Martial Arts

Written by Douglysium

According to the dictionary, martial arts is defined as “various sports or skills that originated as forms of self-defense or attack, such as judo, karate, and kendo,” and on Terra this definition has not changed. But what has changed is the introduction of magic, which has rendered many old styles impractical or difficult to use when such a force such as magic is so widespread. So many martial arts styles have evolved and even incorporated magic into their arts.
Typically the idea behind magical martial arts is that it would allow someone with less knowledge or skill with magic and someone with access to fewer powerful spells than another to get a leg up on their opponent. Some martial arts focus on using a handful of basic spells or even simply one spell in specific ways to allow the user to keep up with more advanced or powerful forms of magic. It also comes with the benefit that the user is less likely to have to dedicate as much time to extensive study and research in regards to magical theory and the like(but understanding all the nuances of magic can still always prove useful). However, one still has to dedicate plenty of time to the martial art in question and sometimes they can end up spending just as much time studying and practicing it if they wish to become a master. Of course, many martial arts still come with a focus on discipline and technique ove brute force, even if exceptions do occur.
For some, martial arts act as a way to change the effects of specific spells or use magic in a more safe, disciplined, and controlled way(especially in regards to fire magic). The downsides of this approach is that while it’s usually safer it often offers less flexibility than just focusing purely on the casting of various spells and the mastery of magic that is unfettered by strict disciplines and techniques on top of all the various limitations magic spells themselves often have.