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Favourite Mage Specialisation - BG Series

elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,315
Just curious to see where people stand on mage specialisation. This is mage exclusive, namely because of space. So if you are a sorceror/bard lover you are out of luck.
  1. Favourite Mage Specialisation - BG Series382 votes
    1. Non-specialised mage
      22.77%
    2. Abjurer
        2.36%
    3. Conjurer
      20.16%
    4. Diviner
        3.14%
    5. Enchanter
        2.36%
    6. Illusionist
        7.59%
    7. Invoker
      10.47%
    8. Necromancer
        7.85%
    9. Transmuter
        2.88%
    10. Wild Mage
      20.42%
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Comments

  • HvitrEbrithilHvitrEbrithil Member Posts: 36
    I find so many situations in BG requires a different approach, so anon-specialist mage would be my choice, as it would have the option to choose the spell best fitted for the task, as it would have access to all.

    Although, Wild Mages are pretty fun too!
    skyline818
  • XavioriaXavioria Member Posts: 874
    I like to role play as someone who has wisdom aplenty and if I could choose ANY super power, it would be to predict the future. Not only does this satisfy my own RP needs, but puts me at opposite ends with Edwin, who is basically needed because he has the one school of magic that I cannot cast.

    Although I guess when the game first starts out... I'm a pretty sucky diviner because I think anyone else would have been able to see Gorion's death from a mile away...
    QuartzLateralus
  • XzarXzar Member Posts: 215
    Gameplay-wise - transmuter. I found out after two playthroughs of BG2 as generalist mage that I rarely use abjuration spells, and there are at least one, but usually two other mages in party, who can cast breach-type spells instead of me.

    Roleplay-wise would be diviner, if only it not had two let-downs. First - its stupid to have high wisdom and not being able to use Wish spell. Second - since divination spells themselves play only a minor role, I always wanted them to be easier to memorize, say - two clairvoyances in one slot, two farsights, three or even four detect alignments, etc. As for conjuration itself - theres Edwin for that. The only event in the game that you really wish you had conjuration as a diviner is spellhold dream, where you confront one-on-one with your father. Had to use a lot of hastes and run around Imoen slinging on that occasion :)
    XavioriaRiolathel
  • SurvivorSurvivor Member Posts: 68
    Most of the time I actually played a non-specialised mage because I could not bare the thought of not being able to use alle the scrolls I'd find. More recently, I have began to like the wild mage, and I am definitely looking forward to playing the EE with Neera.
  • XavioriaXavioria Member Posts: 874
    I know that this might be cheating, but I always played a fighter Mage, and chose diviner through shadow keeper. Perhaps it wasn't the best choice since Some of the armor spells are conjugation, but I still really like the role play and personilization
    DragonspearRoller12
  • DragonspearDragonspear Member Posts: 1,838
    Xavioria said:

    I know that this might be cheating, but I always played a fighter Mage, and chose diviner through shadow keeper. Perhaps it wasn't the best choice since Some of the armor spells are conjugation, but I still really like the role play and personilization

    @Xavioria you're own D&D Jedi ;)?

  • XavioriaXavioria Member Posts: 874
    Well I figured an extra spell slot per level wasn't that big of a deal
  • JolanthusJolanthus Member Posts: 292
    Adventuring mages should be like Artillery. Raining down explosions on the enemy's head from far away.
    Dragonspearjhart1018TheSkrinMetaSieg
  • SallparadiseSallparadise Member Posts: 94
    Conjurer. People talk about invokers being great. What spells can they not cast, enchantment and conjuration.
    Yes, you could use wands of monster summoning all game or, for a much less of a cost simply use a conjurer that can't cast the most useless spells around. Divination.
    Quartz
  • SchneidendSchneidend Member Posts: 3,190
    Lich Touch, Vampiric Touch...reach out and touch someone. /sinistercackle
    QuartzSophiaMortianna
  • Metal_HurlantMetal_Hurlant Member Posts: 324
    I like to be able to use all the spells.
  • XavioriaXavioria Member Posts: 874
    @sallparadise HEY! I can identify items!!!! And then, as a diviner, I can find out where you live, MUAHAHAHA!!!!
  • MilesBeyondMilesBeyond Member Posts: 324
    Conjurer is easily the best, but for sheer zany fun, nothing beats the Wild Mage
    Not_the_Pope
  • KosonKoson Member Posts: 284
    Conjurer - in-game divination spells are not very impressive / useful (except Identify, and you can use scrolls / another magic caster / a bard's high lore / shops for identifying magic items).
  • AnduineAnduine Member Posts: 416
    I prefer keeping my Mage unspecialized so that I maintain a very broad range of spells.
  • JolanthusJolanthus Member Posts: 292
    I've always had a problem with summoning... Where did that Hobgoblin come from? Was he magically whisked away from his tribe in the mountains in the middle of dinner to fight on your behalf? Why should they?
  • SceptenarSceptenar Member Posts: 606
    Conjurer, because it is simply the best one. Necromancer is doable, but I don't like to lose the more useful illusion spells.
  • gfm50gfm50 Member Posts: 124
    edited August 2012
    I thought about it more in terms of two mages in a party combined. I would try to get a conjurer that couldn't cast divination and an invoker that couldn't cast enchantment/charm. That way, between the whole party, ID, true sight, oracle, domination, dominate monster, greater malison, hold, etc. were still available and without forgoing extra slots for the powerful necromancy, conjuration, alteration, illusion, and invoker spells.

    If I had to pick one though, I would go with conjurer, since the only worthy spells you're losing are the various detect/dispel illusion divination spells, which can either be made up by a cleric (true seeing) or forgone at a low utility and combat opportunity cost through other spells or means (vendor or ID glasses in the case of item ID).
    Koson
  • Permidion_StarkPermidion_Stark Member Posts: 4,861
    I tend to choose illusionist (because it sounds cool to me) but to be honest when I play a mage the only two real considerations are can I cast Magic MIssile and can I cast Identify? If the answer to both is "yes" I am happy. Any other spells are just a bonus.
    Dragonspear
  • chickenhedchickenhed Member Posts: 208
    Conjurer for both practical and roleplay reasons. Practical is obvious. Divination spells aren't overly needed in this game and I don't usually solo, so I can have another mage use them if necessary. Roleplay because I LOVE summons. I really do. I even wrote this http://www.gamebanshee.com/forums/threads/summons-spoilers-maybe-and-a-bit-long.85035/ a while back because I was bored (I think druids SHOULD be the ultimate summoners and I was hoping the elemental princes could help fulfill that role).
  • O_BruceO_Bruce Member Posts: 2,790
    Damn it, didn't noticed that there was non-specialized mage as a choose. I should have more sleep lately...
    AristilliusStormvessel
  • DjimmyDjimmy Member Posts: 749
    I don't want to lose any of the schools above. They all are far too important. Wild mage is cool but I prefer not to specialize in any school.

    In 3rd edition of d&d, if you choose Transmutation, you also have to choose either Conjuration or Evocation as its opposite school. Considering the fact that Time Stop in d&d(and not its BG implementation) is primarily used to escape combat, summon allies or buffing, due to the inability to harm your enemies while they are in the area of effect of your Time Stop, it is not advisable to choose Conjuration school as its opposite. From another point of view, you can use Time Stop to cast spells that last for a period of time longer than the period of Time Stop, so they can harm the enemies when the Time Stop expires. In these both cases you limit your mage to summoning or doing "direct" damage combined with buffing. In BG the opposite school of Transmutation is Abjuration, which is not to be missed either.

    Examples like the one above make me lean towards Non-specialised mage.
  • neleotheszeneleothesze Member Posts: 231
    Conjurer, mostly for roleplay reasons. Charname grew up in Candlekeep with senile old scholars and very few children her age. I think a lonely child in a library full of magic tomes would be itching to find herself a few new friends. The fact that Divination is the opposite school was no big loss either :)
    theoricus
  • Space_hamsterSpace_hamster Member Posts: 950
    edited August 2012
    Necromancy! Because raising your own undead army is just too much fun! (and for the anti-social players out there, the undead will always be your friends and hang out, not like they have anything else to do!)
    Djimmy
  • AliteriAliteri Member Posts: 308
    Slots for free, special spells that gives you more options and causing havoc in Baldur's Gate because that Clairvoyance spell turned out to summon a flying bovine. A pain for ironmanning I suppose but its not like I have patience for that anymore.
    Not_the_Pope
  • Twilight_FoxTwilight_Fox Member Posts: 448
    Sorcerer in fact.
  • KharasKharas Member Posts: 150

    One there was a spell called fireball. Fireball went boom. Then more fireballs were had and more booms were made. Thus fireball made me happy. Let us all fondly remember fireball.

    Yes Fireball and Magic Missile are the main reasons I always wanted to be an invoker even though they can't use enchantment magic. Who needs enchantment when you can just web and fireball ^_^

    @DragonSpear "Sniff" your poetry bring a tear to my eye. May your days be full of spellbooks containing firery distruction and doom and may your enemies burn to a light crisp suitable for a bbq!
    DragonspearJolanthusDjimmyMetaSieg
  • DragonspearDragonspear Member Posts: 1,838
    @Kharas I should make a custom female voice set that says "hehe fire fire"
    Kharas
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