Best and worst wiz schools to specialize in

[Deleted]

Summoning the Elder Sages of HG Build-Crafting for this one:

Which arcane schools are the best, and which are the worst to specialize in?

Please help me break down the strengths and weaknesses of specializing in each arcane school. Other than necromancy because, to me, a necro specialist wiz is a PM. Granted you can specialize and LSF a wiz in necro, and get full juice up to LSF in other schools (which a pm really can't), but that is not the discussion I want to have.

Assume Necro is one of the barred schools. Aside from ED and the line of *curse* spells, there is not much you can do with necro that can't also be done with illusion and divination (weird and pwk respectively).

I am thinking specifically of specializing in conjuration or transmutation with LSF in 2 other schools. Why would these be good or bad ideas, and what would be better?

Thanks in advance for the informed responses!

[buddhamind]

The arcane schools are very well balanced and there is no "right answer." Keep in mind you have to weigh both spells and epics. On my wiz I took Illusion, Necro, Trans, Abjur, and Evo, and did not specialize. After I reincarnated I discovered that I forgot about the Conj epic, which is very nice.

If you're certain you want to specialize in either Conj or Trans, I'd go Conj because it has a wider array of spells to choose from. With Trans it's basically just stone and disintegrate, which are not particularly hard to land (spell pen aside).


Repost from another thread--
Just for reference, here are some spells from each of the schools that I personally find useful.

Illusion:

• Weird
  
• EV
  
• Phantasmal killer
  
• Epic: Starfire
  

Necromancy:

• Wail
  
• ED
  
• Horrid Wilting
  
• Create Undead
  
• Undeath to death
  
• FOD
  
• COD
  
• Enervation
  
• Eyebite
  
• Wrack
  
• Epic: Death of Magic
  

Conjuration:

• Summon Creature Spells
  
• Gate
  
• BBOD
  
• Greater Planar Binding
  
• Cloud spells (Acid Fog, Evard's, Grease, etc.)
  
• Vitriolic Sphere
  
• Orb spells
  
• Epic: Bigby Swarm
  

Transmutation:

• GS
  
• Mord's Sword
  
• STF
  
• FTS
  
• Disintegrate
  
• Tenser's
  
• Gr. Stoneskin
  
• Bestow Curse
  
• GMW (But benefited by Ench focuses)
  
• Keen
  
• Epic: Transmute Barrier
  

Divination:

• PW Kill
  
• Premonition
  
• PW Stun
  
• Lores
  
• Remove blindness/deafness
  
• C/C
  
• Epic: Contingency
  

Enchantment:

• Maze
  
• Rebuke
  
• Mass Blindness
  
• Mass Charm
  
• Mind Fog
  
• Epic: Ensnare True Denizen
  

Abjuration:

• Spell Mantles
  
• Mord
  
• Breach
  
• MB
  
• Banishment
  
• Energy Immunity
  
• Globes of Invulnerability
  
• Energy Buffer
  
• Epic: Mass Spell Destruction
  

Evocation:

• Damage spells (Freezing sphere, DBF, Chain Lightning, etc.)
  
• Sunburst
  
• Bigby's
  
• Detonate
  
• Epic: Missile Barrage
  

[Yojimbo]

The general concensus in other thread has usually been that Specialization isn't worth it outside of the Staffmaster QC and the Wizard based Palemaster class. The problem is that IIRC not only do you lose those spell schools you bar but you can't even use scrolls of that scroll unless it is from another class IE Rez scrolls. You can still use wands though I believe.

You forgot for Evocation Polar Ray it does damage with a chance to freeze enemies akin to FtS.

[fallenwizard]

Wiz for hells/ely/abo should specialize in necro and bar enc/div.

Wiz for all endgame (those 3 + abyss) shouldnt specialize at all, because there isnt any 2 schools you dont want to have in abyss. Many schools, like enc + abju you can use effectively in abyss with just GSF item + energy drain DC boost.

Specializing in Conju I found really fun during levelling up to have access on better summons 1 level earlier at 41-57, but that was on a wiz AA, so it didnt use any DC based spells at all.

Anyways, if you truly want to specialize a wizard, I'd propably bar enc and divvy and just live without rebuke/pwk in abyss if you ever end up going there, those 2 not that needed outside that. Barring necro on arcane is like cleric barring evoc IMO.

[maljin]

If you want to specialize in evo, make a bfm or dsm instead. The extra dc on those spells is essentially what specialization would do for you. Same with conj/ench: there's Herald of Storm that gets you all you want. For illusion/necro: Palemaster. For trans: Pariah (no disintegrate and no summons though).

So what's left you could specialize with a wizard: divination and abjuration: Most staffmasters pick one of these schools to specialize in but I don't really see a point in doing so on a wizard who loses two other schools.

Especially since a wizard gets pre-epic bonus feats they can get the epic spell focus in almost every school if they'd restrict themselves to one or two leg spell foci or drop int by a bit. So I'd rather go for a generalist wizard with 6 or 7 epic spell foci and let PMs, staffies, wiz AAs and maybe divine theurges play around with specialization.

mal

[Deleted]

Thanks for the answers, specialization really doesn't seem worth it. Was going to go conj but really orbs seem to hit almost no matter what so LSF conj seems sufficient.

[Deleted]

Reaffirming the above- at least until some kind of negative nerf in terms of sr increases or the high sr expected from the EE's, can't really see the point of specialization when you have paragon spell foci that accomplishes essentially the same thing without losing anything. If i'm wrong, someone correct pls.

[Yojimbo]

Specialization does have the benefit of enabling PSK w/ only Specialization+ESF saving you from having to pick up LSF+PSF for PSK to get a Paragon Spell.

[maljin]

Mar 9, 2012 14:44:24 GMT @overdriver said:

Reaffirming the above- at least until some kind of negative nerf in terms of sr increases or the high sr expected from the EE's, can't really see the point of specialization when you have paragon spell foci that accomplishes essentially the same thing without losing anything. If i'm wrong, someone correct pls.

That sounds like specialization is redundant with psf. Just to make sure: You DO get 2 dc on top of what psf gets you with a specialization, right? Or is there a cap somewhere?

[Raj]

No cap.

By the same logic, you could make a juggernaut wizard and be fine anyway because with paragon levels you end up with the same dc those puny genies had in the past

[desocupado]

I enjoy having spec Evoc on my damage Theurge. I've barred Necro and Enchantment on him.

I'd say most Palemaster have spec on Necro. Mine (pm) barred enchantment and divination (tough evocation was also a good school to have as barred on Palemaster)

For a regular 6 school genie Wizard, well you can only cancel a school if you can use the handy spells from wands/gear.

[Yojimbo]

You Specialized in Evocation and barred it that is one fancy trick there Desocupado

[desocupado]

Mar 9, 2012 22:49:18 GMT Yojimbo said:

You Specialized in Evocation and barred it that is one fancy trick there Desocupado

I was talking about different toons.

FIX:Barred necro and enchant

[chirality]

That's funny cause it sure looked like when you said "him" you meant the subject of the preceding sentence

I don't have much to add that hasn't already been addressed but here's my thoughts:

I love the idea of spec but like Yojimbo says, and also Rain said here (which I think is very wise and still applies today, in fact look at where Conj is now compared to when he posted this

Mar 8, 2009 9:16:57 GMT Rain said:

Personally i wouldnot suggest a wizard being specilized in any school. wizard is not like sorcerer cuz you'll be able to access to any spells at ur command depending on what situation ur in. HG is growing pretty fast so u wonot know what good enchantment/conjuration spells will be added after next update. even without any spell focus on it, there're lots of spells which simply donot use DC check. just my thought.

In my humble newbish opinion Nec and Conj now are not only the best choices but really the only ones...Evo sounds interesting and I'm sure Deso's theurge is a great toon but meh, spec in Evo is a waste of time to me, sacrificing so much just for spells that you aren't really missing that much without max DC, and you aren't gaining that much with +2 DC. I don't think Evo has any spells scaling by focus rank that spec would net you anything tangible along the lines of Gate, Keen Weapon, or PWK (just examples). Also even with force damage Missile Barrage still totally blows.

Anyway I have tried speccing or generalist and I have to say that when it all comes down to it, I think the #1 best part about a wizard is maximum utility/versatiliy/solo-ability, which is also really why I think arcanes are the most powerful toons in the game. I barred Evo, and was thinking I would really miss Elemental Shield. Then I realized Wall of Fire is Evo, and hell no, definitely not making a wiz that can't even solo Toyshop. I barred Nec and was thinking I would really miss ED and the instas, and then I realized that trading DoM for Missile Barrage would be a moronic mistake. Anyway to make more little stories like that shorter, I think as always fallen has great advice to follow.

[desocupado]

Mar 10, 2012 7:49:55 GMT chirality said:

In my humble newbish opinion Nec and Conj now are not only the best choices but really the only ones...Evo sounds interesting and I'm sure Deso's theurge is a great toon but meh, spec in Evo is a waste of time to me, sacrificing so much just for spells that you aren't really missing that much without max DC, and you aren't gaining that much with +2 DC. I don't think Evo has any spells scaling by focus rank that spec would net you anything tangible along the lines of Gate, Keen Weapon, or PWK (just examples). Also even with force damage Missile Barrage still totally blows.

Well I enjoy the fact that the enemy gets kd by my claps, frozen by my polar rays, detonated by my detonate and my area spells do full damage often (I also need the DC because I'll use a spell pen arty).
The cleric spell book complements my spell needs nicely.