Wizard specializations, looking for experienced feeback

[Erikkerik]

So I've seen a lot of debate on specialist vs. universalist wizard, but I've not seen much discussion on the different specializations. THe obvious reason for that is that the specializations are so underwhelming, but certainly I don't think they are all equally underwhelming.

The 2 obvious standout options, I think, are conjurer and illusionist. Both have good spells you can cast of pretty much every level, and both have powers I think are more usefull than the rest. Augment summoning is minor but obviously benefecial because summoning is (it seems to me and so I've heard) pretty good at least until the higher levels. But how much do you find that small bonus actually matters in play?

The illusionist warped terrain also seems like something I would actually use noe and then over a cantrip, unlike most of the other school powers. The 10 ft. of movement penalty could ideally, say in hallway situations, take away an attack from a full group of monsters or NPC, for example. And in addition, with a DM that likes to play along with illusions, the on demand illusionary terrain can have other benefits: THe description say hazardeous terrain, so you cun certainly create spikes, trapps, broken glass or other stuff that may scare monsters and NPCs from even entering the area. Illusionist also seems to have a very good lvl 8 feat. You can cast a good 2nd level spell 6 extra times per day and even extend the duration, when you get 6th level spells it turns into a stable 4th level spell.

I have not yet had a chance to play properly, but soon will, and I will go with one of those 2 choices. I am looking in particular for feedback from players who have played those 2 specialisations, but certainly also from anyone who have tried others out.

[dnoisette]

If you're going to play past level 10, Universalist Wizard + Focus Conservation is king on account of the number of extra spells you'll get from this combo every day.

Between the two you suggest, and with the comment about your DM playing along with illusions, I would definitely go with illusionist.

You'll get to use your school power and make use of the extra spell slot reliably every day.

Augment Summoning doesn't do much if you don't invest heavily in summons and prepare at least 3 summon monster spells each day.
Do not discard the extra +1 to hit so easily though. You don't care about summons having higher saves or AC because they're meant to die anyway but the extra +1 is very valuable.
You won't have too many other ways to improve your summons and give them a bonus and it's not not like your +1 is competing against ubber powerful buff spells...they also give a +1.

[Quandary]

Empowering Focus +2 DC seems significant to account for. Of course like all Focus casting, you need to have already cast the spell. The Specialist bonus slots play into Focus dynamic, because that gives you 1 more unique spell of each level to potentially recast with Focus.

[Dasrak]

The two things you're looking at with a specialization are the powers and the spell options. I feel that as far as the spell point powers go, wizard has arguably the worst list of powers in the game, and you're really just looking for something that's remotely usable. Here's my thoughts:

Abjuration
The powers offered by this school have the problem that they are redundant with, rather than complementing, the spells of the school. Protective Ward runs into stacking issues and Energy Apsorpsion is excessively overpriced for how little it does. Overall this is a poor school.

Conjuration
The Augment Summoning power is a bit too specialized, and you'll rarely have enough copies of Summon Monster prepared to actually utilize all your spell points. But at least it's pretty decent when you do activate it. The Dimensional Step power isn't quite so useful; it has terrible range, it's limited by line of sight so you can't even bypass solid barriers or fog effects, and movement is just so easy in PF2 that you don't really need teleportation effects that often. In other words, it's not worth the feat. Conjuration has a great spell list, so overall its a strong choice.

Divination
Diviner's Sight is easily the most spammable power, basically guaranteeing you'll be able to use all your spell points for the day. It works well with Magical Striker, letting you refresh it mid-battle and get an attack boost from doing so. Divination has a decent enough spell list. Overall I think this is the strongest school just on account of the fact that it actually can reliably use all its spell points throughout the adventuring day. Vigilant Eye is actually an okay power, but not worth a feat to pick up.

Enchantment
Charming Words is simply a dick move; you're basically spending your turn and a spell point to redirect an attack away from yourself and towards an ally. Even worse, this power can actually buff enemies if they critically succeed their saves. Dread Aura is pretty solid, but it's ridiculously expensive to use in every way (a feat to get it, 3 spell points to activate it, and concentration to keep it up. Yikes). To top it off, enchantment is without a doubt the worst school in terms of spells. Overall this is a terrible pick of a school.

Evocation
Force Bolt is terrible. 2 actions and a ranged touch attack for only 1d4+4 damage? If this were magic missile style guaranteed damage that might be something, but this is really no better than your cantrip attacks. Elemental Tempest is kinda neat, but it's unreliable since all it takes is reach to avoid its effects. Evocation spells can be decent, but only really in your highest-level spell slots; this can make your lower-level bonus spells completely useless. Overall this is a very poor specialization choice.

Illusion
The problem with warped terrain is that a 10-ft burst is easy to jump over, so the power goes obsolete at higher levels. It's not bad at lower levels, though, particularly for more ranged-oriented parties. The Invisibility Cloak power is simply asinine. 2 spell points for an inferior version of a 2nd level spell is not something you should be paying a feat for. Overall I think Illusion is an okay school choice.

Necromancy
Call of the Grave is a very weak power. The Frightened condition wears off incredibly quickly so you can't even take advantage of this personally. Life Siphon is a passable power, but it always sucks to have to pay a feat just to get something passable. Necromancy is a hit-and-miss school this edition and has lost its most thematic spells, so I can't really see ever picking this one.

Transmutation
Physical Boost is pretty bad; verbal spellcasting components usually prevent it from being used to boost a stealth check, and its extremely limited duration and 2-action casting makes it impractical to use for most athletics and acrobatics checks. It's not completely useless, but you're going to end a lot of adventuring days without having any opportunity to spend spell points. Shifting Form is kinda cool, but it really isn't good enough to merit costing spell points. Overall there's a decent selection of transmutation spells though so the school does get by on that merit alone as a passable choice.

[Ediwir]

Dasrak mostly pinpoints my doubts.
I believe if Universalists were prevented from accessing Focus Conservation then specialisations might have a chance -as long as some powers get a decent tune-up- but as is, they just have no chance at competing.

(also I voted in favour of opposed schools -even just one, honestly, would be enough to give the flavour- but it's a power reduction that would DEMAND a counterbalance)

[Charon Onozuka]

Agreeing with much of what Dasrak posted. Many powers don't seem to be worth it compared to using a cantrip, and it takes a feat to get most of the stuff that is at least passable.

Ediwir wrote:

(also I voted in favour of opposed schools -even just one, honestly, would be enough to give the flavour- but it's a power reduction that would DEMAND a counterbalance)

Have to respond to this with a "please no." It would be one thing if opposed schools were applied to casters in general and forced them to specialize, but making wizards the only ones who have to deal with them makes it seem like wizards aren't that good at magic.

[Ediwir]

Well, it would depend on the benefit they receive. In PF1, opposed schools and specialisation benefits were pretty ok, and I played specialists more often than not.

Clearly adding opposed schools to the current Wizard iterations would be cold-blooded murder, but if it becomes a way to offset the specialist's advantage-to-be over generalists (even after taking versatility and bonus feats into account), then why not?

[Lelomenia]

Not having opposition schools traditionally felt like the fundamental feature of the universalist. Now it seems like the main feature is not getting school slots. Either that or getting to use focus more.

[Quandary]

I think the response here overlooks benefits of Specialists, and over-plays Universalists. Directly, Universalists Focus-for-each-Spell-Level compensates Specialists bonus Slot... Except the latter allows actual unique spell, meaning more chance to be powerful/relevant, and is also usable off-turn for things like Counterspell (casting all your spells early so as to use them with Conserve Focus leaves none for Counterspell). Specialist bonus Slot benefit also carries over to Converse Focus, giving them more options to actually use with it (a Universalist which didn't cast relevant spell of Level-2 slot either doesn't use Conserve Focus, or drops to even lower Spell Level which carries over to potential continued chain usage). Conserve Focus is actually pretty constrained, it has to be used right away or is lost, and enforces clear drop in power, while also using extra action to do so. A Specialist having more spells of each level makes their Conserve Focus "chain" alot more potentially powerful/relevant, not even counting Empowering Focus +2 DC/att boost. Universalist Conserve Focus eventually has nominal advantage in low-mid slots, but they will be constrained in variety, and requirement to cast them using extra action, immediately following a +2 level spell limits real benefit... especially considering changes to spell duration. Alot more balanced than might seem at first glance, IMHO. Specialists probably have advantage in combat, Universalists out of combat when using multiple low level spells makes sense.

[StratoNexus]

I would simply allow Specialists to use Drain Arcane Focus 1 additional time per day at level 5, 10, and 15 but they can only use it with a spell from their chosen school.