Abjurer

An Abjurer is a form of Specialist Wizard in Dungeons & Dragons. As the name suggests, they are specialized in the magic school of Abjuration, which focuses on defensive and protective spells. Abjurers are typically the tankiest of wizards, layering so many protective spells on themselves and their allies that they are practically invulnerable. Also, being "the tankiest of wizards" isn't like being "the fastest snail;" abjurers can compete with fighters or barbarians for a party's tank slot, especially in 5e.

Abjurers make excellent team-players, because they can layer on all kinds of protective buffing spells that make members of the party better able to handle whatever threat is thrown at them. They are also superb for battling enemy spellcasters, because Abjuration covers many spells that nullify spell effects (nothing like a Protection from Fire spell to ward off enemy pyromancers) or outright cancel the protective and buffing spells of enemy casters.

The School of Incantation

Because Advanced Dungeons & Dragons was full of strange ideas, a wizard specialization appeared in the Forgotten Realms that took a new spin on the Abjurer. Called the School of Incantation, with its predominantly female practitioners being called "Incantatrixes" - males are "Incantatars", and the term "metamage" is referred to as a gender-neutral version of the title - this is a style of magic that revolves around studying and mastering the way that magic can be turned against itself. Incantatrixes are masters of the art of spells that affect the casting of magic - combining metamagic spells with disruptive spells, banishment spells, and shielding spells.

The School of Incantatation, and the Metamage specialist wizard, appeared in the second appendix of "The Cult of the Dragon", a Forgotten Realms splatbook that focused on the titular dracolich-promoting cult.

Requirements: Human or Half-Elf Race, Intelligence 13, Wisdom 12

Barred Schools: Conjuration/Summoning, Invocation/Evocation, Illusion/Phantasm, Necromancy, Wild Magic - an Incanatrix/Incantatar can learn non-wild magic spells which are "cross-schooled" in Incantation, Alteration (Transmutation), or Abjuration.

Restrictions: A metamage can only have 2 weapon proficiencies, and cannot learn weapon style specialization proficiencies, weapon group proficiencies, or "combat" nonweapon proficiencies like Blindfight and Tumble.

Specialization Benefits: Enemies suffer a -1 penalty to their saves against the metamage's incantation school spells, the metamage gains a +1 bonus to saves against incantation school spells, can memorize one bonus incantation spell per level, +15% chance to learn incantation spells, automatically learns one incantation spell each time it gains a spell level, bonus to researching incantation school spells as per the specialist wizard.

Specialization Penalties: -15% penalty to all attempts to learn non-incantation spells from any school other than Abjuration or Lesser Divination.

Special Powers by level:

1st Level: Gain Spellcraft as a bonus non-weapon proficiency.

3rd Level: Can See Ethereal creatures within 30 feet.

4th Level: Can physically and magically attack creatures that are "out of phase", which includes ethereal creatures and those under the Blink spell.

6th Level: Immune to Level Draining effects originating from creatrues tied to the Negative Energy Plane.

8th Level: +6 bonus to all Spellcraft checks.

20th Level: Can absorb charges from Charge-using magical items by holding the item in their hands and concentrating for 1 round per charge drained. Each charge drained heals the metamage by 1d8 HP; excess HP is retained as "phantom" HP - damage inflicted is first deducted from this pool of temporary hit points, which fade away 1 turn after being acquired.

5th Edition's Arcane Tradition

Abjurers are now the beefiest of the wizards, or at least they were till Bladesinger was printed. Their level 2 ability, Arcane Ward, lets them create a magical shield whenever they cast an abjuration spell (not cantrip, proper spell). This shield creates a pool of temporary hitpoints that soaks up incoming damage, and which can be healed by casting more abjuration spells. At level 6, they gain Projected Ward, which lets them use their reaction to protect a creature within a 30ft line of sight with their Arcane Ward. At level 10, Improved Abjuration gives the abjurer the ability to add their Proficiency bonus to any ability checks they have to make whilst casting abjuration spells. Finally, at level 14, they gain Spell Resistance, which in this edition works out as Advantage on saving throws vs. spells and Resistance to spell-inflicted damage.