Weak wizard - strong wizard

[AllisterH]

I'm curious....Factoring out fiction based on D&D, (regular WOTC/TSR fiction and stuff like Feist's Pug), who would you consider the inspiration for the "starts as weak/weaker than a commoner" and then becomes world-shaking character?

I know this is common in anime (see any shonen hero) but what about in Western fiction?

 

[Tewligan]

Eh, I think it's just a D&Dism with no real literary precedent. All the pre-D&D classic wizard types I can think of - those in the works of Howard, Vance, Leiber, Tolkien, etc - are mysterious and powerful right off the bat. Starting out weak was, I believe, just necessary to balance the magic-user against the other classes until the higher levels.

Hm - although, I seem to recall that wizards in the Earthsee series do start out kind of weak...

 

[malraux]

who would you consider the inspiration for the "starts as weak/weaker than a commoner" and then becomes world-shaking character?

High school nerd wish fulfillment?

 

[GMforPowergamers]

High school nerd wish fulfillment?

qft...

there is no fair way for one player to be a hobbit, and another be gandalf. this was the only way.

 

[Ariosto]

I think the whole scheme, across all classes, primarily serves a game purpose. The "coming of age" story seems to me not to figure much in the fictional sources Gygax commonly cited as inspiration, and the spell-caster as protagonist even less. The "sword and sorcery" genre was (and yet remains, I think) one preeminently of swordsman-hero versus sorcerer-villain.

 

[Doug McCrae]

I don't think it comes from fiction. If it does, then the Earthsea books do seem like a very strong contender. In what other stories prior to 1974 do we see a wizard's life journey, with him learning and progressing in power? Sparrowhawk was the Harry Potter of the Woodstock era.

 

[Ariosto]

A Wizard of Earthsea, along with its sequels, really does stand out. Norton explored magic a bit in her tales of the Witch World, and Bradley the "sufficiently advanced technology" of Darkover -- but the professional enchanter as central, viewpoint character (especially one met before he had passed the portals of the School, much less grown the gray beard of an arch-mage) was pretty novel.

Elric, of course, is well versed in the magical arts of his people, but as I recall those that figure most in his saga are his prerogatives as heir to the Ruby Throne -- and he is by far more (in)famous for the carnage he wreaks with his ebon blade.

 

[Plane Sailing]

The belgariad could perhaps be another example, although Garion is a bit more than just a wizard.

 

[Ariosto]

The Belgariad, of course, post-dates D&D (Pawn of Prophecy having been published in 1982, if memory serves).

 

[Leatherhead]

High school nerd wish fulfillment?

Does this mean the fighter is high school jock wish fulfillment?