Muddle - Confuses enemies.
Curse - Lowers an enemy's Strength/Magic/Defense/Magic Defense drastically.
Death/Doom/Fatal/XXXX - Attempts to kill an enemy in one shot. Almost always hits.
Dejon/Warp - Warp one level up, or if used a certain way, can kill an enemy outright.
Demi/Gravity - Reduces the enemy's HP by 1/4
Doomsday - Unfocused massive Shadow elemental damage is done to everyone.
Drain - Drains HP from target. Reverse if target is undead.
Erase - Works like Dispel; It nulls positive status on a target.
Fast/Haste - Speeds up an ally.
Fira/Fire 2 - Causes Fire elemental damage to one/multiple enemies.
Firaga/Fire 3 - Causes big-time Fire elemental damage on one/multiple enemies.
Firaja/Fire 4 - Causes massive Fire elemental damage to all enemies.
Fire - Causes small Fire elemental damage to one/multiple enemies.
Flare/Nuke - Nuclear fusion attack that pierces defenses against one enemy.
Focara/Focus 2/Lock 2 - Attempts to make an enemy easier to hit.
Focus/Lock - Attempts to make enemies easier to hit.
Frog/Toad - Changes to/from a Frog or a Toad.
Graviga/Quarter - Lowers the enemies HP by 3/4
Kill/Raze/Reaper/Rub - Attempts to kill an enemy in one shot. Almost always fails.
Merton - Unfocused piercing fire attack.
Meteo/Meteor - Rains large meteorites down on the enemy party.
Pearl - Holy mystic purity attack.
Piggy - Changes to/from a Pig.
Poison/Venom - Inflicts an enemy with poison status, making their HP gradually drop.
Quake - Ruptures the earth to cause big-time Earth elemental damage to the enemy party.
Saber - Makes Caster's weapon 3x powerful.
Sleep - Attempts to put all enemies to sleep.
Sleep 2/Sleepra - Attempts to put an enemy to sleep.
Slow - Attempts to slow all enemies down.
Slow 2/Slowra - Attempts to slow an enemy down.
Steel/Temper - Makes target's weapon 2x stronger.
Stop - Stops time for all enemies.
Stun - Stronger paralyzing effect, but hits one enemy.
Tornado/Weak/Wind/W Wind - Reduces target's HP to single digits.
Ultima - Causes massive non-elemental damage to all enemies. (Not to be confused with White Mage spell, "Ultima")
Water - Causes small Water elemental damage to one/multiple enemies.
Watera - Causes Water elemental damage to one/multiple enemies.
Waterga - Causes big-time Water elemental damage on one/multiple enemies.

Template:FF jobs