The Common Perception Towards Those Who Wield (Dark) Magic

The general response of the Eorzean people to those who wield black/dark magic such as Black Mage and Dark Knight is the same as the same as any other person until they see such powers in action. Black Mage bring ruin and destruction, great and deadly with the aim of obliterating their enemies in one shot. Any ordinary Eorzean would be left terrified of such displays of destruction.

For Dark Knight its a bit more obvious. Seen on the Dark Knight quest line, their fighting style is very... violent. To the point where blood is splashed everywhere. In the area around the fight, the dark knight, etc. The state the corpses are left in is also rather disturbing. In that one particular Dark Knight quest, the person that sent us to do a job was horrified at the display of gore and violence. Sure, Dark Knights punish the wicked with their arts and swords but the general populous would fear and disdain anyone that would cause such a scene of carnage.

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Originally Posted by Erudito

For Dark Knight its a bit more obvious. Seen on the Dark Knight quest line, their fighting style is very... violent. To the point where blood is splashed everywhere. In the area around the fight, the dark knight, etc. The state the corpses are left in is also rather disturbing. In that one particular Dark Knight quest, the person that sent us to do a job was horrified at the display of gore and violence. Sure, Dark Knights punish the wicked with their arts and swords but the general populous would fear and disdain anyone that would cause such a scene of carnage.

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It's my understanding that Dark Knights are like the Venom of the FF Universe. They protect the weak and innocent, but show no qualms about spilling blood, and potentially killing to do so.

Dark Knights are treated as pariahs due to the source and nature of their powers, as well as what they use them for. The Abyssal magic wielded by DRKs makes them scary, and their willingness to cross legal boundaries to make sure justice is served puts them at odds with the state. The common folk saved by one such Dark Knight are undoubtedly appreciative, but it's a path that chooses you - no one should want to become a Dark Knight, as it involves fully accepting not just the physical but mental and emotional toll living by the sword takes on you.

Common folk who witness a Dark Knight in action and aren't in need of saving tend to be terrified of them thanks to their brutal fighting style and Abyssal powers, though. The nobles eavesdropped on before finding Fray's corpse were scared witless of him before he fell.

(For the record, I always read the class as something like Tales of Vesperia's Yuri Lowell, but with more armor and dark powers.)

Black Mage? Never touched the stuff... ask someone else...

What determinates what "kind" of magic is being used is the pseudo science behind it and most importantly the school of magic that teaches, teached or invented it.

A lot of jobs seems to use a more simple kind of Magic or even just pure concentration or release of aether throught martial arts.