Line #57 PlayingWith/SquishyWizard


1	'''Basic Trope''': A character possessing powerful mystical abilities is physically weak.
2	* '''Straight''': [[WizardClassic Matthias Longbeard]] is a powerful sorcerer, but he's not so great in close combat.
3	* '''Exaggerated''':
4	** Matthias controls vast amount of elemental forces, but can't run up a flight of stairs to save his life.
5	** Whenever Matthias, [[RealityWarping the master of reality itself]], gets [[FingerPokeOfDoom poked]], he [[CherryTapping explodes]].
6	* '''Downplayed''':
7	** Matthias isn't physically weak, but he lacks training in martial arts.
8	** The entire cast consists of mages, and while Matthias is the most powerful spellcaster, his physical strength enhancing magic is weaker then that of his companions.
9	** In hand to hand combat Matthias is UnskilledButStrong, which makes him a weaker compared to his LightningBruiser companions, who not only are strong but very skilled in hand to hand combat.
10	** Matthias has a number of defensive spells, but they all require conscious effort to use. In battle he can tank numerous attacks, but can still be killed by a single surprise attack.
11	* '''Justified''':
12	** Matthias has been in the wizarding business for a while and age has caught up with him.
13	** Studying magic tends to involve spending countless hours in dusty libraries, so Matthias never got a chance to exercise.
14	** For whatever reason, [[ArmorAndMagicDontMix wearing armor is counter-productive to wielding magic]], so Matthias doesn't wear any. The result is this trope.
15	** Matthias is a [[OurLichesAreDifferent lich]], so his body is highly decayed.
16	** Matthias specializes in magic that gradually [[CastFromLifeSpan decays]] [[CastFromHitPoints his body]]. His weakness is the result of using such magic.
17	** Matthias became too old or [[GameBreakingInjury too injured]] to participate in physical combat but he still wishes to help his team, so he turned to studying magic instead.
18	** Matthias has always been physically feeble, which was a pretty big obstacle for somebody who wanted to be an adventurer. So he started studying magic in order to be capable of achieving his dreams.
19	* '''Inverted''':
20	** KungFuWizard
21	** MagicallyIneptFighter
22	** MagicKnight
23	** Matthias can use magic to render himself NighInvulnerable.
24	** Matthias is great at defending himself, [[StoneWall but lacks strong offensive spells]].
25	* '''Subverted''':
26	** In times of great need, Matthias can [[TookALevelInBadass summon the ability]] to become a KungFuWizard.
27	** Matthias happens to have a pretty good defensive spell that keeps him alive.
28	** [[WeakButSkilled Matthias is as skinny as a stick, but he's also a black belt, which more than makes up for it]].
29	** Physically speaking, Matthias is a total damage sponge with average to slightly above average combat skills, making him a StoneWall, factor in his magic and he's a MightyGlacier. Evulz, being WrongGenreSavvy, pays dearly for this as his army is slaughtered for focusing exclusively on him.
30	* '''Double Subverted''':
31	** Except after he uses these abilities, Matthias requires a 12-hour rest to regain full strength.
32	** Matthias's weakness is speed, so Evulz's FragileSpeedster mooks slowly chop away at Matthias, wearing him down, and forcing his teammates to rush in to prevent him from being taken out.
33	* '''Parodied''':
34	** [[PhysicalGod Matthias can control time and space, disintegrating enemies with a flick of his wrist.]] [[WeaksauceWeakness But if you so much as nudge him, he'll fall over in a crumpled heap.]]
35	** Matthias is squishy... as in he's so soft that he can be defeated [[SquashedFlat like this]].
36	* '''Zig Zagged''':
37	** Matthias is as vulnerable or invincible as the plot demands -- in one episode he can be injured only by special magic weapons and in the next he trips over a pebble and breaks his foot so his comrades must take on the next dungeon without him.
38	** Despite being a burly, square-jawed {{Hunk}}, Matthias almost never uses his strength in combat, preferring to use magic: he works out because he likes being muscular. That's not to say he ''can't'' throw a punch if cornered, though.
39	* '''Averted''':
40	** Matthias uses buff spells to become stronger.
41	** Matthias regularly exercises at least an hour a day, so he's actually pretty fit for a wizard.
42	* '''Enforced''': "This wizard character is too strong. We need to weaken him a bit."
43	* '''Lampshaded''': "I'm guessing Matthias skipped gym class. A lot."
44	* '''Invoked''':
45	** Matthias is told to stay in the back of the party's attack formation, keeping him out of the line of fire while giving him some range for his spells.
46	** ThePowersThatBe, when creating magic, made it so that great magical power decays the user's body so that no one magic user could grow too powerful.
47	* '''Exploited''':
48	** Emperor Evulz recognizes Matthias' power. He orders his minions to focus their attacks on Matthias. Matthias is wiped out quickly as a result.
49	** MageKiller
50	* '''Defied''':
51	** Emperor Evulz recognizes Matthias' power. He orders his minions to focus their attacks on Matthias. Turns out it was all a XanatosGambit made up by Matthias: by focusing his henchmen on Matthias, the rest of the party can focus on him. The other way around would have taken longer, and while still doable, this way is more direct. Also, [[KungFuWizard Matthias is plenty capable of holding his own in a massive melee with or without his magic]], thank you very much.
52	** Matthias's mentor made him spend almost as much time exercising and practicing physical combat as he did learning magic, specifically so that he wouldn't die if he couldn't get to a spell fast enough.
53	** Matthias has learned magical means of protecting himself from physical harm. Sure, you could ''technically'' knock him out in one punch, but only after breaking through a shielding spell designed to withstand siege engines.
54	* '''Discussed''': "It seems weird that this guy can fire lightning, but a backhand takes him down just like that."
55	* '''Conversed''': ???
56	* '''Implied''': Matthias is never seen in physical combat, but his comrades work very hard to keep enemies away from him in a fight.
57	** Every time the party gathers at some location, Matthias arrives last and is visibly winded.
58	* '''Deconstructed''':
59	** [[BigBad Emperor Evulz]] recognizes Matthias' power. He orders his minions to focus their attacks on Matthias. Matthias wipes out much of the minions with his powerful magic, but he is eventually [[ZergRush overpowered by the sheer numbers]] and beaten to death.
60	** Matthias encounters an enemy who wields AntiMagic.
61	* '''Reconstructed''': Matthias's physical fragility is why he always travels with a couple of StoneWall brawlers.
62	* '''Played For Laughs''':
63	** Matthias casts a powerful spell at a large group of enemies and kills all of them... except for one brute [[NoSell who the spell barely scratched]]. Matthias ScreamsLikeALittleGirl and runs away.
64	** FourthWallObserver Matthias spends an entire episode [[LevelGrinding grinding levels to put more points into his defense stat]]. To great confusion and/or chagrin from his teammates.
65	* '''Played For Drama''': Matthias finds himself alone and unable to use his magic. And the MageKiller is on his way to finish the job.
66	----
67	Back to SquishyWizard...but click gently or--OHGOD, What have you done!? What did that link ever do to you? Run! I can't go to jail again!
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69	%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
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Context PlayingWith / SquishyWizard