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View Full Version : Rules Q&A Is Abyssal Specialist a specialist wizard?



redking
2021-07-06, 06:45 AM
Abyssal Specialist
Most wizards who choose to specialize do so in a specific school. Many drow wizards instead focus on a variety of spells closely linked to the powers and objectives of the Weaver of Webs. The basic mechanic for specialization is the same, but the specifics differ.

Level: 1st.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you cannot specialize in a school of magic, and you lose the ability to cast spells from a prohibited school.

You must select one school of magic to serve as your prohibited school, and you can never cast spells from it or use spell completion and spell trigger devices connected to it, as per normal specialist rules. You may not select divination as your prohibited school.

Benefit: You are considered specialized, but not in a specific school. Rather, you gain all the benefits of specialization with a group of spells that includes all those of the following subschools and/or descriptors: chaotic, compulsion, darkness, evil, and fear. You gain all the standard benefits of specialization as applied to this group of spells, as though it were a school unto itself.

Is the Abyssal Specialist a specialist wizard? For example, although it's not RAI, could an Abyssal Specialist take levels in the Red Wizard prestige class? If Abyssal Specialist is not a specialist wizard, could the Abyssal Specialist also be a Domain Wizard?

Also - what if the subschools and/or descriptors: chaotic, compulsion, darkness, evil, and fear fall under a banned school? Is the Abyssal Specialist unable to cast such a spell?

Tzardok
2021-07-06, 07:02 AM
Well, the first sentence under Benefits says "You are considered a specialist wizard", so I would say yes, an abyssal specialist is a specialist. (I would still forbid one from becoming a Red Mage, because Red Mages are always human and this is a alternate class feature for drow.)

As the description doesn't mention any exceptions for spells of forbidden schools with the respective descriptors/subschools, I would assume that school trumps descriptor (would also be kinda pointless; the vast majority of enchantment spells are compulsions. If I could choose enchantment as the forbidden school and still cast all compulsions, I would have just given up a minuscle number of charms.)

Zanos
2021-07-06, 02:06 PM
You're a specialist wizard, but not in a school of magic. You can't take Tattoo Focus, the Red Wizard prereq, because it requires you be specialized in a school of magic. You also cannot be a domain wizard because "A domain wizard cannot also be a specialist wizard.", nothing about schools of magic. You would however qualify for the item/spell/school reprieve feat line, or anything else that requires only specialization.