Why is arcane magic so adicting?

[BadguyNotBadGuy]

I believe the official canon is that it tastes like sugar.

further confirms my cocaine theory :P

i now imagine all the slightly maddened suramar elves as weird grey versions of Dr Rockso

[Piamonte]

human mages are easely corrupted by arcane, basically its the first reason why the kirin tor (with his addiction) lure the legion and hence creates the guardians.
probably gnome, goblin and dwarf mages too (at least gnomes were part, and makers, of dalaran)

i´ve never Heard of the mages of the kirin tor being adicted to magic

[Aquamonkey]

human mages are easely corrupted by arcane, basically its the first reason why the kirin tor (with his addiction) lure the legion and hence creates the guardians.
probably gnome, goblin and dwarf mages too (at least gnomes were part, and makers, of dalaran)

The mages of the Kirin Tor weren't corrupted. Their heavy usage of arcane magic unintentionally drew demons to Azeroth. This is just a consequence of using that kind of magic. The elves had set up wards to hide their magic from the Legion, but the humans didn't know until they started popping up in Dalaran. Instead of stopping arcane usage or setting up elf wards, they empowered the Guardian to expunge any demons drawn to Azeroth.

i´ve never Heard of the mages of the kirin tor being adicted to magic

It's one of the four rules of magic taught to new mages (Glyphic Letter).

[omeomorfismo]

i´ve never Heard of the mages of the kirin tor being adicted to magic

i mean, after the discovery of the dreadlord, the blood elfs basically explained to dalaran that their magic develop was so big that basically the entire city is a beacon for the legion.
the kirin tor, instead to remove the root of the problem, dalaran and kirin tor themself, create the council of tirisfal and the guardian, only because their live was too dipendent from magic. (not crack-like as blood and the legion elfs, but more a psychological addiction)

@Aquamonkey i dont wrote that kirin tor is corrupted but human mages are easily corruptible (effectively i wrote corrupted, but in italian the use of past participle is right, my bad)

[Scathbais]

Title, why the constant use of arcane magic make the user adicted to it, i mean, its fel magic the one supposed to be addictive, because it gives a lot of power really fast and its supposed to work as a drug, but arcane magic makes you adicted because reasons??

Look at yourself in the mirror. Examine your life and what you do on a daily basis.....
Now imagine if you could access arcane magic.....

Now apply that thought process to your video game character :-)

[Aquamonkey]

i mean, after the discovery of the dreadlord, the blood elfs basically explained to dalaran that their magic develop was so big that basically the entire city is a beacon for the legion.
the kirin tor, instead to remove the root of the problem, dalaran and kirin tor themself, create the council of tirisfal and the guardian, only because their live was too dipendent from magic.

Or the elves could have set up the same barriers they used...

"Some elves, wary of the Kaldorei's ancient warnings, felt that their use of magic might possibly draw the attention of the banished Burning Legion. Therefore, they decided to mask their lands within a protective barrier which would still allow them to work their enchantments. They constructed a series of monolithic Runestones at various points around Quel'Thalas which marked the boundaries of the magic barrier. The Runestones not only masked the elves' magic from extra-dimensional threats, but helped to frighten away the superstitious troll warbands as well."

[omeomorfismo]

Or the elves could have set up the same barriers they used...

"Some elves, wary of the Kaldorei's ancient warnings, felt that their use of magic might possibly draw the attention of the banished Burning Legion. Therefore, they decided to mask their lands within a protective barrier which would still allow them to work their enchantments. They constructed a series of monolithic Runestones at various points around Quel'Thalas which marked the boundaries of the magic barrier. The Runestones not only masked the elves' magic from extra-dimensional threats, but helped to frighten away the superstitious troll warbands as well."

but they didnt, probably the rune "technology" isnt so replicable, at least not in this great way. but after all high elfes are deeply addicted and corrupted by arcane, its clear why they risk so much for magic

[Piamonte]

The mages of the Kirin Tor weren't corrupted. Their heavy usage of arcane magic unintentionally drew demons to Azeroth. This is just a consequence of using that kind of magic. The elves had set up wards to hide their magic from the Legion, but the humans didn't know until they started popping up in Dalaran. Instead of stopping arcane usage or setting up elf wards, they empowered the Guardian to expunge any demons drawn to Azeroth.


It's one of the four rules of magic taught to new mages (Glyphic Letter).

the fact that arcane is adictive doesnt mean necesarily that a mage is going to become addicted, its like if i started to smoke, there is chance of becoming an addict but that doesnt make it certain

[Combatbutler]

Or the elves could have set up the same barriers they used...

"Some elves, wary of the Kaldorei's ancient warnings, felt that their use of magic might possibly draw the attention of the banished Burning Legion. Therefore, they decided to mask their lands within a protective barrier which would still allow them to work their enchantments. They constructed a series of monolithic Runestones at various points around Quel'Thalas which marked the boundaries of the magic barrier. The Runestones not only masked the elves' magic from extra-dimensional threats, but helped to frighten away the superstitious troll warbands as well."

Handing the humans the knowledge of runestones would be like giving them the manual how to disable Quel'thalas main defenses. It is quite likely they did not trust them with it and considering the track record of the kirin tor I can't really blame them.

[Aquamonkey]

the fact that arcane is adictive doesnt mean necesarily that a mage is going to become addicted, its like if i started to smoke, there is chance of becoming an addict but that doesnt make it certain

Just because you've never heard of a Kirin Tor addict doesn't mean it doesn't happen. It's enough of a problem that it's one of the first things they teach new mages.

"Those rules you can always guarantee. Those rules will govern your destiny if you chose to continue down the path as a mage."

Also, Barnaby Fletcher was kicked out of Dalaran for his addiction to magical potions.

[Piamonte]

Just because you've never heard of a Kirin Tor addict doesn't mean it doesn't happen. It's enough of a problem that it's one of the first things they teach new mages.

"Those rules you can always guarantee. Those rules will govern your destiny if you chose to continue down the path as a mage."

Also, Barnaby Fletcher was kicked out of Dalaran for his addiction to magical potions.

one or two mages getting addicted is not the same to say that the kirin tor has become addicted, i´ll wait for someone to show me an actua quote where it is said explicitly that the kirin tor is addicted to magic like elves are

[omeomorfismo]

one or two mages getting addicted is not the same to say that the kirin tor has become addicted, i´ll wait for someone to show me an actua quote where it is said explicitly that the kirin tor is addicted to magic like elves are

nobody says that human are addicted like elfes, exactly like a crackhead isnt addicted like a pothead or even a gambler. still all them are addicted

[nothingsjim]

nobody says that human are addicted like elfes, exactly like a crackhead isnt addicted like a pothead or even a gambler. still all them are addicted

It's a different thing really. Elves come to be because they are mutated (Or uplifted, whatever you prefer) by the Well of Eternity, which is a huge pond of Arcane Energy. It's not far-fetched to believe the same Arcane Energy morphed their constitution in a way that makes them physically dependent on it. So imo, it's not much difference than us needing oxygen to survive.

Saying humans (In WoW) are addicted to Arcane is like saying humans (In Real Life) are addicted to electricity. Sure, it sucks majorly if we have to give it up, and the progress of our society would go backward by decades, but our body don't go into withdrawn if we don't have electricity.

[omeomorfismo]

It's a different thing really. Elves come to be because they are mutated (Or uplifted, whatever you prefer) by the Well of Eternity, which is a huge pond of Arcane Energy. It's not far-fetched to believe the same Arcane Energy morphed their constitution in a way that makes them physically dependent on it. So imo, it's not much difference than us needing oxygen to survive.

Saying humans (In WoW) are addicted to Arcane is like saying humans (In Real Life) are addicted to electricity. Sure, it sucks majorly if we have to give it up, and the progress of our society would go backward by decades, but our body don't go into withdrawn if we don't have electricity.

yep, exactly like being a pothead or a gambler. nothing happens if they stop to smoke or gamble, but their crave is real. exactly as our need of automation and hence electricity. but maybe this is a bit of abstraction in the use of the word addicion, at least for what i know of english, but in italian using "dipendente" is right both for drug addiction (tossicodipendente) and our dependence from electricity (siamo dipendenti dall'elettricità).
btw when elves stop to use magic, they dont die like us without oxygen, they become wretched.

[Aquamonkey]

btw when elves stop to use magic, they dont die like us without oxygen, they become wretched.

That's not how they become wretched. Elves that overindulge their addiction become wretched.

[omeomorfismo]

That's not how they become wretched. Elves that overindulge their addiction become wretched.

true, my bad, i never played eversong understanding the quests, so i infered that wretched and withered were the same

[chrisisvacant]

It was driving me nuts to not be able to reply to this at work for a few days, but. It's a pretty old fantasy trope that delving into arcane is addicting. Arcane magic is essentially knowledge and the more you learn, the more you want to learn. It's not merely about the magic force itself being addicting, but the power that comes along with the increasing levels of vast knowledge. Look at any mad sorcerer character - they are brilliant masterminds, typically, driven mad with power because of their insane levels of knowledge.

It vaguely rubs up against Lovecraftian lore, as well - the more you learn about the true nature of the world, the closer you are driven to madness.