Wizard question

[primus380]

I'm thinking of building a wizard for a new campaign(first level). but i'm not sure exactly what to do. i want to go specialized transmuter (i prefer playing specialized wizards) and banning conjuration(personal reasons) and necromancy. One reason i want to build a transmuter is because i play with a bunch of people who all like feeling like the hero and being the ones to do the whole "deliver the final blow" thing, you probably know the type i'm trying to describe. so is what i'm doing here a bad idea or is there a way to make it work while being useful to the party as a whole?

[Agincourt]

Yes, what you are doing it quite viable. In shorthand, there is type of wizard referred to as a "god wizard (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1146876)." Basically, you focus on buffing your allies and debuffing your enemies. There are plenty of transmutation spells to do this. The other players can have the enjoyment of dealing the killing blow while you have the satisfaction of knowing you enabled them (or pulled the strings as the puppet-master).

[primus380]

Yes, what you are doing it quite viable. In shorthand, there is type of wizard referred to as a "god wizard (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1146876)." Basically, you focus on buffing your allies and debuffing your enemies. There are plenty of transmutation spells to do this. The other players can have the enjoyment of dealing the killing blow while you have the satisfaction of knowing you enabled them (or pulled the strings as the puppet-master).

To do the buff/debuff looks like necromancy would be useful. any options on a banned school that's not evocation? (i'm trying but useful, but have a personal goal to fulfill that requires access to this school)

[Darkweave31]

You may want to look into the war weaver prestige class from heroes of battle as you level up, it's an amazing buffing class. Also the Master Specialist class from complete mage is also good for your concept. As for banning conjuration... generally I advise against it. Note that you will loose summoning spells, a whole slew of useful battlefield control spells (like black tentacles), and the extremely useful teleportation spells. If you are ok with that (or are intentionally trying to limit your access to that type of magic) go for it.

Enlarge person is an amazing buff at lower levels, and can turn that fighter with (great) cleave into a whirlwind of death. Alter self is great for you personally and levitate can keep you out of the fray early on (though mind the ranged attacks). The ability boosters are nice before you get access to magic items, particularly bear's endurance (everyone loves HP). Pyrotechnics is a good level 2 spell for battlefield control if you can set it up right (get creative). Extended rope trick will mean you never have to worry about where you sleep...

Speaking of metamagic, extend spell is useful for buffs, enlarge spell is a prerequisite for war weaver, sculpt spell is nice for shaping blasts and/or battlefield control spells.

[primus380]

As for banning conjuration... generally I advise against it. Note that you will loose summoning spells, a whole slew of useful battlefield control spells (like black tentacles), and the extremely useful teleportation spells. If you are ok with that (or are intentionally trying to limit your access to that type of magic) go for it.

It's for a personal reason. i'm perfectly aware of how useful conjuration is for all the things it can do, but one of the players in our group acts like a gigantic arse about wizards and acts like conjuration is the only school of magic that makes a wizard useful, my goal is to make wizard equally as useful for the type of party we have without touching conjuration (it pains me to lose black tentacles, that spell is fun. but it must be done)

[Agincourt]

To do the buff/debuff looks like necromancy would be useful. any options on a banned school that's not evocation? (i'm trying but useful, but have a personal goal to fulfill that requires access to this school)

Enchantment is usually the go to school as far as the first option people recommend banning. It's not that it's necessarily bad, it's just that the others are so much better. That being said, I'm generally of the opinion that your own enjoyment is important, and if you love enchanting NPCs then don't let anyone tell you that you're doing it wrong.

The other schools of magic:

Abjuration - this school is heavy on defense. It has a lot of spells that make the wizard hard to kill. It isn't flashy but it has many great spells. Also, Dispel Magic and the higher level versions are considered indispensable.

Conjuration - you said already that you're banning this. It's a really good school, though. People argue back-and-forth as to whether conjuration or transmutation is the best school. You could start an argument thread figuratively a mile long if you emphatically state transmutation is the better school.

Divination - the rules don't allow you to ban this.

Evocation - you said you won't ban this. I'll just simply add that this is generally considered a good school to ban because it has no niche. Just about every other school has spells that overlap with this school.

Illusion - this has many unique spells that are not duplicated by other schools. There aren't really any substitutes for Invisibility and the higher level versions nor for the Minor Image line of spells. That being said, if deceiving the enemy just is not your style, this could be something you ban.

Necromancy - This has a couple of my favorite wizard/sorcerer spells, namely False Life and Enervation. However, it is entirely possible to debuff the enemy and have this banned. It's just a matter of personal taste.

Transmutation - very good school and what you intend to specialize in. An excellent choice for buffing your allies since there are so many great spell options.

[Astralia123]

Yes, what you are doing it quite viable. In shorthand, there is type of wizard referred to as a "god wizard (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1146876)." Basically, you focus on buffing your allies and debuffing your enemies. There are plenty of transmutation spells to do this. The other players can have the enjoyment of dealing the killing blow while you have the satisfaction of knowing you enabled them (or pulled the strings as the puppet-master).

I recently read about those archetypes and figured out that the designers who wrote these sort of things apparently did not do their homework. They would suggest best spell for generalist is Horrid Wilting..?
Anyway, generalist and buffer would be the archetype for you, though you may not have to create magic items.




I guess there is no need for me to repeat all the usefulness of each school..but I can add something to what Againcourt said.

Generally, transmutation is a school from where more buffs than debuffs come. If you ban conjuration, you lose quite a lot offensive potential, but it is true that not everyone needs it. Transmutation debuffs are almost as universal as conjuration ones, except that they don't work on golems and creatures with high SR. It may not be too much of a problem, they could be put down by well-buffed fighters with luck anyway. Plus, you can later gain access to conjuration spells through illusion school.

Although evocations does not have that much niche, I'd say it is a school that has the potential to save the day when you encounter incorporeal creatures at low levels. Anyway you start at 1st level, and evocation is worth not banning it when elemental damage come in handy.

When you want to play with those heroism type of players, it may be a good consideration to avoid schools that provide more save-or-die spells than debuff spells that apply penalties. In this case, enchantment would be too powerful against humanoids (as they often get asleep, paralyzed or charmed). These spells' potential is limited as there's a bunch of creatures that immune to them. Though it does have some good buffs, it is okay to ban. Make sure you consult your DM about enemy types if you decide to rely on this school.

Most wizard do not ban necromancy mostly because False Life. Taking consider that you ban conjuration (no mage armor), it may be a good way to improve your survival ability. Necromancy is otherwise useless to a buffer, and its debuffing potential is no better than enchantment - mostly limited to living creatures (but not so limited as enchantment), need save, and somewhat less powerful than enchantment. If you do not have a taste in death spells and commanding undead creatures, it is a worse school for a debuffer than enchantment.

[Darkweave31]

Ahhh spite builds are fun... Are you set on the idea of a transmuter?

If so, try out a changeling wizard 3/master specialist 4/war weaver 5/recaster 5. If you do decide to go the war weaver route I'd suggest taking a look at the war weaver handbook, black tactica edition. Very high cheese builds in it but you can easily adjust down. (Note that war weaver essentially lets you cast 4 buffs targeting all allies for 1 move action.)


If you just want to spite conjuration as a school might I suggest a killer gnome illusionist? It's another specialist build based on shadowcraft mage (ahh good times). If you can get miracle on your list via wyrm wizard or such all the better, but that's high level shenanigans... Shadowcraft mage has a pretty good handbook floating around somewhere too.

Shadowcraft mage turns several illusion spells into a combination of shadow conjuration and shadow evocation. General build if I recall correctly takes the gnome illusionist substitution level to make silent image a cantrip, then uses earth power and heighten spell to increase the spell's level so that it can mimic higher level spells. Shadowcraft illusions come online at about level 10 without early entry, until then you're just a really, really good illusionist during the levels where mind-effecting immunity is not as prevalent.


For either build, incantatrix is an incredible powerhouse. 3 levels could suffice for a transmuter (though 4-10 never hurt) and the illusionist gets a considerable boost from all 10 (just don't go focused specialist AND incantatrix)

EDIT: or even better... why not both!!! A changeling wizard with the racial substitution level specialized in both illusion and transmutation. Throw in the racial emulation feat to qualify for shadowcraft mage (or get the dm to allow the non-racist adaptation). What happens when you're a master specialist with two specialized schools?!? Ask your DM! Or just go wizard 5/war weaver 5/shadowcraft mage 5/recaster 5