History Main / ShootTheMageFirst

* In ''[[Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar By The Sword]]'', Kerowyn advises this to the Valdemarans, to whom magic and mages are an OutsideContextProblem. Helpfully, her sword has AntiMagic properties.

* In the ''Literature/TortallUniverse'', Kel often remembers her teacher's advice: When in doubt, shoot the Wizard.

* In "VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammer", almost every faction (the exceptions being Khorne and the Dwarfs, with the later still having a spellcaster adjacent character that uses a different than typical method) has access to the Winds of Magic (essentially an army's mana). Thus a spellcaster is pretty much an auto-include since that resource is available automatically and for free. For the most part, these characters tend to be fairly weak, but they tend to have a proportionally massive effect on the battlefield owing to the damage they can dish out, the buffs/nerfs they can apply, and the healing they can provide for much more dangerous units. Thus taking these guys out both limits the support they can provide an enemy and renders their Winds of Magic useless. However, some are more hybrid in nature acting as both a caster and combat character, or they have access to potent mounts, like a dragon. Though removing these characters tends to also be helpful as they typically are very expensive in terms of the points system the game utilizes to build armies.

* ''VideoGame/PAYDAYTheHeist'' and ''VideoGame/PAYDAY2'' has an EliteMook known as the Cloaker, which specializes in running at high speed, and the ability to instantly incapacitate a player with a takedown kick. A single Cloaker has the capacity to wipe out the entire team and multiple Cloakers are a disaster waiting to happen. As of the Hoxton Housewarming Party for the second game in 2016, Cloakers are relatively high on the "must kill" list for players, and are placed just before the [[ShootTheMedicFirst Medic Unit]] added in said event on that list. Cloakers have pretty average health and suffer tremendous damage when [[BoomHeadShot shot in the head]].

* In ''Dungeoneers'', it's always advisable to kill the mages among the monsters you fight first, as they can do things like drop Fireballs upon you, buff enemy attack and defense, and even summon new enemies upon the field if left alone for too long. Thankfully, most mage enemies only take one hit to kill.

* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' features two different types of mecha, including {{Real Robot}}s and {{Super Robot}}s. Because super robots can dish out and absorb tons of punishment at melee distance, and real robots are smaller, more fragile, and more built for ranged combat, the real robots would be the most likely target to either take down or protect compared to their super robot counterparts.
* Killing the casters first is a good rule to follow in ''VideoGame/DungeonsAndDragonsOnline'', given the general danger of spellcasters in D&D in general.

* Noted to be inverted by [[MageKiller Jedi hunters]], or at least former Jedi hunter [[spoiler: Atton Rand]], during the [[VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic Jedi Civil War]] in ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords''. Rather than attack [[MagicKnight Jedi]] directly, it was far safer and more effective to gun down their {{Muggle}} allies first to mess with the Jedi's head. Shooting them in a way that wasn't ''immediately'' fatal, but most definitely would become such if they didn't get treatment soon, was the best way.
* A more traditional ''Franchise/StarWars'' example is in the early portions of ''VideoGame/JediKnightJediAcademy''. Early variants of the Reborn enemies are split between red-orange-clad ones who use lightsabers and blue-green-clad ones who use Force powers. While the former can only occasionally reach out beyond melee distance with a rare [[ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks saber throw]], the latter get ''insane'' abilities with the Force that can shut down any attempt to fight back against the saber-wielding one until you remove him from the equation.

* ''VideoGame/BaldursGate'': Mages are so powerful that it is strongly advised you kill, disintegrate, swarm with insects or otherwise nullify them as quickly as possible, if not more so. The druid spell ''Insect Plague'' is very useful when confronted with multiple mages, especially if you know the fight is coming and begin casting the spell before they engage.
* Common advice for ''VideoGame/GrimGrimoire'', especially where Grimalkin are concerned. Your rampaging dragon or chimera won't last long after a tiny cat mage puts it to sleep.
* The DualBoss fights of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG'' usually had a wizardy character paired with a more physical character (Grate Guy/Knife Guy, Domino/Cloaker, etc.) The wizard character was almost always much easier to take down (and usually had more annoying and/or damaging attacks to boot).
* ''VideoGame/DarkestDungeon'':
** In general, any rearliners on your enemy's side that can move your party around and dump a ton of stress on them should be the first to die. Said rearliners will also frequently have higher dodge stats than other enemies (such as the Madman, who can inflict Horror on everyone in the party) in order to frustrate any attempts to put them down first.
** This is the main gimmick of the Brigand Cannon boss battle. If you don't take out or stun the respawning Matchman each turn, he'll light the cannon and BOOOOOOOOOM! About three quarters of your party's health is gone in a flash. There's a chance it misfires, but it's extremely slim.
** Subverted when fighting the Swine King, [[spoiler:as killing Wilbur (the aforementioned mage) will piss the king off so badly he'll start hitting your entire party at once with horrifically powerful attacks, often leading to a TotalPartyKill. So ''don't'' touch Wilbur until the King's dead.]]
* ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsI'':
** In the Catacombs the {{Necromancer}}s don't respawn, but will resurrect the skeletons in their area (unless slain by a holy weapon) as long as they are alive. Therefore even if you have to fight through some skeletons first, the necromancers are top priority targets.
** In the Depths the Gaping Dragon battles is harder if you don't kill the Channeler first, as he not only fires magic at you from above, he buffs the dragon.
* Inverted in ''VideoGame/DarkSouls2'': If you kill the Skeleton Lord Pyromancer, he summons '''Wheel Skeletons''', therefore he should be the last one to be killed.
* ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII'' has the [[DualBoss Twin Princes]] boss fight. While you initially only fight [[TheBrute Prince Lorian]], after defeating him once his brother [[SquishyWizard Prince Lothric]] will teleport down to him, [[HealingHands revive him,]] and climb on his back. Lothric will then attack using magic from Lorian's back, and you must kill both brothers (who have separate health bars). If you kill Lorian without killing Lothric, Lothric will revive him again. Also a case of ShootTheMedicFirst.
* ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'': Bell-Ringing Women are always high priority targets, since they can either (depending on area) summon new enemies, or buff and resurrect nearby enemies. They are usually smart enough to hide themselves behind lots of enemies either way.
** Witches Of Hemwick can summon up to three Mad Ones, suicidal berserkers, every five seconds indefinitely. Killing them between harrowing fights with the Mad Ones is the only way to stop immediate and unending reinforcements.
* In ''Videogame/MechWarrior'' series, taking out the high-damage GlassCannon mechs like the Hollander II should be a priority. A Hollander II can handily slag mechs near its weight class courtesy of its shoulder-mounted BFG, but melts under return fire. Special mention goes to the Long Tom Artillery Tank unique to ''Mechwarrior Living Legends'', which can smite an enemy from beyond visual range but has [[CripplingOverspecialization no point defenses, armor, or speed]], [[DualModeUnit must anchor down]], and all but requires a TargetSpotter; once the distinctive boom of its 200kg cannon is heard, [[SilentRunningMode radar goes passive]] until the tank is taken out.
* A general standby for the {{MOBA}} genre is a similar sentiment of killing the "carry" first (what the genre's players actually refer to as "mage" characters tend to be at a lower priority). This is preferably in fights in the early game because this sets them behind while correspondingly giving yours more reign to pull past the enemy's. This is also preferable late in a match because they will usually [[MagikarpPower murder your entire team in short-order]] if you can't.
* ''VideoGame/PAYDAYTheHeist'' and ''VideoGame/PAYDAY2'' has an EliteMook known as the Cloaker, which specializes in running at high speed, and the ability to instantly incapacitate a player with a takedown kick. A single Cloaker has the capacity to wipe out the entire team and multiple Cloakers are a disaster waiting to happen. As of the Hoxton Housewarming Party for the second game in 2016, Cloakers are relatively high on the "must kill" list for players, and are placed just before the [[ShootTheMedicFirst Medic Unit]] added in said event on that list. Cloakers have pretty average health and suffer tremendous damage when [[BoomHeadShot shot in the head]].
* ''VideoGame/VandalHearts'' is notorious for this due to overlapping with ShootTheMedicFirst, especially on the second game where [[RealtimeWithPause both allies and enemies move simultaneously]]. Since mages can both fill the nuker and healer role at the same time, they are top priority targets eight times out of ten. Some complications arise if the mage is hanging back, so you have to bide your time until that unit is within targeting range. Furthermore, said mage must be killed in one turn to prevent it running back and healing himself (and others).

* For most ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' titles, if it's not enemies with white magic that [[ShootTheMedicFirst you're attacking first]], then it's enemy mages next on the list due to them having either powerful party wide hitting spells, [[StatusEffects using status magic to cripple you]], or both.
* ''VideoGame/{{Sundered}}'' has Eschaton Cultists. While most Eschaton enemies attack by getting up in the player’s face and bludgeoning them with CombatTentacles, Cultists will hang back and use their magical powers to summon walls that box the player in, as well as barely-visible energy balls that explode after a few seconds, dealing high damage. This makes them particularly dangerous during horde encounters, as the player may not see the energy balls thanks to all the other enemies that are swarming around and the Cultists themselves could be attacking you from several rooms away.
* ''VisualNovel/{{Sunrider}}'':
** PACT Support [[AMechByAnyOtherName Ryders]] overlap with this and ShootTheMedicFirst. They may be completely unarmed, but they can wreak havoc on your battle plans by healing their allies, removing status ailments from other PACT units, [[StatusEffects and inflicting those status effects on your party, leaving you vulnerable to the actual damage dealers]]. That they tend to hang out at the back of enemy formations and have powerful shields to protect them does not help.
** PACT carriers and assault carriers also need to be dealt with quickly, as they ''do'' have firepower [[EnemySummoner and they’ll also spawn new Ryders every turn until destroyed]]. They can even spawn more of the above PACT Supports.
* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'': Magic damage hits the Resistance stat instead of the Defense stat, and most units with strong Defense have weak Resistance, so enemy Mages are capable of blowing up your tanks fairly quickly if you let them. They're also ranged attackers and will usually prioritize attacking melee units who can't counterattack, so killing them on the Enemy Phase can be difficult. And many promoted Mages can also [[ShootTheMedicFirst Heal]]. Best to kill them quickly whenever possible.
* In ''Fire Emblem'''s co-genre codifier, the original ''VideoGame/ShiningForce'', enemy priority 1A is to go StraightForTheCommander as [[WeCannotGoOnWithoutYou his death is an instant loss for the player]], and if he is out of reach, ShootTheMageFirst. The GBA remake downgraded the Mage step, making ShootTheMedicFirst the second priority.
* In ''[[VideoGame/KingdomRush Legends of Kingdom Rush]]'', mage enemies are a top priority to kill thanks to having long range and dealing magic damage (which bypasses BodyArmorAsHitPoints and hits health directly), while also having irritating support capabilities. They all lack armor and tend to have relatively low health, which makes ranged units good at taking them out.

* In ''Dungeoneers'', it's always advisable to kill the mages among the monsters you fight first, as they can do things like drop Fireballs upon you, buff enemy attack attack and defense, and even summon new enemies upon the field if left alone for too long. Thankfully, most mage enemies only take one hit to kill.