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Ideal spell selection for party-oriented sorcerer?

MaurvirMaurvir Member Posts: 1,090
I decided to try a sorcerer MC this run and so far I have been pleased. However, I always get nervous when she levels, because I'm not sure which few spells I should have her learn. After last night's run-in with the mages on the ice-island (finding Shandalar's cloak), I'm beginning to wonder if I have made wise choices.

Specifically, she failed a save and got turned into a squirrel. Thankfully, Sirene has dispel magic as one of her innate abilities, or that could have gone horribly. I chose Improved Invisibility 10' and Melf's Minute Meteors for her 3rd level spells, thinking those would be most useful later on, but I'm thinking Minor Globe of Invulnerability might have been a better choice. (I will say that Improved Invisibility has been extremely useful so far)

So, since she is close to leveling up again, I figured I would ask. In a party with two paladins, and artificer, and a true cleric, what should she focus on learning?

Comments

  • jsavingjsaving Member Posts: 1,083
    edited November 2019
    1 - Magic missile, chromatic orb, identify (can also choose sleep if not advancing to BG2)
    2 - Mirror image, MAA, web
    3 - Haste, MMM, dispel, skull trap (can choose fireball instead if not advancing to BG2)
    4 - Stoneskin, greater malison, improved invisibility
    5 - Breach, spell immunity (can only reach this spell level in BG1 if using an XP cap remover)

    A couple of words on the 3rd level spell choices. MMM cuts through nearly all defenses and can also interrupt casters, which makes it useful in tough encounters even though its damage isn't top-notch. Skull trap inflicts a type of damage that isn't generally resisted and for whatever reason has no damage cap, making it useful all the way to ToB though its relatively small blast radius can make fireball the better choice in a BG1-only run-through.
    Post edited by jsaving on
  • Balrog99Balrog99 Member Posts: 7,367
    For a party oriented sorcerer I advise taking Slow instead of Haste. Potions of speed can be used to replicate Haste, there is no potion or wand of Slow.
  • MaurvirMaurvir Member Posts: 1,090
    Thanks. I am planning on taking this character all the way through to ToB, hence the planning.

    I ended up skipping Identify, as Aura has both a high lore and goggles. I'm hoping she makes it to BG2 before my party does. :) Also, it's not hard to keep a stack of them, as they appear commonly as loot. (Aura has a half-dozen in her pack) I dunno - I generally have it scribed, but not memorized, on most of my runs.

    I also skipped Dispel Magic due to Sirene having it as an innate ability, though that would be useful if the party didn't have her. Tough call, since I will only pick up two more in BG. I do use the XP cap remover, but I haven't been optimizing for XP on this run, so I'm not sure if she will hit 10 before SoD or not.

    Haste is one I hadn't thought about, though. Isra is wearing the Paws of the Cheetah, which gives her permanent haste, but it would be nice to have a backup. Skull trap I did consider, and I planned to pick it up when she gets her next chance to learn spells.

    The level 4 picks are all good. I am curious to know your thoughts on minor sequencer, though.
  • jsavingjsaving Member Posts: 1,083
    You take haste for the attack bonus which Paws of the Cheetah doesn't provide.
  • NeverusedNeverused Member Posts: 803
    If you’re going totally team oriented, a couple additional ideas:
    More 1st level spells, since you don’t want Identify: Blind and Spook are good crowd controls until ToB, with Spook being the only 1st level spell whose save scales. For the 5th, I’d take Shield for immunity to opposing magic missiles, and the bonus vs missiles doesn’t hurt either.
    Level 2: there’s not too much here, to be honest. Agannazar is the only area damage spell here with the other alternative usually being Melf’s Acid Arrow, and Invisibility and Mirror Image are solid defensive spells. Web for further crowd control, and the last slot is usually Glitterdust or Stinking Cloud for different saving throws. Invisibility might be skippable since you have the mass version, but still worth mentioning.
    3rd: if there’s any other arcane caster in your party, skip Haste: you can only cast it once before exhaustion anyways.
    Slow is good as mentioned above, but I’d give some thought into Spell Thrust, Remove Magic, Flame arrow, Minor Spell Deflection, and Protection from Fire. Spell thrust can knock out multiple spell defense, Remove Magic for a party friendly dispel, Flame arrow for single target damage, minor spell deflection for a cheap immunity to a targeted spell, and Protection from Fire for the stupid number of things that throw firestorms and fireballs like they’re going out of style. I’d personally go with Slow, Skull Trap, Invisibility 10”, Spell Thrust, and Remove Magic here.
    mGoI is OK, but 4th level slots are in high demand: Stoneskin, Emotion:Helplessness, Greater Malison, Improved Invisibility, and Secret Word are all potentially good spells here. Minor Sequencer is also OK, but it’ll be used either for double web or magic missile or something: I wouldn’t do it. Note Improved Invisibility can be skipped here: Mass Invisibility at 7th is just as functional, though you have to play safer until you can get there.
    So, Stoneskin, Greater Malison, Secret Word, Emotion:helplessness and one of Farsight, Polymorph Self, Spider Spawn, enchanted weapon, or spirit armor would be my choice here.
    5th: there’s not as much variation here. Spell Immunity, Chaos, Breach, Cloudkill, and Feeblemind or Lower Resistance would be my choices here. Shadow Door is possible if you really need Improved Invisibility now, Spell Shield might be crucial in mage vs mage fights, Cone of Cold is possible instead of Cloudkill, and Animate Dead is definitely a possibility for the last slot. If you have a cleric, not nearly as necessary though.
    6th: Death fog/ Death spell, Improved Haste, True Seeing, Pierce Magic, and Globe of Invulnerability or Spell Deflection. Invisible stalkers can be subbed for True Seeing if you have enough other spellcasters, or Protection from magic weapons if you’re afraid of your character getting killed by some vorpal weapon somewhere.
    7th: Mass Invisibility, Ruby Ray of Reversal/Khelben’s Warding Whip, Summon Djinni/Efreeti/Hakeashar/Mordenkainen’s sword, Project Image, Power word:Stun/Spell sequencer/Spell Turning.
    8th:ADHW, Bigby’s Clenched Fist (guaranteed stun for one round!), Protection from Energy, Simulacrum, Maze would be my call here. Pierce Shield if you still need more spell removers.
    9th: Bob’s your uncle, do whatever you want here. You’re probably casting HLAs from these slots anyways. If you have a good wisdom, though, Wish is a notable option.
    StummvonBordwehrBlackraven
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