Schools of Magic Introduction
Spells are categorized into 8 “schools of magic. This doesn’t affect the function of the spells, but it helps to group spells with similar effects and concepts. Certain spellcasters have class features related to spell schools like the Eldritch Knight, which can only learn abjuration and evocation spells (with some exceptions), and some spellcasters get benefits related to specific schools of magic.
Abjuration
Abjuration spells focus on spells that protect their subjects and spells which banish creatures.
Example spells include banishment, counterspell, dispel magic, and magic circle.
Conjuration
Conjuration spells produce objects or creatures out of thin air, or to move objects magically from one place to another.
Example spells includefog cloud, conjure elemental, and teleport.
Divination
Divination spells allow the caster to percieves beyond what their normal senses allow, seeing far-off places, seeing invisible creatures, or even predicting the future.
Example spells include contact other plane, detect magic, see invisibility, and scrying.
Enchantment
Enchantments spells entrance, beguile, and even dominate the minds of other creatures.
Example spells include animal friendship, dominate monster, and hold person.
Evocation
Evocation spells allow the caster to control and manipulate elemental energies: cold, fire, thunder, lightning, avid, and even raw magical force. But Evocation isn’t just blowing stuff up: it includes many healing spells.
Example spells include cure wounds, fireball, forcecage, and magic missile.
Illusion
Illusions spells dazzle, confuse, and decieve their targets, often creating false images which not only look but sounds, smell, and even feel totally real.
Example spells include invisibility, mirage arcane, and silent image
Necromancy
Necromancy spells manipulate life, death, and undeath.
Example spells include animate dead, chill touch, and resurrection.
Transmutation
Transmutation spells modify energy or matter, changing one thing into another.
Example spells include animate objects, control weather, and polymorph.