New Lucifer is weird
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Most powerful magic users in fiction
- Thread starter Lightning_Roller
- Start date
LordKasual
Banned
These convos are never fun without limitations
all it takes is for someone to mention some BS "reality bending" character who's basically god, and then nobody can win
all it takes is for someone to mention some BS "reality bending" character who's basically god, and then nobody can win
GreenMonkey
Member
Pug (Feist)
Raistlin (Dragonlance)
I read a lot of fantasy but those are still the first that come to mind.
Raistlin on a universe-killing rampage, cause people (and Gods) were assholes to him, so fuck everyone.
Pug basically planet smashing when required.
Raistlin (Dragonlance)
I read a lot of fantasy but those are still the first that come to mind.
Raistlin on a universe-killing rampage, cause people (and Gods) were assholes to him, so fuck everyone.
Pug basically planet smashing when required.
Because, while Macros did a lot of stuff (Pug/Milamber did too btw), the big stuff he did in the later half of all those books was actually done by a god using his body as a simulacrum?
That would be my guess.
mattwhite924
Member
Yup, that's what reminded me to mention Q. Discord is pretty much "What if Q got bored of Starfleet and hung out with horses?"
Apparently Discord also drinks a lot at a bar on Cyberton.
SigmasonicX
Member
Since the Genie from Aladdin has already been mentioned, I'll go with this guy.
Discord from MLP is pretty similar to the genie in powers, only with a more chaotic bent. Of course it kind of boils down to whatever happens to be funny at the time.
Actually, now that I think about it, Q deserves a mention too.
#/media/File%3AQ_portrait.jpg)
Discord is a good mention, since his powers are explicitly magic, unlike a reality warper like Q or a god.
However, he does have limitations that Q doesn't. We haven't seen him time travel in show canon, and seems to have been affected by Starlight creating alternate timelines. He is weak to harmony magic, got his ass kicked by Tirek, lost his powers when near the changeling throne, and it's implied he can be affected by sufficiently powerful normal magic.
EDIT: Although I suppose Q is all kinds of nerfed if you consider Voyager.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Bayaz is pretty up there, I'm guessing.
cyber_ninja
Member
Raistlin is my favorite, but I am being biased because Dragonlance is my favorite book.
In Melanie Rawn's Dragon Prince and Dragon Star trilogies, there are two different class of "magic user" (they do not, broadly speaking, consider their abilities to be magical, more like something you are born with and can develop into skills). There's quite a bit to read through to explain, so if you're not interested, you can ignore the spoiler.
The two most powerful magic users in the current timeline are High Prince Pol of Princemarch and the Desert, and his mother the former High Princess Sioned of the Desert. While Sioned is pure Sunrunner, and the most powerful known (at least of the current period, Merisel may have been more so), Pol is mixed Sunrunner and diarmadhi, with the latter being the more prominent. Pol is undoubtedly the most powerful diarmadhi, but when it comes to precise, refined control, Sioned has him beat. As half faradhi and half diarmadhi, Pol has all of the strengths and only the two main weaknesses of both bloodlines (gets sick crossing water, vulnerable to mirrors). By the end of the Dragon Star trilogy (sequel to the first Dragon Prince trilogy), Pol is able to -
Call Fire down on a wide area, or a group of enemies, incinerating them. Build (with help) a Ros'Salath, a wall of magical power that can repel an entire army by tearing at their minds with horrible visions, destroying their sanity. Project horrible visions with physical elements (for example, he himself faced down a sorceror who conjured a dragon, and he had to figure out which part was real and which was not - the saliva dripping from the jaws was a paste that burns, but the rest was incorporeal). Conjure visions of what is happening elsewhere in the world (as in can be watched by himself and others of either bloodline). Conjure a new face over their own, to disguise themselves. It apparently takes them a little while to truly "fit" into their new skin, to get natural-looking muscle movements.
In the last book, he contemplates the powers available to him. Quoting directly -
"He could spin a killing storm of Air and Water.
He could conjure lightning made of Fire and blast the enemy to nothingness.
He could weave a ros'salath so terrifying that they would run screaming into the Desert to die hopelessly insane.
He could fashion a dome of light... enclose them, and crush them into the sand.
He could project horror into the mirror, from gigantic dragons to monsters from legend to an image of himself a measure high and wreathed in flames.
He could do almost anything he wanted. He had power enough and to spare."
More information that show just how powerful he is - it's not necessary but interesting regardless. Spoilered again for those who do and don't want to read it.
I'm sorry, this was very, very long, and it's likely that nobody will read it all. But the powers and abilities given to people in these books are so unique and detailed that its hard to communicate just how powerful some people are.
The faradh'im, or Sunrunners, can "weave" skeins of light from the sun and the moons, giving them the ability to communicate mentally, and/or to cast spells. They identify each other on the light by their colours - colours are everything to them. They think in them, they see more of them and more clearly than any "non-gifted" person. They attend Goddess Keep, a sort of school-for-life where they are taught to harness their innate abilities. They are given rings that denote both their ability and rank, from their first ring that is granted when they first display their ability to call fire, up to eight as a teacher, nine as a master and ten as Lord or Lady of Goddess Keep. They feel instantly sick around large bodies of water, and can be incapacitated easily by crossing it, not recovering for days. If they are pierced with iron while using their abilities, there is a good chance they will die. Itinerant Sunrunners take up places at court as the best means of communication, though some princes, for political reasons, are wary of them.
The others are the Diarmadh'im, or Stoneburners (often called Sorcerors). They are almost exactly the same, but with a few changes. Their DNA is dominant over the Sunrunners - a couple composed of a diarmadhi and a faradhi will always produce diarmadhi children. They mostly use the stars, which the Sunrunners are also capable of but are taught not to at Goddess Keep (for historical reasons more than anything). They can also use the sun and moons, but prefer the stars. They are not as vulnerable as Sunrunners - they can cross water without feeling the slightest effect, and if pierced with iron they will hurt fiercely, but not die. There are a few spells the diarmadh'im can do that the Sunrunners can not, but they are very few in number. If they're so dominant genetically and they don't have the same weaknesses, why do they have no Goddess Keep of their own and why aren't they everywhere? Well, at one point in history they were, while the Sunrunners were confined to an island. But they became greedy and fought each other, doing great damage. The Sunrunners were asked to intervene and they did, lead by the redoubtable Lady Merisel, who was ruthless in hunting down and destroying them. Those that survived fled into the remote regions of the continent, while Merisel set up Goddess Keep. The one thing they are vulnerable to is mirrors, but that's too complex a topic to get into here.
It should be noted there are dragons in this series, and on the rare occasion that a dragon makes contact with a human through Sunrunning (the method of communicating down strands of light), it is always the dragon that is the more powerful. Far, FAR more powerful. Dragon intelligence is somewhere between chimp and man, they communicate not by words but by projecting images. Whenever a human speaks to "their" dragon (the dragon sees it the other way around), the dragon has to be exquisitely careful not to hurt them. Even at their most gentle, the human will be reeling from the effects of the contact for days afterwards with terrible headaches. This is important.
The others are the Diarmadh'im, or Stoneburners (often called Sorcerors). They are almost exactly the same, but with a few changes. Their DNA is dominant over the Sunrunners - a couple composed of a diarmadhi and a faradhi will always produce diarmadhi children. They mostly use the stars, which the Sunrunners are also capable of but are taught not to at Goddess Keep (for historical reasons more than anything). They can also use the sun and moons, but prefer the stars. They are not as vulnerable as Sunrunners - they can cross water without feeling the slightest effect, and if pierced with iron they will hurt fiercely, but not die. There are a few spells the diarmadh'im can do that the Sunrunners can not, but they are very few in number. If they're so dominant genetically and they don't have the same weaknesses, why do they have no Goddess Keep of their own and why aren't they everywhere? Well, at one point in history they were, while the Sunrunners were confined to an island. But they became greedy and fought each other, doing great damage. The Sunrunners were asked to intervene and they did, lead by the redoubtable Lady Merisel, who was ruthless in hunting down and destroying them. Those that survived fled into the remote regions of the continent, while Merisel set up Goddess Keep. The one thing they are vulnerable to is mirrors, but that's too complex a topic to get into here.
It should be noted there are dragons in this series, and on the rare occasion that a dragon makes contact with a human through Sunrunning (the method of communicating down strands of light), it is always the dragon that is the more powerful. Far, FAR more powerful. Dragon intelligence is somewhere between chimp and man, they communicate not by words but by projecting images. Whenever a human speaks to "their" dragon (the dragon sees it the other way around), the dragon has to be exquisitely careful not to hurt them. Even at their most gentle, the human will be reeling from the effects of the contact for days afterwards with terrible headaches. This is important.
The two most powerful magic users in the current timeline are High Prince Pol of Princemarch and the Desert, and his mother the former High Princess Sioned of the Desert. While Sioned is pure Sunrunner, and the most powerful known (at least of the current period, Merisel may have been more so), Pol is mixed Sunrunner and diarmadhi, with the latter being the more prominent. Pol is undoubtedly the most powerful diarmadhi, but when it comes to precise, refined control, Sioned has him beat. As half faradhi and half diarmadhi, Pol has all of the strengths and only the two main weaknesses of both bloodlines (gets sick crossing water, vulnerable to mirrors). By the end of the Dragon Star trilogy (sequel to the first Dragon Prince trilogy), Pol is able to -
Call Fire down on a wide area, or a group of enemies, incinerating them. Build (with help) a Ros'Salath, a wall of magical power that can repel an entire army by tearing at their minds with horrible visions, destroying their sanity. Project horrible visions with physical elements (for example, he himself faced down a sorceror who conjured a dragon, and he had to figure out which part was real and which was not - the saliva dripping from the jaws was a paste that burns, but the rest was incorporeal). Conjure visions of what is happening elsewhere in the world (as in can be watched by himself and others of either bloodline). Conjure a new face over their own, to disguise themselves. It apparently takes them a little while to truly "fit" into their new skin, to get natural-looking muscle movements.
In the last book, he contemplates the powers available to him. Quoting directly -
"He could spin a killing storm of Air and Water.
He could conjure lightning made of Fire and blast the enemy to nothingness.
He could weave a ros'salath so terrifying that they would run screaming into the Desert to die hopelessly insane.
He could fashion a dome of light... enclose them, and crush them into the sand.
He could project horror into the mirror, from gigantic dragons to monsters from legend to an image of himself a measure high and wreathed in flames.
He could do almost anything he wanted. He had power enough and to spare."
More information that show just how powerful he is - it's not necessary but interesting regardless. Spoilered again for those who do and don't want to read it.
During the climactic final chapters, he gathers power from faradhi and diarmadhi alike, freely given in most cases (too complicated to explain why some would not), and each time he gathered more, his reach expanded. When he was finished, he had probably around five hundred people offering him their power, which he used to craft a shield through which no iron could get through, through which no enemy could get through to his much smaller army, and to also fashion a ros'salath that repelled the enemy (but not killed them, for moral reasons). Nine dragons, perceiving their humans to be in danger, join the ros'salath and even with all those hundreds of people, Pol is only just about able to stop them from taking control and killing the enemy with it. But he does it. With all the power available to him, he forces the dragons to stop, and regains control, adds their strength to the weaving.
When it was over, Pol was senseless and fell into a sleep he did not wake from for another seven days. When he communicated with his dragon next, days later after more rest, the dragon did an astonishing thing. "Rolling to one side, he stretched his neck out and presented the length of his throat to Pol - just as a young male dragon did when yielding, in play or in earnest, to an older and more powerful sire." His dragon, biggest and most powerful of them all, always dominant, submitted to him. It's most telling when the two have a "conversation" during the battle -
"He found Azhdeen - somehow - and for a moment became the dragon. Primal blood-lust, murderous rage, a mindless need to kill - sweet, so sweet, and terrifying...
[KILL!]
Images slashed at the weaving in response to Azhdeen's raging emotions. Pol surrounded them, extinguishing each as he would a Fire conjuring.
No.
[PREDATORS! KILLED WINGSISTER!]
No.
[MAKE PREY! BONES BLOOD FLESH CLAW TEETH KILL!]
No! Human. People. Like me.
[NO COLOURS! NOT YOU!]
Like me. Legs arms head mouth eyes mind-
[PREY! KILL!]
NO!
[... no?]
When it was over, Pol was senseless and fell into a sleep he did not wake from for another seven days. When he communicated with his dragon next, days later after more rest, the dragon did an astonishing thing. "Rolling to one side, he stretched his neck out and presented the length of his throat to Pol - just as a young male dragon did when yielding, in play or in earnest, to an older and more powerful sire." His dragon, biggest and most powerful of them all, always dominant, submitted to him. It's most telling when the two have a "conversation" during the battle -
"He found Azhdeen - somehow - and for a moment became the dragon. Primal blood-lust, murderous rage, a mindless need to kill - sweet, so sweet, and terrifying...
[KILL!]
Images slashed at the weaving in response to Azhdeen's raging emotions. Pol surrounded them, extinguishing each as he would a Fire conjuring.
No.
[PREDATORS! KILLED WINGSISTER!]
No.
[MAKE PREY! BONES BLOOD FLESH CLAW TEETH KILL!]
No! Human. People. Like me.
[NO COLOURS! NOT YOU!]
Like me. Legs arms head mouth eyes mind-
[PREY! KILL!]
NO!
[... no?]
I'm sorry, this was very, very long, and it's likely that nobody will read it all. But the powers and abilities given to people in these books are so unique and detailed that its hard to communicate just how powerful some people are.
Coriolanus
Banned
eh, bayaz is a Constantine-type mage, that is, he resorts to trickery and deception far more than to outright magic. It is never clear what, exactly, is the extent of his powers, or even if he is more powerful than the top cannibals.
From what I saw in the movies, Hermione > Harry.
Lightning_Roller
Banned
Seeing that panel was pretty awesome actually.
Demonbane, you are describing Demonbane.
I wouldn't say so. He's the ultimate god of all universes. What he's doing I wouldn't consider magic.
Screaming Meat
Unconfirmed Member
Actually, now that I think about it, Q deserves a mention too.
I don't think Q is necessarily "magic", unless we are simply defining magic as abilities that humans do not understand/comprehend
Interesting fact about magic in Marvel
There are 2 books that pretty much are the bibles of magic.
The Darkhold and The Book of Vishanti
The darkhold is pure distilled evil, just reading a page can annihilate the reader's mind and soul.
The Book of The Vishanti is Strange's bible and what good mages study.
Funny thing is the Darkhold has a spell in it that will destroy all vampires on earth.
While The book of the vishanti has the original spell that created vampires in the first place.
There are 2 books that pretty much are the bibles of magic.
The Darkhold and The Book of Vishanti
The darkhold is pure distilled evil, just reading a page can annihilate the reader's mind and soul.
The Book of The Vishanti is Strange's bible and what good mages study.
Funny thing is the Darkhold has a spell in it that will destroy all vampires on earth.
While The book of the vishanti has the original spell that created vampires in the first place.
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
I didn't take Q as an option because I didn't think his powers were magical. But he is essentially Mt Mxyzptlk in scope of abilities and I figured he inspired Q. And Mxy is still my pick for this.
So vampires are good?
Not sure if it's magic but what makes it ridiculous that each new doctor is stronger than the last and the Doctor is uber powerful only held back because The Doctor was a junkie
No, The Vishanti are just shitty at picking who to give their shit to.
Varnea the first vampire had the book
I'm pretty big on the Weavers from Mieville's Perdido Street Station. They were the only things willing to take on slake moths.
Even hell itself refused to interfere with slake moths.
HELL ITSELF.
So yeah, Weavers are pretty badass. The one in the novel barely managed to survive the first slake moth encounter.
If slake moths were magical, then I'd go with that.
Even hell itself refused to interfere with slake moths.
HELL ITSELF.
So yeah, Weavers are pretty badass. The one in the novel barely managed to survive the first slake moth encounter.
If slake moths were magical, then I'd go with that.
Due to the timing I'll assume they decided this new series was necessary in order to cash in on the popularity of the crappy Fox series.
It's still completely different from the fox series but I wouldn't be surprised if it's that was a factor
Mister_Bubbles
Member
Fantastic book, but neither Strange or Norrel are particularly epic magicians in relation to some other examples in fiction. Strange has the natural talent and does some cool shit but [SPOILERS FOR JONATHAN STRANGE & MR NORREL]
he's got nothing on the Raven King, and the book does kinda imply that they are notable for being the first magicians of the new age, not necessarily the best. That is what makes their story so interesting.
While we're talking about that book though, man the end state of the story with Strange spending his days practicing unknown magics veiled in a cursed pillar of eternal darkness is so fucking cool.
While we're talking about that book though, man the end state of the story with Strange spending his days practicing unknown magics veiled in a cursed pillar of eternal darkness is so fucking cool.
Was what they did magic? Then again I'm not really sure what they did most of time. I guess that was the intended point with how alien their minds were.
BKatastrophe
Member
Giganta and Cheetah are fun as hell though
Strong emotions, such as love, being a powerful magical force has been a thing in fiction since the oldest of fairy tales.
Those characters are all still considered really powerful regularly.
Superpowers are tied to you biologically
Alan Scott is not only superpowerful, but he also looks cool as fuck while using his powers. Something about green fire...
Technically it's all based in chi, but then they added the spirit element later on, but since spirita are other beings akin to humans operating on a more abstract level...
I'm gonna go with no. Bending itself is shown to be genetic.
Theres a lot of contenders in D&D, not just those two.
You got the Arch-Lich Vecna who actually become a god and Iggwilv from Greyhawk. Iggwilv's mother, Baba Yaga should count as well.
From Forgotten Realms, you got Elminster's girlfriends and fellow chosen of Mystra(goddess of Magic) like Srinshee and the Simbul. You also got Larloch formerly of the Netheril empire, wannabe god of magic and the longest surviving chosen of Mystryl, the former goddess of magic in FR.
You also got Karsus of Netheril who casted the only 12th level magic spell in history and actually stole the power and divinity of the goddess of magic but at the cost of destroying the 'weave' of magic in all creation. Mystryl have to sacrifice herself to stabilize things and Karsus' folly doomed the very empire he was trying to save. The best part? Karsus soul is stuck in the Material plane because not a single god wants him in the afterlife.
There is also Iolaum, the creator of Netheril's flying cities and whose disappearance prompted guys like Karsus to go to extreme measures to save their empire. Iolaum is slumming now as an undead elder brain underground combining extremely powerful magic and psionic.
In Dark Sun, you have the true D&D masters of magic and psionics in the Sorcerer Kings, the greatest would be Bory's the Dragon. These guys could actually grant spells to their 'clerics'. Still, none of them could hold a candle against Rajaat. They have to sacrifice 1000 lives every year just to power the magic that is imprisoning him.
Airola
Member
The surprise ending of Takashi Miike's Dead Or Alive has the best one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxNdJ7aC6Is
Not sure what the OP means with magic but to me this is the ultimate "magic" thing ever in a movie. If I recall correctly the movie never even hinted towards anything like this being possible in the world of that movie. The best ending ever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxNdJ7aC6Is
Not sure what the OP means with magic but to me this is the ultimate "magic" thing ever in a movie. If I recall correctly the movie never even hinted towards anything like this being possible in the world of that movie. The best ending ever.
If someone did that they would be a time traveler, considering Harry Potter came out well after.
SlipperyFishes
Banned
Yeah pulled a fucking moon to stop a god
Megadragon15
Member
Sun Wukong from Journey To The West.
Diprosalic
Banned
You could wipe out all the wizards in Harry Potter with a machine gun.
I think even JK said a gun beats a wizard
SporeCrawler
Member
Zelda in BotW