Blood magic is not an evil form of the arcane arts and is mindlessly forbidden, if used with the mages own blood it is not wrong. Desmond Cousland (talk) 02:54, September 11, 2010 (UTC)
I think that major issue that people have is its like a "gateway" magic to summoning demons and becoming an abomination. --99.120.169.64 (talk) 03:17, September 11, 2010 (UTC)
I dont believe it is either in itself, but it is not mindlessly banned there are actual reasons why it's banned.
1: Blood Magic attracts demons, thoughs who use blood magic have a higher chance of luring demons to them and becoming abominations(or so they say).
2: Blood magic is the only magic (that I'm aware of)that can give the user the ability of mind control (though not all blood mages do this).
3: Blood magic doesnt require ones own blood as shown in some of the codexes (and possibly in the alienage near the end problems in the alienage) where it said the Tevinter Magisters would sometimes have hundreds of slaves that they used like batteries to produce more powerful spells, killing some of them.
Is blood magic evil in itself, No I dont think so but there is enough chance for error that precautions should be taken. The outright killing of any blood mage though I dont agree with but the chantry wont allow mages to live their own lives I doubt they would let any blood mages live at all. Having said that I dont believe all blood mages will do those terrible things,Jowen for instance just used blood magic for the ability to use his blood as mana, so I do think the policy on blood mages is stricter than it need to be.--Gdubs (talk) 03:26, September 11, 2010 (UTC)
Well, Blood Magic does come from demons, so that is where a lot of weight for the argument that it's evil comes from. But then, sometimes things that are perceived as hideous and evil can prove beneficial in the long run. Take Avernus, for instance. There's no question that he did some pretty despicable things, but they could have also bore fruit, if he had the time and "materials." I suppose it comes down to maximizing the benefit gained from using Blood Magic and minimizing the cost. Perhaps if it were studied in a neutral setting without excessive restrictions or preconceptions, while also avoiding unnecessary violence in the process, some long-term benefit could come of it. --NecroFeelYa (talk) 03:41, September 11, 2010 (UTC)
The question is a little too vague to answer. Is a weapon bad? A sword, a bow? Though the analogy would be that all magic is a form of a weapon. Blood Magic happens to be the nuclear option. So, the more important question is, "why is the use of Blood Magic banned?" and what's the circumstances around its ban?
I'd echo what Gdubs said. You can increase the potency of spells through the use of Lyrium, but that is tightly controlled and in limited supply. On the other hand, we have blood, which is fairly potent in small quantities. The Circle of Mages ultimately is in the care of the templars who answers to the Chantry. Why does the Chantry have a ban on blood mages? It could be many thing. The clerical order holds a great deal of influence and perhaps they don't want it to be challenged by an equally power circle of mages. Maybe the Chantry doesn't want overpowered mages becoming so ridiculously powerful that they can assault heaven itself. Attacking the Golden City is a literal attack on the core values of the Chantry's beliefs.
i can not beleive there are people who think the chantry rules should be obeyed the chantry is power mad there rules dont even make sense half the time they enslave mages in a tower there just afraid of losing control of there powerIrontech37650 (talk) 22:36, September 17, 2010 (UTC)
Personally, since Dragon Age is influenced by low fantasy, I'd like to think that the reasons are a bit of both. The leaders in the Chantry wants to ensure that mages don't usurp their authority. And the pragmatists might want to prevent another event that might destroy the universe. -- tierrie talk contr 04:00, September 11, 2010 (UTC)
in truth, blood magic is somewhat like a drug. you may practice it, but soon it may begin to destroy you if you can't control it. Look at jowan, he just read a book and got the idea of blood magic without realizing the world he was heading into. i actually think that in the end of the Mage Origin, he may have gone a little insane. Then you have elven keepers, which know how to manipulate life energy without having it corrupt them, exceptions being Zathrien. However, this may be dependent on the source. a demon would have tricked the practictioner into a pseudo-life magic which causes all magic that deals with drawing on the energy of nature as blood magic. Meanwhile, the elves have been doing this stuff since the beginning and have different methods of doing this magic. In turth, so much mystery surrpunds blood magic that it can't be judged. however, magic that uses the energy of humans and to control minds is bad.Nyuurocks (talk) 05:07, September 11, 2010 (UTC)--Nyuurocks
@ tierrie talk contr Interesting, another reason for banning blood magic could have something to do with the lyrium trade that the chantry protects. Though im sure you could only use your blood aside from a mages natural amount of mana for a short time before you... ran out of blood and died. Ha!--Gdubs (talk) 06:10, September 11, 2010 (UTC)
There is only one reason to bann blood magic, thats because it makes it more exciting. I like to use a bit(read a lot) of blood magic to control fools, especially templars. --PeterR (talk) 10:04, September 11, 2010 (UTC)
its probably banned because andrastes enemies used it in the beginning. the chantry is in control of magic, and the follow andraste. she was an enemy of blood mages so they dont want her followers to practise it. Googlemooglemaximus (talk) 10:30, September 11, 2010 (UTC)
It is banned because it makes mages more powerfull. Same reason the lyrium is prohibited to be sold. The Chantry is i fear mages may become more powerful and remove them. Alessandro de Abreu
Blood magic is forbidden because it is like a drug the mages becomes addicted to so it rules them. But "Magic should serve man, never rule over him" Cocaine and LSD is forbidden for the same reason. That bloodmagic also endanger innocent passerbies just makes it a hell of a lot worse.-rphb- (talk) 13:41, September 11, 2010 (UTC)
I agree that blood magic may be like a drug but so is lyrium, lyrium is addictive and it represents the taxed drugs like nicotine shall we say. One of the main reasons that blood magic is forbidden is because the chantry have no control over it like they do lyrium. Regular magic is no more or less a danger than real magic. Desmond Cousland (talk) 13:52, September 11, 2010 (UTC)
Question: Where does it say that Blood Magic was addictive? Second I believe the Chantry forbids it out of fear of a mage's power and the fear that a mage could mind control a Ban/Teryn/King etc. I don't think Jowan went insane, he just became desperate.Aresnar (talk) 16:08, September 11, 2010 (UTC)
Blood Magic is neither Good or Bad, it is what the Mage does with it that makes it Good or Bad. If a Mage uses to say track a killer or an enemy of your land then it is Good, if a Mage uses it to control someone then it is Bad. But, I am sure that some Rulers will get their Blood Mages to do both especially in times of war when questioning Spies or captured Soldiers. Anya (talk)19:23, September 11, 2010 (UTC)
So blood magic used to control others are bad, like for instence if a blood mage used that power to force a dictator to give his people civil right, or prevent a murderer from killing the hostage he is holding.-rphb- (talk) 19:58, September 11, 2010 (UTC)
If I was a Mage and had access to Blood Magic and could prevent a Killer from killing someone I loved, I would do so in a heartbeat and I would wager that everyone who posts to this Wiki would too, including you -rphb-. If anyone says they would not then they are lying through their teeth. I would not use Blood Magic to control Leaders of Nations because their actions if bad will cause their downfall. Would I use it to defend my Country and Home? You're damn Skippy I would quicker than horse shit. And, no one here could say they would not do the same, especially in defending your home. Anya (talk)20:21, September 11, 2010 (UTC)
Not addicted per se but it seems to draw you in. There is no way to know that you could not conduct mind control with regular magic, it just may not have been discovered yet. I also think the argument that blood mages are more susceptible to attracting demons is false because if blood magic is learned only from demons then it must be first a "regular mage" attracting a demon and becoming a "maleficar" in the first place contradicting the chantry and their argument and meaning ALL mages are just as dangerous. Just because a mage dabbles in blood magic it doesn't make the mage evil. Just because the Tevinters that fouled the Golden City just happened to be blood mages doesn't mean that the blood magic had anything to do with it, it was their "sin" not their blood magic. Blood magic was the first magic evolved on the continent so therefore mages were all once blood mages to an extent modern mages may not have developed, even the mage powers that Andraste used would have not been "available" and the magic she did use sounded suspiciously similar to blood magic or even blood magic iself, this is just as dangerous. Desmond Cousland (talk) 22:12, September 11, 2010 (UTC)
I always wondered why a Warden mage can use blood magic seemingly without issues yet all other mages seem to screw up and go insane/summon demons if they try it. Could the darkspawn taint in your blood block the influence of demons on you? Tbh I would find it more interesting if you had a small chance to screw up every time you activate blood magic in game, like summoning some demons by accident or losing control over your character for a short duration of time.
If you remember what Avernus tells in Soldiers Peak that the Darkspawn Taint is Alien to the Demons, so they might be attracted to a Warden Mage, but not possess you because of the Taint. Just my guess though. 
Anya (talk)12:04, September 14, 2010 (UTC)
- Blood magic is actually the Fifth School of Magic, the others being Creation, Entropy, Primal, and Spirit. Demonology is more of a sub-school of Blood Magic, the same way fire is a subs-chool of Primal Magic. The mere use of blood magic doesn't draw demons into the world, some blood mages however do. Tempted by the power that these beings can give them they draw them into the real world through the fade in a highly dangerous process. Summoning demons is very difficult and incredibly dangerous. At Soldier's Peak, at the Circle Tower, and even in Wilhelm's Cellar, all attempts we've seen with Demonology have gone wrong (Wilhelm's the least so). It should be possible to simply forbid demonology, the means are still there for those who seek them but it doesn't seem like they were ever gone. Blood mages are still far more powerful than ordinary mages though and that's not good for the Chantries efforts to keep them in check. --Aedan Cousland (talk) 15:25, September 14, 2010 (UTC)
Was just going to mention that. I think that might have something to do with it but it is not the full story, the archivist still managed to get possessed by a demon. Desmond Cousland (talk) 12:49, September 14, 2010 (UTC)
Blood magic was taught to the world by demons. The cost is high because blood magic can kill the user just as easily. Blood magic IS a portal to the fade, which allows demons to pass into the world and take over hosts. Blood magic is wrong because it requires great sacrifice to use and only brings more death in the end. No doubt it is powerful but its use is forbidden for good reason, it kills inocents with passion and has the potential to corrupt the minds of many great men. The templars are around for good reason, though they seem to not be entirely effective against mages as much as they would hope.63.148.191.224 (talk) 13:24, September 14, 2010 (UTC) Swampman03
- The Chantry says that Blood Magic was taught to the world by demons, but the Chantry say's many things. The Tevinter claim to have learned it from the Old Gods, and maybe they did. You can learn Blood Magic from demons but that's not the only place you can learn it. --Aedan Cousland (talk) 15:25, September 14, 2010 (UTC)
Personally, I think the Chantry banned blood magic because of thir set view on Tedas and the rest of the world. They want people to hate and fear mages so they pick out a particullary dark and "evil" type of magic so people would begin to think every mage is a malifacar. THe banning of blodd magic is just one more way the Chantry controls the rest of Thedas. -- 86.22.18.187 (talk) 15:38, September 14, 2010 (UTC)
Magic is meant to serve man and never rule over him. If the Mage uses only their blood, or the blood of animals then I do not see it in breach of Chantry law. It is however primarally taught by demons, which makes those who use it suspect. Using Blood Magic simply to power spells is prehaps dangerous but not outright bad, it is however very stupid. It makes you an easy target for demons. Blood Magic is not bad by what it is but how it is used. Mind domination and such are immoral, not just illegal. (Knight Templar (talk) 06:46, September 17, 2010 (UTC))
I think you cannot judge anything as good or evil. It depends on the blood mage's thoughts. Anything is good if you use it for good reasons... "the"shapeshifter (talk) 12:25, September 17, 2010 (UTC)
I think blood magic is basically like a firearm; only as dangerous as whoever's using it. The problem is, like a gun it's very easy to wind up in the hands of someone unstable, desperate, corrupt or just plain bad. But as characters like Merrill show, it can also be wielded by someone responsible who knows what they're doing. But even someone responsible with it can make serious and deadly mistakes. On the one hand, the obvious solution is that responsible and safe blood magic should be studied, rather than completely banned leading to a situation where only the worst mages possible get their hands on it. But human nature simply wouldn't allow for it. If safe blood magic ever did happen, it would have be learned slowly, from a trustworthy, responsible mage to another trustworthy, responsible mage. 13:18, June 8, 2014 (UTC)
Yes. Even if you're using it for good purposes it weakens the Veil. Which means you can make a tear with your good intentions and let anything come in. And since the only spirits that want to enter are the stab type and not the hug type, it's not going to end well. 107.193.193.88 (talk) 21:43, June 8, 2014 (UTC)
I honestly didn't think I'd be here again so soon. to keep things short (I wrote a rather LOOOOOONG novel esque post the last time this was brought up) I will simply say, the first obligatory response, Magic is a tool, and can be no more evil, or good for that matter then a hammer can. Blood magic is a school of magic that is frowed upon due to the fact that most learn it using demons. This is not the only way to learn it however, and has been proven to extend the life of even a warden who has limited years as it is. To the more recent anon, technically ANY spell can weaken the veil, and when miss-cast can cause tears. Note the Redcliffe incident. Jowen never taught Connor blood magic, just minor spells that ruptured the veil. The whole of Thedas gains nothing by simply killing every blood mage they see, it needs to be studied if for no other reason to assist in prevention measures to protect the common folk from such a powerful force. As a good friend's g/f once said, it's like getting a vaccination, a little bit of the virus is injected to help build immunities down the line later. Warden Mage: Ferris (talk) 04:19, June 9, 2014 (UTC)