History Main / KungFuWizard

* In ''{{Exalted}}'', virtually any sorcerer character will be either this or a MagicKnight. It's technically ''possible'' to make a SquishyWizard, but since the game world assumes a certain amount of combat ability for all characters, you're just making life difficult for yourself if you do, and the core rules themselves warn against this. Also, since even non-sorcerers have access to magic in the form of Charms (Charm selection being a mandatory part of character creation), this technically applies to anyone who takes dots in Martial Arts, regardless of anything else. And that's not even going into the various [[SupernaturalMartialArts Supernatural Martial]] [[MartialArtsAndCrafts Arts And Crafts]]...

* Ten Winds from KeychainOfCreation could be considered this.

* The various benders from ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'' tend to be skilled martial artists, which [[JustifiedTrope makes perfect sense]] given that the physical forms used to harness bending abilities are based on RealLife martial arts.

** What about Vaati? In the Japanese dub of ''Minish Cap'', he was the greatest martial arts in Hyrule.

* Most {{MortalKombat}} kharakters kould qualify as such. Quan Chi, Shang Tsun, and Shinnok are perhaps the most prominent examples.

* Richard of LookingForGroup has unbelievably destructive magics at his command, but is also a very capable melee fighter who can even pull off a flawless [[StarTrek Vulcan Nerve Pinch]] ''through armor''. As he puts it: "I drained the soul of a [[AllMonksKnowKungFu monk]] once. It tasted like chocolate."

Sometimes they may overlap with CombatMedic. Because in real life, Monks were often religious figures and in fact, some of the Eastern monks did gain a reputation for knowing or developing Martial Arts. Thus, someone who practices Martial Arts may also know a few things about exorcism, healing, or dealing holy damage. Or Buffs.

See also MagicKnight, where the wizard is trained in weapon-based combat rather than martial arts, SupernaturalMartialArts, where the kung fu is ''itself'' magic, and FullContactMagic, where the wizard doesn't actually know kung fu, but still needs to move around a lot to use magic. Surprisingly, unrelated to IKnowKungFu.

* In ''ElGoonishShive'' three of main cast members (and later fourth) practice "anime style martial arts". Which looks like a FightingGame with special effects even before it fades into generalized magic (and counts as a minor magical training).

*** In 4th edition's ''Player's Handbook 3'', the new rules for Monks and "Hybrid Classes" (someone who has trained in both classes equally, as opposed to Multi-Classed characters, who have dabbled in another class) will make this a viable character concept, both thematically and functionally. Although the Role difference means that a Hybrid Monk/Sorcerer (both Strikers) will be a bit better than a Hybrid Monk/Wizard (Striker/Controller).

** The Psionic Fist and Sacred Fist prestige classes is a much better functioning examples.

In one corner, you have the SquishyWizard, supernaturally adept, but physically an utter weakling. In the other stands the KungFuWizard, who not only has supernatural powers, but is also a skilled martial artist. In fact, their martial arts practice facilitates the use of their powers, and may actually be [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower the source of them]]. This character can use both KiAttacks and FunctionalMagic, or blends them together until they're indistinguishable. The KungFuWizard is most often found in Chinese folklore, ''{{wuxia}}'' books and films, {{manga}}, and {{anime}}.

See also MagicKnight, where the wizard is trained in weapon-based combat rather than martial arts, SupernaturalMartialArts, where the kung fu is ''itself'' magic, and FullContactMagic, where the wizard doesn't actually know kung fu, but still needs to move around a lot to use magic. Surprisingly, unrelated to IKnowKungFu.

** And the brothers' trainer Izumi. Ed and Al are ''still'' scared of her.

* The very nature of combat in the {{Nasuverse}} demands that you have to be this trope if you want ''any'' of your hard-learnt spells to hit ''anything.'' Tohsaka Rin of FateStayNight and Kokuto Azaka of ''KaraNoKyoukai'' are equal parts deadly as magicians ''and'' warriors in their respective universes.
* Louie of ''RuneSoldierLouie''. Despite being the hero, he's terrible at both magic and swordsmanship, even though he was raised by the head of the mages guild, attended the mage academy for most of his life, and has trained in swordsmanship considerably with Genie. His only saving grace is that he is a very skilled brawler.

* In ''{{Exalted}}'', virtually any sorcerer character will be either this or a MagicKnight. It's technically ''possible'' to make a SquishyWizard, but since the game world assumes a certain amount of combat ability for all characters, you're just making life difficult for yourself if you do, and the core rules themselves warn against this. Also, since even non-sorcerers have access to magic in the form of Charms (Charm selection being a mandatory part of character creation), this technically applies to anyone who takes dots in Martial Arts, regardless of anything else. And that's not even going into the various [[SupernaturalMartialArts Supernatural Martial]] [[MartialArtsAndCrafts Arts And Crafts]]...

* ''{{Discworld}}'''s Mustrum Ridcully and Granny Weatherwax prefer [[BloodKnight crossbows]] or [[MundaneSolution no physical fighting at all]], respectively, but can still pummel the average villain or [[BarehandedBladeBlock stop a sword blow with one bare hand]]. (Granny's also demonstrated the ability to make a wooden spoon as sharp as a sword.) Lu-Tze is a more conventional user of this trope; between martial arts and the ability to slice time finely enough to [[spoiler:nearly]] outrun lightning, there's a reason for Rule One: "Never act incautiously when confronted by a little bald wrinkly smiling man!"

* Most [[{{MortalKombat}}]] kharakters could qualify as such. Quan Chi, Shang Tsun, and Shinnok are perhaps the most prominent examples.