School Specialization

A school is one of eight groupings of spells, each defined by a common theme. If desired, a wizard may specialize in one school of magic (see below). Specialization allows a wizard to cast extra spells from her chosen school, but she then never learns to cast spells from some other schools.

A specialist wizard can prepare one additional spell of her specialty school per spell level each day. She also gains a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks involving the spells of her chosen school.

The wizard must choose whether to specialize and, if she does so, choose her specialty at 1st level. At this time, she must also give up two other schools of magic (unless she chooses to specialize in divination; see below), which become her prohibited schools.

A wizard can never give up divination to fulfill this requirement.

Spells of the prohibited school or schools are not available to the wizard, and she can’t even cast such spells from scrolls or fire them from wands. She may not change either her specialization or her prohibited schools later.

The eight schools of arcane magic are abjuration, conjuration, divination, enchantment, evocation, illusion, necromancy, and transmutation.

Spells that do not fall into any of these schools are called universal spells.

Universal

Not a school, but a category for spells that all wizards can learn. A wizard cannot select universal as a specialty school or as a prohibited school. Only a limited number of spells fall into this category.

Abjuration

Spells that protect, block, or banish. An abjuration specialist is called an abjurer.

Conjuration

Spells that bring creatures or materials to the caster. A conjuration specialist is called a conjurer.

Divination

Spells that reveal information. A divination specialist is called a diviner. Unlike the other specialists, a diviner must give up only one other school.

Enchantment

Spells that imbue the recipient with some property or grant the caster power over another being. An enchantment specialist is called an enchanter.

Evocation

Spells that manipulate energy or create something from nothing. An evocation specialist is called an evoker.

Illusion

Spells that alter perception or create false images. An illusion specialist is called an illusionist.

Necromancy

Spells that manipulate, create, or destroy life or life force. A necromancy specialist is called a necromancer.

Transmutation

Spells that transform the recipient physically or change its properties in a more subtle way. A transmutation specialist is called a transmuter.

Arcane Spells And Armor

Wizards and sorcerers do not know how to wear armor effectively.

If desired, they can wear armor anyway (though they’ll be clumsy in it), or they can gain training in the proper use of armor (with the various Armor Proficiency feats—light, medium, and heavy—and the Shield Proficiency feat), or they can multiclass to add a class that grants them armor proficiency. Even if a wizard or sorcerer is wearing armor with which he or she is proficient, however, it might still interfere with spellcasting.

Armor restricts the complicated gestures that a wizards or sorcerer must make while casting any spell that has a somatic component (most do). The armor and shield descriptions list the arcane spell failure chance for different armors and shields.

By contrast, bards not only know how to wear light armor effectively, but they can also ignore the arcane spell failure chance for such armor. A bard wearing armor heavier than light or using any type of shield incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance, even if he becomes proficient with that armor.

If a spell doesn’t have a somatic component, an arcane spellcaster can cast it with no problem while wearing armor. Such spells can also be cast even if the caster’s hands are bound or if he or she is grappling (although Concentration checks still apply normally). Also, the metamagic feat Still Spell allows a spellcaster to prepare or cast a spell at one spell level higher than normal without the somatic component. This also provides a way to cast a spell while wearing armor without risking arcane spell failure.

Specialist Wizard Variants: See this page.

Focused Specialist: Focused specialists take the school specialization one step further, disdaining breadth of skill in favor of even greater focus. Focused specialists lose one spell slot from each level of wizard spells she can cast. If she later gains the ability to cast higher-level wizard spells, she loses one spell slot from each new level of spells she can cast. She must also choose another prohibited school of magic, which can't be divination.

She can prepare two additional spells of her specialty school per spell level each day. These extra spells are in addition to those normally granted to a specialist wizard. 

This benefit doesn't apply to spells gained from classes other than wizard.

This ability modifies School Specialization.

Abrupt Jaunt (Sp): A wizard gains a short distance teleportation. Activating this ability is a swift action, and she can use this ability a number of times per day equal to her Int bonus (minimum 1). She teleports up to 10 feet. She needs line of sight to her destination. She can't bring along any other creatures. Its equivalent spell level is equal to one-half her wizard level (minimum 1st), and caster level is her wizard level. 

This ability replaces Familiar.

Spontaneous Divination: A wizard can spontaneously cast any spell of the divination school in her spellbook by sacrificing a prepared spell of greater level.

This ability replaces Bonus feat gained by a wizard at 5th, 10th, 15th, or 20th level.

Bonus Feat: A wizard can gain bonus feats as a fighter. (bonus feats gained at 1st level and every five levels as a wizard).

This ability replaces Scribe Scroll, and wizard bonus feat list.

Animal Companion: A wizard can gain an animal companion (as a druid; treat wizard as a druid of half her class level).

This ability replaces Familiar.