Warlock?

[Felon]

Yeah, another thing I've said before (cue trumpets) is that Warlock+Binder+ritual magic is what I think of by default when I think of "fantasy mage", much, much more so than D&D's wizard class.

For me, they're the antithesis of what I think of as a "fantasy mage". They seem a lot more like mutant X-Men (or in the binder's case, "Dial H for HERO").

 

[Benben]

Felon,

What would you consider the core features or mechanics of a fantasy mage?

 

[Imp]

Vancian magic is called Vancian magic because no one else does it that way. It's fairly singular. On the other hand, people born with magical aptitude on account of some sort of spirit bloodline, or people who wrest or cajole their supernatural powers from otherworldly entities, are pretty standard and not associated with any authors in particular. Unless this is some sort of shadow at-will/per-encounter/per-day powers argument, about which I have no particular opinion, because it seems easy enough to graft daily limitations on at-will/per-encounter powers if you really think you have to; and besides, the 4E wizard looks like it's stepping away from the Vancian thing, so may as well talk about spellcasting fluff.

 

[Felon]

Felon,

What would you consider the core features or mechanics of a fantasy mage?

In the fantasy tales I grew up reading--Howard, Leiber, Moorcock, Wagner, for instance--mages wren't super-powered beings capable of casually channeling bolts of energy. Rather, the core feature of wizards was that they knew secrets--secrets like the signs and portents that tell the future, the rituals to summon and bind a demon, the words and symbols of power that could protect you from a malevolent spirit, the mantra that would put you in a trance for astral projection, the rules of sympathy and contagion that give you power over the living (if you had a personal possession or a proper image of your target), and other traditional abilities atrributed with wizards and witches.

In most classic fantasy, mages aren't a flashy lot. Magic wasn't treated like some utilitarian force that you could use to throw a fireball or lightning bolt--which is a good thing, becasue classic fantasy heroes were rarely portrayed as being anything more than flesh and blood. Oh, their flesh might be a little more sturdy than yours or mine, but I doubt Howard would have envisioned Conan blithely shrugging off a direct hit from a blast-furnace-hot fireball.

It should be sinking in by now that what I think of as being true to the fantasy genre bears little relation to D&D, and not just the upcoming edition either. D&D is basically the superhero genre thinly disguised as fantasy--which is why it's always boggled my mind that some fantasy gamers will refuse to play a superhero game.