Although all wizard spells are learned and memorized the same way, they fall into nine different schools of magic. A school of magic is a group of related spells.

School of magic gives mages a degree of specialization. Spells of that school become more potent, gaining a +1 bonus to caster level and spell DC. Spells of the opposing school have a -1 penalty to caster level and spell DC. These bonuses and penalties increase to +2/-2 once 31 mage class levels are reached. You may change your magic school every three weeks.

These spells are a group of specialized protective spells. Each is used to prevent or banish some magical or nonmagical effect or creature. They are often used to provide safety in times of great danger or when attemping some other particularly dangerous spell.

These spells cause a change in the properties of some already existing thing, creature, or condition. This is accomplished by magical energy channeled through the wizard.

These spells bring something to the caster from elsewhere. Conjuration normally produces matter of items from some other place. Summoning enables the caster to compel living creatures and powers to appear in his presence or to chanel extraplaner energies through himself.

These spells cause a change in the quality of an item or the attitude of a person or creature. Enchantments can bestow magical properties on ordinary items, while charms can unduly influence the behavior of beings.

These are more powerful than lesser divinations. These spells enable the wizard to learn secrets long forgotten, to predict the future, and to uncover things hidden or cloaked by spells

They deal with spells to deceive the senses or minds of others. Spells that cause people to see things that are not there, hear noises not made, or remember things that never happened are all illusions.

These spells channel magical energy to create specific effects and materials. Invocation normally relies on the intervention of some higher agency (to whom the spell is addressed), while evocation enables the caster to directly shape the energy.

These spells are learnable by all wizards, regardless of their affiliation. This school includes the most basic and vital spells of the wizard-those he needs to practice other aspects of his craft. Lesser divinations include read magic and detect magic.

Necromancy from a scholarly perspective is the manipulation of souls, and positive and negative energies within a living being to create effects that restore life, improve constitution, changes a person's life energies, manipulates the soul or raises the dead. Some spells that manipulate life energies and/or souls can be harmful both to the caster and to the intended target. Light and twilight aligned characters should use these spells with care, to avoid inviting corruption into their souls.

Necromancy can also be used to create or bolster undead, which is a practise that is hated and shunned in most societies. The undead are a mockery of nature that corrupts and destroys every living and natural thing around them. Vast areas of the world are laid in ruin due to the continued presence of these monsters. Many scholars claim that to create an undead, the necromancer reaches out into the afterlife and steals the soul of a deceased person to power their creations. The soul is severely harmed in the process and may even be destroyed. Lysara’s church and many other faiths abhor the creation of undead, so to summon undead is to risk your very soul.

Most people think of undead when they hear the word 'necromancer', so clever magic users will keep their use of these spells hidden. New players especially should be careful about choosing this path, as they will be shunned in most cities and possibly hunted by other players.

In the help file for each individual spell, you will see a list of notes below the main description. Spells that are marked as Taboo are considered especially heinous and are usually only cast by dark aligned casters. Other spells are especially devastating and should be used with care in populated areas.