Severus Snape wizard subclass

[Stormtrooper666]

Hey

I'm planning on playing a wizard at my next campaign. I'm basing the character off of Severus Snape from Harry Potter.

What wizard subclass comes closest to matching Snape?

[Segev]

Transmuter would capture the potions-making feel, with the philosopher stone the subclass gets allowing various lab-like, formula-based role laying options.

Abjurer would go with his anti-dark-arts techniques.

[Evaar]

I'm going to vote for Abjurer based on Segev's comment, though initially my thought was Transmuter. I decided against Transmuter because, if I recall, Snape was not an Animagus and Transmuters get an ability that replicates that.

[Witty Username]

Abjurer, with something like a guild artisan or sage background. Make sure alchemist tools is grabbed.

Something like Artificer initiate could be cool too, theme your spells as potions with various uses where appropriate.

[NecessaryWeevil]

Snape was also skilled at Occlumency and Legilimency, which sort of suggests Enchanter, but also, again, Abjurer.
I think Snape's defining qualities are an incisive intellect, the discipline to employ that intellect in systematic study (improving the recipes in the potions textbooks for example), and a need for recognition.
Whereas many of the 'wizards' in Harry Potter get by on raw talent, Snape has simply put in the hard work. Really, he's the classic D&D wizard. Which is hard to depict, really, unless most of the casters in your DM's world are Clerics, Sorcerors, and Warlocks so that you stand out by comparison. But that's out of your control, so aside from whatever subclass you choose I would emphasize preparedness, a solid work ethic, a dissatisfaction with assumptions, a desire to plumb the depths of every mystery, and an expectation that your party's work be properly recognized and rewarded.

[Chronos]

Sure, Snape is pretty good with magic, across the board. But the base wizard class covers that. All wizards can get divinations and enchantments and so on. It's not a question of what he's competent at; it's a question of what he specializes in.

[grarrrg]

it's a question of what he specializes in.

He specializes in things that aren't easy to represent (in this game system/with a single character/roleplay).

First off, Harry Potter "wizards" are mostly actually (DnD)Sorcerers (or at the very least Sorcerer/Wizard hybrids).
I would say that Snape is one of the few characters that qualifies as a TRUE Wizard. He does his own study and experimentation in attempts to improve his spells/potions.
So ideally, the other players would also be doing Harry Potter things, and would be Sorcerers, while the Snape character is the only Wizard. But this appears to be a single character, so the Sorc/Wiz distinction is moot.

He is a potion making master.
But 5e doesn't have deep enough crafting to make that meaning anything.


Suggestion? Build what you want, but try to pick a fight with every 12 year old you come across.

[GooeyChewie]

It's a shame that Alchemist is not a Wizard subclass. The subclass makes sense for the Potions Master, but the rest of the class does not.

[Segev]

I still think Transmuter's Minor Alchemy will give something of the right flavor by letting you use 'potions' to alter properties of objects.

War Wizard is boring, in my opinions but may suit Snake's dwelling style.

Abjurer remains a solid choice, too.

It is more of a stretch, but Diviner can represent preparedness and also has a really good spell efficiency if lots of casting makes you feel like Snape.



As a non subclass thing, you could try to talk your DM into letting you have the Retainers background feature from variant noble, and replace the commoners with the wizard apprentice out of either Volo's or MPMM. The apprentices are CR1/4, so may be better as a single Sidekick, but the idea is that you have an annoying student you're responsible for but don't like or don't want to admit you like, so you're hard on him and grumpy about whatever shenanigans he gets up to. Or students, if the DM allows a straight replacement of commoners with apprentices.

[Psyren]

None of them fit perfectly but I second Segev's suggestions (Abjurer, Transmuter, Enchanter, War).

Given that his Occlumency was able to fool even Voldemort I would lean towards Abjuration as his specialty, though that doesn't actually help against mind-reading until high level.

[Alexander Atoz]

It's going to come down to personality/roleplaying more than to class choices.
That said, I'd favor a multiclass combo since he seems genually skilled at multiple crafts. Since Wizard doesn't multiclass easily (I'm assuming, because of the fact that they're the only INT class, besideds artificer, which I find very weak. You may be able to find a good multi-class idea for Wizard online, in which case forget I said anything). If you aren't committed to Wizard, you could probably do something nice with a sorcerer/warlock and/or bard combo (using Bard of Shadows, from xanther's).
In terms of potions, if your DM lets you buy potions and spell scrolls, he should be willing to let you make them instead. Just agree with him that you'll pay the same price. You'll call it paying for ingredients. (Spell scrolls can be turned into potions, provided that they're spells you cast on yourself and your allies. Just come up with a reason that you still need concentration)

[Witty Username]

First off, Harry Potter "wizards" are mostly actually (DnD)Sorcerers (or at the very least Sorcerer/Wizard hybrids).

This supposed to be a place of fun, so I will try to keep this brief.
Harry Potter is a reasonable example of why I don't like the sorcerer/wizard divide generally. The books have a bunch of things that code in both directions from wild magic to sorcerery to requiring years of study for relatively simple spells to wizard.
There are characters that lean one or the other but nearly everyone has some elements of both sorcerer and wizard.