White Mage

The White Mage ( or ), also called White Wizard, White Witch or Priest and sometimes abbreviated as WHT or WHM , is a job class in the Final Fantasy series, and is featured in most installments. It serves the role of the RPG genre's healing and support class, utilizing the unique White Magic command in combat. It is among the first jobs introduced in the series.
Several entries in the series have featured an upgraded version of the White Mage known as the Devout. In addition, some titles have featured similar healing-type jobs, such as the Bishop, Conjurer, and the ​Medic.
==Profile==
White Mages tend to dress in white clothing such as robes or cloaks with red triangular lining that usually flare out from cuffs, around hems, or on the lining of the hood if they wear one. Koichi Ishii, designer for the first three main series entries, mentions that the triangular red patterns of the robes were embroidered with magically infused threads. These patterns are placed at the ends of the robes because it is where the stored up magical energy of the user would normally exit the body and would be at their most powerful after chants.https://jp.finalfantasy.com/topics/184 
Those using the job tend to lean towards lighter armor, generally robes. Most White Mages are female, but some males have been White Mages as well. Male White Mages generally do not wear hoods. The recurring White Robe and Cat-Ear Hood are related to this job.
The White Mage's equipment includes staves and maces (as well as hammers in the original Final Fantasy), but in later installments they more commonly use magical rods instead. Their armor is limited to lightweight vests and mage robes. Their physical stats are usually higher than those of a Black Mage, but are not as high as some other classes. Their magic stats, of course, are high, though they tend to be a bit lower than a Black Mage or a Summoner.
The most prominent ability is to cast White Magic, which usually includes healing and support magic, but may also include status effect spells. White Mages are often associated with one offensive attack, called Holy. Their ability to heal, protect, and resurrect fallen members of the party make White Mages invaluable, as they are usually the only efficient way of healing.
In earlier installments, White Magic served as the job's sole command, with later entries providing additional commands such as Pray to add variation. Titles such as Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV have also provided innovation for the White Mage; giving it damage dealing utility with the inclusion of elemental spells such as Stone and Banish, while also including powerful support moves, such as Benediction and the Afflatus skills. Other entries have also given the job access to abilities that originally appeared as Limit Breaks for Aerith Gainsborough from Final Fantasy VII.
==Appearances==
===Final Fantasy===
The White Mage appears as a selectable character for the player's party. Although lacking in offensive power, White Mages are valuable due to their healing abilities. The upgraded White Wizard is even more powerful, having the ability to cast Full-Life and Holy.
====Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin====
The White Mage is an Advanced Job, unlocked within the Mage Job tree. It allows the user to utilize White Magic spells that buff the party and heal them, with only offensive abilities being Light-elemental Dia and Holy.
===Final Fantasy II===
Minwu is the royal White Wizard of Fynn, serving as one of the few male White Mages in the series. He has access to many high-level spells when he joins the party.
===Final Fantasy III===
The White Mage job is gained from the Wind Crystal. White Mages excel in assisting the party with defensive and restorative White Magic. Some offensive magic is also available (Light and Wind). They possess low Attack power and Defense. After Devout becomes available, they only become back-up healers if there is a Devout and White Mage in the same party. 
Aria Benett, Sara Altney, Prince Alus and Unei aid the party with White Magic.
===Final Fantasy IV===
Rosa and Porom are White Mages (White Wizard in older translations). White Mages also appear as NPCs in various locations.
====Final Fantasy IV -Interlude-====
Rosa and Porom are White Mages, and NPC White Mages make an appearance in Baron Castle. White Mages have access to White Magic and can equip bows and staves.
====Final Fantasy IV: The After Years====
A standard Mysidian White Mage appears, accompanying Ceodore and the Hooded Man as they pass through the Devil's Road.
Rosa and Porom also return as White Mages, having similar spells and abilities from Final Fantasy IV. With the inclusion of bands, the two are able to join with their comrades to perform powerful healing and light-elemental abilities.
===Final Fantasy V===
125px|right|The cast of Final Fantasy V as White Mages.
The White Mage job is held by one of the shards of the Wind Crystal. Its job abilities grant access to White Magic.
===Final Fantasy IX===
Both Dagger and Eiko can cast White Magic along with their Summon Magic. Despite both having access to the command, Eiko has a greater dominance over it, also having access to the dualcasting Dbl Wht command during Trance. 
Garnet also dresses in the traditional White Mage robes as a disguise early on, an outfit that would become associated with her in spin-off titles.
===Final Fantasy X===
Yuna is a summoner, but her section of the Sphere Grid contains White Magic and other White Mage abilities like Pray.
====Final Fantasy X-2====
The White Mage dressphere has minimal attack power, but large healing power. This particular iteration of the class cannot physically attack unless berserked or using Mug.
===Final Fantasy XI===
The White Mage (WHM) is one of the six base jobs. It is the most adept at healing and the only job with the ability to heal almost all debuffs. White Mages use traditional supportive magic as well as a limited number of status-inflicting spells, also getting access to light elemental offensive spells such as Banish, Holy and Dia.
===Final Fantasy XII===
In the Zodiac versions, the White Mage License Board is represented by the Aries zodiac sign. White Mages use rods and some sword-type weapons, and can cast all White Magicks and some Green Magicks.
====Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings====
20px|right|The White Mage enemy from Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings.
The White Mage appears as a recurring enemy throughout the events of the game, having access to several White Magick spells in their skillset.
===Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII===
Lightning can obtain a garb modeled after the White Mage job at the start of Day 4 from a treasure cube in the Ark. 
It has the abilities Dispel Lv. 2 and Quick Ruin Lv. 2, and the passive ability, Soul of the White Mage, which increases maximum HP by 5% and magic damage by 10%. 
===Final Fantasy XIV===
The White Mage (WHM) is the advanced job of the class. As a White Mage, one can use advanced healing spells and abilities like Regen, Benediction, Assize or shield its allies with Divine Benison. They have access to the Healer Role Actions.
A miniature white mage in the style of the original Final Fantasy is one of three possible outcomes of summoning the "Minion of Light" (the others being a warrior and a black mage).
===Final Fantasy Tactics===
White Mages, formerly known as Priest in the PlayStation localization, have access to all White Magicks, and have the reaction ability of Auto-Regen and support ability of extra magick defense. They can wield staves and light armor and robes. They are the fastest among the magickal classes.
===Final Fantasy Tactics Advance===
The White Mage (WHT) job is available to humes, viera, and nu mou. The White Mage is able to learn the general White Magic abilities such as Cure and Life. They wield staves in combat. It should also be noted that the White Magic they use to aid allies is also effective in dealing damage to Zombies and Vampires. The best race to use the White Mage is the nu mou, due to their superior magic growth. Viera should only use the White Mage when necessary (i.e. to unlock more powerful jobs).
====Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift====
White Mage is a master of curative magic which is a job available to humes, nu mou and viera right from the beginning.
White Mages have abilities to heal party members and damage the undead.
====Final Fantasy Tactics S====
A handful of hume, viera, and nu mou units appear as White Mages. Notable Viera units with the White Mage job included Natalia, Prill, and Saia, while Nu Mou characters with the job only included Ludus. Depending on the rank, the White Mage unit could use either Three-part Miracle, Cura, and Curaga.
===Crystal Defenders: Vanguard Storm===
===Final Fantasy Type-0===
Class Seventh is attributed to teaching white magic, and its class moogle represents the class. Rem Tokimiya was formerly a student of Class Seventh, until she was transferred to Class Zero to assist in fighting the Militesi Empire.
===Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King===
White Mages can be recruited as adventurers and have access to the most traditional White Magic and wield hammers.
====Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a Darklord====
White Mages appear as enemies and are classified in the aid class, having access to just cure themselves after taking damage. They can be Clavats or Yukes.
===Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light===
The White Mage crown appears as a job, and enhances the use of traditional White Magic.
===Final Fantasy Dimensions===
The White Mage is a job class, obtained at the beginning of the game and is thus available to both groups. The Warriors of Light also gain access to the White Mage's upgrade, the Seer.
====Final Fantasy Dimensions II====
The White Mage is a light-elemental Eidolon that appears in Final Fantasy Dimensions II. It can be obtained as a signet for Aemo, allowing her to learn the Holy abilities.
In addition, White Mage-themed costumes for Aemo, Jornee, and Maina can be obtained from the Babil Tower exchange shops.
===Dissidia Final Fantasy (2008)===
In the Duel Colosseum, when selected, the White Mage job card will fully heal the player's HP after battle.
====Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy====
The White Mage job card appears in Labyrinth mode, and will heal the current lead character to full health.
The White Mage is also a job that can be selected for a character in the player's Party for Quick Battle, Friend Cards, or wireless matches. The White Mage job doubles the recovery rate of the user's Bravery after they land an HP attack, and is needed to unlock the advanced jobs Knight and Sage.
===Pictlogica Final Fantasy ≒===
Male and female White Mages appear as unlockable Memoria for players. The jobs special move is Benediction, which can be used only at rank 3. The White Mage is one of the requirements to unlocking the Devout, Chemist, and Mediator job units. 
===Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade===
The White Mage was a job available from the start. The preferred weapons for the job were staves and the job specializes in intelligence abilities. The job was involved in the requirements to unlock the Devout and Paladin jobs.
===Final Fantasy Artniks===
The White Mage appeared as a character card.
====Final Fantasy Artniks Dive====
===Final Fantasy All the Bravest===
The White Mage is a character available to the party, and uses the Holy ability during battle. It unlocks at level 3.
===Final Fantasy Record Keeper===
White Mage appears as a recruitable character, unlocked along with Black Mage in Mako Reactor No. 1 on Classic in Final Fantasy VII storyline as the Mastery Reward.
Arc from Final Fantasy III also appears in the form of the White Mage from his original game, functioning as a healing unit. In addition, Garnet also has an alternate costume based on her White Mage disguise from Final Fantasy IX. 
===Final Fantasy Brave Exvius===
Fina is depicted as a White Mage during the events of the game's first two seasons, donning a mantle with the iconic white-red design and being proficient in White Magic. In addition, the characters Ayaka and Freesia are additional White Mages that appear in game and can be obtained as party units.
Rosa, Eiko, Minwu, and a White Mage version of Refia also appear in the game as summonable visions to join the player's party. 
====War of the Visions: Final Fantasy Brave Exvius====
The White Mage appears as the unique job of Ayaka, Grace, and Naiah. It gives the character access to the White Mage command abilities, having access to healing and support magic. The White Mage has little damage utility, only having access to Holy as its sole offensive spell.
Characters with access to the White Mage as a secondary job include; Adelard, Cadia, Fryevia, Helena Leonis, Howlet, Kilphe, Learte, Little Leela, Phoebe, Rosa, Nasha, Salire, Y'shtola, and Vallaide.
Two unique versions of the White Mage also exist as jobs for Rosa and Aerith, known as "White Mage of Baron" and "White Mage (FFVIIR)" respectively. The jobs have access to several abilities from their original games.
===Final Fantasy Explorers===
White Mage is one of the jobs unlocked after the 1★ Tutorial Quest, "Ability Mutations Exam". White Mage is categorized as healer. They can initially equip staves and tomes. After mastery, rods and dual daggers can be equipped.
====Final Fantasy Explorers-Force====
The White Mage appeared in the mobile spin-off as one of the selectable jobs for players. It specialized in healing allies in combat.
===Mobius Final Fantasy===
The White Mage was an early Mage job for Wol that served as an upgrade of the Apprentice Mage, being available through the job's second panel board. The job served the Healer role, having moderate Break Power and HP. Its Ultimate was Holy Prayer, a single target attack that would cast Ruin on the enemy and heal the user a moderate amount of HP. 
The upgraded forms of the White Mage were the Combat Surgeon and the Mystic Surgeon , which could be unlocked through the fourth and eighth White Mage panel boards respectively.
===World of Final Fantasy===
An NPC can be found in Cornelia dressed as a White Mage.
===Chocobo's Dungeon 2===
===Chocobo Racing===
===Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales===
===Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon===
Chocobo can use the White Mage job, while Shirma is a recurring White Mage in the Chocobo series.
===Chocobo to Mahou no Ehon: Majo to Shoujo to Go-nin no Yuusha===
===Dice de Chocobo===
===Final Fantasy Trading Card Game===
Several White Mage jobs appear in the Final Fantasy Trading Card Game as Water-, Wind-, and Earth-elemental Backup and Forward cards.
===Final Fantasy Portal App===
Assorted White Mages from throughout the series appear as Triple Triad cards.
==Allusions in series entries==
Several titles have featured references to the White Mage job.
===Final Fantasy VII===
Though there is no job system, Aeris is similar to a White Mage in several ways, as she has high magic stats, equips rods and staves, and her Limit Breaks heal and buff the party. She owns the White Materia, the source of the ultimate White Magic spell, Holy.
====Final Fantasy VII Remake====
Aerith keeps her traits from the original game, retaining her magic oriented stats and healing Limit Breaks. The remake also gives her new skills that provide support to the party, while also using light oriented abilities to deal damage to foes. Her weapons also contain abilities that increase her magic and healing potency in combat.
===Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings===
While the game has no formal job system, Penelo fights similarly to a White Mage in combat, having access to healing and support spells and utilizing staves as her weapons of choice. Penelo's also uses abilities akin to the Dancer job, which would become her recurring job in future titles.
===Final Fantasy XIII-2===
Serah Farron has a costume as part of the downloadable content based on the concept of a White Mage.
===Final Fantasy XVI===
Midadol Telamon's childhood doll, handled during the quest "Like Father, Like Daughter", wears the series's iconic White Mage attire of a white hooded cloak with red triangles at the hem.
==Non-Final Fantasy guest appearances==
===Other Square Enix titles===
The appears as a recurring job in the Bravely series. Like Final Fantasy, the White Mage is a dedicated healing and support job, while also having access to light and wind-elemental magics. It is often one of the first jobs obtained in each entry.
In the first Bravely Default and Bravely Second: End Layer, it can be obtained from Holly Whyte, the carrier of the White Mage Asterisk. Its appearance is similar to its Final Fantasy counterpart, donning an outfit consisting of white and red. The White Mage also appears in Bravely Default II, with its Asterisk holder being Selene. It sports an entirely unique design consisting of mink fur coats and hats. The White Mage of the first two entries would serve as the recurring design in the series' now defunct mobile titles; Bravely Default: Praying Brage, Bravely Archive, and Bravely Default: Fairy's Effect.
The White Mage has appeared in some form in defunct social game titles by Square Enix. The job appeared as a unit in Heavenstrike Rivals and Samurai Rising, serving its traditional role as a healer for players to recruit. In addition, it appeared as an alternate costume in Square Enix Legend World and Kingdom Hearts Union χ[Cross].
HSR White Mage.png|White Mage in Heavenstrike Rivals.
HSR White Wizard.png|The White Wizard in Heavenstrike Rivals.
Samurai Rising - White Mage.jpg|White Mage in Samurai Rising.
Square Enix Legend World - White Mage (FFXI) SR.jpg|White Mage card from Square Enix Legend World.
===Non Square Enix games===
The White Mage has appeared in video games outside of Square Enix properties.
The job has made various cameo appearances in Nintendo titles, first appearing as a playable character in Mario Hoops 3-on-3 and Mario Sports Mix. In the Japanese files for both games, her name is "Shiroma".
The White Mage also appeared as alternate costumes in defunct mobile titles The Knights of Avalon,http://www.gamer.ne.jp/news/201401200052 and Minna to BIOHAZARD Clan Master.
Mariosports white mage.png|The White Mage from Mario Sports Mix.
The Knights of Avalon - White Mage.png|The White Mage costume from Knights of Avalon.
=== Influences in other media ===
The White Mage's iconic robe has served as a recurring influence for character outfits in other video games. Robin from Fire Emblem Awakening has a recurring costume identical to the White Mage robes in the Super Smash Bros. series. Psycho Kamek from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga also wears a White Mage-inspired outfit. Veigar from League of Legends has a cosmetic skin called "White Mage Veigar" that strongly resembles the White Mage. Veigar himself is based on the original Black Mage concept. Rom from Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth1 also has an outfit based on the White Mage's robe. 
Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga - Psycho Kamek.png|Psycho Kamek from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga.
Veigar-white-mage.jpg|White Mage Veigar from League of Legends.
HDN ReBirth1 Rom Ram White Mage Black Mage.png|Rom's White Mage outfit from Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth1
==Behind the scenes==
In the first Final Fantasy, the White Mage is a different job in terms of naming in the original Japanese, being known as the White Magician . Its upgraded form, known as the White Wizard in English, is known as the White Sorcerer in Japanese. Starting from Final Fantasy II, the White Wizard/White Sorcerer would become the recurring job known as White Mage in all later series entries, often sharing the appearance of the default White Mage job from the first Final Fantasy. Due to the difference in naming, this has led the name White Wizard being used in some English localizations; Final Fantasy II using it as the name of Minwu's occupation, and the original SNES localization of Final Fantasy IV using it as the name of Rosa and Porom's job.
The original Famicom version of Final Fantasy III was planned to include upgraded jobs like the first entry, with two upgraded versions known as the Devout and the White Magus set to appear. Due to some of the staff finding the job change sprites scary from their cute previous forms in the original NES release of Final Fantasy, the class change idea was abandoned in future games by Hiromichi Tanaka.https://jp.finalfantasy.com/topics/183 The White Magus was ultimately dropped from the final product, with the Devout appearing as a separate job that served as an upgraded form of the White Mage.
==Gallery==
==Citations==
de:Weißmagier
fr:Mage blanc
 
Category:Recurring jobs