List of party-safe AE spells?

Jidokwon

I typically play on Core setting and have rarely used area effect spells, due to them harming my party more than my enemies normally. The spell descriptions are inconsistent and don't provide key details if they are safe or not, so I just assume that all aren't safe, though I know this isn't the case. I'd like to enhance my experience and start using some of these spells, but I haven't had much luck searching. Could anyone provide a list of party-safe spells or, at least, point me in the right direction? Thank you.

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Priest Spells
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Innate and Special Abilities

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Tresset

The best one is probably Abi Dalzim's Horrid wilting at mage level 8.

Jidokwon

So I'm getting status spells are safe and damage spells aren't? So first level mage spells color spray, grease, and sleep are all safe?

elminster

Holy Smite is generally safe to use. It is safe long as your party members are all neutral/good.

Wisp

Enchantment spells are generally party friendly. Damage spells are generally not party friendly. Battleground spells (AoE spells that persist for so and so many rounds) are generally not party friendly. The specifics come with the Zen of knowing the game.

Heindrich

Jidokwon said:

So I'm getting status spells are safe and damage spells aren't? So first level mage spells color spray, grease, and sleep are all safe?

I'm not particularly experienced, but your observation seems to be generally correct. AoE attacks that deal damage tend to harm friendlies, whereas status effects does not. There are a few notable exceptions to that rule.

Non-damage spells that affect friends and foe,
1) Dispel Magic
2) Web
3) Entangle

CaptRory

Persistent effects work out safer than explodey effects. It tends to be pretty easy to tell if you're too close to an ongoing web or stinking cloud effect, but its easy to catch a party member in a fireball accidentally.

Back to the topic at hand, Sleep is a perfectly safe level 1 spell.

elminster

Grease and Stinking Cloud will affect your party members.

atcDave

Holy Smiting is awesome for a good aligned party. Call in fire on your own position...

Jidokwon

http://www.sorcerers.net/Games/BG2/SpellsReference/AreaSpellChart.htm looks to list most of them. I'd swear that I've hit my party with greater command, though.

ambrennan

I'm not sure about (un)holy word and false dawn in that list.

ZanathKariashi

They can, but only if the targets are valid. Holy word only effects evil characters (reverse only effects good), and false dawn only works if the target is undead (so it'll damage your skeleton warriors or any commanded undead)

Jidokwon

Aye, a few spells are alignment specific, so, if you're using a mix in your party, you could very well hit good or evil characters. If playing a modded game with an undead character, false dawn or turn undead should hit them. I've also heard evil clerics can use turn undead on paladins.

Wisp

Greater Command is bugged in vanilla BG2. At some levels it affects the party and at some levels it doesn't. Holy Word is party friendly, while Unholy Word isn't.

ambrennan

The point is that the linked site lists (un)holy word as targeting only enemies.