What's the weakest wizard specialty?

[Emirikol]

This is an odd request, but I'm wondering what the weakest class combo would be for a wizard specialist (illusionist, evoker, etc.) and one other class for a 5th level character. Ideas and rationale?

Which wizard specialty is the weakest in a general D&D campaign?

jh

 

[Mistwell]

However many specialties there are, that's how many answers you will get. With lots of "dittos" to each.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Weakest class combo: wizard/bard

Weakest specialty: evocation

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I think that it depends on the individual player's playstyle.

I've seen well-played Diviners that were a great boon to their parties- and even dangerous in combat- and Evokers who were more of a hazard to their party than their foes.

Personally, my preferrence for SWs is (in order): Transmuters, Diviners, Illusionists, Conjurers, Necromancers, Evokers, Abjurors, Enchanters.

I'm not big on the major archetypal spells in the game, preferring to play casters who are more tactical or unusual. I haven't played a magic missile/sleep/fireball slinger in my 30 years of playing D&D (though I have in other game systems ), instead going for things like color spray, grease, and the orbs & ray spells.

 

[Mort]

All of the schools have their good and bad points but my opinion is that weakest is toss up between, Illusion and evocation. Evocation is decent at lower levels, but the higher you go the more likely large portions of opponents will have spell resistance, energy resistance or both. With illusion it's quite campaign dependant, I pity anyone trying to play an Illusionist in the Age of Worms adventure path, for example.

 

[mcrow]

I think most of them are pretty good as long as you keep in mind the strengths of each and don't fault them for what they are not.

 

[Nifft]

At 5th level, Evocation is pretty powerful, and Conjuration is pretty weak -- depending on what supplements you allow.

But barred school(s) are more indicative of your concept than specialty school, IMHO. An Illusionist who drops Conjuration and Enchantment will be quite different from one who drops Evocation and Necromancy, and both will differ from one who drops Abjuration and Transmutation.

This is why Divination is the best specialty. You give up less.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

That's one of the reasons I like Divination specialists... A couple of True Strikes followed by a nasty Evocation or Necromancy spell can be quite surprising to your foes.

May I ask why you're asking the unusual question of "which is weakest?"

Are you designing an NPC that the PC's won't expect?

Looking for combos to avoid?

 

[Deset Gled]

Anyone that chooses Conjuration as a prohibited school is the weakest specialist.

 

[lukelightning]

Anyone that chooses Conjuration as a prohibited school is the weakest specialist.

Vaarsuvius would certainly disagree with you...