Wizards, Armour and the Collective Consciousness

[Vegepygmy]

I assume this person is not from D&D because if he is then he has missed the D&D explanation for the reason armour inhibits spells completely; it is nothing to do with metal and everything to do with the somatic component of spells being inhibited by wearing restrictive clothing of any kind (gauntlets etc).

The only game I ever remember using this type of explanation was MERP I think.

DragonQuest also explained it as "iron interferes with magic." You could neutralize iron's magic-inhibiting effects by alloying it with precious metals.

 

[RFisher]

I think another reason you don’t find a lot of mages in armor in legends or (pre-D&D) literature is that spells aren’t generally cast in battle. Despite some notable exceptions, pre-D&D magic was seldom about blasting your enemies with arcane power.

IIRC, some AD&D book said magic-users on trial in the Great Kingdom were kept locked in plate-mail to prevent them from casting spells. ^_^ I simultaneously laughed and groaned.

3e-wise, you can build a sorcerer with a lot of spells that lack somatic components and get by with wearing armor just fine. (Though you’ll probably have some non-combat spells you’ll want to take your armor off for—which starts to look almost as silly as the accused MU in a plate-mail straight-jacket.)

 

[pawsplay]

Let's not forget one of the most famous armored casters of all, a powerful lich with a good arm to match his sorcery, once ruler of a great land, consigned to exile among his minions... I am speaking, of course, of Skeletor, in this battle-scarred armor.

 

[Remathilis]

Not quite fantasy, but Doctor Doom seems to do well casting magic in metal armor...

 

[WayneLigon]

It's actually going to be somewhat hard. Magic being hampered by iron isn't something D&D came up with; it's a common point in a lot of myths, fairy tales and fantasy fiction. Also, most of your legendary/fairy tale spellcasters are witches; women didn't tend to wear a lot of armor, period.

The Brothers of the Church in The Kingdoms of Bone and Thorn series by Greg Keyes can use magic (the sedos power they get from walking saint's fanes), and they have no problem wearing full plate armor.

Most of the Drageareans in the various Jhereg books are sorcerers to some greater or lesser degree. They have no problem with armor. Vlad, a human, wears armor from time to time, and he's both a sorcerer and a witch.

Rabbit, the young wizard in the Borderlands novels by Lorna Freeman, is a soldier before he's a wizard and he wears armor just fine.

 

[Ydars]

Cold iron and the fey's susceptability to it is present in alot of tales but doesn't have anything to do with inhibiting magic. As I remember, cold iron was poisonous to Fey and weapons made of it killed them whereas steel would not and their wounds would heal with supernatural swiftness. I think I am remembering this from the Mabinogion but someone can correct me if it doesn't go this far back.

 

[Christian]

Another way of looking at it was the attitude towards wizards with swords in Larry Niven's "The Magic Goes Away" series. Basically, if you are a wizard you don't need it (you have MUCH better ways of killing people). So if you have one, you are "compensating" for something...

Can you ever have too many ways of killing people at hand, though?

"It's just that I've never known a magician who used weapons other than his powers."
"Really? How many magicians have you known?"
"One," I admitted.
"Terrific. Look, kid. If old Garkin didn't want to use weapons, that's his problem. Me, I want some. If you'll notice, Garkin is dead."
... "I'll help you look."

 

[The Green Adam]

In the anime Slayers, many people cast spells and wear armor.
Does anime count?

It should - Pretty much every other fantasy Anime and Manga series I know has armor wearing wizards/spellcasters. With the exception of Record of the Lodoss War and The Legend of Crystania (both based on Sword World which was itself based on D&D), every other one I can think of include a Full Metal Mage (pun intended).

In classic Fantasy Literature...

Elric of Melnibone and other Eternal Champion/Michael Moorcock Characters

Grey Mouser from Fritz Lieber's Fahrd and Grey Mouser series wore leather armor I believe.

In Superhero Comic Books...

Of course the already oft mentioned Dr. Victor Von Doom

Marvel's Modred the Mystic appears to wear a chainmail body suit in his late 70s/80s depictions

Dr. Fate of DC Comes has a Helmet (actually the character could be considered to be the helmet)

Their are probably a dozen other examples but its late and I'm having trouble focusing.

AD

 

[Intrope]

Elric of Melnibone and other Eternal Champion/Michael Moorcock Characters

Several people have mentioned Elric, but I'm not sure he's actually an example of this. From what I recall, his spells are always ritual-type affairs; in 4e he could probably be a Fighter or Warlord with Ritual Casting.

 

[Baron Opal]

As a legendary example: Malagigi - magician and one of the 12 paladins of Charlemagne.