The Different Spell SchoolsA spell school is one of eight groupings of spells, each defined by a common theme. If desired, a magician may specialize in one school of magic. Specialization allows a wizard to cast one extra spells from her chosen school, but she then never learns to cast spells from some other schools. The magician must choose whether to specialize and, if she does so, choose her specialty at 1st level. At this time, she must also give up two other schools of magic (unless she chooses to specialize in divination; see below), which become her prohibited schools.
A wizard can never give up divination to fulfill this requirement.
Spells of the prohibited school or schools are not available to the magician, and she can’t even cast such spells from scrolls or fire them from wands. She may not change either her specialization or her prohibited schools later.
The eight schools of arcane magic are abjuration, conjuration, divination, enchantment, evocation, illusion, necromancy, and transmutation and spells that do not fall into any of these schools are called universal spells.
Abjuration Spells that protect, block, or banish.
Conjuration Spells that bring creatures or materials to the caster. A conjuration specialist is called a conjurer.
Divination Spells that reveal information. Unlike the other specialists, a diviner must give up only one other school.
Enchantment Spells that imbue the recipient with some property or grant the caster power over another being.
Evocation Spells that manipulate energy or create something from nothing.
Illusion Spells that alter perception or create false images.
Necromancy Spells that manipulate, create, or destroy life or life force.
Transmutation Spells that transform the recipient physically or change its properties in a more subtle way.
Universal Not a school, but a category for spells that all magicians can learn. A magician cannot select universal as a specialty school or as a prohibited school. Only a limited number of spells fall into this category.