DonAdam
Explorer
There is a fundamental flaw in the division of the wizard schools that has been around since 2nd edition.
Page 54 of the PHB says that a school has "a common theme." I think we can all see that this breaks down in the name of balance pretty quickly.
Mage armor, a clear example of energy usage, is a conjuration spell.
Enchantment spells are to include mind-influencing effects or "spell that imbue the recipient with some property," when in fact every spell like that is a transmutation spell.
The school names themselves seem to betray the idea of an artificial distinction.
Abjuration, Enchantment, Divination, Transmutation, and Illusion seem to be concerned mainly with the effect of the spell, while conjuration, necromancy, and evocation seem to indicate the method by which the spell is cast. What is needed is a uniform distinction.
The 3e creators have provided the tool necessary to do this: descriptors. Descriptors are implicitly focused on the effect of the spell, realizing that since its magic, it doesn't need a particular explanation or ANY EXPLANATION AT ALL.
Is burning hands an evocation spell because you're making energy? Is is a conjuration spell because you're summoning the energy from the elemental plane of fire? Is it a transmutation spell because you have changed the air into fire?
IT DOESN'T MATTER. What matters is the effect.
The descriptors in Chapter 10 are far superior tools.
Here's my preliminary thoughts on what the divisions should be:
1) Calling
2) Creation
3) Summoning
4) Charm
5) Compulsion
6) Figment
7) Glamer
8) Pattern
9) Phantasm
10) Shadow
11) Force (mage armor, magic missile, etc)
12) Elemental (this could break down into subgroups)
13) Necromantic (this is narrow enough to stay as is, and I would group healing under it)
The problem children are Abjuration, Divination, and Transmutation.
The only one I've really thought about is Transmutation, and I would divide that into
1) Imbuing- giving something a property it didn't have before
2) Transmutation- actually changing a quality of something
I haven't had a chance to think about abjuration and divination yet.
This line of thought holds some promise I believe, though it would take a great deal of work to iron out the divisions and make them balanced for the sake of specialization.
Does anyone have any thoughts on anything I've done wrong or left out?
Furthermore, would anybody be interested in a more expansive write-up of this, done formally and with the wizard specialists redone?
Page 54 of the PHB says that a school has "a common theme." I think we can all see that this breaks down in the name of balance pretty quickly.
Mage armor, a clear example of energy usage, is a conjuration spell.
Enchantment spells are to include mind-influencing effects or "spell that imbue the recipient with some property," when in fact every spell like that is a transmutation spell.
The school names themselves seem to betray the idea of an artificial distinction.
Abjuration, Enchantment, Divination, Transmutation, and Illusion seem to be concerned mainly with the effect of the spell, while conjuration, necromancy, and evocation seem to indicate the method by which the spell is cast. What is needed is a uniform distinction.
The 3e creators have provided the tool necessary to do this: descriptors. Descriptors are implicitly focused on the effect of the spell, realizing that since its magic, it doesn't need a particular explanation or ANY EXPLANATION AT ALL.
Is burning hands an evocation spell because you're making energy? Is is a conjuration spell because you're summoning the energy from the elemental plane of fire? Is it a transmutation spell because you have changed the air into fire?
IT DOESN'T MATTER. What matters is the effect.
The descriptors in Chapter 10 are far superior tools.
Here's my preliminary thoughts on what the divisions should be:
1) Calling
2) Creation
3) Summoning
4) Charm
5) Compulsion
6) Figment
7) Glamer
8) Pattern
9) Phantasm
10) Shadow
11) Force (mage armor, magic missile, etc)
12) Elemental (this could break down into subgroups)
13) Necromantic (this is narrow enough to stay as is, and I would group healing under it)
The problem children are Abjuration, Divination, and Transmutation.
The only one I've really thought about is Transmutation, and I would divide that into
1) Imbuing- giving something a property it didn't have before
2) Transmutation- actually changing a quality of something
I haven't had a chance to think about abjuration and divination yet.
This line of thought holds some promise I believe, though it would take a great deal of work to iron out the divisions and make them balanced for the sake of specialization.
Does anyone have any thoughts on anything I've done wrong or left out?
Furthermore, would anybody be interested in a more expansive write-up of this, done formally and with the wizard specialists redone?
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