Is this a reasonable option of you? Can you think of 3 schools to ban? On a knee jerk reaction I would say no, but looking over some spell lists I was surprised to see that I usually used 3 to 4 schools heavily. I might use 1 or 2 other spells from other schools, but I didn’t touch the majority of those schools.
I’m sure this varies based on play styles, but I didn’t have a problem dropping some schools
Enchantment: Sleep was one I kind of missed but it wasn’t a big deal. These seemed to be mostly all or nothing and are restrictive.
Abjuration: I’m sure several people are spazzing out right now, but really how many of these get used? Shield, Dispel Magic, and Protection from Evil. This school has some good spells don’t get me wrong, but if the subject is blind/can’t see you, crippled, walled off, controlled, or hell being bombed they shouldn’t A) be near you B) be alive. Also Conjuration and Transmutation can provide shielding Mage Armor (which I thought was Abj.) is 1 example.
Evocation: For some reason I hate giving this up, but honestly direct damage isn’t the greatest thing. Also like with Abjuration, Conjuration and Transmutation can pick up the slack if it’s your thing or Shadow Evocation can usually do just a good of a job. One thing I will say that I missed is the Evo. Wall Spells ie. Frost and Force, but Conjuration has some good wall spells. And last the big Contingency this was something I really missed, but there is a feat out there that allows you to create contingencies, however it cost Exp.
Necromancy: I’m sure some player don’t mind giving this school up, but in my opinion there are too many debuffs(Ray of Enfeeblement), save or die(Finer of Death etc.), and even some healing spells(Vampiric Touch), not to forget “fun” spells ie. Clone, Magic Jar.
Illusion: This school fall in with Necromancy for me. I’m sure some can see dropping this school, but for me it has too many goodies: Invisibility, Color Spray, Shadow: Evo./Con., Simulacrum etc.
Conjuration No, I couldn’t do it. Too many options, too many spells.
Transmutation See Conjuration.
I’m sure several people disagree with this, but this is just my opinion. What schools could you give up?
Fizz
It totally depends on the character. My concept determines which options I take, such as spells for a spellcaster. I would like to play an elf sorcerer with the Fey Heritage feats who took almost nothing but illusions and enchantments; a current character I'm working on is a conjurer (specialized wizard) who gave up illusion and enchantment. I see the character as being much more direct, favoring necromancy and evocation in addition to his specialized school. The others just didn't match the concept. Even if something else would be mechanically superior, it really doesn't matter to me. I get more fun out of developing, exploring, and expanding a character concept, and the mechanics are a big part of that.
Just as an aside, I'm not against powergaming. Though concept and "image" comes first for me, mechanical viability and optimization is also a big part of building and playing a character, too.
That said, I can think up reasons for dropping a variety of schools if I should have to for some reason:
Necromancy: If I need to drop a school and I'm playing a Good character, this one simply jumps out as a droppable school.
Illusion: Though I've seen some amazing and creative (and powerful) uses of these spells, I've also played wizards who got by just fine without touching a single one. I think it plays slightly more to the skill-monkey player type, which I don't have a strong affinity for.
Enchantment: I played a Mindbender (Comp. Arc.) once, built off a sorcerer- unless the DM favors you with a great deal of Humanoid opponents at lower levels, this school can be somewhat limited. I really like Enchantment, but again, I've played wizards who did fine and didn't touch the school.
Abjuration: I am particularly loathe to give up Abjurations for some reason, even though it is actually a rarely-used school. I played an abjurer once (going for Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil from the Comp. Arc.); the DM didn't favor me with a great number of opportunities to use protective and anti-spellcaster features of the school, so I once again wound up somewhat hampered.
Evocation: If I have a subtler character concept in mind, or if the party has another heavy-hitter (such as a barbarian or the like, or even a blaster sorcerer), this school is pretty easy to drop. It's one of the most fun (exploding things is cathartic), but one of the least effective mechanically in the long run.
Conjuration: Again, I've built successful wizards who didn't touch the school. The battlefield control spells can backfire on you if your party doesn't coordinate itself well, and if you don't spend some feats or other resources to develop it, summoning can be a little weak.
Divination: I know that technically this school can't be given up, but most of my DMs have waived that rule. I personally wouldn't give it up, however. I think Divination is a very cool school of magic. That said, it also depends on the willingness of the DM to give out information (and/or the amount of preparation he's put into upcoming adventures). If you don't have the downtime to combine your spells with more mundane reseach, and depending on what other school you're thinking of sacrificing, you may come away feeling a little underpowered. And, once again, I've made wizards who didn't use divinations and did fine.
That's every school but Transmutation. I would be extremely reluctant to give this school up; it's so powerful and versatile, and appreciated by the rest of the party. Nevertheless, I wouldn't say that I would never give this school up. If I was specializing in another field and felt I could replicate most of the effects or just somehow get by without them, or if the character concept just didn't match with the Transmuation school (I have a hard time thinking of such a concept, though), then I could see myself getting rid of it. But I wouldn't like it! :P
So, I'd be willing to drop any school of magic in the right circumstances. That openness to barring schools is one of the reasons concept is so important to me, to give rhyme and reason to the options I pursue.
I generally don't like to give any schools up, not because I'm much of a powergamer, but just because my spell caster ideal is what I call the "all-mage"--a caster capable of any feat of magic. Although playing a true "all-mage" isn't possible in d&d because of spell lists, giving up schools does take me further away from that ideal so I don't like to do it. Also if I have access to all schools I can define the schools how I choose. For example if I want to play an enchanter I want to be able to use fear type spells, because honestly that's the school that fear spells belong in.
Just recently, I was working on a heavy summoner build using druid and wizard levels. For a little more flavor, I specialized the wizard for conjuration, dropping the same schools that Saern mentioned: Illusion and Enchantment. (All of the others had appropriate spells/personal favorites of mine...)
Dropping 3 schools though? Where is this mentioned? Is this some form of variant or did I just miss reading a couple pages/paragraphs somewhere? Is there any sort of benifit or gain?
I'd have to do a little research, but off-hand I'd say that Abjuration would be the best 3rd drop for my summoner.
-Kurocyn
I'd have to do a little research, but off-hand I'd say that Abjuration would be the best 3rd drop for my summoner.
Dimensional anchor and magic circle against chaos/evil/good/law are pretty central for an arcane summoner (see the planar binding spells). Banishment and dismissal are also very useful. Abjuration stays. A summoner (especially a multiclassed druid) can probably afford to drop Evocation and use damaging Conjuration spells (especially if the orb spells from Complete Arcane/Spell Compendium are allowed).
Dropping 3 schools though? Where is this mentioned? Is this some form of variant or did I just miss reading a couple pages/paragraphs somewhere? Is there any sort of benifit or gain?-Kurocyn
Complete Mage: Focused Specialists
Drop 3 schools get 2 extra spells per spell level from your specialized school.Fizz
Check out this character profile for a Focused Specialist I'm playing in one of the PbP games.
I think it's a very viable option and lots of fun, though the restrictions can definitely be troublesome.
Dimensional anchor and magic circle against chaos/evil/good/law are pretty central for an arcane summoner (see the planar binding spells). Banishment and dismissal are also very useful. Abjuration stays...
Those spells may be good for your summoner, but they don't fit the flavor of mine. Sorry, but Abjuration goes. Plus I have too many fitting Evocations for him to drop that.
Thanks for the reference Tequilla. Need to fiddle with my build a little more now. ^ ^ Are there any other noteworthy points about Focused Specialization, or does it work just like normal specialization outside of the drop 3/gain 2?
-Kurocyn
Dimensional anchor and magic circle against chaos/evil/good/law are pretty central for an arcane summoner (see the planar binding spells). Banishment and dismissal are also very useful. Abjuration stays...Those spells may be good for your summoner, but they don't fit the flavor of mine. Sorry, but Abjuration goes. Plus I have too many fitting Evocations for him to drop that.
Thanks for the reference Tequilla. Need to fiddle with my build a little more now. ^ ^ Are there any other noteworthy points about Focused Specialization, or does it work just like normal specialization outside of the drop 3/gain 2?
-Kurocyn
Well it's Fizz, but no matter. I just reread Focused Specialist, and it's gain 2 per spell level in addition to those normally granted to a specialist wizard. So 3?!?
Holy hell I think a Focused Specialist may be casting more per day than a Sorcerer!!
Fizz
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It says that you lose one spell slot for each level and gain 2 specialist spell slots, so a first level wizard with 18 int would be able to prepare a total of 4 spells, but 3 of those have to be from his specialty school. It gives you about as many castings, but from a very limited selection.
EDIT: I guess the 18 int doesn't really matter, as long as you have at least a +1 modifier...
It says that you lose one spell slot for each level and gain 2 specialist spell slots, so a first level wizard with 18 int would be able to prepare a total of 4 spells, but 3 of those have to be from his specialty school. It gives you about as many castings, but from a very limited selection.
EDIT: I guess the 18 int doesn't really matter, as long as you have at least a +1 modifier...
Yeah you are right but it does say those are in addition to being a specialist.
Fizz
Sorry about that Fizz... >.<;; I saw the Avatar and went with it.
So they stack eh? Works for me. The more summons, the better. ^ ^
-Kurocyn
Sorry about that Fizz... >.<;; I saw the Avatar and went with it.
So they stack eh? Works for me. The more summons, the better. ^ ^
-Kurocyn
No problem lol. That was my thinking how many bodies can I pack on the field, how many save or dies can they make?
Fizz
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Necromancy: If I'm playing, I'm probably playing a virtuous, lawful good type. This doesn't fit with that concept and really, I just don't LIKE most necromancy spells. Sure, I'll miss waves of exhaustion, but, eh. I can drop this one, no problem.
Enchantment: I feel much the same way about enchantment as I do about necromancy. Both just feel like "cheating" to me somehow.
Evocation: Well, the BOOMZOT! will be missed, but with evocation that's ALL you can do; blast. I can let this one go.
I will NEVER drop conjuration, transmutation, divination, or abjuration, but I could let illusion go in a pinch.
For example if I want to play an enchanter I want to be able to use fear type spells, because honestly that's the school that fear spells belong in.
Whole hearted agreement. Yes, fear spells give a nice flare to a necromancer and a very powerful, but they just further pollute the jumbled mess that is the Necromancy school. Meanwhile, they would be an extremely useful fix to the relative weakness of a low-level enchanter (i.e., primarily effective against humanoids). Plus, the definitions put forth in the game itself favor Enchantment as the school of fear spells over Necromancy.
I soooo need to actually go through and house rule some school changes, if only for my own peace of mind... but I never will. :)
Yes, fear spells give a nice flare to a necromancer and a very powerful, but they just further pollute the jumbled mess that is the Necromancy school.
Now that you say that didn't there used to be Necromancy [healing]? Maybe it was in 2nd ed.
Fizz
Check out this character profile for a Focused Specialist I'm playing in one of the PbP games.
I think it's a very viable option and lots of fun, though the restrictions can definitely be troublesome.
Ohh brave man you got rid of Transmutation. Hows evocation treating you? What school are you wish you had or feel like you are missing?
Oh and may I suggest Seeking Ray from PHBII.
Fizz