Editing Wizard (section)

===The Schools of Magic===
Since at least the 2nd edition of [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]], magic in the D&Dverse has been divided into eight different schools, focusing on grouping different kinds of powers and effects into relatively recognizable and coherent themes.

Traditionally, your typical wizard is thought to be a "generalist", making use of all schools of magic equally. However, in 2nd and 3rd edition, a wizard could choose to specialize; this gave them certain bonuses (greater likelihood of learning spells of their specialty school, a bonus spell memorized each day, etc), but also caused them to forsake one or more schools of magic in order to properly pursue true mastery. This was based on an earlier mechanic from 1e, where the [[Illusionist]] was presented as an entirely separate class to the wizard. In 2e and 3.0, the school you forsook was determined by school you specialized in, whilst in 3.5, this was changed to instead requiring you to give up a school of your choice. In [[Pathfinder]] you gain special abilities based on your specialization and your opposition schools aren't entirely barred, but they require double the effort to cast. Pathfinder latter offered outright barring schools as a variant option that gave even more bonuses in exchange, largely because opposition schools were important to the lore established in their early, 3.5 based, [[Adventure Path]]s. 4e abandoned the schools altogether. 5e brought them back and removed the "lose a school" aspect entirely, in part because specialization was now mandatory.

'''Abjuration:''' This school of magic revolves around defense, as "abjure" comes from old words meaning, essentially, "to repel". Abjuration spells cover a mix of anti-magic spells, spiritual defense spells, and physical defense spells; if it shields from harm, literally or metaphorically, then it's an abjuration spell. This school covers classics like Magic Circle, Dispel Magic, Shield and Mage Armor. It also contains banishment magic, antimagic (when that isn't Universal), and some forms of nondetection. Wizards specialized in this school are known as ''[[Abjurer]]s''. Back in the old days, an Abjurer's banned school was Transmutation.

'''Conjuration:''' This school of magic revolves around summoning creatures and effects from other worlds. Teleporting is sometimes considered part of this school, and certain attack spells are likewise held up as part of the conjurer's art. Mostly, though, this is for calling up critters to do your will. DMs aren't very fond of this school, and neither are martial class players, because it allows wizards to greatly amp up their power level by tricks such as summoning extraplanar beings who can then use their own magic to add even more might to the wizard's part of the table. Wizards specialized in this school are known as ''[[Conjurer]]s''. In 2nd edition, Conjurers are barred from learning spells of the Divination school.

'''Divination:''' This school of magic revolves around learning stuff. Seeing into the past, reading the future, learning when somebody's lying, reading thoughts, scrying, all that fun stuff is part of the Divination school. Although hardly the flashiest of styles, this is one of the most hated schools amongst DMs. Not only is it integral to the time-honored adventure-breaking "scry, teleport and fight" methodology, but it also makes a swift mockery of any attempt to run a mystery-themed campaign. These spells also ramp slowly, making those that specialize in them even more quadratic. Wizards specialized in this school are known as ''[[Diviner]]s'', and in 2nd edition, they were prohibited from learning Conjuration spells.

'''Enchantment:''' Despite what the word enchantment means in pretty much any other RPG in the world, This school of magic revolves around monkeying with peoples' minds, partially or entirely. As with Conjuration, DMs and non-caster players can get rather ticked off at this school. Wizards specialized in this school are known as ''[[Enchanter]]s''. An Enchanter in AD&D is unable to learn Evocation spells.

'''Evocation:''' TORGUE GOT MORE BOOM!! This school of magic revolves around offense, plain and simple. This is the oft-maligned School of Blowing Shit Up, using elemental damage in various shapes and types to blast, burn, freeze, crush, dissolve, implode, explode, slice, dice, puree and otherwise bestow a really shitty day upon anyone who has ticked you off. Although some purists turn their nose up at this school, it is perhaps the most visually impressive and "iconic" of magical styles, and so retains quite a fanbase, especially with players who don't want to render the non-wizards completely obsolete. Wizards specialized in this school are known as ''[[Evoker]]s''. Back in the day, specialist Evokers were unable to use Enchantment spells.

'''Illusion:''' This school of magic revolves around playing tricks on peoples' minds by making them see and hear things that aren't there, or not see/hear things that are. Invisibility is perhaps the most iconic spell of this school. Ironically, unlike Conjuration, Divination or Enchantment, DMs rarely have many overt complaints about this school. Wizards specialized in this school are known as ''[[Illusionist]]s'', and were in fact the creators of the Generalist/Specialist split; back in Basic, the Wizard was called the Magic-User and the Illusionist was a separate class entirely - this carried over into AD&D 1st edition as the Wizard/Illusionist split, before finally developing into the specialist system of 2e. Traditionally, Illusion is opposed to the school of Necromancy, so Illusionists can't learn necromancy spells.

'''Necromancy:''' This school of magic revolves around playing with the forces of life and death. D&D has sometimes tried to divide necromancy into three styles: White (healing magic, exorcisim), Gray (animating or speaking to the dead) and Black (instant death, inflicting pain and disease). This rarely sticks; animating the dead went from Gray Necromancy in AD&D to Black Necromancy in 3e, gaining the "(Evil)" descriptor to enforce that it can't be used by good guys, despite not really being functionally different form repurposing an old worn out shirt that someone else has discarded. Traditionally, wizardly necromancers have been rather inferior to clerical ones, mostly due to lacking the innate ability to control undead that even a low-level evil cleric has and so being forced to waste precious 6th level spell slots on Control Undead spells. This is a matter of some contention. Wizards specialized in this school are known as ''[[Necromancer]]s''. For whatever reason, it was decided in 2e tht a Necromancer couldn't learn Illusion magic.

'''Transmutation:''' Known as '''Alteration''' prior to 3e, this school of magic revolves around the ability to transform things, typically by changing one thing into something else. This covers both "traditional" alchemy-type effects like Steel to Clay or Rock to Mud and shapeshifting spells like Polymorph, Flesh to Stone and Disintegrate. Wizards specialized in this school are known as ''[[Transmuter]]s''. Their traditional banned school is Abjuration.

These eight schools have remained remarkably consistent over the years of D&D's existence. The closest they have ever come to being challenged is the sporadic and usually underdeveloped appearances of more esoteric schools: [[Elementalism]], [[Wild Magic]], [[Shadow Magic]] and [[Chronomancy]].