15 Days into my Journey, I finally work out how to learn new spells... (Kinda)

Heindrich

When I play RPGs, I become a bit of a hoarder of potions and scrolls, reasoning that I will 'use them in an emergency'. I assumed that all the bits of magical paper I picked up in 15 (game) days of adventuring were all scrolls with 1-shot bound spells.

It has just occurred to me to right click on some of them, and I realised I could copy them to my spellbook... I assume this is where your Intelligence and 'chance to learn spell' comes in...

I got a few questions before I start to unload a stack of magical paper into the minds of my mages:

1) Is there a quick way to tell if a piece of paper is a 1-shot scroll like Armor, or a page for learning a spell? (Besides right-clicking).

2) Do you come across multiple pages for each spell you can learn in the game? I don't intend to save-load for learning spells, so I'd like to be aware of how precious/scarce each page is so I can plan how to share them between my two Arcane casters.

3) Given that I don't save-load for things like learning spells, is it worth drinking a potion of mind-focusing prior to a 'page reading session'?

Wisp

Heindrich1988 said:

1) Is there a quick way to tell if a piece of paper is a 1-shot scroll like Armor, or a page for learning a spell? (Besides right-clicking).

All mage scrolls can be scribed. Priest scrolls can't (nor is it necessary).

Heindrich1988 said:

2) Do you come across multiple pages for each spell you can learn in the game? I don't intend to save-load for learning spells, so I'd like to be aware of how precious/scarce each page is so I can plan how to share them between my two Arcane casters.

Depends on which spell it is. Scrolls for some spells are more common than others. Most scrolls are not unique, and a good number of them are essentially in limitless supply.

Heindrich1988 said:

3) Given that I don't save-load for things like learning spells, is it worth drinking a potion of mind-focusing prior to a 'page reading session'?

Boosting your INT to 19 is definitely a good idea before scribing valuable scrolls.

Heindrich

Wisp said:

Heindrich1988 said:

1) Is there a quick way to tell if a piece of paper is a 1-shot scroll like Armor, or a page for learning a spell? (Besides right-clicking).

All mage scrolls can be scribed. Priest scrolls can't (nor is it necessary).

Heindrich1988 said:

2) Do you come across multiple pages for each spell you can learn in the game? I don't intend to save-load for learning spells, so I'd like to be aware of how precious/scarce each page is so I can plan how to share them between my two Arcane casters.

Depends on which spell it is. Scrolls for some spells are more common than others. Most scrolls are not unique, and a good number of them are essentially in limitless supply.

Heindrich1988 said:

3) Given that I don't save-load for things like learning spells, is it worth drinking a potion of mind-focusing prior to a 'page reading session'?

Boosting your INT to 19 is definitely a good idea before scribing valuable scrolls.

Hmmm... ok thanks. I thought 'Armor' was a Mage scroll... but Dynaheir apparently cannot scribe it... same with 'Sleep'...

When u say 'valuable', are they indicated by sale value? Most of my scrolls are worth 50 only, but some, like 'Protection from Magic' are worth much more.

Wisp

Dynaheir is an Invoker, and thus barred from spells of the Enchantment and Conjuration schools.

Spells of higher level are generally more valuable than those of lower levels, but "value" (distinct from monetary value) is also determined by the spell's utility and to some extent, how easy it is to obtain it. I should hasten to add that there is also a third category of scrolls, recognized by their green icons, that are neither mage nor priest scrolls and cannot be learned by either class. 'Protection from Magic' is one such scroll. On the other hand, they can be used by characters of any class, provided the individual meets the scroll's INT requirement.

Heindrich

Wisp said:

Dynaheir is an Invoker, and thus barred from spells of the Enchantment and Conjuration schools.

Oh I see... but she's allowed to use the scrolls as a 1-shot spell (I've done that once or twice).

Wisp said:

I should hasten to add that there is also a third category of scrolls, recognized by their green icons, that are neither mage nor priest scrolls and cannot be learned by either class. 'Protection from Magic' is one such scroll. On the other hand, they can be used by characters of any class, provided the individual meets the scroll's INT requirement.

Oh I see... no wonder they are so valuable... I guess these are the ones I should be saving for a rainy day.

Wisp said:

Spells of higher level are generally more valuable than those of lower levels, but "value" (distinct from monetary value) is also determined by the spell's utility and to some extent, how easy it is to obtain it.

Is there a list somewhere that indicates which spells are important and if they are difficult to find? For a noob like me, spells are just a list of names.

Wisp

Heindrich1988 said:

Oh I see... but she's allowed to use the scrolls as a 1-shot spell (I've done that once or twice).

What version of the game are you playing? If it is not BGEE and you are not using a third-party bug-fix mod (or perhaps EasyTutu), it is probably a bug. There are quite a few minor bugs like this in the unmodded, not-BGEE games (and some not-so-minor).

Heindrich1988 said:

Is there a list somewhere that indicates which spells are important and if they are difficult to find? For a noob like me, spells are just a list of names.

There is a list here. I don't really know about the contents (e.g., I see they have the effects of Blindness wrong [the in-game spell description itself is wrong]; it is actually -10 to THAC0 and no AC penalty) but it should not be too far off about which spells are worthwhile and which are not. Oh, I see it only has level 1 spells covered, so it's not so useful after all. There are a few others, e.g., this one, but they tend to be very BG2-centric, while BG1 has completely different evaluation criteria. They may also be woefully out of date (containing references to Baldurdash or to known-and-fixed bugs, or other craziness).

Heindrich

Wisp said:

Heindrich1988 said:

Oh I see... but she's allowed to use the scrolls as a 1-shot spell (I've done that once or twice).

What version of the game are you playing? If it is not BGEE and you are not using a third-party bug-fix mod (or perhaps EasyTutu), it is probably a bug. There are quite a few minor bugs like this in the unmodded, not-BGEE games (and some not-so-minor).

Heindrich1988 said:

Is there a list somewhere that indicates which spells are important and if they are difficult to find? For a noob like me, spells are just a list of names.

There is a list here. I don't really know about the contents (e.g., I see they have the effects of Blindness wrong [the in-game spell description itself is wrong]; it is actually -10 to THAC0 and no AC penalty) but it should not be too far off about which spells are worthwhile and which are not. Oh, I see it only has level 1 spells covered, so it's not so useful after all. There are a few others, e.g., this one, but they tend to be very BG2-centric, while BG1 has completely different evaluation criteria. They may also be woefully out of date (containing references to Baldurdash or to known-and-fixed bugs, or other craziness).

Ah thanks. That's useful indeed.

I am playing the Vanilla downloaded directly from GOG.

ZanathKariashi

http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/258273-baldurs-gate-ii-shadows-of-amn/faqs/11334

Complete list of all mage spells through out the whole Saga, with Pro/Con discussions of each.

Take it with a grain of salt however, as depending on your play style, some spells will be more valuable then others, but is a nice start.


SPecialist mages, those with a special class name rather then Mage, have 1 or more opposed schools that they can't learn (and technically shouldn't be able to cast spells of that school ever, even from scrolls or wands unless it's usable by any class, but that's not implemented as far as I know). But on the other hand, they get an additional spell slot per day (they're supposed to have several more benefits, but they aren't implemented).

Druids and clerics learn all their spells automatically for each spell level as soon as it's attained.

Mages have to learn from scrolls to get new spells.

And in the sequel (or using the TuTU mod or BGT), the Sorcerer is similar to a mage, but can only learn spells when leveling up, never from scrolls, and only a small number of each spell level, but gets more spell casts per day and doesn't require memorization.

Heindrich

ZanathKariashi said:

http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/258273-baldurs-gate-ii-shadows-of-amn/faqs/11334

Complete list of all mage spells through out the whole Saga, with Pro/Con discussions of each.

Take it with a grain of salt however, as depending on your play style, some spells will be more valuable then others, but is a nice start.


SPecialist mages, those with a special class name rather then Mage, have 1 or more opposed schools that they can't learn (and technically shouldn't be able to cast spells of that school ever, even from scrolls or wands unless it's usable by any class, but that's not implemented as far as I know). But on the other hand, they get an additional spell slot per day (they're supposed to have several more benefits, but they aren't implemented).

Druids and clerics learn all their spells automatically for each spell level as soon as it's attained.

Mages have to learn from scrolls to get new spells.

And in the sequel (or using the TuTU mod or BGT), the Sorcerer is similar to a mage, but can only learn spells when leveling up, never from scrolls, and only a small number of each spell level, but gets more spell casts per day and doesn't require memorization.

Thanks! That list is really useful!

By the way, given that Dynaheir cannot use 'Armor', because she is an invoker. Is there anything else I can do to improve her survivability early-game. I was forced to reload earlier because I got waylaid by bandits, who all had bows... and she died to 2 arrow hits. -.-

I am already giving her most of the protective jewellery I have come across or bought (at great expense), but she is still just AC 7.

ambrennan

You will find bracers of defense on enemies, you can buy a robe of the good archmagi (AC 5) in High Hedge and someone (either Feldpost Inn or Ulgoth's Beard Inn sells a shield amulet). Plus, armour scrolls are pretty common and last for 9h.

Spell scrolls... I'd make sure that you don't waste stone skin and death cloud (2x guaranteed drops iirc).

Kaltzor

Well, most scrolls that do not have a green symbol on them (Those are protection scrolls) are learnable... I think the only spell scrolls you can't learn are heal spells and restoration.

And for survival for Invoker, Shield spell if you do come by it, is actually a first level evocation spell that sets AC to 4.

ZanathKariashi

Shield is AC 4, AC 2 vs projectiles (which makes infinitely better then armor since arrows are your biggest threat). Doesn't last very long (5 real minutes), but it casts instantly (speed 1) unlike Armor so you can afford to wait until you're pretty sure you'll need it.