(08-20-2013, 04:40 PM)K Wrote:(08-20-2013, 04:32 PM)Jomoru Wrote:(08-20-2013, 04:21 PM)K Wrote:(08-20-2013, 03:31 PM)Naunet Wrote: Aetheric capacity is the term you're looking for.
Ah I'm sorry. My terminology is horrifically poor.
(08-20-2013, 03:32 PM)sanguineFenrir Wrote: It's my understanding that it probably requires training, which is what the guilds are for. Some people can't (one of the Thaumaturge quest lines, for example, has one of the guildmaster's brothers being unable to take up Thaumaturgy because his aether is imbalanced or something, and doing so would likely kill him.)
Most adventurers probably have the potential to learn to use magic, and even though every player character is an "adventurer" they are still a relatively small subset when compared to all of Eorzea. It's up to you to decide what your character can and can't do as far as classes go, or how easily they take to a given school of magic (or not.)
There's potential in RP for not being able to play certain classes because of issues, or having to do so at a certain cost to the character, but you'd have to be careful. Also, the Aetherytes use the Aether to teleport you, but it seems like a relatively commonplace thing that only requires minimal instruction.
It's not something important to my characters though really. I just don't want my character who doesn't use any form of magic to be really special and manage to learn or make any claims/statements that would imply he could learn if he chose to. If it was a widespread capability that simply requires training like anything else then that'd be fine, if not then I just wanted to know so that I don't make any mistakes in future RP ^^
Thank you everyone else for your posts, I appreciate your help.
I think Conjurer and Arcanist don't require a special Gift per se but saying "anyone can learn magic" is like saying "anyone can learn brain surgery" Â less a lack of an innate "gift" and more a lack of mental aptitude. (Arcanists specifically seem to be almost a purely math magical system)
Neurosurgery is an extreme. I was simply implying having the ability to learn magic as opposed to becoming an expert and not being limited.
Put it this way, I was asking if learning magic is a matter of attempting to learn a new skill or attempting to learn how to breathe under water.
I don't know your mathmatical history IRL so I'll use mine as an example. I never got past precalc I just couldn't grasp it. That's how I see Conjuring to an extent and Arcanist definately its a skill but a skill that requires aptitudes. Conjurers need to be able to connect with nature those who aren't very outgoing, those who close themselves off, those who aren't big on nature aren't going to be able to grasp the skill.
And arcanists straight up use super complicated math to do their thing.Â
So there's more than enough reason one might not be a mage even if its not like breathing underwater, its much closer to being able to do physics or something and most people can't do that.