Can human arcane spellcasters wear armour?

[NerfedWizard]

JD that's a very modified BECMI!!!

 

[doctorhook]

I've grown rather fond of the 4E outlook: Yes, Wizards can wear armour, but they're usually better served by not bothering; their magic protects them nearly as well, not to mention that weight of heavy armour is uncomfortable for many casters.

This way, you can have your cake and eat it too, so to speak.

 

[Tewligan]

Man, how many threads do you need to have on this subject?

 

[Oni]

Sure they can, unless they can't.

 

[NerfedWizard]

Man, how many threads do you need to have on this subject?

There are only two threads, and the only reason they are separate is because I thought of having the poll after I had already posted the first one. But strictly speaking they are two separate questions.

1. fantasy references to armoured wizards please
2. YOUR preferences as to whether wizards wear armour please

I wasn't trying to clog up the forums. If the two threads can be combined, I'm happy for that to happen, I just don't know how to do it...

 

[mach1.9pants]

I always thought, beyond game balance, the wizards don't wear armour thing has been badly explained....I remember something similar in DL that Wizards were only allowed by the gods to wield a dagger in memory of Magius and huma's spear or some such nonsense. Overall it does not require that much training to fight effectively in some leather, and the training (in DnD anyway) for higher armour is represented by the feat cost (let alone the str and con cost!). So yeah, although it goes against what I am used to, I have no problems with Wiz in armour at all

 

[Byronic]

I said yes on the poll, but would like to elaborate.

While Wizards should be able to able to wear armour, they should never be wearing plain armour. It should always have protective magic on it, for example runes and such. strictly for flavour reasons though, no mechanical ones.

Also, what about this:

A 4th edition Wizard gets his leather feat and then decides (or gets from loot) a +2 leather armour of <whatever>. How about instead of having him wear the armour we change the fluff and say that he tattoo's himself and that THAT is his new armour?

 

[Cadfan]

I'm not sure its completely flavorful for wizards to wear armor, but I base that on wizards not traditionally being physically strong guys. If a wizard WERE a physically strong guy, I don't see why it would be illogical for him to wear armor. See, eg, various physically strong wizards in fantasy literature and movies who all wore armor.

So I voted that wizards should be able to wear armor, because none of the other options captured that. I felt the unequivocal "yes" least misrepresented my position.

 

[Knight Otu]

Other - Generally yes, if they are willing to incur whatever problems the magic flavor dictates, if any (essentially, a combination of a number of options), but keep things consistent and explore the various angles and implications. If iron hinders magic (presumably the iron in hemoglobin doesn't), is a knight well-protected against magic, and where do magic armor and weapons come from? Do supernatural creatures wearing iron armor wither away by being cut-off from magic, or are they sufficiently magical to overcome the iron penalty (and can mages become sufficiently magical as well)? If intricate gestures are to blame, are they inherent to spellcasting, or can one learn to do away with them, or at least make them less intricate? If wizards are pactbound not to wear heavy armor, why do all pacts involve this (or are there actually pacts that don't)?

 

[Dausuul]

This is a poll to support the debate in my recent thread about Wizards, Armour and the Collective Consciousness. The question is simple:- can human arcane spellcasters wear armour?

I AM NOT ASKING ABOUT GAME-BALANCE HERE. This is just about flavour and what "feels" authentic / right.

I voted "yes," but in retrospect I should probably have voted "other." I think, in general, arcane casters should be able to wear armor, but I also think most of them should generally choose not to, because they don't need it.