Which (Arcane) Spell School would you choose? (3.5e)

[Xar Zarath]

Based on a previous thread, I have started this one to see which spell school you would choose for real life situations. Remember you can only cast spells drawn from the Sorcerer or Wizard class from the chosen school and no other.

The only schools you can choose from are as follows below:
1. Necromancy
2. Enchantment
3. Evocation
4. Illusion
(Because the other 4 are too useful and since these stated four are always on the school ban list)

As before, for thread purposes xp and material component cost inclusive or gold or such are handwaved away while somatic and verbal components are still required, if the spell states so.

For my own personal answer, its a toss up for me between Necromancy and Enchantment. I wont consider Evocation due to many spells being a bit blasty and not very useful for day to day life activities. Illusion would make me a ton of money and I could be even greater than any street magician right now. I mean, some of the spells alone would have people talking about it for years. However personal preferences lead me to Necro and Ench.

Enchantment would be very useful as per the previous thread. Everything would be mine to control. However I don't know how far I can go without devolving into some crazed sociopath. Even at my nicest, I think I would end up like Kilgrave from Jessica Jones, only realistically there's no superhero to stop me.

Necromancy I would consider because it is my fav school of magic and personal like does make it look good to me. of course every corpse starting to get up and kill people does put a cramp on daily life. OTOH, incorporeal undead would be useful, I just can't think of anything at the moment. However some spells like False Life could be great heals for me for when I'm not doing too good. Not to mention Bestow Curse line being the best at mini-wishing anyone out of my face with all sorts of horrific curses. Then there's the Mother Cyst line of spells. You know what...necromancy it is! Look out world, here comes a man with power over life and death and I'm coming for you! Mwahaha

[Eldariel]

Considering Illusion gives you access to large portions of Conjuration and Enchantment and permanent minions (Simulacrum) and of course all the personal utility, it feels like an easy choice in a gamish settings. In real life though, Enchantment is broken because unlike in D&D, nobody can counter it. You can literally do whatever. Any of the schools can make you rich and powerful, Necromancy enables you to extend your lifespan and things of that nature while Enchantment gets you the most in the moment. I'd say Abjuration is definitely pretty weak for a real life school, certainly far weaker than Illusion, Necromancy or Enchantment. Yeah, you can ignore hot and cold and things of that nature but ultimately far as doing things, the school whose main claim to fame is Dispel Magic is pretty mediocre in a world without magic.

I still don't get people who ban Illusion though. Silent Image is the best 1st level spell, Simulacrum is the best minion spell, Shadow Evocation gives you contingencies and forcecages and such without material components, Shadow Conjuration is a carte blanche of different battlefield control, utility and defenses/mobility, [Greater] Mirror Image is just about the best defensive spell in the game well into mid levels (Contingency takes over on 11/15) and for the rest...the sky is the limit. You even get pseudoteleport in Shadow Walk and things of that nature because why not. Just the Shadow-spells in Illusion are worth a school on their own.

[Uncle Pine]

Friendly reminder Ice Assassin is an Illusion spell.

That said, I myself would go with Hide Life. My first thought went to Kissed from the Ages, but then I checked and saw you can't cast it on yourself. :smallbiggrin:

[ericgrau]

Real life is different since D&D is loaded with combat spells. Of those 4 illusion has the most utility spells so I'd do that. And using combat spells IRL, even enchantment, seems like something you could get away with for a while but then get in trouble for. On top of moral questions. Unless you're using it for war or superheroics. War isn't the greatest idea, and unlike the comic books unless you figure out a way to reliably deal with bullets and so on you will certainly die to a lucky shot as a superhero. Even with illusion I'd be careful not to stir up any trouble. Maybe use it for presentations and/or entertainment.

So yeah, I think it's over-rated in D&D, but illusion IRL.

The other 3 do have utility too, but I think illusion has more. A zombie work force is extremely tempting though. But I think I'll settle for shadow unseen servant and shadow summons. Not as strong, but like I said utility is the main goal.

[Crichton]

Yeah, probably Illusion. Especially with no xp or material components. Simulacrums can go do my work for me while I focus on other things. Shadow conjuration extends the versatility of my spells. Yep. Illusion.

[Karl Aegis]

Evocation because it can actually stop bullets as they're coming at me with various spells. Mostly Hand and Wall spells paired with Contingency.

[RoboEmperor]

Illusion. Shadowcraft Mage.

[Jack_Simth]

Ignoring material and XP components?

Illusion, no contest. Simulacrum and Ice Assassin can get you just about anything you want, and the shadow line of spells can get most of Conjuration and Evocation.

[FaerieGodfather]

Evocation, because those spells are only good for killing people.

Which I can live with, unlike the horrors I'd unleash with Necromancy or Enchantment.

[Zanos]

Necromancy. As far as I know the other schools don't let me live forever. And I'm pretty sure nothing stops you from reanimating Einstein and Edison as bone creatures.

[FaerieGodfather]

Necromancy. As far as I know the other schools don't let me live forever. And I'm pretty sure nothing stops you from reanimating Einstein and Edison as bone creatures.

I am not a fan of the Wiz/Sor Necromancy options for immortality. For me, it's contingent last breath or nothing.

Though clone is a nice backup.

[Kelb_Panthera]

I'm with team illusion for the same reasons stated by others and because necromancy and enchantment have extraordinarily daunting ethical ramifications while 95% of evocation is doable technologically.

[Zanos]

I am not a fan of the Wiz/Sor Necromancy options for immortality. For me, it's contingent last breath or nothing.

Though clone is a nice backup.
Steal Life + Astral Projection + Clone was my plan. Clone makes a new body but in the "real world" what losing 2 con or a level means is kind of up in the air. You don't have to kill anyone with steal life, you can get 6 weeks of life once a month on the full moon just by making someone marginally less healthy(-1 to all scores).


I'm with team illusion for the same reasons stated by others and because necromancy and enchantment have extraordinarily daunting ethical ramifications while 95% of evocation is doable technologically.
I'd be surprised if anyone was doing anything that wasn't dubious with wizard powers. I guess close to real illusions has a lot of potential as an entertainer? Shadow Conjuration/Evocation and Shades kind of throw the choice off though.

[Celestia]

The undead perpetual motion machine for limitless energy production is tempting, but I just don't think there's any realistic way to keep it hidden. Eventually, the IRS is going to notice that you're not claiming any employee wages on your tax forms, and they're going to get suspicious. And I don't know if there's any way to hide that without breaking laws. Eventually, you're going to get found out, and that's not going to end well.

Illusion would be nice because then you could effortlessly be the greatest stage magician in the world and make mad cash. However, I'm not so good at performing.

I guess I'm going with enchantment for more mind control again. :smalltongue:

[ericgrau]

Evocation, because those spells are only good for killing people.

Which I can live with, unlike the horrors I'd unleash with Necromancy or Enchantment.

Right, because with great power comes (spiderman mindraped) great chocolate cake.

[Feantar]

Due to ignoring XP and Material Components, simulacrum alone is the best choice. Remember you can simulate any creature without their flesh, so you can have access to nearly all spells (ethergaunts, solars, etc).

Ice assasin actually sucks in this case, because it is a touch spell and thus it needs the creature to be actually present. Although, shadow conjuration summon + ice assasin could be useful.

Besides illusion, I'd go for necromancy for eternal life (remember, you can cast steal life on a braindead person to overcome most moral issues) for me and my loved ones(kissed by the ages). Necromancy, through magic jar, gives some of the utility enchantment has (although it still feels like an extreme violation).

[Jack_Simth]

Due to ignoring XP and Material Components, simulacrum alone is the best choice. Remember you can simulate any creature without their flesh, so you can have access to nearly all spells (ethergaunts, solars, etc).

Ice assasin actually sucks in this case, because it is a touch spell and thus it needs the creature to be actually present. Although, shadow conjuration summon + ice assasin could be useful.

Maybe, maybe not. Range is touch... but range just tells you how far a spell can function; it's an Instant spell, and doesn't have a target line, so that just means the thing has to form within your reach. When it comes down to it, there's no indication that the original creature is the target. True Resurrection inherits Raise Dead's touch range, after all.

But honestly: Illusion all the way. Sim up a 20-HD Efreeti, and you get a 10 HD efreeti. Under your absolute command, with all the abilities of a 10 HD efreeti. Which means "a fully stock Efreeti". Wish can make magic items... and there's no XP cost for spell-like abilities. You can thus have the Efreeti make scrolls and stuff for you, which you can then have other Simulacrums activate. Kissed by the Ages can thus be cast on you. A Greater Ring of Spell Storing permits you to cast spells "yourself" by first having a Sim cast a spell into it (which may be from a scroll). As a result, one could rather easily get Hide Life, Kissed by the Ages, Polymorph Any Object (make sure your Kissed by the Ages object melds with you!), Astral Projection, and any other spells you'd like on you.

[Endarire]

+1 to Illusion since it has the shadow spells AND invisibility AND simulacrum, etc.

[Zanos]

Yeah, if we're doing simalcrum wishes hands down Illusion.

[FaerieGodfather]

Steal Life + Astral Projection + Clone was my plan. Clone makes a new body but in the "real world" what losing 2 con or a level means is kind of up in the air. You don't have to kill anyone with steal life, you can get 6 weeks of life once a month on the full moon just by making someone marginally less healthy(-1 to all scores).

I'd forgotten about steal life, but it's useless without unhallow.


Right, because with great power comes (spiderman mindraped) great chocolate cake.

I am not a good person. The biggest part of being the best person I can be is admitting that I am not a good person, and taking measures to compensate for my moral weaknesses.

[BWR]

Much though I love necromancy, I'd have to go with Illusion. It's far too useful in daily life to ignore. Enchantment comes a close second, but I'd feel uncomfortable messing with peoples minds to the degree that enchantment does. Worse, I am pretty sure I'd soon not feel uncomfortable doing it.

Evocation, though fun, would pretty much only be useful for showing off, which I can do safer, easier and with more versatility as an illusionist.

[Luccan]

Illusion and honestly it's mostly because invisibility. The ability to not be there, as far as anyone knows, is really appealing. Plus, it seems the least dangerous by accident. Can't compel dangerous actions out of anger, blow something up showing off, or start an undead apocalypse because I messed with forces man was not meant to control.

[Celestia]

Illusion and honestly it's mostly because invisibility. The ability to not be there, as far as anyone knows, is really appealing. Plus, it seems the least dangerous by accident. Can't compel dangerous actions out of anger, blow something up showing off, or start an undead apocalypse because I messed with forces man was not meant to control.
People can still hear and smell you, though.

[Crichton]

People can still hear and smell you, though.

That's what Superior Invisibility is for. Or just getting really good at sneaking.

[Telonius]

Going with Illusion as well. It has most of conjuration and evocation, and a good bit of enchantment (given a bit of creativity). If you control what a person perceives, you can control what they do without having to Charm or Dominate them to.

[Luccan]

That's what Superior Invisibility is for. Or just getting really good at sneaking.

Or showering and not being super loud. I'm not the invisible man, here. Sometimes I'd just prefer people not bother me.

[Ellrin]

This is so easy. Enchantment, hands down. It's the one least likely to be noticed, at least as having been your doing, which means much lower odds of inconvenient responses and/or retaliation; and since humans tend not to have blanket immunities to any type of magic, it has none of the disadvantages that typically crop up in game. Make anyone your friend; make anyone willing to do just about anything for you; or just force them and then make them forget. Who needs power, prestige, or money when you have people lining up to grant you the benefits of such?

And if anybody does come poking around, you have exactly the spells you need to make them stop without having to go through all that tedious killing and hiding the body without anyone connecting the murder to you because that's just going to cause more tedious murders.

[GrayDeath]

Hmmm, assuming Level Resctrictions of SPells still apply and also assuming we do not get any supernatural Creatures otherwise present in D&D (ergo Standard Real World Setting and Mechanics) I`d opt for Necromancy.

You simply become too strong to stop quickly, and even smaller errors wont cost oyu much.


Assuming we already start High Level and that they work on machines (ergo our cameras etc) I`d opt for Illusion because of its Utility and the abovementiond OP Spells.


In the case both above assumotions are not correct, Enchantment.


Edit: Oh, and if our World suddenly becomes much more hostile and we stop at mid Level at the latest

I might thinka bout Evocation.

[Zanos]

I'd forgotten about steal life, but it's useless without unhallow.
Blackwaiter Taint is necromancy and on the wizard list. Level 6, but emulates desecrate for 1/round per level, which is enough for our purposes. Ability drain on your victims is kind of hard to heal without shenanigans, but it's immortality, even if you're hit by a bus. '

If feats are allowed I think mother cyst can give you some enchantment like effects on humans as well without relying on dead folk.


This is so easy. Enchantment, hands down. It's the one least likely to be noticed, at least as having been your doing, which means much lower odds of inconvenient responses and/or retaliation; and since humans tend not to have blanket immunities to any type of magic, it has none of the disadvantages that typically crop up in game. Make anyone your friend; make anyone willing to do just about anything for you; or just force them and then make them forget. Who needs power, prestige, or money when you have people lining up to grant you the benefits of such?

And if anybody does come poking around, you have exactly the spells you need to make them stop without having to go through all that tedious killing and hiding the body without anyone connecting the murder to you because that's just going to cause more tedious murders.
Immortality is such a big sell for me personally that I feel like passing that up is just loopy. I plan to actually enjoy and/or change the world with my superpowers, so I'd like more than 80 some years. Not really trying to conquer the world with skeletons necessarily(although skeletons with assault rifles are probably pretty effective, and assassination with incorporeal unread is somewhat trivial.).

With enchantment you might be able to brainwash enough people to "cure" death, but it's not a sure thing.

[Falontani]

Necromancy, create a phylactery, become a lich. If people want to kill me they will have to find and destroy my phylactery. Using the Mother Cyst line I can dominate other creatures, and destroy their souls if I wish. Enervation will kill anybody that wants to stop me. Fear Aura will effect every creature that attempts to hurt me in close range.
Honestly, whats not to like?

[Zanos]

Necromancy, create a phylactery, become a lich. If people want to kill me they will have to find and destroy my phylactery. Using the Mother Cyst line I can dominate other creatures, and destroy their souls if I wish. Enervation will kill anybody that wants to stop me. Fear Aura will effect every creature that attempts to hurt me in close range.
Honestly, whats not to like?
Little bit more aggressive than I'd take it. Technically becoming a lich doesn't require necromancy at all though, just Craft Wondrous Item, CL 11, and a pile of gold and XP. Not sure we can spend the XP.

[Quertus]

Necromancy grants immortality (and undead, which, while I enjoy in game, I wouldn't want IRL).

Illusion grants... Everything. Including immortality.

I'm not seeing the difficulty of the choice.

[Zanos]

Necromancy grants immortality (and undead, which, while I enjoy in game, I wouldn't want IRL).

Illusion grants... Everything. Including immortality.

I'm not seeing the difficulty of the choice.
Yeah, I'm mostly just arguing in the absence of hilarious Illusion abuse to keep it interesting. Although who bans Illusion, come to think of it?

[ericgrau]

Yeah, I'm mostly just arguing in the absence of hilarious Illusion abuse to keep it interesting. Although who bans Illusion, come to think of it?

I've banned it and it wasn't too much trouble. If you're not going for shadowcraft mage, not using some kind of abuse and not specializing in it, then there's not a lot that you'll miss. I did it after I realized I had multiple characters that only ever used invisibility & greater from illusion. Sure you can do 1,000 things with it, but without tricks you do few things actually well enough to where you wouldn't want to just cast a different spell from another school. My general ban priority for casual play ended up being enchantment > abjuration > illusion > transmutation > never-others. Based on "What are the top spells that I will actually take and not just a grab bag of so-so spells?" and "What do I use as a real substitute and not a halfway copy?"

Actually... with spell compendium and acceptance of a little power creep it's hard to manage without transmutation too. Cuz nerveskitter and swift fly. So then I have 3 choices left and my 2nd ban school is based on "do we have a divine caster?"

Back on topic, illusion is my top choice specifically because it's for RL and I'm not as concerned about having nukes as I am with utility. So weak substitutes and doing 1,000 so-so things is great. Even without abuse.

[Ellrin]

Immortality is such a big sell for me personally that I feel like passing that up is just loopy. I plan to actually enjoy and/or change the world with my superpowers, so I'd like more than 80 some years. Not really trying to conquer the world with skeletons necessarily(although skeletons with assault rifles are probably pretty effective, and assassination with incorporeal unread is somewhat trivial.).

With enchantment you might be able to brainwash enough people to "cure" death, but it's not a sure thing.

Immortality is a nice perk, though as has been mentioned, that's not actually directly tied to the school, and unless you somehow manage to become a self-controlled vampire, is more than a little obvious. As an immortal lich controlling an army of cysted slaves and/or undead, you're going to attract a lot of attempts at retribution, and even if you manage to defend against that (necromancy isn't the best defensive school), it only really ends once you rule the world, which is just a whole lot of trouble when it comes down to it. Not to mention I would miss a lot of physical sensations if I turned myself into a corpse. I can't imagine never having another burger for the rest of eternity.

I don't mind having a mortal life (and, as you say, with a sufficiently "self"-motivated scientific community, it might be possible to push technology in a direction where indefinitely extended life is possible), since I've already more or less resigned myself to one, and with the right enchantments, the world can sort itself out without bothering me—it'll just do so in a way that is far, far more beneficial to me.

I suspect the difference in preference comes down to personal priorities and attitudes, though. If you've got the stomach (even if only figuratively) to live a spartan life of micromanagement, more power to you.

[Tvtyrant]

Evocation for force effects. Permanent walls of force break physics wide open, but even just sculpting a wall of force to leave a tiny hole in it and then igniting a hydrogen bomb has possibilities beyond anything we can do today.

There are way more options with the other choices, but starting out making an indestructible and weightless space elevator, indestructible space colonies, and flying/underwater cities is enough for me to make the world a better place without testing my morals.

[TalonOfAnathrax]

Illusion! It has great abuse (immortality, wish loops...) but it's also so useful in real life.
I always wanted to be an entertainer, and will all the illusion spells I could be a decent one. Possibly a great one eventually (there's more to being a showman than just the tricks) but I could definitely make a living.

How does this work anyway? Do we have a spellbook to protect? Are we a sorcerer who knows every spell in the target school? We have limited spells per day, right?

Anyway Illusion is clearly the best school:
Evocation is terrible. Technology can do all that better, more safely, and without a casting time long enough that you'll just be shot. Pick another school and make enough money to buy your own weaponry and training!

Enchantment seems good, but it isn't. Not only is it distasteful, but it's noticeable with Sense Motive. It's like bringing a gun amongst savages: sure you have an unblockable weapon that terrifies others into obeying you, but you'll have to live your entire life paranoid enough to avoid poison/missile strikes (or someone setting your house on fire at night) or hiding and praying never to get targeted by anything powerful. I think that wizards don't even get access to anything that lets you modify memories easily, so enchanting people is super risky because they might realise that they've been enchanted. I'm unwilling to live the kind of life that Enchantment risks leading you towards.

Necromancy seems good, but it's usually rather distasteful and it tends to attract very negative PR. And apart from combat spells and spells to become immortal, what does it offer? Undead servants? That's nice, but I'll just use Shadow Conjuration and not have to deal with the unpleasantness brought by undead (smell, weird and often dangerous side-effects on the environment after a few years...).

[Jack_Simth]

Evocation for force effects. Permanent walls of force break physics wide open, but even just sculpting a wall of force to leave a tiny hole in it and then igniting a hydrogen bomb has possibilities beyond anything we can do today.

There are way more options with the other choices, but starting out making an indestructible and weightless space elevator, indestructible space colonies, and flying/underwater cities is enough for me to make the world a better place without testing my morals.

... Permanency is Universal, not Evocation. Wall of Force is rounds/level, Resilient Sphere is minutes/level, and one of the longest-running Force spells I know of (Forcecage) is just 2 hours/level. How are you planning on making most of these?

Edit: Oh yes, and that's setting aside how you plan to sculpt a tiny hole in it without necessarily having feats....

[Crichton]

Illusion! It has great abuse (immortality, wish loops...)




I've heard this said a couple times now. Could you help a newbie out and explain the illusion method for these?

[Falontani]

Honestly necromancy is still great without lichdom and undead. You still have enchantment through the cyst line. You have healing as an arcane, it hurts you but hey we have false life. And bestow curse

[Tvtyrant]

... Permanency is Universal, not Evocation. Wall of Force is rounds/level, Resilient Sphere is minutes/level, and one of the longest-running Force spells I know of (Forcecage) is just 2 hours/level. How are you planning on making most of these?

Edit: Oh yes, and that's setting aside how you plan to sculpt a tiny hole in it without necessarily having feats....

Yeah, getting permanency is the hardest part.

Spelltrap of permanency+spelltrap of wall of force, makes a permanent walll every 6 seconds.

Alas, looks like I'll have to become a wealthy and immortal abomination instead.

We don't have caster levels either, so if that objection is coming into play..