Thematically best specialist wizard school for a dwarf?

[Arkhios]

I'm mulling over a character that would be a dwarf wizard, and I was wondering if anyone had an opinion (with a reasoning) of a thematically appropriate specialization school.

I would prefer limiting the options to those available in player's handbook.

[MeimuHakurei]

Dwarves are stereotypically craftsmen, working stone into buildings and iron into equipment. Personally, I feel Transmutation works best for this, which is the school that governs shaping and altering physical objects. Alternatively, you can go for the sturdy and indomitable warrior dwarf image, which would be suitable for Abjuration. Dwarves in any case typically do not like trickery, so Enchantment and Illusion are suitable picks for opposition schools.

[Mnemius]

Let's see, generic "Protect and Honor the clan" dwarf? Probably Abjuration.

If you're in Pathfinder/Golarian, and you're honoring the tradition of the skyseekers, Divination for the whole exploration side of things.

I am the craftsman dwarf, possibly conjuration or enchantment. (Though I remember half the enchantment stuff being mind affecting mess, so... not a great fit.)

[Arkhios]

The game is set in Golarion, so yes, every bit of lore related to dwarves in the setting is obviously important.

We're starting Curse of the Crimson throne sometime in the near future and I was thinking of the Framed (Family Honor) as my campaign trait.

[Zaq]

With a little creativity, you can justify pretty much any school specialty as being dwarfy. I'm not familiar with Golarian specifically, so I'm going off of general 3.5 and a bit of other folklore (popular and traditional).

Abjuration: Dwarves are sturdy and resilient, and abjuration is probably the most stubborn school of magic.
Conjuration: Dwarves are good at creating things. Conjuration is good at creating things.
Divination: Dwarves are wise and are sources of knowledge. They know and remember things that other races don't. Divination fits that mindset.
Enchantment: In some traditional folklore, dwarves are tricky and not to be trusted. Their mindset is alien to outsiders, but it's hard to realize that when you're actually interacting with them. In a slightly different vein, dwarves are very big on honor and oaths and that sort of mindset, and enchantment is a great way of getting other folks to go along with that sort of thing.
Evocation: Dwarves are not afraid to go to war when they have to, and evocation is the most obviously warlike form of magic. Also, don't forget that evocation has all kinds of sheltering spells like resilient sphere and wall of force.
Illusion, more serious: Like conjuration, illusions are a form of artistry that creates something from nothing, and the illusionist is no less resourceful than the conjurer. To hear the illusionist tell it, just because it takes a bit more effort to drop it on your toe doesn't mean that a figment is any less a creation than something a conjurer made, and the intricate details of a glamer require just as much craftsdwarfship as what you'd carve with a chisel. (And from a metagame perspective, illusion has a ton of great defensive spells, which fits the "dwarves are resilient" theme.)
Illusion, less serious: Dwarf illusionists are some of the most stubborn bastards you'll ever meet. They're so pigheadedly convinced of their own version of reality that they seem to be able to convince other folks of it, no matter how crazy that ends up seeming!
Necromancy: From Races of Stone pg. 10, "death holds little fear for dwarves [. . .] Just as a blacksmith can take broken or bent pieces of metal, melt them down, and recast them into a new creation, so they believe Moradin does with the souls of the dwarf people." It's only a small step from there to start taking that into a dwarf necromancer's own hands. Plus, the sun is associated with positive energy, and the dwarves live deep underground away from the sun, so you can play around with that a little bit.
Transmutation: As stated by others, transmutation fits with the "dwarves as artisans" theme. What is crafting if not starting with something, doing some work, and ending with something better?

Sure, you have to work a little harder to bring in enchantment or illusion than abjuration or transmutation, but honestly, none of those feels like a giant stretch to me.

[the_david]

Transmutation. Fafnir transformed into a dragon, Otr transformed into an otter and Andvari transformed into a pike. All dwarves petrify when in direct sunlight, and Odin transformed the maggots that festered in the body of Ymir into Dwarves.

So transmutation would be the best thematically from a mythological perspective. From a Golarion perspective... Abjuration probably. Dwarves are stubborn, conservative and don't know when to give up. It seems to fit.

[Malphegor]

I feel evocation has a pull for a dwarf- the fire of the forge, in the palm of your hand...

And necromancy... Ah, there’s a spell or two in there. Sacrifice your health to heal others- life in the darkness. Positivity generated from the negativity.

[noob]

Law.
You can totally specialize in chaos with the right acf so you can probably also specialize in law.
I searched and while specializing in law does not seems possible there is an alternate class feature that makes all your spells be law spells.
Sorry did not see it was core only.

[Particle_Man]

Too bad it is core or I would have said earth spells. As it is, abjuration. Dwarves hold the line.

[noob]

Too bad it is core or I would have said earth spells. As it is, abjuration. Dwarves hold the line.
Abjuration is a rather good pick for dwarves and if you want extra tankyness you can then if you do like hit points more than usefulness chain into Eldritch knight.(the lost caster levels are a huge problem if you are compared to other wizards or compared to casting monsters)
Or if your gm allows it go abjurant champion.

[Darth Ultron]

Any.

The Classic Dwarf View of magic:

*Abjuration: Defense and protection are very important to this dwarf. Shielding others from harm and attacks...often being the last line of defense. Plenty of Force type spells fit perfect for the dwarf with the effect stronger then stone.

*Conjuration: A dwarf as a 'leader' of a group, either for war or work. To summon and instant army or work force is a perfect fit. The one dwarf army or crew. Creation is a natural for crafting too, and the dwarf can conjure up whatever is needed.

*Divination: The wise and knowing dwarf. The dwarf that is always seeking things, like a prospector. Of course, this is also perfect for a treasure seeker.

*Enchantment: Dwarf sure do have a wild and rough charm, but it's there like a sledge hammer. To confuse, and bewilder and effect the minds of others fits just fine. The sneak dwarf fits just fine here.

*Evocation: The Blaster Dwarf here is more then obvious. To the extreme of destruction. Also plenty of Force spells here.

Illusion: To confuse, and bewilder and effect the minds of others fits just fine. The sneak dwarf fits just fine here. And battle field illusions are a perfect match.

Necromancy: A dwarf is full of life, so the power of life and death fits just fine. Power over the mystery of life. Many would do the 'white' side of positive energy, but plenty use the dark too.

Transmutation: Dwarfs like change, and transmutation is all about change...so this is an easy fit.

[Arkhios]

Welp, my stats -- 15, 13, 12, 11, 10, 7 -- (I rolled them and I have to keep them) aren't particularly good for tankyness. With or without the extra help from Abjuration, as much as I agree it would be fitting. Most of you seem to suggest Transmutation, and I can't disagree with the reasoning either. Transmutation it is.


For the distribution, I was thinking something like this:

Str 10
Dex 13
Con 14 (+2 included)
Int 15
Wis 11
Cha 5 (-2 included)

I know I could put Str 7 and have Cha 8 instead, or something, because dwarves care very little about encumbrance, but I'd prefer not to have negative modifier for the occasional melee touch attacks or the like. Plus, I might consider dipping into fighter at some point and make an eldritch knight, and (obviously) boost my strength with items.