Who's the greatest specialist of them all?

[Li Shenron]

My criteria here run roughly along the lines of "what school has spells that I would want to be able to cast at every level?" (i.e., to occupy that bonus slot)

With the same criteria in mind, I voted Abjuration, although it was a tough call.

I'm probably over-protective (of myself especially ) when playing arcane casters, but I always cast lots of protections per day, so I think I won't have any problem filling those slots (eventually with metamagic, if I don't know any abjuration of a certain level).

I haven't actually played a single wizard specialized in abjuration (but I've played a Sorcerer/Incantatrix with that specialization), but I definitely prepared a lot of protections with all wizards I played.

 

[Choranzanus]

I like diviners, mostly because of flavor.

You would have to be crazy to give up transmutation or conjuration as a specialist, which says something about these schools. Transmuter is another specialist I like a lot. When multiclassing I usualy give up evocation, because it is strongly based on caster level and you usualy have other ways of doing damage.

The least powerful specialist is the generalist. Even the more focused specialists like enchanters or illusionists can cast those other spells.

 

[Darmanicus]

Wow, no love for enchanters?

Admittedly they have some weaknesses, the biggest being that their core spells are useless against some types of enemies, like constructs and undead.

On the plus side though they possess some of the most devestating spells in the game. Feeblemind might be the most deadly 5th level spell in the game. My last PC was a 13th level enchanter when we ended the campaign. With a +6 Headband of Intellect, he had a modified 24 int, with greater spell focus enchantment, and feeblemind's -4 save penalty for arcane casters, it was a DC 28 Wil save or be turned into a vegetable. Not to mention Dominate Person, whose duration is DAYS, confusion, one of the more entertaining area of effect spells, as well as all the 'hold' spells, which though nerfed in 3.5, can still mean certain death of deployed properly (say against an opponent in melee). Finally, some of the new spells from Spell Compendium, like the 7th level Final Rebuke (Short range spell, wil save or die) round out the arsenal.

In some campaigns, namely one focusing on fighting undead, an enchanter might find themselves nerfed, but in others not only are they very powerful, but one of the most fun specialties to play.

Agreed, I used to drop enchantment until this character, where I wanted somebody who could fling all sorts of cursey effects around and enchantment IMO just so compliments necromancy for that deal.

I am very partial also to Conjuration and have played a specialist in that field and really enjoyed him too however as I've said, necromancy really cooks it for me nowadays.

 

[Vuron]

I think a decent number of people are concerned about the significant power hit enchanters take once Mind Blank becomes relatively common among NPCs. Granted it's a pretty high level spell but it will come into effect if the campaign lasts long enough.

Even Protection from (Alignment) and Magic Circle against (Alignment) can really impact some of the more useful enchantment spells. For these reasons I'm always leery of investing in an enchanter if these sort of spells are commonly cast in the campaign.

 

[Darmanicus]

I think a decent number of people are concerned about the significant power hit enchanters take once Mind Blank becomes relatively common among NPCs. Granted it's a pretty high level spell but it will come into effect if the campaign lasts long enough.

Even Protection from (Alignment) and Magic Circle against (Alignment) can really impact some of the more useful enchantment spells. For these reasons I'm always leery of investing in an enchanter if these sort of spells are commonly cast in the campaign.

I understand your arguement however a common spell to sling is one of the dispels straight away to do away with all those and any other protections. A protection spell is very easy to get rid of unless someone has casted a heightened version of it which is something I'm really tempted to do with spells like Blindness and the likes which allow saves.

If I were any good at 'quick roleplay' ie. I could react to situations as they come up instantly, then without a doubt I'd have enchantment as maybe my 1st or specialist school and probably take illusion as a second or the other way round.

However fact is I never play the 'front man' in our campaigns because I'd get our party either killed, ripped off or betrayed within seconds. In fact in one of our last campaigns I upset most of the folks we tried to deal with and I was playing a pala, (please don't comment on that)!

When it comes down to it I reckon Necromancy really does stick it in there and with a good splash of enchantment you really have a nasty pice of work that has a lot of warlock/witchy flavour!

Yeah the other schools are good for their own schtick however those schools you just don't prohibit.

Being a specialist means that a LOT of your memorized spells will obviously be from your speciality school becuase as a specialist you have probably taken the focus feats, (I have both normal and greater at 6th).

Discounting my wands I'd always at this level have at least 2 Ray of Enfeeblements,(1st), 1 Blindness,(2nd), 1 False Life,(2nd), 1 Spectral Hand,(2nd), just off the top of my head. We were quite knee deep in undead a while back so Halt Undead was another however it's not so much of an issue now but we have just hit 6th so guess what? I now choose Ray of Exhaustion......-6 to Str and Dex and half move with only a half save for -2 to Str and Dex and no run or charge,(which I'm pretty also sure would apply to exhausted?). So I at least have one of those mem'd now also.

I play quite an aggressive mage which means most of my spells/day are pretty offensive with only a few defensive and utility mem'd. It def works at 6th level and lower though.

Mages fear my blindness for both the fort save involved and the fact that if they fail it then they do not have line of site and thus their magic is greatly reduced.

Fighters fear my Ray of Enfeeblement and now Exhaustion which greatly reduces their effectiveness.

I know a lot of these effects have like one target however they make up for it when all they require is a touch attack or the save against the particular target is one of their worst!

I've also just read all of what I've written and realised it's all combat orientated........so what!!! I can still use all of everyones spells barring the 2 prohibited schools of illusion and evocation which I really don't care for at the moment!

I'll try a Felix and fail miserably:

1. Abjuration is reactive.......I have a Dex of 14 and Improved Initiative so I'm probably gonna be proactive!
2. Conjuration summons others to do your work.........I can do that also, they aren't subject to mind control and a simple Prot from W/E stumps a lot of their schtik, (pls don't mention turn undead as we are in wizard talk).
3. Divination.........Ok you've scryed me, you know I'm evil, you know where I am, you've found all my traps and you know what my favourite burger is........errrr, how many spells do you have left.....commoner!!!?
4. Evocation.........Resist Energy/Protection from Energy,(ok so I don't have those spells yet but hey it's still an arguement!).
5. Illusion.........I would say that at this level a toughy however with a few undead minions maybe not. At later levels....."Eat my True Seeing"!
6. Necromancy........ROCKS!!! Heh!
7. Transmutation........."Haha, I cast Bulls Strength for +4 Str"....."Ok I cast RoE,(at the min 4pts Str dam), and nullify that if not make you even weaker". Ok they have some nice spells but I do not think, especially at 6th or lower, that they even beging to contend with anything a Necro can chuck out.
8. Enchantment.....forgot this baby.....I like it lots when combined with necro but it doesn't score with a fair few popular creatures.

Face it guys and gals, the Necromancer rocks and he really don't have to be THAT evil! He's a mean mofo though and deserves a lot of respect!

C'mon, give the Necro the respect he/she deserves and vote for him/her............or I'll blind you!

 

[Darmanicus]

I was just thinking....can one of you very inventive folks maybe create a ENWorld wizards duel thread?

I reckon it could be a great laugh and just so long as we are using core rules it should be real simple?

Maybe create 4 bout types in increments of 5 levels? So lv 5, 10, 15 and 20?

Putting a % of starting wealth restriction on any given item might also stop a lot of cheese?

Also the characters would have to be straight class specialists with no PRC's.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Divination. You always win when having at least one divination spell prepared. Plus I think a divination specialty really fits the "bookish wizard" type.

I prefer necromancy as a prohibited school. There are powerful spells in that school, but I prefer to save them for the bad guys. Necromancy is just too eeeeevil.