History Main / MagicIsMental

* In ''DragonAgeOrigins'', Willpower determines mana.

* ''TheDresdenFiles'' magic stems from life and emotions, but concentration and willpower are what allows one to use magic to achieve anything.

* Very much in effect with sorcery, the primary magic-system in ''Literature/TheBelgariad'', which is also called "the Will and the Word" for a reason- the sorcerer needs to ''will'' something to happen, then use a spoken ''word'' (what word isn't important, as long as the sorcerer can see some connection between it and the effect they want) to actually make it happen. Of course, if you try to do something too far removed from reality, expect the natural forces involved to slap you down rather painfully.

* In ''MagicTheGathering'' in-role your cards are your spells, and you draw them from your library. Many cards that affect cards in your hand and library (drawing, discarding, searching, etc.) represent things happening to the mind or knowledge, and a few other cards represent things happening to cards in your graveyard (your discard pile) as affecting memories.

* Very much in effect with sorcery, the primary magic-system in ''Literature/TheBelgariad'', which is also called "the Will and the Word" for a reason- the sorcerer needs to ''will'' something to happen, then use a spoken ''word'' (what word isn't important, as long as the sorcerer can see some connection between it and the effect they want) to actually make it happen. Of course, if you try to do something too far removed from reality, expect the natural forces involved to slap you down rather painfully.

* In ''DungeonsAndDragons'', wizards used their intelligence as the stat governing their magic. Clerics used wisdom. In later edition, some classes used charisma. Generally, "Learned" arcane magic was tied to intelligence, divine and natural magic to wisdom, and [[InTheBlood inborn magic]] to charisma.

* In the ''{{Ultima}}'' games, one's spellcasting depends on either intelligence or wisdom.

* [[ElementalPowers Bending]] in ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'' is partially mental, which is shown by how the various benders meditate to improve their abilities. Unlike other examples, bending is also partly physical, since the bending arts require intense physical movements.

* {{Unicorn}} magic was implied to work this way in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' due to mage-in-training Twilight Sparkle being [[TheSmartGuy The Smart Girl]] among the Mane Six. In "Feeling Pinkie Keen", Twilight mentions while practicing with Spike that spell-casting requires complete focus and concentration. It's shown again in "Magic Duel", where Twilight is trained by Zecora to better her magic, and her stray thoughts of Trixie cause her magic to fail.

* In ''TheElderScrolls'' games, Intelligence determines one's mana, thus how many spells they can cast in a short amount of time. Intelligence also governs alot of the magical skills. Those that don't fall under it fall under Willpower or Personality.

* {{Unicorn}} magic was implied to work this way in ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' due to mage-in-training Twilight Sparkle being [[TheSmartGuy The Smart Girl]] among the Mane Six, but it's finally outright shown in "Magic Duel", where Twilight is trained by Zecora to better her magic, and her stray thoughts of Trixie cause her magic to fail.

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' and ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'', [[http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Intelligence intelligence]] dictates magic damage. In most other games of the series, Magic Power is it's own stat.

* In the ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'', magic requires an understanding of [[FormulaicMagic advanced mathematics]] to use. Part of the reason Fate and Nanoha are so talented at magic is because they're both math prodigies.

* In ''{{Fable}}'', Magic falls under "Will".

** 4th edition both inverts the trope, and plays it straight. Wizards use intelligence. But classes like the sorcerer and warlock can use physical attributes like constitution and strength to cast magic. Often because the powers they wield are dangerous to themselves, thus they need a fit body to channel them. The Battlemind (a psychic warrior) beats people to death with the power of his physical health (constitution).

* ''{{Diablo}} III'' uses Wisdom as the attribute governing mana and magic damage.
* In ''{{Warcraft}} III'', intelligence dictates a hero's mana, and magical heroes' damage.
* In ''FinalFantasyIV'' and ''FinalFantasyXI'', [[http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Intelligence intelligence]] dictates magic damage. In most other games of the series, Magic Power is it's own stat.

[[folder: Literature]]
* In ''{{Discworld}}'', wizard-magic is based on knowledge (the three known wizarding universities are the Disc's centres of pure learning, compared with the vocational schools run by the guilds), and witch-magic is based on force of personality. (In D&D terms, Intelligence and Charisma.)

[[folder: TabletopGames]]

[[folder:VideoGames]]

* Comic book characters using magic (especially the wizard kind) often are intellectuals. Notably, DCComics' DoctorFate and Marvel's DoctorStrange are two spellcasters with the title of "Doctor", which itself implies a level of education (e.g. Doctor Strange was a [[NotThatKindOfDoctor neurosurgeon]] and his successor, Doctor Voodoo, was a psychologist).

As such, this trope has many, many consequences: In an ensemble group, those with magics will tend to be the smartest. They are the most well-learned, those who have studied and are the wisest. They will be TheSmartGuy.

In games with stats, magic is often related to a "mental" attribute if it's not its own, segregated attribute. Popular choices are intelligence/smarts/logic, willpower/wisdom/spirit or charisma/personality. Different types of magic may require different attributes, with HermeticMagic favoring the first, and [[ReligionIsMagic divine magic]] favoring the second.

This trope is why we have SquishyWizard - magic requires a strong mind, not a strong body, and this is the handwave often used.

Often, Asian works follow the trope less rigorously, with magic being shown as a product of both mind and body. Thus seeing character study, train and [[KungFuWizard combine magic with martial arts is not rare]].

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!!Examples

[[folder:Comic Books]]

** Strange in particular has mentioned that spellcasting requires a strictly disciplined, focused mind. "If you do not pay the utmost attention, magic can get away from you in a heartbeat. Every spell, every sigil, every manipulation... you must keep a close eye on everything so it doesn't backfire."

[[folder: Literature]]
* In ''{{Discworld}}'', wizard-magic is based on knowledge (the three known wizarding universities are the Disc's centres of pure learning, compared with the vocational schools run by the guilds), and witch-magic is based on force of personality. (In D&D terms, Intelligence and Charisma.)
* In ''The Imager Portfolio'' by L. E. Modesitt, Imagers use their 'magic' completely with their minds, by seeing/imagining them in their heads, but they have to have a complete mental picture and understanding of it's elemental and chemical make up or they can do things like blow themselves up by mixing chemicals which react explosively with each other. They also can image in their sleep as they dream, so they have to sleep in protected, lead shielded rooms, alone, even if they are married (or they could accidentally kill their spouses).
* This is how (human) magic works in ''RiversOfLondon'' books. You have to learn the mental forms in order to do magic, and practice visualising the concepts or it doesn't work. To make things harder, thanks to IsaacNewton, all the names of the forms are in Latin. And the forms have to stack in order to work. To throw a fireball, you have to learn how to visualise the fire, then how to visualise the it moving, then have to visualise how to make it track a target... And after that your brain trickles out your ears (if you've done it wrong).
* In ''{{Necroscope}}'' in order to gain the power to time travel and teleport Harry Keogh, and his heirs, has first to be able to calculate the {{infinite}} length of a Moebius strip in finite terms. When he is [[BroughtDownToNormal stripped of his ability to do math]] he loses that ability. He has other innate abilities, and most psi users abilities are inborn, but this one has to be learned and expressed mathematically.
* ''TheDresdenFiles'' magic stems from life and emotions, but concentration and willpower are what allows one to use magic to achieve anything.

[[folder: Oral Tradition]]
* Most depictions of ''{{Merlin}}'' fits this. He's a wise advisor, and a powerful wizard.

[[folder: TabletopGames]]
* In ''DungeonsAndDragons'', wizards used their intelligence as the stat governing their magic. Clerics used wisdom. In later edition, some classes used charisma. Generally, "Learned" arcane magic was tied to intelligence, divine and natural magic to wisdom, and [[InTheBlood inborn magic]] to charisma.

* In ''{{Shadowrun}}'', Magic is it's own attribute, but only the mental attributes (Logic, Intuition and Charisma) can be used to resist drain, the strain of using magic. Thus having higher attributes allows one to cast more spells.
* In most ''SavageWorlds'' setting, magic is related to the spirit attribute. If not, it's smarts. But always one of those two.
* In ''MagicTheGathering'' in-role your cards are your spells, and you draw them from your library. Many cards that affect cards in your hand and library (drawing, discarding, searching, etc.) represent things happening to the mind or knowledge, and a few other cards represent things happening to cards in your graveyard (your discard pile) as affecting memories.

[[folder:VideoGames]]
* In ''OgreBattle'', Intelligence determines a magic attack's damage.
* In ''TheElderScrolls'' games, Intelligence determines one's mana, thus how many spells they can cast in a short amount of time. Intelligence also governs alot of the magical skills. Those that don't fall under it fall under Willpower or Personality.

* In the ''{{Ultima}}'' games, one's spellcasting depends on either intelligence or wisdom.
* In the ''VideoGame/{{Wizardry}}'' series, spellcasters depend on either intelligence, senses or piety.
* ''{{Diablo}} III'' uses Wisdom as the attribute governing mana and magic damage.
* In ''{{Warcraft}} III'', intelligence dictates a hero's mana, and magical heroes' damage.
* In ''FinalFantasyIV'' and ''FinalFantasyXI'', [[http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Intelligence intelligence]] dictates magic damage. In most other games of the series, Magic Power is it's own stat.
* In ''QuestForGlory'', Intelligence affects your ability to cast spells and your mana if you are a Magic User.
* In ''{{Fable}}'', Magic falls under "Will".
* In ''DragonAgeOrigins'', Willpower determines mana.

* In the ''{{Lufia}}'' games, Intelligence determines spellcasting power.
* Games based on or inspired by ''DungeonsAndDragons'' do this:
** ''BaldursGate I and II'' and ''BaldursGateDarkAlliance''
** The ''NeverwinterNights'' games

* ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'' has this in the form of psynergy, short for psychic energy.
* ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' has this with standard sorcery, as intelligence raises your ability to use sorcery catalysts and allows you to learn higher level spells.

* ''GoldenSun'' has this in the form of psynergy, short for psychic energy.

* In ''Pokemon'' the psychic type is usually for psychic type pokemon and trainers with psychic powers. However, it also applies for magic themed pokemon, attacks and trainers.

* In the ''{{Wizardry}}'' series, spellcasters depend on either intelligence, senses or piety.

A trope that is nearly omnipresent when magic is involved: Magic is a product of the mind, not the body. Magic requires study and concentration to use. The best mages are smart, wise, perceptive and are all around great minds. It's even in the word "Wizard" which used to mean "Philosopher" and came from the word "Wise". The word magic itself descends from ''magos'' "one of the members of the learned and priestly class".

* this is how (human) magic works in ''RiversOfLondon'' books. You have to learn the mental forms in order to do magic, and practice visualising the concepts or it doesn't work. To make things harder, thanks to IsaacNewton, all the names of the forms are in Latin. And the forms have to stack in order to work. To throw a fireball, you have to learn how to visualise the fire, then how to visualise the it moving, then have to visualise how to make it track a target... And after that your brain trickles out your ears (if you've done it wrong).

Related to EnlightenmentSuperpowers. See also RitualMagic which may involve a lot of memorization and concentration.