What is the lore reason for Demon Hunters using shadow magic?

[Deleted]

You seem to be missing the point of "Fight fire with fire." The phrase comes from controlled burns--that is, you burn a given area to deprive an out-of-control wildfire of fuel, causing it to burn itself out within the controlled burn. You establish a clear boundary you're willing to sacrifice to stop the wildfire from spreading, then you begin efforts to regrow the burned area. In terms of warfare, it means taking the enemy's tactics and using them against the enemy, essentially adapting the 'controlled-burn' strategy to war.

As it applies to Demon Hunters using shadow magic, they're likely using to as a supplement to their fel magics and martial skill, merging them together so they're not as reliant on fel magic's corrupting influence as warlocks, or the void's maddening whispers as shadow priests. Instead, they're using both in measured quantities to gain an understanding of how the Burning Legion's magics operate, so they can turn the Legion's greatest strength against it. It's a basic tactic outlined in The Art of War.

I simply don't see how you can aplly it here. that is all

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Shadow magic or Void magic is a physical form of energy that could hurt someone if used against them.

physical? hm I don't think so

[Thage]

I simply don't see how you can aplly it here. that is all

I don't see how you haven't picked up on it, after several people have explained it. Demon Hunters are trained entirely around fighting demons. This includes learning their methodology and magic, so they can co-opt Legion portals and technology (as seen in the starting zone). And since the Legion uses shadow magic as well as fel magic, that means the Demon Hunters learn it as well as part of their philosophy of fighting the Legion by adapting the 'controlled burn' strategy.

Like I said, this is one of the most basic tactics of warfare. You learn the enemy, you learn their technology, you learn as much as you can about them and turn their strength against them.

[Ragedaug]

I simply don't see how you can aplly it here. that is all

I think you are trying to get around to a point of "how can you hurt a being made of pure shadow with shadows (or shadow magic)"

Maybe think of it as more of consumption. The more powerful magic user is able to consume a portion of the shadow being's essence with each strike.

If that's not it, maybe try to rephrase your conundrum because I don't think we are getting what you are not sure about.

[Deleted]

I don't see how you haven't picked up on it, after several people have explained it. Demon Hunters are trained entirely around fighting demons. This includes learning their methodology and magic, so they can co-opt Legion portals and technology (as seen in the starting zone). And since the Legion uses shadow magic as well as fel magic, that means the Demon Hunters learn it as well as part of their philosophy of fighting the Legion by adapting the 'controlled burn' strategy.

Like I said, this is one of the most basic tactics of warfare. You learn the enemy, you learn their technology, you learn as much as you can about them and turn their strength against them.

don't see how fighting shadow with shadow can be possible

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I think you are trying to get around to a point of "how can you hurt a being made of pure shadow with shadows (or shadow magic)"

Maybe think of it as more of consumption. The more powerful magic user is able to consume a portion of the shadow being's essence with each strike.

If that's not it, maybe try to rephrase your conundrum because I don't think we are getting what you are not sure about.

yes, yes, maybe this would work. weird shadow things

[Aeluron Lightsong]

I'm starting to suspect a troll at this point.

[Thage]

don't see how fighting shadow with shadow can be possible

Fighting shadow magic with shadow magic is possible because it isn't literal shadows. It's not the effect of an opaque object blocking light and its outline being shown on the nearest surface because of the blocked light. It's a shorthand term used to give a name to the magic that stands opposite of holy/light-oriented magic, in the same way the Light is not literal sunlight made of solar radiation.

[Ragedaug]

shadow is a fictional force, so it is possible.

I think he's looking for more of a plausible explanation vs "cause the author said so".

[Ragedaug]

That depends of each one's imagination, so either he accepts someone's insight or makes his own.

He's just asking for help conceptualizing it for the love of pete. If you don't want to help you don't need to respond.

[Dellis0991]

Maybe not all shadow magic is the same? maybe the power comes from a different base of shadow magic then the void. Remember there are many different types of deities in WoW some are unrelated to the void or the twisting nether.

[Solial]

The same way fireball hurts fire elementals, frostbolt hurts frost elementals, waterbolt hurts water elementals, lightningbolt hurts air elementals, smite hurts lightspawns, an axe hurts almost every time of elemental.... cause you know, an axe going through an air elemental will do "so much damage"... or how mages can cast fireballs underwater?

[Ragedaug]

Multiple people have already replied and he remains unconvinced if not blatantly trolling. But fair enough, try thinking of magic as energy, that energy spends itself travelling (if it is casted) or simply by manifesting. Now you can wear it down by opposing it with another energy (shadow bolt 10 - shadow bolt 9 = shadow bolt 1).

The Op argues that they should fuse together, but it depends on the properties of the energy. And also on the mastery of the caster (fictional opinion).

It wasn't about being convinced, it was about understanding it.

[Viradiance]

'Fel Shadow' is not the same thing, and does not have the same properties as 'void shadow' in the same way that a mage's 'Arcane Fire' has nothing to do with a shaman's 'elemental fire'. Different powers from different sources that happen to be analogous.

[Deleted]

don't see how fighting shadow with shadow can be possible

Well, how can it *not* be possible? I mean, there is the Void, which is like a different dimension, DnD-style, where shadow beings like the Void Lords and their emanations/servants/whatever the fuck reside. These creatures are of the Void, they live in the Void, they use Void powers... and yet they surely fight one another and can hurt/kill one another, because otherwise, what, the Void is a land of peace and bliss and we should all come live there happily ever after ;D

And the way it works lore wise? Eh, it probably works the way sympathetic magic works in IRL myth and folklore. "Similar affects similar". You have a voidwalker that's an embodied blob of shadow? Drain it, to steal its essence and weaken it! Or shadowbolt it to strike it's shadow essence and scatter it (out of some sort of force that makes its boundary). Or put shadow dots, the way Affliction Warlocks and weakling priests do - to introduce harmful resonance, disturbing the flow? inner workings? whatever it is that gives the shadow that makes a voidwalker structure and function. After all, just because they're made of shadow energy doesn't mean they're homogeneous and without functional parts - in fact, we can plainly see they aren't because they have limbs, heads, eyes, differently looking and differently colored elements.

[Deleted]

You can't understand a fictional principle. Try explaining teleportation.

You can insofar as there is (also fictional) background that's part of the setting. In most games and books it's just a thing that happens because a wizard did it, and then indeed there's nothing to understand or explain. Other authors enjoy large infodumps, or are more detail-oriented, or just enjoy making up magical systems, and will happily either provide or hint at mechanisms. Then you can understand how things work within the confines of the story. Take real life mythology: a Inuit shaman might tell you teleportation happens because the caster enters a deep trance and gets in touch with his personal totem animal, usually a bird of prey, and beseeches the spirit to fly him away to safety. While a classical European magical grimoire - like the Lemegeton - will tell you you bind a demon (or angel, that really depends on the tradition etc), by using its real name and sigil associated with it and the entity acts on behalf of the caster that has bound it, taking you where you want to go.

Do demons and eagle spirits exist? I'm guessing no, but within the set of beliefs of a culture, there is knowledge or lore you can study, understand and write a book on it. People like etnologists or cultural antropologists (and charlatans, heh) make a living doing that ;]

[Rathbourne]

physical? hm I don't think so

What you think doesnt matter bro.Its physical.

[Deleted]

hmm so far from this thread I can understand overloading shadow by colliding its particles, that is if it is not merging somehow. I don't think shadow uses different frequencies hmm draining shadow seems to be a fit too, but then won't it simply change form. maybe I should drop the principle that something simply can't disappear.
yes, thank to some of you guys, I'm as close as I can think I can get there. would like to see some more on magic works in the next or the next next chronicles, some I don't know, some fictional science behind it. poor shadow

[Al Gorefiend]

Why does Sindragosa, the queen of the frostbrood, take damage from frost magic?

Why can Shaman hurt Ragnaros with lava burst

[Hctaz]

Why can Shaman hurt Ragnaros with lava burst

Well.. in OG Molten Core they actually couldn't ;-; so maybe there is some truth in it. The thing that doesn't make sense though is specifically when it comes to demons. Illidan's whole purpose as a demon hunter was that he would take their own powers in order to fight back at them which is directly contradicted by Classic WoW with certain elements being completely useless on certain mobs like fire spells not working on fire mobs and so on.

[Wyrt]

The darker magics(fel, shadow, undead) have been so intwined for so long that even after Blizzard made them distinct it's really too late to change them. Would have been nice if it was more clear cut like arcane, life, and light.

[WintersLegion]

don't see how fighting shadow with shadow can be possible

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yes, yes, maybe this would work. weird shadow things

Going by that logic how can you fight something made of flesh with flesh.