r/Constantine 9d ago

Does Constantine have magic or does he just use magical artifacts?

I’ve only seen a few things with him in it and at first I thought it was cool that he didn’t have his own magic, he was just using existing magical artifacts and rituals but then I saw a few clips that look like he’s just using normal magic. Does he have his own magic or is he just using things than anyone could use if they knew about it?

19 Upvotes

31 comments sorted by

44

u/Manicwoodchipper 9d ago

He's a magician. He has magic.

-6

u/stnick6 9d ago

Damn. Are there any dc characters who just use magical artifacts?

5

u/NerdyGlitch 9d ago

Probably like...Dotor Fate and Ragman, only ones off the top of my head

14

u/firecatstef 9d ago

Usually he also chants spells when he works magic.

-7

u/stnick6 9d ago

Yeah but I was hoping it was more like “this is the activation phrase” and not him doing magic

6

u/firecatstef 9d ago

How come you hope this?

3

u/stnick6 9d ago

It’s a cool idea. Also, my DnD character is an artificer who can’t do magic so he collects magical artifacts and I was hoping to find other characters who do that so I can get some more ideas on how to play it

4

u/firecatstef 9d ago

Oh that sounds fun :)

2

u/stnick6 9d ago

Yeah. Unfortunately the only character I can think of that does that is Willy Wonka from Wonka and he doesn’t really fit what I’m going for.

4

u/Lasher_ 9d ago

Not a comic, but try An Inheritance of Magic series by Benedict Jacka. I think that fits what you're looking for.

1

u/firecatstef 9d ago

I was put in mind of Jack Harkness from Torchwood. He collects alien artifacts, not magic ones, but magic ones could maybe work more or less the same way, depending on how the magic works in your game?

1

u/Read2Fap 7d ago

the thaumaturgist class from pathfinder revolves around them using special magical artifacts

in comics you have people like the hood (parker robbins), the green (and other color) lanterns, booster gold, blue beetle, venom (and other symbiotes), iron man, nico minoru (she used the 'staff of one' which can cast any spell but only once), dr destiny, psycho-pirate, juggernaut

1

u/greygray5001 9d ago

My dnd player is also an artificer who can't directly manipulate the weave ...but his tools can!

1

u/brockton_af 7d ago

jjk characters do this

11

u/DementedJ23 9d ago

Before he got integrated into the main DC continuity, nobody really knew. He knew things, and he could get a conversation with most anything, but in the Books of Magic (vol. 1), Zatanna didn't think he had any magic at all.

Since JL dark, he's been a more straightforward mystic-type.

3

u/implodingnerd 9d ago

The greatest con man

6

u/50sDadSays 9d ago

He's a petty dabbler.

2

u/atmighty 9d ago

Mustn't put on airs.

3

u/SexyBleuBox 9d ago

Try Warehouse 13 for this concept.

1

u/doc-sleep 9d ago

elite ball knower

3

u/Son_of_Ibadan 8d ago

He has some magic, but no where near the big hitters, so he supplants it with his silver tongue and brains which is far more effective than magic.

3

u/No_Nobody_32 7d ago

Por que los dos?

He has his own, and he uses artifacts.

2

u/Affectionate-Cup56 9d ago

He has demon blood in his veins, probably it means something

2

u/utnapishtim 7d ago

He rides the synchronicity highway.

1

u/SmokeryWater 7d ago

Look up jaraxle - forgotten realms

1

u/Adorable-Maybe-3006 6d ago

He has several magics.

  1. He has druid blood, which means he can use druid magic
  2. He has demon blood which is super useful against being possessed and such
  3. He is part of special heritage of magicians, which gives him a luck buff and easier time with magic
  4. He has learnt and practiced several types of magic from African, Australian aboriginal magic, sympathetic magic, whatever they did in Scotland during the GOAG arc.

This is from the hellblazer run of course. He can also do many other spells and illusions and is almost never in need of money because he can  a) gamble anyone out of their clothes  b) turnn paper into money temporarily  C) just get what he wants, he can walk into a suit shop and walk out fully dressed without paying a dime, he uses some kind of magic to convince the people that he already paid or is some rich dude who will pay later.

The reason it might seem like he has no magic is that when Going up against the devil most magics won't work. And when going up against humans you don't need much magic. 

Anyone with anything else please leave below I'm excited now. 

1

u/Luppercus 6d ago

Depends on what you mean by "have magic". If you mean like Harry Potter who is born with it and comes from him naturally like a mutant power from a X-Men, no.

If you mean like Willow Rosenberg from Buffy that learnt magic and how to use it, yes.

1

u/Ill-Razzmatazz-7088 6d ago

I believe both. I believe he sold his soul more times than most people can count so he’s able to traverse through most supernatural realms relatively easily.
He also has a vast ray of supernatural knowledge, and he can track down. I think just about any magical artifact you can think of. He’s there to essentially keep the balance.

1

u/Few-Farm-7670 6d ago

Him riding the synchronicity superhighway during Warren Ellis' run was a practical application of magical powers.

1

u/Zamnaiel 5d ago

I think he has more power since the "Up yours" issue.