What's the weakest wizard specialty?

[Nifft]

I can't help but find it ironic, though, that what was arguably the most powerful specialty in prior editions of the game (Evoker) is now the weakest on so many lists. Food for thought.

I've been thinking about this. Basically, two things happened:

1/ Monsters got more HP; and
2/ Groups started to play more at higher levels.

Remember when Lolth had 66 hp? That's back when a 35 damage fireball meant something. That's point #1.

The other bit is more important IMHO. From what I've seen DM'ing a party with two Wizards in it is that Evocations are worthwhile right up to 11th level or a bit past. From level 5 up to level 11, fireball and empowered fireball are strong choices ... and that's where games typically ended in earlier editions, right? That's the highest level play I ever saw in 1e, anyway. So from my past experience, Evocations were great "capstone" spells for a Wizard. Things didn't get better than a fireball at 10th level!

But in 3.5e, my group is 16th level already, and the game hasn't broken yet. I'm seeing the Wizards leaning more towards insta-kill, utility and battlefield control. Between SR, Evasion and energy resistance, direct damage has lost much of its charm -- let alone the fact that those who are still vulnerable to damage spells often have really quite a lot of hit points.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Rokes]

Weakest Specialty Wizard of 5th level that's multiclassed?

Half-Orc Enchanter 2/Sorcerer 3

Racial Penalties to both casting stats.
Only 1st level spells available, and you wouldn't be very good at convincing charmed people to do anything.

Another option might be Enchanter 2/Bard 3 for the same reasons.

 

[InkwellIdeas]

True. But many transmutation spells could fit perfectly well into another school with only a slightly different way of looking at the 'fluff' of the spell. Haste, slow, Bull's Strength and the various other physical buffs could easily be necromancy, for instance. 'Manipulation of life force' and all that. Transmutation seems to get all the borderline cases though, as I'm sure has been extensively discussed in a million threads before now...

It almost makes sense to look at all the core spells and put them in multiple schools, if they can be rationalized as part of multiple schools. But it would be a lot of work...

 

[Odhanan]

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.

I utterly agree. Each has advantages and weaknesses. If you got a decent DM, s/he will make sure your specialty is useful at times and not that much at others. We got a sorcerer with an Evocation Focus at the table, and she can blast the hell out of her opponents. I make sure that some opponents do have energy resistances and SR, and others not, to keep things interesting for everyone involved.

 

[Mistwell]

I'd argue that necromancy is the weakest, simply because it has no real unique capabilities that other schools cannot duplicate (better,in many cases), but requires you to give up two schools that DO have such capabilities to specialise in it. Any other specialist can cheerfully have necromancy as one of their prohibited schools and not lose out on all that much, but a necromancer has some very tough choices to make.

As far as I am aware, Necromancy is the only school that can give you back hit points, you give you temporary hit points. False Life is an incredibly useful spell for a wizard.

 

[Mistwell]

Illusion or Enchantment.


Illusions have the issue of the interaction/disbelief save, and there are a lot of things that are just immune to anything an enchanter can do.

There are an AWFUL lot of illusion spells that do not have the interaction/disbelief save.

 

[Emirikol]

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?

A little of both. It's fun to test out some of these theories against the PC's.

BTW, we play a game with mostly human opponents and essentially few SR monsters or undead. The campaign will end at 12th. Does that tip the tables?

jh

 

[Sejs]

BTW, we play a game with mostly human opponents and essentially few SR monsters or undead. The campaign will end at 12th. Does that tip the tables?

Yes. Significantly.


In that case, I'd tag Necromancy as the weakest link. While it has a few real cherries (Enervation, Bestow Curse, the utility of disposable undead minions), overall it's rather weak tea.

Enchantment, on the other hand, becomes much more attractive in the absense of things immune to its effects.

 

[jmucchiello]

Oh, and the weakest class to multiclass with a wizard is barbarian. While you are raging, all your spellcasting becomes non-existent and you simply become a barbarian of whatever level.

Cast Tensor's Transformation first.

 

[jmucchiello]

Half-Orc Wizard (Necromancer with barred transmutation & Abjuration) 4/Sorcerer 1.

While the Half-Orc part is really bad, sorcerer allows you to get around the school restrictions.