Player’s Option™:
Spells & Magic
by Richard
Baker
Foreword
My introduction to fantasy began when I was assigned J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit in my 6th grade reading class. Although I was only eleven at the time, I was already a fan of science fiction—I’d read a lot of Robert Heinlein’s juvenile SF, as well as Doc Smith’s Lensman books and a smattering of other titles. I hadn’t read anything in the fantasy genre, and as I recall, I had little desire to do so. The Hobbit changed that for me, and I went back and re-read it as soon as I finished turning the last page. After that, I was off and running. The next thing I read was the Lord of the Rings. Then I found Terry Brooks’ The Sword of Shannara, followed by Ursula K. Leguin’s A Wizard of Earthsea.
And that’s where I was brought to a screeching halt. My hometown library was on the small side, and all of their fantasy and science fiction books occupied one carousel in the kids’ section. It may be hard to believe now, but even as recently as 1977 fantasy was a poor cousin to science fiction, which was a poor cousin to mainstream fiction. Bookstores just didn’t have the massive sections devoted to fantasy and science fiction that they have today. By hook and by crook, I eventually tracked down more and more fantasy titles. But when I was still desperately searching for fantastic fiction, sometime in 1978 or 1979, I ran across a brand-new game called Dungeons & Dragons®. So, like many people, I came to fantasy role-playing through my love of fantasy fiction.
In writing this book, I’ve come to the conclusion that the single defining characteristic of the fantasy genre is magic. Every fantasy story features a character who can use magic, owns a magical item, or is confronted with a magical situation or paradox. Movies like Ivanhoe or Robin Hood are wonderful adventures, but they’re not fantasy stories—there’s no magic. On the other hand, the popular Star Wars movies are fantasy, not science fiction, because magic (referred to as the Force) is part of the story. Science fiction is the literature of things that could happen; fantasy is the literature of things that can’t happen. And magic is the very essence of the impossible.
So, here’s a book about magic in the AD&D® game. I’ve tried to include enough options and choices to give you, the reader, the ability to give magic in your particular campaign almost any kind of flavor or feel that you like. If you want to make magic rarer, more "realistic," or more dangerous, you can find rules in here for doing so. If you want rules to add detail and complexity to the AD&D magic system, they’re here. Or if you just want some new wizard and priest character types as well as some complementary spells, you’ll find them. When I started this project, I thought that I’d have a hard time filling this whole book . . . now, I can’t believe how much more I could have written if space had permitted.
Have fun, and good gaming!
Rich Baker
January, 1996
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Introduction
What You Need to Use This Book
Integrating Spells & Magic Into Your
Campaign
Making the Switch
The Role of Magic in the Campaign
Scarcity
Mystery
Power
The Cost of Magic
Creating a World-View of Magic
Magic and Storytelling
Chapter : 1 Wizards
Spells from Other Sources
Schools of Magic
Schools of Philosophy
Schools of Effect
Schools of Thaumaturgy
The School of Universal Magic
Wizard Characters
The Wizard’s Spell Book
Mage
Specialist Wizard
Specialists in Schools of Philosophy
Specialists in Schools of Effect
Specialists in Schools of Thaumaturgy
Customized Wizard Characters
Using the Wizard Character
Design Rules
Optional Abilities
Optional Limitations
Dealing with Game-Breaking
Characters
Chapter 2: Priests
Spheres of Access
Player’s Option™ and Spheres of
Access
Priest Characters
Cleric
Crusader
Druid
Monk
Shaman
Customized Priest Characters
Optional Abilities
Optional Limitations
Dealing with Game-Breaking
Characters
Chapter 3: Other Spellcasters
Bards and Custom-Designed
Characters
Bards in Player’s Option™:
Spells & Magic
Optional Abilities for Bards
Optional Limitations for Bards
Paladins, Rangers, and Minor
Spellcasters
Paladins
Rangers
Multi-Classed Spellcasters
Multi-Classed Wizards
Multi-Classed Priests
Monsters
Monstrous Spellcasters
Monsters with Spell-like
Abilities
Chapter 4: Proficiencies
Proficiencies and Character Points
Proficiency Slots and Check
Modifiers
Character Points and Ability
Modifiers
Wizard Proficiencies
Signature Spells
Priest Proficiencies
Chapter 5: Equipment
Laboratories
The Location
Physical Requirements
Equipment
The Library
Supplies and Reagents
Relocating Laboratories
Priests’ Altars
The Location
Physical Requirements
Materials and Decoration
Consecrating the Altar
Material Spell Components
Spell Components:
Yes or No?
Acquiring Spell Components
Storage of Spell Components
The Spell Component List
Arcanists and Apothecaries
Alchemists
Apothecaries and Herbalists
Wise Women and Hedge
Wizards
Arcanist
Buying, Selling, and Trading
Magical Items
Chapter 6: Magic
The Spell Point System
Selecting Spells
Cantrips
Exceeding the Spell
Level Limit
Casting Spells for
Greater Effect
Reducing Spell Cost
Bonus Spell Points for
High Intelligence
Recovering Spell Points
Systems of Magic
Channellers
Warlocks and Witches
Defilers and Preservers
Alienists or Summoners
Priests and Spell Points
Minor Spheres of Access
Orisons
Recovering Spell Points
Priests and Systems of Magic
Channelling
Ritual Prayer
Conditional Magic
Druidical Magic
Other Spellcasters
Paladins
Rangers
Bards
Chapter 7: Spell Research and Magical Item Creation
Spell Research
Proposing a Spell
Describing a Spell
Approval and Modification
Conducting Research
New Spells in the Campaign
Magical Item Creation
Special Ingredients
Potions
Scrolls
Other Items
Qualities
Items That No Player Character
Should Create
Recharging Magical Items
Chapter 8: Spells in Combat
Spell Characteristics
Casting Subtlety
Sensory Signature Strength of Sensory Signature
Sensory Signatures by School
Spells with Attack Rolls
Knockdowns
Spells and Knockdown Dice
Collateral Spell Effects
Fire
Cold
Electricity and Lightning
Acid
Wind
Other Collateral Effects
Critical Strikes
When Do Critical Strikes
Occur?
Critical Strikes the Easy Way
Types of Critical Strikes
Strike Location
Severity
Specific Injuries and Effects
Bleeding
Combat Penalties
Armor, Shield, and Equipment
Damage
Appendix 1:
New Wizard Spells
First-Level Spells
Detect Phase
Detect Secret Passages and
Portals
Dictation
Expeditious Retreat
Protection from Vermin
Ray of Fatigue
Second-Level Spells
Cat’s Grace
Displace Self
Moon Rune
Protection from Poison
Wall of Gloom
Third-Level Spells
Bands of Sirellyn
Lance of Disruption
Lesser Sign of Sealing
Protection from Amorphs
Solvent of Corrosion
Wall of Water
Fourth-Level Spells
Conjure Elemental-Kin
Improved Strength
Lesser Geas
Mordenkainen’s Force
Missiles
Psychic Protection
Ultravision
Vitriolic Sphere
Fifth-Level Spells
Improved Blink
Leomund’s Hidden Lodge
Proofing versus Combustion
Prying Eyes
Rusting Grasp
Tenser’s Destructive
Resonance
Vile Venom
Sixth-Level Spells
Arrow of Bone
Dimensional Blade
Etherealness
Greater Sign of Sealing
Superior Magnetism
Trollish Fortitude
Seventh-Level Spells
Descent into Madness
Neutralize Gas
Persistence
Seven-Eyes
Eighth-Level Spells
Analyze Dweomer
Heart of Stone
Iron Body
Ninth-Level Spells
Programmed Amnesia
Sphere of Ultimate
Destruction
Appendix 2:
New Priest Spells
First-Level Spells
Astral Celerity
Battlefate
Blessed Watchfulness
Calculate
Calm Animals
Dispel Fatigue
Firelight
Orison
Protection from Chaos
Strength of Stone
Sunscorch
Wind Column
Second-Level Spells
Astral Awareness
Chaos Ward
Cure Moderate Wounds
Ethereal Barrier
Iron Vigil
Resist Acid and Corrosion
Restore Strength
Soften Earth and Stone
Watery Fist
Third-Level Spells
Control Animal
Detect Spirits
Dictate
Etherealness
Fortify
Summon Animal Spirit
Hold Poison
Repair Injury
Unfailing Premonition
Weather Prediction
Wind Servant
Fourth-Levels Spells
Adamantite Mace
Dimensional Anchor
Entrench
Omniscient Eye
Recitation
Suspended Animation
Unfailing Endurance
Windborne
Fifth-Level Spells
Animate Flame
Dimensional Translocation
Impregnable Mind
Othertime
Produce Ice
Righteous Wrath of the
Faithful
Sixth-Level Spells
Command Monster
Entropy Shield
Whirlwind
Seventh-Level Spells
Antimineral Shell
Conjure Air or Water
Elemental
Impervious Sanctity of Mind
Tsunami
Appendix 3:
Wizard Spells by School
Appendix 4:
Priest Spells by Sphere
Index
Tables
Table 1: Philosophy Specialist
Requirements
Table 2: Effect Specialist
Requirements
Table 3: Shadow Mage Target Saving
Throw Modifiers
Table 4: Thaumaturgical Specialist
Requirements
Table 5: Shaman Spirits Per Level
Table 6: Access Costs
Table 7: Monster Casting Levels
Table 8: New Wizard Nonweapon
Proficiencies
Table 9: Signature Spell Costs
Table 10: New Priest Nonweapon
Proficiencies
Table 11: Building Construction Time
and Cost
Table 12: Laboratory Cost and Size
Requirements
Table 13: Libraries
Table 14: Field Searches
Table 15: Purchasing Components
Table 16: Spell Components
Table 17: Wizard Spell Point
Progression
Table 18: Spell Cost by Level (Wizard)
Table 19: Bonus Spell Points for
Intelligence
Table 20: Spell Point Recovery for
Channellers
Table 21: Spell Fatigue
Table 22: Initiative Modifiers for
Preservers and Defilers
Table 23: Risk of Insanity by
Spell Level
Table 24: Random Insanity Chart
Table 25: Phobias
Table 26: Priest Spell Point
Progression
Table 27: Bonus Spell Points for Priest
Characters
Table 28: Spell Cost by Level (Priest)
Table 29: Spell Point Costs for
Major and Minor Spheres
Table 30: Initiative Modifiers for
Ritual Prayer
Table 31: Modifiers to Ritual
Preparatory Times
Table 32: Effects of Conditions
Table 33: Paladin Spell Point
Progression
Table 34: Spell Costs by
Sphere (Paladin)
Table 35: Ranger Spell Point
Progression
Table 36: Bard Spell Point
Progression
Table 37: Spell Cost by Level
(Bards)
Table 38: Magical Item Cost and
Time Requirements
Table 39: Spell Subtlety Modifiers
Table 40: Sensory Signatures
Table 41: Armor-Breaching Spells
Table 42: Armor-Observing Spells
Table 43: Knockdown Numbers
by Size
Table 44: Spells with Knockdown
Effects
Table 45: Critical Strike Chance by
Caster Level
Table 46: Critical Strike Location
Table 47: Whole-Body Injuries
Table 48: Critical Severity
TSR, Inc. TSR Ltd.
201 Sheridan Springs Road 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton
Lake Geneva Cambridge CB1 3LB
WI 53147 USA United Kingdom
Credits
Design: Richard Baker
Editing: Miranda Horner
Creative Director: Steve Winter
Cover Art: Jeff Easly
Interior Art: David O. Miller, William O’Connor, Thomas Manning,
Randy Post, Ken Frank, Dennis Cramer, Arnie Swekel & Philip Robb
Graphic Design: Paul Hanchette, Greg Kerkman & Shan Ren
Typography: Nancy J. Kerkstra
Art Director: Stephen A. Daniele
Special Thanks To:
Scott Douglas, Duane Maxwell, Steve Miller, Jon Pickens,
John Rateliff, Lawrence Schick, Steve Winter, David Wise
ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, AD&D, AL-QADIM, BATTLESYSTEM, DARK SUN, DUNGEON MASTER, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, FORGOTTEN REALMS, and RAVENLOFT are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.
BIRTHRIGHT, DM, MONSTROUS MANUAL, PLAYER’S OPTION, and the TSR logo are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. All TSR characters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.
Random House and its affiliate companies have worldwide distribution rights in the book trade for English-language products of TSR, Inc. Distributed to the book and hobby trade in the United Kingdom by TSR Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors.
©1996 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of TSR, Inc.
2163XXX1501 ISBN 0-7869-0394-5
First Printing, May 1996
Made in the U.S.A.
Introduction
What’s a fantasy game without magic?
Sure, the AD&D® game can be played without spellcasters, enchanted monsters, or magical items. Everyone can still role-play brave heroes, confront deadly foes, and attempt great quests or deeds of mythical proportions. In fact, it can be fun and challenging to do so in a nonmagical setting. But the point remains that magic, more than any other characteristic, defines the AD&D game. As a fantasy role-playing game, AD&D is anchored in the traditions of fantasy literature, and fantasy literature by definition features some element of magic. Even if the heroes of a fantasy story distrust or dislike magic, it’s still there in the background as part of the world they live in.
Generally, most writers of fantasy literature create their own unique systems of magic to explain the supernatural powers their heroes and villains employ. With great care and deliberate effort, authors define what magic can and cannot do in their worlds. For example, in The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien circumscribes the wizard Gandalf’s power by placing restrictions on Gandalf’s freedom of action. The great wizard is bound by a code of secrecy and noninterference that prevents him from directly challenging the power of Sauron, and he can only help and advise as the Free Peoples of Middle-earth fight their own battles. Jack Vance’s Dying Earth stories assume that wizards must study complicated patterns and formulae to memorize very specific spells that may only be used once before vanishing from the wizard’s memory. (Sound familiar?)
There are very good reasons for limiting magic’s power from a literary point of view. Modern readers need to see real challenges and obstacles for the characters in a story, and magic systems that are too open-ended can wreck a story’s credibility and sense of suspense. If Gandalf could have just wished the One Ring into the fires of Mount Doom from Frodo’s living room, what would have been the point of the trek to Mordor? Since fantasy role-playing games are flexible models of the fantasy genre, the same considerations are true for them. A fantasy RPG has to set very precise rules for how magic works and what it can do, and the presentation and workings of the magic system inevitably become the game’s salient characteristics.
In fantasy literature, it’s common for a magic system to be defined for only one world-setting at a time by a single author (although shared-world concepts are fairly common, too). The AD&D game’s magic system represents a common framework built up by hundreds of designers, Dungeon Masters, and players over more than twenty years. There are thousands of spells and magical items defined—a volume of material that is an order of magnitude larger than any other magic system in games or fiction. The basic assumptions of what magic is and how it works in the AD&D game are shared by literally millions of gamers and fantasy fans. Despite the immense importance of magic to the game, it is one of the few areas that has remained nearly unchanged to date in the evolution of the game. Magic never changed in function; it simply grew amoeba-like, adding more and more spells and items while the basic, underlying assumptions remained the same.
Player’s Option™: Spells & Magic examines the AD&D magic system from every angle. First, the spellcasting classes—wizards, priests, and less dedicated magic wielders such as bards or rangers—will be examined in detail. The various schools and spheres of spells are reorganized and new class abilities are introduced, along with an optional point-based character class design system compatible with the Player’s Option: Skills & Powers rulebook. New proficiencies and detailed information about wizard and priest equipment adds depth and variety to any campaign. A new magic memorization and casting system is introduced in Chapter 6, providing new ways to customize a character’s spell selection. Spells in combat and critical hits with spells are detailed in Chapter 8. And last, but not least, there are more than 30 pages of new spells included in this book.
Like any of the Player’s Option books, the material in this supplement is optional. The DM is free to use as much or as little of Spells & Magic as he wishes to in his campaign. However, we have tried to present systems that do not contradict each other, so it is possible to use all the rules additions and expansions without any difficulty.
What You Need to Use This Book
At a minimum, you should have access to a Player’s Handbook and Dungeon Master® Guide to make use of this rules expansion. Note that Player’s Option: Spells & Magic is compatible with the previous books in the Player’s Option line; character class design rules in this book are expansions of the class design rules from Skills & Powers, and the chapter on spells in combat is tailored for use with the Combat & Tactics skirmish system. In addition, the Tome of Magic is referred to a number of times in this book; you don’t need Tome of Magic to use this book, but it adds many spells and magical items you may find useful in your campaign.
Integrating Spells & Magic into Your Campaign Player’s Option: Spells & Magic is designed principally as an expansion, not a replacement. However, there are a few special cases where the information presented here should be taken as an update and replacement of existing rules. Specifically, the wizard spell schools and priest spell spheres have been slightly rearranged to improve game balance and make the wizard and priest specialist classes more competitive with respect to the general versions of these characters, the mage and the cleric.
Most of the rest of this book can be integrated piecemeal into an existing campaign without any trouble. For example, additional proficiencies and new spells can be approved or disapproved by the DM on a case-by-case basis. These were designed to be completely usable with or without the Player’s Option rules.
Making the Switch
Adding spells, magical items, or the critical hit rules to an existing campaign is fairly easy, but a DM may have trouble with some other material in this book. In particular, existing spellcasters may wish to take advantage of new class abilities or optional specializations that weren’t available when the character was first created. There are several ways to handle this. First, there’s no reason that a DM couldn’t allow a player to "re-design" his character, incorporating the abilities he thinks his character should have had all along. If a PC cleric comes from a savage tribe and portrays himself as a barbarian, it’s perfectly reasonable to allow him to rebuild his character as a shaman (see Chapter 2) and continue play. If the player is altering his character without any good rationale or explanation for why he’s making the change, the DM can require the character to pay a penalty of 10% to 50% of his experience point total, depending on the DM’s assessment of the scope of the alterations.
There are a couple of things a player should not be able to do by redesigning his character. A character shouldn’t change specializations without a very good justification, so a necromancer shouldn’t be rebuilt as an enchanter or wild mage, and a specialty priest of Lathander shouldn’t become a priest of Helm. A character’s basic ability scores, equipment, proficiencies, hit points, and general personality shouldn’t change. If a player was playing a barbarian cleric correctly, he was probably choosing skills and weapons appropriate for a shaman—and if he wasn’t selecting these skills, the reasoning behind the switch becomes much more suspect. Finally, a character shouldn’t actually change classes or become dual-classed or multi-classed.
The Spell Point System: The most drastic change to the AD&D game lies in the new spell point system described in Chapter 6. Try running a brief "trial adventure" using the rules before incorporating them into your campaign. The spell point rules provide spellcasters with a lot more flexibility than the standard magic system without increasing their raw combat or spell power, but if PCs are allowed to make use of spell points, NPCs and monsters should be able to as well.
The Role of Magic in the Campaign It’s safe to say that magic in one form or another is present in virtually all AD&D campaigns; only the most historical or unusual settings do away with magic altogether. But, beyond this simple observation, it’s clear that each group of AD&D players has their own interpretation of what magic is, how it works, how various spells interact with each other, and what player characters should and should not be able to do with their arsenal of spells and magical items. By altering some of the basic assumptions that are part of the AD&D game’s magic system, a DM can infuse his campaign with its own unique flavor and texture.
While the greater portion of this book deals with altering the rules of the game, this isn’t always a necessary part of changing the way that the players (and the NPCs they interact with) view magic and its effect on their world. For example, let’s say that the nature of magic in a campaign setting can be described by a simple scale that rates the scarcity, mystery, power, and cost of magic on a scale of 1 to 10. Obviously, a campaign with magic that is extremely scarce and weak in power represents a very mundane world when compared to a world where powerful magic is very common.
Scarcity
How common is magic in the campaign? Are wizards and spell-wielding priests so rare that even low-level characters are figures of legend, or are they so common that any hamlet or crossroads village has its own resident spellcasters? Most AD&D campaigns take a position between these two extremes, but lean towards the high end of the scale, falling in the 6 to 8 range on the 10-point scale—wizards and priests appear as allies, enemies, sources of information, or even window-dressing in literally every adventure a typical group plays. At the highest extremes, campaigns feature numerous spellcasters and magical items. Even a small town has several wizards of skill, plus dozens of minor merchants, craftsmen, or innkeepers with a spell or two up their sleeve. Wizards are so common that even the most remarkable mages lose their aura of mystery.
So, what does this mean? In a normal campaign, it’s safe to assume that anywhere the PCs go, the locals know a nearby wizard, and most people encounter a wizard a couple of times a year. Any sizable town has at least one or two resident wizards and spell-using priests, plus a handful of folks with minor magical powers such as herbalists, hedge wizards, and healers. Large towns or small cities may have up to a dozen or so magic-using characters, and great cities could support several dozen without crowding. Almost any NPC above 1st level owns one or more magical items, even if they’re fairly small or expendable, and player characters frequently own about three to five magical items by the time they reach 4th to 7th level.
In campaigns where magic is not as common (say, a 2 to 4 on the scale), the spellcasting characters become truly unique and important. A priest who can actually invoke his deity’s power in the form of spells may be perceived by the great clerical hierarchy as a saint or great patriarch in the making, or possibly as a dangerous reminder of the true faith in those hierarchies that have become complacent or corrupt. A high-ranking hierarch without spells will certainly watch a low-level PC cleric very carefully, especially if the PC makes no efforts to hide the "miraculous" effects he creates with simple 1st- and 2nd-level spells. Similarly, if wizard magic is quite scarce, a PC wizard can’t help but gather attention, fame, and not a little fear if he publicly displays his skills.
Priests vs. Wizards: A wizard’s magic and a priest’s magic are not the same thing, and both forms of magic do not have to be present in a campaign to the same degree. Imagine a world where wizards are viewed as the worst sort of villain and persecuted without remorse for decades. Wizards and their spells might be exceedingly scarce, while priests are far more common because they are socially acceptable—thus, the presence of wizard magic might only be a 1 or 2 while priest magic is closer to a 6 or 7 on the scale.
Magical Items: Similarly, magical items might be more or less common than spellcasters. If no one had ever invented the spell enchant an item, it’s reasonable to assume that magical items might be a rarity in even the most magical campaign settings. The reverse could be true if there was a lost civilization of highly advanced wizards who left behind great numbers of artifacts and items. The wizards of today might be armed to the teeth with magical items, despite the fact that they are struggling to grasp the basics of spellcasting.
Mystery
Can anyone in the campaign be a wizard or priest, or do these characters have to belong to a select set in order to even begin their studies? Do the common people know enough about magic to distinguish between priest and wizard spells? Is the study of magic a study of easily-defined natural laws, or are the forms of magic deliberately obscured by generations of needless rite and ceremony? Most importantly, do the PCs know the limits of a spellcaster’s powers?
In most AD&D games, characters "in the know" have an excellent grasp of exactly what each spell available can do. After all, most players are quite familiar with the Player’s Handbook and know the spells they can make use of inside and out. But most common NPCs aren’t as knowledgeable; the typical innkeeper doesn’t know that a low-level wizard can use invisibility to walk out without paying his tab, or fool’s gold to cheat him. He just knows that wizards can do things that ordinary people can’t, and if he’s a bright innkeeper, he never falls for the same trick twice.
In a less mysterious world, the same innkeeper knows to look out for invisibility, charm person, fool’s gold, and half-a-dozen other dirty tricks. He may even know enough to request a wizard to relinquish certain spell components to make sure a particularly obnoxious spell (fireball, for instance) won’t be available to that wizard while he’s in the innkeeper’s place of business. In this kind of setting, everyone would know that priests can heal injuries, blindness, or disease, or possibly bring back a loved one from the dead, and priest characters will be constantly asked to use their powers on someone’s behalf.
In a world where the nature of magic is cloaked in superstition and ignorance—an 8 or 9 on the scale—spellcasters will generally inspire fear in anyone who learns of their powers. Note that even the wizard character himself may not really know why his spells work—imagine a character who begins a magic missile spell with a thunderous declaration of the names of forbidden powers, just because he was taught to do it that way. Of course, one of the ‘names’ is actually the spell’s verbal component, and the rest of the nonsense has no effect on the casting of the spell. It’s a good idea for a DM with this kind of world to forbid players from looking up spells and effects in the PHB, since their characters only have access to a portion of this knowledge. The DM should also feel free to alter standard spell effects and create new spells just to instill a sense of dread and wonder in experienced, jaded players.
Power
What can magic accomplish in the campaign? Is there anything it can’t do, and why? Will 10th-level magic be allowed as an option, or is 9th level the most powerful magic available? Can wishes change history or reverse events that have already occurred? To what degree do the gods and their avatars involve themselves in this world setting? In most magic systems, setting boundaries to a character’s ability to affect events with magic is vitally important. Typically, an AD&D game assumes that 9th-level spells are the most powerful magic known to mortals, and that the player characters encounter a deity no more than once or twice over the course of an entire campaign.
The impact of magic on a campaign world can be greatly lessened by reducing the maximum level of spells that can work there, although this is getting into rules alterations. For example, by limiting spells to 8th level, mages can no longer make use of wishes or gates. If the maximum is 7th level, mages lose the spell permanency, which is a key part of the magical item creation process. Without this spell, magical items become temporary or disposable—no persistent enchantments can exist.
Another point lies in the emphasis on the power of characters versus the power of magical items. Should a fighter become a killing machine because he happened to find a vorpal blade, or should most of his combat bonuses be derived from skills and training? In earlier incarnations, the AD&D game leaned strongly towards the first option, but with the advent of weapon mastery, style specializations, and other character-based bonuses, it is now possible to create a character who doesn’t need a powerful magical item to drastically increase his combat power. The real danger to game balance lies in combining these two benefits—a weapon master equipped with a powerful magical weapon becomes nearly unstoppable. If your campaign features a lot of high-powered magic, you should strongly consider playing without optional specialization or proficiency rules.
The Cost of Magic
In fantasy literature, there is often a price to be paid for magical power. Wizards may have to make terrible pacts with dark powers for the knowledge they seek, priests may have to sacrifice something dear to them to invoke their deity’s favor, or the spellcaster may pay an immediate price in terms of fatigue, illness, or even a loss of sanity. Generally, the AD&D game is quite forgiving in this regard; when a character casts a spell, he expends a few unusual material components and simply forgets the spell he had known. It’s easy to increase the cost of magic by strictly enforcing the requirement to procure material components for spells, especially if the DM is conservative in handing out treasure. For example, find familiar requires at least 1,000 gold pieces of special herbs and incenses, which means that a 1st-level wizard may have to do a lot of adventuring before he has enough money to summon his familiar! The spell scare requires a piece of bone from an undead creature; requiring the wizard character to personally locate and remove such materials can force the player to make hard decisions about which spells are worth the trouble.
Now, imagine a game setting in which magic is far more costly. What if a character risked insanity every time he attempted to learn a spell? Or if the casting of a spell required the character to make a saving throw vs. spell or pass out from exhaustion? A character might even have to risk a permanent loss of hit points or ability scores each time he cast a spell in a world where magic is exceptionally dangerous. (See Chapter 6 for some of these options.) Again, these restrictions are rules changes and not just cosmetic matters, but a few changes like these can make a great impact on a normally routine campaign.
Creating a World-View of Magic
How can the DM put all this together? Let’s consider a couple of the AD&D campaign settings as examples. First of all, take a look at Faerun, the setting of the Forgotten Realms® campaign. Magic is quite common in the Realms, and only slightly mysterious; everyone knows of the great wizards and the typical powers a wizard is likely to command, but there are a number of unique spells and magical items to be found. Magic is also fairly powerful in Faerun and comes with little cost or sacrifice to any character who works hard enough. The magic of the Realms is about average for an AD&D campaign.
The Dark Sun® campaign has an entirely different approach to magic. Magic is still fairly common and mysterious, but it can be extremely powerful (the sorcerer-kings of Athas command 10th-level magic) and comes at a great cost—the defiling of any living vegetation nearby when a wizard casts a spell. In fact, the destruction caused by Athas’ wizards is the chief cause of the planet’s dessication and the rise of bizarre, mutated monsters.
Last but not least, the Birthright™ campaign setting
portrays a world in which wizard magic is rare. Mages are mysterious figures with unusual powers. Only a handful of characters have the heritage required to make use of true magic, and fewer still can command the kingdom-shaking powers of realm magic.
Here are a few ideas for alternative magic settings for your own campaign:
The College of Sorcerers: In this setting, all wizards belong to a single guild or society cloaked in rite and mystery. (The imagers of Stephen R. Donaldson’s The Mirror of Her Dreams are a good example of such a society.) Spells may require a rare or unusual ingredient controlled by the College, or the College may treat spells as secrets that must be kept at any cost.
Secrets Man Was Not Meant to Know: Wizard magic is the province of horrible pre-human powers of the Outer Void, and dealing with them is the worst kind of betrayal. Insanity plagues those foolish enough to delve into the secrets of these elder powers; H.P. Lovecraft’s stories are an excellent model of this kind of campaign. Chapter 6 describes a spell point system of magic that reflects this type of setting.
Smoke and Mirrors: Wizards are far less powerful than they appear to be—most are nothing more than alchemists and scholars who can command a few feeble spells. Any spell that creates something out of nothing or summons energy where no energy existed before cannot be cast; illusions, divinations, and minor alterations and summonings are the only types of magic that work. Many magical effects are accomplished through nonmagical means; for example, a pyrotechnics spell is nothing more than a handful of chemical powder thrown on a flame.
The Magical Renaissance: In this world, almost everyone has a magical talent or two. Magic is fully integrated into society, not as a replacement for technology, but as a part of the common awareness and an augmentation of a person’s skills. Chambermaids use cantrips to dust and to make beds, royal investigators have access to speak with dead and ESP to enforce the law, and many brilliant works of art are at least partly magical in nature. Even nonwizards may have a small selection of spells in this kind of setting.
The Lost Powers: Priests of this campaign have almost no spell powers. The various deities of their pantheon have lost the ability to grant spells to their followers or have denied their followers spells for some reason. For a particularly chilling campaign, combine this thesis with the Secrets Man Was Not Meant to Know scenario to create a world in which the only spellcasters with any power are the insane servants of inhuman powers.
Magic and Story Telling When it comes down to it, an AD&D adventure is nothing more than a story created by the DM and embellished upon by the players. Every campaign generates volumes of epic confrontations, cliffhangers, and sinister villains—it’s just the way the game is played. Magic is often the central feature of these campaign stories; most players couldn’t tell you a thing about Joe’s paladin, but everyone who was at the game remembers the time Joe’s paladin found the holy avenger! An enormous number of player characters are remembered fondly not for their personalities or the skill with which they were played, but instead the particular magical items they owned and the nifty tricks they had with their spell selections.
While this isn’t necessarily bad, it can detract from the role-playing elements of a game if the players and the DM allow it to. After all, when the only tool you have is a hammer, everything starts looking like a nail—and if you’ve got a flame tongue sword, it looks like the answer to any problem is going to involve slashing and burning something. Similarly, a wizard whose most memorable achievement is his invention of Alkair’s inescapable decapitation and subsequent use of the spell in every encounter for the rest of the campaign isn’t really a well-developed character at all. A hero with a magical sword is fine, but when the magical sword defines the hero, the hero is diminished.
Another difficulty that arises in many campaigns is the substitution of magic for technology. AD&D game players are (quite naturally) creatures of the modern world, and modern conveniences such as automobiles, tanks, telephones, televisions, computers, and any number of other devices seem so indispensable that there just have to be magical equivalents. While some of this is fine in any campaign, it desensitizes both players and DMs to the sheer wonder that magic should inspire in most characters. After all, magic should be magical, full of mystery and terror, but when a character routinely uses magic to brush his teeth and stir his stew, magic becomes nothing more than a tool. Blurring the distinction between magic and technology detracts from the strength of both philosophies.
Last, but not least, it’s important to remember that magic can do anything that a DM needs it to do for purposes of advancing the plot or elaborating on an adventure. If the story calls for a greater tanar’ri to be encased in a glass globe, it’s not necessary to worry about exactly how the tanar’ri was imprisoned there, or what spells the old archmage used to defeat the creature; it’s okay for a DM to simply tell the players that the archmage did it. However, PCs and NPCs who are interacting with the party should follow the rules—up to the point that the rules interfere with the story.
Chapter 1:
Wizards
The wizard may well be the most important character class in the AD&D game. Whether or not a particular player character wizard is the most powerful member of a party, it seems that every AD&D campaign has at least one great archmage or master wizard who holds supreme power. Wizards are responsible for the creation of all kinds of adventures and works of magic that other characters later become entangled in or discover. In many adventures, the party’s wizard is the only character who can use his magic to provide a means to cross a barrier or solve a riddle. In fact, in some cases, the only way to resolve the entire adventure or quest is through the inventive use of the wizard’s spell arsenal.
Given this fact, it only makes sense to begin an examination of magic in the AD&D game with a thorough look at the wizard character class. In this chapter, we’ll examine all the varieties of mages and specialist wizards available to a player character. Several new varieties of specialist wizards are also described in this chapter. In addition to a long look at the existing wizard classes, we’ll also present a point-based character design system that will allow a player to select his wizard’s abilities and limitations in order to customize his own character. This system is an expansion of the character class rules from Player’s Option: Skills & Powers, although you don’t need that book in order to use this material.
The information in Player’s Option: Spells & Magic replaces or revises the Player’s Handbook, The Complete Wizard’s Handbook, the Tome of Magic, and the material on magic from Player’s Option: Skills & Powers. In other words, if you have this book, you should use the rules presented here when creating your wizard character. However, there is one notable exception to this case—if you are using an AD&D campaign setting that includes its own rules on character generation, such as the Dark Sun or Al-Qadim® game settings, you should continue to create wizards for those settings using the appropriate rules.
Spells from Other Sources
While the material on creating wizard characters is updated for this book, you’ll find that spells that appeared in previous books have not been altered. As long as the DM approves, a player character wizard can learn spells from any source the player has available. In fact, the spell lists contained in Appendix 3 of this book include spells from the Player’s Handbook, Tome of Magic, and The Complete Wizard’s Handbook as well as dozens of new spells introduced in this book. Additional spells from the Wizard’s Spell Compendium, Pages from the Mages, or any other source can be approved by the DM on a case-by-case basis.
Schools of Magic All wizard spells belong to one or more schools of magic. A school of magic represents related spells with common features or characteristics. For a mage, who is the basic or general wizard, the school of a spell doesn’t matter too much; he can learn and cast any spell without regard to the spell’s school. The only exception to this rule is wild magic, which is completely unfathomable to any wizard except a wild mage.
While the majority of wizards are mages, a significant number choose to be specialists who concentrate their efforts in one particular school. Generally, this increases the wizard’s abilities within the school of his choice at the cost of losing access to any schools with opposing philosophies.
There are three schemes of school organization used in the AD&D game: philosophy, effect, and thaumaturgy.
Schools of Philosophy
The eight standard schools of spells presented in the Player’s Handbook—abjuration, alteration, conjuration/summoning, enchantment/charm, greater divination, illusion/phantasm, invocation/evocation, and necromancy—are schools of philosophy. While all spells in this scheme of organization are cast in much the same way, the approach and method by which they achieve their purpose varies from school to school. For example, conjuration spells generally bring something to the caster from another location, while necromancy spells manipulate the forces of life and death.
While spells in a school of philosophy generally involve the application of a common principle, they vary greatly in effect. For example, invocations create anything from solid matter such as walls of stone or iron to comprehensive enchantments such as contingency or limited wish. Note that all spells grouped into schools of philosophy share the same execution or method of casting—the use of verbal, somatic, and material components to summon and direct magical energy. The basic philosophies behind each school are briefly described below:
Abjuration spells are specialized protective spells designed to banish some magical or nonmagical effect or creature. Protection from evil is an example of an abjuration spell, since it creates a barrier that evil or supernatural creatures are reluctant to cross.
Alteration spells cause a change in the properties of some previously existing thing, creature, or condition. Pyrotechnics is an alteration spell, since it takes an existing fire and creates special effects from the blaze.
Conjuration/Summoning spells bring some intact item or creature to the caster from elsewhere. Any monster summoning spell is a good example.
Enchantment/Charm spells cause a change in the quality of an item or the attitude of a person or creature. Charm person is an enchantment, since it affects the way an individual perceives the wizard.
Divinations are spells that provide the wizard with information or the ability to acquire information. Contact other plane is a divination, since it allows the wizard to seek answers from extraplanar entities. Note that this school has been somewhat altered in scope for this book; see The School of Universal Magic.
Illusion/Phantasm spells seek to deceive the minds or senses of others with false or semi-substantial images and effects. Phantasmal force is a good example, as well as spells such as mirror image, invisibility, or blur.
Invocation/Evocation spells channel magical energy to create specific effects and materials. For example, lightning bolt manifests this energy in the form of a powerful stream of electricity.
Necromancy is a school concerned with the manipulation of the forces of life and death. Necromancy spells include those that simulate the effects of undead creatures, such as vampiric touch, and more direct assaults on life energy like death spell or finger of death.
Universal Magic: In this book, the school of lesser divination is expanded and renamed to include a number of spells that all wizards should have access to. Consider universal magic to be Sorcery 101; without the basic spells in this school, wizards are incapable of continuing their studies in the other schools of magic. Therefore, all wizards have access to the spells in this school, regardless of specialization. The school of universal magic is described in more detail below.
Creating a New School of Philosophy: In most campaigns, the schools of philosophy represent the baseline or standard against which other forms of magic are measured. Almost all spells can be described through this system of magic, with very few exceptions. For a wizard to develop a new school of philosophy, he would have to devise a class of spells that all share a common approach or methodology. Most likely, a group of related spells that already exist in one school or another would have to be used as the starting point for a new school. It’s much easier to build a new school of effect or thaumaturgy than to build a new school of philosophy. The Complete Wizard’s Handbook suggests a school of transmutation that concentrates on spells that change one element or material into one other element or material. Another possibility might be a school of animation, centering on spells that provide motive force to inanimate objects.
Schools of Effect
A second scheme for organizing wizard magic is by effect. The Tome of Magic presented a new type of wizard who could specialize in schools of effect: the elementalist wizard. Player’s Option: Skills & Powers introduced the shadow mage, another specialist wizard built around a school of effect.
Schools of effect differ from schools of philosophy in that the spells of the school all share one common result or ingredient. For example, the spells of the school of fire all involve fire in some way, without regard for what the spell accomplishes. Divinations, the direction and control of energy, and the summoning of elementals can all be linked by the common effect of fire. The schools of effect are described below:
Air: The elemental school of air naturally includes any air-based spell or effect, including spells that control or affect wind, breathing, falling and flight, air elementals, and other elemental phenomena. Gust of wind or cloudkill are examples of air spells.
Earth: Spells of elemental earth are based around stone-, earth-, or mineral-based effects. Dig, stone shape and stone to flesh are earth spells.
Fire: Any spell involving the manifestation of flame or heat is a spell of elemental fire. Not all fire spells are attack spells; fire charm and affect normal fires are examples of fire spells that don’t cause direct and immediate damage to the wizard’s enemies.
Water: Last but not least in the elemental schools, spells of the school of elemental water involve water in some form or another, including spells of ice and cold, since these are linked to the element of water. Water breathing, ice storm, and part water are all included in the school of elemental water.
Dimensional Magic: This is a new school introduced in Player’s Option: Spells & Magic. While all AD&D spells draw power from outside the mage, dimensionalists go one step further—they draw their power from another dimension. Like most schools of effect, the school of dimensional magic overlaps several pre-existing schools, including alteration, conjuration/summoning, and invocation spells.
Force: The school of force is a new school of effect presented later in this book. A force mage relies on spells that create or manipulate fields of cohesive energy, such as wall of force, magic missile, or any of the various Bigby’s hand spells. Many spells of this school are borrowed from the school of invocation/evocation.
Shadow: All the spells in this school are linked by the common effects of shadow and darkness. The shadow mage can make use of a number of illusion spells dealing with the Demiplane of Shadow and shadowstuff, including shadow monsters, darkness 15’ radius, and shadow walk. He also has access to a number of necromancy spells. Although necromancy and illusion are opposing philosophies, schools of effect ignore these restrictions and concentrate on results.
Creating a School of Effect: Again, all spells in a school of effect are cast with the standard execution of somatic, verbal, and material components. Creating a new school of effect is far easier than coming up with a new school of philosophy; there are any number of common spell results or special effects that can be linked in this way. For example, a school of light could be designed around spells that produce bright visible effects, or a school of circles could be designed around any spell effect that is circular or spherical in form.
Schools of Thaumaturgy
A school of thaumaturgy defines a specific method or procedure of spellcasting that varies from the standard execution of a spell’s components. Several schools of thaumaturgy were presented in Player’s Option: Skills & Powers—the school of song, the school of alchemy, and the school of geometry. In addition, other schools of thaumaturgy have appeared in specific campaign settings. The defiler of the Dark Sun campaign is a mage whose spells are executed through the draining of life energy from his surroundings. The sha’ir of the Al-Qadim setting casts his spells by sending a servant gen, or minor genie, to fetch the spell and bring it back to him.
Spells belonging to a school of thaumaturgy are not linked by philosophy or effect—instead, they’re related by the manner in which they are physically cast. In fact, the "standard" approach to wizard magic defined by the eight philosophical schools represents one common thaumaturgical method. Other thaumaturgical methods include the following schools:
The School of Alchemy: In this approach to magic, spell effects are achieved through the combination of unusual material components. Spells such as affect normal fires, glitterdust, and cloudkill can all be cast through the use of strange powders and reagents, and belong to the school of alchemy.
The School of Artifice: This is a new school introduced here for the first time. Artificers are weak in the direct command of magic and instead use various devices and magical items to focus their energies. Spells such as Melf’s minute meteors and magic staff are included in the school of artifice.
The School of Geometry: Geometers use diagrams, symbols, and complex patterns to cast their spells. Naturally, any spell involving some kind of writing, marking, or pattern belongs to the school of geometry, including spells such as explosive runes, sepia snake sigil, and symbol.
The School of Song: While alchemists rely on material components and geometers rely on somatic components, a song mage uses the power of his voice to summon and shape spell energy. Any spell that involves speaking, singing, or some other use of the caster’s vocal powers belongs to the school of song. Sleep, charm monster, and Otto’s irresistible dance are all examples of spells of this school.
The School of Wild Magic: Some wizards have learned to make use of the principles of randomness in their magic, giving rise to the school of wild magic. Wild mages shape the raw, uncontrollable stuff of magic in the hope that something resembling their intended spell will appear. A number of wild magic spells such as vortex and waveform appeared in the Tome of Magic; if you do not have access to that book, you should probably ignore this school.
The School of Universal Magic
As described in the Player’s Handbook, the school of divination is actually composed of lesser divinations and greater divinations. A few specialist mages are barred from greater divination as an opposition school, but every specialist wizard is considered to have access to lesser divination. In this book, the school of lesser divination is replaced by the school of universal magic. This includes a few basic divination and nondivination spells that all wizards should have access to, such as dispel magic and enchant an item. Any wizard may cast spells of this school, regardless of his or her specialty.
The divination spells of both the schools of lesser and greater divination are now considered to be part of one school of divination. Spells such as ESP, clairaudience, and clairvoyance are part of the school of divination and may not be available to wizards who formerly had access to them as lesser divinations. Refer to Appendix 3 for the revised spell organization.
Important Note: Wizards do not automatically know universal spells. They must study and attempt to learn the spells of this school, just like any other spells. However, when a wizard character is first created, he automatically begins play with any 1st-level universal spells of his choice in his spell book, although these count against the character’s limit of beginning spells.
The school of universal magic consists of the following spells:
cantrip (1st) wizard lock (2nd)
comprehend languages (1st) dispel magic (3rd)
detect magic (1st) remove curse (4th)
hold portal (1st) teleport (5th)
identify (1st) enchant an item (6th)
read magic (1st) teleport without error (7th)
wizard mark (1st) permanency (8th)
knock (2nd) astral spell (9th)
protection from cantrips (2nd)
Most of the low-level spells on this list enable the wizard to undertake his basic studies in books of arcane lore and safeguard his laboratory and spell book against intruders. Teleport, teleport without error, and astral spell are included since the ability to travel vast distances in the blink of an eye is a common power among wizards in fantasy literature. Last but not least, enchant an item and permanency are universal magic because every wizard should have the ability to create magical items when he or she reaches the appropriate level.
Wizard Characters A player creating a wizard character has one basic decision to make when the character is first rolled up— should his character specialize in a school of magic, or should he remain a mage? A mage is equally capable in all schools of magic and may freely learn and cast spells from any school. A specialist wizard gains several important benefits when dealing with his own school, but loses access to certain spells that belong to opposition schools.
As noted in the Player’s Handbook, wizards may not wear armor and are limited in their selection of weapons to the dagger, dart, knife, sling, and staff. (Some character kits may allow additional weapon choices.) In addition, characters constructed with the Player’s Option: Skills & Powers rules or the expanded character point rules in this book may pay extra character points in order to gain access to better weapons or protective equipment.
All wizards may create magical potions or scrolls after reaching 9th level by using the magical item creation rules in this book. (The alchemist and geometer gain this ability earlier in their careers.) Wizards may also create other types of magical items upon reaching 11th level. Any wizard may attempt to research new spells, regardless of level.
The Wizard’s Spell Book
A 1st-level wizard begins play with 3d4 1st-level spells in his spell book, two of which must be read magic and detect magic. Once these two have been included in the spell book, the player may select any other 1st-level spells of the school of universal magic without making a learn spells roll. In addition, a specialist wizard may automatically choose one spell of his specialty to begin play with. Beyond these selections, the player must attempt a learn spells check for any additional spells he wishes his character to know, with the normal penalties or bonuses for specialization. Optionally, the DM may assign a beginning wizard character read magic, detect magic, and four other spells of the DM’s choice.
Adding Spells to the Wizard’s Repertoire: As a wizard continues with his adventuring career, he will encounter new spells that he may wish to add to his spell book. In addition, mages may add a spell to their book whenever they reach a new spell level, while specialist wizards are allowed to add one spell of their specialty to their spell books each time they gain an experience level. Last but not least, the DM may allow a PC wizard to purchase spells from an NPC wizard or organization. The price should be a spell of equal level that the NPC doesn’t know, a magical item other than a potion or scroll, or at least 1,000 gp per level of the spell in question.
Mage
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 9
Prime Requisite: Intelligence
Races Allowed: Human, Elf, Half-elf
The mage remains largely unchanged by the material presented in Player’s Option: Skills & Powers. A mage may learn and cast spells of any school (except wild magic) using the normal wizard spell progression table and learn spells rolls. Naturally, mages may make use of many of the new spells and magical items introduced in this book.
Mages with an Intelligence score of 16 or higher gain a 10% bonus to the experience points they earn. Mages never attract followers, but there’s no reason a mage couldn’t buy property and hire mercenaries whenever he accumulates sufficient wealth.
Specialist Wizard
Ability Requirements: Varies
Prime Requisite: Intelligence
Races Allowed: Varies
Wizards who concentrate their efforts in one school of magic are known as specialist wizards. Generally, a specialist wizard must give up some degree of versatility in spell selection—he cannot learn or cast spells belonging to schools that oppose his own chosen school. The specialist also has several other benefits and restrictions; unless otherwise stated, all specialists must abide by the benefits and hindrances described below:
Specialist wizards may memorize one additional spell per spell level, provided the spell selected belongs to the specialist’s school. Under this rule, a 1st-level specialist may have two spells memorized instead of only one.
Specialists gain a bonus of +1 when making saving throws against spells of their own school. Specialists also inflict a –1 penalty to their victims’ saving throw attempts when casting a spell of their specialty school.
Specialist wizards gain a bonus of +15% when learning spells from their school, but suffer a penalty of –15% when learning spells from any other school. Specialists cannot learn spells belonging to an opposition school.
When a specialist reaches a new level, he automatically gains one spell of his school to add to his spell book. No roll for learning the spell need be made.
When a specialist wizard attempts to create a new spell through research, the spell is treated as if it were one level lower if it falls within the wizard’s specialty school.
Table 1:
Philosophy Specialist Requirements
Specialist Race Abilities Opposition
School(s)
Abjurer H 15 Wis Alteration, Illusion
Conjurer H, 1/2E 15 Con Divination, Invoc./Evoc.
Diviner H, 1/2E, E 16 Wis Conj./Summ.
Enchanter H, 1/2E, E 16 Cha Invoc./Evoc., Necro.
Illusionist H, G 16 Dex Necro., Invoc./Evoc., Abjur.
Invoker H 16 Con Ench./Charm, Conj./Summ.
Necromancer H 16 Wis Illusion, Ench./Charm
Transmuter H, 1/2E 15 Dex Abjur., Necro.
H: Human; 1/2E: Half-elf; E: Elf; G: Gnome.
Specialists in Schools of
Philosophy
A wizard specializing in a school of philosophy adheres to the general rules above. Depending on his choice of school, the specialist will have anywhere from one to three opposition schools. Each specialty has different race and ability score requirements, reflecting the unique nature of each field of study. See Table 1: Philosophy Specialist Requirements.
In The Complete Wizard’s Handbook, each specialist received several additional abilities related to his chosen field at high levels. These abilities have been reworked, and specialists now receive them much earlier in their careers. They are optional; if the DM decides that they aren’t appropriate, the additional powers are unavailable for PC specialist wizards.
Abjurer: The abjurer specializes in the school of abjuration, commanding magical energies that provide various forms of protection to himself and his companions. A wizard must have strength of will to master this school of magic, so a high Wisdom score (Wisdom/Willpower, if Player’s Option: Skills & Powers is available) is a requirement for an abjurer. The abjurer cannot learn spells from the schools of alteration or illusion.
Abjurers enjoy the normal benefits and hindrances of specialist wizards. In addition, at 8th level the abjurer gains a +1 bonus to saving throws vs. paralyzation, poison, and death magic. At 11th level an abjurer’s base Armor Class improves by 1 point due to his command of protective magic, and at 14th level the abjurer gains immunity to all forms of hold spells.
Abjurers have few spells that can directly inflict damage, but their protective enchantments can help them protect their comrades from harm in battle. They are also extremely effective against enemy spellcasters and creatures of extraplanar or unusual origins.
Conjurer: Specializing in spells of conjuration and summoning, the conjurer has access to some of the most useful spells in the game. Conjurations are some of the most physically demanding spells, and a wizard must have a Constitution (or Constitution/Health) score of at least 15 in order to be a conjurer. Conjuration/summoning is opposed by divination and invocation/evocation.
All the normal benefits and hindrances of specialist wizards apply to conjurers. In addition, at 11th level a conjurer gains the ability to cast conjuration and summoning spells without any material components. At 14th level, the conjurer gains the power to instantly dispel creatures conjured by an opponent who has used monster summoning or an equivalent spell. The conjurer can dispel up to 10 HD worth of creatures with this ability simply by pointing at the target and concentrating one round. Only creatures with 5 HD or less are affected, so a conjurer could dispel three 3 HD creatures, two 5 HD creatures, or any combination that does not exceed 10 HD. The conjurer may use this ability up to three times per day.
The conjurer’s spells can be very potent in combat, especially if used to multiply the party’s numbers through the summoning of allies.
Diviner: It’s unusual for a player character to choose this specialty, but NPC diviners are fairly common. Diviners concentrate on spells that reveal or relay information, and information can be a weapon far more dangerous than the sharpest sword. Divination requires patience and insight; a wizard must have a Wisdom (Wisdom/Intuition) of 16 or better to be a diviner. Divination is opposed by conjuration/ summoning.
Diviners have the normal strengths and weaknesses of specialty wizards. In addition, at 11th level the diviner gains the ability to use find traps (a 2nd-level priest spell) up to three times per day by pointing in a specific direction and concentrating one round. At 14th level, the diviner becomes immune to all forms of scrying spells such as ESP, know alignment, or clairaudience; characters trying to use these divinations against the diviner simply get no response at all.
A diviner is very limited in his combat ability and must rely on spells outside his school for anything resembling a damaging attack. However, a diviner in a PC party can be surprisingly effective by providing advice and information. With a diviner around, a party can look for ways to strike at an enemy’s weakest points and to maximize its efficiency in battle.
Enchanter: The enchanter’s specialty lies in controlling or influencing his targets with his spells. The school of enchantment/charm also includes a number of spells that imbue nonliving items with magical powers. Because the greater part of their spell selection involves influencing other people, enchanters must have a Charisma (Charisma/ Appearance, under Skills & Powers rules) score of 16 or higher. Enchantment/charm is opposed by invocation/ evocation and necromancy.
Enchanters have the usual benefits and restrictions of a specialist wizard. In addition, when an enchanter reaches 11th level, he gains the ability to cast a special free action spell once per day on himself or any creature he touches. The casting time is only 1, and no material components are required; the spell duplicates the effects of the 4th-level priest spell free action and lasts for one hour. At 14th level, the enchanter acquires immunity to all forms of the charm spell.
While the enchanter’s spells are not spectacular in effect, they are also among the subtlest of spells. In many cases, turning an enemy into an ally is far more effective and desirable than simply incinerating him, and enchanters excel at mind-affecting magic. Careful interrogation of charmed enemies can also provide a wealth of useful information for the enchanter.
Illusionist: Masters of deceit and trickery, illusionists have access to a variety of powerful spells that can be far more dangerous than simple attack spells. Illusionists must have a minimum Dexterity (Dexterity/Aim) score of 16 to perform the intricate gestures and patterns required by spells of their school. The school of illusion/phantasm is opposed by necromancy, invocation/evocation, and abjuration.
Illusionists gain the normal benefits of specialist wizards. When an illusionist reaches 8th level, he gains an additional +1 bonus to his saving throws against illusion spells cast by nonillusionists. (This is cumulative with his normal +1 bonus, for a total of +2). At 11th level, the illusionist gains the ability to cast a special dispel phantasmal force or dispel improved phantasmal force up to three times per day. The base chance of success is 50%, ±5% per level difference between the illusionist and the caster of the phantasmal force; for example, if a 16th-level illusionist is attempting to dispel an illusion cast by a 9th-level wizard, his chance of success is 85%. The dispel has a range of 30 yards and a casting time of 1; the illusionist need only point at the illusion and concentrate. If the illusionist attempts to dispel something that turns out to be real, the attempt still counts against his limit of three dispels per day.
An illusionist can be extremely effective in combat despite his lack of high-powered damaging spells, especially if he concentrates on creating distractions and false opponents for his enemies. Every sword swing directed at an illusion is one less that’s aimed at the illusionist and his companions. Illusionists should always seek creative and unusual uses for their spells; of all the specialist wizards, they require the most player originality to be run effectively.
Invoker: The invoker is the direct antithesis to the illusionist. Where the illusionist deals in subtleties and suggestion, the invoker deals in naked force, summoning and controlling massive energies. The invoker requires a Constitution (Constitution/Fitness) score of 16 or better to withstand the physical stress of this specialty. The school of invocation is opposed by enchantment/charm and conjuration/summoning.
In addition to the normal advantages and disadvantages of specialization, the invoker gains an additional +1 bonus to saving throws vs. invocation/evocation spells when he reaches 8th level, for a total of +2. At 11th level, this increa