Schools of Magic¶
Although all wizard and priest spells are learned and memorised the same way, they fall into eight different schools of magic — groups of related spells. A specialist Mage learns one school particularly well and is barred from learning the opposed school(s); see Mage for the specialist list.
The wizard schools¶
Abjuration¶
Specialised protective magic. Wards, removal of curses, dispelling effects.
Examples: Protection from Evil, Spell Shield, Breach, Minor Globe of Invulnerability.
Alteration¶
Spells that cause a change in the properties of some already existing thing, creature, or condition.
Examples: Knock, Haste, Polymorph Self, Strength.
Conjuration / Summoning¶
Spells that bring something to the caster from elsewhere.
- Conjuration produces matter or items from some other place.
- Summoning compels living creatures and powers to appear in the caster's presence, or channels extraplanar energies through himself.
Examples: Find Familiar, Monster Summoning, Stinking Cloud, Web.
Divination¶
Spells that enable the wizard to learn secrets long forgotten, predict the future, and uncover things hidden or cloaked by spells.
Examples: Detect Invisibility, Know Alignment, True Sight, Identify.
Enchantment / Charm¶
Spells that cause a change in the quality of an item or the attitude of a person or creature.
- Enchantments bestow magical properties upon ordinary items.
- Charms unduly influence the behaviour of beings.
Examples: Charm Person, Sleep, Friends, Domination.
Illusion / Phantasm¶
Spells that deceive the senses or minds of others.
Examples: Blur, Mirror Image, Invisibility, Spook.
Invocation / Evocation¶
Spells that channel magical energy to create specific effects and materials.
- Invocation normally relies on the intervention of some higher agency.
- Evocation lets the caster directly shape the energy.
Examples: Magic Missile, Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Cone of Cold.
Necromancy¶
One of the most restrictive schools — magic that deals with dead things or the restoration of life, limbs, or vitality to living creatures.
Examples: Larloch's Minor Drain, Vampiric Touch, Animate Dead, Skull Trap.
Specialist Mages¶
Wizards who specialise in a single school memorise an extra spell of each level per day (once they can cast that level). The trade-off is that they cannot learn spells from their opposed school(s):
| Specialist | Opposed school(s) |
|---|---|
| Abjurer | Alteration, Illusion |
| Conjurer | Invocation |
| Diviner | Conjuration/Summoning |
| Enchanter | Invocation/Evocation |
| Illusionist | Necromancy, Abjuration |
| Invoker | Divination, Conjuration/Summoning |
| Necromancer | Illusion, Enchantment/Charm |
| Transmuter | Abjuration, Necromancy |
See Mage kits for the individual specialist pages.
Multi-class exception¶
The only specialist Mage available to non-humans is the Illusionist, exclusive to gnomes. Gnome multi-class wizards default to Fighter/Illusionist, Cleric/Illusionist, or Illusionist/Thief — no other race or class combination may multi-class as a specialist.
Source: iwdee/original_manuals/IWDEE - Mastering Melee & Magic.pdf — "Schools of Magic", "Specialist Mages (Mage Kits)".