WoW: The power of mana - where does the power juice of wizards come from?
Most spellcasters in WoW use it quite automatically and hardly anyone ever thinks about it: Mana. The magic fuel that many elves are addicted to, whose loss makes healers break out in a cold sweat, and whose improper extraction has destroyed entire areas. Read here what mana is all about. Where does it come from? What is it used for? And why can you get addicted to it?
Mana in role playing games
In many games, mana is the magical power that a character has. Usually there is a point system for this. Spells or abilities cost a certain amount of the maximum mana points available to a hero; once these are used up, it's the end of the road and the spellcaster can look at his swordfighting abilities instead. Or he can just lie down and die, as the case may be. This ensures that players can't cast an endless number of powerful spells, but must be careful with their power. Normally, though, heroes get spent mana points back at some point. They can take a short rest or drink a mana potion to get back to their full strength.
In role-playing games, a character's mana points usually scale with character stats like intelligence or wisdom. The more intelligent a hero is, the more spells he can cast. But that's not the only option. In games like the Pokémon series, monsters have so-called power points (KP), which are consumed when they use abilities. Different name, same principle. Well-known games with classic mana point systems include the World of Mana series from Square Enix (formerly Squaresoft), Diablo, Sacred, and of course World of Warcraft (buy now €14.99 ).
Mana in World of Warcraft
You all know how it goes with mana in WoW. In addition to the green life bar, there is often a blue mana bar directly below it. If this is empty, especially healers quickly break out in a cold sweat. With the chat abbreviation /oom (which means "out of mana"), they might try to get a short break to refuel the blue fuel. To do this, they pour magic potions down their throats or nibble on mana cookies. Only when the mana is recharged can further spells be cast and the pulse of said healer drops again.
Mana, however, is not only important for healers, but also for many damage dealers like mages, warlocks or shamans - although acute mana depletion for these classes hardly ever occurs in BfA, with the exception of the arcane mage. In fact, many formerly pure mana classes now have other resources available to fuel their spells. In the case of the shaman, for example, that is (still) the Maelstrom. Shamans still have mana left over from the old days, but they only use it for their healing spells. The arcane mage artifact weapon Aluneth absorbs magic power and grants a small bonus for it. Source: buffed
Where does mana come from?
In Azeroth, mana is a magical power that permeates and flows through the world. It comes from powerful vortexes in which various fundamental energies are blended together. It is a very real substance whose flow is controlled by arcane magic. An oft-quoted analogy from Blizzard's lead narrative designer Dave Kosak on Twitter is, "If mana were water, arcane magic would be water vapor pressure. "In
the world, pure mana appears primarily in the form of mana crystals. For example, there are ancient mana, mana shards, and prismatic mana beads. However, these are not the only forms in which mana can be found. Occasionally, other magical sources can be found, such as the Ley Ruins in Azsuna, which are so full of arcane power that it flows directly from the ground. The arcane mages among you may remember that they could absorb magic at such sources with their artifact weapon Aluneth in Legion to get a small damage buff. If there is a particularly high amount of magical energy in a place, rare mana creatures may settle there.
Mana monsters and where to find them
There are some monsters that feed on arcane energy or even are made of mana themselves.
Themost famous creatures are the following:
Manawyrmling:
These small monsters are bluish shimmering flying worms that feed on arcane magic and sometimes insects. They live, for example, in Netherstorm in Outland, on the Isle of Sunwalkers, or even in Suramar on the Devastated Isles. In particular, the High Elves and the Nightborn value or rather appreciated the Manawyrmlings as their pets. While the Nightborn use them to keep their vineyards free of vermin, the High Elves used them to guard their Burning Crystals.Mana Elemental:
Beings composed of purest mana that has somehow come to life are called Mana Elementals. They may have come from the Whirling Nether, which one fine day spewed them out in a massive mana explosion, so that they now populate the most energetic places on other planets. Just like water elementals, mana elementals can be summoned by powerful mages, except that they are made of mana instead of water.Manawoger:
Manawogers are a special subgenus of mana elementals. In the wild, they are found where arcane energy is emitted in large quantities. If this energy is the magic of a leyline, it corrupts the Manawoger, making them very aggressive and dangerous.ArcaneConstruct: Arcane constructs are fusions of several elemental powers. They are made of pure mana combined with a sharp mind and can be very dangerous. However, anyone who survives contact with one of them can perfect their knowledge of the arcane in a very short time. Because of their dangerousness, the High Elves banned their use about 1,500 years ago, though they seem to be coming back into fashion in recent years. In some parts of the world, mana-containing ley energy is seeping out of the ground. Here in the picture: Azsuna on the Devastated Islands. Source: buffed
What you can do with mana
If someone taps into Azeroth's mana sources, he is enabled to influence arcane energies and shape them to his will. This is not without danger, however, for those who play with these powers can quickly become a danger to themselves or those around them. For this reason, the archmage Ansirem Runeweaver wrote a series of books called "The Schools of Arcane Magic" to prevent beginners from making fatal mistakes when using magic. If you are interested in these books, you can collect and read them in Dalaran. This will not only give you more knowledge, but also the achievement "Higher Study", for which you will be rewarded with the pet Familiar of the Kirin Tor - your very own Mana Elemental!
But what exactly do spellcasters use mana for? They can use it to enchant, conjure, transform, resurrect, heal, and banish things. Illusions are just as possible as divinations. Arcane mages, for example, are able to protect themselves with a shield of pure mana (mana shield). Mana, however, is not only used to fuel spells, but also serves as an important resource in the creation of magical items and can be used to create particularly deadly weapons.
Mana bombs - the most deadly application
Blood elves made a name for themselves by allegedly liking to throw dangerous mana bombs at their opponents. While not every blood elf has access to a mana bomb, it is true that these dangerous weapons were originally developed by the blood elf race. They were first used by the elves in the following of Prince Kael'thas Sunwalker, and the Horde also used Mana Bombs in their battles against the Alliance. During the reign of Garrosh Hellscream, the entire population of the small town of Theramore was wiped out by such a bomb. This particular bomb was even powerful enough to tear holes in the fabric of reality and alter the physical structures of those who perished in its blast. But those were not the only times this cruel weapon was used. Mana bombs were built for the war against the Lich King, they were detonated on the Isle of Thunder in Pandaria, and they were used in the battle against the Burning Legion. In this particular case, the archmage Khadgar detonated some mana bombs and they were also used later on Argus.
Exactly how mana bombs work is unknown, but they seem to work with a kind of particularly fast mana burn that instantly wipes out any life that comes into contact with it. With the mana forges in Netherstorm, Kael'thas' followers attempted to extract mana from the Whirling Nether. Source: buffed
Mana forging
In Netherstorm in Outland, there are special machines that the elves of Sun Wrath wanted to use to siphon off the chaotic energies of the Whirling Nether and harness them. The master plan was to suck in the swirling mana and package it into convenient mana cells - like portable batteries for practical use at home. While the technology seems to work well in and of itself, and raw arcane energy does indeed flow through the conduits of the forges, the mana forges have nevertheless had a very negative impact on the surrounding land. When this technology was developed, it was never initially planned to use it so close to the ground. The security risk was simply too great! But because someone (it was Kael'thas Sunwalker, if you need someone to point the finger at) blew the whistle on the necessary safety precautions, the entire Netherstorm area was destroyed. The chaotic energies tore the land apart and put it in the disintegrated, chaotic state you know it in today.
Why do wizards run out of mana?
But why is there a need for mana batteries in the first place? Why suck arcane energy from the Whirling Nether when there are sources of it directly in Azeroth or on the other planets? The simple reason is that casting spells reduces a person's mana, so powerful spellcasters in particular have a high need for mana sources. It is both physically and mentally exhausting to cast spells; as if casting magic drains the strength from one's body. At one point in the WoW books, Jaina is described as always needing something to eat after casting magic to recharge her own resources. This is also in line with the original canon within the games; the classic mage keeps nibbling on his mana cookies after every few spells so that he can return to the battlefield filled with new energy.
When a spellcaster is stripped of all the mana he can command, it is even possible for him to die from the consequences. This happened, for example, when Illidan realized that he could absorb the mana of his minions to cast more powerful spells himself. He took away all their magical abilities and killed them with it. Indeed, the poor wretches didn't know what to expect when they entered his service.
Medivh's mana well in Karazhan
Mana wellness for exhausted mages? You can have it! At least if you suck up to Medivh and get an invitation to his lovely Karazhan Castle. Medivh has a very special mana well at the top of his tower, which he uses when he feels exhausted after casting too many spells and needs to gather new strength. You can admire this well in Duncan Jones' Warcraft movie adaptation as well as visit it in the actual in-game castle. However, if you remember the huge pool of magically glittering blue water from the movie, then brace yourself not to be disappointed by the WoW reality. As it looks, the game medivh has resorted to the budget version for his fountain ...
Recharging mana for those who want to save
So casting magic costs mana. And that mana needs to be replenished at some point. But because not every forest-and-meadow spellcaster has access to mana batteries or their own mana spa, there are a number of more common ways to replenish your mana. Free are the two ways that mages have at their disposal: On the one hand, all mages above a certain level can conjure up mana food. This is magical food, typically in the form of high-calorie desserts, that recharges both mana and health. At one point in the novellas, Jaina conjures up bread and water for Arthas and his men - apparently she is one of the more calorie-conscious mages. Arcane mages are also able to summon mana gems. They can store some of their own mana in them for later use.
Mages aren't the only ones who need mana for their craft, though (in fact, the need for mana for Fire and Frost mages is ridiculously low). So what are all the other wizards supposed to do when they run out of energy? Hydration is the magic word! You probably know about the need of many healers to sit down and have a drink in relative peace after strenuous battles. In the current expansion, healers prefer to drink coconut water, while in Legion, for example, it was Leyric water. If you need it faster, there are also mana potions that instantly regenerate a certain amount of mana. Ask the alchemist you trust about it.
Mana potions are also a hot topic outside of combat. The nightborn in Suramar love to drink arcwine. This is an alcoholic drink containing mana, which allows them to satisfy their addiction to mana. In all their years of isolation, they have managed to get their bodies so accustomed to mana wine that they no longer need any other food. Even children are given mana juice to drink. However, if a nightborn is forbidden to drink wine, his body and mind deteriorate in a very short time.
Addicted to Mana
What is it with elves and their addiction to magic? This addiction goes back to the Highborne, the ancestors of the elves. The Highborne simply could not resist the power promises of the Well of Eternity, and thus brought mana addiction upon the elven race. Their descendants still suffer from it today. In their early days, the blood elves of today had their own magic well, called the Sun Well, from which they drew power. The energy from this well was an essential part of their lives and they were used to depending on it. However, when the Sunwell was contaminated during the Third War and the elves destroyed it in desperation, it suddenly became clear what this meant for them: they now had no source of power and were in danger of starving to death because of their never-ending greed for the arcane.
Over time, the fashion arose to drain arcane power from mana crystals or weak mana creatures (Illidan was not innocent in the spread of these teachings). However, because the poison-green mana crystals in the Immersang Forest and on Quel'Danas are contaminated with Fel magic, the elves absorbed them as well and became accustomed to them, so to speak. The end result is the bright green eyes of the blood elves. Because of the practice of crystal sucking, the parodic image of the addicted elf desperately sucking on a mana stone was created.
Incidentally, the same is true for the poor elves in Suramar, who are cut off from the consumption of arcwine. To escape the torment of slow withering, they look for alternative sources of mana. For a long time, only mana crystals and the Ancient Mana that can be found there came into question. But then they got access to the fruits of the rare mana tree Aran'dor and it seems that at least one elven race has got its mana addiction under control ...
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