Alteration

Changes the physical world. Alteration spells can give units increased strength, resistance to fire, and the like. They can also change the weather. - Illwinter.

Alteration is a very handy school. It's best-known for its "buff" spells, which alter your teammates to make them significantly tougher to harm through conventional means. Barkskin, Stoneskin, and Ironskin are the trademark examples, but there are other options provided by other paths. There are also "debuff" spells, such as Blindness & Shrink, but not as many.

This school also provides a fair amount of attack spells, altering targets in ways that deal severe damage to them (such as Combustion and Incinerate). Deep in the school, you'll find methods of converting foes into useless forms, such as a pathetic animal (Curse of the Frog Prince, Polymorph) or a pile (Bone Melter, Liquify, Disintegrate).

Rituals also change the form of things; Pyromancers & Geomancers can use their Gems to transmute stuff into Gold, Nature Mages can change their own forms in an attempt to learn a different perspective of magic, and super-powerful Astral Mages will eventually be able to derive whatever they want from the universe (see Wish for more details). Earth Mages can also alter Fortress walls if they're skilled enough (Crumble, Iron Walls), and will even be able to raise forts in a single turn (Wizard's Tower), though these Rituals are deep in the school.