Blue Magic in non-FF games

[Feba]

I just had a thought, how many other games use Blue Magic? Obviously healing and damaging and buffing magic is very common, but I can only think of one example (Castlevania, Aria of Sorrow) from outside the FF series that does it.

What other games out there use it?

[Mog]

Folklore.

It kinda cheats though. It randomly pops out a demon-guy then makes him go away after the move is complete.

[Feba]

that sounds like summoning, buddy

[Armando]

Mega Man X lol.

[Murphie]

Other...games?

[KingOfZeal]

Chrono Cross had a character which could change into any monster you had killed before with that character in the party. When he changed, he had all the spells and abilities of that character.

It was actually the only redeeming point of that character, as I remember... he/she/it was really annoying otherwise. Then again, it has been a while since I played.

[DieselBoy09]

SaGa Frontier. A great game.

[Icemage]

that sounds like summoning, buddy
Spoken like someone who's never played Folklore. :)

There's two characters in Folklore, and while they do "sort of" summon the critters in question at times, Keats (one of the two characters) usually just incorporates the creature's attack into one of his offensive or defensive moves.


Icemage

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

What about Kirby. Ok, he's pink, but he eats his enemies and gains thier abilities. That's kinda like what BLUs do, minus the cannibalism.

[MrMageo]

um yoshi in super mario world could eat the turtles and gain attributes based on their shell color, like the red shell gave him fire breath.

[Feba]

I'm not sure if I'd count that or not. it's just a temporary measure, you can't build up a library of monster spells like a blue mage should. I also haven't played much Kirby, so I don't remember it actually using any 'magic' power, but that could be wrong.

[Murphie]

So what exactly would you count?

[Feba]

Logically, characters that can build up a library of magic drawn from monsters, and use MP (or a similar thing) to use said spells.

[Jaelachan]

There was a game a long time ago about a kid with a blob, and when you fed the blob jellybeans it changed shape, I guess that could be considered blue magic.

[LilithAngel]

Well, when it comes to actual Blue Magic, unless it's a SE game, it's not going to be exactly following that formula to a tee. Every company that uses that mechanic will most likely give its own take on it.

That being said, there are many many "Blue Mages" throughout the history of video games, the two of the most known and popular being Mega Man and Kirby. While Kirby only temporarily (or until to the end of the level, depending on player skill/power retention setup) has his opponent's powers, Mega Man (all versions) follows a true Blue Mage formula: he defeats his enemies, takes their power, and even has a limiting factor on the subsequent use of said power (Magic Points are replaced with Reserve Weapon Energy, being that highly advanced technology replaces magic to begin with). He retains said powers indefinitely, insofar as to say indefinitely extends to the closing credits on said game, thus, he builds up a sort of "library of magic from fallen enemies" (their weapons are integrated into his variable weapon system, and the drivers, command functions, and other related functions written to his memory, while the hardware to support the new weaponry is configured either on the spot, or later installed, depending on series).

Mega Man's even blue by default. I'd say he definitely qualifies to be a Blue Mage, regardless of the fact that he's a construct, and you're basically just replacing magical terms with technological ones. And that he's on Capcom's payroll, not Square-Enix's.

What about Kirby. Ok, he's pink, but he eats his enemies and gains thier abilities. That's kinda like what BLUs do, minus the cannibalism.

FFXI Blue Mages kinda do eat their enemies, if only their souls.

[Jaelachan]

There was a game a long time ago about a kid with a blob, and when you fed the blob jellybeans it changed shape, I guess that could be considered blue magic.
You didnt unlock the abilities in this game until you got to a certain point in the game. I'm not sure if it was via beating up a boss, I dont remember that clearly. The "Limiting factor" for each ability was the amount of a certain color of jellybeans you had.

[Armando]

The only thing about Kirby is that he can usually only retain one ability, and he can use his current ability unlimitedly. In Kirby Super Star's sub-game "Milkyway Wishes" he could keep abilities he obtained (though he got them by touching trophies rather than his standard Inhale), but I don't think there's ever been a Kirby game in which he has a limit to how much he can use a power, save for the obviously broken ones like Cook/Mike/Crash that pretty much destroy everything on-screen. Unless you want to consider the fact that powers can be knocked out of him the "limiting factor."

[Dymlos]

Wild Arms recently has their own form of Blue Mage. Professor Emma from Wild Arms Alter code:F and in the new Wild Arms XF with the Emulator class that allows them to download an enemy's ability.

[Ziero]

FFXI Blue Mages kinda do eat their enemies, if only their souls.

So...Bluemages are wannabe Cthulu?

At least it explains why they turn into squid heads...

[MrMageo]

Kirby was also able to combine enemies into a another more powerful ability. Kinda like how bluemage combines spells to get him some new abilities.

[Pteryx]

The basic concept of "take the other guy's power" is documented on TV Tropes; one could just scour that for the more blue-mage-like versions. (It's a wiki with no account needed, so you can add your own examples too.)

Mega Manning - Television Tropes & Idioms (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MegaManning)

[DieselBoy09]

Focus on SaGa Frontier! It was an AMAZING game that very few people know of. Should go look it up.