A new way to do Wizard Specialization.

[Aaron2]

I never liked D&D's way of doing specialty wizards, they seem too bland. Their bonuses is only worth they cost of a few scrolls and their penalties can be overcome (for the most part) with a few Wondrous Items. Plus, an illusionist isn't better at illusion spells that a generalist, he's just worse at some other thing (the forbidden schools). I all but wrote them out of my campaign world.

Anyway, I decided to change how they work. A specialty wizard is treated like a Wizard of one level higher than his class level for both caster level and spells per day, but these spells can only be from his chosen school. For all other spells, he is treated as a wizard two levels below his class level, again both for spells per day and caster level. These two spell lists don't add, they overlap.

For example, a fourth level illusionist can cast three first level spells, of which only two can be non-illusionist spells [this is written 3(2) in the chart]. Illusion spells will be at Caster Level 5 whereas all other spells are at Caster Level 3. A fourth level illusionist can already cast one third level illusion spell. A fourth level evoker will get a 5d6 fireball, the same fireball as a seventh level illusionist.

When comparing to the stock way, my specialists actually gets fewer extra spells per day since the number tops out at 4 but these extra spells are usually at his highest spell level.

The complete write-up is here: http://jtjaguar.home.texas.net/WizardSpecialty.html

The only downside I can see is that my way requires the player to keep track of two different caster levels. Of course, you will probably think of some others.

Finally, I'd also like to come up with several specialist-only feat chains like the ones in Dragon Mag.


Aaron

 

[Old Gumphrey]

Their bonuses is only worth they cost of a few scrolls and their penalties can be overcome (for the most part) with a few Wondrous Items. Plus, an illusionist isn't better at illusion spells that a generalist, he's just worse at some other thing (the forbidden schools).

Yeah, a few scrolls every single day. Having an extra spell to cast each day is huge. Do tell what wondrous items let you cast spells that aren't even on your list? I really don't get it; I've seen nothing but specialists in the games I've played in save one generalist who wanted to be a loremaster/archmage (which you can do as a specialist anyway).

 

[nikolai]

I think this is a really good idea. I think the down sides are: (1) two different lists to keep track of, and (2) I think the spell list results in a down powering of the wizard. For example; at 5th level a normal specialist has 5/4/3/2 spells. A variant specialist has 4/3/3/2. Spell level also only has an influence on the power of some spells. It counts with most damaging spells, but not all other. So the effect is variable across schools.

I don't know what the solution is - except perhaps playing about with the spell lists some more.

 

[Aaron2]

Yeah, a few scrolls every single day. Having an extra spell to cast each day is huge. Do tell what wondrous items let you cast spells that aren't even on your list? I really don't get it; I've seen nothing but specialists in the games I've played in save one generalist who wanted to be a loremaster/archmage (which you can do as a specialist anyway).

Right now, there isn't really any downside to specializing so I too have seen it more often than not. I find that players prohibited school contains spells they probably wouldn't have gotten anyway. Plus, if you can't cast Fly get Boots of Flying, can't cast Invisibility get a Cloak of Invisibility, can't cast Summon Monster get a Bag of Tricks. Its even worse if your DM allows you to custom make any Woundrous Item that casts a spell 1/day. Your forced to give up two schools, each of which only has one or two critical spells.

I guess my main compliant is that, back in the ol' days, an illusionists was pretty much limited to only illusion spells (heck, he needed 9th level spell slots to cast first level wizard spells). Now that isn't the case. I want specialists to rely on thier chosen school most of all without being totally crippled.


Aaron

 

[Aaron2]

I think the down sides are: (1) two different lists to keep track of, and (2) I think the spell list results in a down powering of the wizard. For example; at 5th level a normal specialist has 5/4/3/2 spells. A variant specialist has 4/3/3/2. Spell level also only has an influence on the power of some spells. It counts with most damaging spells, but not all other. So the effect is variable across schools.

You don't really have two spell lists, just some of your spell slots can only be used for spells from one school; which is how specialists work currently. Yes, currently my specialists has less spells per day than the official one but, IME, getting higher level spells one level earlier is a big deal.

I wish Caster Level has some universal effect, such as affecting save DCs. As it is, it barely matter in some schools.


Aaron

 

[Stalker0]

Right now, there isn't really any downside to specializing so I too have seen it more often than not.
Aaron

You lose TWO schools of magic... that's not big enough?

 

[Relic]

I require specialist wizards to have at least half of their known spells to be from their specialist school. I also grant one of the following benefits, chosen by the specialist: +1 point of damage per die (thus a 10th level fireball would do 10d6+10), +2 to the save DC, +50% duration, or reduce metamagic costs by -1 level (minimum 1).

At the other side of the coin, the specialist suffers the opposite effect chosen to all his spells that are not from his specialized school. I have used this since 3.0 first came out and my players find it works decent enough.

Oh, as a side note, specialist wizards do not have to select opposed schools. They just cast all non-specialist spells with the specific penalty (the opposite of their benefit).