Pathfinder 2E Wizard Changes in Pathfinder 2e Remaster

Paizo released a preview of the changes coming to the wizard class for the Pathfinder Player Core and GM Core updates to Pathfinder 2nd Edition.

The blog post from Senior Designer James Case discusses the removal of the eight schools of magic. Rather than dividing the wizard class by spell category, the new arcane schools will be based on actual academic study paths in Golarion. Schools previewed in the blog post include the School of Battle Magic, the School of Civic Wizardry, and the School of Mentalism.

A second blog post from Pathfinder Lead Designer Logan Bonner discusses more changes to the wizard class. The term “spell level” is being replaced with “spell rank”, the aforementioned changes to spell schools, and changes to focus spells and the Refocus action.

One of the big changes discussed is the removal of spell components. According to Bonner, the change was made because spell components were highly tied to OGL content, were mostly redundant with traits, had many exceptions for classes (specifically bard, cleric, druid, and sorcerer) to allow those classes to function, and the designers wanted to give more freedom for classes in how they cast spells.

The blog post also goes into detail on changes being made to spell statistics and proficiencies affecting multiclassing, updates to cantrips both for player characters and monsters, and changes to some of the spells.

Full details about changes can be found in the Remaster Core Preview file available in PDF format.

 

[Bolongo]

I don't have any horse in this race, but this all sounds eminently reasonable to me.

 

[Ghal Maraz]

Seems Paizo is using this opportunity to excise a lot of legacy components not longer useful and/or necessary: characteristic points, alignment, spell components, confusing "spell level" naming...

I approve that.

 

[FoolishFrost]

I had to reread the title a few times to be sure what it was about. Considering the… history… we've underwent this year, perhaps it could be phrased…

Pathfinder 2e Remaster Changes Wizard Class​

I'm just saying? Nearly gave me a pre-coffee heart-attack.

 

[sevenbastard]

I love the idea of spell components. But in practice they just don't work out as well as I wish they would. I would be fine if 5e did away with them as well.

Now the one place were I think they belong is ritual casting. Adding a GP and resource management cost to spells prevents over use.

The 5e example I always use is water breathing. No reason a party should not just ritual cast this every 7 hours just in case. But if you need a 100 gp pearl to ritual cast it then you only cast it when you need it.

 

[payn]

When it comes to naming conventions like spell schools, feats, abilities, etc... I always prefer a single word over the phrase description. I understand why they are going this route, simply renaming all the schools would seem like change for change sake. Though, using school makes it sound like all wizards learn in a university or something.

 

[Blue]

I love the idea of spell components. But in practice they just don't work out as well as I wish they would. I would be fine if 5e did away with them as well.

What part of spell components doesn't work for you in 5e?

The idea that they exist so you can disarm a caster, just like you can disarm a weapon wielder? If so, how do you replace that or do you force all casters to be killed because they can't be stopped from casting?

The idea that expensive components can be used as a throttle so the spell doesn't get cast all the time, like Revivify? If so, how do you stop from trivializing death and other spell results that shouldn't be common?

The idea that they should be simple, with Focus or Spell Component pouches so you never have to worry about them except for the expensive components?

 

[R_J_K75]

Am I correct assuming they are releasing new editions of the core books?

 

[FoolishFrost]

Am I correct assuming they are releasing new editions of the core books?

Yes. Couple of months for the first two. Player's guide and... Monster manual? Maybe? I forget. DM guide and a second player's guide will come next year.

 

[R_J_K75]

Yes. Couple of months for the first two. Player's guide and... Monster manual? Maybe? I forget. DM guide and a second player's guide will come next year.

Thanks. Not sure if I should be happy I didn't buy into PF2E or this might be a good place to start, but overall I found PF1E too crunchy for my tastes.