Meta:Wizard

Edition-specific mechanical content

Moving this content to Meta as it is now at best incorrect to Remaster-revised canon and at worst phrased to assert false things. -Oznogon (talk) 16:18, 18 September 2024 (UTC)

Expanding, and revealing comments by other editors hidden from view in (italic parentheticals). -Oznogon (talk) 23:41, 18 September 2024 (UTC)

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Arcane magic

Wizards gain control of the arcane through rigorous study and practice. Most wizards must study and prepare in advance the specific spells they intend to cast. The focus and concentration that comes from such preparation, however, means that a wizard can produce more arcane magic before needing to rest, and can comprehend and memorize many more spells (more than whom?). (? PF2e wizards prepare more slots per day than PF2e druids, witches, etc.)

Generally, a wizard prepares spells by studying their personal spellbook. Magical notation, however, while it relies on common concepts to describe the forces invoked in any given incantation, is individual to each user, so while two arcane casters may know the identical process to create the identical spell effect, each will notate the spell somewhat differently. A skilled arcanist can decipher another's spell notation, given time and favorable conditions for study. (Player Core Chapter 4: Borrow an Arcane Spell activity) Of course, wizards being wizards, most know a simple spell to simplify even this task.

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Specialization

A conjuring-focused wizard summons a creature.

A wizard might choose to specialize in one of the eight recognized schools of magic, gaining greater and more rapid proficiency with the arcane knowledge of that school.

Schools of magic:

• Abjuration
• Conjuration
• Divination
• Enchantment
• Evocation
• Illusion
• Necromancy
• Transmutation

Further, each of the eight schools has at least two focused arcane school sub-specialties under its purview, in which some wizards may further specialize to gain even greater depth of knowledge and skill within their chosen school.

Elementalists

Rather than specializing in an arcane school, some wizards choose to specialize instead in magic derived from an element, particularly earth, air, fire, or water. Like the arcane specialist, an elementalist's focus on one element comes at the price of being able to wield another element proficiently; a fire elementalist, not surprisingly, may well find themself unable to use effectively magic derived from the element of water without considerable difficulty.

Universalists

Wizards of the school of unified magical theory, sometimes called 'universalists', abstain from specializing in any particular school of magic, and instead choose to pursue understanding the arcane art as a whole. This practice is often referred to as the universal school of magic.

Bonded items and familiars

A wizard can form a powerful bond with a creature or object that enhances their arcane abilities.

Wizards form an arcane bond with an object, and are able to store an extra portion of spell energy within the bonded item and use it as a spell focus. Most often, the bonded item will be jewelry, a staff or wand, or a weapon; some wizards choose to form the bond with an artifact or other object with its own pre-existing magical properties. Each day, when preparing their spells, wizards may designate a different item to form a bond with.

A familiar is an arcane pet some wizards and other spellcasters have; the bond between wizard and their familiar enhances the wizard's senses and spellcasting ability and provides the wizard with a small measure of the animal's physical abilities. The bond can grow stronger over time, to the point that an experienced wizard can communicate mentally with their familiar and even see as if through the pet's eyes. While most familiars are domesticated or mundane small animals, a wizard of sufficient arcane mastery can summon an elemental or extraplanar creature as their familiar. (revise this paragraph for PF2e)

Combat

The time, focus, and dedication required for arcane mastery leaves the wizard with little time for physical development or combat training; as a result, most wizards are capable of using only the simplest weapons and armor, and even those with little proficiency. While it is not unheard-of for an adventuring wizard to undertake some combat training during the course of their career, many surround themselves with companions or hirelings to take care of hands-on defense and protection while the wizard relies on offensive and defensive spellcasting—from a safe distance.

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Races

Wizards may come from nearly any race or species, although the lure of the wizard's life resonates more with some races than others—elves, for example, are more inclined to wizardly pursuits because of their patience and taste for esoteric arts as well as their innate affinity for arcane magic. Kobold, azarketi, dhampir, duskwalker, cambion, android, aphorite, fetchling, ganzi, suli, sylph, sprite, anadi, conrasu, shisk, and automaton adventurers often become wizards too.

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