The wizard is a super cool class, and the subclasses all have their own benefits (although some are better than others) but the main eight subclasses are maybe my favorites. Recently, I've been trying to set up a campaign built around 8 archmages (one for each school of magic) and realized that some of the subclass capstones are very impressive and thematic, while others are just less interesting, unique, or basically less useful.
In my mind, the best two subclass capstones are necromancy and illusion- each one adds a unique feature to the character that can't really be found elsewhere, and has to do with that school of magic in a very clear way.
On the other hand, I feel like subclasses like divination or transmutation have less exciting abilities. Specifically, divination just adds another portent die- a great ability, sure, but not something that can only be gotten from that capstone (they already have two from their base ability). Transmutation's stone is a powerful ability, especially panacea and raise dead, but I don't think it's too thematic to transmutation. Healing and reviving are evocation and necromancy spells, and the restore youth option is all fluff. The only true transmutation option is a nerfed but permanent version of the starting transmuters ability.
So basically what I'm wondering here is if anyone has any suggestions for more thematic capstones for the wizard subclasses.
The wizard is a super cool class, and the subclasses all have their own benefits (although some are better than others) but the main eight subclasses are maybe my favorites. Recently, I've been trying to set up a campaign built around 8 archmages (one for each school of magic) and realized that some of the subclass capstones are very impressive and thematic, while others are just less interesting, unique, or basically less useful.
In my mind, the best two subclass capstones are necromancy and illusion- each one adds a unique feature to the character that can't really be found elsewhere, and has to do with that school of magic in a very clear way.
On the other hand, I feel like subclasses like divination or transmutation have less exciting abilities. Specifically, divination just adds another portent die- a great ability, sure, but not something that can only be gotten from that capstone (they already have two from their base ability). Transmutation's stone is a powerful ability, especially panacea and raise dead, but I don't think it's too thematic to transmutation. Healing and reviving are evocation and necromancy spells, and the restore youth option is all fluff. The only true transmutation option is a nerfed but permanent version of the starting transmuters ability.
So basically what I'm wondering here is if anyone has any suggestions for more thematic capstones for the wizard subclasses.