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You don’t know how many things just didn’t come here before, because they were afraid of you, Harry. You could find anything in this town, but you never even noticed the shadow you cast. Every time you defied someone, every time you came out on top against things you couldn’t possibly have beaten, your name grew. And they feared that name. There were other cities to prey on—cities that didn’t have the mad wizard Dresden defending them. They feared you.
~ Molly describing Dresden's legend.

Summary

Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden is the main protagonist of the urban-fantasy series Dresden Files. Initially, Dresden is a small time wizard who performs odd jobs such as finding lost property and conducting paranormal investigations, while also serving as a consultant to the Special Investigations branch of the Chicago police force. However, as the series progresses, the magical side of the story takes more and more precedence, and Harry soon finds himself in caught in wars between vampires, fallen angels, and faerie queens.

Magic. It can get a guy killed.

Powers and Stats

Tier: 9-B physically, at least 9-A with magic. At least 8-C with prep | At least 7-A, likely higher

Key: Base | Darkhallow (Theoretical)

Name: Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden

Origin: Dresden Files

Gender: Male

Age: 25 in Storm Front, 37 by the time of Cold Days

Classification: Human, Wizard of the White Council, Starborn

Powers and Abilities:

  • Weapon Mastery (is competent at using a sword, has several years of training with a gun and his quarterstaff)
  • Regeneration (non-combat applicable. Mid-Low over long periods of time)
  • Magic (in addition to the other powers listed, he can hold back and repel demonic and spiritual entities through his willpower, remove summons from their master's control and control them himself if he knows their true name or send magical "lures" to people to send their summons back at them, and create wards that bar entry to others)
  • Clairvoyance (can magically track and view people or items in various ways and set up magical detection systems that can detect inter-dimensional movement)
  • Biological Manipulation (with a person's blood and small amount of prep, can cause heart attacks)
  • Purification (Type 2, can exorcise the possessed)
  • Effect Transferal (can create links between objects and people which allows him to cause effects done to one to be applied to another. Can attack people through their non-corporeal magical projections)
  • Air Manipulation (has several spells to manipulate the wind to move objects around and create shields, can manipulate air with enough skill to finely control its molecules)
  • Limited Telepathy (has a spell that allows him to telepathically send his voice into others' minds, though they need to cast the spell to speak back. Later becomes able to do this without the spell, though only to those he has a strong link with)
  • Resistance Negation (as a Starborn, he is capable of affecting the Outsiders with his magic, who are practically immune to magic, even the magic of those much much stronger than him. Was able to affect a loup-garou with his magic when they are stated to be practically immune to it. By imbuing his magic with Soulfire, it gains a "realness" to it that makes it far more difficult to resist. If he knows a being's true name he can bypass the majority of defenses against his power)
  • Fire Manipulation (can manipulate fire in various ways with spells, ranging from walls of fire to miniature suns to making things spontaneously combust)
  • Enhanced Senses and Extrasensory Perception (has higher senses than normal people, can Listen to overhear quiet and far away sounds by pushing aside all other sounds, can sense magic and spells, illusions and aspects of a storm such as the water and lightning in the clouds. Can sense the flow of magic and if it is natural or disrupted. Can sense people's presences if he knows them well enough. Can sense the presence of magical beings such as vampires and ghosts. Can sense "energies" such as violent energy created by death or energies of emotions. Can detect the auras and magical signature of others by touch. By looking into the eyes of any being with a soul, he can view a symbolic representation of their soul and innermost being. Can sense if people are possessed on touch. Has a Second Sight that allows him to detect magic, spirits he normally could not, the "energies of life", and see through illusions or invisibility beyond his normal enhanced senses, as well as seeing auras, manifestations of magical phenomena, and visions of the past states and possible futures of what he sees)
  • Limited Weather Manipulation (can amplify mist and steam to create thick fog)
  • Heat Manipulation (can heat air, causing it to expand, even air that he cannot see such as within vehicle tires. Can also draw heat from his surroundings, even from living creatures, allowing him to freeze things solid instantly. Can disperse his heat signature to better conceal himself)
  • Attack Reflection (can reflect force and momentum with a spell. Can create wards that reflect curses or the energy of magical and physical assaults. Can channel incoming spells and magic and send them back at another target. Can use his shields to reflect both physical and magical attacks)
  • Mind Manipulation (capable of breaking into the minds of others, including through mental defenses)
  • Madness Manipulation (mental manipulation in the Dresden Files inevitably leads to madness as the subconscious tears itself apart in a futile attempt to resist control)
  • Non-Physical Interaction (can affect non-corporeal ghosts and shades with his magic and Ghost Dust, and block their non-corporeal attacks with his shield and staff when it is imbued with magic. Can directly interact with and destroy the symbolic manifestations of magic when using his Sight. His fire burns in both the real and spiritual worlds)
  • Aura (his aura causes tech to malfunction in his presence, with the more advanced the technology the quicker and more spectacularly the technology will malfunction)
  • Electricity Manipulation (can gather electricity from the air to electrocute people, during a storm he was able to summon a lightning bolt and channel it into an attack)
  • Limited Precognition (wizards can sense the future to varying degrees. Although Dresden's is unable to see outright visions, he sometimes experiences senses of deja vu regarding places that will become important to him in the future, and it is theorized that his innate clairvoyant abilities essentially bolster his intuitive abilities, allowing him to "sense" when he is on the right track and sometimes allowing him to sense incoming attacks through "instinct")
  • Power Nullification (can cast counter spells to disable other's spells. Disabled Shadowman's image-sending and dispelled snakes made of ectoplasm. Cut the Shadowman's control over the demon Kalshazzak. Dispersed a build up of lycanthropic energy that was working a group of people into a homicidal frenzy. Broke apart Elaine's binding spell, albeit he already knew how the spell worked and thus the appropriate counter spell. Can cut other wizards off from their magic via Thaumaturgy, albeit this is rarely applicable in direct combat. "Hacked through" a magical effect that was making it difficult to move forward. Created a spell to suppress his anti-technology aura, though it was only a temporary measure requiring great concentration. Absorbed and dispersed a build up of magical power from Molly Carpenter. His fire can burn away dark magic)
  • Limited Flight (can manipulate the wind to briefly levitate or increase the height of his jumps. With prep, he can create a potion that reduces the effects of gravity on those who drink it, allowing either flight or a slower fall depending on how "watered down" the potion is)
  • Rage Power (can channel strong emotions such as rage into increased magical power, although this includes any strong emotions, including happiness and lust)
  • Light Manipulation (can make himself or other objects such as his medallion glow to provide light and even burn away magical darkness, with prep he can store sunlight inside a napkin and unfold it to release it with the Pocket Full of Sunshine)
  • Portal Creation (can create portals to the Nevernever)
  • Technological Manipulation (his magic passively causes technology to malfunction around him, though he can also use a specific spell to concentrate his natural anti-tech aura on specific devices for improved effectiveness)
  • Sleep Manipulation (can enchant others to fall into a deep sleep, though if he does not want to damage their minds in the process it is not combat applicable)
  • Forcefield Creation (can create various magic circles that prevents physical and/or spiritual/magical entities and their attacks from crossing over. Can create shields of air or pure force to defend himself or others with and preserve him in hostile environments such as vaccuums or rivers of lava. Can create wards to protect locations)
  • Memory Manipulation (can restore lost memories, and presumably remove them via mind manipulation, albeit he would likely damage the person's mind in the process. With prep he can create a "mind fog" that prevents short-term memories from being formed while within the fog)
  • Magnetism Manipulation (can manipulate magnetic forces to move metal objects, such as swords and guns)
  • Dream Manipulation and Pocket Reality Manipulation (when a wizard dreams with strong emotions, he creates a pocket dimension of dreams in the Nevernever. Can manipulate his own dreams, including his waking dreams)
  • Absorption (drew away the magical energy generated by Molly's anger and "grounded" it. While in his dream, Harry was able to absorb the power of the Nightmare by killing and eating it. With prep he can use the Darkhallow which absorbs the life and power of everyone within a mile)
  • Earth Manipulation (can infuse earth with fire to cause small volcanic eruptions, can create and close fissues with spells)
  • Animal Manipulation (stated he could cause an invasion of rats and cockroaches)
  • Illusion Creation (can create illusions, both by placing them in the mind of the viewer and by creating "holographic" images in the world)
  • Necromancy (capable of reanimating corpses and likely ghosts of both humans and animals under his control)
  • Hellfire Manipulation (can increase the power of his magic by imbuing it with hellfire, however he later loses this ability)
  • Statistics Amplification (can increase the power of his spells by imbuing them with Hellfire or Soulfire and the Power of Winter)
  • Summoning (is capable of summoning Toot-Toot the faerie, and the demons Kalshazzak and Chaunzaggoroth. Summoned the Nightmare with a magic circle. Summoned hundreds of angry ghosts, albeit this was only possible due to circumstance. Can summon archangels and extremely powerful Fae - though all of these beings retain their free will when summoned and can choose to not help him or even potentially punish him for summoning them)
  • Possibly Fate Manipulation (with his death curse, should not be inferior to Cassius who was able to curse Harry to "die alone", ensuring that he would)
  • Death Manipulation (with prep he could create a ritual that causes the target's heart to explode from their chest, and is also capable of killing things such as a half-vampire's "human side" without destroying the heart)
  • Perception Manipulation (with prep he can create a Blending Potion that makes him "blend" into the background, preventing others from noticing him and even making his words appear as bland everyday conversation, even to the point of stopping someone from paying attention to him if he is screaming in their faces. He can also create potions that remove beings senses of smell or hearing)
  • Transformation (with prep, can create a potion that momentarily transforms him into the wind, allowing him to move large distances extremely quickly)
  • Astral Projection with Little Chicago (can project his spirit into a replica of Chicago that allows him to observe what is happening in the real Chicago)
  • Telekinesis (can telekinetically levitate and move objects with a spell and his will)
  • Ice Manipulation (can freeze objects by removing heat from them. Froze over several yards of a lake. Froze a gun's trigger mechanism to prevent it firing. Created spears made from ice, and can create armour made of ice for himself)
  • Soul Manipulation (via Soulfire, can mix his own soul with his magic to increase its stability, permanence, and "realness". Can also likely damage exposed souls, similar to how beings with magic were able to affect Dresden himself when he was just a soul)
  • Gravity Manipulation (can focus the gravity of the planet to increase a target's weight and crush them)
  • Creation (by imbuing his force spell with Soulfire, he created a massive flying hand made of magic)
  • Can redirect tracking spells to make it seem like he is somewhere else
  • His wards block Clairvoyance and other tracking abilities
  • Invisibility (can create veils to hide himself by "borrowing shadow" and "bending light")
  • Sound Manipulation (capable of creating a "sonic bubble" that prevents sounds he is making from travelling too far, or sounds from the outside the bubble from entering. Able to amplify the sound of his voice)
  • Limited Acrobatics (decent at parkour. The Winter Knight's mantle makes him unable to slip on ice, causing him to automatically correct his steps to always remain balanced)
  • Stealth Mastery (is able to move extremely quietly)
  • Absolute Zero (can create spheres of absolute zero cold)
  • Limited Cosmic Awareness (the Mantle of the Winter Knight informs Harry of various matters related to the Winter Court and hunting techniques of predatory animals. Due to his link with Demonreach, Dresden possesses *Intellectus*, the ability to instantly know the answer to any question he asks himself regarding the island of Demonreach and anything on it)

All prior abilities on a vastly enhanced level

  • Possibly Reality Warping (the user of the Darkhallow would become strong enough to rewrite reality to their liking, Kumori with the Darkhallow would have expunged death from the world)
  • Likely Regeneration (Mid-Low normally, Low-High to High over time, by absorbing the Erkling and his Mantle as Lord of the Wild Hunt, he would likely gain similar regenerative abilities to other mantled immortals)
  • Likely Immortality (Type 1, 3 and 8 by obtaining the Lord of the Wild Hunt's mantle)
  • Likely improved Summoning (by absorbing the Erkling he would likely gain the ability to summon goblins and the Wild Hunt)


Attack Potency: At least Wall level physically (harmed Magog, who could shattered brick walls with a charge, with a kick. Later became the Winter Knight, which further increased his physical strength), at least Small Building level with magic (In only the first book, he pushed an elevator at high speeds with wind, implied he could blow up a significant portion of his apartment if he tried, and stated that he had the power to cause a small earthquake. Has killed various beings able to throw cars such as vampires and demons. Threw a large werewolf through multiple brick walls, deflected a fireball from Aurora who could make the ground shake from the sound of her voice, reanimated and provided Sue with the magical energy to create her body. Drew all the heat out of a small area of Michigan Lake to freeze it, then channeled that heat into a blast of fire 20 storeys high. Created a 40 foot long wall of volcanic eruptions that shot 10-12 feet in the air in an ongoing curtain of lava. Can freeze humanoids solid), higher with Hellfire, Soulfire, or the Power of Winter (can draw on these sources to significantly empower his abilities). At least Building level with prep (created a forcefield device that would, if not nullified by the correct sequence, explode with enough force to destroy a tower and the top of the hill it was standing on) | At least Mountain level, likely higher (with prep he is capable of using the Darkhallow, which WoG states would make a person as powerful as Mab)

Speed: At least Superhuman (can outrun and react to various supernatural creatures who are faster than any human. Moved his arm and activated his shield to block bullets after they had already been fired from some distance away. Lifted his hand a short distance and activated his shield bracelet after a bolt of electricity had been fired at him, albeit he was aware an attack would be coming), can achieve Subsonic+ to Lightspeed attack speed with some spells (stated to throw a gun "just this side of the speed of sound" with a spell, some abilities are literal light) | Likely at least Superhuman, likely higher (should not be incomparable to Mab)

Lifting Strength: At least Peak Human, likely Class 1 (can easily bench-press 400 kilograms for multiple sets), At least Class 5 with magic (has grown significantly in magical strength since he lifted an occupied elevator with wind, which weigh an average of 1200kg when unoccupied) | At least Superhuman, likely far higher

Striking Strength: Wall level physically, at least Small Building level with magic | Likely at least Mountain level, likely higher

Durability: Wall level (Was kicked in the nose by a gruff that drove a foot-deep dent into a reinforced steel door and only broke his nose. Has survived beatings from creatures that can easily tear down brick walls and throw cars), Small Building level with his Duster and magic (blocked the backwash of his own power. Blocked punches that hit with the energy of a car crash. His shield was able to ride out the force of an explosion that caused a large cavern to collapse) | At least Mountain level, likely higher

Stamina: Extremely high, worked for several days with little rest or food, even after taking several serious injuries. Capable of using more magic in one day than most wizards can use in a week. Upon gaining the Mantle of the Winter Knight, he was able to beat a half-vampire in a test of stamina, and can further increase his stamina by drawing on the power of Winter to refresh himself and remove his fatigue.

Range: Tens of Meters with evocation abilities (fireballs, wind, magnetism, etc). Varies with Thaumaturgy (different abilities have different ranges. Tracking spells have Hundreds of Kilometers range, blinding and power nullification spells were used when much closer)

Standard Equipment: 

Equipment that Dresden has used in most books are:

  • Shield Bracelet: A bracelet with several shields on it that allows Dresden to focus his will with greater ease in order to create his forcefields. Thanks to this focus, Dresden can create his shields without needing to speak the spell. Initially, this shield could only block matter (albeit this includes non-corporeal spiritual matter) and kinetic energy, but after the events of Blood Rites and the incineration of his hand, he upgraded it prior to White Night so it could also block heat, cold, electricity, light, sound, and a large spectrum of magical energies, albeit at a higher energy cost than the previous bracelet. He can also make the shield mirrored.
  • Blasting Rod: A wooden rod inscribed with various runes that allows Dresden to focus his will with greater ease into fire based attacks.
  • Wizard's Staff: An all-purpose focus, but one that Dresden primarily uses for the manipulation of force and wind.
  • Sword Cane: A sword cane with runic enhancements on the blade to increase its strength, and a sheath that allows Dresden to focus his will with greater ease for earth / magnetism magic.
  • Enchanted Duster: A large duster that is enchanted to increase its protective abilities, protecting Dresden from close-range shotgun blasts and assault rifle fire. It is also apparently "slippery", making a napalm-like substance that should have stuck to it simply slide off.
  • A lump of chalk for quickly drawing magic circles.
  • A revolver (the specific type has varied over the books) for when magic isn't useful.
  • Force Ring: A silver ring that stores a small bit of kinetic force every time Dresden moves his arm. When activated, the accumulated kinetic force is released in a blast of invisible energy. Prior to White Night, Harry upgrades this ring, tripling their effective force storage and output, and creating 5 of them that he wears on every finger of his right hand.

In addition to his typical armaments, throughout the series Dresden has also used:

  • Ghost Dust made from depleted uranium, cold iron, and several other ingredients. Upon contact with spiritual matter it locks it in place, preventing it from moving. When her arm was pinned down by it, Agatha Hagglethorn ripped off her arm trying to pull away from it.
  • An enchanted candle. When in the presence of spirits and ghosts, it burns with a blue flame. The brighter the flame, the more powerful the spirit.
  • A Dead Man's Talisman, that can prevent ghosts and evil spirits from coming near.
  • The Pocket Full of Sunshine, a napkin with sunlight stored inside it. Effective against vampires, but only has one use.
  • Candles that detect the presence of incoming powerful magical beings by lighting up.
  • Pepper Spray
  • Wizard Ointment that allows the user to see through fairy glamours and illusions. The glamour is less effective against mortal magic, but is still able to show that there is an illusion there, even if it isn't instantly seen through.
  • Wind Potion: Transforms Dresden into the wind, breaking his body apart into billions of air molecules and allowing him to move at incredible speeds before reforming shortly after.
  • Red Court Anti-Venom Potion: A potion that nullifies the narcotic effects of the Red Court's saliva, preventing it from incapacitating Dresden in a blissful drug-addled state and making him feel it as simply an itch. As the potion was made with the intention of countering the blissful pleasure the venom gives, it should also work on similar feeling effects.
  • Magical Rope: Was made to hold back an ogre, but instead used to hold back Susan when she was going mad from blood thirst.
  • Paintball Gun: Used in a raid on a Black Court Vampire nest, the gun has modified ammunition that releases holy water and garlic instead of paint, making it extremely effective against Black Court Vampires.
  • Steel Chain: A long coil of steel chain coated in copper with an electrical plug at the other end. Dresden uses this to attack enemies by entangling them in it or baiting them into grabbing it, then using a spell to telekinetically plug it into any nearby electrical outlet, causing it to electrocute the enemy, paralyzing them as the electricity forces their muscles to contract.
  • Lea's Armour: A set of armour given to Dresden for use in his attack on the Red Court. It is capable of protecting him against powerful magical attacks and defending him from psychic attack. However, it will fade at noon on the next day.

Intelligence: Extremely intelligent. He was trained as a magician from a very young age, and his skill with magic is stated to be "far in excess" of his age and education. Very skilled manipulator, at both provoking his enemies and getting his allies to help him. Is a very intelligent investigator, and has solved numerous difficult cases. Has an extremely good memory. Out-manipulated Lara Raith, who is a member of a family who prides itself on their extremely subtle and effective manipulations. Capable of putting himself in the shoes of his enemies to accurately predict their actions. He also has a keen eye for details even under tense situations. He has defeated numerous foes who were vastly stronger than him and/or had from centuries to millenia more experience and skill through quick thinking. Has created plans within plans to outsmart and reveal hidden traitors within the White Council.

Weaknesses: Is unwilling to directly kill humans with magic. Passing through a home's threshold uninvited will make it difficult for him to use magic within. Several spells Dresden is capable of he would never use in character as they break the laws of magic. Chivalrous to a fault when it comes to (human) women, even hesitating to attack one pointing a gun at him. It is extremely difficult for him to use his magic through bodies of running water, or if a constant steam of moving water is running over him. If he misjudges the amount of energy necessary to put in a counter spell, he can either make the spell stronger (if he uses too little), or cause the spells to violently explode (if he uses too much). Breaking the 7 Laws of Magic makes him more and more willing to do so again (e.g. killing with magic makes him more willing to use magic to kill again, controlling someone's mind makes him more willing to do so again, etc etc) | Unknown

Notable Attacks/Techniques:

  • Anti-Technology Aura: For an unknown reason, wizards (and no other magical being) passively cause technology to malfunction around them. Depending on the intricacy and modernity of the technology, the malfunction can be more spectacular. This can include causing phone calls to cut out, more modern guns such as semi-automatic weapons to jam and potentially even explode (though guns with simple mechanics like revolvers are unaffected), stereo systems to begin skipping over the same section, photocopiers to stop working, tasers to short out, and lightbulbs and cameras to explode.
  • Wizard Senses: As a wizard, Dresden is attuned to the magical energies that are the source of all creation, giving him various senses beyond the ordinary. He is capable of sensing the presence of magical or creatures such as spirits and vampires, as well as sensing the use and type of magical spells around him. He also experiences the world in a more vivid fashion, sensing the lightning moving in a storm above him and "feeling" each individual raindrop as it fell. He can also sense the presence of veils (illusions and invisibility spells).
  • The Sight: A wizard's sight, done by opening their Third Eye. It allows them to see the world as it truly is, as well as how it may be. With their sight, wizards are capable of seeing through illusions, viewing the auras and manifestations of magical phenomena, visions of the past and future, the true natures of things, psychic stains, manifestation of emotions, ghosts and spirits, and magic in various forms. Additionally, what is seen with the Sight can never be forgotten (which can be dangerous if something traumatic or maddening is seen).
  • Soul Gazing: An aspect of the Sight, when a wizard looks into the eyes of another person for more than a second, it begins a soul gaze between the two. During this, both parties are given a vision of the most innermost essence of the other person's being, seeing their driving motivations, personality and emotions, though the details on what specific people or thing these emotions are directed at can be unclear. The act of soul-gazing can potentially be dangerous to either party, as at least one person fainted upon soul-gazing with Dresden.
  • Death Curse: Typically only done when dying or about to be killed, a wizard can use the magic inherent to their own life to fuel an immensely powerful spell in a suicide attack, a form of retribution on their killer. This spell is far stronger than their normal abilities, as a witch weaker than Dresden was able to completely bypass the resistance of a vampire who had an Outsider's resistance to magic, and it was stated Dresden could level an island with the power of his death curse. He can also boost it with soulfire to further amplify its effects, though he theorised this would result in the complete destruction of his soul. However, the death curse needs a clear target to affect, and the time and thought to cast it, and thus if a wizard is killed without ever knowing who it was, or unable to cast it the curse can be avoided.
  • Magic Circles: Magic Circles are a critical tool of a wizard, allowing them to set a local limit on what the wizard is attempting to do, refining, focusing and directing their magic more clearly by preventing any random magic from entering or leaving the circle that might potentially disrupt a more complex ritual. They also prevent non-mortal beings from leaving or entering the circle, allowing them to be used as traps or defensive barriers against such beings. Some magic circles are more complex and require prep, but it is possible to create a basic magic circle that blocks magical energy and spirital beings simply by drawing a rough circle on the ground around oneself and infusing it with power. It is noted by Dresden that technically, you don't even need to draw an actual circle - as long as you have the image in your mind and strong concentration and focus, it can accomplish the same thing. However, this is far more difficult than simply drawing a physical circle and using that instead.
  • Fuego: A general all purpose spell for the manipulation of intense heat or flame. Allows the projection of heat and fire from Dresden's hands or staff or blasting rod, creating small dull orbs of flame, or can immediately create fire on a target, causing it to combust. Capable of hitting a loup-garou hard enough to throw it across a street and through a series of brick walls. Can also be used to draw heat from the surroundings, channeling it into a powerful beam of fire while also potentially freezing anything he drew heat from (which can include living things) solid, which was used to freeze a small section of Lake Michigan and create a torrent of fire 20 storeys tall.
  • Vento servitas: Creates a gust of wind that moves objects for Dresden. Most often used to retrieve his equipment should he drop it, he has also used it to crush a giant scorpion with an elevator, to fire motorbike repair tools and spare parts like bullets, and to enhance the speed of his magical amulet until it could be used like a bullet.
  • Forzare: A spell that manipulates force, multiplying it and directing it. Can be used in a variety of ways, such as allowing him to pry apart steel bars with his staff, pulling objects towards him, firing a blast of raw force at enemies, or alternatively, the ground below him to propel him up with the reactive force. The "shape" of the force can also be altered. By the time of Changes, this spell has become direct telekinesis, allowing Dresden to move objects with will alone.
  • Magic Shields: Dresden can create magical shields to block incoming attacks. Initially, these shields were made of condensed air, but in later books he has upgraded to shields of pure force. Due to their magical nature, they are capable of blocking the incorporeal attacks of specters.
  • Regeneration: A wizard's body heals differently to a normal person's due to the power of magic, the power of life, subtly changing it. Not only do wizards heal slightly faster than normal humans, they can eventually heal from injuries that would permanently cripple a normal human, such as Dresden slowly healing the burnt nerves in his hand. While a normal human's body will eventually build up the scars and marks from damage to it over their life, a wizard's body will heal until any damage to them is completely gone, with not even the smallest sign that they were injured left over. This is also theorized to be the source of a wizard's longevity.

  • Veni che: Manipulates the wind to aid his agility, allowing him to lift himself up to the second story of a building or move himself around.
  • Vento Riflittum: Manipulates the wind, projecting it from his fingertips at high speeds to attack an enemy, or even catch and throw their projectile attacks back at them, such as when he used it to catch a demon's acid spit and throw it back at the demon.
  • Ventas Fulmino: A spell that summons lightning from a storm and channels it through Dresden to be projected at an enemy. In Storm Front the spell was stated to be dangerous to use, but as of Summer Knight Dresden was able to cast the spell with no drawbacks.
  • Stregallum finitas: A counter spell used by Dresden that nullified the Shadowman's image-sending and destroyed it.
  • Segui votro testatum: A tracking spell that can be used as long as Dresden has some article of the target, such as their blood or hair. It creates a sensation of smell in Dresden's mind that grows stronger as he grows closer to his target, allowing him to pinpoint their location.
  • Pulitas: A spell that animates a broomstick and makes it clean a room. With enough magical power available, Dresden was able to make a broom push aside numerous dog-sized scorpions and sweep them away.

  • Vento giostrus: Manipulates the wind in a miniature cyclone that lifts the target off the ground and throws them backwards. Powerful enough to tear the branches from trees and thrown around half a ton of rocks and dirt.
  • Tornarius: A spell that reflects a target's force and momentum back at them. However, if the target's power is too great, then Dresden and the target will split the difference, each being affected by half the total force.
  • Interessari, interressarium: Using a target's blood or something else connected to them as a medium, Dresden enchants a compass to point towards them, allowing him to track down their location. However, the spell only lasts until sunrise, and only points at the person directly rather than the easiest path to reach them.
  • Ventas veloche, Ubrium, ubrium: A spell that amplifies steam, causing small bits of mist to condense and multiply into thick fog that can conceal his movements. 
  • Disperdorus: A spell that disperses magical energy being gathered, used to disperse a large build up of lycanthropic energy that would have driven the lycanthropes into a frenzy. However, it is noted that this spell is very draining to use, and not something Dresden would ever do in his right mind.
  • Ubriacha, ubrius, ubrium: A Thaumaturgy spell that temporarily blinds, deafens and cripples the target. It was used against a loup-garou to prevent it from going on a killing spree, by linking the loup-garou to a toy bear using its blood, then binding the toy bear's eyes, ears, mouth and hands.
  • Malivaso: A hex that causes technology to malfunction, used to stop a surveillance camera working.

  • Venteferro: A spell that manipulates magnetic fields, allowing Dresden to rip metal weapons from an enemy's grip.
  • Reflettum: A spell that creates a shield of force capable of blocking bullets.
  • Dormius, dorme: A spell that makes a person fall asleep. However it was only done in a magic circle with some time to concentrate, so it is likely not combat applicable.
  • Aparturum: A spell that grasps hold of the fabric of reality and tears a hole in it to create a portal to the Nevernever. Used again in White Night, this time summoning a seam of fire that burnt a hole in reality to open a door, and twice in Changes where it made reality "roll up like a scroll" or created a "circle of blackness" that spread across a wall.
  • Appare: A spell that uses the Name of the target (or presumably something else directly linked to them) to track them down even through the Nevernever and summon them into the world.

  • Duo et unum: A tracking spell that makes a tuning fork vibrate when pointed in the direction of the tracked person or object.
  • Defendre memorarius: Transforms an object into a magic charm that shuts out invasive magic such as the mind fog, which can "shut down your head, flatline your ability to remember things, scramble your thoughts".

  • Defendre: Creates a shield of energy around Dresden, either in front of him or in a complete dome around him. Capable of briefly blocking the attacks of half a dozen vampires capable of casually flipping cars.
  • Entropus: A counterspell to the swarm of magical snakes that Cassius had summoned on top of Susan, causing them to melt into ectoplasm.
  • Manacus: The spell used to activate Dresden's magical rope. When cast, the rope moved on its own to bind the target.

  • Unnamed Paralysis Spell: A spell Dresden used to paralyze several winged ape demons.
  • Fortius: A spell used to activate the effects of his enchanted silver bear buckle, which infuses him with pure magic, instantly rejuvenating him, replenishing his energy and allowing him to ignore his injuries for a time.
  • The Malocchio (Entropy Curse): Although Harry was not the one to cast this spell, he showed the ability to "catch" the curse as it arrived and channel it away from its intended target into an enemy vampire. The curse is powered by the Outsider He-Who-Walks-Behind and gives the target a dose of lethally bad luck. Upon the curse striking the enemy vampire, it was immediately crushed by a frozen turkey that fell out of an airplane far above. Other targets were killed by such things as a swarm of bees suddenly appearing out of a car trunk, being hit by a runaway car while water-skiing, and being in just the wrong place to be instantly killed by stray bullets.

  • Illumina magnus: An delicate ability using copper filings, this spell essentially "charges" the filings with magical energy, causing them to become attracted to other sources of magic nearby. While Dresden is quite capable of sensing magic on his own, this ability can be used to very finely sense the position of magical energy, such as being attracted to the minuscule traces of magical energy that had been traced over a wall to spell a message.
  • Solvos: A spell that channels Harry's will to unbind patterns of magic and "reduce them to mere anarchy", undoing spells, enchantments and wards.
  • Tractis: Pulls the target towards Harry. Was used to surreptitiously retrieve a small fleck of paint from a car.
  • Reperios. Invenios: A spell used in conjunction with Little Chicago, it allows Harry to project his spirit into the miniature replica of Chicago he created and watch events taking place in the real Chicago as if he was there, albeit invisible and intangible. However, his spirit cannot cross strong thresholds. Little Chicago also functions to protect his spirit from attacks, diverting and dispersing the energy across it rather than have it directly hit Harry, albeit if the psychic attack is strong enough it can destroy Little Chicago and still successfully hit Harry.
  • Flammamurus: Earth magic that infuses the ground with fire to create a 40 feet long line of eruptions of molten rock and lava.

  • Ventas Reductas: Creates a gentle gust of wind like a magical version of an electric blow dryer.
  • Galvineus: Makes the plug end of his steel chain shoot towards whatever he points at, usually an electrical outlet.

  • Intellectus: Not actually a spell, but a form of limited cosmic awareness. The ability is localised to the island of Demonreach, but when on it, Dresden is capable of instantly obtaining knowledge about anything else on the island simply by wanting to know. This even bypasses various anti-detection spells used by master wizards.
  • Laqueus: Creates a cord of pure force that Dresden can use to ensnare and strangle enemies.
  • Fulminas: Sends a thorny network of lightning at the target, paralysing them.

  • Arctis: Tears the heat from the target and draws the water from the air around them to freeze them in ice.
  • Fuego Murus/Fuego Vellum: Two spells that when used together create a massive ring of fire around Dresden, preventing enemies from getting close.
  • Dispertius: A spell that opens a hole in the ground.
  • Resarcius: A spell that closes a hole in the ground.
  • “Voce Voco Vocius: A spell that allows communication with another person from afar, linking together two locations. Requires great concentration and finesse.
  • Lumen, camerus, factum: A spell to create illusions of the image in the user's head.
  • Infriga: A spell that instantly removes all heat from an object, freezing it solid. The lost heat can then be channeled into fire based attacks. It can also be used to create constructs of ice from water vapour, such as massive ice spikes, or freezing winds.
  • Gravitas: A spell that cancels all gravity within a set range for a fraction of a second, then channels the cancelled gravity into a target area, crushing everything within. In the short story "It's My Birthday, Too" Dresden needed to concentrate for around 20 seconds to cast this spell, and was able to cancel all the gravity in Woodfield Mall shopping centre. In Changes, Dresden tapped into a leyline to achieve this, and was able to channel the gravity of several kilometres around him.

  • Rexus Mundus: A spell that creates a small sphere of "condensed absolute zero cold" that Dresden can project at a target, causing whatever is hit to freeze almost instantly. It was cold enough that throwing it into a lake caused a large portion of the lake to freeze over.
  • Obscurata: A spell to create a veil of invisibility. Dresden's skill with veils is not great and this veil is only enough to make him mostly transparent and blurry, but when combined with other visual obstructions such as mist it makes him as good as invisible.

  • Glacivallare: A spell that creates a thick wall of ice, blocking attacks and movement.
  • Disperdorius: A dispersal spell that can disperse magical effects, including portals.
  • Lumios: A spell that causes Dresden to begin glowing extremely brightly. It was sufficient to push back the living shadow Anduriel even as it absorbed the light.
  • Arctispinae: A spell that condenses and freezes water vapor in the air into an array of sharp spears then propels them at the enemy. Notably, once created and fired the spears are in no way magical, simply sharp and moving very fast, rendering them immune to the Genoskwa's magical nullification abilities.
  • Defendarius: A spell to create a wide wall of force capable of dispersing the force of attacks across its length to reduce its overall power.
  • Ventus Cyclis: A spell that creates a torrent of wind capable of catching incoming attacks and redirecting them. When infused with soulfire, it was capable of redirecting a lance of Ascher's hellfire, which Dresden noted was beyond his power to directly block.

  • Heart Burster Curse: A Dark Magic Thaumaturgy spell that Dresden worked out how to do in Storm Front, but would never do in-character. Using a part of the victim's body such as their hair or blood as a link, the caster gouges out the heart of a sacrificial animal, which then causes the target's heart to violently explode out of their chest. The true nature of this curse is revealed in Changes, where its true name is also revealed to be the Bloodline Curse. When given sufficient power (requiring the power of a ley line), as well as a long ritual involving numerous human sacrifices, the curse will spread from whoever is killed on a the sacrificial alter to all their siblings, parents, and all ancestors up their family tree. It is also revealed to be capable of "killing" the vampire sides of half-vampires without causing their hearts to burst from their chests, implying that it is true death manipulation and not just killing the person by causing their heart to explode.
  • The Darkhallow: An extremely powerful necromantic ritual that Dresden learnt how to do during the seventh book Dead Beat. The ritual involves summoning the Erkling, whose presence then summons hundreds of ghosts and spirits to join in his Wild Hunt, then consuming all those ghosts and spirits along with the Erkling himself and the lives of all living things for a mile around to become a god. If the Darkhallow was successful, the newborn god would be powerful enough to match Queen Mab in raw power and rewrite reality to their liking, such as removing death from the world as Kumori intended to do.

  • Magic: Harry warded off a unknown magical attack from Bianca by force of will. With prep, he is able to shut out invasive magic with a charm and prevent it from entering his body.
  • Sound Manipulation: Harry pushed Aurora's laughter from his mind, which was capable of driving others to their knees.
  • Mind Manipulation: Harry has on many occasions resisted mind manipulation through psychic defenses and sheer willpower. Blocked Corpsetaker's mental attacks for a time and later burnt her out of his mind with hellfire, and she described his mind as far stronger than most. He also survived channeling the energies of magic through his mind without any protection, and managed to maintain most of his mind when using a Hexxenwulf belt which causes the user to become possessed by a wolf spirit and erodes their mind. He also pulled his mind away from the Erkling's temptation to join the Wild Hunt which overwhelms the mind with the thoughts and feelings of the hunt. Resisted the fear aura of Demonreach even at its epicentre where the pressure was doubling every with every passing moment. Resisted the hypnotic eyes of Red Court Vampires. Was given armour by Lea that shielded his mind from the psychic power of the Lords of Outer Night. Can harness the power of Winter to give his mind "cold clarity" and "wither away" mental effects. In order to control his mind, one needs to find his mental core within a massive fortress in his mental landscape, where it is defended by various mental constructs.
  • Telepathy: Harry was able to prevent Corpsetaker from reading his mind for a time. After the seventh book Dead Beat, he also constantly prevents Lasciel from reading his mind even though she is already within it. 
  • Empathic Manipulation: Harry has on several occasions forced aside Faerie glamours which altered his emotions, including those of the Leanansidhe who is equal in power to Mab. He has also resisted the lust-inspiring magic of White Court vampires (succubi and inccubi) on many occasions, and cleared his mind from a "psychic assault of despair" of He Who Walks Before.
  • Low Temperatures: Upon becoming the Winter Knight, Harry became far less affected by cold temperatures.
  • Darkness Manipulation: Corpsetaker's shadow aura of "emptiness" that extinguished life and light was unable to get close to Harry.
  • Illusion Creation: Harry saw through the glamours of Jenny Greenteeth, and with his wizard ointment can see through all but the strongest fairy glamours, even those used to defend Arctis Tor, the fortress and centre of Winter.
  • Memory Manipulation: Using his Pentacle Amulet as a charm, Harry shut out the Mind Fog which removes the ability to remember anything and scrambles thoughts. He also mentally pushed aside Elaine's spell, which disorients people by overwhelming them with random short-term memories. Like Susan, who kept her memories of Dresden's soulgaze with her despite giving up all her memories of him, he cannot forget what he sees with his Sight)
  • Pain Manipulation: Harry has a very high pain tolerance, and knows several techniques for blocking out pain or channeling it into focus. He was also able to push away the illusion of pain that Lasciel's shadow inflicted on him.
  • Possession: Harry was able to locked Lasciel's shadow away within his mind after she had entered it. He was also able to prevent her from moving around within it, and Lasciel herself is unable to possess Harry's mind non-consensually. Additionally, the same mental techniques to block mind manipulation are effective against blocking possession.
  • Death Manipulation: Harry survived Evil Bob's death spell for a few moments and later pushed it away with his will.
  • Law Manipulation: Harry was able to throw off the law manipulation of Mother Winter, a being several orders of magnitude more powerful than Mab.
  • Perception Manipulation: Harry is likely able to resist perception manipulation, as Lasciel implied that had he not been weakened by a threshold, he would have been able to sense and pierce through Elaine's veil that made her appear as "Not invisible so much as extremely boring and unremarkable" so that people would not take any notice of her.
  • Life Absorption: While using necromancy, Harry was unaffected by the Darkhallow, which would have ripped the life out of anything unprotected that entered its area of effect.
  • Sleep Manipulation: Harry did not fall asleep even while at the epicentre of Agatha Hagglethorn's lullaby which causes all who hear it to fall into a coma, sometimes so deep that they stop breathing.
  • Extrasensory Perception: Wizards, who can sense various magical, psychic and spiritual energies, supernatural beings, the energies of emotions, energies of death, and the presence of spells, cannot sense each other except through physical contact unless they are using magic at the time.
  • Power Nullification: Harry has on several occasions showed the ability to continue using magic (albeit with great difficulty) even while it is raining, when the flow of water should wash away his magical energy and spells. He has also shown the ability to use his powers within or through the threshold of an uninvited home (again with great difficulty though) which can outright remove the ability of weaker wizards to use magic within. He has also shown the ability to use magic while submerged by moving water, which should wash away his spells without allowing them to form. By imbuing his magic with Soulfire he was able to break through Thorned Namshiel's spell that disrupted his magic.
  • Disease Manipulation: Harry survived the Denarian's plague curse - which infects people with practically every disease in existence simultaneously - with only minor symptoms, though he would have succumbed eventually had the curse not been broken. Due to their natural healing ability, wizards can recover from diseases much quicker than normal people, with no lasting after effects).
  • Soul Manipulation: Harry took a hit from Agatha Hagglethorn which struck both body and soul and managed to keep moving. He was also "torn up" spirit-wise by the Nightmare, but managed to continue working. Harry lost a significant portion of his soul during the finale of White Night and is able to burn off pieces of his own soul as fuel for his soulfire without any detriment to himself (unless he burns away his entire soul in which case he dies), and can regenerate the burnt away parts of his soul over time.

  • Notable Matchups

    Victories:

    Harry Potter (Wizarding World) Harry's profile (Speed was equalized, first key Dresdren)

    Losses:

    Inconclusive:

    Discussions

    Discussion threads involving Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden