(PF 1e) Wizard Variant - "Double-Major"

[FWCain]

I've been toying with this idea (a wizard variant -- would this be an "archetype"? -- who has two specialties, at the cost of having the other six as "oppositional" in exchange) for a while now, and I thought I'd post it and ask for your thoughts and advice.

This is for First Edition, in case that matters.

Thanks in advance! ;-)
Franklin

DOUBLE-MAJOR WIZARD

A double-major wizard chooses two of the eight standard schools of magic (listed below) as his specializations. The other six schools all become his opposition schools.

* Abjuration
* Conjuration
* Divination
* Enchantment
* Evocation
* Illusion
* Necromancy
* Transmutation

A double-major wizard receives all of the school abilities (appropriate for his class level) for both of his chosen specialties.

Since a spell from an opposition school takes two spell slots, a double-major wizard cannot afford to have too many such spells memorized. (Spells of the "universalist" school are never treated as being from an opposition school.)

This modifies the wizard's "arcane school" class ability.

[Lelomenia]

Does he get all abilities for both schools? Bonus slots for each?

I think six opposition schools is excessive, three would probably be fine (assuming one bonus slot that could be used for either school; if two bonus slots, would compare to Sin Specialist).

[SheepishEidolon]

I think it's very elegant: You open up a lot of options, there is little new to be understood, and the price is appropriate.

Implementing it as an archetype (like Thassilonian Specialist) seems like the best way to go, even though some concept like double-school (similar to focused schools) is a close second IMO.

Speaking of focused schools: Is it legal to take them as one or both of your schools?

[Bjørn Røyrvik]

So the old elven Dualist from FR?

[FWCain]

Lelomenia wrote:

Does he get all abilities for both schools?

Yes.

Lelomenia wrote:

Bonus slots for each?

No. Just one bonus spell per spell-level.

Thanks,
Franklin

[FWCain]

Bjørn Røyrvik wrote:

So the old elven Dualist from FR?

I do not recognize this -- can you please provide a link, so that I may better understand your question?

Thanks,
Franklin

[FWCain]

SheepishEidolon wrote:

I think it's very elegant: You open up a lot of options, there is little new to be understood, and the price is appropriate.

Thank you. ^_^

SheepishEidolon wrote:

Speaking of focused schools: Is it legal to take them as one or both of your schools?

If your GM allows focused schools, then I'd say it would be OK. However, you'd have to choose such sub-schools from _different_ schools. That is, you should not be able to choose two sub-schools from the _same_ "parent" school.

Franklin

[Bjørn Røyrvik]

FWCain wrote:

Bjørn Røyrvik wrote:

So the old elven Dualist from FR?

I do not recognize this -- can you please provide a link, so that I may better understand your question?

Thanks,
Franklin

This

Doesn't make as much sense in PF as it did in 2e, when opposition schools were fixed.