The Scientist Wizard

Ashtar pulled on his robe, ensuring it sat comfortable across his shoulders, and covered his clothing. He slid on a set of rings, one silver one gold, and clicked them together thrice to activate them. He hung a medallion around his neck, and turned the facing until it clicked. There was a whir of energy, and then clean, sweet air puffed around his nose. He took a deep breath, and then opened the small sack he'd laid on his work bench.

"It is the seventh day of the new lunar month," Ashtar said aloud, listening to the scrolling of the quill as it scritched across a parchment that floated nearby in the air. "Astronomical charts show the planes should be aligned. Initial tests at communication have been met with strong signals from the celestial plane. Fresh bone meal, and blood harvested from white doves, has been laid aside for the inscription circle. Preparations begin precisely one hour before noon."

The record thus begun, Ashtar gestured with one hand. And invisible force dipped bone meal from the bag, and began laying it out in a pattern on the floor. He focused, making careful movements to guide the spell, ensuring the shape was ideal. Using a mage hand for this task ensured no contamination from the wizard's sweat or skin, but it was... less than ideal for such delicate work.

The Only Difference is The Hat

What is the difference between a wizard and a scientist, really? They both wear a protective robe when engaged in field work, they both have educations in eldrictch and difficult-to-grasp concepts, they've both been amateurs and academy graduates, and they always seem to turn up in the strangest places pursuing their studies and discoveries.

For all these similarities, though, it seems relatively rare to actually play a wizard as if they were a scientist.

This is not to say playing a wizards who buys into the whole, "magic isn't real, the gods are fake," stereotype that I've dubbed the Fantasy Flat-Earther. Instead the idea is to treat a wizard like a professional schooled in laboratory practices for the arcane sciences. And this mostly comes down to roleplaying, and dropping little bits of trivia and factoids about your wizard's area of expertise.

For example, if you're playing a conjurer, consider the specific designs and materials associated with calling to another plane of existence, or folding space and time between here and there. A simple explanation regarding resonance between planes, the materials used to craft a circle (and how they respond to different types of creatures), and even the specific symbols one has to use might make one feel more like combination of a surveyor, a sound design technician, and a metallurgist. A wizard who brews potions may chant as they work, explaining that the rhyme has nothing to do with imbuing the brew with power, and everything to do with keeping time in the field where there isn't a clock one can glance at. Illusionists might remark on how different species will require different tricks due to their unusual senses, discussing how an illusion that will fool a human's eyes will fall apart under elven or orc scrutiny. Evokers may even use different languages when casting certain spells because the rhythm and cadence simply results in a different kind of blast, for reasons that may not make sense to anyone who didn't graduate from the Academy of Destruction.

A Good Game Master Helps A Lot

What really makes this concept sing is having a Game Master who is willing to play out the line for you so that you can get weird with it. While that does require more work from the GM from time to time, it can also make the game world feel more immersive and interesting with the Scientist here to explain things to the party.

As an example, think of an abjurer as a safecracker. When they come across wards in a location, rather than just stating the name and strength of the spell, the GM could ask for History checks, or fill in the gaps based on the wizard's previous education. Perhaps the ward hearkens back to those used by the Starovan Council, a now-defunct school of magic whose methods have been partially lost. Alternatively, the way a spell is woven through an ancient suit of armor could give clues about its origin and purpose, allowing a wizard to deduce through Spellcraft checks that this was worn by the personal guard of the Lion Emperor, as the protections are geared specifically toward the kinds of enemies he would have faced at the time.

This isn't strictly necessary to make the concept work, but it can really enhance your fun if your have a GM who's willing to meet you in the middle as you use your knowledge, spells, and instruments to explore the world in ways others may not even think to!

Additional Reading Suggestions

If you enjoyed this concept and you'd like to find some fun material to add to it, consider checking out the following:

- 100 Superstitions For a Fantasy Setting: Perhaps investigating odd beliefs is a passion of your wizard... especially since a lot of them turn out to be true, albeit for totally unexpected reasons.

- 100 Secret Societies: Whether your wizard is part of an arcane foundation, or they serve a shadowy agenda, this can give you all kinds of inspiration going forward.

- 100 Fantasy Professions (That Aren't "Adventurer"): This is one of those sticking points with so many characters. If you don't want to be lumped in with other so-called "adventurers," and you don't want to just go by your class title (or your class name makes no sense as a profession), you'll find all kinds of options in here!

Looking For Even More Content?

That's all for this installment of my Unusual Character Concepts series! Hopefully this one gave you something to chew over, whether you're a player, or a game master.

For even more of my work, check out my full Vocal archive. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, or my most recent collection of short stories The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider either Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Or if you want to get all of that in one place, check out my LinkTree instead!