History Main / ArmorAndMagicDontMix

* In ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' and ''VideoGame/DiabloII'', this happens in a roundabout way. A character's ability to wear a piece of armour (aside from level and any specific class restrictions on an item) more often than not depends on how many stat points are in STR. The result is that the 'pure' mage classes (wizards in the first game, necromancers and sorceresses in the second) can't wear the heaviest armour because the player has likely put most of their stat points into INT. In other words, they can't wear the armour because they're squishy, and they're squishy because they train their minds more than their bodies. Additionally in ''Diablo'' the Sorcerer had the lowest maximum STR, placing another cap on what armors they could equip.

* This is used in the ''VideoGame/FireEmblem'' series, with magicians generally drawn in robes and having a low physical defence score. The sword cuts both ways, though: armored units are frequently just as bad at fending off magical attacks.

* Some [[UsefulNotes/NeoPaganism neopagans]] believe ritual magic works better when performed "skyclad" - that is, in the nude.

L

* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsOnline'' averts this; casters are free to wear mountains of metal armor, shields, bows, 2-Handed swords, what have you. Certain pro-magic user skills - like increased mana regeneration - apply per piece of light armor worn, so while it benefits a caster to at least mix up armor types if not use strictly cloth, it is by no means required.

* Averted in ''VideoGame/DefendersQuest'' with the [[AnIcePerson ice mages]], one of the two classes that wear heavy armor.

* ''VideoGame/BetrayalAtKrondor'' averts this, letting you put the same armor on your spellcasters as you do on your warriors. The sequel ''VideoGame/ReturnToKrondor'' plays it straight, however, and your casters are not going to be wearing much of the heavy stuff.

[[folder:Pinball]]
* Averted in the "Dragon's Keep" table of ''VideoGame/FullTiltPinball'' -- the player can collect spells and armor, which turn on various AntiFrustrationFeatures.
[[/folder]]

* Averted in ''TabletopGame/MageTheAwakening''. A mage could wear a suit of body armor, enhance the armor's effectiveness by enchanting it with various spells (largely Matter and Fate), and shroud themself in a shielding spell to top it off. The SquishyWizard factor of ''Mage'' is due to magi lacking the inherent immunities or self-healing abilities other supernatural types possess, but they are good at avoiding harm in the first place.

* Averted in ''TabletopGame/FantasyCraft'' where armor has no effect on spell casting and any class can wear any armor meaning that you can have a mage in full plate.

* Averted in ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'': Armor, in itself, is no hindrance to casting magic. Since ''Shadowrun'' uses a PointBuySystem for character creation, the bigger issue is that putting a lot of Karma into spellcasting ability means less available for money to buy heavy, expensive armour and less available for physical stats needed to actually wear said armour for long (armour is, after all, heavy). Finally, [[CyberneticsEatYourSoul many of the best options available for boosting your defence are dependent on cybernetic implants, and implanting those are anathema to a mage]]. That said, Physical Adepts can use their MagicalEnhancement to get incredibly tanky, especially since they usually have the stats required for heavy-duty armour.

* Completely averted in ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}'': there are no restrictions on mages wearing armor, or on weapon use or anything else. In the first and second editions, magic was powered by a character's Fatigue points, which meant that the mage was often the healthiest character in the adventuring party!

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyI'' set the example that other games in the series have used, subverted, or otherwise zig-zagged on. The [[GlassCannon black mage]] and [[CombatMedic white mage]] are both lacking in terms of what armor they can equip, though things improve (somewhat) later on with a few decent pieces of equipment they can equip. At the same time, the [[MagicKnight red mage]] averts this trope, having decent armor availability compared to the other two casters. The Knight also learns some white magic despite being the heavy armor user, but its not his strong suit.

* When Momonga used armour to disguise himself in ''[[LightNovel/Overlord2012 Overlord]]'' it only lets him cast five spells out of his usual hundreds.

[[folder:Film]]

See also MagicHarmsTechnology and TechnologyHarmsMagic.

* Averted to some extent in ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'': armor can be worn regardless of class and they have specific names that boost the stats for the character without suffering any penalty. The only thing that hinders characters is cyberware; a character has a certain amount of Essence points to start off with, and Essence points also determine the ability to cast spells. Installing cyberware reduces a character's Essence points, which reduces the ability to cast spells and also increases the cooling time to cast them. The installment of cyberware also depends on the quality of the ware; regular cyberware is typically the cheapest but costs a lot of Essence points to install, while Alpha, Beta, and Deltaware tend to be far more expensive but drains less Essence points. Essence points may not go below 1 or else the character dies. Players who focus on spellcasting abilities and/or utilize the Adept class (essentially a monk augmented by magic) tend to avoid installing cyberware except probably the usual Datajack if they wish to hack into the Matrix.

In gaming the trope is most commonly used as a way to compensate for [[LinearWarriorsQuadraticWizards Quadratic Wizards]] for the purpose of [[CompetitiveBalance game balance]], with the intended result being to make magic-users {{Glass Cannon}}s. In party-based multiplayer, this often results in the heavily-armored warrior's main job being [[DrawAggro to keep the wizard alive while he casts his spells]]. It may manifest as spellcasting characters being restricted on which types of armor they can equip, if any, or apply a penalty to the potency of the spell. The trope has been around long enough for that purpose it's arguably achieved NecessaryWeasel status.

** Played a bit straighter in ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'' as some armor will also penalize you for wearing it without sufficient Strength and have its physical defense increased depending on physical defense without armor (which is based on total of Strength, Dexterity, Vitality, and Endurance), giving mages less protection in comparison.

** ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'': Imperial psykers mostly wear robes, though some can put on the heaviest armor the Guard has to offer (known as "T-shirts" by the fandom, because in a galaxy as deadly as this one a super-advanced flak jacket is about as protective as one).

* In ''Literature/TheDeathGateCycle'', it's explicitly stated that no Sartan or Patryn (both WitchSpecies) would ever voluntarily don armor. Since the Sartan require elaborate [[MagicalGesture gestures]] and even [[MagicDance dances]] to invoke their [[InstantRunes rune magic]], heavy armor would presumably interfere with their ability to use their powers. The Patryns, on the other hand, [[HumanNotepad tattoo the rune directly onto their bodies]], which includes protective wards rendering armor superfluous (since any attack that could get through the wards would barely be slowed down by mundane armor).

[[folder:[=Wide Open Sandbox=]]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'', armour made from sturdier materials is predictably more durable and better at its job, but is less receptive to enchantments. Armour made from gold is among the weakest but is most receptive to enchantments.
[[/folder]]

* ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'': In addition to inheriting the arcane spell failure rules for arcane magic from ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragonsThirdEdition'', the Ecclesitheurge archetype for clerics removes their normally decent armor and weapon proficiencies altogether in exchange for expanded spellcasting. Conversely, the magus gets better armor and weapon proficiencies than the wizard, in exchange for reduced spellcasting.

* {{Downplayed|Trope}} in ''VideoGame/RuneScape''. Armor imposes a damage penalty on offensive magics, moreso with armors made of metal, to the point where a lot of spells are useless if you're wearing full plate armor. However, the penalty only applies to {{Hit Point|s}} damage: spells inflicting StandardStatusEffects work fine.

** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' changes it up a little. Spells work just as well with armor as without, but the Alteration skill tree has a perk, "Mage Armor," that adds a multiplier to protective spells like Stoneflesh if the caster is unarmored. This perk is typically seen by players as being one of the worst in the game: there is very little reason for a mage not to equip ''some'' sort of armor in the late game.

In gaming the trope is most commonly used as a way to compensate for [[LinearWarriorsQuadraticWizards Quadratic Wizards]] for the purpose of [[CompetitiveBalance game balance]], with the intended result being to make magic-users {{Glass Cannon}}s. In party-based multiplayer, this often results in the heavily-armored warrior's main job being [[EscortMission to keep the wizard alive while he casts his spells]]. It may manifest as spellcasting characters being restricted on which types of armor they can equip, if any, or apply a penalty to the potency of the spell. The trope has been around long enough for that purpose it's arguably achieved NecessaryWeasel status.