Can Only Wizards Specialize?

[Tibbaerrohwen]

I'm looking at the Master Specialist PrC from Complete Mage. It states on must be a specialized Wizard, but are Wizards the only ones who can specialize?

If so, why can't other prepared casters specialize?

Thanks.

[Starbuck_II]

I'm looking at the Master Specialist PrC from Complete Mage. It states on must be a specialized Wizard, but are Wizards the only ones who can specialize?

If so, why can't other prepared casters specialize?

Thanks.

No one knows. It has always just been a Wizard feature (since 2nd edition).

I think it might be a interesting houserule to be able to specialize any casting class: extra spell slots aren't bad, but losing a school can be tough.

[HunterOfJello]

Archivists might have enough possible spells out there to learn that losing 2 schools would be an actual detriment, but Clerics and Druids on their own don't have that feature. Clerics and Druids just don't have lots of spells in all of the spell schools.

It's worth noting that Psions do specialize, although it is in the opposite manner. They choose 1 Discipline to learn powers from and lose general access to all the powers from the other disciplines.

[Flickerdart]

Cleric's version of specialization is his domains. Curiously, there's a Domain Wizard but not a Specialist Cleric variant.

[Daftendirekt]

I think the reason is that -- with the exception of Archivist -- Wizard is the only one who does any studying. He focuses on learning more about a certain school, and thus neglects some other schools. Sorcerers have their power innately, so no go there.

Clerics have ALL SPELLS ALREADY because of their god, so how the hell would specialization work there?

Favoured Souls are kind of a mix of the previous two.

[Psyren]

Archivists might have enough possible spells out there to learn that losing 2 schools would be an actual detriment, but Clerics and Druids on their own don't have that feature. Clerics and Druids just don't have lots of spells in all of the spell schools.

Archivists wouldn't gain much from specializing anyway - they already have as many base spells/day as a specialist wizard.

Wizards can catch up by being SAD, but Archivists have ways around the Wis limitation even with lower point-buy.


It's worth noting that Psions do specialize, although it is in the opposite manner. They choose 1 Discipline to learn powers from and lose general access to all the powers from the other disciplines.

That's not quite true; they still have general access to other disciplines' powers. What they lose access to are the specialized discipline lists. So a kineticist can still manifest general powers like Correspond (telepathy discipline), but he couldn't manifest the specialized telepathy power Schism. (Without a feat, anyway.)

Psionics doesn't really have a "you lose these entire schools" analogue like wizardry does.

[Amphetryon]

In practice, I see a lot of Sorcerers who specialize, one way or another. Between running with a particular theme and the reusable nature of a Sorcerer's spells, they often just ignore a school or two that doesn't interest them in the name of doing their particular shtick better.

One could also argue that all the "list casters" are already specialized.

[Jack_Simth]

I'm looking at the Master Specialist PrC from Complete Mage. It states on must be a specialized Wizard, but are Wizards the only ones who can specialize?

If so, why can't other prepared casters specialize?

Thanks.There's the occasional PrC that causes specialization a dropped school; Incantatrix, for instance.

[ThiefInTheNight]

Not the same as specialization, though. You lose a school, but don't specialize in another.

[Urpriest]

Not the same as specialization, though. You lose a school, but don't specialize in another.

Incantatrix you do, it's Abjuration.

[0nimaru]

Mechanically it seems like a fairly easy thing to do. It would be interesting how it worked out with sorcerers though, since they already have a limited list of spells. It might be reasonable for a specialist sorc to have a scaling -1 spell known and a school banned, but in return he gets an extra spell per day of any school?

Fluffwise, it's all really simple. The sorc's powers are derived from a bloodline that supported one type of magic especially well. For clerics, their god/church/pope forbid the study of X school, but in return the cleric had extra time to study his domains or further attune himself with his god.

Druids.. I don't have anything for druids.

[Steward]

Maybe the druid likes animals but hates plants or something.

[ThiefInTheNight]

Incantatrix you do, it's Abjuration.
It's not Specialization, though. You don't get extra spell slots that are only for that school.

[NNescio]

It's not Specialization, though. You don't get extra spell slots that are only for that school.

I think Urpriest was looking at the 3.0 Magic of Faerûn version, instead of the 3.5 Player's Guide to Faerûn.

The confusion is understandable.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

Nightmare Spinners effectively gain the bonuses of specializing in Illusion without the drawbacks.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Even if you could qualify for Master Specialist via a non-Wizard caster...

Spellcasting: At each level, you gain new spells per day
and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable)
as if you had also gained a level in the wizard class. You do
not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class
would have gained.

[Randomguy]

It's not Specialization, though. You don't get extra spell slots that are only for that school.

Actually, you do.

[NNescio]

Actually, you do.

The 3.0 MoF version of the Incantatrix had the School Specialization class feature. This lets you specialize in Abjuration at the cost of another banned school, with all its attendant benefits. An Abjurer PrCing into Incantatrix does not need to sacrifice another school, as he is already specialized in Abjuration.

The 3.5 PGtF version of the Incantatrix, however, works differently. The school-banning 'feature' is derived from the Focused Studies class feature instead. This flat out bans an additional school, and the Incantatrix does not gain the benefits of specialization. Abjurers are also not exempted from needing to ban another school.

Interestingly, the 3.0 version of the Incantatrix also had a specific clause allowing you to retain (and cast, including via spell trigger) previously learnt spells from your banned school. The 3.5 version provides for no such allowance.

[Tibbaerrohwen]

Even if you could qualify for Master Specialist via a non-Wizard caster...

Ya, which sucks. If your DM was open tot he idea of other classes being able to specilaize, it's not really a stretch to say that Master Specialist specifically mentions Wizar cause they were the only class that could specialize.

If I was a DM and I permitted specialized casters, other than Wizard, I would permit Master Specialist.

[sreservoir]

Even if you could qualify for Master Specialist via a non-Wizard caster...

interestingly, it doesn't specify that you need to already have levels in wizard, so if you took it without wizard levels, you'd still get the casting.

it is, however, slightly difficult to be a specialist wizard without being a wizard.