LMoP: Swapping in Volo Wizards

[Zhorn]

So currently running Lost Mines of Phandelver for my current online group.
5 players
4 are new to d&d, with the one that has experience new to 5e
playing using XP levelling, and through general sandboxing and random encounters, I'm expecting the players to be generally over levelled for when they eventually get up to each of these guys that if they do opt for violence, it'll be a little bit on the easy side.
I'm not looking to homebrew up a super buffed BBEG encounter, as I'm running longer adventuring days with a decent level of resource attrition. Just looking to use a statblock that's a little bit higher that the module's Evil Mage.
Plus with a wizard in the party, having a different spell loadout will make the spellbooks a more appealing treasure.


Thinking of swapping out some of the named wizard to use the wizard statblocks from Volo's

Hamun Kost would clearly be a necromancer

but I'm no sure what to use for Glasstaff and the Black Spider.

What are some recommendation of wizard schools that fit the themes of these guys?

My intent is to stick to published statblocks, this is about theme, not optimization.

[Dork_Forge]

An Evoker for Glass-staff perhaps? He was sent there originally to set up a constabulary and haivng some blasting chops would make him a more interesting (not necessarily more difficult) miniboss.

Of all the types of Wizards to control a bandit group, I think fear of death by mage fire is a pretty compelling one.

[Lorka]

Also I cannot recommend enough that you switch out the Black Spider with something else. Glasstaff is interesting and having the end boss being a copy is boring.

I replaced him with a Hobgoblin Shadow Monk.