Signature Spells
Just as fighters can reach unusual levels of skill by specializing in a
particular weapon, a wizard can spend extra proficiency slots (weapon or nonweapon)
or character points in order to specialize in a particular spell. This spell is
known as a signature spell. Unlike fighters, who may only specialize in a single weapon, wizards may
have one signature spell per spell level, as long as they have the proficiency
slots or character points available.
A wizard with a signature spell may still make use of the rest of his spell
repertoire normally; he is not limited to just that one spell.
Choosing a Signature Spell: The signature spell must be a spell that the character already knows and is
able to cast; a 1st-level wizard couldn’t select fireball as a signature spell, although he could choose an appropriate 1st-level spell
from his spell book. If the character is a specialist wizard, he may only
select signature spells from the school of his specialty. Mages, however, may select
signature spells from any school. The actual cost in slots or CPs varies with
the level of the spell selected.
Since specialist wizards must select their signature spells from their own
field of study, they find it easier to narrow their specialization down to a
single spell.
Learning a Signature Spell: In order for a wizard to gain the skill and practice necessary for a signature
spell, he must spend a great deal of time and money, studying every aspect of
the enchantment. For all intents and purposes, this is the equivalent of spell
research; the character must spend a minimum of two weeks and 1d10 x 100 gp per
spell level to master the signature spell and must succeed in a learn spells
check to succeed in his studies. If the wizard fails, he still knows how to cast
the spell normally, but he can never use it as a signature spell. The
character’s proficiency slots or character points are not expended if he fails in his
attempt to learn the signature spell.
Specialist wizards may apply their spell research bonus to their learn spells
roll to develop a signature spell.
Signature Spells in Play: Through hard work and extensive practice, the wizard becomes quite skilled at
casting his signature spell. First of all, the wizard casts his signature spell
as if he were 2 levels higher for purposes of damage, duration, area of
effect, range, and all other level-based characteristics. If the spell has no
level-based characteristics (charm person, for instance), the wizard can choose to inflict a saving throw penalty of –2
on the subject’s saving throw when he casts the spell, or he can choose to
reduce his casting time by 3.
Secondly, the wizard may memorize one casting of his signature spell at no
cost in spells available at that level. In other words, the character gains the
specialist wizard benefit of memorizing additional spells. For example, a
1st-level mage may normally memorize one 1st-level spell. If the mage has magic missile as a signature spell, he may memorize one 1st-level spell, plus an additional magic missile, for a total of two 1st-level spells. If the character is a specialist
invoker, he can memorize three 1st-level spells: magic missile, a second invocation spell, and the 1st-level spell he normally receives as a
1st-level wizard. Note that the character in this example could choose to
spend his discretionary spells to memorize a total of three magic missiles, which wouldn’t be a bad move considering that he’s so good at casting it!
Role-Playing Signature Spells: A wizard with a signature spell often becomes notorious for his use of the
spell. Everyone recalls stories of the transmuter who polymorphed folks into frogs, or the fire mage who threw fireballs left and right. The DM should encourage the player to develop his character’s
motivations for becoming so skilled with one particular enchantment.
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