What is your favourite wizard specialist?

So, it's interesting, what schools of magic do you often consider as forbidden and favoured?
Imho the best favoured school is evocation, since more or less useful spells of this school are in each spell-level and they may be usefully heightened. Instead perhaps it's useless to heighten such spells as Summon Monster-I or Mage Armor...
But the far more difficult task is to choose magic schools which will be chosen as forbidden... Since imho wizard's best advantage is in making area surprise attacks, he can't live without evocation, conjuring and enchantment magics. Since divination magic can't be rejected there remain illusion (useful for invisibility), transmutation (useful for Keen edge), abjuration (useful to dispel magic if you have only mage and cleric, who can remove negative effects), necromancy (useful for curses).
So, what schools do you often set as forbidden?
At my last party generation I made specialist evocer with forbidden adjuration (I took bard and cleric in my team). The second forbidden school was taken Necromancy as her most spells are of very close range. But of course if I didn't plan to create wepons with Keen edge, I would certainly reject transmutation. Or reject Illusion if my wizard tries to rely on Hide and Move Silently skills?
So, what are other opinions?

 

I always use an invoker wizard specialist, with the enchantment and necromancy sschools being forbidden. This makes more sense to me. There are very few useful spells in the Necromancy school, some of which require touch(a wizard has a much lower chance to hit NPCs than a fighter) or spells which are limited by NPC level(eg;- cause fear) - also, a priest is far more effective re animating dead and has the additional advantage of being able to turn(or even better, command) undead, so that you don't need the Hold Undead spell(or is the latter spell an Enchantment-school spell?

Enchantment isn't all that useful either. Sleep is great, right at the start, particularly against the poisonous spiders in the Deklo Grove, but it's best to have a sorcerer use that and then get rid of it for better spells later on. I personally always use an Erythnul-following cleric with domains in War and Trickery - the Trickery domain allows you to cast confusion and suggestion, the only really useful spells in Enchantment other than sleep and chaos.

I've found Illusion Phantasm particularly useful, as regards mirror image, and the p[hantasmal killer spell - the latter spell, backed up by a spell focus feat in Illusion easily kills large creatures that would take much longer for fighters to take down(especially if you've, like me, selected the option of giving maximum hitpoints to all NPCs). Abjuration is needed as it contains the vital spell steonskin, and the globe of invulnerability spell(needed against salamanders with their fireball attacks). Conjuration isn't all that important if one has a druid as the druid can choose to summon creatures instead of their usual spells - however it is needed for the web spell(and grease spell?)- Divination isn't needed at all, as there are no invisible monsters or wizards in the game - something that CO8 modders should rectify - but, unfortunately divination isn't allowed to be a forbidden school of magic. Transmutation has too many useful spells in it to be got rid of either.

 

I'll take an evoker.

What to forbid is tricky
important spells for schools:

1) Nercromany: None
2) Enchantment: area effect spells can be replaced by damage or conjuration spells
3)Conjuration: Cloudkill,but can be replaced by empowered fireball. Divine casters can cover summons. Web and stinking cloud not that essential and can be covered by other spells. Mage armor for crafters.
4)Transmutaion: Int and Dex buffs(needed for crafting), and haste.
5)Abjuration: Stoneskin and elemental resist spells
6)Illusion: I don't usually need those protective spells but can be useful if something pops up right beside you.

 

But did you test the 1 level "Charm humanoid" spell? With this spell I charmed both traders (in original version) and went with them to Emridy Meadows where they fought against the giant. If you take the "Heighten spell" feat, you may use Charm at your maximum level. All enchantment spells work good against all classes except spellcasters. It's very cool when a serious fighter is charmed and fights for you! The other benefit (perhaps it's a bug) is that you can travel with charmed persons from area to area and make the charmed-fodder to fight for you. In fact the spells Sleep an Slumber are not so cool as this low level Charm. Hold humanoid and Hold monster are also great.
As for me I like Enchantment most of all, other magic may be ranked by this:
1. Enchantment
2. Conjuration
3. Evocation
4. Other
Conjuration is great for the first surprise attack. All those clouds, especially nauseus, are cool to make enemies unable to respond adequately to your attack. Though these mists and clouds become rather useless when it comes to a close melee fight (you can harm yourself). That's why I like enchantments even more. But specialising in Conjuration you may also Augment summons. Summons may be treated as ranged damage-dealing spells which last for some rounds.
As for evocation - it's great, yes. But it's just killing, nothing special.
As for a specialist wizard I once used to forbid Abjuration and Transmutation. He was a good combat wizard, but could craft almost nothing and could not remove any magic or curses. This was especially bad when my cleric was held, and there remained nobody, who could help.

TOEEHamster,
I see you also find Necromancy not much useful, so do I. But Necromancy has a good 1 level spell Ray of Enfeeblement with may drop enemies strength up to 0 (or so) in few rounds. Very good but it's the the only good spell in Necromancy except Curse (may be)... And I also tend to consider that Illusion is not the "musthave" for a wizard. As for enchantment, perhaps it's not the best spell for the first round. (Evocation and conjurer area spells are good at this). But in more close battle Enchantment spells are very good because they are the most precisious and can't accidentally harm yourself.
Well that's all only my imho though.

 

one of the most important spells for me is finger of death, which rules out necromancy. enchantment is another school I use alot but then if I've go a bard in the party...

 

I agree that conjuration is very useful if the augment summons feat is added - best to give the feat to a druid PC than a wizard/sorcerer, though.

As for enchantment, I found that it's much less likely to work, as I prefer to put more feats into the evocation school of spells. I haven't yet used the "Heighten Spells" "Maximised Speels" feats, yet, as it was only very recently that I was able to go past 11th level, what with all the magic items I crafted, and the lack of extra XP until the Verbobonc mod. I prefer spending feats on create wands/create staff instead, so as to have lots of fireball/ice-storm spells to cast.

(I usually avoid the stinking cloud-type spells as they are not very effective at stopping enemy NPCs). My preferred method is to cast web or Entangle(Entangle is more effective) and then just fireball them, while sniping with arrows or cutting down those on the edge of the web/Entangle spells.

Have to say that illusion is vitsl for me. Having mirror image(and stoneskin) is always necessary when an enemey NPC comes too close to my wizard or sorcerer.

 

Yes, it could be a good spell, but it isn't a low level spell. A caster has to live long without it. Though enchantments can't kill, they may let you get rid of an opponent with "one touch" as well as the "Finger of Death". But charms are available since the first level.
At first I liked Colorful Spray too much since I was able even to take all equipment from enemies. But this spell works good only against very weak opponents.

Heighten Spell feat is the must-have for Enchanter since they grow in strength with heightening. This is specially needed for sorcerers and bards to make a large collection of powerful spells.
But all those Extend, Enlarge, Maximize spell feats are less useful because they don't increase in DC They just use the high level spell slot but resist and fail as low level spells. This also wastes the feat. At least up to 10 exp level these are really ... not very useful.
Perhaps Empower and Maximise spell feats need more calculation, but enlarging, extending seems not useful. At least until I hear the opposite. But until now, didn't hear anything good about these.

Since Augment summoning doen't affect Animal Companion (as I was told here), it's all the same who will specialize in it. Though sorcerer will have the worst spell selection since he will waste his rare spells available for every summoning. At the same time druid has worse conjurer spells than wizard. Only Healing and Summoning. Which doen't need increase in DC at all. Even Entangle is Transmutation. But wizards do have all those clouds and webs and dusts. So it seems that it is wizard who may be the greatest Conjurer of all other classes. Druid may take focus on evocation or crafting items... unfortunately... I'm also sad about this, but conjiring seems useless for him. Waste of feat in order to take Augment Summoning.

 

I usually run with one Specialist Wizard or Sorcerer, one Generalist Wizard, and a crafting Cleric or Druid.

The Specialist Wizard usually takes either Enchantment or Evocation, and is banned from Transmutation and Illusion or Necromancy. Enchantment and Evocation have the best offensive spells in the game. Illusion, Transmutation and Necromancy have a few good spells, but the Generalist can scribe scrolls or craft wands to make up for the Specialist's lack of those spells. The two mages can also trade scrolls as the game goes on, which saves cash and time at the magic shops.

The Crafting Cleric or Druid (Meleny is good for this role) can help spread out the XP hit of crafting items, and can craft allmost all the stat boosting items. Scribe Scroll is also a good feat for a Cleric or Druid, giving a good back up supply of Cleric spells when you don't want to stop and rest after each battle or if you want to use multiple high level cleric spells in a single combat. You can also pass them on to your Bard or Rogue if you've been investing in Use Item.

I used to use Scribe Scroll only and skip Craft Wand, but Craft Wand is actually a pretty good money pump. Keep rough track of your charges and you can use a wand 18-19 times and then sell it for a good profit.

 

NECROMANCY, or transmuter, as i like them both. The truth is though, by taking a speciality you greatly limit overall performance in some way, as all genre of magic are used for different situations and effects.

 

Gaear, you realize Sorcerers (and Bards) can automatically use a higher level slot to cast a lower level spell if they're out of the latter, right? Since Magic Missile doesn't have a saving throw, there is no point in Heightening it (which is the point of the feat, to increase the save DC of a lower level spell.)

As for specialists, I normally go with Evocation and ditch Necromancy and Illusion. As others have mentioned, most Necro spells are level-dependant and Illusion gets pretty short shrift in ToEE.

 

I'm not fond of Metamagic. It's rare that trading an enhanced lower level spell for a higher one is as good a choice as just picking the best higher level spells for a job, especially with scrolls and wands factored in.

As to my favored feats:

Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration - I go back and forth on these. It's great to see a spell work on a spell resistant montster. It's also almost always easier to enchant the heck out of a weapon and use that instead. Wizards in ToEE actually have a fair chance to hit once you layer the enchanted items, and there's always True Strike.

Scribe Scroll - A good contender for the best feat in the game. Unlimited spells per day if you have the cash and extra XP. Clerics, Druids and Sorcs should take it whenever possible.

Craft Wand - Not needed when Scribe Scroll is available, but a solid feat for its cash cow value. Scribe 20 scrolls of Fireball, use them, and you're out roughly 900 gold (iirc). Craft one Wand of Fireball, cast Fireball 19 times, then sell the wand to Burne using a character with maxed out Appraise and double your money. Very handy.

Craft Magic Item - Another contender for best feat. Turn the weakest characters into engines of destruction and the tougher characters into Superheroes. Even better for Divine casters, as all the best stat boosting spells are available from the start.

Craft Magic Arms and Armor - Keen Holy Axiomatic +3 Weapons. 'Nuff said.

 

The Druid is able to turn any of his spells into a "Summon Nature's Ally"-type spell, so that, he is a better choice for the augment feat. Plus the druid can cast greater magic fang onto his animal companion(or any summoned creature). Of course, like you said, sorcerers can take some summoning spells, but they're far better off using offensive spells like fireball.I haven't got the spell descriptions right in front of me, but the druid has other great spells, such as produce flame, call lightning/call lightning storm, entangle, barkskin etc., and I always find the game much easier with a druid in the party.

 

Druids are much better Fighter-Mages than Fighter-Mages in ToEE.

First level offensive spells that remain useful to the very end of the game. Second level defensive spells that stay useful to the very end of the game. Third, fourth and fith level spells just a bit short of the offensive power of a Wizard and just under the Healing and Buffing power of a Cleric. Fair Armor (Troll Bone or Dragonhide plate are as good as almost anything in the game, and Magical Tatoos + Bracers + Rings always rock), fair Weapons (Scimitar and Long Spear), OK BAB and HP. An animal companion that can make a meaningful contribution throughout the game. Excellent summoning spells and the power to spontaneously cast them.

Druids in ToEE are generalists, but they're really good generalists. Wizards will out-shine them moderately in ranged combat and both Clerics (with buffs) and fighters will outshine them in HtH, but the Druid can hold his own in both, smoothly switch from one to the other, and match any class in utility. They're also first rate crafters.

The two questions with Druids are:
"Do I go with Augment Summons?"
"Do I bother with Wildshape?"

Augment Summons and SF:Conjuration costs you two feats. The benefit is that your summons are a bit tougher and do a bit more damage. This really can add up over time. OTOH, you have to be willing to plan your tactics to take advantage of Summoning Spells, and there are other things you might want to do with those feats.

Wildshape is a mixed bag. For a Druid with medium or poor STR, DEX and CON (Meleny) Wildshape plus Natural Spell both gives a boost to HtH combat potential and saves a ton of money on magical devices. With long lasting self-buffs (Longstrider, Cat's Grace, Bull's Strength, Bear's Endurance, Bark Skin, Greater Magic Fang, Stoneskin, and a borrowed Mage Armor from the party Wizard) the Wild Shaped Druid can block as well as a buffed Cleric or Fighter and pump out reasonable HtH attacks. The downside is that Items, Scrolls and Wands are taken out of the picture, and most second level spell slots get sucked up by buffs. A Druid with high STR, DEX and CON is better off with enchanted armor and weapons; claws can't match a Holy Axiomatic Keen Scimitar, and wands or scrolls mean unlimited casting of your best spells.

For a Classic Druid, I like:
SF:Conjuration, Augment Summoning, (3) Craft Item, (6) Natural Spell, (9) Craft Wepons & Armor. This character will bring many interesting support abilities into play, but won't likely earn MVP status. However, he works cheap as he barely needs any magic items at all.

For a Generalist Druid I like:
Half Orc (+2 STR) or Dwarf (+2 CON and that very nice axe), Scribe Scroll, (3) Craft Item, (6) Craft Weapons & Armor, (9) Anything. This character doesn't bother shape changing; he gets the best weapons and armor he can buy and craft, scribes scrolls to keep a good supply of extra spells on hand, and drapes himself in all the best magical equipment. A great character to adapt to any situation, but expensive and lacks the full raw punch of a specialist.

For Meleny I like:
Craft Item at L3, Natural Spell at 6, Craft Weapon at 9. She becomes a useful crafter and caster, and once her Wild Shapes are available she becomes a reasonably good blocker. She brings with her one of the best weapons in the early game, and she's the best voiced and written of the Troika NPCs. Worth taking if you take any NPCs at all.