<p>This limiter is in place because high-end mages' powers become <em>so</em> powerful that they can present a danger simply by being unrestrained.</p>

<p>When a group of mages are in close proximity, or are working together, they <em>must</em> be limited. Because of their high amount of power, this much energy (mana) in one area would endanger the fabric of time-space (the series's equivalent of <em>space–time</em>).<sup><a href="http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/Limiter" rel="nofollow">[<em>Nanoha</em> Wiki]</a></sup> So consider, if mages were to be allowed to remove these limiters without consent of the <a href="http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/TSAB" rel="nofollow">TSAB</a>, they may do it unscrupulously, which could lead to unpredictable damage.</p>

<p>This is compared to a parallel in real life, where incredibly powerful weapons are sealed away for emergency; not every soldier on the battlefield has a rocket launcher because that would just lead to destruction (and high costs!).</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>This is similar to how a normal organization is restricted from carrying excessive weaponry during normal missions, only using such equipment in times of emergency.<sup><a href="http://asnano.wordpress.com/2007/10/07/nanoha-strikers-dvd-3-booklet/" rel="nofollow">[DVD Booklet translation]</a></sup></p>
</blockquote>

<p>TV Tropes calls this <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AwesomenessIsVolatile" rel="nofollow">Awesomeness Is Volatile</a>, stating that "<em>they'd run the risk of having their sheer combined power potentially warping the fabric of reality</em>" and "<em>[Hayate, Nanoha, and Fate] alone pretty much constitute an army</em>".</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-03-30T18:50:44.967Z
2013-03-30T18:50:44.967Z
Cattua
<p>In Nanoha StrikerS (season 3), several of the high-end mages had <a href="http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/Limiter" rel="nofollow">limiters</a> imposed on them to limit their power output thereby reducing their mage rank levels:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/Nanoha_Takamachi" rel="nofollow">Nanoha Takamachi</a> - S+ reduced to AA.</li>
<li><a href="http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/Fate_Testarossa" rel="nofollow">Fate Testarossa</a> - S+ reduced to AA.</li>
<li><a href="http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/Hayate_Yagami" rel="nofollow">Hayate Yagami</a> - SS reduced to A.</li>
<li><a href="http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/Lutecia_Alpine" rel="nofollow">Lutecia Alphine</a> - S reduced to D?</li>
</ul>

<p>The purpose of the limiters was to limit the damage that could be caused to a small area and possibly to protect the mages themselves from overexerting.</p>

<p>Furthermore, limiters can only be removed by a high-ranked official.</p>

<p>With the exception of Lutecia (who was a captured antagonist), why were the mages not trusted to remove their own limiters if their purpose was to prevent <strong>accidental</strong> collateral damage?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-01T17:58:39.703Z
If they could remove it themselves, what would be the point of even having a limiter?
Tim
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-01T18:02:20.077Z
The limiters are there to prevent **accidental** misuse. It's like a safety lock for guns. There to prevent misfiring. But when you need it, you are free to remove it.
Mysticial
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-01T19:58:10.133Z
I have a feeling it's to limit damage if they 'accidentally' go rogue.  Similar to how the military requires weapons to be checked-out of an armory (and ICBMs need multiple people to be launched).
Clockwork-Muse
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-03T17:08:09.873Z
I took it to be because the mages are like walking nuclear weapons (probably more destructive in the case of a really angry S+ mage). I'm sure any military command would feel safer with a lock on their strategic weapons!
Martin
<nanoha>
Why aren't mages trusted to remove their own limiters?
# Why aren't mages trusted to remove their own limiters?
Posted by: username_0 on 2013-01-31
In Nanoha StrikerS (season 3), several of the high-end mages had [limiters](http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/Limiter) imposed on them to limit their power output thereby reducing their mage rank levels:

* [Nanoha Takamachi](http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/Nanoha_Takamachi) - S+ reduced to AA.
* [Fate Testarossa](http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/Fate_Testarossa) - S+ reduced to AA.
* [Hayate Yagami](http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/Hayate_Yagami) - SS reduced to A.
* [Lutecia Alphine](http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/Lutecia_Alpine) - S reduced to D?

The purpose of the limiters was to limit the damage that could be caused to a small area and possibly to protect the mages themselves from overexerting.

Furthermore, limiters can only be removed by a high-ranked official.

With the exception of Lutecia (who was a captured antagonist), why were the mages not trusted to remove their own limiters if their purpose was to prevent **accidental** collateral damage?
**Tags:** nanoha
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: If they could remove it themselves, what would be the point of even having a limiter?  
> **username_0**: The limiters are there to prevent **accidental** misuse. It's like a safety lock for guns. There to prevent misfiring. But when you need it, you are free to remove it.  
> **username_2**: I have a feeling it's to limit damage if they 'accidentally' go rogue.  Similar to how the military requires weapons to be checked-out of an armory (and ICBMs need multiple people to be launched).  
> **username_3**: I took it to be because the mages are like walking nuclear weapons (probably more destructive in the case of a really angry S+ mage). I'm sure any military command would feel safer with a lock on their strategic weapons!  
---
## 1 answers
### Answer by username_4 on 2013-03-30. Score: 3 | Accepted answer
This limiter is in place because high-end mages' powers become *so* powerful that they can present a danger simply by being unrestrained.

When a group of mages are in close proximity, or are working together, they *must* be limited. Because of their high amount of power, this much energy (mana) in one area would endanger the fabric of time-space (the series's equivalent of *space–time*).[[*Nanoha* Wiki]](http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/Limiter) So consider, if mages were to be allowed to remove these limiters without consent of the [TSAB](http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/TSAB), they may do it unscrupulously, which could lead to unpredictable damage.

This is compared to a parallel in real life, where incredibly powerful weapons are sealed away for emergency; not every soldier on the battlefield has a rocket launcher because that would just lead to destruction (and high costs!).

> This is similar to how a normal organization is restricted from carrying excessive weaponry during normal missions, only using such equipment in times of emergency.[[DVD Booklet translation]](http://asnano.wordpress.com/2007/10/07/nanoha-strikers-dvd-3-booklet/)

TV Tropes calls this [Awesomeness Is Volatile](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AwesomenessIsVolatile), stating that "*they'd run the risk of having their sheer combined power potentially warping the fabric of reality*" and "*[Hayate, Nanoha, and Fate] alone pretty much constitute an army*".
---
