This is an aesthetic question, rather than a stats question. I have searched the internet to find any mage armor that has sometime of metal plate attachments for the battle-mage look for my mage character, but I have come up dry. I read forums suggesting pauldron schematic attachments, but I do not think those exist. I cannot even find any pictures of mage-armor on the web. I have traveled to the armor schematic merchant in Val Royeaux, and found only leathery looking schematic armor. I am also discovering that some mage armors cannot be worn by the Qunari.
Does aesthetic metal plated armor exist for mages in Dragon Age Inquisition? If it exists, what must be done to obtain it?