Basic Information
Etymologically "one who is wise", in general use a wizard is a person who employs and understands Magic.
In some fiction, the ability to manipulate magic is usually an innate gift, a talent that you are born with, and it's typically presented as being quite rare. Sometimes wizards are presented as a separate race (similar to, but distinct from mankind) or a human bloodline that has magical potential that mere mundane mortals lack. Alternatively, the wizarding gift may be the result of the circumstances of your birth (e.g. a particular astrological profile), of power investiture by a supernatural entity (which can stray into theurgy or witchcraft) or a particular heredity (e.g. seventh son of a seventh son).
In other settings it means the opposite - a Wizard denotes a person who studies and learns magic, instead of casting intuitively, with the implication being that anyone with sufficient time and training should be able to become a wizard.
In some cases both are required - only the few have the capability, but even then they must be properly trained to use it.
A wizard will generally also be a secular magic user - specifically not a theurge. If he practises a religion at all, his magical and religious practices will normally be completely seperate and possibly opposed to one another.
Synonyms for Wizard:
Some settings or games may use one or more of the following terms instead of Wizard. Within a setting, there may or may not be a functional difference between a Wizard and the following terms:
- Enchanter / Enchantress
- Mage
- Magic-user
- Magician
- Magus
- Spell-Caster
- Sorcerer / Sorceress
- Thaumaturgist
- Warlock
- Witch
Other terms for wizard exist, many of which are tied in to a particular magical tradition or style. See also Schools of Magic and -mancy.
In some cases, these terms may be ranks or levels within a profession, through which a wizard progresses as he develops his career.
A very powerful wizard is sometimes known as an Archmage.
The term Hedge Mage is sometimes used for a low-powered or self-taught wizard.
A wizard in training is often referred to as a Wizard's Apprentice.
Frequently responsible for otherwise implausible details in a setting … in which case A Wizard Did It.
Wizard Type Tropes
These are tropes that describe different types of magic using characters, or different takes on how magic works, which may give you some ideas on the Characterization of a Wizard.
- Color Coded Wizardry
- Kung Fu Magic
- Magic Knight
- Magicians Are Wizards
- Robe And Wizard Hat
- Squishy Wizard
- Techno Wizard
- Vancian Magic
Other Wizardly Tropes
These tropes may define how a wizard is viewed by the world, how the wizard interacts with the world, or what challenges they're likely to face because of being a wizard.
- A Wizard Did It
- Doing In The Wizard
- Fighter Mage Thief
- Linear Warriors Quadratic Wizards
- Magic A is Magic A
- Magic and Powers
- No Such Thing As Wizard Jesus
- Power At A Price
- Wizard Duel
- Wizarding School
Wizard Weapons
These are the items and weapons frequently depicted as being used by Wizards
See Also
- Magocracy
- Fantasy Tropes
- Scientist - often the high-tech versions of wizards.
- Stone Flying Wizard … doing exactly what is says on the tin for purposes of civil engineering.
Sources
Game and Story Use
- A very common (and powerful) character archetype in gaming.
- How one becomes a wizard will (or should) have a profound effect on the setting - innate gift wizardry will produce a very different sort of wizard to one where riguorous training is required. The same will apply to what determines how powerful a wizard is: natural capacity or training and practice.
