The power to manipulate mana. Combination of Life-Force Manipulation and Magical Energy Manipulation. Magical counterpart of Bio-Energy, Spiritual Force and/or Chi Manipulation.
Also Called[]
- Arcane/Magical/Supernatural Life-Force/Vitality Manipulation
- Life-Force/Vitality Magic
Fiction-Specific Terms[]
- Ethernano Manipulation (Fairy Tail)
- Magic Points/Mana Points/MP (Game Terminology)
- Magicka (The Elder Scrolls)
- Magoi Manipulation (Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic)
- Magicule Manipulation (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime)
- Prime (Mage the Awakening)
- Vim (Ars Magica)
Capabilities[]
Mana is basically magical life-force, defined as the will for magic to be cast, in the same way conventional life-force encourages extraordinary moves to be performed. It is hence regarded to as the spiritual version of magical energy.
It is sometimes referred as simply life energy itself, as it is used to replenish life-force.
Since magic derives from mana, mana manipulation can be used to control the locomotion of magic. Aside from uses in spellcasting, one can channel, reroute, and twist mana in use, or even destroying mana entirely which simulates anti-magical effects. This consequentially allows mana manipulators to control other magical targets.
The exact mechanics of mana, however, varies between settings. More specifically, it can be a distinct school of magic, magical atoms, or even magical energy itself. Several video games simply refer to mana as a mystical energy resource to perform supernatural acts and not to be strictly tapped into by mages.
Applications[]
General Applications[]
Offensive Mana[]
The user can use their mana reserve as a raw energy attacks.
- Magical Force Manipulation
- Magical Particle Manipulation
- Magic Arts
- Magic Creation
- Reality Warping/Life-Force Warping
- Rule Bending
Defensive Mana[]
The user can use their mana for defensive purposes.
- Anti-Magic Arts
- Barrier Magic
- Counter
- Deflection
- Magical Constructs
- Magic Defense
- Reinforcement Magic
- Strong Heart
Natural Mana[]
The user can utilize the mana of nature to govern elemental forces.
Enchanting Mana[]
The user can manifest mana with or around objects or beings in to provide intentional excess mana. The infusion is magically charged. It is normally temporary, but highly effective.
- Affinity
- Augmentation
- Cultivation
- Effect Stacking
- Enchantment
- Energy Conversion
- Magic Aura
- Magic Infusion
- Mystic Object
- Potion Creation
- Spell Creation
- Supernatural Bodily Aspects
Healing Mana[]
Healing mana can be given to a being who has lost mana in order to repair physical and mental infliction.
- Cleanliness Magic
- Empathic Healing
- Healing Energy Manipulation
- Health Optimization
- Magical Regeneration
- Medical Magic
- Mental Healing
- Mystical Healing
- Purification Magic
Sensory Mana[]
Users are able to use their mana to enchant their senses in order to mystically connect to the mana of others or objects.
- Detection
- Divination
- Dowsing
- Energy Detection
- Energy Perception
- Highlighting
- Hyper Awareness
- Magic Detection
- Magic Perception
- Sensory Scrying
- Sensory Tracking
- Psychic Perception
- Psychic Scanning
- Psychometry
- Weakness Detection
Trivia[]
- In real life, the concept of mana originates in Polynesian myth. There, it is said that mana was a kind of spiritual life force that suffused the universe and provided power. Mana could be gained or lost through certain actions, and certain places contained mana. In the Hawaiian belief Mana could be gained through doing certain "right" things, generally acts of violence or sexuality. In the Maori tradition Mana came from authority which was derived either through your bloodline/lineage("whakapapa") or through your resources that you could use to give people gifts which would oblige them to you. In either case, it's important to note that mana is not just about spiritual energy but specifically about the power to do things. Those things might be accomplished through prayer to gods (which could potentially expend that mana), or it could be a means of doing things itself.
- In contemporary fiction mana is most commonly used for specifically magical acts. The first time it was used in this context in the west was in a short story called Not Long Before the End by Larry Niven. Since then, it's become a mainstay of fantasy.
Associations[]
- Cosmic Wind Manipulation - According to a summary of Larry Niven's The Magic Goes Away, mana seems to sometimes come from the solar wind.
- Enigma Force
- Esoteric Energy Manipulation
- Power Source
- Sex/Violence Empowerment - Mana is derived from it in Polynesian myth.
Limitations[]
- May take time to control.
- May require objects of magic such as spell books, charms, amulets, runes, etc.
- If sentient, the magical energy may be able to overwhelm the user and take over them.
- Mana can drain the user and cause fatigue.
- Mana is a power that one may need to study.
- The strength and quantity of mana depends on the influence and authority one has.
- Control, discipline, and restraint are extremely important. Unconscious, impulsive, or reckless use of this power can be catastrophic.
- May be unable to create mana, being limited to manipulating only from already existing sources.
- Users's emotions may affect the magic directly, resulting in control being essential.
- Distance, mass, precision, etc. depend upon of the knowledge, skill, and strength of the user, and their power's natural limits.
- Vulnerable to Anti-Magic, Energy Drain, Mana Draining Field Projection, Magical Energy Absorption, Magic Negation Field and Magic Absorption.
- Users of Magic Resistance are resistant, while those of Magic Immunity are impervious.
Known Users[]
See Also: Mana.
Anime/Manga/Manhwa
- Hajime Nagumo (Arifureta)
- Jeong Sangu (Auto Hunting With My Clones)
- Various Characters (Black Clover)
- Aram (Chain Chronicle)
- Mana-Humans (Cross Ange Rondo Of The Angel And Dragon)
- Various Characters (The Eminence In Shadow)
- Mages (Frieren: Beyond Journey's End)
- Various Characters (The Greatest Estate Developer)
- Sai Akuto (Ichiban Ushiro no Dai Mao)
- Ren (I Was Reincarnated As 7th Prince)
- Mages (Kenja no Mago)
- Vermeil (Kinsou no Vermeil As Vermeil In Gold)
- Alto Goldfield (Kinsou no Vermeil As Vermeil In Gold)
- Various Characters (Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon)
- Mages (Lyrical Nanoha)
- Users of Magoi (Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic)
- Western Mages (Negima! Magister Negi Magi)
- Dryad (Seiken Densetsu)
- Various Characters (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime)
- Users of Mana (Toaru Majutsu no Index)
Cartoons/Comics
- Mana Users (Ben 10 series)
- Duelists (Kaijudo: Rise of the Duel Masters)
Movies
- Gamera (Gamera)
Literature
- Various Characters (The Beginning After The End)
- Deacon Celeste (The Book of Deacon)
- Myranda Celeste (The Book of Deacon)
- The D'Karon (The Book of Deacon)
- Mages (Karsearin: Adventures of a Red Dragon)
- Gaster Ratnile
- Vera Casnine
- Dragons's Heirs (Los Hechiceros del Dragon)
Tabletop/Video Games
- Various Characters (Dota 2)
- Lion
- Pugna
- Outworld Destroyer
- Anti-Mage
- Witch Doctors (Diablo)
- Various Characters (The Elder Scrolls)
- Vivian (Epic Seven)
- Users of the Lifestream (Final Fantasy VII series)
- Users of Mana (Id-The Greatest Fusion Fantasy)
- Users of Mana (League of Legends)
- Players (Log Horizon)
- Various Characters (Magic: The Gathering)
- Users of Mana (Mana series)
- Users of Mana (MapleStory)
- Various Characters (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang)
- Battlemages/Mages (Spellbreak)
- Users of Mana (Tales series)
- Users of Mana (TYPE-MOON)
- Warcraft Players (Warcraft series)
- Mages (Warcraft series)
- The Wizard (Wizard101)
References[]
- Ethernano in Fairy Tail
- Mana on Wikipedia
- Mana in Ben 10
- Mana in Magic: The Gathering
- Mana in TYPE-MOON
- Mana in Black Clover
- Mana and Mana Conversion Affinity in Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha
- Mana in World of Warcraft
- Mana in Mana series
- Mana in Spellbreak
- Mana in League of Legends
- Mana in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang