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What types of magic has been displayed in the the A song of Ice and Fire / Game of Thrones Universe?

2 Answers 2

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The ASoIaF Wiki has categorized them pretty well:

  • Elemental control: Like the priests of R'hllor, they can control elements like fire(like Melissandre and Thoros).
  • Divination: Some people can see the future (like Maegi, see also: greensight)
  • Skinchanging: People can 'enter' the mind of animals (and humans) (like Bran, Varamyr)
  • Raising the dead: The priests of R'hllor have brought people back from the dead (like Thoros resurrected Beric when the latter was killed by the Hound)*
  • Necromancy: Some can raise the dead and make them do their willing (like Qyburn planned to do with Gregor Clegane and those skeleton thingys Bran found North of the Wall)
  • Glamouring: Some can change their appearence (like Melissandre)

Also, it would be good to point out that the Citadel claims that there is no magic left in the world. They claim it is just a mythical power.

There was supposed to be magic in Valyria as well, but it is said that it perished along with Valyria.

It is said that they could set dragonglass candles to burning with strange, unpleasantly-bright light. With the obsidian candles, they could see across vast distances, look into a man's mind, and speak with one another though they were half the world apart

--A Feast for Crows, Chapter 45, Samwell.

The most powerful magic is said to be originated from the Shadow Lands.

There are firemages who can conjure ladders from the air that are made of fire and can stand forty feet high. The mage can climb up the ladder, each rung disappearing behind him, leaving nothing but silvery smoke. When he reaches the top, the ladder and he are both gone.

--A Clash of Kings, Chapter 40, Daenerys

Moreover, people believe that the children of the forest used to practice magic.

*This kind of magic might have blood as a requirement; Mirri Maz Duur sacrificed a horse to bring Khal Drogo back from the dead.

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  • What about in game of thrones tv? Commented Dec 7, 2014 at 16:28
  • All of the above categories have been mentioned on the TV Show. I'm not 100% sure about the glamouring. I'll add examples from the show. Commented Dec 7, 2014 at 16:31
  • Hasnt the show shown new powers? Teleportation and bilocation? [Warlocks and little girl warlock} Commented Dec 7, 2014 at 16:49
  • I don't remember glamoring in the TV show so far. Commented Dec 8, 2014 at 14:04
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    @Dreamwalker I don't remember that specific example - I was thinking more of the faceless assassins that Arya meets at Harrenhall.
    – sipp
    Commented Dec 8, 2014 at 15:08
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There are many kinds of magic in the books and TV series. Here's my list of them. I left out anything I could explain through natural means such as wildfire, which is probably just simple chemistry. I deliberately omitted the act of burning people alive to appease the Lord of Light because I am not convinced that is magic, but could be a mere power play by the Red Woman. Nor am I convinced that what the Faceless Men do is real magic.

Reanimating the dead. (The dead body does the bidding of whomever controls it.)

Resurrection. (The dead body becomes their former self.)

Converting the dead into wights. (I consider this different than merely reanimating the dead because the wights can be reduced to skeletons and still function, while reanimated dead like Gregor Clegane probably could not function after being skeletonized.)

Transforming babies into White Walkers

Teleportation.

Bilocation.

Hatching dragon eggs.

Drinking poison and living

Visions (both greensight and seeing events in fire)

Foretelling the future.

Unharmed by fire.

Warging.

Birthing shadow demon assassins.

Shadow demon assassination.

Protective cave against Wights

Glamouring

Being saved from becoming a wight

This list goes only through the sixth season. (More to come!)

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