Wizard, Mage, Warlock, Sorceror... what's the difference?

[Cael Darkhollow]

many of the terms imply evil magic users such as sorcerer, witch, warlock, necromancer, hag, lich for instance.
in the real world most terms are interchangeable because you can either do magic or you can't. A wizard is much the same as a soothsayer or warlock or alchemist or conjurer or enchanter.
In gaming the various synonyms for magic-user or spell caster have been turned into specialists of certain types of magic or different formal kinds of magic users.
occultists, spiritualists, necromancers, etc. supposedly deal with the afterlife and departed souls in the real world, but in gaming they deal with undead.
Curse, hex, jinx, incantation, spell, cantrip, dweomer, geas, spellcraft, cast, ensorcelled etc.

HeroQuest uses many of these same divisions as specific types of magic-users or categories of magic, but also uses terminology interchangeably as synonyms as well:
Game System
Wizard
sorcerer
Chaos Warlock
Chaos sorcerer
artifact
Melar, wizard (sorcerer)
Wardoz, wizard
Karlen, wizard
Chaos Magic
Balur, the fire mage
fire magic
Ollar the wizard
witch lord
Zargon, the evil sorcerer
Telor the wizard
Mentor, the good and ancient sage
Alchemist
Air Spell
Earth Spell
Water Spell
Fire Spell
Chaos Spell


Kellar's Keep
Evil Wizard
Magical Dwarven Forge
Enchanted suits of armor
Gragor, an evil magician
Chaos Sorcerer
Magic Armor
Chaos Sorcerer Petrokk
Chaos Warlock Borokk
Magical Darkness
Witch Lord
artifacts
Chaos Spell
Chaos Warlock
spell scrolls
Zargon, evil sorcerer
Alchemist's shop
Postion of Restoration
Potion of Dexterity
Venom Antidote
Potion of Battle
genie spell scroll

Return of the Witch Lord
Witch Lord
Kessandria the Witch Queen
Chaos Sorcerer

Against the Ogre Horde
"Morcar magically conjured"
Festral, Chaos Sorcerer
Nexrael, apprentice Chaos Sorcerer
Xenloth the Chaos Mage, Festral's assistant
Magical arts
Chaos Spell
"Drawing from a magical pool of Chaos power."
Evil Wizard
potion of healing
artifacts
magical laboratory
Chaos Warlock

Mage of the Mirror
Sinestra, the archmage
Alchemist's Shop
Potion of Vision
Potion of Restoration
Potion of Recall
Potion of Speed
Mystical crystal orb
magical armor
High Alchemist's laboratory
Chaos spells
Chaos Warlock
Tormuk the Necromancer
Elf spells
Mirror magic
Chaos Spellcaster
spellcaster
artifact

The Frozen Horror
Alchemist's shop
potion of battle rage
potion of icy strength
potion of frost skin
potion of rejuvenation
chaos spells
Chaos Warlock
Vilor, Chaos Warlock

Adventure Design Kit
The Deathmaster, Chaos Sorcerer
evil wizard
Witch Lord
Alchemist's bench


Wizards of Morcar
Zanrath, HIgh Mage of Sarako
Fanrax the Malicious, Necromancer
Boroush, the Storm Master "Boroush commands great elemental forces"
Grawshak, Orc Shaman
these four individuals above are all referred to as sorcerers and wizards by Morcar and on the spell cards
Chaos sorcerer
Chaos Magic
evil wizard
Evil Sorcerer
Potion of Alchemy
Potion of charm
Potion of Magic Resistance
Potion of Magical Aptitude
Spells of detection
Spells of Protection
Spells of Darkness

[iKarith]

I liked the flavor from the old Dragonlance novels that Raistlin was (by his friends) known to be at least part time magician himself. He had real power enough, but between his first deal with Fistandantilus and his second, the mage simply didn't have the strength to use magic when a little sleight of hand and chicanery would suffice.

Dragonlance was simplistic in a lot of ways—it was relatively early—it was genre-defining like LotR and Heroquest were for me, and I suspect I'm not alone.

I managed not to write a post about alchemy's law of equivalent exchange. Almost…

[Kurgan]

Oh yeah, then there's the question of magic itself. Is there "magic" and "chaos magic"? If this was Star Wars, I'd ask is there a "Dark Side" and a "Light Side" or just a Dark Side (Para-force/parasite on the Force)? Or are these just "points of view" (say the evil Sith) and it only matters how you use it?

Or is it just magic and the intention of the user? In various interpretations of magic on earth, there was "black magic" and "white magic." The evil and the good, depending upon the source (powers of Hell or Heaven). Other views of magic are that it was a natural force built into the universe, hence was neutral. Another view is that natural forces are one thing but spirits are another. Calling upon spirits, to some, was a forbidden action, hence, always evil. To others, it depends upon the spirit... a good spirit (soul of a good person, angelic being) is acceptable for a good purpose, while an evil spirit (soul of wicked person, demonic being) would be considered evil, regardless of the purpose.

Then again there are also stories of "good" people calling upon evil spirits forcing them to do menial tasks and it not being seen as evil (only dangerous, if the spirit could overpower the virtue or wisdom of the summoner).

Decide in your game universe what rules apply. "Warlock" sounds scary, but "sorcery" sounds evil and scary to some and to others just generic like "wizard." Really depends on the lore you're drawing from. If you're making it up, it can be whatever you want.

In one version of the universe the idea is that these powers are not for use by mortals and so are off the table, but in another its like science. Just because you build an explosive doesn't mean you're necessarily evil, but its risky and how it is used is the moral question.