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Mezmote
2013-09-13, 08:54 AM
I've been pondering the magic schools of D&D 3.5 for some time now, as it rubs me the wrong way that a wizard can do literally anything he/she wants. I sat down and started to revision the schools in the way I see their purpose and role in the system. I've written my thoughts on their role and flavor down for all to see, and I would like to show you all how I envision the schools and their use. Assume when you read the descriptions, that I have entirely stripped the schools of any spells and that I am about to fill spells in as I see them fit into the schools flavor and role. Assume also that english isn't my main language, and that I might misspell words occasonally. Assume also that I would love to rework the spell lists (and to a certain degree the spells themselves) from scratch, just to make them fit my vision of them =). Last assumption: This is my personal view and it might be totally wrong in your eyes and in the reality. Assume therefore that I am willing to change the descriptions and my own assumptions based on reasonable arguments. I am willing to change my personal point of view if sufficient logic is applied =)

So many assumptions, so much to read, here you go:

Abjuration
Abjurations are protective spells. They create physical or magical barriers, negate magical or physical abilities, harm trespassers, or even banish the subject of the spell to another plane of existence.
Move all protection spells like Mage Armor and its ilk to this school.
Abjuration still feels like a subpar school, unless it gets a broader portfolio of influence. Should be the primary defensive school of choice. Some debuffing seems appropriate.

Conjuration
Conjuration is the school that generally works with the transportation of matter. It can summon creatures from distant planes or conjure gases, smokes and fumes from deadly bogs or mists and fogs from frozen wastes. It doesn't summon energy, and thus can't summon fire nor lightning, although water and earth is still within conjurations limitations. Remember, conjuration only summons the elements, it doesn't have the power to control them like transmutation does.
Remove all spells that heals (goes to necromancy) and most spells that deal damage (these goes to evocation). Minor exceptions can be made, as Incendiary Cloud still feels like a conjuration spell (”I summon the volatile air of the outer plane of Brixos” sounds plausible).
Conjuration will be greatly limited, but still seems among the best of schools. It is primarily a battlefield control school, and is thus very useful. A limitation on spells that summons creatures could be implemented to reduce the diversity and flexibility of Summon Monster.

Divination
Divination spells enable you to learn secrets long forgotten, to predict the future, to find hidden things, and to foil deceptive spells.
Divination seems fine. Not overtly powerful, but certainly useful. Divination is primarily a utility school. Nothing much changes, unless it too gets a broader portfolio of powers. But I don't feel that it needs it. If you disagree, shout it out loud =)

Enchantment
Enchantment spells affect the minds of others, influencing or controlling their behavior. All enchantments are mind-affecting spells.
Maybe move some Illusion (pattern) and Illusion (phantasm) here. They are both mind-effecting and does something that sounds like what enchantment should be able to do.
Enchantment is a control school, and could benefit greatly if it could also buff its allies. Then it becomes that hybrid of control and buff that could carve a new niche for the school. In the past it was an ”all of nothing” school, as most of its spells were ”save-or-suck/loose” and thus might need a few new tricks. Admittedly, the charm and compulsion that it controls now are certainly powerful, but I would like to reduce the amount of ”all or nothing” effects to give it something else to do.

Evocation
Evocation spells manipulate energy or tap an unseen source of power to produce a desired end. In effect, they create something out of nothing. Many of these spells produce spectacular effects, and evocation spells can deal large amounts of damage.
Move most damaging spells here. Melf's Acid Arrow and other spells like it. Also, they should have a line of spells that doesn't allow spell resistance.
Evocation is the primary offensive magic school and should stay that way. It is paramount that the ability to deal damage stays here. Also, evokers need a few different ways to circumvent special defenses. Some of their spells could allow saves, spell resistance or another defense to partially or totally negate the evocation effect. The more powerful spells could allow 2 or more ways to reduce the damage, and some of the weaker (or more ”bread and butter”) spells could only allow one way to reduce its effect. For example, a fireball allow a reflex save, but not spell resistance, whereas other spells could allow spell resistance, but no save. All in all, they just need variety in the way they deal damage, not just in the shapes and types of damage they deal.

Illusion
Illusion spells deceive the senses or minds of others. They cause people to see things that are not there, not see things that are there, hear phantom noises, or remember things that never happened.
Illusion seems fine, although some spells that can do anything should be removed, like Shadow Conjuration and Shadow Evocation. Still, it seems fair to let them keep the ability to summon shadows (the creatures) to their aid.
Illusion is primarily a control school, wherein their main way of control is through deception and trickery, not just pure force. Illusion gets a nerf in that some of its major versatility spells get removed. This is in order for the school to focus on the deception and trickery aspect. Still a powerful school in the right hands, it has some incredible tricks it can pull off, and it doesn't seem to lack versatile answers. It can survive the hit.

Necromancy
Necromancy spells manipulate the power of death, unlife, and the life force. Spells involving*undead*creatures make up a large part of this school.
Necromancy keeps most of its stuff, although it could be argued that some of the sensory manipulating spells could be moved to illusion. Move healing spells here, as necromancy manipulate the forces life AND death.
Necromancy is also a control school, with a bit of offense mixed in. Their control relies on fear and debilitating effects. Their offense lies in their power to take the life force of others and form it to their whim. Still an interesting school with lots of options and answers, the school doesn't need additional tricks now that it gets healing.

Transmutation
Transmutation spells change the properties of some creature, thing, or condition. This often correlates to the changing of shape, size, direction and force. The powers of the elements are theirs to control, by changing weather conditions and moving earth and water falls within the realm of transmutation.
Transmutation stays pretty much the same. They can manipulate matter that is at hand in different ways, even the flesh. So shapechanging and matter manipulation is their focus. I'd still like to rework the polymorph line in a way that makes it useful, without being crazily overpowered.
Transmutation is a mixed school of buffs and battlefield control. By changing the area or the participants in slightly new ways, they alter the odds in any conflict. This stays among the more powerful school, as battlefield control and buffing are quite potent weapons in combat. Outside of combat, they also have a large number of tricks they can pull off.

A new school?
As I write this revisioning, it occurs to me that there might be room for a school which focus mainly on the buffing of others and self. There are loads of control schools in D&D 3.5, and although I can understand how they differ, it still rubs me the wrong way that there is no school that focus mostly on buffing. I know that there are schools that got the abilities, but remember that I want to peel some of the versatile schools for options and move them around a bit.
I'm not sure how to word it flavorwise, but I know that I would put spells like Magic Weapon/Vestment, Cures, Restoration and the like in that new school. It could be a powerful school if only for the fact that it focus squarly on the improvement of yourself and your team. Buffing has never been a ”bad” tactic in D&D 3.5.
There might be arguments for the inclusion of Magic Vestment into abjuration, and that is certainly reasonable.

I'd love to hear some comments on the idea, and also some inspiration on how to do it.

unbeliever536
2013-09-15, 05:16 PM
Instead of adding a new school, you could rename Abjuration to something like "Manipulation". This school would cover applying magic directly to assist someone or imbuing it in an object for an effect, as opposed to using magic to summon or create something (conjuration), changing the fundamental properties of an object or creature (transmutation), or manipulating the elements (evocation). Then you could add non-defensive buffs that you would put in your new school to this Manipulation school, giving the former Abjuration a huge buff.

Eldan
2013-09-15, 05:45 PM
Transmutation really seems to be the buffing school of choice, followed by Abjuration.

If I can make a recommendation: split Transmutation into spells that work on creatures and those that work on the environment. Call the new creature school something like Vitalism, then you can put the healing and restoration spells there, too. Or leave then in Necromancy, that's fine too.


Also, I always felt fear spells should be enchantment, not necromancy.

Southern Cross
2013-10-09, 12:27 AM
New School: Vitalism
In D& D terms,Vitalism spells strengthen the existing properties of some creature, thing, or condition. They cannot change the existing properties of some creature, thing, or condition (That is the province of Transmutation). In general, arcane spells cannot restore existing conditions, unless they have the Arcane Healer ACF below.

Arcane Healer [ACF]
An arcane caster with this ACF has a strong connection to the Positive Material Plane. In game terms, such casters can add the various cures and restoration spells to the Vitalism school. The downside is that even generalists with this ACF lose access to the necromancy school, and specialists add necromancy to their list of opposition schools.

Vadskye
2013-10-09, 12:20 PM
Ah, the schools of magic. I have spent a terribly long time sorting them out. There is a very long and interesting thread here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=291683) which involved an attempt to create clear and concise subschools for each school. That led, in part, to my overhaul of the spell schools. Each school now contains several subschools, and spells have been shuffled around between schools to become more consistent. A key part of the change is that spells can now have two schools, which allows spells like Mind Fog to be placed sanely.

The description of each school and subschool is somewhat long, since it includes a list of the spells in each subschool to ensure that the definition of the schools and subschools is clear. It is therefore spoilered; I don't want to hijack your thread if you decide to go a different direction, but I would encourage you not to try to reinvent the wheel!

Complete Spell and School List
This lists every spell in the Spell Reformation, organized by school and subschool. The new subschools and their descriptions are included. Spells with multiple schools or multiple subschools are denoted with a (+) after the spell's name. After each of the lists is a "Spell Changes" entry which shows how spells in that school changed, showing which spells were added from other schools or moved to other schools.
ABJURATION

Abjuration spells manipulate the raw essence of magic to protect allies or ward off foes. There are four subschools of abjuration spells.
Interdiction: An interdiction spell hedges out creatures or forces of an opposing alignment or type.
Antilife Shell, Banishment (+), Cloak of Chaos, Dismissal (+), Forbiddance (+), Holy Aura, Magic Circle against <Alignment> (+), Planar Binding (Lesser/Greater) (+), Protection from <Alignment>, Shield of Law, Unholy Aura
Negation: A negating spell negates magical effects.
Ablative Shield, Ablative Fortress, Antimagic Field, Break Enchantment, Dispel Magic (Lesser/Greater), Dimensional Anchor (+), Dimensional Lock, Emancipation, Globe of Invulnerability (Lesser), Invisibility Purge, Mage's Disjunction, Remove Curse, Spelltheft (Lesser/Greater)
Shielding: A shielding spell protects creatures or objects from harm.
Death Ward (Mass) (+), Endure Elements, Energy Conversion, Entropic Shield, Fire Shield (+), Inertial Shield, Mage Armor (Greater), Mind Blank, Nondetection, Protection from Energy (Greater), Protection from Spells, Repulsion, Resist Energy (Greater), Resist Impact, Resistance, Retributive Shield, Sanctuary (+), Sequester (+), Share Pain (Forced, Greater) (+), Shield, Shield of Faith, Shield Other (Greater) (+), Spell Immunity (Greater), Spell Resistance, Spell Turning, Undetectable Alignment
Warding: A warding spell protects an area or object from intrusion. If one warding spell is active within 10 feet of another for 24 hours or more, the magical fields interfere with each other and create barely visible energy fluctuations. The DC to find such spells with the Spot skill drops by 4. The DC drops by an additional 2 for each additional warding spell beyond the second.
Alarm, Arcane Lock (+), Explosive Runes, Fire Trap (+), Forbiddance (+), Glyph of Warding (Greater), Guards and Wards (+), Mage's Private Sanctum, Sepia Snake Sigil (+)
Spell Changes:
Spells added from other schools: Fire Shield (+), Invisibility Purge, Mage Armor, Planar Binding (Lesser/Greater) (+), Sepia Snake Sigil (+)
Spells moved to other schools: Atonement, Freedom, Hold Portal, Imprisonment, Remove Fear, Stoneskin

CONJURATION

Conjuration spells transport and create objects and creatures to aid you. A creature or object brought into being or transported to your location by a conjuration spell cannot appear inside another creature or object, nor can it appear floating in an empty space. It must arrive in an open location on a surface capable of supporting it. The creature or object must appear within the spell's range, but it does not have to remain within the range. There are three subschools of conjuration spells.
Creation: A creation spell manipulates matter to create an object or creature in the place the spellcaster designates. If the spell has a duration other than instantaneous, magic holds the creation together, and when the spell ends, the conjured creature or object vanishes without a trace. If the spell has an instantaneous duration, the created object or creature is merely assembled through magic. It lasts indefinitely and does not depend on magic for its existence. \spell{Acid arrow} is a creation spell.
Acid Arrow (Greater), Acid Fog, Black Tentacles, Cloudkill, Clone (+), Create Food and Water, Create Water, Fog Cloud, Gate (+), Glitterdust, Grease, Heroes' Feast (+), Ice Storm (+), Incendiary Cloud (+), Mage's Faithful Hound, Mage's Magnificent Mansion, Major Creation, Mind Fog (+), Minor Creation, Obscuring Mist, Phantom Steed (+), Phase Door (+), Prying Eyes (Greater) (+), Rope Trick (+), Sea of Fog, Sea of Solid Fog, Secure Shelter, Sepia Snake Sigil (+), Shambler(+), Sleet Storm, Solid Fog, Stinking Cloud, Storm of Vengeance (+), Wall of Ice (+), Wall of Thorns, Web, Unseen Servant
Summoning: A summoning spell instantly brings a manifestation of a creature or object to a place you designate. When the spell ends or is dispelled, the manifestation disappears. A summoned creature also disappears if it is killed or if its hit points drop to 0 or lower. Because summoning spells do not physically transport the actual creature or object, even if the manifestation is injured or destroyed, the original is unharmed. However, it takes 24 hours for the manifestation to reform, during which time it can't be summoned again. Most summoning spells, including the summon monster and summon nature's ally spells, will automatically summon a different creature of the same type should this occur.
Creeping Doom, Elemental Swarm, Insect Plague, Mount, Stampede (Greater), Summon Instrument, Summon Monster X, Summon Nature's Ally X, Summon Nature's Army
Translocation: A translocation spell transports one or more creatures or objects a great distance. The most powerful of these spells can cross planar boundaries. Unlike summoning spells, the transportation is (unless otherwise noted) one-way and not dispellable. Many translocation effects involve teleportation.
Banishment (+), Blink, Dimension Door (Mass), Dimension Slide, Dismissal (+), Dissipating Touch, Ethereal Jaunt, Etherealness, Gate (+), Imprisonment, Instant Retrieval, Maze, Phase Door (+), Planar Binding (Lesser/Greater) (+), Plane Shift, Refuge, Retrieve (Greater), Rope Trick (+), Secret Chest, Shadow Walk, Teleport (Greater), Teleport Object, Teleportation Circle, Transport via Plants, Tree Stride, Word of Recall
Spell Changes:
Spells added from other schools: Banishment (+), Blink, Clone (+), Dismissal (+), Ethereal Jaunt, Etherealness, Ice Storm (+), Imprisonment, Mind Fog (+), Prying Eyes (Greater) (+), Shadow Walk, Wall of Ice (+)
Spells moved to other schools: Delay Poison, Cure X Wounds (Mass), Inflict X Wounds (Mass), Harm, Heal (Mass), Mage Armor, Neutralize Poison, Raise Dead, Regenerate, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Disease, Remove Paralysis, Restoration (Lesser/Greater), Resurrection, Trap the Soul, True Resurrection, Wall of Stone

DIVINATION

Divination spells enable you to predict the future, gain or share knowledge, find hidden things, and foil deceptive spells. There are four subschools of divination spells.
Awareness: A awareness spell reveals objects, creatures, or effects within an area. Some awareness spells have cone-shaped areas. These move with you and extend in the direction you look. The cone defines the area that you can examine each round. If you study the same area for multiple rounds, you can often gain additional information, as noted in the descriptive text for the spell.
Alarm (+), Analyze Dweomer (+), Arcane Sight (Greater), Darkvision, Detect Animals or Plants, Detect <Alignment>, Detect Poison, Detect Scrying, Detect Secret Doors, Detect Snares and Pits, Detect Thoughts, Detect Thoughts (Greater), Detect Undead, Discern Lies, Farsight, Find Traps, Locate Creature, Locate Entity, Locate Object, Prying Eyes (Greater only) (+), Revelation (+), See Invisibility, True Seeing
Communication: A communication spell magically enhances communication between creatures, often by transcending linguistic barriers or distance.
Commune, Comprehend Languages, Dream (+), Nightmare (+), Prying Eyes (Greater) (+), Sending, Telepathic Bond (Mass) (+), Tongues
Knowledge: A knowledge spell grants the recipient information. Most knowledge spells give knowledge about the present, but some can reveal information about the future as well.
Analyze Dweomer (+), Augury, Commune with Nature, Discern Location, Discern Vulnerability, Divination, Find the Path, Foresight, Guidance, Identify, Know Direction, Legend Lore, Locate Creature, Locate Object, Moment of Prescience (Lesser/Greater), Object Reading, Precognition (Lesser/Greater), Read Magic, Revelation (+), True Strike, Vision
Scrying: A scrying spell creates an invisible magical sensor that sends you information. Unless noted otherwise, the sensor has the same powers of sensory acuity that you possess. This level of acuity includes any spells or effects that target you, but not spells or effects that emanate from you. However, the sensor is treated as a separate, independent sensory organ of yours, and thus it functions normally even if you have been blinded, deafened, or otherwise suffered sensory impairment.
Any creature trained in Spellcraft can notice the sensor by making a DC 20 Spellcraft check. The sensor can be dispelled as if it were an active spell. Lead sheeting or magical protection blocks a scrying spell, and you sense that the spell is so blocked.
Arcane Eye, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Scrying (Greater)
Spell Changes:
Spells added from other schools: Alarm (+), Darkvision, Dream (+), Nightmare (+), Sending
Spells moved to other schools: Prying Eyes (regular only)

ENCHANTMENT

Enchantment spells affect the minds of others, influencing or controlling their behavior or mental capabilities. Almost all enchantment spells are mind-affecting spells. There are four subschools of enchantment spells.
Compulsion: A compulsion spell forces the subject to act in a certain way. Some compulsion spells determine the subject’s actions or the effects on the subject, some compulsion spells allow you to determine the subject’s actions when you cast the spell, and others give you ongoing control over the subject.
Animal Messenger, Command (Greater), Confusion (Mass), Deep Slumber, Demand (+), Dominate Monster, Dominate Person, Geas/Quest (Lesser), Hideous Laughter, Hypnotic Pattern (+), Illusory Script (+), Insanity, Irresistible Dance, Power Word Confuse, Rainbow Pattern (+), Scintillating Pattern (+), Sleep (Mass), Song of Discord, Suggestion (Mass), Symbol of Insanity, Symbol of Sleep, Zone of Truth
Emotion: An emotion spell influences the subject's emotions.
Aid, Antipathy, Attraction, Aversion, Bane, Bless, Calm Emotions, Cause Fear, Charm Monster (Mass), Charm Person (Mass), Crushing Despair, Good Hope, Fear, Heroes' Feast (+), Heroism (Greater), Phantasmal Killer (+), Prayer, Rage, Remove Fear, Symbol of Fear, Symbol of Persuasion, Sympathy, Weird (+)
Inhibition: An inhibition spell impedes the functioning of the target's mind, typically preventing the target from acting.
Binding, Feeblemind, Hold Monster (Mass), Hold Person (Mass), Lullaby, Mind Fog (+), Power Word Blind, Power Word Stun, Sanctuary (+), Symbol of Stunning, Touch of Idiocy
No Subschool:
Glibness (+), Modify Memory
Spell Changes:
Spells added from other schools: Dream (+), Glibness (+), Heroes' Feast (+), Nightmare (+), Phantasmal Killer (+), Remove Fear, Sanctuary (+), Weird (+)
Spells moved to other schools: Power Word Kill

EVOCATION

Evocation spells create and manipulate energy and forces or tap into divine or other powers to produce a desired end. In effect, they create energy or effects, but not physical objects, out of nothing. Many of these spells produce spectacular effects, and evocation spells can deal large amounts of damage. There are three subschools of evocation spells.
Energy: An energy spell creates or manipulates energy, such as fire or electricity.
Burning Hands, Call Lightning (Storm), Chain Lightning, Cone of Cold (Lesser/Greater), Delayed Blast Fireball, Energy Conversion (+), Fire Shield (+), Fire Seeds (+), Fire Storm, Fireball, Fire Trap (+), Flame Strike (+), Flame Weapon, Flaming Sphere, Freezing Sphere, Heat Metal, Ice Storm (+), Incendiary Cloud (+), Lightning Bolt, Meteor Swarm, Polar Ray, Ray of Frost, Scorching Ray, Shatter, Shocking Grasp, Shout (Greater), Sound Burst, Storm of Vengeance(+), Sympathetic Vibration, Wall of Fire, Wall of Ice (+)
Channeling: A channeling spell channels divine or other power.
Align Weapon (+), Atonement, Blasphemy, Bless Water (+), Bless Weapon (+), Chaos Hammer, Consecrate, Curse Water (+), Desecrate, Dictum, Flame Strike (+), Hallow, Holy Smite, Holy Sword (+), Holy Word, Miracle, Order's Wrath, Unhallow, Unholy Blight, Word of Chaos
Control: A control spell manipulates forces and moves inanimate objects.
Blade Barrier, Clenched Fist, Control Water, Control Weather, Crushing Hand, Earthquake, Floating Disk, Forcecage, Forceful Hand, Grasping Hand, Gust of Wind, Hold Portal, Interposing Hand, Mage Armor (+), Knock, Levitate, Mage Hand, Mage's Sword, Magic Missile, Open/Close, Prismatic Sphere/Spray/Wall (+), Resilient Sphere, Reverse Gravity, Searing Light, Spiritual Weapon, Storm of Vengeance (+), Sunbeam, Sunburst, Telekinesis, Telekinetic Force/Maneuver/Sphere/Thrust, Tiny Hut, Wall of Force, Windstrike (Greater), Zephyr Blade (Greater) (+)
Spell Changes:
Spells added from other schools: Align Weapon (+), Atonement, Bless Water (+), Bless Weapon (+), Control Weather, Curse Water (+), Fire Seeds (+), Fire Trap (+), Hold Portal, Incendiary Cloud (+), Knock, Levitate, Mage Armor, Mage Hand, Open/Close, Prismatic Sphere (+), Prismatic Wall (+), Reverse Gravity, Storm of Vengeance (+), Telekinesis
Spells moved to other schools: Continual Flame, Dancing Lights, Darkness, Daylight, Faerie Fire, Invisibility Purge, Light, Sending

ILLUSION

Illusion spells deceive the senses of others. They conceal things that exist or cause people to perceive things that do not exist. There are three subschools of illusion spells.
NOTE: Figments and shadows are no longer inherently unreal. Illusions which can be disbelieved gain the [Unreal] descriptor; any spell with the [Unreal] descriptor can be disbelieved by interaction. All rules baggage associated with disbelieving illusions is now explicitly tied to the [Unreal] descriptor, and any illusion without that descriptor cannot be disbelieved. This clarifies the ambiguity in the original rules; it was explicitly stated that all figments and glamers were "unreal", but many (such as Blur, Invisibility, and so on) could not be disbelieved. Now, Light is simply a figment that creates a real effect, while Darkness is a glamer that creates a real effect. This neatly ties the illumination and other sensory manipulation spells to existing subschools, where they fit very nicely, and clarifies to what degree they are real or unreal. Silence and Invisibility are now in the same subschool again, as they should be.
Figment: A figment spell creates a sensation out of thin air.
Color Spray, Continual Flame (+), Dancing Lights, Daylight, Faerie Fire, Flare, Ghost Sound, Hypnotic Pattern (+), Illusory Wall, Light, Magic Mouth, Major Image, Message, Minor Image, Mirror Image, Mislead (+), Permanent Image, Persistent Image, Programmed Image, Rainbow Pattern (+), Scintillating Pattern (+), Silent Image, Whispering Wind
Glamer: A glamer spell changes a subject's sensory qualities, making it look, feel, taste, smell, or sound like something else, or even disappear.
Blur, Darkness, Disguise Self, Displacement, False Vision, Hallucinatory Terrain, Illusory Script (+), Invisibility (Greater, Mass, Sphere), Magic Aura, Mirage Arcana, Misdirection, Mislead (+), Pass without Trace (+), Phantom Trap, Screen, Sculpt Sound, Seeming, Silence, Veil, Ventriloquism, Zone of Silence
Phantasm: A phantasm spell manipulates the subject's senses to create images or sensations that are not real. It creates personalized sensations, and no one else can observe the effect.
Dream (+), Nightmare (+), Phantasmal Killer (+), Phantom Maze, Weird (+)
Shadow: A shadow spell creates something that is partially real from extradimensional energy.
Project Image, Shades, Shadow Body (+), Shadow Conjuration/Evocation (Greater)
Spell Changes:
Spells added from other schools: Continual Flame, Dancing Lights, Darkness, Daylight, Faerie Fire, Light, Sculpt Sound
Spells moved to other schools: Dream, Nightmare, Phantasmal Killer, Shadow Walk, Weird

NECROMANCY

Necromancy spells manipulate the power of life and death, as well as souls. Spells involving positive and negative energy belong to this school. There are three subschools of necromancy spells.
Flesh: A flesh spell affects the home of a creature's life energy: its body. Many flesh spells inflict physical disabilities.
Assimilate (+), Blindness/Deafness, Contagion, Delay Poison, Destruction, Ghoul Touch, Neutralize Poison, Power Word Blind, Ray of Clumsiness, Ray of Enfeeblement, Ray of Exhaustion, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Disease, Restoration (Lesser/Greater), Symbol of Pain, Symbol of Weakness, Touch of Fatigue, Waves of Exhaustion, Waves of Fatigue
Life: A life spell manipulates the subject's life force directly.
Crush Life (Greater, Mass), Death Knell, Death Ward (Mass) (+), False Life, Finger of Death, Link Vitality (Mass), Power Word Kill, Share Pain (Forced) (+), Shield Other (Greater) (+), Slay Living, Spectral Hand, Transfer Suffering(Lesser/Mass), Symbol of Death, Vampiric Touch, Wail of the Banshee
Soul: A soul spell manipulates the subject's soul, either restoring it to its proper place or fragmenting it for terrible purposes.
Animate Dead (+), Astral Projection, Clone (+), Create Greater Undead (+), Create Undead (+), Reincarnate (+), Resurrection, Revivify, Soul Bind, Speak with Dead, Trap the Soul, True Resurrection
Vitalism: An vitalism spell channels positive or negative energy. This can be used to enhance or destroy a subject's life energy, or to manipulate creatures powered by negative energy.
Animate Dead (+), Chill Touch, Circle of Death, Command Undead, Control Undead, Create Greater Undead (+), Create Undead (+), Cure X Wounds (Mass), Disrupt Undead, Disrupting Weapon (+), Energy Drain, Enervation, Harm, Heal (Mass), Heal Mount, Inflict X wounds (Mass), Regenerate, Undeath to Death
No subschool:
Bestow Curse, Mark of Justice
Spell Changes:
Spells added from other schools: Death Ward (Mass) (+), Delay Poison, Cure X Wounds (Mass), Disrupting Weapon (+), Inflict X Wounds (Mass), Harm, Heal (Mass), Neutralize Poison, Power Word Kill, Raise Dead, Regenerate, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Disease, Remove Paralysis, Restoration (Lesser/Greater), Resurrection, Trap the Soul, True Resurrection
Spells moved to other schools: Cause Fear, Fear, Gentle Repose, Symbol of Fear

TRANSMUTATION

Transmutation spells change the properties of creatures and objects. There are three subschools of transmutation spells.
Animation: An animation spell grants temporary "life" to an affected object.
Animate Objects, Animate Plants, Animate Rope, Changestaff (+), Entangle, Entangling Growth, Liveoak (+), Rope Trick (+), Shambler (+)
Alteration: An alteration spell changes the physical state of anything with a material form.
Arcane Mark, Changestaff (+), Disintegrate, Erase, Fabricate, Fertility/Infertility, Make Whole, Mending, Move Earth, Passwall, Plant Growth, Polymorph Any Object, Purify Food and Drink, Rusting Grasp, Secret Page, Shape Stone, Shape Wood, Shrink Item, Snare, Soften Earth and Stone, Spike Growth, Spike Stones, Transmute Flesh and Stone, Transmute Mud and Rock, Wall of Stone, Warp Wood
Augment: An augment spell enhances the existing physical or mental abilities of an object or creature.
Barkskin, Combat Transformation, Divine Favor, Divine Power, Expeditious Retreat, Glibness (+), Jump, Longstrider, Ironwood, Magic Fang (Greater), Magic Vestment, Magic Weapon (Greater), Righteous Might (+), Shillelagh, Stoneskin, Totemic Power (Mass), Totemic Mind (Mass)
Imbuement: An imbuement spell infuses an object or creature with magic, granting it new abilities.
Air Walk, Align Weapon (+), Arcane Lock (+), Backbiter, Bless Water (+), Bless Weapon (+), Disrupting Weapon (+), Feather Fall, Fire Seeds (+), Fly, Freedom (Mass), Overland Flight, Phantom Steed(+), Spellstaff, Spider Climb, Telepathic Bond (+), Vestments of the Mage, Water Breathing, Water Walk, Zephyr Blade (Greater) (+)
Polymorph: A polymorph spell changes a creature's body into a new form.
Animal Growth, Assimilate (+), Baleful Polymorph, Enlarge Person (Mass), Gaseous Form, Giant Vermin, Implosion, Iron Body, Meld into Stone, Oak Body, Reduce Person (Mass), Reincarnate (+), Righteous Might (+), Shadow Body (+), Statue, Tree Shape, Wind Walk
Temporal: A temporal spell manipulates time itself, speeding or slowing its passage for the subject.
Gentle Repose, Haste (Mass), Imprisonment (+), Slow (Mass), Temporal Stasis, Time Stop
Spell Changes:
Spells added from other schools: Arcane Lock (+), Arcane Mark, Divine Favor, Divine Power, Fire Seeds (+), Freedom, Gentle Repose, Implosion, Imprisonment (+), Phantom Steed (+), Shambler (+), Stoneskin, Telepathic Bond (+)
Spells moved to other schools: Blink, Control Water, Control Weather, Ethereal Jaunt, Etherealness, Heat Metal, Knock, Levitate, Mage Hand, Message, Open/Close, Pass without Trace, Reverse Gravity, Sculpt Sound, Telekinesis, Whispering Wind
I have good reasoning for each of these changes, and I'd be happy to go more in depth as to why I believe they are for the best.

Plato Play-Doh
2013-10-09, 01:15 PM
I'd make illusion just things that deceive the senses. I view it as manipulating light, really, and so casts hologram, or causes light to go around people, causing invisibility. Any illusion spell that directly deceives a single target only would be mind-affecting, not light-altering, and so belongs in enchantment. Shadow conjuration belongs in transmutation, as it's creating an actual thing, even if that thing is only semi-permeable, it has actual substance. Then, all transmutation is stuff that manipulates matter, including all creation spells. Conjuration, on the other hand, moves things. Personally, I'd rename this school to something like Transportation or something. It includes teleport, as well as planar gates and stuff. I'd put dimensional anchor in here, and get rid of summon creature, sticking instead with planar binding as the only way to bring actual extraplanar creatures to help you. Shadow conjuration can replace summon creature, just make a spell level 1 version of it. Allowing it to still mimic creation spells of level 2 or 3 higher than it would make sense to me, since it's less "real," and so has less substance or whatever. I'd replace "belief" with them just being like 20% incorporeal in some way.