Blue Mage (Final Fantasy V)

The Blue Mage is a job in Final Fantasy V obtained after the Wind Crystal shatters. It uses Blue Magic spells which, unlike other spells in the game that are purchased from shops, are learned from enemies. The Blue Mage is a utility job with both powerful offensive and defensive capabilities, and unlike other mage jobs, Blue Mages have access to equipment that can help their physical damage.
Blue Magic spells can have positive effects in several fights, making the skillset strategic. Their ability to equip weapons for physical damage allows them to be somewhat useful even when not casting their spells. The main drawback to the job is that it requires a greater time investment to be effective. This is because players must seek out enemies with enemy abilities that can be learned as Blue Magic spells, and teach them to a Blue Mage character. Blue Mage is the only magic-wielding job that does not have its innate spells affected by the silence status.
Mastering Blue Mage for all four characters in the mobile and Steam versions earns the achievement "Learn from Monsters".
==Characteristics==
Most of the Blue Mage's costume is blue, with a cape and shoulder pads, and a domino mask. Lenna and Krile wear a feathered cap.
==Gameplay==
===Stats===
Stat 	Modifier
Strength	-8
Agility 	+1
Stamina 	+3
Magic 	+23
Blue Mages have a decent Magic modifier, though it is below that of other mages. Their Strength penalty means that, though their equipment options may allow them to be decent fighters, they will be below other fighter jobs without equipping another ability to help them with this role. Blue Mages have only a small Stamina modifier, meaning their HP will barely be higher than the base Freelancer, and their Agility bonus is negligible, meaning their speed is average.
Any job equipped with the Blue Magic ability will gain their character's base Freelancer Magic +23 if their default stat is lower.
Upon mastery, Freelancers and Mimes gain the Blue Mage's base Magic unless they already have a higher base from another mastered job. Blue Mages do not excel at any specific stats, meaning that the job is not essential to master.
===Equipment===
Unlike most other spellcasting jobs, Blue Mages can wield not only the common rod spellcaster equipment, but also swords and shields. This gives them more offense and defense than a regular mage, making them useful in-between spellcasting.
The ultimate one-handed sword in most versions is Enhancer, found in Istory Falls. It is surpassed by the Ultima Weapon that drops from the new superboss Neo Shinryu in the Game Boy Advance version and the defunct iOS and Steam versions based on it. The best shield, Genji Shield, is stolen from Gilgamesh.
Rods will randomly deal anywhere between 0% to 200% of its listed damage based on the attacker's Magic stat and the defender's Magic Defense stat and deal full damage from the back row. Many rods can be consumed to cast item magic, as well. Wonder Wand will cast spells in a specified order, starting from Cure up to Osmose, and then loops back to Cure. It can be used when the Mute spell has been cast. The ultimate rod in most versions is Magus Rod sealed weapon, which is Fire/Ice/Lightning-elemental and raises power of all elemental magic, except Water and Holy, by 50%. Demon's Rod is a new superior rod added in the Game Boy Advance version, found in the bonus dungeon Sealed Temple.
The ultimate magical headgear Blue Mages can wear in most versions is the Circlet, bought from the Phantom Village and Great Sea Trench. The superior Royal Crown is available from the Sealed Temple in the Game Boy Advance version. However, another good hat to wear is the Golden Hairpin, which halves MP use. The best robes in most versions are the White and Black Robes, bought from the Phantom Village, though the Game Boy Advance version added the superior Robe of Lords. Their best light armor headgear is Black Cowl, bought from Phantom Village and Great Sea Trench.
;Knives
*Knife
*Dagger
*Mythril Knife
*Mage Masher
*Main Gauche
*Orichalcum Dirk
*Dancing Dagger
*Air Knife
*Thief Knife
*Assassin Dagger
*Gladius
*Chicken Knife
;Rods
*Wonder Wand
*Rod
*Flame Rod
*Frost Rod
*Thunder Rod
*Lilith Rod
*Poison Rod
*Magus Rod
*Demon's Rod
;Swords
*Broad Sword
*Long Sword
*Mythril Sword
*Coral Sword
*Ancient Sword
*Sleep Blade
*Rune Blade
*Great Sword
*Excalipoor
*Enhancer
*Ultima Weapon
;Shields
*Leather Shield
*Bronze Shield
*Iron Shield
*Mythril Shield
*Gold Shield
*Aegis Shield
*Diamond Shield
*Flame Shield
*Ice Shield
*Crystal Shield
*Genji Shield
*Force Shield
*Hematic Shield(dummied)
;Magic hats
*Gold Hairpin
*Plumed Hat
*Lamia's Tiara
*Wizard's Hat
*Hypno Crown
*Sage's Miter
*Circlet
*Royal Crown
;Combat hats
*Leather Cap
*Green Beret
*Twist Headband
*Tiger Mask
*Black Cowl
;Robes
*Cotton Robe
*Silk Robe
*Sage's Surplice
*Gaia Gear
*Luminous Robe
*White Robe
*Black Robe
*Robe of Lords
;Light armor
*Leather Armor
*Copper Cuirass
*Kenpo Gi
*Silver Plate
*Ninja Suit
*Power Sash
*Diamond Plate
*Mirage Vest
*Black Garb
*Vishnu Vest
*Bone Mail
;Generic accessories
*Leather Shoes
*Silver Specs
*Reflect Ring
*Hermes Sandals
*Elven Mantle
*Flame Ring
*Coral Ring
*Angel Ring
*Protect Ring
*Cursed Ring
*Hyper Wrist
*Chaos Orb
*Crystal Orb
*Sorceror's Mantle
;Command-specificaccessories
*Kaiser Knuckles
*Kornago Gourd
;Armlets
*Silver Armlet
*Power Armlet
*Diamond Armlet
===Abilities===
Ability	Job level	AP required	Type 	Innate	Description
 	1 	10 	Command	No 	Check an enemy's HP.
 	2 	20 	Support	Yes 	Learn some monsters' special attacks.
 	3 	70 	Command	Yes 	Perform Blue Magic.
 	4 	250 	Command	No 	See enemy's level, HP, weakness, and current condition.
The Blue Mage's innate support ability, Learning, allows them to learn Blue Magic spells when hunting for enemies. Blue Magic is learned when an enemy casts a Blue Magic spell on the Blue Mage (or on any non-Blue Mage character with Learning equipped). The character does not need to live through the attack: the desired Blue Magic spell will be learned as long as the player wins the battle; the battle cannot be fled, or the spell will not be learned. Only one character needs to learn a Blue Magic spell for every party member to be able to use it. It is advised to have a Beastmaster or a character equipped with Control in the party as well, since several defensive spells are not used by enemies on the party, and some enemies never use the desired spell under normal circumstances and must be forced to do so.
Aside from Learning and the Blue Magic skillset, the Blue Mage also learns the abilities Check and Scan used to view an enemy's stats and which, unlike Libra, are free to use. However, the ability slot is often best saved for a more useful ability.
==Behind the scenes==
The design for Bartz as a Blue Mage was likely inspired by the design of the scrapped Mystic Knight job from Final Fantasy III, which had the youths with tall spiky brown hair, a mask, and a cape with shoulder pads.
==Citations==
de:Blaumagier (FFV)
it:Mago blu (Final Fantasy V)
Category:Jobs in Final Fantasy V