Character Classes

HEXBLADE

Combining the dynamic powers of martial prowess and arcane might, the hexblade presents a deadly challenge to opponents unused to such a foe. Hexblades adventure for personal gain, whether that gain is power, prestige, wealth, or all the above. Characteristics: The hexblade balances talents in combat and arcane spellcasting. At lower levels, the hexblade relies on melee ability augmented by his special power to curse his enemies. As he gains experience, he becomes capable of casting a limited number of spells while his curse ability becomes more potent and he gains the ability to warp the normal laws of probability. He can also draw upon the service of a familiar to further augment his abilities. The style of the hexblade tends to be selfish, sometimes even cruel, though it is by no means limited to evil characters. Still, even the friendliest hexblade is at best neutral. Hexblades may be tyrannical or free-minded, disciplined or creative, and thus have no particular bent toward law or chaos. Most hexblades aren't very pious, relying on their own talents rather than counting on a deity to protect them. Those who revere a deity often choose Wee Jas (deity of death and magic) or Boccob the Uncaring (deity of magic). Some particularly evil hexblades venerate Nerull (deity of death) or Vecna (deity of secrets). Like that of the sorcerer, the power of the hexblade often displays itself at an early age, frequently in the form of unexplained accidents or other incidents of bad luck experienced by those around the budding hexblade. Though the hexblade is ultimately a self-taught character, many receive rudimentary training from another arcane spellcaster, such as an older hexblade, sorcerer, wizard, or bard, before setting off on their own. Unlike sorcerers, hexblades share a unique bond. Though two hexblades who meet in a tavern or apothecary won't necessarily strike up a lasting friendship, it is rare for two hexblades to oppose one another unless great personal gain is on the line. As with sorcerers, most hexblades are humans or half-elves. Those few gnomes who enjoy a cruel twist to their levity may take up the tradition. Elves wishing to mix magic and warfare more often become fighter/wizards. Dwarves and halflings rarely exhibit the self-centered behavior common among hexblades. Among the savage humanoids, hexblades may be found as leaders or advisors. Hexblades tend to get along best with other classes whose members look out for themselves before others, including rogues, rangers, and barbarians. They avoid paladins and other characters dedicated to the service of good or other high-minded ideals. Hexblades sometimes feel jealous of the sorcerer's superior arcane talents, and they shun wizards as weak book-learners. Though a capable melee combatant, the hexblade relies on opportunistic use of his spells and special abilities to augment this role in the group. A hexblade with the proper skill selection can make a fine leader for a group comfortable with his style.

Alignment: Any nongood.

Hit Die: d10.

Class Skills

The hexblade's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge(arcana) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: The Hexblade

Table: Hexblade Spells Known

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the hexblade.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Hexblades are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light armor but not with shields. Because the somatic components required for hexblade spells are simple, a hexblade can cast hexblade spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a hexblade wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (and most do). A multiclass hexblade still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells derived from other classes.

Hexblade's Curse (Su): Once per day, as a free action, a hexblade can unleash a curse upon a foe. The target must be visible to the hexblade and within 60 feet. The target of a hexblade's curse takes a -2 penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls for 1 hour thereafter. A successful Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 hexblade's class level + hexblade's Cha modifier) negates the effect.

At every four levels beyond 1st (5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th) a hexblade gains the ability to use his curse one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: The Hexblade. Multiple hexblade's curses don't stack, and any foe that successfully resists the effect cannot be affected again by the same hexblade's curse for 24 hours. A hexblade can utter only one hexblade's curse per round, even if he gets multiple curses per day.

Any effect that removes or dispels a curse eliminates the effect of a hexblade's curse.

Arcane Resistance (Su): At 2nd level, a hexblade gains a bonus equal to his Charisma bonus (minimum +1) on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.

Mettle (Ex): At 3rd level and higher, a hexblade can resist magical and unusual attacks with great willpower or fortitude. If he makes a successful Will or Fortitude save against an attack that normally would have a lesser effect on a successful save (such as any spell with a saving throw entry of Will half or Fortitude partial), he instead completely negates the effect. An unconscious or sleeping hexblade does not gain the benefit of mettle.

Familiar: Beginning at 4th level, a hexblade can obtain a familiar. Doing so takes 24 hours and uses up magical materials that cost 100 gp. A familiar is a magical beast that resembles a small animal and is unusually tough and intelligent. The creature serves as a companion and servant.

The hexblade chooses the kind of familiar he gets. As the hexblade advances in level, his familiar also increases in power. Treat the hexblade as a sorcerer of three levels lower for determining the familiar's powers and abilities (see Familiars).

If the familiar dies or is dismissed by the hexblade, the latter must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude saving throw. Failure means he loses 200 experience points per hexblade level; success reduces the loss to one-half that amount. However, a hexblade's experience point total can never go below 0 as the result of a familiar's demise or dismissal. A slain or dismissed familiar cannot be replaced for a year and day. A slain familiar can be raised from the dead just as a character can be, but it does not lose a level or a point of Constitution when this happy event occurs.

A character with more than one class that grants a familiar may have only one familiar at a time.

Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a hexblade gains the ability to cast a small number of arcane spells, which are drawn from the hexblade spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, just as a sorcerer can.

To learn or cast a spell, a hexblade must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level (Cha 11 for 1st-level spells, Cha 12 for 2nd-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a hexblade's spell is 10 + the spell level + the hexblade's Cha modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a hexblade can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Hexblade. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score. When Table: The Hexblade indicates that the hexblade gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level (for instance, 1st-level spells for a 4th-level hexblade), he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Charisma score for that spell level.

The hexblade's selection of spells is extremely limited. A hexblade begins play knowing no spells, but gains one or more new spells at certain levels, as indicated on Table: Hexblade Spells Known. (Unlike spells per day, his Charisma score does not affect the number of spells a hexblade knows; the numbers on Table: Hexblade Spells Known are fixed.)

Upon reaching 12th level, and at every third hexblade level after that (15th and 18th), a hexblade can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the hexblade "loses" the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell's level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level hexblade spell the hexblade can cast. For instance, upon reaching 12th level, a hexblade could trade in a single 1st-level spell (two spell levels below the highest-level hexblade spell he can cast, which is 3rd) for a different 1st-level spell. At 15th level, he could trade in a single 1st-level or 2nd-level spell (since he now can cast 4th-level hexblade spells) for a different spell of the same level. A hexblade may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.

Through 3rd level, a hexblade has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, his caster level is one-half his hexblade level.

Bonus Feat: At 5th level, and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th), a hexblade gains a bonus feat, which must be selected from the following list: Combat Casting, Greater Spell Focus (enchantment, necromancy, or transmutation only), Greater Spell Penetration, Spell Focus (enchantment, necromancy, or transmutation only), Spell Penetration.

Greater Hexblade's Curse (Su): When a hexblade attains 7th level, the penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls incurred by a target of the hexblade's curse becomes -4 instead of -2.

Aura of Unluck (Su): Once per day, a hexblade of 12th level or higher can create a baleful aura of misfortune. Any melee or ranged attack made against the hexblade while this aura of unluck is active has a 20% miss chance (similar to the effect of concealment). Activating the aura is a free action, and the aura lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the hexblade's Charisma bonus (if any).

At 16th level and higher, a hexblade can use his aura of unluck twice per day. A 20th-level hexblade can activate this aura three times per day.

Dire Hexblade's Curse (Su): When a hexblade attains 19th level, the penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls incurred by a target of the hexblade's curse becomes -6 instead of -4.

Ex-Hexblades

A hexblade who becomes good-aligned loses all hexblade spells and all supernatural class abilities. His familiar becomes a normal animal and leaves the hexblade's service as soon as possible. He may not progress any farther in levels as a hexblade. He retains all the other benefits of the class (weapon and armor proficiencies and bonus feats).

Semi-Official Update

It is more than obvious that hexblade is an underpowered class. This is because, in the early days of 3.5 (the hexblade class is from complete warrior, an early 3.5 supplement), the R&D thought that a class which could wear armor, grab martial feats and use magic would be potentially broken. Unfortunately, the contrary is true, but the hexblade still suffers from the punishment of early armored mages. For example compare the hexblade class with her sister class, the duskblade from player's handbook II, a much more mature gish. Several years ago, one of the creators of the class, Mike Mearls, made some suggestions of boosting up the hexblade. His post is quoted below:

"The hexblade suffers a little because he came on the scene relatively early in 3.5's life. As R&D pushes the boundaries of the game, we learn that some things we thought were risky or potentially broken aren't. Other times, we learn things that look fine don't actually work in play. Armored mages fall into the first category. Them seem really powerful, but in the long run they aren't. Spells and magic items allow an unarmored mage to build great defenses. The spell mage armor is as good as medium armor, and its duration allows most mages to keep it active at all times. If you compare the hexblade to the duskblade from PH 2, you can see how the thinking has changed. If you want to boost the hexblade, I'd try the following changes:

* Good Fortitude save;

* Curse ability usable 1 + the hexblade's Cha modifier per day;

* Curse ability usable as a swift action;

* Curse ability does not count as used if the target makes his saving throw;

* Ability to cast in light or medium armor and while carrying a light shield or buckler;

* At 6th level, the hexblade can cast one hexblade spell per day as a swift action, as long as its original casting time is a standard action or faster. He gains an additional use of this power at levels 8, 11, 14, and 18.

The key to the hexblade is his curse ability, but it's a little un-fun to have it so limited in use. The hexblade also has trouble casting spells and using his melee attacks, so shifting spells to swift actions fits in with the idea of an armored mage. (These are by no means official. They're just off the top of my head changes I'd consider making.)"

HEXBLADE VARIANTS

Aligned Spellcaster

Your passions drive your magical abilities, imbuing your every spell with the power of your conviction. Those who oppose your ideals suffer the most from your magical energy.

Level: 1st (4th for hexblades).

Replaces: If you select this class feature you do not gain a familiar.

Benefit: Choose an alignment component you have that is not neutral. Spells you cast gain the apropriate alignment descriptor unless they already have the opposite alignment descriptor. For example, a neutral good wizard who selects this ability (and who must choose good) casts all spells that aren't evil spells as good spells.

Spells you cast that target creatures of the opposite alignment are cast at +1 caster level (+2 if they have the opposite alignment as a subtype). Area of effect and other spells that affect such creatures without targeting them do not gain this bonus. A neutral spellcaster gains no benefit from this ability.

Arcane Reabsorption

You have always focused more on the raw manipulation of arcane energy than others of your profession. As such, you know how to possibly regain that energy when outside forces attempt to disrupt your magic.

Level: 1st (4th for hexblades).

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain a familiar.

Benefit: Whenever a targeted spell you cast fails to penetrate a creature's spell resistance or is countered by another spellcaster, you can immediately attempt to reabsorb the arcane energy you just spent as an immediate action. The spell can have no effect at all in order to use this ability. By making a Spellcraft check (DC 20 + [spell level × 3]), you regain the spell as if it was never cast (or regain the spell slot if you cast spells spontaneously). Attempting this taxes your body. Regardless of the success of the check, you take 1 point of nonlethal damage per spell level you attempt to reabsorb. This damage is internal and bypasses damage reduction and resistances you possess.

Beleaguered Spellcaster

The most fragile of all archetypes, arcane spellcasters struggle to avoid taking damage as often as possible. As injuries accumulate your desperation causes your spells to become more effective.

Level: 1st (4th for hexblades).

Replaces: If you select this class feature you do not gain a familiar.

Benefit: Whenever you take an amount of damage equal to 3 times your spellcaster level from one attack, the next spell you cast is automatically maximized or extended (your choice) without increasing the spell level or casting time.

You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + the spellcasting ability score modifier of the class in which you took this alternative class feature.

Dark Companion

By mixing arcane spells with martial talents, the hexblade blurs the traditional line between fighter and sorcerer. Replacing the familiar - a link to traditional forms of arcane magic - with a unique fighting companion helps establish the hexblade's difference from the sorcerer.

In combat, a dark companion functions like a floating hex that you can place upon your foes. By weakening the defenses of enemies, your dark companion makes your spells and attacks (and those of your allies) more powerful.

Level: 4th.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain a familiar.

Benefit: At 4th level, you can create an illusory companion resembling a panther, spun from the darkness of the night. Doing so takes 24 hours and uses up magic materials that cost 100 gp. Once created, your dark companion stands with you in battle, hindering your enemies' defenses.

Any enemy adjacent to your dark companion takes a -2 penalty on its saves and to its AC. Your companion's speed is equal to yours (including all modes of movement you possess) and it acts during your turn each round. It follows your mental commands perfectly - in effect, it is merely an extension of your will.

Your dark companion has no real substance, and thus can't attack or otherwise affect creatures or objects. It occupies a 5-foot space. Even though any creature can enter a dark companion's 5-foot space without restriction, it must occupy its own space in order to have any effect on enemies. It is immune to any damage or other effects that might harm creatures, though it can be dispelled or suppressed just like a spell effect. Your dark companion is treated as a spell whose level is equal to 1/4 your hexblade level. If it is dispelled, it automatically reforms at your side 24 hours later.

A dark companion can't create flanking situations, nor does it provoke attacks of opportunity from movement, because enemies automatically recognize it as an illusion. If it is more than 120 feet from you at the start of your turn, or if you ever lose line of effect to it, it instantly reappears adjacent to you.

Dead Levels

The hexblade has five dead levels, the first of which occurs at 6th level. Their hexblade's curse and aura of unluck abilities both follow a logical progression (one every four levels) as do their bonus feats (one every five levels). Hexblades consistently gain new spells per day during all of their dead levels, and so their dead level ability simply embellishes what is normally a 0-level spell to sorcerers and wizards.

Forced Omens (Ex): At 6th level, a foreboding sense of doom travels with the hexblade, as candle lights flicker, fresh food turns green, or the air becomes stale. A hexblade adds prestidigitation to their list of spells known. If a hexblade already knows this spell, the character may choose a different 1st level spell. As a bonus spell, prestidigitation cannot be traded for another 1st level spell.

At 8th level, a hexblade may cast prestidigitation as if augmented by the Silent Spell feat without using up a higher-level spell slot. At 11th level, a hexblade may cast prestidigitation as a spell-like ability, lacking both somatic and verbal components, but is still limited to their spell slots per day. At 14th level, a hexblade may cast prestidigitation a number of additional times per day equal to 3 + their Charisma modifier. At 18th level, a hexblade can cast prestidigitation at will. The prestidigitation spell disappears from their list of spells known at this level.

Disciple of Boccob

As a deeply loyal and pious student of Boccob the Uncaring, you know the secret to creating powerful magic items through your understanding of the Archmage of the Deities' teachings.

Level: 1st (4th for hexblades).

Replaces: If you select this class feature you do not gain a familiar.

Benefit: You qualify for item creation feats as a character 1 level higher. Magic items you create are crafted at +1 caster level. The item gains this bonus for free; you do not pay the extra cost associated with a higher caster level. If you destroy a permanent magic item you lose all arcane spellcasting abilities for a day per caster level of the item.

Drakken Familiar

Arcane spellcasters, even those who don't claim the blood of dragons as their own, often have a special link with dragonkind. One manifestation of this link is the caster's familiar, which can take on draconic characteristics.

Class: Hexblade, sorcerer, or wizard.

Level: 4th (hexblade) or 1st (sorcerer or wizard).

Replaces: If you select this class feature, your familiar does not gain all the benefits normally accorded to a familiar. See below to determine which alternative benefits it gains, and which standard benefits these replace.

Benefit: Your familiar is a drakken version of a normal animal. It gains the dragonblood subtype and all the benefits of being a familiar, except as described below.

When your familiar would normally gain the ability to deliver touch spells, it gains a breath weapon instead. This breath is a 15-foot cone of fire, usable once per hour, that deals a number of points of damage equal to 1d6 + twice your class level (levels of different classes that are entitled to familiars stack for this purpose). A successful Reflex save (10 + 1/2 your total class levels for determining the familiar's abilities) halves the damage dealt.

When your familiar would normally gain the ability to speak with animals of its kind, it instead gains the ability to speak with creatures of the dragon type.

Focus Caster

A familiar offers companionship and, when necessary, an effective scout or spy. It does little for your spellcasting, however. This option presents you with a less generally useful item that instead enhances your spellcasting in some way.

Level: 1st (4th for hexblades).

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain a familiar.

Benefit: Instead of a familiar, you bind yourself to a masterwork item that acts as a focus for all your spells and that enhances the power of spells of one school. Once you have a masterwork item to bind to, you must perform a ritual that requires 24 hours and reagents costing 100 gp, much as if you were summoning a familiar.

When casting any spell, you must hold, wield, or wear this item (as appropriate), in addition to providing the normal components of the spell (even other foci). Your focus item is used in addition to the spell's normal components, not instead of. You are automatically considered proficient with your focus item, but you do not gain proficiency with any other item (weapon or armor) of the same type. For example, if your focus item is a longsword, you are proficient with your focus longsword but not with any other longsword, unless of course another feat or class feature grants you proficiency. When you cast a spell from the school to which your focus belongs, that spell is enhanced. At 7th and 15th levels, your focus grants additional abilities.

You may have only one focus item at a time. A specialist wizard may select only the focus appropriate to her specialty school. Bonuses gained from a focus item stack with similar bonuses gained from feats such as Spell Focus or Spell Penetration.

Your focus item grows tougher as you advance in level. The hardness of your focus item increases by one-half your caster level, up to double its normal hardness. In addition, your focus item gains additional hit points equal to your caster level, up to double its normal number of hit points. These bonuses are in addition to any increase in hardness or hit points the item gains for being made into a magic item.

If your focus item can be enhanced with magic, it costs you less XP to do so. When determining your XP cost for making your focus item into a magic item (or for upgrading it later), reduce the base cost by 10%. This reduction stacks with any other reduction you might gain, such as from the Legendary Artisan feat. Another character enhancing your focus item does not gain this reduction in XP cost.

If your focus item is destroyed, you must bind yourself to another masterwork item. You cannot bind to an item that is already a magic item. You can only bind to masterwork items. The item can be made of special materials (such as adamantine, cold iron, or darkwood).

The following items are typical foci for each of the standard schools.

Abjuration: Usually a set of bracers, a buckler, or a small shield (wooden or steel), your focus grants any nonpersonal abjuration spell you cast with one or more targets one additional target. The additional target is affected by the spell for half the normal duration. At 7th level, the additional targets of your spells receive them for the full duration. At 15th level, you may cast any personal abjuration spell as a touch spell.

Conjuration: Usually a gnarled and twisted quarterstaff or other polearm, your focus increases the duration of any conjuration spell you cast by 1 round (including spells that require concentration). Spells that require concentration also continue for 1 extra round after you stop concentrating. At 7th level, the duration bonuses each increase by 2 rounds. At 15th level, the duration bonuses each increase by 3 rounds.

Divination: Usually a large crystal (loose or mounted on a rod or staff) or ornate holy symbol, your focus increases the caster level of any divination spell you cast by +1. At 7th level, the duration of any divination spell you cast doubles. At 15th level, you gain a bonus to resist divinations equal to 1 + your Intelligence modifier (minimum +1).

Enchantment: Usually an ornate and typically nonfunctional piece of clothing, such as a sash or a hair ribbon, your focus increases the duration of any enchantment spell you cast by 1 round (including spells that require concentration). Spells that require concentration also continue for 1 extra round after you stop concentrating. At 7th level, the duration bonuses each increase by 2 rounds. At 15th level, the DC of your enchantment spells increases by +2.

Evocation: Usually a bladed weapon, such as a longsword or dagger, your focus grants +1 point of damage to any evocation spell you cast. Non-area effect spells that allow multiple targets (such as magic missile) only deal the bonus damage to a single target of your choice. For example, a fireball spell cast by a 6th-level sorcerer with this focus deals 6d6+1 points of damage to all creatures caught within it, while a magic missile spell cast by the same sorcerer creates three missiles: two that deal 1d4+1 points of damage and one that deals 1d4+2 points of damage. At 7th level, evocation spells you cast ignore the first 5 points of any energy or elemental resistances that a creature may have. Immunities are not affected. At 15th level, you may, once per day, ignore a creature's immunity when you cast an evocation spell that affects it.

Illusion: Usually a mask, shroud, cloak, or similar concealing piece of clothing, your focus increases the caster level of illusion spells you cast by +1. At 7th level, for every illusion spell you cast you gain a bonus on caster level checks made to defeat spell resistance equal to half your caster level. At 15th level, you may cast any personal illusion spell as a touch spell.

Necromancy: Usually a flail, kama, sickle, scythe, or other weapon derived from harvesting crops, your focus increases the range of any necromancy spell you cast by +25%. At 7th level, any necromancy spell you cast that deals ability damage, ability drain, or directly assigns a penally to an ability score deals +1 point of ability damage or ability drain or increases the penalty by an additional -1. For example, a 12th-level necromancer who casts ray of enfeeblement bestows a Strength penalty of 1d6+6 instead of the normal 1d6+5. At 15th level, any living creature affected by a necromancy spell you cast and fails the Fortitude save against it also becomes fatigued.

Transmutation: Usually a piece of equipment or set of tools used to create something (such as thieves' tools, a musical instrument, or artisan's tools), your focus grants any nonpersonal transmutation spell you cast with one or more targets one additional target. The additional target is affected by the spell for half the normal duration. At 7th level, the additional targets of your spells receive them for the full duration. At 15th level, once per day, a transmutation spell you cast that grants a bonus to ability scores doubles the bonus. For example, a bull's strength spell grants a +8 bonus to Strength instead of the normal +4.

Impromptu Metamagic

Sorcerers typically seek to maximize their limited spell selection by utilizing metamagic feats. Other arcane spellcasters also adjust their spells with these feats in order to keep their enemies guessing or to find added flexibility for their lower-level spells. This ability allows you to spontaneously apply metamagic feats to your spells.

Level: 1st (4th for hexblades).

Replaces: If you select this class feature you do not gain a familiar.

Benefit: Each day, you may choose a metamagic feat you have. You can cast spells affected by that feat without increasing the spell level or casting time of the spells. You may not use any other metamagic feats that day. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 5 minus the level adjustment of the metamagic feat. (Thus, you may use Quicken Spell in this way once per day, while you could use Silent Spell four times per day.)

You may apply the metamagic feat spontaneously, as you cast the spell. If you prepare spells, you do not need to prepare the spells with the metamagic feat already applied.

Even though this ability does not increase the spell's level, you must be able to cast spells of the level the spell would be if you applied the metamagic feat normally. For example, a quickened magic missile would normally require a 5th-level spell slot. With this ability you may cast a quickened magic missile as a 1st-level spell, but you must still be able to cast 5th-level spells.

School Mastery

Some specialist wizards take their mastery to whole new levels. Occasionally, even sorcerers and other arcane spellcasters focus their attentions on one school over the others. Your expertise in a chosen school of magic is unparalleled.

Level: 1st (4th for hexblades).

Replaces: If you select this class feature you do not gain a familiar.

Benefit: Choose a school of magic. If you are already a specialist wizard, you may only choose the school in which you are specialized. You cast all spells from the chosen school at +1 caster level. In addition, you gain the following benefit, based on the school you select.

Abjuration: Any non-instantaneous, nonpermanent abjuration spell you cast on someone other than yourself that does not require concentration has double the duration. You cannot use this ability on any spell whose duration you affect in any other way, such as with the Extend Spell metamagic feat.

Conjuration: Each creature you conjure with any summon spell gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Dexterity and Wisdom for the duration of the spell that summoned it.

Divination: Whenever you cast a divination spell, you immediately gain a +2 insight bonus on Listen and Spot skill checks for 1 hour per level of the spell you cast (0-level spells grant the bonus for 30 minutes).

Enchantment: For 24 hours after an enchantment spell you cast expires, the target of your spell takes a -2 penalty on all Will saves made to resist your spells or spell-like abilities. You may affect only one creature at a time in this way. If your enchantment spell affected multiple targets, you must choose one creature against whom the penalty applies. Whenever an enchantment spell you cast expires while such a penally is active, the old penalty immediately disappears.

Evocation: Whenever you cast an evocation spell that deals hit point damage, that spell deals +1 point of damage.

Illusion: Whenever you cast an illusion (shadow) spell that creates a partially real effect (such as shadow conjuration or shadow evocation), the effect is 10% more real than normal. Thus, a creature created by shadow conjuration is 30% as strong as a real creature of the same kind, instead of the normal 20%.

Necromancy: Each undead creature you create with any evil spell gains a number of temporary hit points equal to your caster level. These temporary hit points last indefinitely, only disappearing when your creation takes damage. They cannot be regained once lost.

Transmutation: Whenever you cast a spell that alters a creature's form, kind, or type, the DC to resist the spell increases by +1.