Turning Into Splunge

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This is scary - I'm having some very Splunge-like thoughts here - although I'm not saying "eh" or anything like that.

The problem is I'm not even finished with the SoA part of my current game, and I'm already thinking about what I want my next game to be like. This run through, I'm an evil barbarian, and on my next run through, I'm giving a wild mage some serious consideration.

Question: If I start with a regular mage or specialist mage in BG1, can I import them as a wild mage in BG2? Or is it considered a completely different class?

 

Different class I think... not 100% sure though.

 

I was under the understanding that you could turn a BG1 mage into a wild mage but I have never actually tried it myself.

 

I was hoping that it is like JSBB describes. That a wild mage is like a mage "kit" for lack of a better term, and that as such, you could select it as you would select any other kit. On the other hand, it is possible that it is like a sorcerer, and as such, an entirely different class. I'm inclined to think that someone must have tried this before.

 

Aldeth, when you import a mage into BG2, you have the option of choosing a specialist class, or that of a wild mage. However, if you import a specialist mage, you cannot alter his specialty in BG2.

 

Is the Wild Mage any good?

 

always wondered that me sen. Gonna have to give 'em a thrash some time. See what the crack is like.

 

@Aldeth
With TuTu installed you can play a Wild Mage from the very beginning in BG, if you want. Alternatively, you can choose a school for your mage in BG2 if you import your generalist from BG1, IIRC.


@Harbourboy
Wild mages are potentially the most powerful type of mage. They get extra spells slots and no school restriction, plus they can cast Wild Magic spells. Every time you cast a spell, its power will randomly be up to five levels above or below your current level. This sucks if your level 8 mage casts magic missile but the spell is hurled at level 3 (i.e. only two missiles). On the other hand, it's really cool when your level 3 Wild Mage casts the same spell and gets as many missiles as if he was level 8

Using NRD you can potentially cast spells that are way out of your league. NRD allows you to try to cast any spell of those written in the spellbook, not just the ones that you have memorised for the day. My Wild Mage was able to cast Mordenkainen Sword (sp) way before he had access to that spell level, although this depends largely on your level and the use of Chaos Shield.

I particularly like that type of mage, I think it fits nicely, specially if Charname was conceived during the Time of Troubles, when magic was so unpredictable.

[ October 05, 2004, 15:39: Message edited by: Colthrun ]

 

Well, I have nothing to contribute, having never played either BG1 or a wild mage.

But of course, given the topic title, I feel obligated to respond. So Aldeth, if you feel that you are starting to become like me, run - don't walk - to your nearest psychiatric professional as fast as is humanly possible.

 

You've never played BG? Well thats something you shall have to remedy isn't it?

 

Well... I can understand BG being a bit... intimidating. It is what started it afterall.

 

Better play it before BG3 comes out Besides, imo BG had the best story of all of them. Not to mention the best introduction movie! Enough of this "storytelling" intro crap that they keep applying (BG2, IWD2, etc..). It's even better now that there are so many mods and BgTuTu. Kind of a hassle to adjust to the low-usefulness of magic and EXTREME effectiveness of ranged weapons though.

 

Actually, I specifically avoided BG1 when it came out because it seemed a little too open-ended for my tastes, and nothing I have read since then has changed my mind about that. I know I'll probably take some flack for this, but I prefer a little more linearity to my games - not a lot, but enough so that I'm not spending a lot of time wandering around wondering what to do or how to do it. It's the same reason why I have no interest in Morrowind, and why I hate adventure games.

Of course, all of this is way off-topic.

 

BG1 can actually be quite linear - sure there is a lot of freedom to wander off and explore areas that serve no purpose to the main plot but you almost always know either what you should be doing or where you should be going in order to advance the story.

I found Morrowind to be too open and the plot too thin and unstructured but I never found BG1 so. Personally, I like exploring everything so that is the way I play BG1 but I see no reason why you couldn't play it without the aimless wandering.

 

I dislike games such as morrowind because of the vast amount of area that severs no purpose. However, in BG, all the other areas are not infinate. They have strict borders, so you dont wander forever. Also, all these areas may not be crucial, but there is often a useful item go to be gained from exploring them.

As JSBB has stated, you can just stick to plot areas too, since the plot is delkivered in a linear fashion, and you always know where you have to be going to continue it.

Think of it like this, the areas outside the beaten path are no bigger, or expansive then the windspear hills outside area. They dont take a lot to explore.

 

On the topic of the Wild Mage:

Playing a Wild Mage is all about getting lucky rolls. He is the best of the specialist Mages, since he has no opposition school.
Wild Mages can cast the first level Spell Nahal's Reckless Dweomer(NHD).
The spell allows you to cast any spell you have in your spellbook, accompanied by a random Wild Magic effect. If you're lucky, you'll get your spell cast + a good Wild Magic effect. Otherwise, you might end up having to face a Pit Fiend within the first few minutes in Irenicus' Dungeon.
Wild Mages can also cast the Chaos Armor and Advanced Chaos Armor spells, which lessen the chance of a Wild Magic Effect occuring during spellcasting. (Personally I don't recommend these. Wild Magic is, after all, the point in becoming a Wild Mage) Chaos Armor and Advanced Chaos Armor add numbers to the roll which determines what Wild Magic effect will occur, and the highest roll = spell cast normally. It is also possible to have more than one spell effect happen, and the most I've seen is four.

At his best, the Wild Mage is easily much more powerful than the Sorcerer kit, IMO. NHD allows you to cast *any* spell you have in your spellbook (Every memorized NHD is equivalent to a spell of any level), and with the right Wild Magic effect combination, you'll breeze through just about any encounter in the game at very low levels.
(Some lucky combinations:
-Chromatic Orb Spell + Wild Magic effect: Area Effect + Wild Magic Effect: No Save;
-Wish Spell + Wild Magic: Area Effect;
-Timestop Spell + Abi Dhalzim's Horrid Wilting Spell X4 + Dragon's Breath + Comet + Wild Magic Effect: I feel refreshed (all spells rememorized);
-ShapeChange Spell/Energy Blades Spell + Wild Magic Effect: Area Effect.
In each combination the last spell mentioned before the ensuing Wild Magic effect was cast via NHD, thus the resulting Wild Magic Effect. All of these combinations were the best I ended up with during my games.)

Of course, at his worst, he is nowhere near the top. The worst I've combinations I've ended up with so far include Stoneskin Spell + Wild Magic Effect: Is that a Demon? and Abi-Dhalzim's Horrid Wilting Spell + Wild Magic Effect: Hiccups. In these combinations Stoneskin and Abi Dhalzim's weren't cast. The Pit Fiend encounter happened after my Wild Mage has exhausted all his spells, and the hiccup effect happened during my fight with Demogorgon. Hiccups cause 100% spell failure.)

It's a nice class. It is both the most overpowered and underpowered class in the game, depending on the how lucky the player behind the character is.

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences Scythesong Immortal. Wild Mage never seemed more appealing to play.

 

What happens if you import a character (say, a Fighter) who dual classed into a specialist mage in BGI?

This was allowed in BGI, but not in BGII.

 

Just out of curiosity, Scythesong, why did you choose NHD as the acronym for Nahal's Reckless Dweomer instead of NRD?

 

Waitasec, Splunge is an Avenger Druid!