How in the heck do you play a sorcerer?
cbarchuk
Member Posts: 322
I'm currently into ToB with a 6 man custom party consisting of:
1. Inquisitor
2. Fighter/Thief
3. Totemic Druid
4. Berserker
5. Monk
6. Sorcerer
I'm really enjoying this play through. It's the first time I've used a custom party in BG2. My issue is, as the title suggests, my sorcerer. I simply don't know how to use one effectively. The only thing I use her for is casting haste, improved haste, and an occasional breach or pierce shield. Often times I forget she's there. I don't know if my spell selection sucks or what. But I don't really feel like she does much. The rest of my team is great. Even my druid is solid even though she mainly just sits back and does all the summoning. Any advice would be great even this late in the game. Thanks.
1. Inquisitor
2. Fighter/Thief
3. Totemic Druid
4. Berserker
5. Monk
6. Sorcerer
I'm really enjoying this play through. It's the first time I've used a custom party in BG2. My issue is, as the title suggests, my sorcerer. I simply don't know how to use one effectively. The only thing I use her for is casting haste, improved haste, and an occasional breach or pierce shield. Often times I forget she's there. I don't know if my spell selection sucks or what. But I don't really feel like she does much. The rest of my team is great. Even my druid is solid even though she mainly just sits back and does all the summoning. Any advice would be great even this late in the game. Thanks.
0
Comments
And looking at your party, it seems to be more focused on just hitting things with swords (or some other weapons) until they die. Your Inquisitor, Berserker, Fighter/Thief and Monk probably beat up most things before you could get anything really deadly off...
For spell selection, you mostly want to limit them on abilities not restricted by targets level or HD (Hit Dice) that the spells can always be useful.
2.) Play a game where you're solo. There is no better way to learn about your spells than having to survive purely on them. That way you will learn to love Sleep, Charm, and other spells that you normally wouldn't pay mind to.
3.) With a setup that is that heavy with melee fighters there isn't much that your Sorcerer have to do other than casting haste and remove the protection spells the enemy have, to open up the door for your beatsticks.
You need plenty of access to Lower Resistance, Breach, True Sight, Abu-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting, and Time Stop. One of the advantages of the sorcerer class is that they can choose Lower Resistance, because scrolls for wizards to learn it are extremely rare and hard to find, and woe be unto you if you are playing on core rules, finally find one, and then fail to scribe it!
Both minor and eighth level sequencers can really help to get some damage done against dragons and such, once the Lower Resistance spells have all been cast.
The trouble with depending on melee specialists is that they can handle ninety percent of everything in the game, but when you get to one of the ten percent, like a dragon, they have a terrible time hitting the thing, or doing much damage when they do.
The fact is, there are a few, and only a few, superpowerful enemies in the game that fighters alone are going to have a very, very hard time handling without expert arcane support. You carry your wizards and sorcerers through the game for just these encounters. The best way to figure this out is to just run into these encounters, watch how you get your butt kicked, and then gradually learn which arcane spells you need to make the difference.
Throughout the trilogy, from levels 1-40, there are some encounters where your mages and sorcerers can turn a nightmare into a cakewalk. Sleep, Web, and Emotion:Hopeless can decimate superior numbers, and the ever useful Magic Missile can give you guaranteed damage against any melee creature that is of higher skill than your fighters. You know you're up against a creature like that, when all your fighters keep missing and missing, while the monster hits for huge damage seemingly every time it swings.
For first level spells focus in magic missile, chromatic orb, grease (if you like this spell), shield (give immunity to magic missile and has instant cast), blindness, sleep (very useful at the begin, later you can change it).
For second level spells focus in Agannazar's Sorcerer, Glitterdust (very useful, reduce armor, lower thac0 and reveal invisible), stinking cloud or/and web, melf's acid arrow, and if you like ray of enfeeblement. You can get mirror image also if you want.
For third level get fireball or skull trap, haste, slow, dispel magic or remove magic, flame arrow or lighting bolt, and if you like and SCS mod is installed on your computer, pick spell thurst also.
For fourth level get stoneskin, fireshield red, greater malison, emotion.
These are my suggestions.
Ps: with an inquisitor in the team and a druid, you probally can skip remove and dispel magic (lvl 3 arcane spells)
Magic missile, blindness ,mirror image, acid arrow, remove magic, melf's meteors, stoneskin, poliphorm , breach , feeblemind, prot from magic weapons , finger of death , horrid wilting and time stop.
How you play a sorc/mage depends on your party. If you're melee heavy, then just tossing haste and/or IH is all you need, anything else you bring is unnecessary and a waste of time, 9/10 times.
Even breach isn't really essential since the enemies who it would be useful on are immune to it, and stoneskin, the much more common buff, can be by-passed easily with elemental damage on weapons.
Playing solo on the other is a WHOLE different experience. And is where the sorcerer really excels, due to their adaptability and greater daily spell uses.
So I find this spell to be essential for the whole game - from Sarevok into late ToB.
Judging that your party is melee heavy party, I would recommend debuff spells for your sorcerer for the party's strategic fit. Debuff spells like remove magic, lower resistance, greater malision and ruby ray of reversal. If you have ToB, Breach is a not necessary spell pick because you get 4 wands of spell striking (breach + pierce magic).
Like others have posted previously, Spell Sequencer, Trigger and Chain Contingency are very strong spells. Those are the spells that separate good from god-like sorcerers.
I killed firkgaark in BG2 once with Chromatic Orb, made a combo of 2 dooms and Chromatic Orb and he died
Chromatic orb does Acid damage on lvl 12 and beyond, meaning it kills trolls. That's one good reason to pick it.
Glitterdust only works when creatures fail the save. So if an invisible mage succeeds on save against Glitterdust, he does NOT become visible and is not in any way affected by the spell.
I generally play with a melee heavy party and my mages are restricted to magical protection removal. I rest as little as possible so can't use mage spells every battle. And the damage of most spells is pretty low compared to 3+ attacks/round of 20+ damage hits. And on the bosses, whirlwind attack = instant death.
lvl1: Magic Missile, Identify, Shield (or Protection From Petrification), Spook, Chromatic Orb
Why?: Magic Missile is an efficient damage dealer that gets better with level. Identify is useful at all levels. Sure there are scrolls and glasses or other party members, but why waste other members spell picks on something I may not need all the time, and scrolls/glasses are limited or cost gold. I like having Protection From Petrification for BG1 specifically for the various basilisk fights but I also like Shield for more long term usefulness. I usually decide in BG1 which to take but if I start with BG2 Shield is the better choice IMO. Shield is a nice long lasting defensive spell that has a set duration and provides immunity to magic missile. It loses some of its punch with gear at higher levels but the immunity remains useful for the whole trilogy. For all of BG1 it's useful. In the beginning of BG2 when you have little gear or money Shield is still great and Identify saves you coins early. Spook is a great CC with a scaling save penalty. I take Chromatic Orb last because at the level I get it the spell has reached some of its better scaling already. At the end of the day the only vital spell picks at lvl1 are Magic Missile and Spook to me, with Chromatic Orb being a great choice as a mini finger of death using lvl1 spell slots. Anything else is up to taste IMO.
lvl2: Melf's Acid Arrow, Horror, Mirror Image, Invisibility, Glitterdust
Why?: I like having some offense at each level when possible/practical/choice allows. Melf's is a great single target DOT that handles trolls as well. Horror is a great aoe CC for the early game and can still affect foes later on in the series. Mirror Image is the poor man's Stoneskin and great for early level survival. It also stacks with Stoneskin so remains useful even at the highest levels. I like having basic Invisibility to throw on thieves at the drop of a hat to scout for traps safely and it can be handy overall especially early on in the game. Glitterdust is a great bang for your buck spell. You get an invis dispel and an aoe cc all in one. Sure its small but still for all it does its worthwhile. The whole Web/Spider Spawn combo is great solo but not as nice in a party without everyone having Free Action effects so its not on my list.
lvl3: Flame Arrow, Haste, Melf's Minute Meteors, Slow, Dispel Magic (or Skull Trap)
Why?: Flame Arrow is a great scaling single target spell that's useful at all levels. AoE's especially at low levels can hurt party members if not used carefully and wands of fire are easy enough to come by. Haste on demand is just transformative in the early game and still useful throughout the series. I like Melf's Minute Meteors... really I do, but it annoys me that it swaps into my melee weapon after the fact and it can still miss. With that said, however, it is an amazing spell to deal with magic resistant foes and it too is a troll killer. In BG1 Slow's penalties are crippling to pretty much everything and even in bg2 and beyond is a great debuff at all levels. Plus it comes with a hefty built in save penalty that stacks nicely with Greater Malison. Dispel Magic is one of the few spells I pick that can affect my party negatively but I think its worth the risk (and its thematically appropriate for my character). Being able to remove negative effects on my party or beneficial effects from my foes is just too good to pass up. Dispel Magic and Remove Magic don't always work and an inquisitor only has so many (or could be incapacitated/dead) so other casters can use the few they prepare to no avail while a sorc can spam till they take. I've had to dispel confusion or charms from my party more than a few times in the series so I welcome having it. On the other hand Skull Trap is a great scaling aoe spell that's useful at all levels. I take one or the other late because the other spells are just so game changing early on.
lvl4: Stoneskin, Emotion, Greater Malison, Improved Invisibility, Minor Sequencer
Why?: Stoneskin is a defining survival spell in the bg games. It keeps the user alive through nasty physical attacks. There's also no useful party safe damage dealing spells at this level. Emotion is a great aoe CC and party buff rolled into one. Great in a sequencer coupled with Greater Malison in the late game. Speaking of which... Greater Malison is my next pick. Why wouldn't you want to penalize your foes saving throws when it makes all spells more viable later in the game. Improved Invisibility is useful for a number of reasons. Mainly its the defensive bonuses it provides in combat and making you untargetable by foes who can't see invis. The staff of the magi is good and all but you have a ways in to the game to get it and it only provides regular invis and I don't wanna do reequip cheese after every action. I can also use it on others like a thief who scouts while finding traps undetected. Minor Sequencer comes late because everything else is more important IMO. I love metamagic and wish the bg series had more of it, but Minor Sequencer is a nice spell to have. I like coupling a Chromatic Orb with either Magic Missile or Melf's Acid Arrow for a nice instant punch of damage with a possible insta kill attached.
lvl5: Breach, Spell Immunity, Lower Resistance, Spell Shield, Feeblemind
Why?: I wish BG had Snilloc's Major Missile so I had a single target damage choice at this level sadly no dice. Breach is my first pick because in BG2 you start encountering foes using Stoneskin and other protections that need to go. Breach remains useful through the whole series. Spell Immunity is taken next because I'm at the level when blocking a whole school of spells can be really useful. Lower Resistance is next because it's about this level when magic resistance becomes a noticeable annoyance and the spell remains useful for the rest of the series. While I wish I could wait for Spell Shield, level 28 is just too deep into TOB to be practical. Protecting my own protections is important in the later game. The last spell pick is really open cause of how late you get it so I pick Feeblemind since it has a save penalty and incapacitates even things that are immune to Hold Monster. I think animating the dead is icky so I don't take that spell in a party, however useful it may be.
lvl6: Chain Lightning, Contingency, Protection From Magic Weapons, Improved Haste, Mislead
Why?: Chain Lightning is party friendly, does good damage, is nice x3 in a sequencer and is a great pick after two levels of spells with few offense options. Contingency is next for the obvious benefits it provides. Protection From Magic Weapons is taken around now because we're crossing into TOB territory and have the immunity to normal weapons passive from the end of BG2 for comprehensive protection. I wait for Improved Haste because there are items like the ring of gaxx that can cast it for now and because the fights aren't so brutal that i need alot of it. TOB is when I really like having it on demand any time. Mislead is the late pick to toss into contingency if I am rendered helpless.
lvl7: Project Image, Mordenkainen's Sword, Ruby Ray of Reversal, Spell Sequencer, Delayed Blast Fireball (or Spell Turning)
Why?: Project Image is just too abuseable as a sorcerer. The versatility it offers is too good to pass up. Mordenkainen's Sword is a summon I like. Its not forcing some being to do my bidding or animating corpses, it's a magical construct so ethically I feel ok using it. Ruby Ray removes pesky spell protections including 9th lvl Spelltraps. Spell Sequencer is just a natural choice for chaining spells together instantly. Unfortunately 7th level is the last "5th" spellpick you can get without removing the xp cap so I picked Delayed Blast Fireball for more aoe damage dealing and because this late in the game, encountering foes that might be immune to lower level spells is more likely. This spell pick is just too late in the game to be anything vital. Limited Wish is just too limited and there's just too many useful things to take at this level. I thought of taking it as the last pick but by 31 you've already been wish-resting for awhile so why take the lesser version? A mage in my party can milk it early for the one time wishes IMO. As an alternative I might take Spell Turning to have more spell defenses without relying on staff of the magi cheese.
lvl8: Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting, Power Word: Blind, Spell Trigger, Pierce Shield, Protection From Energy
Why?: Horrid Wilting is one of the best damage spells in the game so of course it is the first pick. Unlike many other Power Word spells, Power Word: Blind has no HP requirement to affect foes and it's a great disabler with no save. Spell Trigger is next for more instant multi-spell fun. Pierce Shield gives me more methods of removing enemy protections and it lowers MR to boot. Removing the xp cap allows me to take Protection From Energy as a final pick just to have another defensive spell.
lvl9: Chain Contingency, Time Stop, Wish, Spellstrike, Shapechange
Why?: Chain Contingency is first because of the crazy things you can do with it that I feel is better than time stop. Three Project Images on enemy seen? Three Horrid Wiltings on Enemy Seen? Yea... that. Time Stop comes next though. Wish comes at level 20 for TOB where it really really comes in handy. Earlier in the series there's ample resting opportunities but by the time you hit TOB the convenience of wish-resting is welcome on top of its other effects. There's not much of use at 9th level surprisingly enough and I am not keen on summoning demons so Spellstrike is next as an all out strip everything spell but really at this point its hardly necessary and I still have to ruby ray any spell traps first. Since the 5th pick can only be taken at 36 by removing the xp cap, I picked Shapechange just for fun.
But especially when it comes to higher levels you do have to make some clear choices about you want to take the character. Whether that is strictly to deal damage, for debuff/control spells, buff spells, or a mix. Just because you do get relatively higher level spell choices.
Identify - Sorcerers shouldn't waste spell slots with something that can be replaced by another mage, money, glasses of identification, bards....
Horror - Can be achieved as innate ability, you can get 2 of this one, no need to pick as spell.
Improved Invisibility - I would prefer to take fireshield red/blue or secret world (specially cos it can be used against invisible now), if still there's spell to take, I.I. isn't a bad choice.
Fleeblemind - Could be traded by chaos, but then fleeblemind fit well an mage hunter sorcerer (and all lvl 5 spells listed there are against mages).
Lvl 6 spells could benefit from Globe of invulnerability, contigency if you can w8 for lvl 9 should be left in favor of chain contingency, the only spell you really need from lvl 9 is time stop, spell trap can be used from staff of the magi and if you have a chance of get a 3° lvl 9 spell get spellstrike cos the HLAs with mage fit lvl 9 spell list and most of what you need will be there.
Lvl 7, finger of death would fit well, and no need to projected image if you already got mislead in lvl 6 (or vice versa). I would, however, priorise a power word stun in lvl 7y spells.
nice list for lvl 8
lvl 9 as i said before need only time stop and chain contingency, the rest is filled by HLAs.
Personally, I enjoy playing solo sorcerer. My spell picks included some of the spells on Nic_Mercy's list, but others for solo play and my personal preferences. For example, I like area disabling or area damage spells. I would pick web, death fog, incendiary cloud, sunfire, skull trap and horrid wilting. There are certain spells I would never pick: horror, chaos, fireshield, mislead and improve haste.
You need:Robe of Vecna and Amulet of Power to speed up spell casting. And staff of magi for invisibility at will+spelltrap and dispel on hit. And a semi decent spell list that includes:magic missile, mirror image, skull trap, flame arrow, melf's minute meteors, pro from fire, remove magic, stoneskin, breach, lower resistance, sunfire, protection from magic weapons, protection from magical energy, mislead, project image, mordenkainen's sword, finger of death, spell sequencers, horrid wilting, pierce shield, incendiary cloud, chain contingency, time stop, shapechange.
Some strategies:
Time stop and then Improved Alacrity. This is the ultimate trick of the highest lvl mage/sorc. Set game auto-pause on spell cast from options. Then unleash your spellbook in time stop via alacrity. With spell casting speed items a sorc can unleash pure helll on enemies. 1-2 dragon breaths+3 horrid wiltings+a barrage of skull traps and magic missiles:kills everything not magic resistant. Apply lower resistance+breach or remove magic when needed.
Chain contingency=3 Horrid wiltings on enemies, enemy sighted:instant nuke, decimates anything not magic resistant. 60d8 magic damage for everyone!
Project image is the ultimate cheese spell! Cast spell trap via staff of magi, cast Project Image and have your image cast spells on your sorcerer:a few powerword kills and imprisonment spells from scrolls will restore most your spells to your sorcerer.
Wish spell can also restore all of your spells, give you time stop+improved alacrity, and many other good options if you have 18 wisdom. A sorc needs to have 18 wisdom for this spell only, since cha and int do not affect his spell casting.
At time stop, you auto-hit anything. Staff of magi can hit and dispel anything not protected from magical weapons. A dragon or enemy buffed up? Find a window he is not protected from magical weapons, cast time stop, whack it with staff of magi:it will dispell all buffs. Cast melf's minute meteors or energy blades and then attack until time stop is over. All hits will register and kill the victim when time stop ends. Or, cast shapechange and turn into mind flayer:in time stop you can kill anything with a few hits:int drain kills so fast!
Imprisonment bypasses mr and offers no save:perfect for tough and annoying enemies like Adamantine golems, greater werewolves, etc.
Chain contingency:3 project images, self, set on helpless. Then cast project image yourself, since you are helpless your contingency will kick in and give you +3 images! You now have 4 fully powered sorcerers! Have each cast time stop with one second delay, have each empty his spell book via Improved Alacrity in their respective time stops:this will kill anything not immune to time stop. The total damage is insane, it is a total nuke em all and let the gods sort them out trick!
Skull trap and Flame arrow are the most damaging low lvl spells since their damage goes up to lvl 20. Abuse spell sequencers: 3 flame arrows will do 60d6 damage to a single target instantly, or 3 skull traps will do the same damage to a big area. Apply protection from magic energy spell beforehand and go crazy with skull traps.
Planetars are the best summons! They can dispel on hit, have vorpal swords, and can raise dead and heal people! You don't need a fighter or cleric if you can summon up one!
Dragons breath spell bypasses magic resistance and does huge damage. Sunfire spell also bypasses magic resistance:fry all those pesky drows till they have even darker skin!
Mislead is the ultimate cheese, have your clone stay in a safe room and your perma invisible sorc can easily kill any enemy who can't see invisible foes.
Incendiary cloud does 20d4 damage each round to a huge area! Perfect for killing spawning hordes of enemies with no mr:apply protection from fire to yourself and lure more enemies into a stacked 2-3 incendiary clouds.
Mordenkainen's swords are immune to every damage except pure magical damage so they are perfect decoys and can help immensely.