Wizards still cast Enchantment, Illusions, Necromancy

[Reynard]

1) Specialist wizards were present in name, but they were inadequate - hence the need for warmages, dread necromancers, beguilers, and so on. You can still play a wizard with many illusion spells, many necromancy spells, etc., - but now there is an acknowledgement that a specialist illusionist requires more than that.

These aren't specialist wizards (i.e. guys in a pointy hat with a PhD instead of a simple BS in Applied Arcane Sciences) they are entirely different archetypes -- which is totally fine. But the wizard who has a spell for every occassion, if only he can find the damn thing in his book, is a tried and true fantasy trope (from the Once and Future King Merlin to Gandalf) that doesn't need to be excised to make room for these other archetypes.

 

[Reynard]

"Loudly"?

Yes, as in in a strong voice, as is required for any spell with a verbal component.

 

[Lackhand]

Yes, as in in a strong voice, as is required for any spell with a verbal component.

Mutter mutter content in the PHB but not in the SRD mutter mutter.

Thanks

 

[Lackhand]

These aren't specialist wizards (i.e. guys in a pointy hat with a PhD instead of a simple BS in Applied Arcane Sciences) they are entirely different archetypes -- which is totally fine. But the wizard who has a spell for every occassion, if only he can find the damn thing in his book, is a tried and true fantasy trope (from the Once and Future King Merlin to Gandalf) that doesn't need to be excised to make room for these other archetypes.

I agree. But that's a hell of a spellbook: Maybe even the Book of Infinite Spells?

I mean, dreaming to one day be able to cast every spell there is is a perfectly fine character concept, but achieving it really places you out of the realm of playability.

Outside of any combat encounter, you simply research-and-cast the spell for resolving-this-noncombat-encounter.

In half of the remaining combat encounters, you win via the spells you had already had prepared

I'm just saying, that's a *heck* of a generalist!

edit postscript: Even most classical wizards aren't that general. They're mostly known for a few neat tricks, which cross D&D school boundaries, but they don't go that far. Merlin was all about the transformation and divination (and a few illusions that were essentially transformatory), with a smattering of "sticking swords in rocks forever" and "dabbling in alchemy" thrown in. Sparrowhawk from Earthsea is a much better example.

 

[Incenjucar]

Frankly, I don't think a proper "mage" will be possible until every major specialist type has come out.

And it'll probably be horribly complex.

 

[Traycor]

Additional "wizard" classes

Based on some of the suggestions in this thread, I've been kicking around in my head what the different arcane classes will be that represent pieces of the old wizard class.

Enchanter & Illusionist: Bard
I like this idea a lot. A sort of "Song Mage" if you will. Remove some of the wandering minstril fluff and it fits quite nicely. And of course, the Psion will take over enchantment as well. Who knows, we may also have a seperate Illusionist down the line, but bard seems more likely a fit early in the 4E life cycle.

Conjuror/Summoner: Warlock
Originally I was thinking there would be a summoner class, but after thinking about it, I realize that the classic archtype of a summer usually has ties to demons. And we've been told (very loosely) that warlocks will summon demons or at least have pacts with them. This may be our "specialist" summoner class.

Necromancer: Necromancer
One idea straight to the other. Necro will remain a Necro class.

Abjurer/Diviner: --
I bet these specialties will fall by the wayside.

Evoker: Warmage
While many think that the Evoker is represented well enough what will be the standard wizard class, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Warmage take up the fallen mantel of Evoker somewhere down the line.

 

[Rechan]

These aren't specialist wizards (i.e. guys in a pointy hat with a PhD instead of a simple BS in Applied Arcane Sciences) they are entirely different archetypes -- which is totally fine. But the wizard who has a spell for every occassion, if only he can find the damn thing in his book, is a tried and true fantasy trope (from the Once and Future King Merlin to Gandalf) that doesn't need to be excised to make room for these other archetypes.

I disagree with this. Specialists are Specialists. That's what they do. A wizard with a red shirt that can cast one extra spell of the Red Shirt school is not a Specialist, he just took one extra class of Advanced School 400 in Wizard College.

Enchanter & Illusionist: Bard
I like this idea a lot. A sort of "Song Mage" if you will. Remove some of the wandering minstril fluff and it fits quite nicely. And of course, the Psion will take over enchantment as well. Who knows, we may also have a seperate Illusionist down the line, but bard seems more likely a fit early in the 4E life cycle.

I prefer "Social Mage". The power of speech, of suggestion, of thought and word and perception. Also, Bards are emphasized as scholars, knowers of legends and ancient knowledge, which fits the Wizard trope.

Conjuror/Summoner: Warlock
Originally I was thinking there would be a summoner class, but after thinking about it, I realize that the classic archtype of a summer usually has ties to demons. And we've been told (very loosely) that warlocks will summon demons or at least have pacts with them. This may be our "specialist" summoner class.

May be. But I have a feeling (or at least, I WOULD DESIRE) they go along two routes with summoning.

1) Rituals. This way that big bad demon that's going to wreck the town can do so without being summoned for seven rounds and that's it.
2) Planar-binding like summoning. I think it'd be great if you could make cohorts or other type of Extra-Planar "Pet" by rendering services/swapping out the necessary stuff.

What saddens me is the least likelihood we'll see a Transmuter. The "I shape my body, I shape your body, I bend everything around me". The type of guys who make gryphons from combining Eagles and Lions, and slap a carrion crawler's tentacles on a minion's shoulders, and short-term supernatural abilities from other creatures. That is the kind of mage I'd enjoy playing.

 

[D_E]

Who would put a trip wire in the air?

Anyone who knows wizards can fly?

 

[Traycor]

What saddens me is the least likelihood we'll see a Transmuter. The "I shape my body, I shape your body, I bend everything around me". The type of guys who make gryphons from combining Eagles and Lions, and slap a carrion crawler's tentacles on a minion's shoulders, and short-term supernatural abilities from other creatures. That is the kind of mage I'd enjoy playing.

Actually, considering all the talk of altering the terrain in 4E, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw a Transmuter that focused on changing the landscape on a small scale, as well as polymorphing bodyparts (as opposed to changing into trolls or dragons).

Something like making a gryphon from a lion and an eagle would be a good ritual for such a class. It will probably be a couple or three years before we see it though.

 

[Rechan]

Actually, considering all the talk of altering the terrain in 4E, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw a Transmuter that focused on changing the landscape on a small scale, as well as polymorphing bodyparts (as opposed to changing into trolls or dragons).

I could also see say, doing something like the druid, or current polymorph spells; you only get a small list of things to transform into.

Though really what I'd love is like, along with pointing at an enemy and saying "Your legs and arms fuse together, your mouth seals shut," but able to say, bottle troll's blood from a slain troll, and then for a short period of time, absorb the regenerative power. And other such tricks. (I can't think of a good way to balance that, since CRs and monster abilities are not created equal when in the hands of PCs.)