I do love the way dnd wizards are so often basically doomed by the very nature of their class.
Sorcerers draw upon inherited magic for casting and all else. Usually passed down along their bloodline and sometimes gifted to them, the magic is innate. It's an intrinsic part of the very essence of who & what they are. To achieve deeper understanding of the power available to them, they have to search within for a better understanding of themselves, an inward journey of self discovery.
Warlocks are granted magic by their patrons, often in some sort of deal or pact. The potential and limits of their magic is determined by their patrons, their relationship, and perhaps the fine print of their initial agreement. To expand their power, they have to work in partnership with their patron, whether that means earning rewards or negotiating new deals.
But Wizards are academics. Their power is learned through study and exploration. To progress, they have to be the best student, the hardest working, the most diligent, the most ambitious. They have to want "it" more than their peers. They have to push boundaries again and again. They have to pursue esoteric knowledge and magic that may be unsafe or unstable with no reference, but they won't know until it goes wrong.
So they're taught that nigh constant quests for knowledge and continual growth is good, it's what's expected, what's necessary. So where are they supposed to stop? Where is the limit? If there is one, would they even recognize it after being trained--even raised--to continually surpass previous limits? How are they supposed to see & understand and accept that those last 15 "limits" were "good" to surpass but THIS one isn't?
And if they do recognize that, will they adhere? Will they be humble and satisfied and settle down to a life with the magic they've already mastered? Score some sweet tenure so they never have to do research ever again?
No!!! They're predisposed and doomed to endless hunger and hubristic downfall by their own mentors and the lives they lead and the very nature of their acquired power.
They're all fucked and I find that so sexy of them.
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR!!! IāM SAT!!!
and tbh if wizards are anything like mathematicians a bunch of em are just going to be studying incredibly arcane minutiae for their whole careers anyway
not every field of magic has "become God" at the end of its tech tree. Sometimes you just want to push the limits on arcane capacitors or whatever.
so true but Iām saying that even those wizards are in danger because the nature of their work is to push limits. they might never encounter a limit where the push is dangerous, but dedicating their lives to the pursuit of continual discovery is the problem in itself.
and if every limit has been safe to surpass before, why would they ever stop?
the subject of a wizardās study isnāt what saves them from this fate. itās their own desire and ability to be satisfied.
I think (& of course this is just my opinion on the western archetypal dnd wizard) that a wizard needs to have a purpose that isnāt discovery in & of itself. They need to be pursuing knowledge for the sake of something/someone concrete. Like the tags say, using it for their community is one example.
otherwise, there is no goal but discovery. so they have to keep discovering.
and whether that involves renowned & incredible feats or arcane minutiae, itās still that gnawing, hungry pursuit.
