How are spells ACTUALLY cast?

[PartiallySober]

I've spent a lot of time trying to research the origins of the classes and especially how they utilize/manipulate aether to fuel their spells, but have been unable to find anything on a specific part of it that is now bothering me incessantly: how do they actually cast the spells?

All I found was a bit about ARC (and SMN/SCH?) having equations/diagrams in their books that they channeled aether through to produce the spells themselves, but how do the other DoM's do it?

Do they use incantations or...?

I've been unable to find much of anything explaining this bit and it's driving me insane. :\

Barring any potential in-lore explanation, how would you personally explain the non-fuel parts of spellcasting?

[Sylvain]

In before Anonymoose the lore master replies

[RezWolf]

Based on game mechanics (I know, I know, mechanics =/= lore), I would imagine that due to silence preventing casters from casting spells, you can infer that there is a verbal component to casting a spell while/after casting it (i.e a black mage channels the aether/mana it needs to cast flare then says "FLARE!" when it finishes casting). additionally the caster's weapons may act like a focus for their spells (I believe the relic and anima weapon quest touch on this but it's been so long since I've done them that I don't remember the details). Also the soul stones probably offer the user some knowledge on how to use their more advanced spells and abilities.

I'm sure some of the other more knowledgeable lore masters could provide better insight to this, and the lore book probably also goes into detail about how the other jobs beside arcanists, scholars, and summoners cast their spells.

[Anonymoose]

In before Anonymoose the lore master replies

Well you know I won't just walk by my name like that! ♡

how do they actually cast the spells?

I think it's most easily understood with a bit of groundwork.

Spellwork is one type of [aetherial manipulation]. There are many ways to manipulate aether, so there are many ways to "cast a spell", in theory—thanks to the depth of the lore and story/mechanic segregation, some of the nuances become an exercise in semantics. A ninja, for example, also uses hand gestures to manipulate aether. In theory, any ritualized behavior can result in [aetherial manipulation] if the correct mental and technical associations are formed.

That said, almost all the spells you're probably thinking of are indeed, are as RezWolf suspected, ritualized spoken incantation. Conjurer (White Mage), Thaumaturge (Black Mage), Summoner, and Red Mage all explicitly mention incantation / enchantment in some form. Urianger explains that Y'shtola used the dangerous teleportation spell Flow specifically because the safe, traditional spell Teleport was too lengthy.

Though said magicks can also be augmented. For example, many spells rooted in arcanima make use of "arcane geometries"; intricate patterns that map the unlocked mysteries of existence─to draw forth and manipulate the body's aetheric energies, whereby the mage must conjure in his mind the image of distinct mystical diagrams, allowing for increased complexity and precision of spells' effects. Using conductive ink and books enhances and focuses these manipulations (as do most weapon materials associated with a given magical school).

There aren't many limits, just tendencies, really.

[ObsidianFire]

All spellcasting uses something as a focus to help the user channel aether. Thumaturges and Black Mages use bone and stones (meteorite, gemstones). Conjurers and White Mages use wood. Arcanists, Scholars and Summoners use ink that conducts aether. Red Mages use their well, focus, which usually looks to be made of some type of stone usually. This is why most mage staffs look like they do.

This doesn't just stop with mages though. All the jobs focus and channel aether in some way. Ninjas channel aether with their mudras, Monks with their bodies, Archers/Bards with their songs, Machinets convert their aether into power for their gun, etc. The way they focus and channel aether varies a lot. The fact that all the jobs use aether is why they can all be effective against magitek and the like.

[Okamimaru]

Each type of aether manipulation be it magic or enhanced physical skills are derived from a form of mnemonic used to remember how to channel aether towards a desired outcome.... if you ritualize it or have set steps to follow it makes casting easier... we are taught to cast a certain way because that's how that particular job has been teaching people to use aether...

[PartiallySober]

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Many thanks guys. <3

In before Anonymoose the lore master replies

Can... can we like summon Anonymoose if we say his name enough times? Because you said it once and he appeared.

[TheMightyMollusk]

Can... can we like summon Anonymoose if we say his name enough times? Because you said it once and he appeared.

If you say it three times into a mirror in a dark room, he appears and explains exactly how the summoning worked. Then he smacks you over the head with his hat.

[KageTokage]

I can't help but find it awkward that silence often works to prevent the magic attacks used even by wildlife which logically wouldn't be using any manner of incantation and rather just have such abilities incorporated into their natural biology.

I suppose it's just a case of gameplay/story segregation there.

[ObsidianFire]

My take on it is that it has to do with route memorization and concentration. Most things used to cast magic (spell incantations, focuses, hand gestures, etc.) are used as shortcuts so that the magic user doesn't have to be fully focusing on the fine points of casting magic in a fight. Silence interrupts the incantation "shortcut" which is something almost all magic spells use. That makes it take more concentration to cast magic and in a fight that causes problems.

You can think of casting spells normally like using a program shortcut on the computer desktop to launch a program. Silence would make the shortcut not work and it takes time to open up File Explorer and hunt down the program's actual location in the computer. And doing it while fighting someone else at the same time...