This has probably been discussed before but I am to lazy to look in the archives...
My next character will be a wizard. I've got two concepts that I want to developp and both are axed toward a specific school. One concept is an Enchanter and the other one is an Evoker. I was wondering if there is a real advantage at taking a specialized school?
Is the extra spell slot really worth having to other shools banned from your repertoire?
Thanks for sharing your opinions and experience.
Cheers !
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You're likely to hear both answers. Really, either type of wizard is perfectly viable. I like specialists, myself, but you have to put thought into what schools will be forbidden to you.
When I make wizards, I often have a concept around what type of spells they use anyway, in order to fit the character, so I build around that. It's maybe not the most powergame-friendly way to build a character, but good if you are creating a role.
Just take a good look at the spell lists in the various schools and make sure this is nothing on there that you would miss too much. Popular choices for forbidden schools are Illusion, Enchantment, and Necromancy. (They're all powerful, of course, but those ones aren't crippling not to have.)
Should you decide you want a little more umph for your loss, I might recommend trying the Master Specialist prestige class from the Complete Mage. Each specialist gets differing benefits based on their specialty. You can enter the class after 3rd level without undue difficulty.
If the loss of schools bothers you, there are a series of feats in Lost Empires of Faerun that will let you reclaim one of your missing schools (Spell Reprieve, Item Reprieve, and Arcane Transfiguration I believe).
I've had mixed feelings on the loss of schools as a specialist. In some cases it has been worth it, in others, not so. You'll have to decide on your own. Also consider the beguiler class (perhaps with mindbender PrC from Complete Arcane) if you opt for an enchanter. The warmage from Complete Arcane plays a similar role to that of an evoker as well. While I've played specialist wizards I haven't tried either of these classes so I can't specifically endorse them.
Thanks a lot to both of you.
When I make wizards, I often have a concept around what type of spells they use anyway, in order to fit the character, so I build around that. It's maybe not the most powergame-friendly way to build a character, but good if you are creating a role.
This is why I wanted a specialist in the first place. My favored concept is that of Dwarf Evoker which would multiclass in the Eldritch Knight PrC. I like the idea of a military minded arcanist, a blaster capable of vaporizing all opposition. But I want to keep some of the versatility of the wizard, because sometimes, brute force is not the answer.
Just take a good look at the spell lists in the various schools and make sure this is nothing on there that you would miss too much. Popular choices for forbidden schools are Illusion, Enchantment, and Necromancy.
For my Evoker I would have shed Necromancy and Enchantment and for my Enchanter Necromancy and Evocation. I know that there are a lot of good things in the Necromancy school, but I've always been under the impression that it's the easiest one to forego.
perhaps with mindbender PrC from Complete Arcane
I really consider this PrC, but I am really afraid of the impact it will have on our game. I really don't like the word broken, but I fear that this particular class is a bit overpowered. I've always had the feeling that the various enchantments spells (Dominate, hold...) were the most powerful spells of the game. Dominate the enemy fighter or brute (which usually have weak will saves) and your team just won another damage dispenser. Cool on the moment but being a one trick pony is not always fun.
Again, thanks for sharing
Cheers !
RPG Superstar 2013
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I think in the same way that clerics ought to have domains and portfolios, wizards are more fun and better rp as specialists. ALso, you can consider the unearthed arcana specialist variants.
In the same manner, I don't always choose the most power-friendly combination of specialists and banned schools. Even though I am definitely an optimizing,power guy. I think there are enough spells and options to be very satisfying, and it's more fun to can aschool for character development. When I played Raz Luthin (Red Wizard 5 necromancer 8 Lich), I chose to disdain Enchantment, Conjuration and Divination. Wheh I wanted information, I prefered to deceive. When I wanted someone to do what I wanted, I prefered to either intimidate them (negative levels are very persuasive), bribe them, or make an example out of them. It might be more powerful to play an enchanter with silent, still, and sudden silents and stills. But it was more rewarding to talk in my creepy voice and speak of life and death as resources or commodities.
Master specialist is pretty good for some specialists, but I vaguely remember thinking one or two are not compelling. Also, the specialist treats in complete mage and ph2 are good optimization material.
When someone grows the balls to run Iskandria, my first two choices of character are wizards.
So, one of you other badass DMs...get to it.
Specialist wizards have nice flavor, that's why I like them. As far as mechanics go, specialist wizards are better on low levels when those extra spells are a big bonus and spell selection is limited anyway, on higher levels they are hindered...there have been some nice extra abilities and feats for specialists at least in some issues of Dragon, probably also in various books...
Illusion and necromancy are popular choices for forbidden school though anything is workable (well, transmutation would probably be toughest to give up).
I have previously had a campaign where only specialist wizards were possible, no regular mages, and might give it a try again sometimes...that flavor is important, as is somehow tailoring the powers of wizards, especially on higher levels...
For RP purposes, a friend of mine views magic as science which can be fully learned by anyone who puts their minds to it, while I view it more like development of innate abilities and more like art. Thus I prefer specialist wizards and innate casters like sorcerers and bards, while he prefers general mages.
Amongst my small selection of players over time (which isn't counting my current PbP), specialists have never been very popular. I think the general train of thought is, "If you want more spells per day in return for limited selection, play a sorcerer. They do it better, anyway." My players have felt wizards are about options, and restricting yourself down by specializing is not appealing.
Personally, I fully realize that one wizard is never going to have the chance to play around with all the spell out there, even all the ones from the PHB. So, limiting your possible list down by two schools can actually really speed up the game. It keeps you from stalling, debating whether you want to prepare spell X, Y, or Z. Further, it helps you define your character through the spells they know, which I always like. So, even when there is an option between two very appealing spells, you've already made sacrifices for character development and if one of the possibilities is more in line with the character, it's easier to choose it then. At least, that's how it goes for me.
No, specialists aren't inherently more powerful than generalists. They're probably a bit weaker in many situations. There are options out there (especially in the Complete Mage) which make it just as good or very close, but going on the PHB alone, that's not the case. Then again, the same argument can be made for Two-Weapon Fighting relative to Two-Handed. Yet no one really seems to complain about TWF. The "cool" factor far outweighs whatever minor statistical disadvantages you place yourself at. If mages are your thing, specializing may well appeal to you for the same reasons.
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My experience as DM/Player has been that making the decision to specialize depends on a couple of factors.
Are you the only arcane spellcaster? If so, then the forsaken versatility can end up hurting you later on. If not, then its a wonderful way to differentiate yourself from the other arcane caster.
Do you have a character concept that fits well with the specialization? The cited dwarven evoker focusing on battles is a wonderful example of why it makes sense to specialize. Sometime people choose to specialize only to later decide they don't like the pros/cons anymore.
My experience as DM/Player has been that making the decision to specialize depends on a couple of factors.
Are you the only arcane spellcaster? If so, then the forsaken versatility can end up hurting you later on. If not, then its a wonderful way to differentiate yourself from the other arcane caster.
I will probably be the only arcane caster. My group is very fun for that; everybody is open minded to try something new and not to cross in another player's "sphere of influence". In our last games, I have been a druid, a fighter and a scout so it's my turn to be the arcanist.
Do you have a character concept that fits well with the specialization?
I do have (and like) the evoker concept. I like to play charcaters that have typical traits mixed with atypical traits (my fighter was a noble that had no charisma and no money, my mercenary scout is named Manfred Teabottom, not very threatening). Dwarves are known to be fighters but their "mainstream" magic is divine. That's why I chose a wizard, but a wizard that specialize in combat and consider magic more as a tool than an art (thus the specialization). My main background idea was that my character was trained in a special "magic brigade" used to complement normal troops. That's why I want to multiclass in the Eldritch Knight PrC.
I think that all of you conviced me to go with the roleplaying option, after all it's an opportunity.
Thanks to all of you!
Cheers!