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<blockquote data-quote="Ridley's Cohort" data-source="post: 463653" data-attributes="member: 545">I think the specialist penalties are pretty on the mark.While I agree that every school has a few excellent spells, it is not true all are created equally.&nbsp; Some schools are much more painful to not have than others because there may not be similar funciton spells available in other schools.&nbsp; Horrid Wilting may be a fabulous spell, but I can substitute Maze or Otto's Irrestible Dance or an Expanded Expanded Fireball in a pinch.Transmutation -- This is hands down the most painful school to not have.&nbsp; This school has a large palette of primo buff spells, e.g. Haste.Evocation -- Losing evocation is more doable than you may think if you have good teamwork in your party.&nbsp; There are respectable offensive spells low to mid level in the Conjuration, Transmutation, and Enchantment schools to pick up the slack.Conjuration -- Painful to lose at low levels, but it will prove a good choice if you survive to mid-levels.&nbsp; The fogs, Glitterdust and Web are primo low-level utility combat spells.Illusion -- Not a big loss if you are comfortable with the direct approach.&nbsp; Potentially speaking, this might be the most powerful school of magic.&nbsp; In practice you can learn to live without it.Enchantment -- Ditto (as illusion).Necromancy -- Nothing except Clone will you find hard to replace and how many PCs actually ever use it?&nbsp; Fear can be subbed with an enchantment or AoE attack spell.&nbsp; Ditto Enervation.Divination -- See Invisibility is a pretty important spell.&nbsp; Otherwise the cleric in the party can easily pick up the slack.Abjuration -- It is very annoying to not have Dispel Magic.&nbsp; Protection from Arrows and Stoneskin have great long term value.&nbsp; Wizards, being weak, cannot afford to give up this good array of defensive buffs.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Ridley's Cohort, post: 463653, member: 545"] I think the specialist penalties are pretty on the mark. While I agree that every school has a few excellent spells, it is not true all are created equally. Some schools are much more painful to not have than others because there may not be similar funciton spells available in other schools. Horrid Wilting may be a fabulous spell, but I can substitute Maze or Otto's Irrestible Dance or an Expanded Expanded Fireball in a pinch. Transmutation -- This is hands down the most painful school to not have. This school has a large palette of primo buff spells, e.g. Haste. Evocation -- Losing evocation is more doable than you may think if you have good teamwork in your party. There are respectable offensive spells low to mid level in the Conjuration, Transmutation, and Enchantment schools to pick up the slack. Conjuration -- Painful to lose at low levels, but it will prove a good choice if you survive to mid-levels. The fogs, Glitterdust and Web are primo low-level utility combat spells. Illusion -- Not a big loss if you are comfortable with the direct approach. [i]Potentially[/i] speaking, this might be the most powerful school of magic. In practice you can learn to live without it. Enchantment -- Ditto (as illusion). Necromancy -- Nothing except Clone will you find hard to replace and how many PCs actually ever use it? Fear can be subbed with an enchantment or AoE attack spell. Ditto Enervation. Divination -- See Invisibility is a pretty important spell. Otherwise the cleric in the party can easily pick up the slack. Abjuration -- It is very annoying to not have Dispel Magic. Protection from Arrows and Stoneskin have great long term value. Wizards, being weak, cannot afford to give up this good array of defensive buffs. [/QUOTE]

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