I keep using the same spells all the time, help me mix it up!
Nostalgia
Member Posts: 14
So I recently played a Sorcorer because I found whenever I play a mage I end up using the same spells anyway regardless of choice. In my next play through I wana play a specilist mage and experiment with some lesser used spells for fun.
Help me pick some spells for each level that are not commonly used.
Common spells I use are: Magic missle, sleep, identify, armor, mirror image, melfs acid arrow, abaneasors scorcher, fireball, haste, slow, etc. Obviously other too...
Help me pick out some spells that I can use that are fun and reliable for regular use.
Edit: Lets extend this to priest/druid spells: what are some spells you find fun that arnt commonly used?
Help me pick some spells for each level that are not commonly used.
Common spells I use are: Magic missle, sleep, identify, armor, mirror image, melfs acid arrow, abaneasors scorcher, fireball, haste, slow, etc. Obviously other too...
Help me pick out some spells that I can use that are fun and reliable for regular use.
Edit: Lets extend this to priest/druid spells: what are some spells you find fun that arnt commonly used?
Post edited by Nostalgia on
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Comments
Shield is a better choice than Armor for a sorcerer IMO, but Armor is a better choice than Shield for a mage IMO as well. The reason being is that a sorc can pop shield whenever necessary and use other 1st lvl spells instead when its not without any prep time. A mage has to think ahead and prepare for things in advance. Armor's very long duration means 1 prep of it is usually good till you need to rest.
I actually dont ever take sleep because it becomes useless at higher levels. But Colorspray is a similar spell that you could use in its place. If you'd prefer something that will be useful through the whole series take Spook!
At 2nd level you really don't have much choice outside of Melf's Acid Arrow or Agannazar's Scorcher for dealing damage. Other spells at this level that are useful include: Ray of Enfeeblement, Resist Fear, Invisibility, Glitterdust, Mirror Image, Horror, Blur
At 3rd level Skull Trap instead of fireball is often recommended due to the fact that Skull Trap has no damage cap whereas Fireball maxes at lvl 10. Skull Trap requires a little more finesse to use though. Lightning Bolt is just too detrimental to your party to use indoors IMO. Flame Arrow is great for single target damage AND it scales through the whole series. Melf's Minute Meteors is a great spell especially in bg2 and tob. If you want non damage type spells in place of haste/slow try Hold Person or Dire Charm. Monster Summoning spells are useful too even if only to send ahead to trigger traps for you.
With all that said there's a reason you find yourself using some of the same spells frequently... even throughout the whole series. They are just that good. Even in pnp D&D some spells are just so universally useful you'll see them used constantly. Magic Missile is probably one of the most commonly used spells though all generations of D&D!
if you really wanted to diversify your spells you will have to downgrade a bit. Doesn't sound like you really care too much about diversity though so just stick with what works best.
While the damage spells are nice, they are not the only way you can play a mage effectively. In my opinion most of the direct damage spells are a waste to memorize anyway, because there are more then enough wands to take care of that if needed.
Sorry but this is horrible advice lol. He's not looking to reduce his efficiency at all...
I'll briefly go over some of the more offensive style spells.. you don't have as many options as you think you do
Level 1 spells
Grease can be highly effective especially when you have lots of Ranged in your party
Color Spray is actually effective at lower levels, make sure not to get in it's AOE range yourself
Blindness is good, -4 to hit rolls and -4 to AC on select target
Laroch's Minor Drain is the poor mans magic missile
Burning Hands is fun, and a good option to replace Magic Missile even though you sacrifice range
Chromatic Orb is pretty fun
Chill Touch is the same as Shocking Grasp except with 2 less damage
Shocking Grasp can be pleasurable but you have to roll a successful melee attack
Sleep is pretty damn useful
Level 2 spells
Horror - Amazing spell, nothing else to say
Ghoul Touch paralyzes them upon successful melee attack
Stinking Cloud is a nice AOE spell
Web is quite good, but annoys the hell out of me
Melfs Acid Arrow is one of the only level 2 pure damage spells
Agannazars Scorcher is the other level 2 pure damage spell
Level 3
Hold Person is amazing. I didn't actually know it had an AOE effect until recently
Dire Charm is a nice breath of fresh air and is lots of fun
Slow is a Pretty fun spell although I rarely use it
Monster Summoning I is simply classic
Fireball
Skull Trap
Lightning
Flame Arrow - these 4 spells make up your core level 3 damage output
What other combo's do you guys find fun?
Here's another: entangle and lighting storm =D
Doom + Blindness -> Take out one strong melee opponent from the fight
Doom + charm/dire charm -> can turn the tide of battle easily, and turning people against eachother is lots of fun
Doom/Greater Malison + Hold person -> awesome
Grease/Web + Fireball ->makes it easier to get more then 1 fireballs off
Mirror image + shield + stone skin (the more protection spells you can get the better) + fire shield -> let your opponents die as they try to hurt you
Skull trap is also good spell. Unlike a thief who is limited to 7 traps, the mage can have infinite (I once set 100+ against the final guardians leading to demogorgon, who have btw 60-90 MR and those traps only killed 4 of them outright).
Horror is another great spell, especially when facing superior numbers. While mages and clerics can deal the pain, they really shine at making the enemy easy targets for your heavy hitters.
Or I sometimes play specialist mages to use only their school's spells. So for example, if you make a Conjurer protagonist he or she at casting level 1 will use only Grease, Find Familiar (and then whatever the familiar can cast), and Armor; Glitterdust, Melf's Acid Arrow, and Power Word: Sleep at level 2, etc.
And when I do this I typically also assemble a party of other specialist mages from among Xzar, Edwin, Xan, and Dynaheir... and now we can add Neera... and have them cast only their school's spells as well. For Neera this means using Nahal's exclusively, so you might want to think twice about it! (Or play her less strictly according to specialization.)
You'll probably still want to have a thief and healer in the party, though. It is doable without those classes (i.e., with six specialist mages) but the game becomes a bit more chore-like with respect to healing and traps; and Durlag's is a real bear.
That mod not being compatible with BGEE is the reason why I haven't started my BGEE run yet since after trying it I can't live with the unmodded and boring spell system. The best part of it is that it actually makes pure druids viable indoors.
[SPOILER]Summon Cow[/spoiler]
That spell is LOTS OF TONS OF FUN!!!!