Questions around Spell Specialization is it mostly only ok on Evocation?

[Nazkai]

Is there certain schools it would be useless for (say for example Conjuration or Divination or Enchantment?

[Nito]

Specialization IIRC increases the DC on Conjuration you could increase the DC for Grease as an example

So if you ARE specializating on the school it is a good feat

[Immortal Reaver]

Originally posted by Nito:

Specialization IIRC increases the DC on Conjuration you could increase the DC for Grease as an example

So if you ARE specializating on the school it is a good feat

Nope, it does not. Specialization increases Caster Level by 2.
Notably good on spells that unlock something on later lvl, like being caster lvl 9 and getting it for Scorching Ray to get 3 rays 2 lvls early. Or same for Hellfire Ray. Or to get more damage on Fireball early.
Another use is to increase duration on buffs, or some people use it (with other things) for round/lvl buffs to get it to 5 minute and then get it to 24hrs with Enduring Spells.

[Nito]

Originally posted by Immortal Reaver:

Nope, it does not. Specialization increases Caster Level by 2.
Notably good on spells that unlock something on later lvl, like being caster lvl 9 and getting it for Scorching Ray to get 3 rays 2 lvls early. Or same for Hellfire Ray.
Another use is to increase duration on buffs, or some people use it (with other things) for round/lvl buffs to get it to 5 minute and then get it to 24hrs with Enduring Spells.

Also works for DC save of Nenio Phantasmal Killer considering it doesnt have a round duration(my bad mixed them) but you can do with certain spells as long as they aren't time based

[Immortal Reaver]

Originally posted by Nito:

Also works for DC save of Nenio Phantasmal Killer considering it doesnt have a round duration(my bad mixed them) but you can do with certain spells as long as they aren't time based

I have no idea how. It only increases caster level and nowhere it says anything about DC, and DC is not in any way dependent on CL.
Phantasmal Killer also does not have damage scaling on failed save so only way it interacts is by increassing Spell Penetration.

[Nito]

Originally posted by Immortal Reaver:

I have no idea how. It only increases caster level and nowhere it says anything about DC, and DC is not in any way dependent on CL.
Phantasmal Killer also does not have damage scaling on failed save so only way it interacts is by increassing Spell Penetration.

I mean the CL on spells would normally affect duration or something considering PK is a Instant spell it has to go somewhere right ?

Considering i made a Nenio focused build on PK and weird last week it did gave her 2 DC increased not that it would make much difference on bosses on core but it was pretty fun one shotting almost everything

[Immortal Reaver]

Don't you mean Spell Focus and Greater SF?

[Nazkai]

Yeah That is my problem then I didn't seem to see it have any impact on like Grease or Web that I could Discern - will likely re-spec since I am a conjurer seeker with the Arcane bloodline. Not sure what could benefit me there save like Magic Missile for a time....

[Nito]

Originally posted by Immortal Reaver:

Don't you mean Spell Focus and Greater SF?

Would be but i picked Specialization and the final levels exactly because i didn't have much else to pick and it did i mean it is some nice +4 DC but far from being that great killer against enemies with good Will

[Immortal Reaver]

Originally posted by Nito:

I mean the CL on spells would normally affect duration or something considering PK is a Instant spell it has to go somewhere right ?

You can give to such spell that it does nothing. Give it to Snowball after CL5 and it will do absolutely nothing. Snowball is not affected by SR, damage scaling stops at CL5, Staggered is 1 round only, and is instant.
So it can go nowhere.

[Drake]

Spell specialization is actually good for abjuration spells, especially the dispel and removal spells. Because you make CL checks to dispel effects and specialization is one of the only way to raise CL for anything that isn't related to spell penetration.

[forkofspite]

Originally posted by Nito:

Also works for DC save of Nenio Phantasmal Killer considering it doesnt have a round duration(my bad mixed them) but you can do with certain spells as long as they aren't time based

Spell Specialization only affects the caster level. It does not affect spell DC.

As such spell specialization (phantasmal killer) will only help your checks to overcome the target's SR (if it has any). It does not make the Will and Fort saves more difficult.

[fox5s]

Originally posted by Drake:

Spell specialization is actually good for abjuration spells, especially the dispel and removal spells. Because you make CL checks to dispel effects and specialization is one of the only way to raise CL for anything that isn't related to spell penetration.

Yes! Totally agree. Spell Spec does nothing for DCs. It's all about Caster Level, which does affect a lot of things. Just not for all spells.

It's actually a great pick early for Evokers since there are a TON of spells that get either bonus damage dice from CL or extra Rays from CL. There's even some buffs that it can end up helping like Shield of Faith and Barkskin. And Spell Spec lets you choose a new spell every time you level so you can constantly shift it to useful things when you outgrow previous spells.

Eventually, it will probably settle either on one of the Dispel Magics, Dismissal, or something else whose dice isn't capped by level like Chain Lightning (it says it's capped at 20d6; it lies).

[Nazkai]

Looks Like it could help a touch on Acid arrow for a lower level conjurer perhaps as well. but it's not worth using on grease or Web at All yeah?

[Drake]

Originally posted by Nazkai:

Looks Like it could help a touch on Acid arrow for a lower level conjurer perhaps as well. but it's not worth using on grease or Web at All yeah?

You would only get more duration, which is already a lot (they are 1 minute/level spells, if it was per round I would see some use, but minute is already stupidly long). That said if you want conjuration, you can use pits, you would get more rounds, for low level conjurers it's great for CC.

[fox5s]

Originally posted by Nazkai:

Looks Like it could help a touch on Acid arrow for a lower level conjurer perhaps as well. but it's not worth using on grease or Web at All yeah?

Yes. Acid Arrow's duration is CL dependent. I'd have to check for specifics, but i think there's some levels it doesn't help with.