Specialist Wizards

Specialist wizards, such as illusionists, are those who choose to concentrate their studies on one particular magic school. The 12 schools of magic are: Abjuration, Alchemy, Alteration, Conjuration/Summoning, Divination, Enchantment/Charm, Geometry, Illusion, Invocation/Evocation, Necromancy, Shadow and Song. (In addition, the Tome of Magic describes elemental wizards and wild mages.) For each school of magic, there is an opposition school or schools. Specialist wizards can never cast any spells from as opposing school. The chart that details all the requirements, opposition schools, races eligible for each specialization, and minimum ability scores follows.

All specialist wizards (illusionists, enchanters, and so on) gain 30 character points to buy skills. The skills below cost 5 to 15 points each. Any remaining points can be spent on nonweapon proficiencies or saved for use during the game.

Access to schools: A specialist wizard automatically has access to all schools of magic that are not specifically noted as opposition schools for his specialty. (Note that spells from opposition schools that happen to be included in alternate schools such as song magic, alchemy, or elemental magic are still not available to the specialist. Wild magic is available only to wild mages.)

Armored wizard (15): This wizard can cast spells while wearing the armor of his choice.

Automatic spells (5): Each time the specialist wizard is able to learn a new level of spells, he can select one spell from his specialty school to learn automatically (without a check).

Bonus spells (10): Specialist wizards gain one additional spell per spell level. The extra spell taken must belong to the wizard’s school of specialization. For example, a 5th level mage can cast four 1st level spells, two 2nd level spells, and one 3rd level spell. But a 5th level specialist wizard can cast five 1st level spells, three 2nd level spells, and two 3rd level spells—provided the added spells are from his chosen school.

Casting reduction (5): The casting time of all the wizard’s spells from his chosen school is reduced by 2. All spells have a minimum casting time of 1.

Combat bonus (10): A wizard with this ability uses the rogue THAC0 chart.

Detect magic (10): Characters purchasing this ability can detect magic once a day for every three levels. For example, a 7th level mage can detect magic twice a day. This is in addition to any detect magic spells the mage might memorize. The character can spot magical radiations within his line of sight, up to 60' away. He can determine the intensity of the magic—dim, faint, moderate, strong, and overwhelming.

Extend duration (10): The duration of all non-instantaneous spells from the wizard’s chosen school increases by 1 round for every experience level of the caster. For example, if a 6th level necromancer casts a spectral hand spell, it will last 18 rounds rather than 12 rounds.

Intense magic (5): If a specialist wizard casts a spell from his chosen school, the targets of that spell suffer a –1 saving throw penalty.

Learning bonus (5): A +15% bonus when attempting to learn new spells belonging the wizard’s school of specialization.

No components (10): The ability to designate one specialty-school spell per character level as a spell that does not require material components. For example, a 3rd-level specialist may have a total of three spells in his spellbook that do not require material components.

Range boost (5): The reach of all ranged spells (spells with a range other than 0, self, or touch) from the wizard’s chosen school is increased by 25%. For example, the 1st level wizard spell charm person has a range of 120 yards. That range is increased to 150 yards.

Read magic (5): Characters purchasing this ability can read magic once a day for every two levels. For example, a 4th level mage can read magic twice a day. This is in addition to any read magic spells the mage might memorize.

Research bonus (5): When attempting to research and create a new spell of his specialized school, treat the spell as one level lower than its actual level.

Saving throw bonus (5): +1 bonus on saving throws vs. spells cast at them from their school of specialization. This bonus can be purchased several times with a cumulative effect.

Optional Restrictions

Learning penalty (5): A specialist wizard with this restriction suffers a penalty of –15% to all learn spell rolls outside his own specialty.

Limited magical item use (5+): A wizard with this restriction disdains enchanted items as a crutch for the weak and refuses to use certain categories of magical items. For each category that is barred to him, he gains 5 CPs. The categories are: potions, oils, and scrolls; rings, rods, staves, and wands, and miscellaneous magical items; and all weapons and armor.

More opposition schools (5+): A specialist wizard with this restriction may choose to take additional opposing schools, gaining 5 character points for each additional school in opposition to his specialty. Only standard schools (i.e., those described in the Player’s Handbook) can be selected as additional opposition schools.

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