As far as I can tell, specialist wizards no longer get an extra spell slot per spell level for use with their specialized school. Personally, I'd like to see the spells per day on the chart all increased by 1, so I thought I'd suggest it and see what other people thought. Or, since the "Universal School" is very strong, perhaps specialists should get that bonus spell back instead?
Bonus Languages (p.16): "A wizard may substitute Draconic for one of the bonus languages available to the character because of his race." Okay, this is probably just a grammar nit-pick, but the concept of "substituting" rather than "adding" bothered me - I don't think one of the other options for bonus languages actually goes away to make room for this one, I think this one just gets added. :)
Since they're getting a pile of powers instead of the bonus spells, it seems just fine. Quite a few are better than spells, and scale with level.
This seems a more than even exchange in favor of the wizard. Getting bonus spells in addition would be... excessive.
Thats not to say that several of the schools don't need tweaking, because they do.
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I've said elsewhere, but will repeat here:
I love the idea of class powers but would like to see them more customizable. If Reserve Feats were expanded beyond the mere handful they currently are, and allowed as choices for these class power slots, that should allow a lot of personalization with fewer balance concerns (assuming the Reserve Feats themselves are balanced, of course).
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The thing I don't get, why choose a specialty school and loose two other schools when the universal school has the same number of powers with no cost. If you did get the extra spell per level that would off set the cost of losing to schools.
I'd say remove the entire Universal Bonus from the Universal set to make the specialist sets more "special", otherwise since there's no penalty (afaik) to cause the loss of this Universal Bonus it makes the specialist "Bonus" less special.
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The thing I don't get, why choose a specialty school and loose two other schools when the universal school has the same number of powers with no cost. If you did get the extra spell per level that would off set the cost of losing to schools.
It doesn't help the Universal school is so strong overall either. It starts off kind of slow at 1st but really picks up quickly. With the ability to memorize any spell without drawbacks, the ability to craft in half the time, and a free metamagic feat the Universal school wizard has some serious advantages over his specialized kin.
Not including the amazing benefits of going Universal, some of schools seem unbalanced against each other as well.
As an enchanter I can gain a bonus to some of my social skills and gain a melee touch attack spell-like ability called dazing touch. This ability, by the way, doesn't seem to have a set duration. It does not affect creatures with more HD or NPCs of a higher level. Things don't get much better as the enchanter gains levels but some of their abilities can be useful.
As a conjurer I gain a scaling bonus to my AC. I also gain acid dart, which is a weakened acid arrow really. Its damage scales quite nicely in a way that the dazing touch does not. And as I gain levels I obtain all of the great battlefield mitigation spells for free.
Sure, different campaign styles might mean the enchanter benefits are more useful but I don't know of many games where that would be a consistent state of affairs. The conjurer, the evoker, and the abjurer all have abilities that will see more use overall and help mitigate the short adventuring day. I know if I was playing in Rise of the Runelords I would pick the conjurer over the enchanter. And I would choose universalist over both of them.
OTOH, I actually like that generalists are better than specialists. Specialists should be exceptional in a very narrow field. Alas, D&D's 'schools' don't allow for that. You can ditch the crappy skills and be almost as general, but with more spells.
You can still use the prohibited school but you lose your specilist advantages for the day
The univeralist powers are meant to allow a general wizard to have a longer play span, just as a specialist powers are meant to do.
Additionally, specailist DO NOT lose access to the two prohibited schools. If they prepare a spell from a prohibited school, they lose the Specialist bonus ability (such as a diviner being able to act in a surprise round).
That said, I do think the school powers should be a little bit better, since the universal powers get a bonus as well. That, or drop the idea of prohibitied schools. Another option would be to include something like the "domain wizard" in Unearthed Arcana, giving a speicalist a free learned spell at each spell level.
From the SRD:
A domain wizard automatically adds each new domain spell to her list of known spells as soon as she becomes able to cast it. These spells do not count against her two new spells known per wizard level.
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You can still use the prohibited school but you lose your specilist advantages for the day
Right. I meant to mention this in my post. This almost makes it worse because as a univeralist you can never lose your special bonus.
So as an 8th level conjurer I lose my +3 AC bonus when I memorize a prohibited spell. As an 8th level Universalist I can unleash terror with my Metamagic Mastery even if the only metamagic feat I took was my free one at 1st level as apart of my Specialist Bonus.
The univeralist powers are meant to allow a general wizard to have a longer play span, just as a specialist powers are meant to do.
Additionally, specailist DO NOT lose access to the two prohibited schools. If they prepare a spell from a prohibited school, they lose the Specialist bonus ability (such as a diviner being able to act in a surprise round).
Thats pretty harsh, and yet, at the same time, it isn't. I could easily avoid evocation and bring myself to give up the bare handful of decent spells in one of several other schools. But for the schools with good abilities, there isn't much of a reason to do that to yourself.
And if you really need the school access, just go with generalist and get the awesome abilities.
I would like to see the specialists get their extra slot back too, but even more I'd like to see them get the extra spell known every level. Also, it's kinda vague whether a specialist can use spell trigger items of their prohibited school now, and if they do, will they lose their abilities for the day?
Add me to the people who fee that currently, specialization is extremely wonky. Either keep the "ability trees" that are in the current alpha, but give none to the universalist, or add extra spell slots to the specialists. Otherwise, the universalist wizard will always outshine his counterparts.
Since we're at it, we might as well rethink the way 3.5 handled specializations. Maybe make specialists lose one school only, instead of two.
There are going to be some changes to bring the universalist school back in line with the others, maybe even a little less good than the others, due to its lack of restrictions, stay tuned.
I've never liked the idea that a specialist wizard couldn't cast spells of his prohibited schools. I'm glad to see that you've taken that prohibition away.
But, I'm not sure I like the idea that all my specialist abilities go away if I prepare an opposed spell.
We've used the alternate rule that spells from opposition schools are treated as two levels higher for purposes of when a wizard gains access to them. They use a slot two levels higher than they would normally occupy, cannot be chosen as a free spell at a new level and do not have their save DCs increased based on their new level slot (so a fireball would need a 5th level slot, but have a DC as a 3rd level spell). All level depended effects of the spell are based on caster level as normal for the spell, so they are just as powerful, but cannot be learned as early as others and are easier to resist.
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We've used the alternate rule that spells from opposition schools are treated as two levels higher for purposes of when a wizard gains access to them. They use a slot two levels higher than they would normally occupy, cannot be chosen as a free spell at a new level and do not have their save DCs increased based on their new level slot (so a fireball would need a 5th level slot, but have a DC as a 3rd level spell). All level depended effects of the spell are based on caster level as normal for the spell, so they are just as powerful, but cannot be learned as early as others and are easier to resist.
Something like this could really have some merit.
One thing I dislike about the new wizard class is that they get spell-like abilities without necessarily having those spells in their spell book. This is fine for clerics, whose power flows from their god or maybe for sorcerers whose power is innate, but I dislike it for wizards who get their power from their profound understanding of magic. Here's what I've come up with for wizards in place of the abilities listed in the alpha release PDF:
Specialist Bonus: As the alpha release except
Conjuration: Monsters you summon gain a +1 enhancement to attack and damage rolls and to their armor class. This bonus increases by +1 for every five caster levels you possess.
and
Universal: You treat all schools as your chosen school for the purposes of the Spell Recovery and Sudden Metamagic abilities (see below).
Abilities by caster level:
1st -- As alpha release
2nd -- Spell Recovery (Ex): You have learned to recover some of the spell energy you have already expended to cast spells. You can recall a single first level spell from your chosen school that you have prepared and then cast. The spell is then prepared again, just as if it had not been cast. Recalling a spell in this manner is a full round action.
3rd – Sudden Metamagic (Su): 1/day you may apply any metamagic feat you know to a spell from your chosen school without increasing the level of the spell.
6th – Spell Recovery (Ex): Your ability to recover spell energy improves. You may now recover up to three levels of spells from your chosen school. You can divide these spell levels up however you like. For example, you can choose to recover a single third level spell, a second level spell and a first level spell, or three first level spells. It takes a full round action to recover each spell.
8th -- Sudden Metamagic (Su): 2/day you may apply any metamagic feat you know to a spell from your chosen school without increasing the level of the spell.
10th – Spell Recovery (Ex): Your ability to recover spell energy improves. You may now recover up to five levels of spells from your chosen school. You can divide these spell levels up however you like. It takes a full round action to recover each spell.
12th -- Sudden Metamagic (Su): 3/day you may apply any metamagic feat you know to a spell from your chosen school without increasing the level of the spell.
14th – Spell Recovery (Ex): Your ability to recover spell energy improves. You may now recover up to seven levels of spells from your chosen school. You can divide these spell levels up however you like. It takes a full round action to recover each spell.
15th -- Sudden Metamagic (Su): 4/day you may apply any metamagic feat you know to a spell from your chosen school without increasing the level of the spell.
18th – Spell Recovery (Ex): Your ability to recover spell energy improves. You may now recover up to nine levels of spells from your chosen school. You can divide these spell levels up however you like. It takes a full round action to recover each spell.
20th – Archmage: You can permanently prepare one of your arcane spells as a spell-like ability that can be used twice per day. You do not use any components when casting the spell, although a spell that costs XP to cast still does so and a spell with a costly material component instead costs her 10 times that amount in XP.
What do you guys think? Is the universalist too flexible/powerful compared to the specialists? Do the identical powers above 1st level for all schools rob the specialists of their uniqueness? Does anything seem underpowered/overpowered? Comments? Suggestions?
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One thing I dislike about the new wizard class is that they get spell-like abilities without necessarily having those spells in their spell book. This is fine for clerics, whose power flows from their god or maybe for sorcerers whose power is innate, but I dislike it for wizards who get their power from their profound understanding of magic. Here's what I've come up with for wizards in place of the abilities listed in the alpha release PDF:
Specialist Bonus: As the alpha release except
Conjuration: Monsters you summon gain a +1 enhancement to attack and damage rolls and to their armor class. This bonus increases by +1 for every five caster levels you possess.and
Universal: You treat all schools as your chosen school for the purposes of the Spell Recovery and Sudden Metamagic abilities (see below).
Abilities by caster level:
1st -- As alpha release
2nd -- Spell Recovery (Ex): You have learned to recover some of the spell energy you have already expended to cast spells. You can recall a single first level spell from your chosen school that you have prepared and then cast. The spell is then prepared again, just as if it had not been cast. Recalling a spell in this manner is a full round action.
3rd – Sudden Metamagic (Su): 1/day you may apply any metamagic feat you know to a spell from your chosen school without increasing the level of the spell.
6th – Spell Recovery (Ex): Your ability to recover spell energy improves. You may now recover up to three levels of spells from your chosen school. You can divide these spell levels up however you like. For example, you can choose to recover a single third level spell, a second level spell and a first level spell, or three first level spells. It takes a full round action to recover each spell.
8th -- Sudden Metamagic (Su): 2/day you may apply any metamagic feat you know to a spell from your chosen school without increasing the level of the spell.
10th – Spell Recovery (Ex): Your ability to recover spell energy...
I don't like it personally, it loses the individual flavor for each of the schools, it's the flavor and fluffiness of the specialist wizardsI like.
I'll have to pore over the differnence between specialists and universalists. So Far the things I don't like are, Enchanters get screwed with their bonus power...Evokers should have their Fire Ray turned into an elemental ray, giving them the flexibility to choose the energy type.
One thing I dislike about the new wizard class is that they get spell-like abilities without necessarily having those spells in their spell book.
I agree that this is weird, but wouldn't it be simpler to just say that if a wizard levels up and gets a spell-like ability they don't know, they also learn the spell and add it to their spell book? It's not that different from the normal 'learn two new spells' levelling up.
How over-powering would be to convert the Evocation Specialist ability to the base Warlock attack? From 1d6 +1 per level at a range of 30-feet to 1d6 per spell level at a range of 60-feet.
As for the Specialist powers in general, why not just provide the algorithm to create the lists beyond the initial bonus and first level bonus? At each even caster level, Specialists can cast an additional spell in their speciality school with the following options:
1. At their highest spell level once per day that can be changed each day, i.e. no change from 3.5 extra spell slot
2. At their highest spell level twice per day. The spell selection is fixed and can't be changed daily
3. At one less than their highest spell level a number of times equal to 2 + (caster level - 2 x spell level). The spell selection is fixed and can't be changed daily
Generic Specialist lists could be provided from fast play and NPCs.
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Giving specialist wizards back their +1 caster level with specialist school spells (and their abilities) would be a good step in making the need to specialize a viable choice again.
If you took on my idea of giving spells an attack roll instead of a save it would be the equivalent of making the choice of whether to take weapon focus or not :)
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Overall, I really like this change. It really opens the door to a lot of other possibilities (and once I'm a bit more familiar with the new rules, I'll certainly express them).
Sure, there needs to be some fine tuning to ensure that specialists maintain a boost over generalists in regards to their specialty, but this is certainly a step in the right direction. :)
Let'sd get this out of the way first, I love Paizo, I love Golarion and for the most part I love 3.5. So I'm going to a little biased in my opinion.
The conjurer wizard's school powers etc. aren't very conjurer-ey. I mean I'm not going to go in to a rules debacle over the +2-+6 AC, but simply ask why? Why would they get that, I would have much rathered a free augment summoning feat. One that scales would have been awesome. Te first two and the last power are fairly alright, and web is a handy spell, but I expected more conjuratio of beings and trafficking with outsiders from the rest of the ability set.
In fairness I know that this is alpha, but some new spells and abilities need to be conceived off, imported or changed around here to make the school powers more thematic.
I'm not offering all criticism here. I have a suggestion.
In my games I've introduced a game mechanic called 'Pact feats' whereby a wizard signs his name in blood on a menhir of a specific family of beings with his right hand for celestial and his left hand for fiendish. This must be done at twilight.
It means that a wizard/sorcerer who signs a pact with lets say stags (I have a tendency to try and make the pact families 'uncool' animals like frogs and ferrets, and try to make them cool and impressive.) At every spell level he adds a stag creature to that levels summon monster, this creature is stronger than other creatures on the list, ( and can talk to the summoner, I often have them have distinct personalities and names but thats not for everyone.) This would work even better as a school power as it could scale.
The biggest problem with it is space. But you could easily fit three-five families in the monster book I assume you guys will release, their stats won't be all that complicated, more thematic than anything, the higher level creatures perhaps having a special ability representative of their family.
Just a suggestion, but please make the conjurer more of a summoner, and the same goes for other wizard schools (i.e. enchanter). Make their theme count.
Ok I had this in yet another wizard thread man we still seem to be spread out alot lol.
find the universal school it to strong since it gives nothing up this is what i came up with It will be refined a bit in time give me ideals if you have them.
no bounse they give nothing up
1st hand of the apprentice
2nd no cost to copy spells into the spell book
4th shield 1/day
6th craft pool for magic items 20x caster level
8th craft magic item is 1/2 normal time
10th reduce spell research by 50%
12th metamagic mastery 1/4 caster levels
14th craft pool is 200 x caster level
16th recast any spell cast 7th level or lower
18th spontaneous caster may give up a spell to cast one 1per INT mod
20th mastery of all schools
thats my ideals would love some feed back I just find the one in alpha to good since you give nothing up for it.
I agree that this is weird, but wouldn't it be simpler to just say that if a wizard levels up and gets a spell-like ability they don't know, they also learn the spell and add it to their spell book? It's not that different from the normal 'learn two new spells' levelling up.
One reason I didn't want to just grant the spell-like abilities as spells known to the specialists was that I didn't want the specialists to all be cookie-cutter clones of each other. I wanted a power that let specialists excel at their specialty but still reflected each specialists unique tastes. By letting the specialists recover spells they had already cast from their specialty school throughout the day I thought would reflect each wizard's unique spell list and interests (and incidentally lets the wizard stay relevant after 15 minutes in the dungeon). I also considered simply letting a wizard choose a new spell from they know from their specialty school to turn into a spell-like ability usable a couple of times per day each time they gained a new school power. Maybe universalists could choose any spell they know to turn into a spell-like ability but can't use it as many times per day as a specialist could?
The conjurer wizard's school powers etc. aren't very conjurer-ey. I mean I'm not going to go in to a rules debacle over the +2-+6 AC, but simply ask why? Why would they get that, I would have much rathered a free augment summoning feat. One that scales would have been awesome.
I agree that the conjurer's specialist bonus didn't feel very "conjurer-ey," that's why I replaced it (in my suggestion earlier) with and enhancement bonus on summoned monsters' attacks and AC that scales with the conjurer's level.
Conjurer's are my favorite wizard type so really want to see them have mechanical abilities that reflect their awesome flavor. I had also considered giving them an ever improving familiar (perhaps gaining elemental or outsider traits), but with the Arcane Bond ability that would meant that conjurer's who choose an item to bond with miss out on one of their specialist abilities.
I also notice now in the bright light of day that I gave all the specialists the ability to apply metamagic feats they know to spells of their specialty for free a certain number of times per day. But not every wizard is going to choose metamagic feats. I may have nerfed the wizard who chooses item creation instead of metamagic. Thoughts?
First, I'd like to add my agreement that specialists should get the extra spell as they did before. I personally also like not completely restricting cross-class schools, though I think that a specialist should have something like a +1 to save DC or caster level for their specialized school, and -1 for the restricted schools (to represent the additional study that went into the specialized school, at the expense of other studies).
I'd personally like to see more special abilities replace the spell-like abilities given to the various wizard specializations, if at all possible. The spell-like abilities just feel so generic, even if one were to also give the wizard "Spell Mastery" with each one.
I don't necessarily think the Universalist is overpowered, but it does seem to have a static flavor. Personally, I would think a universalist should be able to select any spell currently in their spell book to cast as a spell-like ability, to represent the wide variety of study that goes into their profession (unless someone comes up with better special abilities). Similarly, if the spell-like abilities aren't replaced for the specialists, they should get the chance to select a spell rather than be stuck with the "cookie cutter" spells.
And on one final note, I think the evoker's "Fire Ray" at 1st level should instead be an "Energy Ray". When the 1st evoker level is taken, the player chooses the type of energy done by the way. (I think someone else may have suggested this.)
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And on one final note, I think the evoker's "Fire Ray" at 1st level should instead be an "Energy Ray". When the 1st evoker level is taken, the player chooses the type of energy done by the way. (I think someone else may have suggested this.)
Yeah fire specialists are far too common, I would still let them choose what energy they use whenever they need it. prestige classes like the elemental savant and energy substitution feats can already provide fire mages or lightning throwers, no need to force this additional restriction on an evoker.
I personally also like not completely restricting cross-class schools, though I think that a specialist should have something like a +1 to save DC or caster level for their specialized school, and -1 for the restricted schools (to represent the additional study that went into the specialized school, at the expense of other studies).
Yeah, I can see that. That would make the specialist great as his stuff, average at other stuff, and sub-par at what they neglect (but still able to give it a go). I'd say caster level rather than DC, they can always take spell focus as a feat.
Personally, I would think a universalist should be able to select any spell currently in their spell book to cast as a spell-like ability, to represent the wide variety of study that goes into their profession (unless someone comes up with better special abilities). Similarly, if the spell-like abilities aren't replaced for the specialists, they should get the chance to select a spell rather than be stuck with the "cookie cutter" spells.
I could go for that, too. I really dislike the cookie cutter sameness of the wizards, even if each specialist is a different flavor. A wizard's spell list says something about who they are, what adventures they've had, and where they've focused their arcane talent. Each school has its own little sub-focuses as well, no need to make each specialist focus on the same areas of their school. As an example, in another thread someone was complaining that the necromancy bonuses are too evil, and I have to agree. What about good aligned necros who use their knowledge and power to destroy the undead, or act as intermediaries between their society and the afterlife?
In my opinion, the wizard class hasn't really lost much to make up for that increase in power, looking at the fact that all they have lost is the extra specialist spell. They still get bonus spells for high INT, every wizard gets some school powers even if he doesn't specialize, and forbidden schools are suddenly not "forbidden" anymore as much as a wager on which ability might be more useful that day. I would prefer a more balanced approach to wizard powers, really...they already are incredibly powerful and versatile starting mid-level from the 3.5 base class. Simply adding powers doesn't do anything but keep them ahead of the Alpha 1 figher's power-up. With the cantrips at will, more feats, and their school powers, I don't really see a need for bonus spells anymore, for example.
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And on one final note, I think the evoker's "Fire Ray" at 1st level should instead be an "Energy Ray". When the 1st evoker level is taken, the player chooses the type of energy done by the way. (I think someone else may have suggested this.)Yeah fire specialists are far too common, I would still let them choose what energy they use whenever they need it. prestige classes like the elemental savant and energy substitution feats can already provide fire mages or lightning throwers, no need to force this additional restriction on an evoker.
it steps on the kineticist's toes, but I agree it shouldn't be fire all the time. If I'm playing Fred the fire mage, I'll be tossing it as fire anyway (unless I can get plasma as an energy type)
One thing I dislike about the new wizard class is that they get spell-like abilities without necessarily having those spells in their spell book. This is fine for clerics, whose power flows from their god or maybe for sorcerers whose power is innate, but I dislike it for wizards who get their power from their profound understanding of magic. Here's what I've come up with for wizards in place of the abilities listed in the alpha release PDF:
I am glad you raised this issue as I wanted to start a thread on it.
I am also uncomfortable with the spell-like abilities that simply mimic spells - spells which are not necessarily ones the wizard has in his/her spellbook. I also would rather see powers that enhance the wizard's existing spells and abilities.
Your list sounded better - recharging spells, etc. But I am open to other ideas.
It just makes no sense that a Universal wizard at 3rd level gains a fireball 1/day. Why? Because it is such a common spell and they will probably learn it any way? If that is so - then they should get it in their spellbook as a freebie. And what if you like lightning bolt better?
No - I'd rather that at 3rd level, they can recharge their spells or they get a +1 to ranged touch attacks, or extra damage or something.
Should mimic the fighter's new weapon and armor specializations - they simply get better at what they do as they go up.
I actually kind of like the way this new system works, as is, but then again, I've not used it yet. I can agree with the idea that the evoker might get to pick his energy type when he first is generated.
As far as spell like abilities that the specialist gets that he many not have in his spellbook, this actually doesn't bother me. I see this as the specialist being so good at using his type of arcane energy, that the given energy just flows at his command, and the spell like ability is almost like a by product of using the energies. They don't cast these abilities like they do their spells, they have a certain ability to focus some of the ambient "school" energy into an effect.
In fact, "story" wise, it may be that wizards that had tapped into this ambient energy to cause some of these effects may have been what triggered wizards to write spells to duplicate these effects, so they had them at their disposal more often.
While it might not be a bad idea to have other versions of the school powers, I don't think the core rules should deal with having multiple versions of the school special abilities list, because its an added level of complexity that isn't bad, per se, but isn't really needed in the core rulebook, as far as I see it.
I could be wrong.
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While I like the concept of the specialist schools, and it’s far more flavorful than “you get an extra spell”, I feel it needs tweaking.
Firstly, it’s too powerful. Gaining spell-like abilities is cool, because they don’t require verbal, somatic, or material components or foci, so that’s a hidden perk. As well, things like Wish are over the top.
Second, it’s too “blasty”. I mean, as written, a 1st level Conjurer gets +2 to his AC and Acid darts … that doesn’t feel like a conjurer to me. I’d As well, the evoker’s powers as written seem like a smorgasbord of elements (a little fire to start you off, then some electricity and cold …)
As well, some of the supernatural abilities seem clunky, and not as useful across the board. A transmuter’s ability is far more powerful than a necromancers, for example.
As a side note, the ability to cast prohibited schools is a nice one, because it doesn’t make sense that a wizard just can’t figure out a spell, but it should be harder. Might I suggest that prohibited school spells can be cast, but as spell slots one or two levels higher? That way a necromancer who takes evocation as a prohibited school is going to consider magic missile a 2nd or 3rd level spell – he can still use the magic items he finds, but they are less likely to be chosen spells.
Finally, giving the generalist wizard feels like too much – this would be some power creep. They aren’t giving up anything, so they shouldn’t gain all the same powers. That being said, the ‘hand of the apprentice’ is such a cool idea, that it should be kept. I’ve tried to modify mage hand to keep the idea (so much better than shooting with a crossbow!)
That’s a bit off topic -- so here’s my take on specialist casters below.
ABJURERS
Specialist Bonus: All abjurers gain a +1 resistance bonus to all saving throws. This bonus increases by +1 for every five class levels you possess, up to a maximum of +6 at 20th level.
1st Protective Ward (Su): As a standard action, you can grant any one protective spell effect currently active on yourself to any one ally you touch for a duration of 1 round.
2nd Shield (Sp): You can cast shield 1/day per 2 caster levels you possess.
3rd Resist Energy (Sp): You can cast resist energy 1/day.
6th Dispel Magic (Sp): You can cast dispel magic 1/day.
8th Abjurant Wards (Su): Any one abjuration spell or spell-like ability the caster can use of up to 3rd level may be used on himself with a duration of 24 hours.
10th Break Enchantment (Sp): You can cast break enchantment 1/day
12th Globe of Invulnerability (Sp): You can cast globe of invulnerability 1/day.
14th Spell Turning (Sp): You can cast spell turning 1/day
16th Protection From Spells (Sp): You can cast protection from Spells 1/day.
18th Mage’s Disjunction (Sp): You can cast mage’s disjunction 1/day
20th Elemental Immunity (Su): Choose one element upon gaining 20th level. You are immune to damage from that element.
CONJURERS
Specialist Bonus: Any conjuration spell cast is considered to have a total duration of 1 extra round.
1st Summon Object (Su): A conjurer can summon any object weighing up to 1 lb per 2 caster levels to his hand within 30 feet. If the object is possessed by another, they may make a Will save to negate the effect. This ability is a conjuration (teleportation) effect.
2nd Summon Monster I (Sp): You can cast summon monster I 1/day per 2 caster levels you possess.
4th Web (Sp): You can cast web 1/day
6th Stinking Cloud (Sp): You can cast stinking cloud 1/day
8th Teleportation Master (Su): Any conjuration (teleportation) spell cast can transport double the number of targets allowed beyond the caster, and can be used offensively to transport a single unwilling creature within 30 feet that fails their Will save.
10th Major Creation (Sp): You can cast major creation 1/day
12th Summon Monster VI (Sp): You can cast summon monster vi 1/day
14th Plane Shift (Sp): You can cast plane shift 1/day
16th Maze (Sp): You can cast maze 1/day
18th Gate (Sp): You can cast gate 1/day
20th Summoning Master (Su): Once per day you can cast any summon monster spell that you have prepared, extending its duration to 1 day. Creatures summoned in this way have maximum hit points and gain a +2 insight bonus on ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks.
DIVINERS
Specialist Bonus: You gain a +1 insight bonus on Reflex saves and your Armor Class, plus an additional +1 per five levels, to a maximum of +6 at 20th level.
1st Avoid Dire Peril (Su): A diviner may “take 5” on any attack roll, saving throw, skill check, or attack roll at any time, whether they are distracted, threatened, or rushed.
2nd True Strike (Sp): You can cast true strike 1/day per 2 caster levels.
4th See Invisibility (Sp): You can cast see invisibility 1/day.
6th Tongues (Sp): You can cast tongues 1/day.
8th Scrying Adept (Su): You are always aware when you are being observed via magic, as if you had a permanent detect scrying. In addition, when you are scrying, treat the subject as one step more familiar to you, and you do not need the arcane focus or a mirror costing 1,000 gp, you are able to use a simple mirror or pool of water.
10th Contact Other Plane (Sp): You can cast contact other plane 1/day
12th True Seeing (Sp): You can cast true seeing 1/day
14th Greater Scrying (Sp): You can cast greater scrying 1/day
16th Moment of Prescience (Sp): You can cast moment of prescience 1/day.
18th Foresight (Sp): You can cast foresight 1/day
20th Master of Secrets (Su): You gain the evasion and uncanny dodge abilities, and cannot be surprised. As well, you can cast scrying at will and subjects get a -10 penalty on their save, regardless of how familiar they are to you. You can even use this ability to scry on areas protected from scrying, although the subjects get a +5 bonus on their save to resist.
ENCHANTERS
Specialist Bonus: You gain a +1 enhancement bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate skill checks. This bonus increases by +1 for every 5 caster levels you possess, up to a maximum of +6 at 20th level.
1st Commanding Voice (Su): If you can succeed in a DC 20 Diplomacy, Intimidate or Bluff check as a standard action, you can target a single creature within range to the effects of a command spell. Your target still receives a Will save against this effect, as the command spell.
2nd Charm Person (Sp): You can cast charm person 1/day per 2 caster levels you possess.
4th Touch of Idiocy (Sp): You can cast touch of idiocy 1/day
6th Suggestion (Sp): You can cast suggestion 1/day
8th Aura of Enchantment (Su): You can emit a continuous 30-foot aura, either granting allies a +1 morale bonus, or foes a -1 penalty on all ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks.
10th Hold Monster (Sp): You can cast hold monster 1/day
12th Mass Suggestion (Sp): You can cast mass suggestion 1/day
14th Insanity (Sp): You can cast insanity 1/day
16th Antipathy (Sp): You can cast antipathy 1/day
18th Power Word Kill (Sp): You can cast power word kill 1/day
20th Legendary Charm (Su): You can cast dominate monster 1/day with a duration of permanent. You can only have one such creature in your control at a time. If you cast this spell again, the first creature is immediately released.
EVOKERS
Specialist Bonus: Whenever you cast an evocation spell that deals damage, it deals +1 point of damage. This bonus only applies once to a spell, not once per missile or ray. The damage is of the same type as the spell. This bonus increases by +1 for every 5 caster levels you possess, to a maximum of +6 at 20th level
1st Force Darts (Su): As a standard action, you can unleash darts of force energy that can target any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. The force darts deal 1d6 points of damage. Your specialist bonus applies to this spell.
2nd Magic Missile (Sp): You can cast magic missile 1/day per 2 caster levels you possess.
4th Shatter (Sp): You can cast shatter 1/day
6th Lightning Bolt (Sp): You can cast lightning bolt 1/day
8th Evoker’s Wrath (Su): You can cause any object or creature (even the caster) within 30 feet that does not exceed Medium size to emit an energy type of your choice, damaging all who touch it with 1d4 points of damage per 2 caster levels, but not harming the original object or creature. Objects targeted that are held by, or are opposing creatures are allowed a Will save. The effect lasts for as long as the caster concentrates.
10th Wall of Force (Sp): You can cast wall of force 1/day
12th Chain Lightning (Sp): You can cast chain lightning 1/day
14th Forcecage (Sp): You can cast forcecage 1/day
16th Greater Shout (Sp): You can cast greater shout 1/day
18th Meteor Swarm (Sp): You can cast meteor swarm 1/day
20th Master of the Elements (Su): When dealing damage by an evocation spell with an energy descriptor, half of the resulting damage is untyped, bypassing most resistances.
ILLUSIONISTS
Specialist Bonus: Any illusion spell you cast with a duration of “concentration” lasts an additional 2 rounds after you stop maintaining concentration. This bonus increases by 1 round for every 5 levels you possess, to a maximum of 6 rounds at 20th level.
1st Misdirection (Su): All Perception checks against the illusionist suffer a -1 check per two caster levels, to a maximum of -10 at 20th level.
2nd Silent Image (Sp): You can cast silent image 1/day per 2 caster levels you possess.
4th Invisibility (Sp): You can cast invisibility 1/day
6th Displacement (Sp): You can cast displacement 1/day
8th Master of Disguises (Su): An illusionist of this level is considered to have a continuous disguise self spell in effect, granting a permanent +10 to disguise and the ability to change their appearance at will.
10th Shadow Evocation (Sp): You can cast shadow evocation 1/day
12th Mislead (Sp): You can cast mislead 1/day
14th Project Image (Sp): You can cast project image 1/day
16th Screen (Sp): You can cast screen 1/day
18th Weird (Sp): You can cast weird 1/day
20th Shadow Adept (Su): Any shadow spell cast is considered +20% more real, such as shadow evocation or shadow conjuration.
NECROMANCERS
Specialist Bonus: You can control double the normal HD of undead creatures (4 HD per caster level). As well, you gain a +5 bonus to diplomacy checks vs Undead.
1st Fell Magic (Su): Whenever an opponent is damaged by a necromantic spell cast by yourself, you impose a -2 penalty to Strength that lasts for 1 minute.
2nd Ray of Enfeeblement (Sp): You can cast ray of enfeeblement 1/day per 2 caster levels you possess.
4th False Life (Sp): You can cast false life 1/day
6th Vampiric Touch (Sp): You can cast vampiric touch 1/day
8th Master’s Call (Su): Necromancers can command undead under their control as a free action, rather than a standard action.
10th Waves of Fatigue (Sp): You can cast waves of fatigue 1/day
12th Create Undead (Sp): You can cast create undead 1/day
14th Finger of Death (Sp): You can cast finger of death 1/day
16th Horrid Wilting (Sp): You can cast horrid wilting 1/day
18th Energy Drain (Sp): You can cast energy drain 1/day
20th Deathless (Su): You cease to age, and you gain moderate fortification, ignoring 75% of all critical hits and sneak attacks. Furthermore, you become immune to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, and death effects, and death from massive damage.
TRANSMUTERS
Specialist Bonus: You gain a +1 to Constitution, and a further +1 for every 5 caster levels, up to a total of +6 to Constitution at 20th level.
1st Animating Aura (Su): As a standard action, a transmuter may animate a single object, causing it to act as a animated object monster. You may animate an object of a CR equal to one-half your caster level, and the duration that the animation lasts is as long as the transmuter concentrates.
2nd Enlarge Person (Sp): You can cast enlarge person 1/day per 2 caster levels you possess.
4th Spider Climb (Sp): You can cast spider climb 1/day
6th Haste (Sp): You can cast haste 1/day.
8th Transmuting Touch (Su): Once per day, you can touch an object, increasing or decreasing its hardness by 1 point per 2 levels of Transmuter you possess. If you choose, you may change the object to a material that matches its’ new hardness. This effect lasts for 1 hour/level. If used on a creature, it may be used to gain Damage Reduction, or reduce Damage Reduction. If used on an unwilling target, they gain a Fortitude save to negate the effect.
10th Telekinesis (Sp): You can cast telekinesis 1/day
12th Disintegrate (Sp): You can cast disintegrate 1/day
14th Statue (Sp): You can cast statue 1/day
16th Iron Body (Sp): You can cast iron body 1/day
18th Shapechange (Sp): You can cast shapechange 1/day
20th Fluid Form (Su): As a swift action, you can turn yourself into the ooze type, with the traits of blind, blindsight 30 ft, immunity to sleep, poison, paralysis, polymorph and stunning, not subject to flanking or crticial hits, a lack of need to sleep, and the ability to constrict their body to travel through any opening, no matter how small.
GENERALIST/UNIVERSALIST WIZARDS
Mage Hand
Transmutation
Level: Brd 0, Sor/Wiz 0
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One nonmagical, unattended object weighing up to 5 lb.
Duration: Concentration
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You point your finger at an object and can lift it and move it at will from a distance.
As a free action, you may draw a weapon from your person.
As a move action, you can propel the object as far as 15 feet in any direction, though the spell ends if the distance between you and the object ever exceeds the spell’s range.
If you choose to, concentrating as a standard action, you may use mage hand to make a single strike per round with a melee weapon of up to 5 lb, using your caster level as your attack bonus, and dealing regular weapon damage.
Does anyone else read the restrictions on specialists that if I say, prepared Make Whole (to fix my fighter friend's armor), and then cast it right away, I would be able to use my specialist abilities the rest of the day, since I don't have any more Transmutation spells prepared (and we are assuming Transmutation is a prohibited school, of course)?
That kind of bending of the spirit of the rules is what I as DM would feel duty bound to put a swift brutal end too.
That kind of bending of the spirit of the rules is what I as DM would feel duty bound to put a swift brutal end too.
The thing is, VP, I'm not sure if it's a bending of the rules or an intentional feature that isn't well explained.
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As an enchanter I can gain a bonus to some of my social skills and gain a melee touch attack spell-like ability called dazing touch. This ability, by the way, doesn't seem to have a set duration.I know this is old but I thought I'd address this. The "dazed" condition innately has a duration of one full round. Thus, no duration is needed for dazing touch.
<slaps forehead> Thank you. I totally forgot about that.
I just posted this in response to something on Combat & Magic, but it seems like it should be here:
That said, I think universalists should be given the "weakest" chain of school abilities.
(Saw that Jason said this might be happening, yay Jason!)
I also have to agree that the spell/times per day progression that is presently being implemented isn't exactly what I think we need. I would prefer to see the schools broken down like this:
Every school has two special powers. One ability that is flat or levels based on class levels, not subsequent school ability gains (diviners are never surprised, necromancers control X HD worth of undead per wizard level). The other ability would level in some way proportional to the school ability gain (evokers have a ranged force attack at their BAB+Int modifier that does 1d6 at 1st, 2d6 at 4th, 3d6 at 8th; abjurers create a ward that give them +1 to AC at 1st, +2 at 4th, +3 at 8th). One of the two abilities should be combat applicable, but both can be if it is school appropriate. Sure, the evokers would probably be more adventurer friendly than the diviners, but really, shouldn't they be?
BTW, I totally think the current Necromancer undead ability needs to be nerfed, I just picked it as an easy example.
I also have to agree that the spell/times per day progression that is presently being implemented isn't exactly what I think we need. I would prefer to see the schools broken down like this:
Every school has two special powers. One ability that is flat or levels based on class levels, not subsequent school ability gains (diviners are never surprised, necromancers control X HD worth of undead per wizard level). The other ability would level in some way proportional to the school ability gain (evokers have a ranged force attack at their BAB+Int modifier that does 1d6 at 1st, 2d6 at 4th, 3d6 at 8th; abjurers create a ward that give them +1 to AC at 1st, +2 at 4th, +3 at 8th). One of the two abilities should be combat applicable, but both can be if it is school appropriate. Sure, the evokers would probably be more adventurer friendly than the diviners, but really, shouldn't they be?
A good example of something like this is the variant specialist wizards in Unearthed arcana.
Conjurers get rapid summoning (summon monster spells take only a standard action), Necromancers can opt for a skeletal minion, and so forth. I think this may be a better way to go just for the reduction of different abilities that have to be kept track of at higher levels. The characters in my AOW game are constantly forgetting about some of the gear, special abilities, and feats their 19th level characters have (of course it probably would not be so bad if they all did not cohorts).
That said, I think universalists should be given the "weakest" chain of school abilities.
I can't agree with this; I don't think that a universalist should be punished for being a universalist. The various special abilities of all of the groups should have the same relative power level (The Wish and Limited Wish really are too much), and make each area of specialization (or lack thereof) just as desirable as any other.
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I can't agree with this; I don't think that a universalist should be punished for being a universalist. The various special abilities of all of the groups should have the same relative power level (The Wish and Limited Wish really are too much), and make each area of specialization (or lack thereof) just as desirable as any other.
That said, I think universalists should be given the "weakest" chain of school abilities.
Agreed.
Universalists shouldn't be weaker, nor should they be more powerful.
The Pathfinder changes are supposed to be balances.
Balance in all things. I don't want a cookie cutter approach, like a previous poster mentioned.
A skeletal minion would be interesting indeed. Conjurers should get better summoned animals rather than AC Bonuses. Unless they can actually add the bonus to other spells. +2 bonus in addition to mage armor would make them stand out. BUT if you have better than 6AC bracers, now you have a wasted ability. These special abilities should not be supplanted by a magic item later.
I can't agree with this; I don't think that a universalist should be punished for being a universalist. The various special abilities of all of the groups should have the same relative power level (The Wish and Limited Wish really are too much), and make each area of specialization (or lack thereof) just as desirable as any other.
They're not being punished for being a universalist. They have a great ability that the other specialties do not: The ability to memorize any spell and maintain their specialist abilities. If my Necromancer bars Transmutation, but I need to cast Make Whole, I may or may not be out my specialist abilities for the entire day. If a Universalist wants to memorize one spell of every school, he's free to do so AND keep his "specialist" abilities.
His ability is spell flexibility. While others can ape it (via scrolls, wands, and other such things), they can't match it.
I can't agree with this; I don't think that a universalist should be punished for being a universalist. The various special abilities of all of the groups should have the same relative power level (The Wish and Limited Wish really are too much), and make each area of specialization (or lack thereof) just as desirable as any other.
well they give nothing up at all to be a specialist you must be weaker at 2 schools and a universalist your just as good with out giving up anything
no make there ability weaker.
Hey he did say, within this thread in fact that the universalist is getting nerfed somewhat, which I think is a great idea. Just hope they make the conjurer conjur-ey.
vagrant-poet wrote:
That kind of bending of the spirit of the rules is what I as DM would feel duty bound to put a swift brutal end too.The thing is, VP, I'm not sure if it's a bending of the rules or an intentional feature that isn't well explained.
I think its probably a slip-up, it just seems jarring to me somehow, I would rule against it myself.
If each set of powers is equal, then what benefit does the specialist gain for giving up 2 schools? Generalists, by virtue of not giving up 2 schools are already better off. In addition, their special ability scales (where the abjurer's doesn't).
As has been mentioned a few times, the benefit gained in being a specialist should be an improvement in the specialist's abilities with spells in his craft; i.e., extra spells of the specialized school and an increase in caster level or DC (preferably caster level, especially if the DC formula is modified to include caster level as a variable). No generalist wizard should be better at, say, evoking, than an evoker of the same level with the same feats. (Granted, this requires Paizo to bring back the basic specialist bonuses; otherwise, the specialists might as well have extra-special powers, but...see the next argument.)
My thinking in all this is that the powers are a separate issue. The powers are a new feature that Paizo is adding to make the wizard (in all its forms) a litle more special. If the generalist wizard is nerfed on those, then why would anyone want to play one, compared to a specialist wizard with 'neat' abilities? I can't imagine the flexibility is enough, since the specialist can always prepare the spell and lose only the 'base' ability for the day, which still leaves him access to all of the other nifty-cool features (plus, the generalist's base ability (ignoring the magic item creation time) either requires the generalist to give up a higher level spell slot each time to use (normal metamagic feats), or can only be used once per day (sudden metamagic feats), which doesn't give the generalist a big step up to begin with). If the generalist doesn't have special powers relative to the specialists', the generalist isn't likely to get much play time, save from gamers like me that like the idea of the classic mage.By the way, how does the generalist's ability scale, and the abjurer's not? It looks to me like it's the other way around for both the granted power and the 1st level power.