From a tactical standpoint, it makes absolutely no sense to be stuck with the weapon you are equipped with if you have others available in combat with your Sovereign/Champion/Henchman. . If you get into a situation where a lone Water Mage champion equipped with an Ice Staff gets ambushed by an Ice Elemental, to be able to switch weapons to cope, say, to a possessed Inferno Staff or even a Long Sword. is better than getting slaughtered and forced to waste 5 turns immobilized in a city, along with some lingering injury, until you can find a potion to cure it. On a different matter that occurs to me, it would make sense that a Champion with at least Mage level Life books should be able to cast a spell to cure lingering injuries, and most certainly an Archmage.