How does RDM actually work (what's white vs. black)? (Potential spoilers)

[Belisaire]

Hey,

I'm trying to wrap my head about how RDM works...

We're clearly told that RDM uses a mix 'white magic' and 'black magic,' but that its all pulled from the caster's mana pool instead of the ambient aether (which is what White Mage and Black Mage all pull from).

But doesn't that fundamentally redefine what Black and White magic are?

I'm just generally confused on how this works. Like, I was under the impression that you have to be able to Hear in order to be a White Mage, and there's very select few that gain this ability. If RDM isn't able to 'Hear,' how are they able to use White Magic?

[Belisaire]

Like, my understanding of thaumaturgy is that the caster is casting from their own mana pool. Black magic is the enhancement of this, which is pulling aether from the environment to create some very devastating effects.

White Magic is a separate art, the art of succor. But even Conjury, I believe, could be casted from ones own aether pool (but this was recommended against, I think some NPC's mother died doing that).

It seems like the very definition of White Magic and Black Magic are contradictory to what RDM is using. Is RDM really just using Conjury/Thaumaturgy instead of White/Black magic? Is this a translation error?

[Unaki]

One of the misconceptions is that White Magic is the art of succor when it isn't quite the case. Conjury is only a classification of the beneficial nature of healing spells and isn't quite a part of White Magic as Red Mages use. The Red Mage uses the White Magic created by Amdapor during the fifth astral era as a means to fight back against Mhach's destructive black magic. Black Magic doesn't quite need an explanation but the most simple explanation of both schools is that they both draw immense amounts of aether to enhance the spells. Modern White Magic (As the player learns it) only exists because of the Padjal's efforts to revive it after the elementals lifted the ban on magic thanks to White Magic's destructive force in the War of the Magi. (White Mages literally caused a great flood on nearly biblical levels which is what destroyed the cities of Mhach and Amdapor.)

Red Mages learned how to take both schools of magic, which are complete opposites of one another, and balance them to create a powerful blend of black and white, which is the whole point of their balance gauge mechanic. The Red Mages are descendants of both the Mhachi and Amdapori mages that came together to fight back against the forces in their homes.

I'm just going to take a guess here and assume that what the red mage does is draw aether into his crystal which allows him to channel that energy into his blade for devastating augmented physical attacks which fits with what it has done in past games with stuff like Enfire, Enthunder, etc. Unfortunately we need to wait until something comes along in the game or through a new lore entry that explains Red Magic more in depth to really get a clear picture because all we know about right now is X'rhun Tia's story from the job quests.

[Belisaire]

I'm just going to take a guess here and assume that what the red mage does is draw aether into his crystal.

Except we're clearly told in the second quest that the Red Mage does not draw upon ambient aether, but rather utilizes their own mana. X'rhun said that in the time that red magic was conceived, to do otherwise was forbidden.

And isn't the very definition of white and black magic include drawing from the ambient aether? In other words... what exactly is white and black magic without drawing on ambient aether?

[Ametrine]

Well, the drawing of ambient aether to the levels that Ampador and Mhach had done was the reason the calamity of floods came about in the first place.

X'rhun states that the catalyst crystal they use is their aid in this. My guess is it doubles as a means to amplify their own magic while preventing the user from killing themselves as Sylphie risked in the early CNJ quests by pulling way too much of your own aether at once.

[Jandor]

The impression I got from the 50-60 quests was that red magic uses the casters body as a vaguely defined "accelerant" to imitate the effect of drawing upon ambient aether.

Like say for example using your own magic reserves can normally get you to 5/10, White and Black mages get the extra needed for their impressive spells by drawing upon ambient aether to reach 10/10, while Red mages use the "acceleration process" to go dangerously beyond their own limits to reach 10/10. They then remove any dangerous excess by shifting it into their sword and stabbing it into enemies.

Not reached 70 yet though, so haven't got all the details.