Immortalis's magitek core.
Magitek core (魔導コア, madō koa?) is an energy source for Niflheim's magitek weapons in the Final Fantasy XV Universe. It was developed during M.E. 722 when Niflheim first experimented by fitting cores to power its magitek infantry. Magitek cores are central processing units and the "heart and soul" of a magitek trooper. Magiteknology is associated with a red glow, even applications that don't use magitek cores.
Niflheim's use of magiteknology alludes to Final Fantasy VI from where the term "Magitek" originates. In Final Fantasy VI Magitek is a technology used by the Gestahlian Empire to create manmade magic, a power deriving from the gods. In Final Fantasy XV Niflheim likewise desires the powers the Astrals had bestowed upon the kingdoms of Lucis and Tenebrae,[1] and develops magitek cores to achieve this goal.[2]
Profile[]
Magitek troopers are cybernetic combatants born from the research of Chief Verstael Besithia, who built upon the magiteknology of the lost civilization of Solheim. Besithia discovered that, by injecting humans with the plasmodium parasite and sublimating these daemonified men and women, he could harness the resultant miasma into central processing units known as magitek cores and create an army of his own.
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Artwork.
Magitek cores are processing units that output power from stored miasma. Miasma is an energy daemons and those afflicted with the Starscourge exude, manifesting as a black mist or ooze when released into the atmosphere. The empire's use of magiteknology derives from the ancient civilization of Solheim. Although it is known Solheim had magitek armors and airships, as well as various mystical technologies that warped space-time, it is unknown if they had developed a magitek core or if any of their magiteknology used miasma as an energy source. Magitek cores of unknown provenance are found as treasures in Costlemark Tower Menace and Pitioss Ruins, which are Solheimian military installations.
After Ardyn Izunia entered Niflheim in M.E. 722, he proposed the establishment of a magitek infantry and presumably pointed research minister Verstael Besithia towards harvesting miasma to power magiteknology; though the empire had been using magitek for some time, it wasn't until Ardyn's meddling it became powered by the essence of daemons.
The first magitek cores used miasma obtained from captured daemons, and thus it was unclear how the empire would mass-produce them.[2] Verstael developed a way to clone his own genetic material to then daemonify the specimens he would keep in dormant state and harvest their miasma. This process allowed Niflheim to create a mighty army of essentially weaponized daemons, as even if miasma dissipates when in contact with daylight, the troopers were outfitted in lightproof armor.
Magitek trooper with a magitek core for a "heart".
Magitek troopers, or MT for short, are humanoid robots that have a glowing red magitek core on the left side of their chest, mimicking the position of a human heart. The troopers' AI can be programmed to give them various roles in battle, and if in need, re-program them for new combat roles. When destroyed, the MTs emit smoke, presumed to be miasma. Magitek cores are said to be volatile and prone to explode, and MTs about to malfunction sometimes use this as a mutual destruction mechanism by latching onto their targets. Magitek cores can become corrupted by daemonic miasma, and the affected MTs "go rogue" by following their daemonic instincts.
MTs powered by magitek cores largely replaced the imperial infantry, and are deployed more often than magitek armor (MA), the empire's other mass-produced magitek weapon that was their main weapon until magitek cores were invented. Whether the imperial magitek armors are powered by magitek cores is unclear; they explode when defeated, but don't have a red glow and don't exude black mist. Magitek armor are not mentioned as having magitek cores in the bestiary, and have been in use since before magitek core was developed. Some MAs drop magitek cores as spoils, but the item description denotes them as the hearts of MTs; whether the MAs themselves are piloted by MTs is unknown, as no such pilots are ever seen or mentioned.
Diamond Weapon has a colossal magitek core in its chest.
Verstael has recently developed magitek armors that are powered by colossal magitek cores: the Diamond Weapon and the Immortalis. Diamond Weapon is only seen deployed at night and sometimes appears covered in smoke or miasma. It has two glowing red orbs on its body, one on its forehead and one embedded in its chest cavity. Notes discovered in Final Fantasy XV: Episode Prompto imply the weapon is powered by the daemonified researchers who used to work for Verstael, as their final words seem to be about becoming one and destroying Insomnia. Aranea Highwind destroys a Diamond Weapon in Final Fantasy XV -The Dawn of the Future- by taking out its magitek cores. Verstael's ultimate creation is Immortalis, whose gargantuan magitek core he plans to power up with his own daemonified soul. Verstael's goal is to transfer his consciousness into the magitek armor, and become a being that would surpass the gods of Eos themselves.
Gameplay[]
The 'heart' beating in the empty chest of a soulless magitek trooper. It has considerable value, and could fetch a high price.
Description
Magitek Cores are rare treasures found in the later chapters of 13 and 14 in Gralea and Insomnia, and in bonus dungeons of Pitioss and Costlemark Tower Menace. They can also drop from MA-X Dux and MA-X Patria. Magitek Cores sell for 25,000 gil each, and give the Quintcast effect when used as catalysts for elemancy. One Magitek Core is needed for a quest to upgrade the Drill Breaker weapon.
Broken Magitek Core is a treasure obtained by assassinating MTs in the Assassin's Festival. It only sells for 10 gil, but also yields Quintcast when used as an elemancy catalyst.
Etymology[]
"Magitek" is a portmanteau of "magic" and "technology".