Spell Discussions: Level 2

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syuu:

Yeah, exactly! I was quite sure that years ago, I tried hitting a few warriors with the ray, and they were still able to move fine, despite the fact that they should have been encumbered.

That's one weird bug. It's a pity they don't fix it in the Fixpack.

 

Has anyone used Deafness effectively before???

I keep taking glitterdust because it sounds useful and such, but never find myself actually casting it in the game.

Horror - if a solo, I just pick a neutral or evil alignment to get this spell in the innate abilities to save a pick. Later when you lose your godhood, you probably have less use for horror anyways.

Invisibility I find useful when soloing, to stop people from chasing me and to skip battles that I'm not ready for. But there are potions out there, so...

I used Luck effectively exactly once in my experience. Jan couldn't pick a lock, but with the extra 5%, he did. Woot!

I didn't have much problem with fear attacks either, only the underdark demon gave me problems.

My solo picks are Knock, Invisibility, Mirror Image, Melf's Acid Arrow, Web.
Party picks... I usually play my party games like hack and slash so the mage isn't involved much. I probably only need Web and Melf's Acid Arrow. Throw in glitterdust as usual, invisibility to aid the backstabber, ummm last slot maybe resist fear or mirror image.

 

here we go...this time level 2:

- Agannazar's Scorcher (Evo)

I just love to have my wizard on the side of a line of enemies! just watch them burn!
oh! and a troll buster! ^^

- Melf's Acid Arrow (C)

Great in everyways! can disable a wizard for a while,can kill some foe and terminates the life of a troll! cool!

- Mirror Image (I)

well...I think I have used this mostly for decoy service! no to speak as an desperate defense!

- Web (Evo)

everyone knows the drill... to have all those creatures stuck for a while is great!
and all the disruption it causes on mages...ehehe

- Resist Fear (Abj)
I just used it on major battles!

Invisibility comes right up next,but this would be the ones I often used as regulars!

 

Ah yes, Agannazar's Scorcher. A interesting way to use this is in a sequencer. Because fire resistance is particularly easy to attain, you can buff one of your fighters up passed 100 so fire will heal him. Sequence 2 Scorchers on him and have him run around in the enemies. Massive fire damage, and makes killing trolls much easier. And if he ever takes damage, he'll get healed.

 

Blog:

I find myself casting it all the time. Usually when I target a group of opponents with glitterdust, half are blinded.

I usually use "Improved Invisibility" instead of the vanilla Invisibility. But normal invisibility can be useful.

syuu:

Yeah, I'm starting to think that Scorcher may be superior to Acid Arrow in the Expansion. Multiple hits (hence it has some mage disrupting potential), and the ability to kill multiple trolls in one cast (something acid isn't capable of).

 

What kind of groups do you cast glitterdust on? (Orcs, humans, summons, spiders, drow, mages ...? ) I'm certainly going to try next time!

 

Anything which doesn't have a high magic resistance.

 

I often use Invisibility, though it doesn't last 24 hours, neither in BG1.
When your mage is attacked, it's better than Mirror Image. MI is better when you have something offensive in mind, a F/M or casting while being attacked. MI can be handy against beholders! Blur too is for the F/M.
You can cast it, pass some monsters, do something, cast it again and come back.
You can cast it on other heroes, for example a thief who will then disarm the traps on the way.
I always memorise 2, 3 instances of Invisibility.

I also like Web, but it's hard to use.

 

Mandatory:

• Mirror Image: Poor man's Stoneskin that even protects from area effects

Useful:

• Blur: Decent defense spell, but only interesting for Fighter/Mages and Blades. AC isn't that important for pure mages. The saving throw-bonus is nice though, but not enough to choose this spell.
• Glitterdust: Party-friendly Mass Blindness with short duration (four rounds) would be good on its own, but it even reveals invisible creatures (when they don't make their saving throw).
• Invisibility: Underrated, at least for solo spellcasters. Not only allows you to choose your battles carefeully, scout, retreat and rebuff undisturbed (Casting defensive spells like Mirror Image and Stoneskin won't break Invisibility.), but safeguards against unpleasent surprises while resting or traveling due to its extremely long duration. Granted, the Staff of the Magi makes this spell rather pointless in the long run, but Invisibility can still be cast on others, placed in a Contingency or cast while Melf's Minute Meteors are in use.
• Melf's Acid Arrow: Best damage spell on this level. Kills trolls and hampers spellcasters.
• Resist Fear: A panicked mage is a dead mage. Mandatory if you play solo, still convenient when playing with a party. Don't skip this!
• Web: Very useful disabling spell that has uses for party and solo mages. Features a saving throw penalty and combines well with Spider Spawn.

Semi-useful:

• Agannazar's Scorcher: Hits multiple targets (in case you have ToB installed) if you run around a group of enemies, but lower range and damage than Melf's Acid Arrow on higher levels. Furthermore, it can hurt summons and party members, so you need to be all alone (or proper prearrangement) to make this spell useful.
• Detect Invisibility: By no means a bad spell, especially when you use mods to make the game harder, but becomes redundant when you get True Sight. Furthermore, DT has to compete against Glitterdust which has more uses.
• Horror: Party-friendly save-or-else spell that affects multiple enemies. It's okay in the beginning, but it won't work often due to its +2-bonus to resist. Get it as evil Bhaalspawn power if you like this spell.
• Knock: Redundant in a party and still not very important as a solo mage/sorcerer. Use scrolls (and Project Image) instead.
• Stinking Cloud: Clearly inferior to Web due to its +2-bonus to the saving throw.
• Strength: Sets Strength to 18/50 and to 18/100 after two castings. Nice to have in the beginning to buff weaker party-members. Becomes pretty redundant after finding strength-enhancing items. Can be cast on strong enemies like dragons to lower their strength and ignores magic-resistance...

Avoid like the plague:

• Deafness: Weak save-or-else spell that only affects spellcasters. Get Glitterdust instead.
• Ghoul Touch: While it is possible to make decent use of this spell, you have to go a great, great length to do so (see The Mountain Hare's post). Absolutely not worth it in my opinion.
• Know Alignment: Not even worth a comment...
• Luck: Minor effect on a single target that lasts for meager three rounds. Skip.
• Power Word, Sleep: Works only on enemies with 20 or less hit points. First, you don't see if this applies, second, these poor souls are doomed anyway.
• Ray of Enfeeblement: Would be at least a bit more worthwhile if it would actually stop encumbered enemies from moving. But alas, it does not.
• Vocalize: Carry a Vocalize-scroll or wear the Amulet of Power for the rare occasions you get silenced.

Solo Sorcerer picks: Invisibility - Mirror Image - Resist Fear - Web - Melf's Acid Arrow

Party Sorcerer picks: Mirror Image - Melf's Acid Arrow - Glitterdust - Web - Resist Fear

[ October 26, 2007, 03:22: Message edited by: Ascendency-Down ]