Specialist Wizards: variant

[Trainz]

I have never once seen a specialist wizard IMC because loosing access to 2 schools has always felt like too hard on my players and me.

SO...

Here's a variant. When you specialize, instead of gaining an extra spell, you gain a certain benefit associated with your school:

Abjuration: An abjurer generates a cohesive field around him that enhances whatever protection items he currently wears. In game terms, this means that any bonus to armor class gained by the items he wears are converted to force effects that apply against incorporeal or touch attacks for example. An abjurer wearing bracers of armor +4, amulet of natural armor +2, and ring of protection +2 would have an effective AC of 18 versus any attack, be it a touch attack or a bash from a spectre. Note that armors and shields aren't enhanced by an abjurer's cohesive field. The total number of AC points thus converted cannot surpass his abjurer class level.

Conjuration: When a conjurer summons a creature(s), twice the normal number appear. This only applies to creatures summoned with his conjurer spells, not summoning abilities or spells granted by another class. He is treated as being 3 levels higher in order to determine his familiar's abilities.

Divination: When casting a spell from the divination school, the diviner is treated as being 4 levels higher (caster level +4). This only applies to his diviner spells, not divination spells or abilities granted by another class.

Enchantment: All enchantment spells cast by an enchanter have their saving throws DC augmented by two. This only applies to his enchanter spells, not enchantment abilities or spells granted by another class.

Evocation: All evocations spells cast by an evoker do +1 damage per die. A fireball cast by an 8th level evoker would do 8d6+8 points of damage. This only applies to his evoker spells, not evoker abilities or spells granted by another class.

Illusion: All illusion spells are one spell level lower for an illusionist. Color spray is a cantrip (as well as ghost sound), and invisibility sphere becomes a 2nd level spell.

Necromancy: A necromancer is so attuned to the negative plane that he rebukes or commands undead much like an evil cleric does. He uses wisdom instead of charisma to determine the turning effects, and his daily turning attempts cannot be used in conjunction with feats such as Divine Might or Extra Turning.

Transmutation: All transmutation spells cast by a transmuter have their saving throw DC's raised by 2. This only applies to his transmuter spells, not transmutation abilities or spells granted by another class.

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Some of these might be unbalanced, as I'm making this up as I go. I still don't think we'll be using these in our campaign (old habits die hard), but hey...

 

[Angel Tarragon]

These are some interesting ideas. They actually have merit. I completely agree with you on the loss of school access. I've been thinking about it myself, as I am currently in the middle of a d20 magic system overhaul. I'm not sure if I am going to use the info from Unearthed Arcana on the specialist variants or not.

 

[Li Shenron]

They are pretty powerful abilities... I suppose that's ok with you.

I especially like the Abjurer and Necromancer additions.

OTOH, what about changing the Conjurer summoning ability so that instead of just doubling the creatures, whenever he uses a Summon Monster X spell she can summon creatures as a Summon Monster X+1 (for all other purposes the spell is still of level X)? That ability could be used either to summon one more powerful monster or 1d3 monsters instead.

 

[LazerPointer]

let me clarify this; you still lose access to 2 schools, or no?

 

[Li Shenron]

let me clarify this; you still lose access to 2 schools, or no?

I think Trainz is replacing the specialization benefit, but keeps the drawback unchanged.

 

[Elrik_DarkFury]

I think the abilities given are quite powerfull.Anyway if you search for usefull spells through the books you can find that loosing two schools isn't a big problem.
Actually, i only play specialist wizards and i never had any significant problem with that.
I usually choose enchantment and necromancy or illusion to get specialization in trasmutation or evocation.

_________________
The Wizard

 

[JimAde]

Does an illusionist get all the 1st-level illusion spells in his spellbook for free since they're now 0-level?

These are cool but, as others have said, powerful. I'm especially concerned about the conjurer ability. Twice as many summoned creatures makes the caster's top-level summon spell very powerful for the CR's they'll likely face.

These ideas really encourage specialization, though, which is a Good Thing, since I think non-specialist wizards tend to all be quite similar in flavor.

 

[Trainz]

OTOH, what about changing the Conjurer summoning ability so that instead of just doubling the creatures, whenever he uses a Summon Monster X spell she can summon creatures as a Summon Monster X+1 (for all other purposes the spell is still of level X)? That ability could be used either to summon one more powerful monster or 1d3 monsters instead.

Sure. You could do that. Like I said, all I did was throw ideas last night. I invite anyone to modify this list and repost it in this thread.

let me clarify this; you still lose access to 2 schools, or no?

Oh absolutely, but unlike the PHB, you are actually STRONGER than other wizards in your specialized school. The PHB gives you ONE more spell per level. That's nice, but it doesn't demonstrate a *superiority*, which is counterintuitive with what a specialist should be. When a fighter specializes, he deals more damage with his chosen weapon.

I think the abilities given are quite powerfull.

Yes, they are. I invite you to propose an alternative if you feel so inclined.

Anyway if you search for usefull spells through the books you can find that loosing two schools isn't a big problem.

Oh yes it is a big problem. You loose access to 25% of the available spells. That's big. Useful spells through the books doesn't change anything, as they are available to regular wizards *as a default*. A specialist should gain something significant for his significant loss.

Actually, i only play specialist wizards and i never had any significant problem with that.

Great. You obviously don't need my variant then.

I usually choose enchantment and necromancy or illusion to get specialization in trasmutation or evocation.

Something I've seen done A LOT over the years on the boards by peeps who do play specialists. Which is symptomatic, don't you think ?

Does an illusionist get all the 1st-level illusion spells in his spellbook for free since they're now 0-level?

I guess he does.

These are cool but, as others have said, powerful. I'm especially concerned about the conjurer ability. Twice as many summoned creatures makes the caster's top-level summon spell very powerful for the CR's they'll likely face.

What do you propose ?

Like I told Li Shenron, I invite anyone to modify this list and repost it in this thread. I personally don't intend to really use it IMC, because we never in fact do use specialists, and loosing 2 schools is a BIG DEAL TM IMC, and no-one (even me) would play a wizard without 2 schools. The only time we play wizards is when we also intend to craft magic items, and losing 25% of your spells isn't going to help you achieve that.

These ideas really encourage specialization, though, which is a Good Thing, since I think non-specialist wizards tend to all be quite similar in flavor.

I wholeheartedly agree.

 

[JimAde]

I like the Summon Monster X+1 idea. In fact, what do you think of using your Illusionist idea for everybody? A specialist treats all spells of his school as if they were one level lower. This might be overpowered as it gives you the spell two class levels sooner. Maybe you could say "A specialist is treated as being one level higher than his actual caster level when learning or preparing a spell in his specialty."

That way a 4th-level evoker could put Fireball in his spellbook and cast it as if he were actually 5th level (5d6 damage, etc.). One level doesn't seem too broken.

You lose a little flavor in that the different specialists no longer have unique abilities, but they are clearly better than a generalist at their chosen area.

 

[dnquxiti]

One thing you could do is combine the idea for the Illusionist with the idea of cleric domain spells.

So a specialist Wizard would have the same number of spells per day as a non-specialist wizard, but they would be charted out differently. The Specialist spell slot would then be used to cast from their chosen school as if it were a slot one level higher.

So a level 3 wizard who specialized in evocation would be able to cast 1 second level spell of any non prohibited school using their first 2nd level spell slot, and prepare say a fireball in their Specialist spell slot. That would mean they would get an extra spell per day 1 level earlier at each level, but i don't think that is too bad, since they would also be locked into only having 3 spells per day per level from any school, and 1 from their chosen school, albiet at a higher level.