Wizard Specialization [Rant]

[PeterLind]

School Specialization. I see School Specialization as a necessary evil for wizards. The bread and butter of wizards is spellcasting. They cannot do much else at earlier levels, unlike divine casters, who can also fight reasonably well. So the extra spell slots from school specialization are needed, especially at early levels, when spells per day are so few. However, I think that School Specialization is only catching the wizard up with the cleric in terms of spells per day because of the Domain spells. At higher levels, wizards actually have less spells per day than clerics and druids. Wizards top out at 4 spell slots per day per spell level, and Clerics/Druids top out at 5-6 spell slots per day per spell level. Since a wizard's primary role is as a spellcaster (even more so than the divine casters), then they should get as many spells per day as the Cleric/Druid.

However, in the framework of D&D 3.5, the solution is relatively easy. Just accept the rules as written and design some prestige classes as necessary. The classic blaster wizard can take the Divination school specialization and eliminate Necromancy. That grants the extra spell slot per day and eliminates a school that really is not needed. A True Invoker/Evoker/Battle Mage type wizard can be developed as a Prestige Class. A True Enchanter/Illusionist Prestige Class can also be developed.

 

[PeterLind]

The Problem with the Necromancy School . . . is that it tries to both be a "School" and a Descriptor as Negative Energy. Some Necromancy spells look like Enchantment spells in that they affect the mind -- Fear. Some Necromancy spells seem to be Conjuration/Creation spells and Enchantment/Control spells - Animate Dead. Some of those Necromancy spells that manipulate Negative Energy perhaps really should be Evocation spells with the Negative Energy Descriptor.

So I think a Necromancer would be best as a Prestige Class rather than just a Specialist Wizard. I would give the Necromancer a modified spell list that gives him access to Arcane and Divine spells related to Necromancy, Death, and Negative Energy as the core spells. Then allow access to select spells -- but not plant, animal, postive energy/healing, direct damage evocation spells. There is a good write-up of the Necromancer as a core class in the Secret College of Necromancy (Green Ronin).

I like this approach to the Necromancer better. Perhaps in future editions of D&D Necromancy should beeliminated as a School and kept as a spell Descriptor or Element -- Necromancy, Death, Negative Energy.

 

[Spatula]

Evocations violate the laws of thermodynamics: they create enegy from nothing. Conjurations move energy from one plane to another. Conjuration (healing) is actually a gate to the positve material plane.

And yet the inflict spells, logically the conjuration of negative energy, are necromancy...