bookplayer's 50 Questions 42 members · 25 stories
Comments ( 18 )
  • Viewing 1 - 50 of 18
Latecomer
Group Admin

The original question was "Do any species have types of magic, other than ponies and zebras?" but I redacted the last bit for facts not in evidence. There are races which have shown clear signs of magic, but Zecora has not. Still, that doesn't mean she can't... what do you think?

Latecomer
Group Admin

Magic abounds in many of the species of that world, be they animal, vegetable or mineral - there are even creatures like windigoes which are little but magic. If you're referring to the sapient races exclusively, there are some with none, like donkeys, yaks and despite your question zebras; some with a little, like a griffon's touch of cloud magic and mighty roar; and some with a lot, like dragons with their internal flames and changelings who can transform into anything they can imagine. But the general consensus is that of all currently extant sapient races, ponies are, pound for pound, the most magical.

40. Do any species have types of magic, other than ponies and zebras?
No other species has widespread magic talent like ponies. Dragons are also inherently magical, but their magic while powerful isn't nearly as versatile. Other species have a few specialists who practice magic the same way zebras do.

PresentPerfect
Author Interviewer

I like the idea that true magic is relegated to horned beings, but cows and minotaurs don't seem to be particularly magic. Kirin would be the obvious instance of another race having magic, but I'm not actually convinced they aren't just weird-looking ponies with anger issues.

Latecomer
Group Admin

7038970
Given how subtle their genders are, I'm guessing their design was a little rushed.

PresentPerfect
Author Interviewer

7038979
It was a little bit more than their design. :|

Well... If you really want to know, all creatures have access to magic, but the desire to use magic can only come from a creature as imaginative as a pony or higher. If we looked into Rarity's cat's mind, her concepts of getting something done easily do not include the use of magic, because she doesn't understand magic even though she sees it everyday. Some animals such as the cockatrices and timberwolves are magical because they were generated out of the magical scar on reality that is the Everfree.

PresentPerfect
Author Interviewer

7039012
I consider kirin to be a massive waste of potential, but that I suspect is a subject outside the topic of this thread.

Latecomer
Group Admin

7039647
But perhaps not another thread.

SuperPinkBrony12
Group Admin

7035148 Well, unless Zecora's thing is a tribal marking, I would assume that zebras do have magic. Zecora being able to conjure up illusions in various episodes (even if it's just for exposition) would suggest that she has some innate magic not tied to potions. And the kirin quite obviously have a magic that amplifies their emotions.

Latecomer
Group Admin

7178930
She seemed to use powders to form the illusions, at least on Nightmare Night.

SuperPinkBrony12
Group Admin

7178953 Still, that doesn't seem like something she can just do.

Latecomer
Group Admin

7179118
Exactly - it's something she trained long and hard to do, and any other creature could do the same.

What a great question to end today on. And such a great opportunity to, uh... refer to another answer... I've given... somewhere else... heh. 'S alright. It's pond-time! Yeah! :rainbowlaugh:

Everything is energy. Magic included. Matter included. And most matter holds additional energy. Several kinds of it. Everything that exists is, and holds, energy. And magic, I like to believe. That rock? Magical. That single blade of grass? Sooo magical. That filly over there? Magical. That diamond dog? Smells like a wet dog, but still magical.

There is a vast difference in other factors, though. While everything contains innate magic, not everything can access it. Non-living things like rocks obviously can't. (Unless given sentience, which would make them into golems or other constructs. They might be able to access it.) Many living things that aren't sentient and self-aware can't either. For example most plants. Many insects. Some cattle.

To be fair, even if those could access it, it would most likely be a frustrating exercise in futility. A rock does contain magic, yes - minuscule amounts of it. Air contains magic. So little, in fact, that few are even aware of that fact. Same with water. So... we have very little magical reserve, and no sentience capable of consciously drawing from it. At that point, it doesn't even matter anymore how much can be drawn within a given time frame. Or if the concept of magic can be understood, either actively or instinctively.

Eventually, we'll get to the point where we discuss sentient, self-aware creatures. Again, all of them have magic, but not all of them can access it. A griffon's wingspan isn't sufficient to lift a creature of that size and weight. (They most certainly don't have hollow bones and way too much muscle mass.) Why can they fly, then? Because their innate magic passively bolsters their ability to do so. Their roar can frighten even the hardiest of ponies. Why? Because there's a thin layer of supernatural energy riding that sonic wave.

Dragons are a little bit more interesting. They usually have a vast amount of magic. Most of it is passively bolstering their abilities. Flight, strength, increased durability, heat immunity, increased healing. But they can learn to actively use it. They are not aware that they technically 'cast magic' when doing so. But they breathe fire. And that has nothing to do with fuel stored in glands or something like that. It's magic they take out of their reserve, form into the desired effect and channel through a specific part of their body. The same way a unicorn 'casts' a 'spell' using their horn, or an earth pony 'encourages growth' in a tree using their hooves.

What really sets ponies apart is their increased awareness/understanding of the process, which leads to them being more aware of their capabilities and being more active in using their magic. Let's pick... Yaks. Massive furballs. They have magic, too. And they could, theoretically, be taught to access it, and use it. Probably in a very similar way earth ponies do.


There are many types of magic. 'Dragon magic' isn't really one of them. Then again, the entire 'magic types'-system is flawed, and that is a well-known fact (in my version). Sure, 'dark magic' sounds fun and everypony has an immediate understanding of it on a base level. Mostly 'it's evil!' But that is a highly unscientific approach, based on centuries, if not millennia, of folklore and superstition.

A truly scientific way of classifying magic types has yet to be presented. However, some information can be gleaned by observation. Changelings, for example, seem to use the exact same type of magic Princess Cadance uses. They just use it in an entirely different way, for entirely different purposes. King Sombra's multiple shadow-based abilities might very well access the same type of 'celestial' magic Celestia and Luna use.

And the less is said about Discord and chaos magic, the better. Rumor has it he knows when someone talks about him. Or even thinks about him.

Latecomer
Group Admin

7689525
By his own name, perhaps. As Grogar... clearly not.

  • Viewing 1 - 50 of 18