History Main / MagicalGesture

[[DoctorStrange http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/stange_handsign_4049.jpg]]

* As shown in the page image, DoctorStrange must use particular positions of his hands to cast spells. He often holds one or both hands up with the middle and ring fingers folded inward (c.f. the "I Love You" gesture or the "Metal Horns").

* ''StarTrek'' RealityWarper Q sometimes gestures or snaps his fingers (finger-snapping became more and more common as time went on) but it's purely for drama's sake.

* For an RPG character in an SNES game, Magus from ChronoTrigger pulls off some fairly elaborate hand gestures during his magic attacks.

* In ''{{Bewitched}}'', Samantha Stevens has her famous nose wiggle.

* Parodied by ''ScottPilgrim Vs The World'', where Gideon uses hang gestures that are suspiciously similar to Naruto to power up into his "ultimate form".

* Interesting example in the later {{Wheel of Time}}-books. Aes Sedai have during many handing-downs of techniques been including gestures to the casting to make them easier to cast. The result is that many younger Aes Sedai cannot cast the techniques without them.

* Magic in the world of TheWitcher is usually harnessed through gestures and incantations, but the latter part can be skipped, and the former can be performed with, say, leg.
* In ''TheDresdenFiles'', most magic can be handled without waving one's hands or doing other hocus-pocus, but there are common gestures, especially when performing evocations, which typically take on the form of gesturing or pointing at the target.

* [[{{Bewitched}} Samantha Stevens]] has her famous nose wiggle.
* [[IDreamOfJeannie Jeannie]] crosses her arms and nods her head, then blinks.

* ''[[WorldOfDarkness Mage: the Awakening]]'' has mudras for rotes (codified spells as opposed to improvised ones). Rotes ''do'' require the mudras (which can be hand gestures, facial gestures, body postures, breath control or tattoos) because they act as a mnemonic for remembering the complex imago (imaginary image of a spell's effects and mechanics) of a codified spell.
** Don't forget [[WorldOfDarkness Changeling: the Dreaming]]'s bunks. A changeling can do just about any kind of magical effect (stats permitting) as long as they can do a bunk that makes it "possible".
* In ''DungeonsAndDragons'', any edition that specifies the need or lack of need for these calls them "somatic components". Generally, somatic components for arcane spells need to be so precise that armor, or at least too much armor, will get in the way, while for divine spells as long as you can move at all you're good to go.

* In MassEffect, this is justified by saying that biotics ([[MindOverMatter telekinetics]],) use "a technique called 'physical mnemonics'; the biotic uses a physical gesture to cause the right neurons and eezo nodules to fire and create the desired effect."
* Mages in {{Aetolia}} can [[ItemCrafting craft]] enchanted items, but doing so requires specific rituals involving magical gestures such as ringing a bell, waving one's arms, flipping a coin, lighting a candle, spinning around, and "squaring the circle."[[hottip:*:the impossible geometric task of creating a square with the same area as a given circle using a limited number of steps with only a compass and straightedge.]]

* In ''FinalFantasyVII'', [[PowersAsPrograms magic is commonplace]], so most characters just throw up their hands when they cast a spell. [[WiseOldMentor Cid]], [[LegacyCharacter on the other hand]], goes into a full-on onmyoji routine during his incantations.

* {{Nox}} features this when using magic. The player character automatically does them when you select which spell to cast, but each spell has a specific set of pictures of hand gestures pop up on the screen, and each even has it's own on-syllable spoken line, resulting in the character chanting as well as gesturing.

[[caption-width:260:More than just a Strange gesture.]]

* As shown in the page image, DoctorStrange must hold both hands up with the middle and ring fingers folded inward, the rest extended (think the "I Love You" gesture or the "Metal Horns").

[[caption-width:260:More than just a [[DoctorStrange strange]] gesture.]]

[[caption-width:260:More than just a strange gesture.]]

* DoctorStrange must hold both hands up with the middle and ring fingers folded inward, the rest extended (think the "I Love You" gesture or the "Metal Horns").

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* Arguably in ''Magicka'', it is the player's own nimble fingers and hands that cast the spell, as each keystroke corresponds to a spell element. Quick and precise finger movements can result in complex spells.

[[caption-width:260:More than just a [[IncrediblyLamePun strange gesture]].]]

The more time intensive forms of magic also often require magical gestures: stir the cauldron nine times widdershins, point the sword at each compass point in turn.

* [[MarvelComics Dr. Strange]] must hold both hands up with the middle and ring fingers folded inward, the rest extended (think the "I Love You" gesture or the "Metal Horns").