Many campaigns do
not allow PCs access to a complete spell list. Magic Users do not get
to pick and choose any spell as they level. Spells are limited by
geography and culture. The PC's masters/instructors do not know every
spell that exists in the world. Creating schools of magic is an attempt to allow areas of spell choice for players.
Basic D&D
doesn't have many options when it comes to incorporating different schools of
magic into a campaign. The Principalities of Glantri seems to be
the best possibility. Glantri is a kingdom ruled by a council of wizards
and at the centre of their power, is The Great School of Magic. Magic
Users who study at the school have the possibility of becoming
Alchemists, Dracologists, Elementalists, Illusionists, Necromancers,
Cryptomancers or Witches. Each branch of magic has its own spell like
abilities.
Unfortunately, in Glantri, magic specialization only starts at 5th level, so a lot of potential favour is lost for lower level characters. An alternative, playing within the rules, is to create schools of magic that offer role playing opportunities, instead of ability bonuses.
For example: A
Player wants to be a Fire Wizard, so you let him create a school of Fire
Wizards that wear black and red velvet robes. They always carry iron
staffs and are dedicated to roasting the students
of any other schools of magic. Spells are re-skinned when possible,
to appear to have a fire component. So a magic missile spell looks
like a ball of fire, a shield spell like a small wall of fire etc..
The practical benefit for a Fire Wizard Player is access to the school's spell book. Allow the Player to pick 3 spells (+read magic) at 1st level and then 3 additional spells per level gained. When the Player reaches 9th level (name level) the school has few spells left to teach them. The Player will be expected to conduct their own spell research to gain new spells.
The spells taught by
a Fire Wizard School might look something like this:
1st Read
Magic, Detect Magic, Melt, Burning Hands, Fire Water, Flare, Fiery
Eyes, Magic Missile, Shield, Affect Normal Fires, Dancing Werelight,
Identify
2nd
Flaming Sphere, Flame Arrow, Fire Shuirken, Detect Invisibility,
Mirror Image, Wizard Lock
3rd
Animate Fire, Fire Ball, Dispel Magic, Fire Wings, Fire Rain,
Protection from Normal Missiles, Explosive Ruins
4th Wall
of Fire, Fire Charm, Melt Metal, Fire Trap, Fire Shield, Flaming
Blade, Marvellous Shield
5th Fire
Breath
(Good sources for
possible spells are CDD#2 Spell Reference by Kellri, The Wizard's Spell Compendium vol. 1-4, Oriental Adventures and
the spell library at Dragonsfoot.org.)
Of course the Fire
Wizard Player is expected to pay tuition/guild
fees/bribes/sacrifices, to continue to be a member of the school in
good standing. A reasonable price could be gold equal to half the
experience needed to gain each new level.
Cost of Tuition per Level
2 1250 gp
3 1250 gp
4 2500 gp
5 5000 gp
6 10000 gp
7 20000 gp
8 30500 gp
9 70500 gp
Having an additional way of draining gold from a player is worth to the DM the time it takes to create a new school of magic.
