Would enchantment magic work better structured this way?

[strayshift]

I love playing schools of magic that are the 'road less travelled' i.e. not conjurers and evokers and this thought arises from having played a couple of enchantment practitioners recently (a bard and a sorcerer). Anyway here is my observation:

In combat most Enchantment spells are variations on a pretty similar theme, save or suck to disable the enemy. So, say a Bard gets Hideous Laughter at 1st level and can use metamagics (extend, bouncing, persistant, etc) to essentially have a save or suck at all their spell levels without memorising another spell. It could equally be sleep magic, Hold Person, whatever - save or suck to disable the enemy.

Now the downside of the school is the huge number of enemies that are immune to the entire school. SO the question:

Would enchantment magic be better structured with it having less 'save or suck' spells that completely disable the enemy at lower levels and more spells that allow the school to effect more creatures and broaden the range of possible targets for spells e.g. undead, constructs, etc?

In play this might mean at lower levels you are less likely to end a battle with a failed will save and at higher levels you can actially contibute to many of the fights that you otherwise would be forced to use your secondary tactics for e.g. buffing.

What are your thoughts folks?

[Drahliana Moonrunner]

Quite frankly, that problem for wizards is easily addressed within the existing rules..

Try to know what you're going to face, and prepare some spells that aren't enchantment. You're a wizard, not a one school caster.

As badly as enchantment fails against those immune to it... it's devastating against those it strikes true against... so the situations you describe are essentially balance against those polar opposite moments.

[Luthorne]

As a bard, consider spells like contagious zeal, good hope, greater heroism, heroic finale, heroism, investigative mind, seducer's eyes, tactical acumen, unbreakable heart, and other such. All enchantment spells, just ones you can use to help aid your allies when your opponents are immune to your other tricks.

Edit: Also, many type-based immunities can be bypassed with feat/metamagic rod investment. Coaxing Spell can let your mind-affecting spells work on oozes and vermin, Threnodic Spell can let them work against undead, and Verdant Spell can let them work against plants.

[master_marshmallow]

Enchantments always worked better for me as buffs, Heroism, Instant Enemy, among others.

To be effective, it isn't an offensive school.

The reason people like evocation is because it's very effective at being offensive, same with Necromancy.

Enchantment, Divination, Illusion, and Transmutation all work better as supportive roles, rather than offensive.

Abjuration and Conjuartion are different animals. Depending on what you expect, you can be either offensive or defensive with either of those.