Wizards: Mage versus Specialists

[Scalenex]

Okay I'm not sure what the official classfication is, but in my group, a wizard without a speciality school (or some other specialty variant outside the PHB) is a mage.

As a DM most of my NPC wizards are specialists. I like them from a DM standpoint because it epediates the process of picking spells and gives me a basic framework for the character's personality and goals, meaning I can make the character quicker. For my own characters, I prefer specialists because again I like a framework to select my spells from, I like the extra spell, and I like to think "given this character's background, goals, approach, and alignment, what school fits best and which schools fit least." Gradually my other D&D buddies came around to this view point till almost all of their PCs and NPCs are specialists, not mages. Now mages are about as common in our games as any one brand of specialist.

About how common are specialists in your game and why?

[Kel_Arath]

well im pretty much the person that always covers spellcasters, but i usually play a specialist (or sorc) so they are pretty common. actually i dont think ive seen a "mage" since... the n00b campaign that my friend and i did

[Emperor Tippy]

I like to go elf wizard with the RotW racial substitution levels. You get 1 extra spell slot of the highest level spell you can cast.

[Matthew]

NPC Specialist Wizards are fairly common in my games. Player Character Specialist Wizards are about as common as not.

[Latronis]

I only have specialists in my homebrew world

[Teloric]

That's always struck me as one of the odd things about DnD. To me, Wizards should all be specialists of some sort, having knowledge in a few selected schools. To be a Wizard that can cast spells from every school should be an extremely rare character, not the "norm".

Needless to say, specialists are what you'll find around here...

[Latronis]

That's always struck me as one of the odd things about DnD. To me, Wizards should all be specialists of some sort, having knowledge in a few selected schools. To be a Wizard that can cast spells from every school should be an extremely rare character, not the "norm".

Needless to say, specialists are what you'll find around here...

that's my reasoning aswell, the explanation for specialists was that the different schools had different principles of spellcasting and focusing on one has the drawback of not being able to understand them all. I took one step further and said from a flavour standpoint its not really possible to cover everything. If you go do a science degree at a university you major in a specific discipline, and don't do all subjects indepth. Its no different here, or well in the world were i made that specific flavour decision.

[Fax Celestis]

I only have specialists in my homebrew world

I'm considering taking that a step further and combining some of the schools of magic, ending up with Creation, Alteration, Abjuration, and Destruction. Specialist wizards ban two schools, meaning about 50% of spells in existence are now banned to them. Further, ultraspecialists (like the Red Wizard of Thay) now only get *one*.

[Latronis]

I'm considering taking that a step further and combining some of the schools of magic, ending up with Creation, Alteration, Abjuration, and Destruction. Specialist wizards ban two schools, meaning about 50% of spells in existence are now banned to them. Further, ultraspecialists (like the Red Wizard of Thay) now only get *one*.

How would they be combined? Mixing subschools together? I dont really see the 8 schools meshing into those 4 perfectly.

I've got an 'ultraspecialist' PrC that grants some abilities relating mostly to modifying spells of the specialist school, but they give up their bonus spells to get them.

[Matthew]

I actually want to see the Schools expanded to nine, the ninth being the 'General' School; I miss that one.

[Fax Celestis]

How would they be combined? Mixing subschools together? I dont really see the 8 schools meshing into those 4 perfectly.

Really? Let's denotate:

Qualifiers for Creation school:

• Physically creates a tangible object that it as least semipermanent. (Most Conjurations, some Evocation, some Necromancy)
• Summons or transports an existing object (Some Conjurations)

Qualifiers for Alteration school:

• Physically changes an existing object. (Basically, Transmutation)
• Heals or inflicts damage through alteration of physical form of subject. (Heal and Inflict spells, most Enchantment spells)
• Changes appearance or physical location (some Illusions)

Qualifiers for Abjuration school:

• Defends against or alters preexisting magics. (Abjuration, some Divination)
• Scrying
• Magical buffs (Pretty much all schools)
• Defensive magic (Illusion and Transmutation, in particular)

Qualifiers for Destruction school:

• Physically destroys existing objects or magics. (Most Evocation, some Abjuration)
• Manifests elemental energies as a destructive attack (The rest of Evocation, some Conjuration).

I think that covers most of it. Of course, it'd also use doubleschooling (as seen in the PHB-II and 2e.)

[Latronis]

When i said i didn't see them meshing well together i meant as in something like Creation being just everything from Conjuration and Necromancy schools for example.

So things like Phantasms would be Creation|Alteration??

I made healing spells necromancy for clerics again

and druids and the like got them as transmutation

[Fax Celestis]

So things like Phantasms would be Creation|Alteration??

Yes, exactly.

The real reason I haven't reschooled the magic is because it'd be a long and arduous process.

[Latronis]

Aye i'd probably redo the whole magic system myself if it was an easy matter

[Morty]

And where are Levitate, Fly, and Telekinesis spells in that system? I guess in Alteration or Abjuration, but I'm not sure.
I made my own spell school system, but sadly it doesn't fit well into D&D.

[Fax Celestis]

And where are Levitate, Fly, and Telekinesis spells in that system? I guess in Alteration or Abjuration, but I'm not sure.
I made my own spell school system, but sadly it doesn't fit well into D&D.

Levitate and fly alter an existing object, so Alteration. Telekinesis changes the loccation of an existing object, so also Alteration (though the argument could be made for Destruction).

[Morty]

Huh. Then I'd probably end up as Alterer(?) again. And Telekinesis would be in fact Alteration, as it directly affects object's location, while Destruction creates some explosion that moves object, if I understand the whole system properly.
BTW, destruction isn't good name for school, IMO. I can't find a better name though, it's the same problem I encountered while designing my system

[Fax Celestis]

Huh. Then I'd probably end up as Alterer(?) again. And Telekinesis would be in fact Alteration, as it directly affects object's location, while Destruction creates some explosion that moves object, if I understand the whole system properly.
BTW, destruction isn't good name for school, IMO. I can't find a better name though, it's the same problem I encountered while designing my system

Actually, my homebrew setting has four overdeities, called the Muses. They are Creation, Alteration, Organization, and Destruction. Each grants a school of magic (Organization granting Abjuration).