A Mage Specialist Party Challenge

bbear

I think that one of the fun way to play this game (or any other games) is to limit myself in following a certain set of rules in playing the game. Instead of having everything, the game is more enjoyable with resources and abilities that I dont have. Rules such as Iron Man, Poverty, Low Level make this game interesting after the Nth gameplay. With this aside, I propose the rules of this challenge:

Rules:
1. All party members must be specialist mages
2. Specialist mage can use spells from THEIR OWN school only (sorcerer/wild mage doesnt count...)
3. One school per party
4. No multiclass/dual class

Optional Rules (for single player):
1. May recruit NPC mage specialist (Dynaheir, Quayle, Xan, Edwin, Xzar for BG1, Edwin and Jan for BG2) but they must use spells from THEIR SCHOOL only
2. May recruit NPC generic mage (Neera, I know is a wild mage, for BG1, Imoen, Nalia, Aerie for BG2) but you assign them a specialist school at the beginning and they must use spells from THAT SCHOOL for the entire game
3. You may choose not to use the abilities of the other class for multiclass NPC

How this game can be challenging:
-Only one mage can use Stoneskin (Alteration), one mage can use Mirror image (Illusion), one mage can use Protection against Magical Weapons (Aburjation)
-Limit spamming of Magic Missiles
-Only one sequencer mage
-Everyone is squishy

Comments?

bbear

I think this challenge can be a good learning experience for some of the game's under-utilized spells. If one uses a diviner (for that ONE spell True Sight!), then it's best to learn how to utilize other divination spells like Farsight and Claryvoiance.

Also, there are some top choices for mage specialists. I would rank Conjuration and Illusionist are must have party members, follow by Alteration (Time Stop, Stoneskin), Abjuration (Breach, Dispel), and then Invoker (Magic Missile) and Necromancy (Skill Trap, Horrid Wilting). I think the most interesting choice is the schools players choose not to pick.

Edit: Actually, Illusionist is not that useful by himself. Since he doesnt have the repetoire of the other schools, he can at most play as a support character or spam low level status spells like blindess and deafeness.

bbear

Sorry for mass post spamming, but here is a good website for the Wizard Spell Index. It has all the spells group by both spell levels and spell school. This is a good site examine before starting this challenge.

http://www.pocketplane.net/volothamp/magic1.htm

If playing BG2, one is not recommend to take enchantment and divination schools for this challenge because they dont have higher level spells (Divination stops at level 6, Enchantment stops at level 5).

Both Divination and Enchantment do have merits in picking them. Divination has True Sight and Enchantment has Greater Malision.

Technically, Wish is schoolless, so diviners and enchanters do have a level 9 spell.

elminster

What are the rules on wands/ items? (if any)

bbear

elminster said:

What are the rules on wands/ items? (if any)

I would extrapolate that if the specialist can cast that spell, only she can use that type of wand.

-Invoker: Wands of Magic Missile, Fire, Frost, Lightning, Cloudkill, Apprenti (random elemental spells), Wand of Heavens (if you choose to play Cleric/Invoker)
-Conjurer: Wand of Monster Summoning, Wand of Paralyzation (Stun instead of Hold, and the nearest spells are Power Word Stun and Symbol Stun)
-Enchanter: Wand of Sleep, Rod of Lordly Might (similar to Enchantment Spell: Enchanted Weapons, actually not sure whether this is a fighter only wand)
-Illusionist: Wand of Cursing
-Abjurer: Wand of Spell Striking, Rod of Absorption (kinda like Spell Trap)
-Necromancer: Wand of Fear, Rod of Resurrection (justified by resurrection, which is dealing with the dead)
-Transmuter: Wand of Polymorph

-Wand of Wonder produce random effects, so they can be used by any specialists. Again, Diviners are gimped in the wand selection.

Mortianna

Sounds like an interesting challenge. Can one's PC cast Find Familiar if not a Conjurer?

bbear

Mortianna said:

Sounds like an interesting challenge. Can one's PC cast Find Familiar if not a Conjurer?

Unfortunately, the answer is No.

bbear

bbear said:

elminster said:

What are the rules on wands/ items? (if any)

-Wand of Wonder produce random effects, so they can be used by any specialists. Again, Diviners are gimped in the wand selection.

One can optionally limit the Wand of Wonder to Neera only wand, but she must be assigned to a Mage school the entire game.

bbear

In terms of weapons, robes, rings and other items, I think there should be no restriction. It's best to keep everything simple and the least the number of rules as possible.

For dualclass mulitclass Thief/Specialist Mage and Cleric/Specialist Mage, one should consider what other class abilities they are limited. For example, hide in shadow should only be performed by Thief/Illusionists, and healing should only be cast by Cleric/Necromancers.


If one plays w/ BG2 NPCs:

Edwin: Conjurer
Jan: Thief/Illusionists

Aerie: Cleric/Mage -> Cleric/Diviner (the only class that satisfies elf racial and stat requirements)
Imoen: Thief/Mage -> Thief/Enchanter, Invoker or Transmuter (cant be Illusionist or Conjurer because they have been selected)
Nalia: Thief/Mage ->Thief/Invoker or Transmuter (cant be Illusionist or Conjurer because they have been selected)
Sarevok: Dont. Since he is not dualclass/multiclass to begin with.

bbear

Currently, I'm thinking a BG2 party of:

PC1: Conjurer (Find Familiar)
PC2: Transmuter (my stoneskin tank
PC3: Invoker
PC4: Abjurer

The last 2 spots can be Illusionist, Necromancer and Enchanter. Illusionist is good in the beginning w/ all those invisibility spells, but Necromancer has Skull Traps, Anime Dead, Death Spell and Horrid Wilting. Enchanter is there for just the Great Malision spell.