Wizard subclasses

[WeenerTuck813]

Talk to me.

In Table Top it’s always been divination for me because Portent is just too good…UNLESS I’m rolling the BiS Wizard build ever of a Forest Gnome Illusion Wizard (a garden gnome).

I see online ppl saying Abjuration for Arcane Ward - but why? It gives damage reductions…but Portent turns hits into full on misses multiple times. Isn’t that better?

I also see a lot of Evocation love for careless fireballs.

So sell me on the best Wizard subclass. I lean Divination currently…

[Kernest]

You get 2 Portent dice. More at level 6, but with a catch.

Arcane Ward gives you 12 stacks of Arcane Ward at level 12, first one reducing incoming damage by 12, then 11 and so forth.

You can also gain more of it by casting Abjuration spells.

It's simply superior to Divination and Portent.

[Kernest]

Having said that, I'm Evocation all the way, baby.

Careless fireballs and INT modifier to each Magic Missile for the win.

[Kiyaya]

Abjuration is fantastic because it allows wizards to be the tankiest character in the game as long as they are able to maintain their ward.
This pairs excellently with armor of Agathys from Sorc or Warlock to make it so the wizard is able to deal frankly unreasonable damage just by getting hit, and taking nothing in return.
Add on Glyph of Warding as your damage spell and it becomes even easier to maintain your ward while doing damage. One thing I even did was dump INT and pump STR and take a level 1 dip into War Cleric for heavy armor, proficiencies, and war priest attack and have a super tanky martial that hurts to attack.

[Moonbane]

Necromancy is underated, much better minions and more of them. Though corpses can be a pita to find in some places.

[wagg40k]

Because of how the game works and with such limited uses for magic in the first place, anything other than evocation seems like intentionally nerfing yourself for RP reasons.

[WeenerTuck813]

Originally posted by Kernest:

You get 2 Portent dice. More at level 6, but with a catch.

Arcane Ward gives you 12 stacks of Arcane Ward at level 12, first one reducing incoming damage by 12, then 11 and so forth.

You can also gain more of it by casting Abjuration spells.

It's simply superior to Divination and Portent.

Yah but you’re comparing like low level Div to level 12 Abjuration aren’t you?

I think at 12 Divination has several portent dice and regenerates them as they perform certain actions or cast certain spells.

And just how my brain works - like a damage reduction of 12 seems inferior to causing a 30-40 damage attack to miss entirely, or additionally being able to cause your other characters Great a weapon Master Trip attack to Auto-hit when it was going to miss.

And god forbid you roll a 20 on a portent die - your rogue or Paladin gets an auto-delete.

Edit: at level 6 Div gets 3 portent die and they refresh on short rests…that’s 9 per rest

[WeenerTuck813]

Originally posted by wagg40k:

Because of how the game works and with such limited uses for magic in the first place, anything other than evocation seems like intentionally nerfing yourself for RP reasons.

I see the appeal for Evo - part of me doesn’t understand why more people don’t favor Div I guess. It’s like giving your Wizard Bardic Inspiration/Cutting words Dice on steroids. It makes you better at Barding than Bards

[AsianGirlLover]

Evocation for mindless casting. You are required to customize your wizard to be as beefy as possible.

Divination for math nerds.

Abjuration for multiclass gigachads that go into battle with a build that punishes enemies for touching you.

1 War Cleric / 1 White Dragon Sorcerer / 10 Abjuration Wizard

Dump Int, Pump Str and Dex, Cast Armor of Agathys as a 6th level spell, and bonk everything.

[Kernest]

Originally posted by WeenerTuck813:

Yah but you’re comparing like low level Div to level 12 Abjuration aren’t you?

I think at 12 Divination has several portent dice and regenerates them as they perform certain actions or cast certain spells.

And just how my brain works - like a damage reduction of 12 seems inferior to causing a 30-40 damage attack to miss entirely, or additionally being able to cause your other characters Great a weapon Master Trip attack to Auto-hit when it was going to miss.

What are you going to do if you roll something like 3 10s, but the enemy +hit is enough so that you can't avoid it? Or if it's not enough to make you succeed the saving throw?

Portent dice CAN be amazing, but Arcane Ward simply IS amazing.

[WeenerTuck813]

Oh did they patch it? I’m reading online you get 3 die at level 6 and they refresh on a short rest

[Moonbane]

Originally posted by WeenerTuck813:

Originally posted by wagg40k:

Because of how the game works and with such limited uses for magic in the first place, anything other than evocation seems like intentionally nerfing yourself for RP reasons.

I see the appeal for Evo - part of me doesn’t understand why more people don’t favor Div I guess. It’s like giving your Wizard Bardic Inspiration/Cutting words Dice on steroids. It makes you better at Barding than Bards

Tbh I think Divination is fairly obtuse about what it does, plus its not as straightforward to use compared to warding flare/cutting words. Plus bard does have far more perks. Portent takes a long time to become more effective, from lvl 6+. Cutting Words is with you from lvl 3.

[Kernest]

Originally posted by WeenerTuck813:

Oh did they patch it? I’m reading online you get 3 die at level 6 and they refresh on a short rest

Nah, you were right, the other wiki was wrong.

They don't refresh in regular DnD.

[WeenerTuck813]

It looks like at level 6 you do gain a 3rd Portent Die, so you go into combat with 3.

And on a short rest you gain a “prophecy” that if completed regenerates 1 die.

So you can regenerate a die twice. But you start with 3

https://bg3.wiki/wiki/Divination_School

[Moonbane]

A Little Prick: Deal at least 1 piercing damage to an enemy to regain a Portent Die.
A Blunt Tool: Deal at least 1 bludgeoning damage to an enemy to regain a Portent Die
Cutting Edge: Deal at least 1 slashing damage to an enemy to regain a Portent Die
Reap Rewards; Dealing the killing blow to an enemy will result in a new Portent Die after taking a short rest.
Delivering Alms: When you Help an ally, you will gain a new Portent Die on your next short rest.
Spellbinding: Casting a Enchantment spell will result in a new Portent Die
Feign Surprise: Casting a Illusion spell will result in a new Portent Die
Changes: Casting a Transmutation spell will result in a new Portent Die
Guarded: Casting a Abjuration spell will result in a new Portent Die
Evocative: Casting a Evocation spell will result in a new Portent Die
A Little Help: Casting a Conjuration spell will result in a new Portent Die
Predictable: Casting a Divination spell will result in a new Portent Die
Dead Right: Casting a Necromancy spell will result in a new Portent Die
Headache: Deal at least 1 psychic damage to an enemy to regain a Portent Die
Grave Fate: Deal at least 1 necrotic damage to an enemy to regain a Portent Die
Shocking Revelation: Deal at least 1 lightning damage to an enemy to regain a Portent Die
Burn after Reading: Deal at least 1 fire damage to an enemy to regain a Portent Die
Forceful Insistence: Deal at least 1 force damage to an enemy to regain a Portent Die
Melting Pot: Deal at least 1 acid damage to an enemy to regain a Portent Die
Frosty Reception: Deal at least 1 cold damage to an enemy to regain a Portent Die
Venemous Words: Deal at least 1 poison damage to an enemy to regain a Portent Die
Thunderous Applause: Deal at least 1 thunder damage to an enemy to regain a Portent Die
Holy Epiphany: Deal at least 1 radiant damage to an enemy to regain a Portent Die

Prophecies to fullfil for portent dice. Looks rater disruptive.

[WeenerTuck813]

Originally posted by Moonbane:

Originally posted by WeenerTuck813:

I see the appeal for Evo - part of me doesn’t understand why more people don’t favor Div I guess. It’s like giving your Wizard Bardic Inspiration/Cutting words Dice on steroids. It makes you better at Barding than Bards

Tbh I think Divination is fairly obtuse about what it does, plus its not as straightforward to use compared to warding flare/cutting words. Plus bard does have far more perks. Portent takes a long time to become more effective, from lvl 6+. Cutting Words is with you from lvl 3.

You get portent at level 2 - 2 die. It goes up to 3 with refreshing options at level 6

I don’t mean to push Div too hard. I think this Abjuration/War Cleric/Sorc build looks real cool I might try it