Buffing Up Fighter/Mages

VikingR

Hey guys,

I'm currently doing a fighter/mage run in BG2. Since he is dual-wielding long swords up front, he is obviously depended on buff spells. I'm rather confused about all the Armor/Shield spells though. The game offers a wide range of these protection spells up to level 4 (Armor, Shield, Ghost Armor, Spirit Armor, Blur, Mirror Image, etc.)

First of all, do some of these spells stack (e.g. blur and mirror image?)?

And, secondly, how do you usually buff up (in which order, to be precise) your fighter/mage?

Thanks!

Oxford_Guy

VikingR said:

Hey guys,

I'm currently doing a fighter/mage run in BG2. Since he is dual-wielding long swords up front, he is obviously depended on buff spells. I'm rather confused about all the Armor/Shield spells though. The game offers a wide range of these protection spells up to level 4 (Armor, Shield, Ghost Armor, Spirit Armor, Blur, Mirror Image, etc.)

First of all, do some of these spells stack (e.g. blur and mirror image?)?

And, secondly, how do you usually buff up (in which order, to be precise) your fighter/mage?

Thanks!

Blur and Mirror Image stack and with most of the other protection spells e.g. Armour/Shield/Ghost Armour/Spirit Armour (which don't stack with each other). Protection from Evil (which I think actually protects against *all* alignments in the game) stacks with all these, as I think does the awesome Stoneskin. As for which to cast first, it doesn't really matter except it's usually best to cast the ones which last longest first! This can change as you level up, depending on how they scale.

Frosty

Shield is a very fast cast so it is a good spell to use in the case of a ambush. and it stops magic missile.

Copastetic1985

I wouldn't bother with the spell, though I would carry the necklace if going against Mages.

SionIV

VikingR said:

Hey guys,

I'm currently doing a fighter/mage run in BG2. Since he is dual-wielding long swords up front, he is obviously depended on buff spells. I'm rather confused about all the Armor/Shield spells though. The game offers a wide range of these protection spells up to level 4 (Armor, Shield, Ghost Armor, Spirit Armor, Blur, Mirror Image, etc.)

First of all, do some of these spells stack (e.g. blur and mirror image?)?

And, secondly, how do you usually buff up (in which order, to be precise) your fighter/mage?

Thanks!

There is no need to use any armor spells (Ghost armor, spirit armor) as you should be using the Bracers of defense AC 3. Shield is great in BG1 but no one will be throwing magic missiles at you in BG2, and the ones that do it aren't a danger.

The spells you want up for every fight :

Blur (+3 AC)
Mirror image
Stoneskin (As this has a 24 hour duration, it should always be up)
Fireshield red / blue
Haste.

There are many protection spells that are used for certain fights aswell, best way to figure out what you need is to read up on the spells and then pick depending on what you're going to fight.

Good ones on mid level are :

Spell shield
Spell immunity (Abjuration makes you immune to imprisonment)
Protection from normal weapons (Not that useful)
Protection from different elements (Fire when you're against dragons etc.)
Globe of Invulnerability (Immune to level 4 spells and under)
Improved haste (!) - This is a must, doubles your APR.

Once you get to higher level you're going to start using mislead and such. But having the spells i mentioned will easily carry you through most of the game. Will need some spesific buffs when fighting liches and such.

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The user and all related content has been deleted.

Southpaw

I used mostly Blur + either Mirror Image or Some sort of -AC like Armor, Ghost Armor ... (you don't need all)

+Shield is a fast cast and used mainly against Mages (as it nullifies those pesky Magic Missiles) and in times of real need as it stacks. (you don't even need to memorize it. You can buy the first one at Naskell Carnival and when it runs low on charges, sell it and buy again)

Oxford_Guy

Southpaw said:

I used mostly Blur + either Mirror Image or Some sort of -AC like Armor, Ghost Armor ... (you don't need all)

+Shield is a fast cast and used mainly against Mages (as it nullifies those pesky Magic Missiles) and in times of real need as it stacks. (you don't even need to memorize it. You can buy the first one at Naskell Carnival and when it runs low on charges, sell it and buy again)

I'm pretty sure Shield doesn't stack with itself

Southpaw

Oxford_Guy said:

Southpaw said:

I used mostly Blur + either Mirror Image or Some sort of -AC like Armor, Ghost Armor ... (you don't need all)

+Shield is a fast cast and used mainly against Mages (as it nullifies those pesky Magic Missiles) and in times of real need as it stacks. (you don't even need to memorize it. You can buy the first one at Naskell Carnival and when it runs low on charges, sell it and buy again)

I'm pretty sure Shield doesn't stack with itself

Not with itself, but armor and magical armor. I remember it was a flat -4 AC bonus.

Eadwyn_G8keeper

I think Shield Amulet activation stacks with Armor/Ghost Armor
spell.

TJ_Hooker

Southpaw said:

Oxford_Guy said:

I'm pretty sure Shield doesn't stack with itself

Not with itself, but armor and magical armor. I remember it was a flat -4 AC bonus.

Eadwyn_G8keeper said:

I think Shield Amulet activation stacks with Armor/Ghost Armor
spell.

The Shield spell/amulet sets your base AC (to 4, 2 vs. Missiles), which means that it won't stack with anything else that sets base AC. This includes armour, the armour spells, bracers of AC, etc.

Oxford_Guy

TJ_Hooker said:

Southpaw said:

Oxford_Guy said:

I'm pretty sure Shield doesn't stack with itself

Not with itself, but armor and magical armor. I remember it was a flat -4 AC bonus.

Eadwyn_G8keeper said:

I think Shield Amulet activation stacks with Armor/Ghost Armor
spell.

The Shield spell/amulet sets your base AC (to 4, 2 vs. Missiles), which means that it won't stack with anything else that sets base AC. This includes armour, the armour spells, bracers of AC, etc.

I agree, this is what I experience

Southpaw

My memory might have been failing me. Sorry.

Djimmy

First cast spells that don't have time limit like
Spell Sequencer and Spell Trigger

Then cast spells that last longer like
Stone Skin, Spirit Armor, Remove Fear, Protection from Evil

Then spells with shorter duration like
Mirror Image, Fire Shield(Red/Blue), Protection from Cold, Fire..., (Improved)Haste, Spell Immunity, Globe of Invulnerability

Then just before battle cast spells that expire very quickly like
Protection from Magic Weapons, Draw Upon Holy Might


Spells that don't stack with themselves or others in their type
Armor spells: Armor, Ghost Armor, Spirit Armor. Use the highest level possible, ultimately Spirit Armor.
Stone Skin
Spell Immunity
Weapon protection spell: Protection from Normal Weapons, Mantle, Improved Mantle, Absolute Immunity, Protection from Magical Weapons

I think Mirror Image and Blur are perfectly compatible

PawnSlayer

SionIV said:

VikingR said:

Hey guys,

I'm currently doing a fighter/mage run in BG2. Since he is dual-wielding long swords up front, he is obviously depended on buff spells. I'm rather confused about all the Armor/Shield spells though. The game offers a wide range of these protection spells up to level 4 (Armor, Shield, Ghost Armor, Spirit Armor, Blur, Mirror Image, etc.)

First of all, do some of these spells stack (e.g. blur and mirror image?)?

And, secondly, how do you usually buff up (in which order, to be precise) your fighter/mage?

Thanks!

There is no need to use any armor spells (Ghost armor, spirit armor) as you should be using the Bracers of defense AC 3. Shield is great in BG1 but no one will be throwing magic missiles at you in BG2, and the ones that do it aren't a danger.

The spells you want up for every fight :

Blur (+3 AC)
Mirror image
Stoneskin (As this has a 24 hour duration, it should always be up)
Fireshield red / blue
Haste.

There are many protection spells that are used for certain fights aswell, best way to figure out what you need is to read up on the spells and then pick depending on what you're going to fight.

Good ones on mid level are :

Spell shield
Spell immunity (Abjuration makes you immune to imprisonment)
Protection from normal weapons (Not that useful)
Protection from different elements (Fire when you're against dragons etc.)
Globe of Invulnerability (Immune to level 4 spells and under)
Improved haste (!) - This is a must, doubles your APR.

Once you get to higher level you're going to start using mislead and such. But having the spells i mentioned will easily carry you through most of the game. Will need some spesific buffs when fighting liches and such.

Slight clarification, Stoneskin's duration is 12 hours, not 24.

Still, no reason any mage should ever not have Stoneskin up, single best defensive spell in the game!

Sidemi

I'm little bit confused, right now.. Does Tenser's Transformation suck or is there any reason why no one mentioned it?

Oxford_Guy

Sidemi said:

I'm little bit confused, right now.. Does Tenser's Transformation suck or is there any reason why no one mentioned it?

It's great for a Bard, as they level up so quickly, less so for other arcane classes

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Quartz

Bhaaldog said:

Oxford_Guy said:

Sidemi said:

I'm little bit confused, right now.. Does Tenser's Transformation suck or is there any reason why no one mentioned it?

It's great for a Bard, as they level up so quickly, less so for other arcane classes

I recall from another thread someone mentioned that mages gain an additional penalty for using a weapon they are not proficient with. That penalty may not apply to Bards? Therefore they may gain a minor advantage from that perspective in using Tenser's Transformation if it were true.

It is not a spell I often use myself though.

The penalty *would* apply to Bards, but Bards can already naturally use every weapon except Composite Long Bows, sooooo there is no issue. The Bard would clearly already have a proficiency in the weapon.

TJ_Hooker

Oxford_Guy said:

Sidemi said:

I'm little bit confused, right now.. Does Tenser's Transformation suck or is there any reason why no one mentioned it?

It's great for a Bard, as they level up so quickly, less so for other arcane classes

It might not be great for pure mages or sorcerers, but I don't think there's any particular reason why it couldn't be useful for a F/M. Sure, the "THAC0 becomes that of a fighter of the same level" part becomes more or less useless for a F/M, but they'd still get bonuses to hit, damage, HP, and AC.

Oxford_Guy

Quartz said:

Bhaaldog said:

Oxford_Guy said:

Sidemi said:

I'm little bit confused, right now.. Does Tenser's Transformation suck or is there any reason why no one mentioned it?

It's great for a Bard, as they level up so quickly, less so for other arcane classes

I recall from another thread someone mentioned that mages gain an additional penalty for using a weapon they are not proficient with. That penalty may not apply to Bards? Therefore they may gain a minor advantage from that perspective in using Tenser's Transformation if it were true.

It is not a spell I often use myself though.

The penalty *would* apply to Bards, but Bards can already naturally use every weapon except Composite Long Bows, sooooo there is no issue. The Bard would clearly already have a proficiency in the weapon.

That's not strictly speaking true, Bards are*not* automatically proficient with everything, which is what you seem to be implying, though at higher levels they do tend to be proficient in a lot of weapons, as can only put on pip in each (though 3 usually go into dual wield, if a Blade). Bards (and Thieves and Clerics) suffer a -3 penalty when using a weapon that they're not proficient in, whereas Mages get a whopping -5 penalty and fighters just -2.

smeagolheart

Oxford_Guy said:

Quartz said:

Bhaaldog said:

Oxford_Guy said:

Sidemi said:

I'm little bit confused, right now.. Does Tenser's Transformation suck or is there any reason why no one mentioned it?

It's great for a Bard, as they level up so quickly, less so for other arcane classes

I recall from another thread someone mentioned that mages gain an additional penalty for using a weapon they are not proficient with. That penalty may not apply to Bards? Therefore they may gain a minor advantage from that perspective in using Tenser's Transformation if it were true.

It is not a spell I often use myself though.

The penalty *would* apply to Bards, but Bards can already naturally use every weapon except Composite Long Bows, sooooo there is no issue. The Bard would clearly already have a proficiency in the weapon.

That's not strictly speaking true, Bards are*not* automatically proficient with everything, which is what you seem to be implying, though at higher levels they do tend to be proficient in a lot of weapons, as can only put on pip in each (though 3 usually go into dual wield, if a Blade). Bards (and Thieves and Clerics) suffer a -3 penalty when using a weapon that they're not proficient in, whereas Mages get a whopping -5 penalty and fighters just -2.

Quartz

Oxford_Guy said:

Quartz said:

Bhaaldog said:

Oxford_Guy said:

Sidemi said:

I'm little bit confused, right now.. Does Tenser's Transformation suck or is there any reason why no one mentioned it?

It's great for a Bard, as they level up so quickly, less so for other arcane classes

I recall from another thread someone mentioned that mages gain an additional penalty for using a weapon they are not proficient with. That penalty may not apply to Bards? Therefore they may gain a minor advantage from that perspective in using Tenser's Transformation if it were true.

It is not a spell I often use myself though.

The penalty *would* apply to Bards, but Bards can already naturally use every weapon except Composite Long Bows, sooooo there is no issue. The Bard would clearly already have a proficiency in the weapon.

That's not strictly speaking true, Bards are*not* automatically proficient with everything, which is what you seem to be implying, though at higher levels they do tend to be proficient in a lot of weapons, as can only put on pip in each (though 3 usually go into dual wield, if a Blade). Bards (and Thieves and Clerics) suffer a -3 penalty when using a weapon that they're not proficient in, whereas Mages get a whopping -5 penalty and fighters just -2.

Errrrrr no, I did not imply that. But why the bloody hell would you switch to a different weapon than you normally use upon launching Tenser's Transformation when you already have access to essentially every weapon? Yeah, you wouldn't.

If there's any assumption to be drawn from my posts, I'm assuming that the player has a *common sense,* that is all.