Why can't they use animal blood instead?. life force is life force after all.--GreyWardenMortimus (talk) 10:27, April 29, 2012 (UTC)

The magisters treat their slaves like animals.

Well it is never mentioned so this is complete speculation but maybe the blood for blood magic needs to come from a creature that has a connection to the fade, so maybe as animals can't dream they have no connection to the fade, thus, they cannot be used in blood magic rituals?--Kroem (talk) 12:14, April 29, 2012 (UTC)

Damn, so I can't use my Dog for Blood Magic when his barking pisses me off too much? :( (I'm joking btw, Animal Rights people: Chill out :D) EzzyD (talk) 12:49, April 29, 2012 (UTC)

If that was possible the Tivinters would have made bloodbags, not Mabari. --58.106.89.238 (talk) 13:45, April 29, 2012 (UTC)

I second Kroem's idea. Connection to the Fade is probably the key factor here. Animals can't use magic, so I guess their blood is worthless to a blood mage. Son Goharotto (talk) 14:25, April 29, 2012 (UTC)

I don't think the sacrifices needing to have a connection to the fade has anything to do with it, mostly because nothing i've seen suggests that. I also believe that it's like... an.... honor.... thing. As a Tevinter Magister, i'd imagine it'd look pretty humiliating and was a sign of weakness and/or poverty if you couldn't even bare to sacrifice a slave or two to fuel your blood magic and had to rely on animals. Son Goharotto, why would you second Kroem's idea when he specifically said that it was complete speculation? (ps. i'm not trying to be antagonizing or confrontational, i just want to learn.) (Kaiser Apple (talk) 15:27, April 29, 2012 (UTC))

I seconded it because that was also my theory, but Kroem posted first. Now for some stream-of-conscious style pondering on the subject...

Magic comes from having a connection to the Fade. Dreams are a sign of this connection. Not all mortal beings seem capable of using magic. Humans, elves, and kossith have a confirmed capacity for magic. Dwarves seem to be naturally incapable, since they aren't connected to the Fade and don't dream. Darkspawn can use magic, even Genlocks (if everything in DA:O is still canon), but this may stem more from the Taint than directly from the Fade. No animals are ever seen performing anything akin to magic. Even the Archdemon behaves more or less like a regular dragon.

But dwarves can be brought into the Fade through magic. Likewise, there are isolated cases of a connection being established through outside means. After contact with the Primeval Lyrium idol, Bartrand's waking mind is plagued with visions, seemingly from the Fade. Likewise, Sandal shows signs of possessing similar paranormal perception and unexplained powers. Given that he was found by Bodahn in the Deep Roads, maybe Sandal's abilities are due to prolonged exposure to raw lyrium.

Similarly, Velghastrials are capable of using magic. We're told that Ghasts are not truly intelligent, but they obviously construct basic tools and seem to have a rudimentary social structure. It is suggested that they learned from watching mages, but given that they live underground, this could also be the result of lyrium exposure.

Lyrium is described as magic in material form and contact with it can achieve many of the same things that a spell can do, like making someone susceptible to beings from beyond the Veil. Enchanting is done by using lyrium to bind magic to inanimate objects. And it is speculated by Oghren that Andraste's ashes gained magical properties from being exposed to natural veins of lyrium in the mountain for hundreds of years.

We also know that blood can be used as a supplement-to or substitute-for lyrium. We've only ever seen human and elven blood mages, but conversations with the Qunari seem to indicate that kossith mages may utilize this as well. What we haven't seen, as far as I recall, is if dwarven blood can be used for blood magic. That wouldn't necessarily settle the matter either way, but there is one more key factor.

A history of excessive bloodshed and death in a localized area can lead to a weakening of the Veil, allowing spirits of the Fade to cross freely into the physical realm. This cements a relationship of some kind between magic and blood, specifically the blood of "higher" lifeforms. Otherwise, every slaughterhouse and butcher's shop in Thedas would be haunted. I know that sounds like the punchline to a joke, but just think about it. Clearly, killing animals doesn't have the same effect as killing people, whatever species those people might be. Son Goharotto (talk) 19:03, April 29, 2012 (UTC)

Blood Magic is defined as replacing lyrium or mana with the life-force of either oneself or another source. So, theoretically, any kind of blood will do. However, the most readily available source of blood is a batch of slaves. Think about it: what is more noble, having a flock of elves and humans follow you around, in case you need to whip out a spell? Or the same thing, except with a bunch of goats? Rathian Warrior (talk) 15:38, April 29, 2012 (UTC)

On the bright side, you can always eat the goats afterward :P EzzyD (talk) 15:56, April 29, 2012 (UTC)

Brains..... brains......BRAINS!!! :P--Markurion (talk) 18:48, April 29, 2012 (UTC)

Also I'm sure if animal blood was useful for blood magic then Jowan or Morrigan would have mentioned it as an option before you cut Conner's head off for being a daemon as everyone seems pretty desperate to suggest any solution other than the most obvious!--Kroem (talk) 20:50, April 29, 2012 (UTC)

Morrigan is neither a blood mage nor does she an extensive knowledge of it (I'm aware that the Dark Ritual is blood magic but that is the instantace she ever even mentions anything close to it.)CrowInvictus (talk) 01:13, April 30, 2012 (UTC)

Among the Magisters power is status, the source of the power doesn't really matter. So I don't think they would care if using a human looks more impressive than using a cow, it's easier to get a cow and there are more animals than humans. Animals are also less likely to cause problems, resist capture and have use even once dead. Think about it, does anything we know about Magisters tell you they value style over substance? This doesn't mean that it cannot be done, just that it is very unlikely and if it can happen it wouldn't provide much power. --Knight Templar (talk) 01:06, April 30, 2012 (UTC)

Maybe humans have more "life" than animals? Humans do have longer life-spans, and Arlathan elves were immortal. So maybe in order to do a spell that takes one human death, it might require four cows, or lots and lots of rats.

I wonder if dwarven blood or darkspawn blood can also do blood magic. If so, then the Wardens can juice the darkspawn, then sell them to the Tevinters. "3 gold per pint. Juiced only yesterday! Never fresher!" No? - 01:10, April 30, 2012 (UTC)

Yes, I can see it now. Magister : "I'm going to enter the fade, gather me a hundred thousand rats!"CrowInvictus (talk) 01:15, April 30, 2012 (UTC)

Think about broodmothers.-Algol- (talk) 01:56, April 30, 2012 (UTC)

Meaning? I'd rather not think about that quivering mass of flesh, tbh. - 02:27, April 30, 2012 (UTC)

So if you can only use the blood of a creature connected to the Fade, does that mean Dwarf blood wouldn't work for a blood magic ritual? 2.24.57.25 (talk) 21:10, April 30, 2012 (UTC)