Your favorite level 1 wizard defensive spell

Dragonspear

I've always been curious to find out which spell people prefer to take at level 1 on their wizard.

I figure that whether or not they are a pure class mage, multi, or specialist (dual's usually have a buncha scrolls stored up), but they are likely going to take at least 1 defensive option. So which do you prefer

Dragonspear

Normally I go with armor, but I've been tempted to make a new Elven Fighter/Mage and I'm giving serious consideration to shield over armor.

elminster

Quick casting time and gives a good AC. Still lasts an excellent amount of time (5 turns).

CrevsDaak

elminster said:

Quick casting time and gives a good AC. Still lasts an excellent amount of time (5 turns).

And gives immunity to Magic Missile (BITCH YOU TARNESH, NIMBUL AND THOSE OTHERS!!!!).

Dragonspear

It used to be Shield for me when Invokers (normally the only specialist mage I play), since they didn't get access to conjuring skills. That said I think shield would make more sense.

Thinking of Shield and Find Familiar at the start.

mysterymeep

I like Reflected Image; admittedly this is in part because it's fun, but it's quick-cast and good as a button to press while you get your mage out of whatever melee she's been stuck into.

Mitchfork

Reflected Image is pretty worthless in my opinion, it'll stop one attack at most... and in the early game, even a modest AC enhancement is going to probably prevent more hits than that.

Protection from Evil is effectively only a -2 AC buff, and only against certain enemies. Pretty useless unless you're soloing and up against a summoned demon.

Protection from Petrification is really useful in four spots in the game, but otherwise is completely useless.

I like both Shield and Armor but there are only a few times where Magic Missile is a problem and I like to fire Armor and forget about it for an entire map or dungeon, so that's my pick.

Dragonspear

@Mitchfork

The only reason I included it in the list (and would consider starting the game memorizing it) would be if I was bee-lining towards the basilisk map in solo play

KidCarnival

Armor, due to the long duration and lack of actual armor for a long time. I never play pure mages; if it's multi-mage or bard, I usually melee a fair bit in the beginning. Better AC gets me further than (in comparison) a short duration of MM immunity.
Never scribed/picked Reflected Image or Protection from Evil, if anything, I cast those from scrolls I find and have nothing else. Protection from Petrification is very situational, but I still scribe the first scroll I find to not have to worry about it when I arrive in the areas.

nano

Shield gives better AC and blocks magic missile, what's not to love? In my experience enemy wizards love sniping unprotected mages (or at least the lowest health character) with magic missile. It's casting speed 1 too, so you can cast it during a fight without it being interrupted. But because you can get it cheaply on an amulet you it's not too important to get at level 1 or at all. Definitely get the amulet if you use Xan - due to his low CON he's like a magnet for magic missile snipers.

I don't have much use for Armor because in the situations where AC matters I want as much of it as possible, so I cast a shield over it anyways.

booinyoureyes

My wizards are reckless and just blow things up with fire tbh. I just started using defense spells other than stoneskin/mirror image recently. I guess my bard uses armor every time he wakes up from rest, but level one is usually magic missiles to interrupt spell-casters or sleep during low-level BGI.

I suck at wizards

O_Bruce

Armor is my basic mean of protection for low level mage. It is outclassed by Shield in pure AC aspect (+ immunity for magic missiles), but it provides a long protection. Saved my arse couple of times, I'm sure of it.

booinyoureyes

Huh. I never knew Shield blocks magic missile. That actually sounds super useful.

Empyrial

Why use any of them when you could cast MORE MAGIC MISSILES! >:D

Ahem, or sleep spells if they're more useful for your level. Typically, a pure wizard is going to be in the back, so I don't usually need them as a pure mage. I suppose I'd pick Armor if I were to use one for a multi.

deltago

Shield.
However, I also take pfe especially with wild mages.

Illustair

Just to make it clear, the "I don't take defensive spells" is for level 1 only (most of the time). But on certain occasions, I use Armor or Shield.

Kaltzor

Sleep.

Who needs a defense with no enemies to attack you?

GamingFreak

Defensive spells at level 1? What are those? Magic Missle Magic Missle Magic Missle, hit them with all the magic missle. Still Breathing? More magic missle. Did I see that guy twitching over there? More magic missle. Oh man a big fight to prepare for? Better prepare all the magic missles.

jackjack

When it comes to level one, I'm mostly looking at duration. Set it and forget it.

GemHound

For obvious reasons.
Edit: Wait, take AT level one. No defensive spells.

Pantalion

Sleep is my defensive spell of choice throughout much of Baldur's Gate. Nothing mitigates damage received like liberally applied crowd control.

Once sleep stops working, typically I'm at a level where Magic Missile is my next defensive spell of choice. Shield is rarely used if I'm expecting mages, but it's used about as often as Protection from Petrification - about two to three times per game.

AcridSyphilis

i never take a defensive spell.

first level i always take

magic missle

and then i haggle between sleep and identify

Mrpenfold666

sleep is mine!! and minor drain so wizards can heal themselves which is amazingly useful!

KidCarnival

Mrpenfold666 said:

sleep is mine!! and minor drain so wizards can heal themselves which is amazingly useful!

I often have Xzar go all vampire on random squirrels and groundhogs. He can easily double his (pitiful) HP that way. Larloch's is so useful for low con mages. Sure, it doesn't stay useful for too long, but I love it for the rp concept of a necromancer and would pick it if I ever played a pure mage. (With my attachment to both Xzar and Edwin, that's unlikely though.)

Zanian

I always pick armor, mainly because you won't be having a lot of slots at the earlier lvls (and picking more than 1 is a waste of a slot), and I prefer to rest as little as possible.

BelgarathMTH

Face it, at level one, if your wizard gets attacked in melee or by archers, he's toast. Armor or Shield. or even both, are unlikely to help. Quick, put them to Sleep!

Pantalion

KidCarnival said:

Mrpenfold666 said:

sleep is mine!! and minor drain so wizards can heal themselves which is amazingly useful!

I often have Xzar go all vampire on random squirrels and groundhogs. He can easily double his (pitiful) HP that way. Larloch's is so useful for low con mages. Sure, it doesn't stay useful for too long, but I love it for the rp concept of a necromancer and would pick it if I ever played a pure mage. (With my attachment to both Xzar and Edwin, that's unlikely though.)

Whilst I do love a little bit of squirrel murder, it also (bizarrely) works on inanimate objects, which is great when you're suffering from the dreaded "squirrel drought".

Night_Watch

Armour is great all around, but Shield takes a close second simply because it can block off those pesky magic users that like to spam magic missiles (i.e. Nimbul.)

Kefka

The only really necessary protection spell in the game, if you want to fight basilisks...

Awong124

Kind of a toss up between Reflected Image and Armor. I probably use Armor more, but I think Reflected Image looks cooler.

nano

belgarathmth said:

Face it, at level one, if your wizard gets attacked in melee or by archers, he's toast. Armor or Shield. or even both, are unlikely to help. Quick, put them to Sleep!

It might help more than you think...

Shield gives a base AC of 4 with a +2 bonus (or a -2 bonus if you prefer, it's a good thing either way) against missiles. Throw in a traveler's robe (+1), ring of protection (+1), the ogre's belt (+3) and a dex bonus (+4) and you're looking at an AC of -7 against missiles. That's pretty respectable! Depending on the wizard's dex he might have something like -5 instead, which should still keep him quite safe.

That's just with early game gear. Once you've gotten a little further (and not that much further) you have the Cloak of Displacement (+4) and Nimbul's boots (+5) making your little wizard, or anyone else, nearly untouchable by missiles. With all these bonuses it might sound like Shield is useless, but keep in mind Shield is a +8 bonus for him and the biggest contributor to his AC. It also lets you spread the items around a little. The +2 missile bonus from Shield also stacks with everything else, so even if you don't benefit from the base AC you'll benefit from that (and a wizard always benefits from the base AC, because even the archmage robes in BG1 aren't as good as Shield).

You don't have to give up Sleep, though. The sleep wand is usable by anyone so you can have your tankiest fighter cast it while your wizard tries to buff up.