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Old 08-07-2014, 08:38 AM   #30
Astromancer
 
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: West Virginia
Default Re: Is The trope that wizards can't use armor just an arbitrary limitation?

Quote:
Originally Posted by David Johnston2 View Post
Of course it has a basis. How many of the magicians Conan met were using swords and wearing chainmail? How many characters in Arthurian romance combine magic use with being a knight? Which of the magicians in 1001 Arabian Nights donned arms and armour? Which fairy godmother or witch in Grimm's fairy tales appeared clad in plate?
There are armored spell casters in Arthurian lore, they are generally not represented in Mallory. Icelandic Wizards certainly wore armor and had reputations for being awesome warriors (heck Gandalf used a sword). The Elf king in the English Faerie tale Childe Rowland was a steel armor wearing fae warrior wizard. Warrior Wizards do show up in many traditions. The Pointy-Hat and Robes tradition is simply much more popular these days and was less offensive to religious authority from the end of the middle-ages until the 1800's. But even while the witch-burnings were at their height, many pirates from Grace O'Malley to Blackbeard were said to be witches as well as deadly warriors.
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