What school of magic do you prefer?

[Thrasher92]

I have been playing DnD for a while and I also enjoy reading the Forgotten Realms books. Wizard is always may favorite class to play (Rogue is second). But whenever I have to decide on which school of magic to choose I usually choose Divination.

I like choosing Divination because I think it makes a lot of sense role-playing wise for the kind of wizard I like to play. Information can be a very powerful thing, whenever a wizard is prepared for an enemy, he can be one hell of a threat. I like to think my wizards like to scry the area they are in for potential threats and coordinate their spell list for the next day, or exchange information with other wizards to be well prepared.

I know that Evocation is flashy and very combat orientated but, I am curious what schools you guys like, not necessarily just game stuff but RP wise what do you like?

[Kane0]

I like an Abjuration focus. Wizards that are specialists at breaching and negating the magics of other mages and turtling down within their magic forts to study away from prying eyes. They also come across as the most paranoid, a very wizardly trait to me.

[lunaticfringe]

Always been a fan of Transmutation & Conjuration with Transmuter winning by a Hair.

[Honest Tiefling]

Conjuration as you can summon meat shields AND mess with the battlefield. I believe that the spell I rely on most is Evard's Black Tentacles. Diviner Wizard has the lovely portent ability which I love to death. Transmutation is also another good school and probably my third pick.

Enchantment is probably last, given that I usually have someone with a decent charisma score and messing up with a conjuration usually means that the ice storm didn't work. Messing up with enchantment means that the guard is really pissed off at you, as is your party.

[GPS]

Conjuration: Pixiemancy is just too good, and if you're using Summon Woodland Beings the pixies can't hurt you. For better results, just upcast. The higher level summon spells are also pretty good.

Necromancy: At 10th level, you maintain maybe 20-30 reliable skellys, very useful in combat.

(If you can't tell, I'm a big minionmancy fan. Sue me)

[ZorroGames]

Yet to play anything after AD&D 1st as a wizard but if I was not so hung up on Monk and Cleric in 5th (and finding a group to play in) I think I would play a Necromancer just to be a "dark side good guy" type hero... I still don't see raising zombie skeletons from dead goblinoids as an inherently evil act. More like conscripted trap finders... :smallbiggrin:

[Asmotherion]

As in game-mechanics, my favorite is Abjuration, if we're talking Wizard Archetype. I like it, because I can help the party survive, and at the same time do some non-neglectable damage. It allows for very strategic play, instead of Hack and Slash and it make the D&D experiance more akin to what I'm looking for.

RP wise, I am a streightforward man, and I want my character to have energy beams at-will. So, Evocation is the first thing I'll focus on (mostly on having a good Damaging Cantrip and then an easyly accesible AoE. Then, Conjuration, as I like to teleport around the battlefield, and conjure stuff.

[Mortis_Elrod]

I definitely lean to Necromancy. thematically i like to play that character who controls life and death, and sets curses and drains the souls of his enemies. Raising dead is fun and so is minionmancy in general too, but i like the other parts of necromancy more, only wish we get more things for it. Blasting magic will always be the coolest however and i don't touch illusion or enchantment. I prefer to leave mind magic to psions and such. I don't play many wizards but i think i have an order like this. Necromancy > Evocation = Conjuration> Transmutation > Abjuration > Divination > Enchantment > Illusion.

[JackPhoenix]

RP wise, Conjuration wins for me, even though summoning was greatly weakened compared to 3.5/PF (with a good reason, I might add), followed by Necromancy... I love(d?) getting minions, plus I always prefered darker side of magic, which summoning demons devils and creating undead offered. Illusion is about on pair with Necromancy, and just slightly ahead of enchantments, messing with opponent's senses and mind is always fun.

Conjuration > Necromancy = Illusion > Enchantment > Evocation > Transmutation > Divination > Abjuration

As far as 5e wizard schools are concerned, ironically, Abjuration is propably my favorite, given the aforementioned nerf to Conjuration... note that this isn't an analysis of what school is the most powerful, just which one I like best.

Abjuration > Necromancy > Illusion > Enchantment > Divination > Conjuration > Transmutation > Evocation

[Corran]

My favourite one? Enchantment, by a mile. Bending people's minds to your will and all that. Sadly the domination spells dont work the way they used to, which is a shame. Ever heard the phrase, why do X when you can dominate them? Good old times...
Second favourite, Transmutation, because that's how I used to build gishes in 3e (no idea if it was optimal or not).
Third favourite possibly divination, but that's just only because of a movie scene (Guard: ''How do you know?'' Witch: ''The cannaries''.)
My least two favourites are conjuration and illusion (I actually like the concept of illusion, but it's just not for me). Ijust find the conjuration boring (at least necromancy which is also miniomancy has some flavour I enjoy more about it, but conjuration, nah, too boring for my tastes).

[King539]

Conjuration: Pixiemancy is just too good, and if you're using Summon Woodland Beings the pixies can't hurt you. For better results, just upcast. The higher level summon spells are also pretty good.

Necromancy: At 10th level, you maintain maybe 20-30 reliable skellys, very useful in combat.

(If you can't tell, I'm a big minionmancy fan. Sue me)

*Fist bumps*

[Asmotherion]

RP wise, Conjuration wins for me, even though summoning was greatly weakened compared to 3.5/PF (with a good reason, I might add), followed by Necromancy... I love(d?) getting minions, plus I always prefered darker side of magic, which summoning demons devils and creating undead offered. Illusion is about on pair with Necromancy, and just slightly ahead of enchantments, messing with opponent's senses and mind is always fun.

Conjuration > Necromancy = Illusion > Enchantment > Evocation > Transmutation > Divination > Abjuration

As far as 5e wizard schools are concerned, ironically, Abjuration is propably my favorite, given the aforementioned nerf to Conjuration... note that this isn't an analysis of what school is the most powerful, just which one I like best.

Abjuration > Necromancy > Illusion > Enchantment > Divination > Conjuration > Transmutation > Evocation

What keeps me from Necromancy in 5E is the whole Non-Incorporeal Undead deal. When I play a necromancer, I want to use Ghosts and Wraiths, not Zombies and Ghouls... -_-

[Thrasher92]

My favourite one? Enchantment, by a mile.
Second favourite, Transmutation.
Third favourite possibly divination, but that's just only because of a movie scene.
My least two favourites are conjuration and illusion (I actually like the concept of illusion, but it's just not for me).

Which movie scene?

[Corran]

Which movie scene?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTkIIvApmok
From 0:37 to 1:22
(Pirates of the caribbean 3, deleted scenes)

[JackPhoenix]

What keeps me from Necromancy in 5E is the whole Non-Incorporeal Undead deal. When I play a necromancer, I want to use Ghosts and Wraiths, not Zombies and Ghouls... -_-

I'm not a fan of zombies either, they smell and are generally unpleasant to have around.... fortunately, skeletons are still an option. Though staying power of properly armored zombie is nothing to laugh at. I guess if we could reanimate something other than humanoids, zombies would become more attractive option, once you get your hand on a dragon corpse or something similar... Ghosts are nice to have one or two for special purposes, but I don't really like them as the main component of my undead army.

[Asmotherion]

I'm not a fan of zombies either, they smell and are generally unpleasant to have around.... fortunately, skeletons are still an option. Though staying power of properly armored zombie is nothing to laugh at. I guess if we could reanimate something other than humanoids, zombies would become more attractive option, once you get your hand on a dragon corpse or something similar... Ghosts are nice to have one or two for special purposes, but I don't really like them as the main component of my undead army.

Ah, my Undead Army of Choice would definitelly be Ghosts, Wraiths and Banshes.

-A bunsh of ghosts try to posses the same person. That person will eventually roll bad, so it's basically cherry-picking possesed army members.

-A Bunsh of wraiths use their draining touch. The visual would be phasing through the character, stealing away their vitality, one at a time.

-Some Banshees using their Wail if everything else fails.

On second thought, those things are propably the reason why Uncorporeal Undead were banned from PCs in the first place...

I'm also bitter with 5E necromancy for providing me with no RAW way of becoming a Lich, as it used to be my default goal in 3.5

[Mortis_Elrod]

Ah, my Undead Army of Choice would definitelly be Ghosts, Wraiths and Banshes.

-A bunsh of ghosts try to posses the same person. That person will eventually roll bad, so it's basically cherry-picking possesed army members.

-A Bunsh of wraiths use their draining touch. The visual would be phasing through the character, stealing away their vitality, one at a time.

-Some Banshees using their Wail if everything else fails.

On second thought, those things are propably the reason why Uncorporeal Undead were banned from PCs in the first place...

I'm also bitter with 5E necromancy for providing me with no RAW way of becoming a Lich, as it used to be my default goal in 3.5

Should be some subschools. Ectomancy for all the ghosty stuff.

[JellyPooga]

I want to say that I prefer Necromancy or Divination, because they're the "cool" and "powerful" answers, but I'd be lying. I'm an Illusionist. I create my own version of reality and convince others it's real. I love the creativity of illusions and always have.

[JackPhoenix]

My undead army would be mostly skeletons, some zombified monsters (including flesh golem or two, though they aren't undead), and few intelligent undead (vampires, wights, ghouls) and spirits as commanders and special operatives. There's no RAW way to make that work in 5e, but then, I'm an eternal GM, and I don't have to follow RAW that closely with NPCs.


I'm also bitter with 5E necromancy for providing me with no RAW way of becoming a Lich, as it used to be my default goal in 3.5

Funny thing is, 3.5e had no way through necromancy either... requirement for constructing the phylactery were caster level 11, ability to cast spells (duh) and Craft Wondrous Items feat... beyond that, there was the same vague "process to become a lich is unspeakably evil" as in 5e. There were bard liches, druid liches... I think I saw a paladin lich too (and I don't mean Arthas). No necromancy required.

[Lynnalynna]

It varies for me between two or three. I love playing the necromancer because I'm an edge lord (I'm joking I'm joking, it is actually because I'm obsessed with horror and am a horror author in my day to day.) But abjuration tends to wet my whistle just as much as I love the concept of a defensive mage. Either way I tend to be a pacifist in how I play my characters.

The third is nature, but that doesn't exist in the game anymore sadly. I guess on the same vein I could say wood, but that has gone again as well.

[SpaceWalking]

Personally I think illusion is bad ass because 1. You're making someone see what is not there/to be seen, that just seems very terrifying and useful to me. and 2. You already have hard hitters in a party (hopefully) so while you manipulate their psyche to freeze in terror or think that something that is gnawing at your leg is your best friend while the rest of the party smacks him about, I find to be a very powerful pairing.

[Azgeroth]

Transmutation > Divination > Evocation > Ilusion > Conjuration.

i wouldnt play any of the other schools, IMHO those are 5 best schools, i realise transmutation is not as optimal as divination, or evocation, and not as useful as illusion or conjuration as a whole, but Raise Dead and Panacea are just too good to pass up.

[Mortis_Elrod]

Transmutation > Divination > Evocation > Ilusion > Conjuration.

i wouldnt play any of the other schools, IMHO those are 5 best schools, i realise transmutation is not as optimal as divination, or evocation, and not as useful as illusion or conjuration as a whole, but Raise Dead and Panacea are just too good to pass up.

Did you mean reincarnate, or even regenerate. Raise Dead is Necromancy.

[Sigreid]

I think evocation is often overlooked as being the simple man's choice. Sometimes you just need the fireball where your party is standing.

[Verisichilli2de]

Did you mean reincarnate, or even regenerate. Raise Dead is Necromancy.

He means Raise Dead which Transmuters gain access to, among other things, through their philosopher's stone and Master Transmutation class feature.

[NecessaryWeevil]

I would prefer to prefer Illusion. I like the idea of outsmarting enemies rather than frying them. Unfortunately, that requires you and the DM to be on the same page regarding what it should be able to do, logic-wise, and what it should be allowed to do, balance-wise. That's not always (often?) the case.

[Sigreid]

On the flip side of this question I think enchanter is the worst. It's too late in the game before any cool tricks I would care about come online.

[JumboWheat01]

As a general rule, I love Transmutation. It has buff spells, debuff spells, some control, some damage, some utility, all sorts of tasty things that just tickle my fancy. I was pretty much a transmutation nut for the longest time because of all it could do.

I suppose Full Metal Alchemist had something to do with it as well.

Though thanks to the Baldur's Gate series, Enchantment has become a rising favorite of mine. It may even over-take Transmutation, depending on my mood. I've just come to love hard-control that it offers, and the whole messing with enemy minds as well. And I've come to like bards more and more, and since Enchantment is a school they focus on, I've gotten used to it as well.

A surprising high-ranker in my favorites is Evocation. Because, as someone else as said, sometimes you just need to drop a fireball on someone.


As for which specialization I go with for any Wizards I draw up, it's pretty much Transmutation or Enchantment.

[The-0-Endless]

Transmutation is a roleplay heavy game, and evoker in a combat heavy one. Transmutation lets you become a false god, which can make you into a real one. (thaumaturgy + animate objects + Glibeness + control weather + true polymorph) I know that thamaturgy is not a normal wizard spell, but you can get it with a linient dm and some religious people to follow.

[Squiddish]

All of them except necromancy. All of the (wizard) necromancy spells seem to either create minions that turn on you or deal some of the worst damage types in the game. To make it worse, the entire school provokes endless debate.

If I'm a wizard, I want to actually blow the enemy to bits, or construct walls, or make them slip on patches of grease, or buff allies, or SOMETHING, not just sit in the back wearing dark robes and look edgy while I send in zombies to attack. Of course, necromancers can blast, too... using the two worst damage types in the game.

I don't play D&D to play a game about cynical antiheroes and chaotic totally-neutral-and-not-evil necromancers. I don't play D&D to sit in the back and control my little pawns (that's what DMing is for).
I play D&D so I can get on my horse, charge up to the dragon, and chop its head off. I play D&D to smash an army of golems with a ton of meteors. I play to call holy flames down on hordes of ravening zombies, to create entire castles out of magic force and illusions, to solve puzzles, explode demons, wrestle bears, and save the day.

[Kane0]

All of them except necromancy. All of the (wizard) necromancy spells seem to either create minions that turn on you or deal some of the worst damage types in the game. To make it worse, the entire school provokes endless debate.

If I'm a wizard, I want to actually blow the enemy to bits, or construct walls, or make them slip on patches of grease, or buff allies, or SOMETHING, not just sit in the back wearing dark robes and look edgy while I send in zombies to attack. Of course, necromancers can blast, too... using the two worst damage types in the game.

I don't play D&D to play a game about cynical antiheroes and chaotic totally-neutral-and-not-evil necromancers. I don't play D&D to sit in the back and control my little pawns (that's what DMing is for).
I play D&D so I can get on my horse, charge up to the dragon, and chop its head off. I play D&D to smash an army of golems with a ton of meteors. I play to call holy flames down on hordes of ravening zombies, to create entire castles out of magic force and illusions, to solve puzzles, explode demons, wrestle bears, and save the day.

My challenge to you is to play a Necromancer based off Zapp Brannigan.
https://cdn.meme.am/cache/instances/folder149/500x/68270149/zapp-brannigan-1-whatever-it-is-im-willing-to-put-wave-after-wave-of-men-at-your-disposal.jpg

[Lombra]

Illusion, because I love long threads in the playground :P

[Sirdar]

Hogwarts, definitely Hogwarts!

[JAL_1138]

As a frequent bard and cleric player, "a bit of all of them." I have a weird compulsion to play jack-of-all-trades characters who don't specialize in any given type of magic; I want to be able to do a little bit of everything.

[Beelzebubba]

What do Druids do? Whatever that is. I like that.

[ZorroGames]

All of them except necromancy.
Snip

I don't play D&D to play a game about cynical antiheroes and chaotic totally-neutral-and-not-evil necromancers. I don't play D&D to sit in the back and control my little pawns (that's what DMing is for).

I play D&D so I can get on my horse, charge up to the dragon, and chop its head off. I play D&D to smash an army of golems with a ton of meteors. I play to call holy flames down on hordes of ravening zombies, to create entire castles out of magic force and illusions, to solve puzzles, explode demons, wrestle bears, and save the day.

Thanks for telling us how we should play D&D. :smallyuk:


While my traditional game style is more akin to yours, I think the first paragraph came over rather dismissive. Since OD&D I almost always played good heros - Fighter, Cleric, Ranger out to do the Gimli/Aragon/Boromir thing - "Defeating Evil" and still generally do but in my old age I like to sometimes just like to play a tarnished enemy of Evil as a PC. Necromancy fills that role for me.

[JumboWheat01]

What do Druids do? Whatever that is. I like that.

I could see Druids arguing with Wizards about the nature of a spell. Wizards explaining how things fit nicely into one of eight schools of magic while Druids stand their, cross their arms and say that nature magic is nature magic.

I think shapeshifting is probably a Transmutation effect, since Polymorph is a Transmutation spell, and in essence is a similar enough effect.

[JellyPooga]

I could see Druids arguing with Wizards about the nature of a spell. Wizards explaining how things fit nicely into one of eight schools of magic while Druids stand their, cross their arms and say that nature magic is nature magic.

Then the Totem Barbarian weighing in with Speak with Animals;

"What talk about school? Thog just like puppies, so puppies talk to Thog!" :thog:

[Dr. Cliché]

Hogwarts, definitely Hogwarts!

I see your Hogwarts and raise you Unseen University. :smallbiggrin:


Anyway, in terms of spell schools my favourites are:
- Transmutation: The idea of shapeshifting/transformation always appealed to me, so this is a natural choice.
- Necromancy: Probably for the themes and imagery, more than anything else. I'm also fond of the life-stealing aspect.
- Conjuration: Same reasons as Necromancy, really.
- Divination: "Knowledge is power and I like power."

My least favourites:
- Evocation: If I want to go this route, I'd rather just use a sorcerer.
- Illusion: In theory it's an amazing school. In practise I just find it underwhelming. Maybe I lack imagination or have the wrong mindset, but for the vast majority of encounters I just don't find this useful.
- Enchantment: In 3.5 this had some nice spells, but tended to be a bit narrow. In 5e it seems to also lack the 'good spells' part. It seems most enchantment spells can be summed up with 'if the enemy passes their save, nothing happens. if they fail their saves, something really crap and unimpressive happens and then they get about 6 more opportunities to succeed their save if you actually try to make them do anything. To be clear, I know that there are a couple of good enchantment spells in 5e, I just don't see the appeal of specialising in this school.

[Basch]

If I'm playing a full caster, which is usually a sorc, I favor evocation. I've found death to be the most reliable form of crowd control. And if you know an enemy's vulnerabilities it's real easy to make that cc stick. But on a gish, I focus more on abjuration or transmutation.

[Ellora]

I hate (or love) to say it, but after my recent experiences evocation. Nuke spells have been generally buffed at low levels and "burning it down" seems to be a better than not control tactic for swarms half the time.

I'm still seeking impressive clerical buffs, (so abjuration, or necromancy - healing). Protection from evil. Healing word. The veritable Cure wounds. Shield spell. Mirror image (as broken as it ever was).

And of course "any spell that uses your bonus action to attack/defend, so you can do something else". "Any spell that allows you movement types that arn't usual (teleport/flight), ect". Powerful divination targetted properly. Illusion for ruses.