Vanilla mage (and human) because I can start him/her with a few levels of some other class before dualling into Mage, which always adds a lot to the utility of a Mage.
When I don't want to play a human protagonist, then there's a lot to be said for Illusionist (and gnome) for the multi-classing possibilities.
(No, I don't like creating "illegal" class combinations with an editor.)
When it absolutely, positively has to be destroyed in as few rounds as possible with maximum collateral damage.
Honestly though, I've always viewed my mages as battle mages, specializing in being walking artillery platforms. If I play a warrior type, it's very paladinesque, usually similar to a cavalier. If I play a rogue type, it's quite similar to a stalker or archer. If I play a mage, it's usually a specialist Invoker, or a Fighter/Mage Multi-class that specializes in that flashy, up front battle magic.
The DM once said, "you can't solve every problem with a fireball." So I used Lightning Bolt instead
Also, on a tangent to this (Although if the OP would prefer me creating my own thread for this I understand).
One of the hallmarks of the Invoker specialization is those flashy, high damage spells (and web, I love me some web).
Now in game, one requirement (obvious for a battle mage type character) is a high constitution, after all you're likely going to be involved in combat often, so you prolly need some high HP.
Now the real issue I have here, from a purely RP perspective as I'm thinking of it on the fly, is how Intelligence and Wisdom work for a battle-mage in particular.
Intelligence would say that the Invoker is smart enough to always walk around with some protection spells on and/or memorized, as well as regularly having contigencies and triggers setup.
Wisdom would dictate how efficient he is at this.
But more to the point, this is the scenario, where I determine why a primarily good, likely also more lawful than chaotic Invoker would need a high wisdom score.
If you're being attacked in a town, your intelligence would dictate what spells you know and know you have available. Wisdom comes into play however, when trying to figure out the best spell you have memorized in a given situation, to use for the problem at hand.
Example: You're attacked by Nimbul in the middle of the street. Now as the fight breaks out, having not planned ahead of time you have 2 fireball spells and 1 lightning bolt spell available. With a high enough wisdom score, a good aligned character may realize that they can minimize the likelihood of causalities by using the lightning bolt instead of the fireball.
I don't know, this kinda just went off in my head as I was writing my initial Invoker response, and kinda gives me an interesting angle to RP from for my Invoker.
(Please note: I think that for chaotic characters, who are more likely to act on impulse, particularly on spur of the moment, collateral damage would be less of a factor in spell casting than it would be for a more lawfully aligned character).
@Quartz Don't get me wrong, I ran an entire game with Xan and Imoen as my only mages. I came to definitely appreciate enchantment mage and crowd control and I've always loved web. But no matter how much I use and appreciate Crowd Control, my heart stills lies in the artillery platform.
I used to play like @Dragonspear but I've been converted to crowd control.
There was a time when I was very young... and I thought Dynaheir was fantastic and Xan sucked, because Dynaheir had all the awesome evocation spells.
Now, when I'm much older, I think Xan tops the non-evil mages, because wands can replace some of the key personal spells. For example, maximum damage from fireball is a mere 9d6. A L9 Invoker can cast 4 of these at most, assuming no other spells are memorized. With a fully-charged Wand of Fire, I can get Xan to fire off basically unlimited (for the purposes of any single encounter) fireballs at 6d6 damage each. He only lacks access to Invocation/Evocation spells, but through wands, he can cast those spells freely, and has a nice little Moonblade for the times when I wish to conserve resources and poke incapacitated enemies to death.
As an aside, Emotion is such an awesome spell in BG. Especially when I have two or three mages casting it from the edge of the fog of war at a bunch of enemies. Then fire off the wands of fire and roast enemies at their original positions XD
Xan is a funny fellow... for newbies, he's as bad as Xzar for surviving, which is to say he's a liability unless you play him crowd control. Edwin, and to a lesser extent Dynaheir have good survivability and are inuitive/fool proof to use. And we all remember how tight funds ussually are for newbies, so they cant afford wands.
Xan is good, but not as forgiving (IRONY) as Edwin.
I also like Necromancer and Enchanter for roleplaying reasons.
I like to think of each school by exploring their historic, mythological and pop cultural origins. -Invokers: the big explosions that capture the imagination. The guy who shoots fire out of a staff -Illusionists: the tricksters in history like Loki and Puck -Enchanters: Really, enchant(ress). The "wicked woman" trope who seduces men. -Necromancers: The classic villain who seeks immortality -Diviners: The Oracle is a classic character in pretty much every culture's mythology. My dad is from Delphi so I'm fond of them! -Transmuters: Like the angry gods who don't like you and turn you into a spider -Conjurers: Usually seem to be the bad guys who like to make deals with demons. Aleister Crowley style. Not to sure about the protective spells
Xan is a funny fellow... for newbies, he's as bad as Xzar for surviving, which is to say he's a liability unless you play him crowd control. Edwin, and to a lesser extent Dynaheir have good survivability and are inuitive/fool proof to use. And we all remember how tight funds ussually are for newbies, so they cant afford wands.
Xan is good, but not as forgiving (IRONY) as Edwin.
Yes, as you put it aptly, "unless you play him crowd control". Using an enchanter as an invoker is just about as effective as using a pair of scissors to hammer a nail into a wall. If this does happen for a player, assuming we are not evaluating his cognitive capacity, it just means Xan is unsuitable for his play style.
Xan's minimum starting level is L2, so Sleep should be the way to go until L3, when Horror can provide additional support. At L5, he gets Hold Person. He also gets Flame Arrow and Skull Trap to do some minor direct damage if required. All the aforementioned spells can either be obtained as random loot or bought at High Hedge. At L7, if the party can get to Ulgoth's Beard, he can get Emotion. He is able to perform at all levels, as long as the player keeps him out of harm's way. Wands are a bonus for him.
Then again, I guess I am not quite a newbie in BG anymore.
-Necromancers: The classic villain who seeks immortality
Lord Voldemort.
Seriously though, as long as we're discussing pop culture (Supernatural yay), I'm going to brave mentioning Harry Potter. Anyone else notice how Voldemort is basically a Dungeons and Dragons Lich? Horcrux = Phylactery and everything.
-Necromancers: The classic villain who seeks immortality
Lord Voldemort.
Seriously though, as long as we're discussing pop culture (Supernatural yay), I'm going to brave mentioning Harry Potter. Anyone else notice how Voldemort is basically a Dungeons and Dragons Lich? Horcrux = Phylactery and everything.
That's totally right, it's the first thing I thought about when I read about the Horcrux.
This is tough for me, because the specializations can all be really fun to play if one roleplays actually specializing, i.e., self-imposing a rule to use the specialization school at least a lot, if not exclusively. That adds a fun challenge to the game. The way I've decided to do it recently for most games is have at least half of the spell slots for each level filled with specialization school spells; and for the total number of spell slots, more than half of the memorized spells shall be from the specialization school.
I've really enjoyed playing a Fighter 3/Transmuter recently per the above approach. Really fun. He melees with a halberd. Love using Color Spray in particular. Haven't enjoyed a character as much as this one in quite some time. Granted, this is a F/M versus a single class. But the prominent use of the Alteration school has been great fun coupled with being a Fighter.
This is tough for me, because the specializations can all be really fun to play if one roleplays actually specializing, i.e., self-imposing a rule to use the specialization school at least a lot, if not exclusively.
I actually do this all the time, particularly with Xzar but also Xan and Dynaheir. It is harder with Edwin and the different illusionists though. I've also made Aerie an abjurer which fits in with her protective personality and her cleric class.
-Necromancers: The classic villain who seeks immortality
Lord Voldemort.
Seriously though, as long as we're discussing pop culture (Supernatural yay), I'm going to brave mentioning Harry Potter. Anyone else notice how Voldemort is basically a Dungeons and Dragons Lich? Horcrux = Phylactery and everything.
That's totally right, it's the first thing I thought about when I read about the Horcrux.
Avada Kedavra = Finger of Death
No one said she was an ORIGINAL writer, merely a popular one.
This is tough for me, because the specializations can all be really fun to play if one roleplays actually specializing, i.e., self-imposing a rule to use the specialization school at least a lot, if not exclusively. That adds a fun challenge to the game. The way I've decided to do it recently for most games is have at least half of the spell slots for each level filled with specialization school spells; and for the total number of spell slots, more than half of the memorized spells shall be from the specialization school.
I've really enjoyed playing a Fighter 3/Transmuter recently per the above approach. Really fun. He melees with a halberd. Love using Color Spray in particular. Haven't enjoyed a character as much as this one in quite some time. Granted, this is a F/M versus a single class. But the prominent use of the Alteration school has been great fun coupled with being a Fighter.
For me, this is the only way to go. if I play a specialist, the lions share of the spells that he casts are going to be from their school of choice. it's a RP thing pure and simple.
I played a Necro on one of the PW in NWN2 and he ONLY cast Necromancy spells. Which was fine except that necromancy was "illegal" and anyone caught casting spells like Animate Dead, got reported and otherwise harassed. that sometimes wasn't so fun because he wasn't a Villain, per say but merely someone who was abnormally obsessed with The Dead.
You petty, little, insignificant mortals, with your beating hearts and gasping lungs...
Bleed for me.
Bleed for me, empty your viens and I will give you a darkness so consuming it will blot out all light, all warmth, and all hope.
And the darkness that caresses you will give you POWER, FREEDOM and IMMORTALITY.
Let it smother you in its embrace. Let its coldness consume you, energise you.
All who stand before you will age, bow and kneel because you have mastered time. And time will wait for you, whilst mere mortals turn to dust... enslaved in fear to times arrow.
If anyone is ever interested in reading a relatively decent 'Necromancer' story, try reading any of the first few Necroscope novels by Brian Lumley. Not necessarily from the "Necroscope" (main protagonist) perspective, but there are several necromancers (proper) in the narrative. It's quite good actually.
Plus, the vampires don't sparkle in the sun and aren't all teen angsty.
Comments
When I don't want to play a human protagonist, then there's a lot to be said for Illusionist (and gnome) for the multi-classing possibilities.
(No, I don't like creating "illegal" class combinations with an editor.)
When it absolutely, positively has to be destroyed in as few rounds as possible with maximum collateral damage.
Honestly though, I've always viewed my mages as battle mages, specializing in being walking artillery platforms. If I play a warrior type, it's very paladinesque, usually similar to a cavalier. If I play a rogue type, it's quite similar to a stalker or archer. If I play a mage, it's usually a specialist Invoker, or a Fighter/Mage Multi-class that specializes in that flashy, up front battle magic.
The DM once said, "you can't solve every problem with a fireball." So I used Lightning Bolt instead
One of the hallmarks of the Invoker specialization is those flashy, high damage spells (and web, I love me some web).
Now in game, one requirement (obvious for a battle mage type character) is a high constitution, after all you're likely going to be involved in combat often, so you prolly need some high HP.
Now the real issue I have here, from a purely RP perspective as I'm thinking of it on the fly, is how Intelligence and Wisdom work for a battle-mage in particular.
Intelligence would say that the Invoker is smart enough to always walk around with some protection spells on and/or memorized, as well as regularly having contigencies and triggers setup.
Wisdom would dictate how efficient he is at this.
But more to the point, this is the scenario, where I determine why a primarily good, likely also more lawful than chaotic Invoker would need a high wisdom score.
If you're being attacked in a town, your intelligence would dictate what spells you know and know you have available. Wisdom comes into play however, when trying to figure out the best spell you have memorized in a given situation, to use for the problem at hand.
Example:
You're attacked by Nimbul in the middle of the street. Now as the fight breaks out, having not planned ahead of time you have 2 fireball spells and 1 lightning bolt spell available. With a high enough wisdom score, a good aligned character may realize that they can minimize the likelihood of causalities by using the lightning bolt instead of the fireball.
I don't know, this kinda just went off in my head as I was writing my initial Invoker response, and kinda gives me an interesting angle to RP from for my Invoker.
(Please note: I think that for chaotic characters, who are more likely to act on impulse, particularly on spur of the moment, collateral damage would be less of a factor in spell casting than it would be for a more lawfully aligned character).
Now, when I'm much older, I think Xan tops the non-evil mages, because wands can replace some of the key personal spells. For example, maximum damage from fireball is a mere 9d6. A L9 Invoker can cast 4 of these at most, assuming no other spells are memorized. With a fully-charged Wand of Fire, I can get Xan to fire off basically unlimited (for the purposes of any single encounter) fireballs at 6d6 damage each. He only lacks access to Invocation/Evocation spells, but through wands, he can cast those spells freely, and has a nice little Moonblade for the times when I wish to conserve resources and poke incapacitated enemies to death.
As an aside, Emotion is such an awesome spell in BG. Especially when I have two or three mages casting it from the edge of the fog of war at a bunch of enemies. Then fire off the wands of fire and roast enemies at their original positions XD
Xan is good, but not as forgiving (IRONY) as Edwin.
pew pew pew pew fsshshhhh boom!
I like to think of each school by exploring their historic, mythological and pop cultural origins.
-Invokers: the big explosions that capture the imagination. The guy who shoots fire out of a staff
-Illusionists: the tricksters in history like Loki and Puck
-Enchanters: Really, enchant(ress). The "wicked woman" trope who seduces men.
-Necromancers: The classic villain who seeks immortality
-Diviners: The Oracle is a classic character in pretty much every culture's mythology. My dad is from Delphi so I'm fond of them!
-Transmuters: Like the angry gods who don't like you and turn you into a spider
-Conjurers: Usually seem to be the bad guys who like to make deals with demons. Aleister Crowley style.
Not to sure about the protective spells
Xan's minimum starting level is L2, so Sleep should be the way to go until L3, when Horror can provide additional support. At L5, he gets Hold Person. He also gets Flame Arrow and Skull Trap to do some minor direct damage if required. All the aforementioned spells can either be obtained as random loot or bought at High Hedge. At L7, if the party can get to Ulgoth's Beard, he can get Emotion. He is able to perform at all levels, as long as the player keeps him out of harm's way. Wands are a bonus for him.
Then again, I guess I am not quite a newbie in BG anymore.
Seriously though, as long as we're discussing pop culture (Supernatural yay), I'm going to brave mentioning Harry Potter. Anyone else notice how Voldemort is basically a Dungeons and Dragons Lich? Horcrux = Phylactery and everything.
Avada Kedavra = Finger of Death
I've really enjoyed playing a Fighter 3/Transmuter recently per the above approach. Really fun. He melees with a halberd. Love using Color Spray in particular. Haven't enjoyed a character as much as this one in quite some time. Granted, this is a F/M versus a single class. But the prominent use of the Alteration school has been great fun coupled with being a Fighter.
I played a Necro on one of the PW in NWN2 and he ONLY cast Necromancy spells. Which was fine except that necromancy was "illegal" and anyone caught casting spells like Animate Dead, got reported and otherwise harassed. that sometimes wasn't so fun because he wasn't a Villain, per say but merely someone who was abnormally obsessed with The Dead.
Bleed for me.
Bleed for me, empty your viens and I will give you a darkness so consuming it will blot out all light, all warmth, and all hope.
And the darkness that caresses you will give you POWER, FREEDOM and IMMORTALITY.
Let it smother you in its embrace. Let its coldness consume you, energise you.
All who stand before you will age, bow and kneel because you have mastered time. And time will wait for you, whilst mere mortals turn to dust... enslaved in fear to times arrow.
You other mages... No mastery. Wild or otherwise.
You enchant us not.
Conjecture your worthlessness and
Summon your inner demons...
Then cast aside your illusions.
For you need not divine your true masters.
FOR NECROMANCERS WILL RULE ALL!
MwahahahAhahA!
Plus, the vampires don't sparkle in the sun and aren't all teen angsty.
The most important thing is -to sound-. God forbid becoming as mute as Valygar