History Main / NotThatKindOfMage

* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBros'': After [[spoiler: 24's death, 21]] asks Doctor Orpheus, a self-proclaimed {{Necromancer}}, to resurrect him, stating "That is the definition of necromancer!" Orpheus explains the "Necromancer" title really only exists because the other words for his craft all sound silly by modern standards. However, this [[SeriesContinuityError contradicts]] his efforts to resurrect the Venture brothers at the beginning of season two, where he specifically mentioned others he'd raised from the dead.

[[folder: Western Animation]]

** Warlockry allows one to rearrange the matter with their own mind; by communing with an Eldrich Horror (probably) that eventually eats the magic user (most likely).
*** At one point one villain discovers that there is ''another'' warlock power source that seems not to have any Eldrich Horror so a warlock who stays near this one and far from the original one gets safe and unlimited power. [[spoiler:Although there is no Eldritch Horror in this new source, getting too powerful from it eventually gets you detected by the horror from the original source, despite the distance.]]

* In most ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' settings, most commoners are not expected to know the difference between a Wizard and a Sorcerer. This will probably get even more confusing to them when you include non-core full casters, like the Beguiler (a stealthy illusionist expert) or a Warmage (whose only spells that aren't straight up blasting are the "Light" cantrip, doing ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin, and Elemental summoning spells, which call up destructive embodiments of the classical elements). And there are mage-like classes who do things that aren't strictly casting spells, like the Tome of Magic classes (with the Binder -- which lets himself be possessed by spirits for power in exchange for being influenced -- it is even pointed out that while wizards and priests knows the difference and generally dislikes them, to the average peasant it's just a matter of welcoming the ones with healing hands and chasing away the ones with horns) and the two invocation classes...
** And let's not forget mages who specialize in different schools of magic. A sorcerer who specializes in divination magic probably knows nothing about transmutation.
** TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}} takes it up a notch. It has the traditional D&D core casters, but then adds in the Witch (a debuff/mezzer with light damage and healing), the Alchemist, the Summoner (a medium-duty caster with a pet monster), the Inquisitor (a leader-type hybrid of rogue/cleric), the Magus (a hybrid wizard/fighter), and the Oracle (a sorcerer-like divine caster) to the Core classes. Most of the old 3.X line is also compatible. It can overwhelm new players but also allow old players very different takes on the generic "caster" variants.
*** For bonus points there are specializations that seem intentionally designed to let you fake your way through pretending to be a different kind of caster. The most blatant example being the Sorcerer "arcane" bloodline, which grants the standard analysis spells favored by wizards, a wizard familiar, extra knowledge specialties, and the ability to use certain magic-related feats in a manner that looks like how a wizard uses them. Slap an oversized book of gibberish in your inventory and take advantage of bluff being a class skill and most '''wizards''' will think the character is a wizard.

* The ''TabletopGame/ChroniclesOfDarkness'' features a wide array of wizards and sorcerers having very little in common with one another. Putting aside the fact most of the supernatural critters such as vampires and werewolves often practice their own rituals and FunctionalMagic ''in addition'' to the various innate superhuman abilities they all have, ''human'' Mages themselves cover Thaumaruges/Hedgewitches (regular mortal occultists who just happen to know and practice rites that have some power), Proximi (basically a {{Mutant}}s kind of mages whose abilities are InTheBlood and who can only cast a few spells) and [[TabletopGame/MageTheAwakening Awakened]] (humans who gained EnlightenmentSuperpowers and are insanely powerful, capable of knowing dozens of spell even at their lowest and even ''creating'' their own).
** Not helped by the presence of two whole splats who just may have Posing As Someone Else as their hat. [[TabletopGame/ChangelingTheLost Changelings]] are ProperlyParanoid thus disinclined to give themselves away, and have access not only to their fae-like very magic-type powers, but to [[BazaarOfTheBizarre Goblin Markets]] where literally anything can be bought and sold if the price is right, not just single spells or other flashy effects but, depending on your Storyteller, even the ability to become another kind of supernatural, temporary or permanently. And then there are [[TabletopGame/DemonTheDescent Demons]], who in their new iteration use "exploiting the rules of the universe as a computer system" - powers, which is magic by slightly other name (and works VERY similar to what a Paradox-conscious, subtle mage would do), and possess perfect innate protection against any attempt to discern the lies from truths from them, mundane and supernatural. Which obviously makes them a little less than trustworthy to anyone in the know; which in turn gives them so much more motivation to avoid giving themselves out. To top it off, they literally wear other persons as Cover, with the mechanics for that; using another supernatural splat as Cover is tricky but definitely not unheard of.

* Uncommon but still present in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft''. Mages, how many times have you been asked for a soulstone or summon? Warlocks, how many times have you been asked for a portal or food and water? Come on, we all know it's happened at least once.
** Due to some classes having to chose to specialize in only one of multiple potential roles this would happen to many non mage classes. A druid may be invited to a party to heal when he has allocated all his talents to becoming a giant bear and mauling people, or to do damage when he had specialized in being a slow moving healing tree that couldn't even cast offensive magic in his preferred form. The Wrath of the Lich King expansion lowered the occurrence of this by allowing classes to specify which roles they could perform when looking for a group.
*** With the advent of Dual Specialization (being able to have two talent setups that the player can switch between at will), tanking and healing classes can still be hit with this. Generally the inactive talents are for one of those roles but some players use their inactive page for a PlayerVersusPlayer setup.

*** Possibly averted in that Belgarath himself later in the series explains that all of these different magics come from the same source and talent and that the differences are, ultimately, cultural. Specifically Sorcerers were taught by Gods[[note]]Technically Sorcery doesn't ''have'' to be taught -- the heroes encounter someone who stumbled on Sorcery all on his own late in the Malloreon. The problems is that Sorcery have rules and limitations, and someone who isn't taught by someone who already knows those rules would tend to eventually break one without knowing it and die.[[/note]] and use pure Will to make things happen, Magicians use the Will to summon and (fail to) control demons, Witches use the Will to ask natural Spirits to intercede on their behalf (the aforementioned spell components being offerings to said spirits). And Wizards also do... something... with the Will.

[[folder: Tabletop Games]]

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles''' Harry Dresden gets this a lot, even though his ad in the Yellow Pages states specifically what he will or won't do. Some of these are actual magical limitations, while others he follows according to his personal code or the laws of the White Council. And he doesn't do parties.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBros'': After [[spoiler: 24's death, 21]] asks Doctor Orpheus, a self-proclaimed {{Necromancer}}, to resurrect him, stating "That is the definition of what you do!" Orpheus explains the "Necromancer" title really only exists because the other words for his craft all sound silly by modern standards. However, this [[SeriesContinuityError contradicts]] his efforts to resurrect the Venture brothers at the beginning of season two, where he specifically mentioned others he'd raised from the dead.

** Beyond that, there are Witches (well, ''a'' witch). She even gets the differences confused at one point, asking Belgarath to perform a spell that she can't, then offering him the use of any spell components he needs (sorcery is a completely mental thing). There also exist wizards (Only one of whom is ever named, but an entire city of them exists at Kell), but the reader never sees any wizardry, and thus has no idea what ''they'' do. One of the sorcerers remarks on people's inability to keep the various varieties of magic straight, noting that most people take everything they've ever heard about any of them, and lump it all together with the assumption that any person who is capable of any of that fantastic stuff is capable of doing ''all'' of it.

* In the ''Literature/CircleOfMagic'' series ambient magic can be very difficult to recognize, especially the rarer versions. Due to her lack of traditional mage traits (making things move, seeing images in the flame) most people assumed that Tris was possessed by demon, until it was revealed that she was an ambient weather mage.

* In ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'', people occasionally confuse Espers and Magicians, resulting in a couple of attempts to develop esper powers by studying magic. However, actual magicians and residents of Academy City can usually tell the difference at a glance. More thorough confusion concerns the main character, who is neither.

** Ponder Stibbons represents a major break from accepted tradition at Unseen University. In the vanguard of a younger new wave of magic users, he spurns the old dribbly-candle, stuffed alligator and potions-made-from-miscellaneous-animal-glands school of thought for a more scientifically rigorous approach to the magical art. Indeed, science comes before magic in his priorities. He has never been seen to carry a staff, favours a drab olive-green robe with a hood, and, to the despair and bewilderment of his elders, is keener on ''co-operation'' with his peers rather than magical warfare. He also forgets to eat when something more interesting is going on, and remains pretty skinny and nerdy in a place full of three-hundred-pounder big eaters.