A generalist wizard (non-specialist) doesn't get the bonus spells, right?
A generalist wizard (non-specialist) doesn't get the bonus spells, right?
As far as I can tell, correct.
My player who is playing a generalist isn't going to be happy... But I definitely get why they did it.
Thanks
|
In addition to these abilities, each school also grants a number of bonus spells. Whenever a wizard attains the listed level, he can choose one spell from his school to prepare every day as a bonus spell. Instead of gaining a spell of the listed level, the wizard can instead choose a spell of a lower level, which he can then prepare twice per day (except for 2nd level). A universalist can choose spells from any school. Once chosen, these spells cannot be changed
yeah, he won't be happy
I don't understand why we penalize multiclassing, but keep generalist wizards around. They're always the optimal choice, even with the new school abilities.
In addition to these abilities, each school also grants a number of bonus spells. Whenever a wizard attains the listed level, he can choose one spell from his school to prepare every day as a bonus spell. Instead of gaining a spell of the listed level, the wizard can instead choose a spell of a lower level, which he can then prepare twice per day (except for 2nd level). A universalist can choose spells from any school. Once chosen, these spells cannot be changedyeah, he won't be happy
The way I read that section, I think the Once Chosen rule applies any of the bonus spells no matter what the school not just the universal.
I'll say this: I may actually play a wizard because of Pathfinder now.
I'll say this: I may actually play a wizard because of Pathfinder now.
Why wouldn't you play them before?
I'll say this: I may actually play a wizard because of Pathfinder now.Why wouldn't you play them before?
I'm not much for pre-planning in advance. Sorcerer I could pick spells depending on tactics and general events I thought would occur and be alright. Wizards I had to plan every spell before hand, and I failed at it. Plus, Charisma was usually more handy for me, due to paladins, Ascetic Mage, etc.
Wizards didn't get enough spells in a given day to be sure they could do their job. I wanted to play a mage, not a scholar. :)
I'm not much for pre-planning in advance. Sorcerer I could pick spells depending on tactics and general events I thought would occur and be alright. Wizards I had to plan every spell before hand, and I failed at it. Plus, Charisma was usually more handy for me, due to paladins, Ascetic Mage, etc.
Fair enough.
Wizards didn't get enough spells in a given day to be sure they could do their job. I wanted to play a mage, not a scholar. :)
Wizards don't need to worry excessively about spell conservation after level six or so, assuming you didn't have more than 4 encounters a day.
I plan to fully try one in Pathfinder. Heck, I may even try one in normal 3.5 in the future if I get a chance. The CharOp forums made me realize that while power was fun, and most of the time optimization is needed on some levels, I don't mind actually playing the role.
Generalists just get a different set of supernatural abilities, and no specialist bonus in the first place. Not much difference at all, unless you think the generalist supernatural powers are significantly better than ones that specialists receive.
Note also p72 in the Spellcraft skill description: 'If you are a specialist wizard you get a +2 bonus to identify, learn and prepare spells from your chosen school. Similarly you take a -5 penalty on similar checks made concerning spells from your opposed schools.'
That's how it works:
Specialists choose spells for those bonus spells based on their specialist school.
Generalist wizards choose spells from any school.
You can't change the spells that you choose.
Since specialists are no longer completely forbidden from using spells from their "prohibited" schools, this all balances out.
That being said I do think that a spells within the specialist's school should have a higher DC.
How about giving a specialist a +1 to the DC in his or her respective school at the cost of a -1 when he or she casts spells from his or her prohibited schools? This can be an optional (permanent) choice for the player when the character is created, since this is an advantage for some schools while not really mattering in others. This could also be a potential feat.
The argument will be made that since there are two prohibited schools, it should be a +2 DC for a -1 penalty, but since a +1 on a school you use frequently is more of a bonus that a -1 is a penalty on schools that you tend to avoid, it is pretty much favorable to the specialist without being overly powerful.
The +1 DC would, however, stack with Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus. If this is too powerful, you could give these feats a caster level prerequisite, say at 3rd and 7th, or something to that affect.
How about giving a specialist a +1 to the DC in his or her respective school at the cost of a -1 when he or she casts spells from his or her prohibited schools? This can be an optional (permanent) choice for the player when the character is created, since this is an advantage for some schools while not really mattering in others. This could also be a potential feat.The +1 DC would, however, stack with Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus. If this is too powerful, you could give these feats a caster level prerequisite, say at 3rd and 7th, or something to that affect.
Hmmm
Specialist Focus
Prerequisites: Specialist Wizard, Spell Focus, Greater Spell Focus
Benefit: You gain +1 to the DC of spells you cast from your specialist school. You also incur a -1 penalty to the DC of spells from your opposed schools.
Requiring Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus b/c the feat would suck if you didn't already have those :)
Theoretically you could take off the specialist prereq, and make it "choose two schools other than divination", but I think that could be abused pretty hard. You might choose opposed necro and enchantment for instance, but take the penalty to abjuration and conjuration since those spells rarely have saves.
Since specialists are no longer completely forbidden from using spells from their "prohibited" schools, this all balances out.
That being said I do think that a spells within the specialist's school should have a higher DC.
How about giving a specialist a +1 to the DC in his or her respective school at the cost of a -1 when he or she casts spells from his or her prohibited schools? This can be an optional (permanent) choice for the player when the character is created, since this is an advantage for some schools while not really mattering in others. This could also be a potential feat.
The argument will be made that since there are two prohibited schools, it should be a +2 DC for a -1 penalty, but since a +1 on a school you use frequently is more of a bonus that a -1 is a penalty on schools that you tend to avoid, it is pretty much favorable to the specialist without being overly powerful.
The +1 DC would, however, stack with Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus. If this is too powerful, you could give these feats a caster level prerequisite, say at 3rd and 7th, or something to that affect.
This is a bad idea. Specialist wizards tend to favor spells of their specialist school a little--they do not tend cast them anything approaching most of the time. The ability would actually be a setback, and the only people who take the feat would be hyper-specialized builds and the kind of people who take Weapon Focus(Dagger) for their sorcerer because the character's dad gave them a dagger when they were a kid and they loooove that dagger.