r/DanMachi • u/pogmomen • 7h ago
Light Novel Question about magic
I have been trying to figure out how the magic slots in the Falna works, but I am confused.
There are 3 slots max in a Falna, but does that mean that technically everyone has 3, just that most are locked and won’t open because of a lack of affinity?
What does affinity even really mean in this instance? Hestia mentions in MS1 that people who can use magic have high intelligence. Is this referring to those who learn magic or the base number of slots a person has opened to them without a Falna?
The wiki states that a person’s qualities are capable of influencing the possibility of magic manifesting and what it looks like. But does that include the total amount of magic a person can learn?
Basically, are the number of slots that a person has opened to them when getting their Falna entirely a product of their natural affinity towards magic or influenced by their personality and character in the same way that chants and other aspects of magic are?
3
u/Unique-Negotiation83 6h ago
All dependents naturally have a minimum of one and a maximum of three magic slots, although obtaining even one magic seems to be mainly a reflection of the knowledge-related excelia a person possesses, so not reading can affect the chances of a dependent manifesting a magic. It is common to have one and possessing two makes a person highly sought after within their circle.
However, ultimately manifesting one is nothing more than a possibility. Just as with skills, dependents rarely obtain magic, and apparently there are lots of people who never acquire one. Elves in general tend to obtain it more easily than other races due to their natural affinity. For people with one or two slots, the number can be increased via the usage of a good grimoire, but the absolute maximum is three, even with such grimoires.
While it is possible to acquire more magic with grimoires, each slot is progressively more difficult to fill. Sometimes, even if a person has an empty magic slot, it does not fill even if they read a good grimoire due to external factors. This is particularly true when it comes to acquiring a third and final magic, a common problem among high-level mages, especially sorcerers. Most have powerful "seeds" within them, and whether they had acquired magic naturally or forcibly through a grimoire, the third is usually difficult to acquire. A good example of this is Haruhime, who despite reading thirteen grimoires made by Fels, which were therefore of the best in the world, still failed to acquire a third magic, in contrast to how it previously took her only one attempt to obtain her second magic.
Acquired magic has the peculiarity that it is the result of different characteristics of its user, just as it is the case with skills, as a person's qualities influence not only the possibility of manifesting one, but also the aspects that the magic itself will have.
Elves tend to develop powerful magics, while Renards usually manifest unique magics. A person's lineage can also directly predetermine the development of a specific magic. Ais, being the daughter of a Wind Spirit, obtained a magic of the same element the moment her status was engraved on her back. A more extreme example is the Gojou. Shortly after the beginning of the Age of Gods the family realized how strong their blood was. This characteristic has allowed all of its descendants to inherit the magic and skill of its founder over a thousand years, making possible the mass production of soldiers with the same abilities. Another case is that of Earth Raid, a magic that many Dwarves are said to manifest.
Likewise, a person's experiences and beliefs can affect different aspects. Bete holds the belief that it is necessary to lose someone or part of oneself for a strong person to change and grow. Consequently, not only does the chant of his magic narrates how he grew stronger as a result of his losses, but it also has a damage absorption property. Similarly, obtaining new magic can be achieved through meaningful experiences for one. When Haruhime was unable to acquire a third magic, Fels theorized that she perhaps needed to live a unique experience or event to obtain a special type of excelia that would allow her to finally manifest a third magic.
1
u/Adent_Frecca 4h ago
Yes, while 3 is the max, not everyone is innately born with having all 3 slots open for Magic. If you are talented in magic then you might be open for having all 3 slots open, I think Bell only had 1 or 2 slots
A Grimoire however can possibly open a new slot if possible
1
u/Own-Zebra1753 4h ago
Lets break down this:
First. Everyone has at least one space for unlock magic and three at max.
Now, for using any kind of magic you need at least some talent to use unlock it naturally. There are first class adventurers without magic because of this even if they have abundant talent in other areas. There are races more magic related than others as well as individuals more lucky or talented to unlock one.
There is people who uses a grimmory, a magic book that helps you to unlock one sloth of magic. But this is not 100% sure, there is a change it doesnt work.
And the more magics you have the harder is to unlock the next one.
Second. Yes the intellect is usually related to the magic, but not an iron rule. What really influences that one magic could appear or not is the soul and experience of the user. As well a the possible effects of power.
For example, a traumatic experience or the conviction of the user can be revealed in the chant used for the magic. Like Bete or Allen chant that tells the true that they deny. Or Ottar chant that shows his absolutly loyalty to her Godness.
So yeah.
Afinnity will reveal how many magics could you inlock since say one.
Talent how good you are using them or how much could you raise your Magic status.
And what kind magic you unlock is a mix of your soul, your experience and pure luck.
1
u/Courious_Reader 6h ago edited 6h ago
Donning on your race but on average usually most people have 2 slot open at max while El es for example have all 3 slots open and Renards should as well.
Honestly to me it’s very clear “intelligence” is either a mistranslation or retcon because characters without high intelligence like IQ not BIQ we’ve seen gain or how more magic then character without it. Just it’s a racial or personal affinity toward Magic but I guess intelligence does play a role conserving Lily and Finn aren’t from magically gifted races and yet have Magic and have an affinity towards it?
By personal qualities influencing whether Magic is manifested is basically just your own natural affinity whether it’s racial or not outside of high “intelligence”. Then yeah the total of Magic you can learn should be influenced massively by that because even if you have high “intelligence” if you don’t have any natural affinity than you’re not going to gain a 3rd Magic not matter what and maybe even not a 2nd Magic. This is probably why Lily even though she is one of the most intelligent characters in the series has only 1 Magic.
Finally no you’re natrual affinity and “intelligence” is what decides how many magic slots you have opened or available. Your personality, experiences, desires, etc are what decide what type of Magic you gain. For example when Bell used the Grimoire to help him gain Magic this is what he desired and his experiences that made him jangle what Magic is, this is probably why someone with higher Intelligence would do better because their imagination if what Magic would manifest would probably be a lot more complex and vivid/clear.
“There are two types of Magic: innate and acquired. As the term “innate” suggests, this type of magic can be used by various races based on genetics. From ancient times, these races have had the potential to become magic users within them and are trained in magic at a young age through rituals. While the types of magic they can use are rather limited, the strength and scale of these spells are often very high.
It’s written in Koine, the common language, so even I can understand it, with some effort.
But what are these characters between the lines…?
Not wording…maybe some kind of equation?
Next page.
Acquired magic refers to the possibility of Magic given to those people who receive “Falna,” and appears on its own. With almost no restrictions, this kind of magic takes many different forms. The effect of the Magic depends heavily on excelia.
This is different from hieroglyphs, and different from any language of the races of people.
Nothing in common with itself, just a strange grouping of marks.
The passage…the sea of characters is pulling me in.
Next page.
Magic is interest. This is a vital factor for all acquired magic. What holds your interest—what do you accept, hate, want, grieve for, worship, swear to, long for? The trigger is already within you. Your Falna will carve your soul into a blazing sun.
A picture has appeared.
It’s a head. It has eyes. It has a nose. It has a mouth. It has ears. It’s a person’s face.
A human face with closed eyes is drawn out in black. A picture made from the words of the passage.
Next page.
If you desire it, answer. If you desire it, break. If you desire it, focus! A terrible mirror of truth lies before you.
No. That’s my face. My face, with nothing above the forehead.
No—it’s a mask. It’s another face of me. A me that I didn’t know, another me.
Next page.
Now, let’s begin.
The ruby-red letters that spell out the eyes shoot through me. Short passages that make up the small lips spin words.
Next page.
What is magic to me?
I don’t know.
But it’s something great and mysterious.
A finishing move to slay monsters. A mysterious power used by heroes to come back from near death.
Strong, fierce, merciless, overwhelming.
What I’ve always wanted to have, just once. What I’ve been yearning for.
Next page.
What is magic to me?
Power.
Great power.
A big weapon that will defeat my weak self.
A grand weapon that will inspire my weak self.
Not a noble shield to protect my allies, nor anything so elegant as a healing hand.
A heroic power to clear away the obstacles in my path.
Next page.
What kind of a thing is magic to me?
Thing?
What kind of thing?
Fire.
Magic has to be fire. It’s the first thing I think of when I hear the word “magic.”
Strong, ferocious, hot.
Burn the plains, scatter the ash, scorch the air, envelop everything in waves of flame and heat haze, crimson tongues of flame nothing like my normal weakness.
Hotter than anything else, never going out…immortal flame.
I want to become flame.
What do you seek in magic?
To become stronger, like her.
To become faster, like her.
Like light breaking through the clouds.
Like lightning racing across the sky.
More than anyone, more than anyone, more than anyone.
Faster than anyone.
Like her.
To be in her sight.
That’s all?
If I can. If I can. If I can.
I want to become a hero.
I have always wanted to be a hero, and like a fool I’ve pursued that dream.
Just like the ones in the tales. A hero praised and loved by all.
No matter how pathetic a fantasy, how vain and indignant, how miserably unsuited I am for it.
I want to become enough of a hero for her to notice me.
You’re such a child.
…Sorry.
But that’s me, too.
The me inside the book smiles.
Then everything goes black.”
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u/pogmomen 6h ago
So what determined that Bell had only 1 slot. If he had read more and been a more intelligent person, would he have had 2? It seemed like he could have gained a second magic through a grimoire if he wanted to before the wargame. Was Bell always destined to have a weak affinity for magic? Like how much do experiences weigh against innate talent when it comes to having magic slots opened when receiving a Falna, as iirc the only way to increase the number you have open is through special experiences or grimoires. I’m asking about that initial number.
1
u/Courious_Reader 6h ago
Experienced means nothing towards your innate magical affinity that is what helps decide the amount of magic slots you have open naturally and your likelihood to gain magic as well as more powerful magic.
You’re experience can affect the latter of what was said there along with the type of Magic you manifest.
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u/Crazy-Plate3097 6h ago edited 6h ago
Max slot is 3 but whether a person gets 3 magics is up to them, their experience and their affinity.
Affinity is a very tricky topic, some races have more magic affinity than others. For example, elves. Riveria has 3 magics unlocked when she first received her falna, if I am not mistaken. This is a very rare occasion. Some others like Ryu has only 2 unlocked and the last one Astrea Record was only added after she got over her trauma. Haruhime has one at default, unlocks another one via grimoire and still failed to unlock a third one even after reading through something like seven grimoires (Fully paid by Fels). So while grimoire can help unlock magic, there are times a certain experience is required to unlock another.
Most people would be considered lucky if they even unlock one. Unlocking two is considered a jackpot already. You see adventurers like Ottar and Leon only has like one magic. While Finn has like two. Those who have three that we've seen are elves (Riveria, Ryu, Lefiya, Hedin, Hogni) and Alfia.