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View Full Version : Necromancy's Opposed Schools



Zach J.
2010-04-13, 07:23 PM
What schools of magic do you feel are thematically opposed to Necromancy?

Starbuck_II
2010-04-13, 07:26 PM
Conjuration.
Necro takes things apart. Conjure creates things (or in the healing spells case puts them back together).

Zach J.
2010-04-13, 07:27 PM
Conjuration? Cool. Are there any other schools of magic that Necromancy is opposed to? Or if not opposed to that you wouldn't think the spell schools would "get along."

Also, if I make a Necromancer/Cleric would he be able to cast Cure/Inflict spells if Conjuration is a banned school of magic?

Starbuck_II
2010-04-13, 07:30 PM
Wizrds only ban their arcane wizard spells.
A wizard/Sorc can use Sorceror known spells of any school. Just his wizard side will be unable to use/know the prohibited ones.
Same idea for Cleric.

Zach J.
2010-04-13, 07:31 PM
Okay. Thanks for the info Starbuck!

Keld Denar
2010-04-13, 07:32 PM
According to the 2E PHB, Illusion diametrically opposes Necromancy, flanked by Alteration and Enchantment/Charm.

Why? Who knows...

lvl 1 sharnian
2010-04-13, 07:35 PM
You could say necromancy puts things back together, only more mangled

Evocation as it brings forth things out of nothing where as necromancy starts off with something natural

Abjuration because it protects and prevents while Necromancy curses and hampers and damages

Edit: Perhaps because Illusion is fake and pretends to harm while Necromancy is every bit real? Kinda a shot in the dark tho

Zach J.
2010-04-13, 07:37 PM
Hmm...that's a good question. Why would Illusion contradict Necromancy? Is it because Necromancers just think Illusionists are silly? Do they hate gnomes? :smallbiggrin:

Il_Vec
2010-04-13, 07:37 PM
Necromancy opposes itself, as it controls both life and death.

But, you could see Illusion as its oposite, because Illusion has no lifeforce at all.

Zach J.
2010-04-13, 07:38 PM
Hmm...so it looks like Conjuration/Illusion might be some good schools for a Necromancer to give up? Thematically good of course.

Keld Denar
2010-04-13, 07:41 PM
Conjouration in 3.5 does have Summon Undead 1-9, which, while not necromantic, involve undead which are generally considered associated with necromancy...

Zach J.
2010-04-13, 07:43 PM
Well I only have access to core so I'm afraid that I won't be able to make use of that particular spell chain.

Keld Denar
2010-04-13, 07:51 PM
If its for a PC, banning Conjouration and Illusion would be very bad, and dangerous. Most of the good protections for wizards come from those schools (Mage Armor, Mirror Image, Displacement, etc).

Not to mention most of the good battlefield control spells and mobility spells.

Zach J.
2010-04-13, 07:52 PM
Does it change anything if this is for an NPC (possibly a PC) in a game where we almost never run into spell casters and where no member of the group plays them very often (if at all)?

Claudius Maximus
2010-04-13, 07:55 PM
Complete Mage has Enchantment and Conjuration as the opposed schools of Necromancy.

Zach J.
2010-04-13, 07:55 PM
Thank you Claudius Maximus.

I'll go with Conjuration/Enchantment then.

MCerberus
2010-04-13, 08:06 PM
The reason conjuration opposes necromancy is because it has the [healing] subschool, if you want to make a case for that. You can make an argument for a lot of types of spells, so the main thing is what you are more comfortable with fitting in your theme.


I personally think that evocation and necromancy aren't opposite, as they both are about manipulating energy... necromancy just happens to be mostly negative energy.