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Best Wizard School Specialization in 3.5?
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<blockquote data-quote="atra2" data-source="post: 1443735" data-attributes="member: 10914"><p><strong>No good divinations? Here's several!</strong></p><p></p><p>You have got to be kidding me. Let's try it the powergamer way:</p><p></p><p>1) True Strike</p><p>2) Detect Thoughts (effectively Detect Enemies)</p><p>3) Clairvoyance (Spot checks for Long Range spells at 600+ ft suck. -1</p><p>to spot per 10 feet.)</p><p>4) Detect Scrying (lasts 24 hours)</p><p>5) Telepathic Bond or Quickened True Strike for your Empowered</p><p>Scorching Ray <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> (9th level caster) True Strike defeats all concealment</p><p>mods, so lets you autohit foes even inside the new 20% concealment</p><p>darkness spells, shoot a ray through fog, etc.</p><p>6) True Seeing is best for combat. The others have out of combat use.</p><p>7) Arcane Sight, Greater. Consider Extended True Seeing.</p><p>8) Moment of Prescience is again the best combat spell, but others are</p><p>good in other situations.</p><p>9) Foresight is both uber and the only known 9th level divination in the SRD.</p><p>Extending Moment of Prescience is minorly useful. More a Sorc thing to do.</p><p>(Sorcs with extend spell and hour/level spells simply empty out their</p><p>leftover slots after a hard day's adventure, buffing themselves and others.)</p><p></p><p> I am surprised you didn't consider metamagic, and have no use for</p><p>True Strike or Detect Thoughts.</p><p></p><p> Everyone knows about saving throw spells like fireball and taking spell</p><p>focus and crafting headbands of intellect, but a wizard's BAB often sucks,</p><p>and I tell ya, Empowered Scorching Rays are a sight to behold.</p><p></p><p> Divination is usually better in a homegame though. In Living Greyhawk,</p><p>which has a higher percentage of munchkins than homegames, (though we</p><p>have our fair share of roleplayers too) Diviners are considered the best</p><p>specialist for those who prefer versatility, though Generalist wizards have</p><p>many advocates.</p><p></p><p> Myself, I run an Abjurer 5/Elemental Savant (Fire) 2 who is always ready</p><p>to buff a party member or Dispel Magic or whatever, and generally focuses</p><p>on Abjuration, Conjuration, Evocation and Transmutation. I have Illusion and</p><p>Necromancy banned, and few to no Enchantment or Divination spells. I do</p><p>just fine, having a dozen or so spells at levels 1 and 2, several 3rds and just</p><p>2 4th level spells so far. (Stoneskin and Otiluke's Sphere)</p><p></p><p> I'll soon craft a Wand of True Strike (wiz5/PrC 2 w/ 10 dex = BAB +3) for</p><p>Scorching Rays. I use my 2nd level spells for Glitterdust, Fox's Cunning and</p><p>other party buffs in the meantime, occasionally going to Flaming Sphere,</p><p>which really benefits from Fox's Cunning since it causes so many saving</p><p>throws.</p><p></p><p> I am the only vote for Abjuration in the polls so far, but I've played it in</p><p>homegames too, back when I was (2E) forced to lose transmutation and</p><p>(at the time) all the cool transportation and other spells.</p><p></p><p> I think if you have several to a dozen spells at each spell level, and some</p><p>of the "power" spells are among them, it doesn't really matter what your</p><p>specialty is.</p><p></p><p> It matters far more if you know Fox's Cunning, have taken spell focus feats</p><p>(I haven't) and/or have a PrC that boosts spell DCs (I have) if the goal is</p><p>combat superiority (as it is in Living Greyhawk).</p><p></p><p> I've seen a 7th level transmuter (with evocation and something else</p><p>banned) contribute greatly in battles though, purely by buffing the party.</p><p></p><p> As far as specialization, it's mostly a flavor thing at 7th level and later.</p><p>I did empty myself of every slot, including bonus specialty slots, in many</p><p>battles at 6th and lower level.</p><p></p><p> I think once you get to a high enough level to have lots of slots, the</p><p>Generalist Wizard is likely the most powerful, because he can craft everything,</p><p>can have False Life and Endurance up, other buffs, blast things, have</p><p>Detect Thoughts and/or See Invisible up (or permanent) etc.</p><p></p><p> The first several levels are rough without the specialty slots to fall back</p><p>on though... I suppose you could get around a lot of it merely by scribing</p><p>more scrolls.</p><p></p><p> Divination specialty is better than you think, but given a good player,</p><p>anything will work. You can only lose two schools, so if I have at least one</p><p>of [evocation, conjuration, transmutation] I can make a fine showing for</p><p>myself, even as an enchanter, illusionist or necromancer. Or Abjurer ;-)</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="atra2, post: 1443735, member: 10914"] [b]No good divinations? Here's several![/b] You have got to be kidding me. Let's try it the powergamer way: 1) True Strike 2) Detect Thoughts (effectively Detect Enemies) 3) Clairvoyance (Spot checks for Long Range spells at 600+ ft suck. -1 to spot per 10 feet.) 4) Detect Scrying (lasts 24 hours) 5) Telepathic Bond or Quickened True Strike for your Empowered Scorching Ray :-) (9th level caster) True Strike defeats all concealment mods, so lets you autohit foes even inside the new 20% concealment darkness spells, shoot a ray through fog, etc. 6) True Seeing is best for combat. The others have out of combat use. 7) Arcane Sight, Greater. Consider Extended True Seeing. 8) Moment of Prescience is again the best combat spell, but others are good in other situations. 9) Foresight is both uber and the only known 9th level divination in the SRD. Extending Moment of Prescience is minorly useful. More a Sorc thing to do. (Sorcs with extend spell and hour/level spells simply empty out their leftover slots after a hard day's adventure, buffing themselves and others.) I am surprised you didn't consider metamagic, and have no use for True Strike or Detect Thoughts. Everyone knows about saving throw spells like fireball and taking spell focus and crafting headbands of intellect, but a wizard's BAB often sucks, and I tell ya, Empowered Scorching Rays are a sight to behold. Divination is usually better in a homegame though. In Living Greyhawk, which has a higher percentage of munchkins than homegames, (though we have our fair share of roleplayers too) Diviners are considered the best specialist for those who prefer versatility, though Generalist wizards have many advocates. Myself, I run an Abjurer 5/Elemental Savant (Fire) 2 who is always ready to buff a party member or Dispel Magic or whatever, and generally focuses on Abjuration, Conjuration, Evocation and Transmutation. I have Illusion and Necromancy banned, and few to no Enchantment or Divination spells. I do just fine, having a dozen or so spells at levels 1 and 2, several 3rds and just 2 4th level spells so far. (Stoneskin and Otiluke's Sphere) I'll soon craft a Wand of True Strike (wiz5/PrC 2 w/ 10 dex = BAB +3) for Scorching Rays. I use my 2nd level spells for Glitterdust, Fox's Cunning and other party buffs in the meantime, occasionally going to Flaming Sphere, which really benefits from Fox's Cunning since it causes so many saving throws. I am the only vote for Abjuration in the polls so far, but I've played it in homegames too, back when I was (2E) forced to lose transmutation and (at the time) all the cool transportation and other spells. I think if you have several to a dozen spells at each spell level, and some of the "power" spells are among them, it doesn't really matter what your specialty is. It matters far more if you know Fox's Cunning, have taken spell focus feats (I haven't) and/or have a PrC that boosts spell DCs (I have) if the goal is combat superiority (as it is in Living Greyhawk). I've seen a 7th level transmuter (with evocation and something else banned) contribute greatly in battles though, purely by buffing the party. As far as specialization, it's mostly a flavor thing at 7th level and later. I did empty myself of every slot, including bonus specialty slots, in many battles at 6th and lower level. I think once you get to a high enough level to have lots of slots, the Generalist Wizard is likely the most powerful, because he can craft everything, can have False Life and Endurance up, other buffs, blast things, have Detect Thoughts and/or See Invisible up (or permanent) etc. The first several levels are rough without the specialty slots to fall back on though... I suppose you could get around a lot of it merely by scribing more scrolls. Divination specialty is better than you think, but given a good player, anything will work. You can only lose two schools, so if I have at least one of [evocation, conjuration, transmutation] I can make a fine showing for myself, even as an enchanter, illusionist or necromancer. Or Abjurer ;-) [/QUOTE]
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