@LREC I agree on magic missle completely. Not the single most powerful spell overall but in terms of magic damage in a single playthrough it's up there.
You use it throughout as a primary single-target damage spell. Each part rolls for magic res seperately so you can get a % through on harder opponents. And hell, it's a level 1 spell so you can spam cast it. It's got the killing blow on Firkraag lots of times for me.
For some reason at high levels in BG2, chromatic orb was like finger of death. Whenever I cast it, enemies would die instantly, with the same death animation (floating spirit thingy). Anyone else remember this?
BG1: Sleep, and protection from petrification without a doubt, both allowed you to level up to higher levels quickly and put you in a position of power early in the game.
BG2: chromatic orb and breach are the 2 I would rank as the top.
Starting out in BG1 I rely heavily on the combination of two very powerful AoE spells: Sleep and Horror. Sleep in particular is essential early on. Later in the game that combo gets upgraded to Slow and Emotion: Hopelessness. The various Hold and Charm spells that target individuals are also key. Disable as many as possible then target the most powerful enemies. (By BG2 the same Aoe principle has me using Chaos and Sphere of Chaos with Emotion: Hopelessness, but mainly to make quicker work of summoned mobs.)
In BG2, for me arcane magic becomes more about using spells that break through the enemy's magical protections, and protecting the party magically. But for "most powerful" I guess Time Stop gets my vote. I agree with the observations above about losing valuable loot via Imprisonment being a real downside to the spell. I don't use it for that reason.
Sleep in bg1, hands down. Loved magic missile in bg2... works against pretty much anything and with spell sequencer retains usefulness throughout whole game. Other than that 3x horrid wilting in chain contingency killed Demogorgon in my solo playtrough... I think I needed to cast few pierce magic's first though
Hmm. How about a Doom/Greater Malison combination? Both are offensive spells and they do stack. Those 2 open up a lot of other possibilities as well on opponents with crazy saves.
Doom + Greater Malison + Spook and even dragons are going to flee. This might not seem that useful, but panicked opponents don't cast spells so no more wing buffet, no death spells on summons, no dragon breath etc.
Personally I really likes Flame Arrow and Similacrum the best, as far as power they speak for themselves I hate the cloud spells, take way too much time to dissapear sometimes and wont let me rest =(
If you mean direct damage dealing, then Dragon's Breath and Horrid Wilting are the two greatest.
If you mean in terms of just raw power, then Shapechange and Time Stop is an unbeatable combination. The only enemies that can beat it are those immune to Time Stop... of which there are only a couple.
In terms of ultimately causing the most damage done, direct or indirect... Probably Haste. I cannot live without Haste.
Time Stop + Improved Alacrity. Then if you have Robe of Vecna (and of course you do) you can cast another 20 spells and kill everything.
Good Lord yes...I (who love Wizards) could unload an entire arsenal in mere seconds with that.
But I think Finger of Death was pretty good. Even if you succeed in the save, you at least take a hit like a bastardsword. Other than that, Spell Trap via the Staff of the Magi was insanely overpowered. 8 hour lifespan. I abused that weapon like no end. Oh and Stoneskin, stoneskin, stoneskin!
For some reason at high levels in BG2, chromatic orb was like finger of death. Whenever I cast it, enemies would die instantly, with the same death animation (floating spirit thingy). Anyone else remember this?
omg yes! Im currently playing a Wild Mage, and found Chromatic Orb more fitting then MM. ( both spells are my top fav spells in the series) And still inside the first dungeon, i seem to get insta kills with my orbs. Gotta love it.
In bg1 with bg1 engine : Charm person, fireball In bg2 with bg2 engine : Breach, Cloudkill Realistically though the most powerful spell in the game by a long margin is stoneskin. Im assuming when you say offensive though you mean red coloured spell icons.
Abi Dhalzim's Horrid Wilting + Chain Contingency, three dhalzims in one contingency, activate on seeing enemy. Will kill just about anything in one hit...
Other than Magic Missile (powerful because come on...motherf***ing MAGIC MISSILES) I really liked Flesh to Stone. Hard enemies would usually save against them, but if you meet a pack of goblins/hobgoblins...Myrkul have mercy on their souls.
I never really got far enough in BG2 to use high-level spells, and magic wasn't that effective in BG1 compared to fighters/paladins, so I'm not really sure. Magic Missile and Flesh to Stone are my favourite, powerful or not.
I always start off an encounter with a bunch of aoe damage.. So for me its probably Fireball.. Yes, you get bigger and badder aoe spells later on. But for pure damage trough the whole game.. Fireball just plain rocks!
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You use it throughout as a primary single-target damage spell. Each part rolls for magic res seperately so you can get a % through on harder opponents. And hell, it's a level 1 spell so you can spam cast it. It's got the killing blow on Firkraag lots of times for me.
I also liked sleep a lot, followed up with a fireball once I'd moved my party away.
BG2: chromatic orb and breach are the 2 I would rank as the top.
damage-wise I´d go for the skulltrap (dangerous) and on higher lvls sunray ( for it hits all enemies)
I prefer special conditions evoked onto the enemy more than pure "boom-potencial"
In BG2, Horrid Wilting and Dragon's Breath. Time Stop and Improved Alacrity are buffs not offensive spells.
In BG2, for me arcane magic becomes more about using spells that break through the enemy's magical protections, and protecting the party magically. But for "most powerful" I guess Time Stop gets my vote. I agree with the observations above about losing valuable loot via Imprisonment being a real downside to the spell. I don't use it for that reason.
Doom + Greater Malison + Spook and even dragons are going to flee. This might not seem that useful, but panicked opponents don't cast spells so no more wing buffet, no death spells on summons, no dragon breath etc.
I hate the cloud spells, take way too much time to dissapear sometimes and wont let me rest =(
If you mean direct damage dealing, then Dragon's Breath and Horrid Wilting are the two greatest.
If you mean in terms of just raw power, then Shapechange and Time Stop is an unbeatable combination. The only enemies that can beat it are those immune to Time Stop... of which there are only a couple.
In terms of ultimately causing the most damage done, direct or indirect... Probably Haste. I cannot live without Haste.
bg2 spells- blade barrier, dragon breath
But I think Finger of Death was pretty good. Even if you succeed in the save, you at least take a hit like a bastardsword. Other than that, Spell Trap via the Staff of the Magi was insanely overpowered. 8 hour lifespan. I abused that weapon like no end.
Oh and Stoneskin, stoneskin, stoneskin!
shapechange in bg2
Anywho, I have to say Charm was probably the most powerful for me. It saved my butt on far more occasions than I can count. Only when you're attacking the darkness! o.o
In bg2 with bg2 engine : Breach, Cloudkill
Realistically though the most powerful spell in the game by a long margin is stoneskin. Im assuming when you say offensive though you mean red coloured spell icons.
I never really got far enough in BG2 to use high-level spells, and magic wasn't that effective in BG1 compared to fighters/paladins, so I'm not really sure. Magic Missile and Flesh to Stone are my favourite, powerful or not.
EDIT: In Baldur's Gate 1 that is. In Baldur's Gate 2 I remember Finger of Death and Meteor being pretty badass.
I would say Chaos is the best offensive spell in BG2. Utility spells, pretty much everyone of them.