What would you say is the historical or (more likely!) literary inspiration for the "Spellsword" class that we see in various TES titles?

Broadly, I'm looking at the peculiar mix of martial and magical prowess that the Spellsword class exemplifies. Of course, the class itself has changed from game to game, and there is that whole hornet's nest of a debate over the difference between a Spellsword and a Battlemage... But that's not what I'm interested in here.

What seems common to all iterations of the Spellsword class is mastery of both melee and magic, in roughly equal measure. A Spellsword is expected, apparently, to soften up a foe at a distance with spells, close in with blade, and perhaps finish off a foe with short-range magic.

Maybe it's my background experience with fantasy lit, but I have a hard time playing Spellswords because of this very versatility. Because they "break" the traditional distinction between warrior and wizard, it's hard for me to picture the character they are supposed to portray. It's like they're just grabbing the best of both worlds, and don't really have any weaknesses.

I figure, if someone can point me to some literary inspiration for the class, I might be able to get behind it a little more.

Failing that, can anyone help me see Spellswords in a different light? How do *you* play your Spellsword?

I was always under the impression that they either lean more to one side or they're equally good at both, but never as good as a pure mage/fighter.

At least that's how I always play them. My mage characters tend to be far more powerful and versatile than my spellswords/battlemages. I always saw them as the "true" adventuring/warrior mage. That is to say, I see "pure" mages as something closer to a scientist of their world. They probably don't have much combat experience and are less likely to go out adventuring. I can only see the truly powerful ones going out there as squishy they are with nothing but their spells and actually surviving that way. Spellswords on the other hand are mages who probably aren't as talented but make up for it with physical prowess. Or the other way around, a fighter who learned a bit about magic to cover for weaknesses.

I agree with monkeyemoness ... I've always played them as "mages who prefer to be fighting rather than researching" ... i.e, not learning through book-smarts, but by practical application. As a result mine in particular always tend to lean on their martial prowess to actually finish off opponents/protect themselves. But a shield spell and throwing fire and lightning at enemies first from a distance certainly helps.

I guess they're kind of like the old Bard class from D&D (not that I've ever played D&D so I could be wrong) ... jack-of-(both)-trades, master of neither.

Swordmage: Blades of the Moonsea

By: Richard Baker

If you are looking for a literary example of a Spellsword, part of the Forgotten Realms universe