Gnome Wizard: Help with School of Magic and General Concept

[edweird]

Hello everyone!

I'm new to the forums here, but have been a lurker for some time. I'm creating a Gnome Wizard, but to be honest I've hit a low point in creativity, and am having trouble coming up with a good concept for him. Right now I've been playing him as just a general Wizard, but I want more depth to the character.

Ideas for general character concept (what makes him different from other wizards, or unique in his own right, etc), roleplaying tips for the personality that comes with the concept, and recommendations on school of magic are what I'm looking for. It should be noted, however, I don't consider myself creative, so if you suggest the illusion school, I'd appreciate some tips on how to make the most of it, examples of how certain illusion spells are used, etc.

I really appreciate any help you can offer!


Some things that are already established:

His name is Mervin, and he comes from a small Gnome city, where he is one of a dozen or so children, most of whom are "ordinary" and don't possess any magical ability. Family of aristocrats, but his Grandfather was also a wizard, and took him under his wing. Isn't socially awkward so much as he just doesn't get along with his family, so he left to study under his Grandfather, and ended up marooned on an island (where the campaign began).

[Corsair14]

Hmm with my wizards in the past I tend to take either a badass role or a research role. For example the highest level character I ever played ended up as a level 12 grey elf invoker from 3rd ed. He played an ambassador for an elven kingdom to the rest of the world, was noble born from that kingdom, and thought that every other races including high and wood elves were inferior races. He was lawful good to elves(even the ones he thought were inferior) and neutral towards everyone else. He played as a billy bad ass and did not let any inferior slight him or back down from a magic challenge. I loved chances to use the bad guy from Baldurs gate II's voice in combat."You bore me, mageling."

Another wizard which I will likely do in the near future is oddly enough going to be a gnome wizard. Thinking deep gnome. I haven't delved too deep into his back story. But I will either play him as an outcast necromancer or invoker or conjurer even though they have been severely nerfed in my opinion from what I would actually want(really want a summoner). I plan on mine not only being whatever specialty he is spell wise but being an expert in gemology and lapidary work(its a hobby in real life, makes my DMing style a little too detailed when it comes to treasure but oh well) but he will also be researching some aspect. Being it dragonology or something. Might try and play the billy bad ass role if I go invoker instead of the book worm, might be amusing as a three foot tall gnome. Not really sure of my motivation as a necro.

[Millface]

I love wizards, and I almost *always* play a gnome. Here are a few of the different ones that I've run.

The technologist Evoker - for flavor purposes only (no change to game mechanics) every spell this little guy threw was explained as some sort of gadget on his person. AoE spells were grenades, ray spells he fired from a steampunk kind of gun, attached via copper lined tubing to a tank on his back. Detect magic, see invis, etc... were different lenses on his multi-purpose goggles. It's just a different way of describing the same thing, but it was wildly fun.

The antisocial Necromancer with a heart of gold - this deep gnome necromancer was pretty messed up in the head. He had severe social anxiety with most people other than his undead minions, who he named, dressed, and gave deep back stories to. He didn't hate the living, he was just incredibly shy. When talking to his minions, though, he was massively charismatic and well spoken.

The smug scholar Transmuter - this one is simple by comparison, Lawful Neutral, everything he does is in the pursuit of knowledge. Knowledge trumps everything. If an evil act could teach him something he didn't already know, he'd weigh that with the cost to others and sometimes knowledge would come out on top. He was the smartest person in the group, and wasn't afraid to point that out, though he wasn't trying to be smug, just honest. Socially inept, but proficient in useful skills like Arcana, history, and religion. He was the go to guy for knowledge checks and his combat role was more for support. He shined most out of combat.