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{{trope}}
[[File:
{{quote|"Blood is sound, sound is words, and words are ''power''!"
|'''[[Spell Book|Grimoire Weiss]]'''|''[[NieR]]''}}
Spilling of blood is a [[The Power of Blood|potent force]] in the working of magic.
Some blood may be indicated to be more powerful than others. Common types are human blood, the [[Royal Blood|blood of royalty]], the blood of a special line, a child's blood, or [[Virgin Sacrifice|virgin's blood]]. Sometimes only a single person's blood has power, and any other blood is powerless.
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This trope is [[Older Than Feudalism]], with blood and sacrifice being powerful magic in some of the oldest tales. A very old Greek [[Curse]] was for a witch to run three times around the house she wished to curse while menstruating. Especially potent if it was her first period. In more recent works it is frequently the alternative to [[Necromancy]] as the "evil magic".
Often overlaps with [[Black Magic]], [[The Dark Arts]] and [[Cast
Frequently a part of any ritualistic [[Blood Bath]]. When it's the blood itself doing the damage, you have [[Bloody Murder]]. When the magic is used to extend the user's lifespan, it's [[Life Drinker]].
May even overlap with [[Tome of Eldritch Lore]], which is often written in man's blood on parchment made of human flesh. Is often a cause for a [[Superhuman Transfusion]].
{{examples}}
* In ''[[Princess Tutu]]'', Fakir revives Mytho's [[Cool Sword]] by cutting his hand, and pouring the blood from the wound into a fountain, and reciting a spell [[Gratuitous German|in German]] while dipping the blade into the bloody water. The various applications of Raven's Blood (like [[Face Heel Turn|turning Mytho evil]]) might apply here, as well.
▲== Anime & Manga ==
▲* In ''[[Princess Tutu]]'', Fakir revives Mytho's [[Cool Sword]] by cutting his hand, and pouring the blood from the wound into a fountain, and reciting a spell [[Gratuitous German|in German]] while dipping the blade into the bloody water. The various applications of Raven's Blood (like [[Face Heel Turn|turning Mytho evil]]) might apply here, as well.
▲* Some of ''[[Naruto]]'''s [[Summoning Ritual|Summoning Rituals]] use this.
** By drinking someone's blood and then standing on a symbol also made of blood (which doesn't have to be theirs), Hidan can turn himself into a living voodoo-doll for his opponent.
* The ''[[Princess Resurrection]]'' manga uses blood magic as a fairly major plot point. The anime changed it to [[Technicolor Fire|fire/energy.]]
* In ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist (
** When {{spoiler|the homunculus Lust}} tears up Mustang's special gloves, including the transmutation circles on them, {{spoiler|Mustang uses Havoc's lighter as his fire source,}} and ''cuts a transmutation circle into the back of his hand'' in order to defeat his foe. That he didn't collapse until she was dead for good is an impressive feat.
*** Technically he almost fainted twice due to him trying to seer shut some unrelated injuries. By unrelated injury, we mean a deep wound in his abdomen which was inflicted onto him in that same battle.
** In the [[Fullmetal Alchemist (
*** In [[The Movie]] based off of the 2003 anime, the circle to open the Gate only activates when it gets in touch with blood. Edward has a little blood on his glove the first time he opens it. The second time {{spoiler|Hohenheim gets mauled by Envy, while in Amestris Wrath dies.}}
* Some of the magic in ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]'' works like this. At one point, Negi bites his thumb hard enough for blood to pour out, then creates magic circles for The Thousand Bolts (the ultimate lighting incantation) and pulverizes a mountain sized rock. Blood of powerful mages also seems to carry a certain amount of energy in it if Evangeline is to be believed. ''If.''
* In ''[[The Sandman
▲== Card Games ==
* Nico from ''[[Runaways (
* ''[[Magic the Gathering]]'':▼
** A vampire planeswalker known as Sorin Markov is said to use sangromancy (blood magic), which enables him to drain the lifeforce of other beings, place curses on enemies, and possess the minds of others. It is also implied that he can leech mana from opponents. How exactly he uses blood is not stated.▼
** Long before he showed up, the ogres of Kamigawa, a Japanese-themed world, used blood oaths to bind oni (demonic spirits in this setting) to their service. This was represented mechanically by ogres with abilities that "turned on" when you also controlled a demon, and demons with drawbacks that "turned off" if you controlled an ogre.▼
▲* In ''[[The Sandman (Comic Book)|The Sandman: A Game of You]]'', menstrual blood is used to power a spell to send the characters to the land of the dead and come back alive ( {{spoiler|mostly}}). The spell is repeated with blood from a cut palm in ''Death: Time of Your Life.''
▲* Nico from ''[[Runaways (Comic Book)|Runaways]]'' can only summon her Staff of One when she is bleeding. Menstrual blood also works in this case.
* Another parody happens in ''Lenore: The Cute Little Dead Girl'', when she pricks her finger and spills a drop of blood on a doll. It turns out to be a vampire that was cursed to be an inanimate plaything, and her blood broke the curse. Unfortunately, he realizes he's still in a doll's body because the curse didn't break properly; she'd been embalmed.
* This is how Atrocitus created the Central Power Battery for his [[Green Lantern
* The ''[[Teen Titans (Comic Book)|Teen Titans]]'' villain Brother Blood leads a cult who focuses magic through bloodletting (yes, he's [[Darker and Edgier|a little different]] from the cartoon version). One of his best-known acts was resurrecting Raven to be his bride (it was basically the writers' way of bringing her back to coincide with the success of the cartoon).
* Not a major example, but in one ''Batman Detective'' storyline, Zatanna had been shot in the throat and nearly drowned in a death trap courtesy of {{spoiler|the Joker}} ([[Villain Ball|don't ask]] why he didn't just shoot her in the head). She avoided bleeding to death by using her blood to write out a healing incantation, made extra-strong by its medium.
* [[Conan the Barbarian]] once battled a witch who used a particularly nasty curse triggered by blood. Only a single drop of spilled blood was necessary to cause her victims to age rapidly and die within seconds, leaving behind a withered corpse. The only protection against the curse were magic talismans owned by three brothers who were the witch's enemies.
* Shinji in ''[[
* Subverted in-universe in ''[[
* The Erlkönig in The [[Mega Crossover]] [[Fanfic|fan]][[Web Comic|comic]] ''[[Roommates 2007
==
* In ''[[The Princess and
* In the first ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean]]'', Will's blood was needed to break the curse on Barbossa's crew. A blood sacrifice was required from every cursed pirate, but they had cast Will's father overboard before learning this, so Will's blood, as the closest living relative, was used as a suitable substitute. {{spoiler|Once Jack cursed himself, he also added his blood to lift the curse "at the opportune moment".}}
* In ''[[Silent Hill (
* ''[[The Golden Voyage of Sinbad]].'' The wizard Prince Koura uses his own blood to create a homunculus.
* Also in ''[[Sinbad and
* In ''[[Practical Magic]]'', Sally and Gillian slice their palms and clasp hands to cure {{spoiler|Gillian's [[Demonic Possession]].}} It also conveniently works as a {{spoiler|[[Curse Escape Clause]]}}.
* In ''[[
* In ''[[Blade]]'', it's of little surprise that the ancient vampire artifact runs off of blood. Blade is strapped into a huge bloodletting device that causes his blood to fill up all the magical symbols below him, rather similar to the picture above.
* The page image comes from the first ''[[Hellboy (
== Literature ==
* Melisandre of ''[[A Song of Ice and Fire]]'' uses blood magic to {{spoiler|cause the death of Renly Baratheon}}, and claims credit for the deaths of {{spoiler|Robb Stark, Joffrey Baratheon, and Balon Greyjoy}}, but whether that's truth or fiction [[Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane|is very unclear at this stage]]. The maegi Mirri Maz Duur also uses blood magic to {{spoiler|"heal" Drogo}} and the favor is returned by Deanerys when she {{spoiler|burns the maegi alive as part of the magic to awaken her dragons.}}
* [[Mercedes Lackey]] loves this concept, and blood mages are frequently villains in her books.
** In the ''[[Heralds of Valdemar]]'' books, at least, it's the sort powered by death, not the red stuff itself, and gathering it from anyone else is ''exclusively'' villainous. Good-aligned Mages and Priests occasionally use their ''own'' death energies to really make a [[Heroic Sacrifice]] stick, though.
* In ''[[Stardust (
* In ''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (
** And in ''The Half-Blood Prince'', one of the enchantments used to protect
** Unicorn blood is so potent that drinking it can preserve the life of a somebody who is already dying, but the act of taking it is said to curse the killer with a "half-life".
* [[Terry Pratchett]]'s ''[[Discworld]]'' parodies this with the Rite of
** This is further refined to just needing the octogram, ''two'' small bits of wood and a fresh egg.
*** Of course, most wizards go all-out with the magical foci anyway, because if you're not going to [[Rule of Cool|fill up your ceremony with arcane gibberish and dribbly candles]], why did you even become a wizard in the first place?
** A straighter example is in ''[[
{{quote|
* In the ''Dragonlord'' series by Joanne Bertin, blood magic is frequently employed by the antagonists. In ''The Last Dragonlord'', the [[Big Bad]] uses the lives of prostitutes to charge a magical artifact. He then sacrifices a member of a specific bloodline in order to attempt to enslave one of the titular dragonlords. In ''The Dragon and the Phoenix'', the blood of the high priest is used to bind a dragon, and the magic of the dragon is used in turn to imprison and harness the power of the phoenix.
* In [[Graham McNeill]]'s ''[[Warhammer
* In [[Dan Abnett]]'s ''[[Warhammer
* In Lee Lightner's ''[[Warhammer
* In [[James Swallow]]'s [[Warhammer
** In ''Red Fury'', the blood in the Bloodfiends gives them [[Genetic Memory|memories of those whose blood they drank]], driving them crazy, [[Split Personality]]
* [[Tamora Pierce]] makes use of this both in ''[[Circle of Magic]]'' and the ''[[Tortall Universe]]''. However, it is made abundantly clear that the only approved use of blood magic is when the mage uses his or her ''own'' blood.
* In the ''[[Young Wizards]]'' series, healing spells require blood (that isn't from the patient), usually the healer's own blood.
* This is one type of magic used in the ''[[Evie Scelan]]'' novels.
* Thaumaturgy in the ''[[Deepgate Codex]]'' books.
* In Holly Lisle's ''[[The Secret Texts]]'' trilogy, each of the three schools of magic use blood/flesh sacrifices. The origin of these sacrifices reflects where the magic lies on the good to evil scale. Falcons use their own blood and are good. Wolves use others present at the time as a sacrifice and are bad. Dragons are able to use whole populations at a distance as their sacrifice and are [[Big Bad|Super Scary Evil]].
* In ''[[Mistborn]]'', Hemalurgy is a magical art that involves killing a victim and transferring certain of their qualities to a recipient (the precise process involves both getting stuck with a metal spike, often a large one). Who the victim is normally doesn't matter, but if you want to transfer magical powers, you do need to find someone who has them to begin with. The precise composition of the spike and where it is stuck in the recipient's body determine precisely what qualities are transferred.
* In [[Dan Abnett]]'s ''[[
* [[Wolf Man|The Canim ritualists]] of the ''[[Codex Alera]]'' drain the blood from sentient beings (living or freshly dead) to fuel their sorcery. They demonstrate a wide range of abilities including summoning storms, shooting lightning bolts, conjuring flying demon-things to keep airborne enemies out of the upper atmosphere, unleashing poisonous gasses, and other similarly creepy and destructive things. The most decent ritualists, such as Marok, use only their ''own'' blood to fuel their magic; the ones who don't tend to lean towards being [[Evil Sorcerer
** This is [[The Fettered|a severe limitation on their power]], since the quantity of blood is very important. The storm that covered the Canim's invasion is mentioned as having cost ''millions'' of their own lives to pull off. For a long time after the Canim invaded no magic was used, because they had an insufficient source of it. {{spoiler|When they started using it again it was revealed to be mostly fueled by Aleran slaves who had defected to the Canim and given permission to be drained after other Alerans killed them.}}
* In Orson Scott Card's ''Hart's Hope'', blood is the essential source of magic: the more precious the blood, the most potent the magic. In order to exact her vengeance, Queen Beauty therefore {{spoiler|kills her own newborn daughter, which allows her to acquire powers that make her able to subdue the gods.}}
* The bloodline of Celtic god Cernunnos gives his descendants magical abilities they can use against him in ''Urban Shaman'' by C.E. Murphy.
* In ''[[
* [[Kate Daniels]] draws blood wards, magic circles drawn in the caster's blood which draw their strength from the blood itself. They can also be broken by someone of similar blood, a loophole Kate exploits to her own advantage.
* In the ''[[Night Watch (
* In Andy Hoare's [[White Scars]] novel ''Hunt for Voldorius'', the Alpha Legion uses it. The White Scars find bodies drained of blood.
* In [[Robert E. Howard]]'s ''[[Conan the Barbarian]]'' novel ''[[
{{quote|
** In "[[The Phoenix
* Blood is noted as being particularly potent for drawing spell forms in the ''[[Sword of Truth]]'' series, though it's trickier for ''lasting'' spell forms as blood will eventually dry out and thus weaken the spell. The People's Palace in D'Hara is a spellform<ref>which, for reference, saps the magic of any non-Rahl wizard and bolsters the magic of any wizard of the Rahl bloodline</ref> that manages to get around this through the novel method of leaving the blood inside people. The blood therefore is always fresh, and people are always allowed to travel through the halls of the palace, keeping the spell ''very'' powerful.
* The warlocks in ''[[
* In L. Jagi Lamplighter's ''[[
* In Teresa Frohock's ''[[Miserere:
* Subverted in ''[[
* In ''[[The
* In [[Devon Monk]]'s ''[[Age of Steam
* In [[Devon Monk]]'s [[
** In ''Magic in the Blood'', a villain steals some of Allie's, which seriously worries her.
* In [[Stephen King]]'s ''On Writing'', he describes some symbolic associations of blood with life and death, sin and redemption (through sacrifice), and how they're used in ''[[Carrie]]'' as a parallel to the titular psychic's emerging powers and rampage.
* Malkar and Vey Coruscant in ''[[
== Live-Action TV ==
* In ''[[
* In ''[[Legend of the Seeker]]'', Darken Rahl used Blood Magic at least once so far, using it as magic ink to write a message in a book, which then caused it to appear to a 'paired' book one of his military field commanders possessed (sort of a magic 'instant message' or 'telegram').
** In the [[Sword of Truth|novels]], Darken Rahl uses a kind blood magic in the form of consuming the brains and testicles ([[Squick]]!) of a young boy loyal to him to summon a creature of the underworld to ride and thus can travel anywhere very quickly. The travel journals were introduced later in the series and did not require blood to operate.
** Also in the books, it's mentioned that blood is particularly potent for things like drawing spell forms, though usually other things like Wizard's Sand also work for spells. The biggest blood-fueled spell form in the series is {{spoiler|the People's Palace. The trick here is, the blood is still in the people going through the palace, which is how it's kept potent when just blood would have dried out and lost its effect long ago.}}
* In ''[[
** The emphasized plot point that Buffy and Dawn have the same blood is the key to allowing Buffy to save the world from the aforementioned portal with a [[Heroic Sacrifice]].
*** The trope is specifically lampshaded by Spike in the same episode.
{{quote|
'''Spike:''' "Blood is life, lackbrain. Why do you think we eat it? It's what keeps you going, makes you warm, makes you hard, makes you other than dead. 'Course it's her blood." }}
** Earlier in the series, Angel's blood is needed to ''close'' a portal.
** Blood of a Slayer, if drunk by a vampire, gives the latter great powers and [[Nigh Invulnerability]] for a while. In Season 3, this is used {{spoiler|to heal Angel.}}
** Willow uses deer blood in her magic to resurrect Buffy.
** In Season 7, blood opens the Hellmouth.
*** There was an instance where Andrew, acting on the orders of the First posing as Warren, killed Jonathan to try to use this. But this time, it doesn't work: Jonathan is anemic, so there isn't enough blood.
* And in ''[[
** Angel is temporarily made stronger after he drinks the blood of Hamilton, the Senior Partners' liaison, during the [[Grand Finale]].
** Spoofed in "Reprise" where two Wolfram & Hart employees are following a list of instructions for a goat sacrifice.
{{quote|
* In ''[[Supernatural (TV series)|Supernatural]]'', Azazel's lackeys used a squicky blood fueled ritual to communicate with him. Brady does the same to communicate with his master, {{spoiler|Pestilence}}.
** In the fourth and fifth seasons, blood can be used to construct a sigil that will temporarily dispel an angel from the area.
** And in the fourth season finale, {{spoiler|it turns out the blood of the first demon, Lilith, must be spilled to complete a ritual to release Lucifer from Hell.}}
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* In ''[[Xena: Warrior Princess]]'', the evil god Dahok requires the loss of "blood innocence" to bring forth his evil offspring, so his followers trick Gabrielle into committing murder. In this case, it's the loss of life that fuels Dahok's power, but Gabrielle's hands are also covered in blood.
* In ''[[Merlin]]'', blood magic shows up in one of the spells of Nimueh in season one.
* In ''[[Friday the
== Oral Tradition, Folklore, Myths and Legends ==
* In [[
* The mythical account of Shaka Zulu. In exchange of limitless power, Shaka is said to enter a pact with the witch doctor Issanoussi, who demands the death of Shaka's pregnant fiancee
▲* In [[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]], the Passover where the Angel of Death came to kill the firstborn children of Egypt, and the Jews painted their doors with lamb blood so the angel would know not to kill ''those'' firstborn children.
{{quote|
▲* The mythical account of Shaka Zulu. In exchange of limitless power, Shaka is said to enter a pact with the witch doctor Issanoussi, who demands the death of Shaka's pregnant fiancee Noliwe -- and this turns out to be just the down-payment for "blood medicine"
▲{{quote| " The medicine with which I inoculated you is the medicine of blood; so if you do not spill blood in abundance, it will turn against you, and it is you whom it will kill" (''Chaka the Zulu'' -- Thomas Mofolo)}}
* The Aztecs believed that the sun needed to be fed on the blood of sacrificial victims daily to prevent it from dying.
** The Mayans practiced ritual bloodletting (and sacrifice, too, but only when they were desperate). They also had a ritual ball-game that was not only ruthless, but ended in the winning team being sacrificed at the conclusion.
* In some parts of the West Indies, it used to be common to use animal blood at a boats launching ceremony. Squeemish Americans and Europeans just use champagne, the wusses.
** A common story from the German and Dutch North Sea coast is, that in the past people made live sacrifices when building dykes against floods. Burying a dog alive under the new dyke would work, but a human child was considered preferable. The important part was, that a living thing had to be given to the spirits.
== Tabletop Games ==
=== Card Games ===
* In the ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade (Tabletop Game)|Vampire: The Masquerade]]'', all vampires gain their abilities obviously from consumed blood. However, a few [[Splat|clans]] take this one step further by developing a blood-based system of sorcery stronger than the hedge magic any human can learn but weaker than the Sphere Magick of Mages. The most well-known practitioners of blood magic are Clan Tremere, whose original members were Mages in life.▼
** ''[[Vampire: The Requiem (Tabletop Game)|Vampire: The Requiem]]'' carries this on with various forms of Blood Sorcery, the two most predominant being Cruac (a humanity-stifling, ritualistic art practiced by the Circle of the Crone) and Theban Sorcery (a series of "miracles" that [[Equivalent Exchange|require appropriate sacrifice]], practiced by the Lancea Sanctum). ▼
▲** A vampire planeswalker known as Sorin Markov is said to use sangromancy (blood magic), which enables him to drain the lifeforce of other beings, place curses on enemies, and possess the minds of others. It is also implied that he can leech mana from opponents. How exactly he uses blood is not stated.
** ''[[Hunter: The Vigil (Tabletop Game)|Hunter: The Vigil]]'' features the Cainite Heresy, remnants of an ancient cult that weren't too happy after being dicked around with by a vampire claiming a direct connection to God. They were given their vampiric blood magic by another hunter organization known as the Birds of Minerva to create the Rites of Denial, special powers meant to deny vampires their innate advantages.▼
▲** Long before he showed up, the ogres of Kamigawa, a Japanese-themed world, used blood oaths to bind oni (demonic spirits in this setting) to their service. This was represented mechanically by ogres with abilities that "turned on" when you also controlled a demon, and demons with drawbacks that "turned off" if you controlled an ogre.
** ''[[Changeling: The Lost (Tabletop Game)|Changeling: The Lost]]'' has Tokens, magic items that activate with a simple burst of [[Mana|Glamour]] or with a simple [[Power Levels|Wyrd]] check. Either of these can be foregone- and the items can be used by mortals- by paying the "Catch," a "dread cost." Examples? One, a minor thing that empowers your car, requires you to run your car on a pint of your own blood (one point of lethal damage); another one, a more potent one called a Pledge Stone, requires you to rip out your own tongue and burn it (one point of lethal damage and you don't have a tongue).▼
** And in ''[[Mage: The Awakening (Tabletop Game)|Mage: The Awakening]]'', blood sacrifice (namely, draining a being, including a human, of its blood until it is dead) can be used to replenish [[Mana]]. The use of blood can also correspond to the powers of Mastigos or Thyrsus mages.▼
=== Tabletop RPG ===
** ''[[Geist: The Sin Eaters (Tabletop Game)|Geist: The Sin Eaters]]'' has the Stygian Key, a source of power based around manipulating the raw essence of death. Few Sin-Eaters obtain it, as you need to drink from several rivers of the Underworld ''and'' make a deal with a [[Eldritch Abomination|Kerberos]] to learn its tricks. But even then, you can only use any of the Manifestations associated with the Key by performing a sacrifice first. There's also the Stigmata Key, which is much more common and allows the Sin-Eater to control blood and ghosts. Some of its Manifestations require a portion of blood in order to function, and it can sometimes be empowered by shedding blood when you don't need to. ▼
▲* In the ''[[
* ''[[Shadowrun (Tabletop Game)|Shadowrun]]'' supplement Aztlan. Aztlan mages can use Blood Magic: spilling a human's blood to enhance spellcasting and summon Blood Spirits. Extremely evil, restricted to [[Non Player Character|Non Player Characters]]. How restricted? If any player character starts learning Blood Magic from any source whatsoever, of their own free will, ''their character sheet is now that of an NPC.'' It's just that dark.▼
▲** ''[[
▲** ''[[
▲** ''[[
▲** And in ''[[
▲** ''[[
▲* ''[[
** Expanded in the supplement "Street Magic". Adepts can benefit from blood magic, with at least one of the new metamagics revolving around ''cannibalism.''
* ''[[Earthdawn]]''. Blood charms are used to seal Blood Oaths and gain magical benefits.
* ''[[Dungeons
** In earlier editions, a magic user used his own blood as an ingredient in creating a homonculous, possibly inspired by the Sinbad example.
** One of the material components for the Cacodemon spell (which summoned a powerful demon) was a bowl of mammal blood, preferably human.
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** In the book "Complete Arcane" for 3.5, the Prestige Class of "Blood Magus" is described as "formerly deceased spellcasters who, when returned to life, gain an understanding of their blood's importance..." They can create a homonculous as explained above, but they have many other abilities as well, a particularly frightening one being "Bloodwalk". With Bloodwalk, a Blood Magus can teleport by entering the body of a living creature the same size or bigger, either leaving peacefully or [[Tele Frag|exploding out violently]].
** The Maho Tsukai from the ''Oriental Adventures'' can, like the 3rd Edition Blood Magus, use his own blood as a replacement for the material components for spells. He can also use someone else's blood, although that takes more time and more blood. Finally, he can use large amounts of blood (enough that it's represented by Constitution damage rather than regular hit point damage) to apply metamagic to his spells without using a higher-level spell slot.
*
** ''[[Forgotten Realms]]'' has a lot of spells using the caster's or the target's blood, including some necromancy (Lich's Touch, Speak with Dead, Repel Undead, Fellblade, Immunity to Undeath), contingency (Elminster's Evasion) and battle spells. Bone Javelin creates a fairly long-range [[Flying Weapon]] that returns to the caster after each "shot" and waits for the next order. Bloodstars makes from magical force and drops of the caster's blood 7 flying spiky things that not only cut whoever commanded, but can be ordered to ''explode'' if they draw blood, and are completely harmless to the caster either way. In one novel Elminster used "flying blades", which animates a bunch of pointy metal things and makes them fly around the caster and stab anyone on the way - each object requires a drop of the caster's blood to be included and de-animates when it draws blood. The most spectacular is Blood Dragon, an elf-only spell that creates a nearly unstoppable construct that withers flesh with mere touch, is dead set on attacking the target, ignoring everyone else (though still harming if happens to contact them); it [[Taking You with Me|requires the caster's death]] to animate. Also, some inks for spell scrolls include a drop of the maker's blood.
* [[Our Elves Are Better|Dark Elves]] in ''[[Warhammer]]'' use blood magic. Their sorceresses can sacrifice wounds to get more magic dice, and they have large blood cauldros that imbues nearby units with the blessings of their god Khaine (also known as the bloody handed god).▼
* ''Dark*Matter'' in [[d20 Modern]] version has "Blood Magic" [http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20modern/article/20060921b&page=2 feat] that allows to cast a spell by taking damage instead of using up a spell-slot.
* In ''[[Legend of the Five Rings]]'', practitioners of ''maho'' fuel their spells by spilling blood, often their own. The explanation given is that ''kansen'', malevolent spirits, are attracted to the caster by this act and will then exert their influence over the world in accordance with the mahotsukai's wishes.
* In ''[[
** Under the original ruleset, [[Big Screwed-Up Family|Whateleys]] got their own brand of [[Black Magic]] that was actually accessible to [[Player Character
* ''[[
* In ''[[
* ''[[
** Likewise, Scions of the Aesir get access to Jotunblut, which allows them to use the blood of the giants to make mortal companions stronger. At the highest levels, it allows mortals to turn into giants themselves.
* ''
** A character with Advance Shape Shifting can use their own blood to create creatures which have some of their powers. These creatures are [[NPC
** A character with Shape Shifting and Conjuration can create items out of their own blood. A character with Advance Shape Shifting and Conjuration can create items out of ''other people's'' blood.
=== War Games ===
▲* [[Our Elves Are Better|Dark Elves]] in ''[[Warhammer Fantasy Battle]]'' use blood magic. Their sorceresses can sacrifice wounds to get more magic dice, and they have large blood cauldros that imbues nearby units with the blessings of their god Khaine (also known as the bloody handed god).
== Video Games ==
* In ''[[Planescape: Torment]]'', crystallized blood droplets are used for [[Healing Potion|healing potions]].
* Almost literally in ''[[Final Fantasy Tactics
* In the ''[[Dominions]]'' series, spells from most schools of magic are cast using "gems" which are basically elemental forces (fire, water, etc...) concentrated into portable form, and the casting prices of spells are listed in these gems. Instead of gems, however, one school of magic lists spell prices in blood. These prices are listed in increments of one ''blood slave'', each of which must be drained completely empty, with high-level spell costs running into the hundreds. Blood magic is conspicuous in battle, where mages or priests are surrounded by a white-robed flock they systematically stab, especially if the mages start losing and set the slaves to charge into the spears of the enemies while they themselves flee. ''[[Dominions]]'' is not a happy series.
* In ''[[God of War (
* Sort of used in ''[[Devil May Cry]]''. When you kill monsters you collect their blood (which conveniently crystallized into red orbs in contact with air) to upgrade your magic powers. Justified in that there is a bounty system in placed by some nebulous god of good.
** Also, in ''Devil May Cry 3'', {{spoiler|Arkham used the bloods of Dante, Vergil, and Lady to open up the portal to the demon world}}.
* ''[[Clive
** The Sumerian Demons Inanna and Ninlil also rely on blood magic (referred to as sanguimancy ingame). While Inanna uses the blood of Innocent people bound to torture wheels, Ninlil has herself locked within an Iron Maiden to spill as much of her own blood as possible.
* In [[
** In ''[[World of Warcraft]]'', according to the background warlock's life tap ability (convert health to mana) works exactly like this (they sacrifice their own blood to gain mana), using it to summon most of their demonic pets, empowering their weapons or, curiously enough, a number of beneficial effects like summoning party members or Healthstones which can be consumed like a potion.
** ''Warcraft III'' introduced Blood Mages, but despite the name they ''don't'' practice any of this; most of their spells are fire-based. Lampshaded by one you meet in the Blasted Lands, who says Blood Mages "eat normal food like normal people."
* In ''[[Guild Wars]]'' a Necromancer's blood magic skills often have you sacrificing health to achieve an effect. The same class also uses Death magic, which exploits your dead opponent's corpses (and therefore blood) for similar effect, and their innate Soul Reaping ability, which heals you upon an enemy's death.
** Blood magic also has you drain health.
* This is one of the ways a Servant is summoned in ''[[Fate/stay
* In The Elder Scrolls V ''[[Skyrim]]'' {{spoiler|The only way to open the old Blades headquarters in Skyrim is with the blood of a dragonborn.}}
* ''[[Dragon Age]]'':
** [[Exactly What It Says
** What's important about Blood Magic is that it is pure life force, and can thus provide plenty of energy. And it isn't limited to Mages, either. Anybody can learn how to tap into it, even a warrior (exemplified by the Reaver, who uses a different path, but one which still uses the power inherent in blood as energy). Since it was originally taught by an Old God (demons are the only ones who still remember it in most cases, however), it may not even be evil. The Soldier's Peak DLC introduced Avernus, who had worked out how to change blood as the fuel source for the Taint. And then there are the Chantry Templars, who gain their abilities from the energies within lyrium (apparently - that it is possible to wield what is essentially Templar-created magic without using lyrium might speak to some other source), all without being Mages. While the Fade is probably the easiest source to learn how to use (and the one with the least reliance on an outside source to power one's spells), it's definitely not the only source. Indeed, it might be that ''anybody'' could learn how to use magic, as long as they were willing to use something else as fuel.
** The state religion of the Chantry demands that all persons with magical abilities have to permanently join the Circle of Magi and be confined to their towers where they are constantly monitored by templars who are to slay them at the first sign that demons have possessed their bodies. Every mage who tries to escape from the Circle of Magi or refuses to join is treated as being potentially possessed and killed. Since blood magic is not officially sanctioned by the Chantry, blood mages share the same fate as all other apostates.
** [http://www.awkwardzombie.com/index.php?page=0&comic=012411# Ironically, the Chantry uses phylacteries, enchanted containers filled with the blood of Circle Mages, to hunt down any who try to escape. Destroying their phylactery is the only way a mage can ensure their freedom.]
** The Joining - Grey Wardens gain their powers by drinking darkspawn blood. {{spoiler|The cost to this is the Darkspawn Taint eventually ''will'' overtake every Grey Warden, turning them into a Darkspawn themselves. They avoid this happening by suicidally venturing into the Deep Roads and trying to kill as many Darkspawn there as they can.}}
* Another [[
* The Dark Knight class that appears in various Final Fantasy games has the ability to sacrifice health to either empower or fuel their attacks.
* [[All There in the Manual|According to the manual]], the monsters in ''[[Zelda II:
* Taken to the extreme by Vladimir the Crimson Reaper, a [[Whatevermancy|"hemomancer"]] in ''[[League of Legends]]''. Not only are all his abilities blood-related (including draining the blood out of his opponents and into him and briefly turning into a near-invulnerable pool of blood) but he fights with an orb of blood which hovers in his hands that he shoots at his opponents.
* Taken to another extreme in ''[[Final Fantasy Tactics]]'', in which human sacrifice is used on a titanic scale {{spoiler|by Lucavi, inciting a war with hundreds of thousands of casualties to spill enough blood to raise the [[Big Bad]] Altima.}}
* Grimoire Weiss of ''[[
* Shao Kahn created Skarlet out of blood collected from various battlefields in the newest ''[[Mortal Kombat]]''.
* According to [[Cute Witch|Marisa]], Remilia Scarlet from ''[[Touhou]]'' utilises this for a few spellcards. [[Running Gag|Blood is amazing!]]
== Web Comics ==
* In ''[[Supernormal Step]]'', Jules and Van practice blood magic. However, Jules made Van swear not to use blood magic without his guidance. This almost certainly will affect the plot later.
* In ''[[
** Later on we get a dark take on the idea when a human king begins a campaign of kidnapping and brutally killing elves so he can [[Blood Bath|bathe in their blood]], hoping to gain immortality.
* In ''[[Sluggy Freelance]]'', {{spoiler|the blood of the innocent awakes a powerful magic spirit in Torg's sword}}.
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* Timmy from ''[[Parallel Dementia]]'' can use blood magic.
* In ''[[Familiar Ground]]'', how they know that Toad's wizard is evil.
* In ''[[Tamuran]]'', [https://web.archive.org/web/20110901065231/http://www.tamurancomic.com/?p=161 the princes' blood is needed for a working]
▲== Fan Fiction ==
▲* Shinji in ''[[Points of Familiarity (Fanfic)|Points of Familiarity]]'' bites off his finger and sacrifices it to ... something to create [Masks].
▲* Subverted in-universe in ''[[The Dresden Files (Literature)|The Dresden Files]]'' fanfic ''[[Fair Vote (Fanfic)|Fair Vote]]''. The protagonist uses tea as a metaphysically symbolic substitute -- and it works.
▲* The Erlkönig in The [[Mega Crossover]] [[Fanfic|fan]][[Web Comic|comic]] ''[[Roommates 2007 (Webcomic)|Roommates]]'' used his own blood to seal his son's magic and memories (symbolically his left eye). What power the guy has that a the blood of a blood related [[The Fair Folk|fae]] [[Royal Blood|noble]] was needed is anyones guess (maybe the Erlkönig is just a [[Large Ham|show off]]).
== Web Original ==
* Fey has used this in the ''[[Whateley Universe]]'' against a dark mage who was trying to enslave her.
* From [[SCP Foundation]], any SCP involving [[Religion of Evil|Sarcisism]] will involve this Trope, often with [[Body Horror]] involved.
== Western Animation ==
* In ''[[American Dragon: Jake Long]]'' a drop of Jake's blood is used to restore the Dark Dragon's full strength.
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Magic and Powers]]
[[Category:Bloody Tropes]]
[[Category:Older Than Feudalism]]
▲[[Category:Blood Magic]]
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