Troubles with Specialization

[5w337x7007h]

I understand the basics of how to build up to a Pale Master, but I want to make a wizard that specializes in necromancy. I'm having trouble deciding what classes to prohibit for my character. Any hints or tips?

[GenghisDon]

Transmutation & Evocation

The "classic" opposition schools were enchantment & illusion. Both are pretty useful to you, but then, they all have something you will want.

The FR feat Arcane Schooling can give you some access to opposition school items (as L1 caster) if it worries you.

[eggs]

In broad terms, Enchantment and Evocation are the easiest to ignore.

Enchantments have some built-in problems (common immunity, almost entirely composed of variants on one effect) and can be replicated in various ways outside the school's spells: with social skills (for making friends), voice of the dragon (suggestion as a transmutation), necromancy (recruiting monsters as the support cast) and various other spells for combat uses (Slow or Glitterdust aren't meaningful downgrades from Confusion).

Blasting evocations aren't very good, but if you use them, they can be replicated with conjurations (blasting spells and summons) and miscellaneous other damage effects (abjuration, transmutation and necromancy all have decent options) or Shadow illusions (for non-damage effects).

Neither Enchantment nor , but both are easier than Conjuration or Transmutation (giant lists of very powerful and very diverse effects), Illusion (not quite as diverse as Conj or Trans, but a wide variety of very powerful spells like Simulacrum, Invisibility and Greater Mirror Image and patches for other schools like Shadow Evocation and Color Spray) or Abjuration (the spells aren't always unique, but are very powerful - especially at higher levels - and are often based on caster level, making them harder to replace with planar binding or summon monster effects).

Non-Ench/Evoc schools are definitely bannable, but they're typically the default because their effects are relatively limited and are relatively easy to patch over.

[CreganTur]

Are you playing PF or 3.X? There's a big difference in how opposed/prohibited schools are handled in the 2 different systems.