Mana Manipulation

"Ben Tennyson: What’s Mana?
Verdona: You’re grandpa's fate was big news. It even reached my planet, so I came back here to remember the good times. Who knew there was a budding Anodite among you? Gwendolyn, you’ll be amazed at what you can do let me teach you to master life energy. That’s what Mana is. Mature Anodites, are pure energy. We draw life from the Mana around us. "

― Verdona (Ben 10; Alien Force) explains Mana

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 Life-Force/Vitality Manipulation
Mana/Life-Force/Vitality Magic

Fiction-Specific Terms[]

Vim (Ars Magica)
Ethernano Manipulation (Fairy Tail)
Lifestream Manipulation (Final Fantasy VII series)
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)

Capabilities[]

Users can control Mana, a mystical life-force that is defined as the spiritual equivalent of magical energy, acting as both a source of magical power and a medium through which spells are cast and controlled. In many worlds, mana is vital to spellcasting, creating constructs, healing, and even replenishing life-force itself. It flows from sources such as nature, mystical realms, or a person’s internal reservoir, and can be regenerated through rest, meditation, or exposure to certain energies.

Since mana is a form of life and magical energy, it is an immense source that magic derives from, and because it originated from different sources mana can have its variant spectrums of properties and functions due to the nature because it’s universal. Aside from uses in spellcasting, one can channel, reroute, and twist mana in use, or even destroying mana entirely which simulates anti-magical effects, possibly even be used to control the locomotion of magic. This consequentially allows mana manipulators to control other magical targets.

The exact nature of mana varies across different settings: it may be considered magical energy itself, a resource like magical atoms, or even a distinct distinct school of magic. Some universes treat it as a practical energy source that allows magical feats, while others see it as a mysterious, spiritual force that is accessible to only the most skilled or attuned practitioners. This control over mana can grant users incredible versatility, enabling them to shape, bend, and master magic with extraordinary precision and power.

The mastery of mana, allows a user to influence the flow, density, and potency of mana, optimizing it for specific purposes. With full control over mana, one can also siphon energy from external sources, fuel their powers more efficiently, or even drain mana from others. Masters of mana manipulation can achieve near-limitless versatility in their magical repertoire, bending the raw fabric of magic to their will and accessing powerful abilities that defy ordinary limitations.

Applications[]

General Applications[]

Offensive Mana[]

The user can use their mana reserve as a raw energy attacks.

Defensive Mana[]

The user can use their mana for defensive purposes.

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.

Healing Mana[]

Healing mana can be given to a being who has lost mana in order to repair physical and mental infliction.

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.

Variations[]

Dragon Mana Manipulation

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
- Life-Force Manipulation
- Magic
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 (Doom Breaker)
Various Characters (The Eminence In Shadow)
Various Characters (Fairy Tail)
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)
Mana Users (Solo Leveling)
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

Tabletop/Video Games

Various Characters (Ars Magica)
Various Characters (Breath of Fire series)
Various Characters (Dota 2)
- Lion
- Pugna
- Outworld Destroyer
- Anti-Mage
Witch Doctors (Diablo)
Various Characters (Dragalia Lost)
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)
Users of Mana (Mage the Awakening)
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)
Various Characters (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