Sorcerer spell repertoire
Darkstar_Aurora
Member Posts: 3
I have chosen Sorcerers almost exclusively as my class for over a decade in tabletop and PC D&D games, since they were first introduced in Baldur's Gate II and then in the 3rd edition of Dungeons & Dragons. Needless to say I am eagerly looking forward to being able to play one in an official version of the original game of the saga.
As such I have spent a fair amount of time lately refining and pondering my spell choices for what will obviously be a much lower level character, and was also curious as to what spells other players prefer to take as well (please share!). I am guessing that with the new content the new XP limits *might* enable a sorcerer to reach 10th level by the end, so with that in mind these are the spells I have set my sights on for the moment (note that spells within each spell level are listed in the order in which they are aquired..i.e. Melf's Acid Arrow is not learned until 7th level, when its duration becomes worthwhile)
5th- Chaos
4th- Stoneskin, Minor Sequencer
3rd- Fireball, Dispel Magic, Invisibility 10ft radius
2nd- Glitterdust, Knock, Melf's Acid Arrow, Web
1st- Magic Missile, Protection from Evil, Friends, Identify, Protection from Petrification
I have contemplated choosing Sleep as one of the first level spells known from the start of the game in lieu of one of the others, despite the fact that it would become useless if such a character was taken in Shadows of Amn and Throne of Bhaal. Nevertheless, I imagine it would be incredibly useful in BG1, and my 3.5 D&D sorcerers always took it at 1st level since that ruleset allowed you to exchange known spells at later levels or through other means (retraining, Wish spells, etc)
Please feel free to share your likely Sorcerer spell selections as well.
As such I have spent a fair amount of time lately refining and pondering my spell choices for what will obviously be a much lower level character, and was also curious as to what spells other players prefer to take as well (please share!). I am guessing that with the new content the new XP limits *might* enable a sorcerer to reach 10th level by the end, so with that in mind these are the spells I have set my sights on for the moment (note that spells within each spell level are listed in the order in which they are aquired..i.e. Melf's Acid Arrow is not learned until 7th level, when its duration becomes worthwhile)
5th- Chaos
4th- Stoneskin, Minor Sequencer
3rd- Fireball, Dispel Magic, Invisibility 10ft radius
2nd- Glitterdust, Knock, Melf's Acid Arrow, Web
1st- Magic Missile, Protection from Evil, Friends, Identify, Protection from Petrification
I have contemplated choosing Sleep as one of the first level spells known from the start of the game in lieu of one of the others, despite the fact that it would become useless if such a character was taken in Shadows of Amn and Throne of Bhaal. Nevertheless, I imagine it would be incredibly useful in BG1, and my 3.5 D&D sorcerers always took it at 1st level since that ruleset allowed you to exchange known spells at later levels or through other means (retraining, Wish spells, etc)
Please feel free to share your likely Sorcerer spell selections as well.
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Comments
-Magic Missile or Chromatic Orb as my damage spell
-Shield is my standard go-to defense spells for sorcerers. Normally I don't bother using it on a mage because it wears out so quickly but being able to whip it out on a whim turns it into a really long-lasting spell.
-Charm Person is amazing, especially when you can simply spam casting it til it works. Helps in BG2 a lot.
I'd say Prot from Evil is a good spell. Identify is not really necessary to waste a spell slot on. I'd go with Spook instead. Single target horror still scales well late.
I 100% advice against protection from petrification. Outside of Basilisks, what even petrifies? It's too situational and easy enough to plan ahead for simply by way of scrolls and potions.
I'll come write more later. I gotta head down to my internship at the radio station I work for literally right this very second.
2nd level:
-Why waste a permanent spell slot on Knock? It's way too situational. Unless you're soloing, chances are you'll have a thief in the party to open doors for you. Barring that, use a secondary mage.
-Why glitterdust over just regular invisibility? You'll be able to whip it out at will on whomever you want. Might as well go for the gold.
I agree with Melf's/Web. Could possibly swap Melf's for Aganazzar's Scorcher if you want. Definitely don't waste a slot on Knock. Take Mirror Image instead as it's one of the best defensive spells in the game.
3rd:
If you're going to take invisibility as a level 2 spell, don't waste another slot on it. I'd say take Haste. It's arguably the best buff spell in the game.
4th:
Don't need sequencer on a sorcerer as every spell you can cast is already at your fingertips. I'd go for Otiluke's Resilient Sphere, personally. Both useful as a crowd control method when cast on an enemy you want to stay where it is, or defensively because you can get it out there faster than a heal. Useful for when you feel like you won't be able to save a dude otherwise. If you decide to skip invisibility at 2nd, you can take improved invisibility here. (I'd recommend that as there are not a huge plethora of necessary level 4 spells.)
5th:
Cone of Cold. 5th level slots are not terribly useful from a buff standpoint (what I feel Sorcerers are best at), and you don't fight enough enemies in BG1 proper to warrant using it on Breach, which is what I always went for first in BG2.
Minor spell sequencer not worth it for a sorceror - just use scrolls instead.
The rest seem ok except possibly invisibility 10ft, which gets superceeded later by Invisibility sphere (basically improved invis 10ft) which also comes at a spell level with not so many good choices.
4th- Stoneskin, Minor Sequencer
3rd- Fireball, Dispel Magic, Invisibility 10ft radius
2nd- Glitterdust, Knock, Melf's Acid Arrow, Web
1st- Magic Missile, Protection from Evil, Friends, Identify, Protection from Petrification"
Last time I played a sorcerer I basically took your list, except for Identify, Friends, and Knock. I usually have a multiclass mage or pure mage to take care of those three. Sometimes I will take haste over minor sequencer.
For first level I usually take Chromatic Orb and Color Spray. For second level, sleep is a must in low level campaigns. Amazing crowd control, and in BG1 vanilla creatures didn't wake when struck. Nothing takes out those kobold commando archers like a good sleep spell.
For offensive Sorcs, I look for spells that (1) scale with levels or (2) offer useful, multi-mob crowd control. I also try to squeeze in at least one protection spell per level that doesn't duplicate functionality I already have.
Early must haves:
First - Magic Missiles, Shield, and Protection from Evil. Then maybe Chromatic Orb (which scales to 12 and can still work afterwords with the appropriate debuff spells). Spook is probably the best of the three CC spells at that level.
Second - Melf's, Horror, Mirror Images
Third - Dispell Magic, Haste, Skull Trap over Fireball (Reason being: Skull Trap will damage mobs that are immune to elemental damage. It also, afaik, has no damage ceiling like Fireball does. Plus, of you really need it Fire is always available through scrolls, wands, and support mages of any stripe.)
Fourth - Stoneskin, Great Malison (flat reduction in mob saving throws but duration scales with your level).
FIfth - Breach
Glitterdust shuts down a group of enemies by blinding them for 4 rounds with no harm to your party. It's quite good in the beginning of BG2 (before saving throws get too good) and I expect it to be extremely effective in the low-level environment of BG1. I'd totally recommend it. Just having all spells at your fingertips still won't allow you to cast two of them in one round with almost no casting time. Instant double Magic Missile, Instant Double Chromatic Orb, Instant Double Web... It's just too good not to take. And if nothing else, it allows you to save any castings you have left at the end of the day, basically expanding your number of spells for the next day.
Yes, it's more versatile for a Wizard, but a a Sorc can still make very good use for it. I'd probably go with Hold Monster for my 5th level spell. That's yet another one that should work great with the low-ish saves of most BG1 enemies. But Chaos and Cone of Cold are both good choices too.
That said, I am not a fan of taking spells that do not scale well for sorcerers. 1) I don't believe in only having one arcane spell caster so spells like that, I give my regular wizard.
I feel that Sequencer is a waste of a known spell for sorcerers. Why waste a 4th level slot to whip out magic missiles faster when you could use it on one of the handful of super good defensive spells whipping out on command proves highly beneficial? Also sequencer doesn't "expand" your number of spells for the day: the spells you load into sequencer are then taken away from what you can already cast for the day. So loading two magic missiles in it would eat two of your level 1 spells, as well as your 4th level slot. You'd LOSE spells per day in the name of speed.
Hold Monster I can see being okay. Not a lot of call for it in BG1, though, by the time you'd get levels high enough to cast it. You pretty much only fight against humanoids once you're in the city's gates. It's why I favor taking a 5th level nuke spell first.
@Brude: Why both Magic Missile AND Chromatic Orb? I can't think of a time where you'd ever decide to cast one over the other. That's the thing about Sorcerers. I find there is little to no reason to ever have multiple damage spells of the same level because you'll likely only ever cast one or the other even if you know two.
2: Horror, Mirror Image, Melf's Acid Arrow (or Invisibility)
3: Skull Trap (or fireball - i prefer skull trap, damages more enemies and you can stack them on top of a spot and lure an enemy onto them), Haste, Dispel Magic
4: Stoneskin, Confusion
5: Cone of Cold
For memory there was restrictions like one spell per a level and only on a level up and might have even impacted on number of spells available per level for one level above the level of swapped spells i.e. choose two 3rd levels spells, however you decide to swap web for mirror image (2nd level) and now you can only choose one 3rd level spell. Can anyone confirm / deny? Can't access laptop right now.
Anyway - as far as suggestions go, I highly recommend Melf's Minute Meteors. For memory it's a 3rd level spell and creates one magical +5 throwing rock per level. Particularly useful for making sure you don't wade into combat like other spells require such as ghoul touch & vampiric touch (admittedly it's awesome though).
Even when the choice is better for BG1, I'm the type of guy that can't help but plan a dude for the whole saga. That's me, however, and I understand not everyone else feels that way.
For a sorcerer straight in BG2, I always took Breach and Lower Resistance. Left the big damage stuff up to Imoen or Edwin. I like making my sorcerers more of a support caster, always going for stuff that worked well spammy-like rather than single cast and done spells. (Has nothing to do with Cloudkill vs. Cone of Cold. Just a general philosophy.)
I think identify, friends, sleep, protection from petrification and horror would be a big waste.
Chromatic Orb will stun, blind and eventually paralyse the victim, although it does give the target a saving throw.
L.
I may be wrong, but it's like that in my mémory.
My first playthrough of BG:EE I'm going to be a Sorcerer, choosing enough spells to remain somewhat versatile, with a focus in blasting.
I'm not sure exactly what I want just yet, but I think this (provided the Burning Hands spell has been fixed to an AoE, as I read it was in the Fixed Bugs category here on the forums):
L1: Burning Hands, Protection From Evil, Chromatic Orb, Magic Missile, Friends
L2: Melf's Acid Arrow, Web, Mirror Image, Agannazar's Scorcher
L3: Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Flame Arrow
L4: Minor Globe of Invulnerability, Stoneskin
L5: Chaos
L1: Larloch's Minor Drain, Protection from Evil, Burning Hands, Spook, Blindness
L2: Invisibility, Horror, Mirror Image, Deafness
L3: Skull Trap, Invisibility 10' Radius, Vampiric Touch
L4: Stoneskin, Polymorph Other
L5: Animate Dead
For me, the roleplaying factor will outweigh his (somewhat) sucky and redundant spell choices. His picks at max level are even worse...
The spell switching was intrduced in either DnD 3.0 or 3.5. Not sure. But the Sorc is from those editions, so swapping spells out might not even be real "cheating".
I would like to know, however, if we'll be given a chance to switch spells and do other minor tweaks to our characters (re-assign proficiencies or rogue skill points, pick another kit, stuff like that) when we import to BG2EE...
Plus, I've got a soft spot for Chromatic Orb. You hit a mob with Doom or Greater Malison and follow up with the max level Orb, you've got yourself a poor man's Finger of Doom. :-D
I love sorcerers and that would be interesting, but it would also mean a huge improvement for them (already the strongest middle/end-game class).
Anyway, since you can't switch spells (unless you use ShadowKeeper), it doesn't make sense to waste useful slots with spell you won't use anymore in BG2. Unless, of course, you don't plan to use that char for the whole trilogy.
I always go for:
L1: Magic Missile, Spook, Charm, Protection from Evil, Chromatic Sphere (useful in BG2)
L2: Mirror Image, Melf's Acid Arrow, Glitterdust (mainly for invisible creatures), Resist Fear (useful in BG2)
L3: Haste, Skull Trap, Dispel Magic
L4: Stoneskin, Improved Invisibility/Fire Shield
L5: Sunfire
EDIT: I remember you that with Ring of Fire Resistance + Fire Shield if you use a Sunfire you actually heal yourself, other than damaging all around you ignoring eventual Magic Resistance.
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1 Magic Missile
1 Identify (There are no other good lvl 1 spells for when you are at higher levels)
3 Spook (-6 penalty on save)
5 Protection from Petrification (PfE from all mages, clerics, paladins, staff of magi etc.)
7 Chromatic Orb (Kills trolls if nothing else)
II
4 Glitterdust (Good disable, even on higher levels with GM)
5 Mirror Image (For any stray missiles)
7 Melf's Acid Arrow (Only worthwhile damage spell on this level, sadly)
9 Resist Fear (Fear is so extremely common especially in BG2)
III
6 Remove Magic (You might skip this and take MMM or Skull Trap)
7 Melf's Minute Meteors
9 Slow (-4 penalty on save)
IV
8 Greater Malison (To make sure enemey saves fail)
9 Improved Invisibility (Or if you really want to use quarter staff, Stone Skin)
V
10 Sunfire (Scales nicely on higher levels)
Web is a good choice if you don't want Glitterdust. I however don't really like the fact that it also effects allies and is an easy way to get yourself killed. Summons are not that useful with SCS because mages cast so many Death Spells (in BG2), on vanilla it would certainly be an option. However with 5 creature summon limit, you might as well leave that to your other casters.
I will argue against taking Identify on a Sorcerer forever. If you really need the item identified, there's a bajillion alternate ways to taking care of it. Why waste a spell slot on something that situational? It's not like it's hard to get money in BG2.
Protection from Petrification is also pretty useless. Seriously, other than Basilisks what do you even encounter that throws Petrification out there? Beholders? They also shoot dispel beams that'll strip you of the buff anyway, so the best way to handle them is with items that counter them, or summons.
Protection from Evil is useful the entire game because it simply gives a flat -2 AC bonus regardless of enemy's actual alignment types.
Shield is still on the table. Grease is still on the table. Larloch's Minor Drain is more useful than either ID or PfP.
L1: Magic Missile, Shield, Spook, Protection from Evil, Burning Hand (troll killing in BG2)
L2: Knock, Mirror Image, Web, Resist Fear, Blur
L3: Skull Trap, Slow, Flame Arrow, Protection from Normal Missile, Remove Magic
L4: Stoneskin, Spider Spawn (my first summon, combos with Web), Fireshield, Greater Malison, Wizard Eye
L5: Sunfire, Spell Immunity, Animate Dead, Breach, Lower Resistance
First of all, let me clear some things. I generally focus on dmg spells and fire spells (roleplay thing), so sometimes those take preference over others. I'll also have at least one more mage in the party, who will take buff spells (haste and slow for example) and a cavalier and a cleric for protection from evil and resist fear. I also plan to take him through the whole saga, so spells that become redundant later are skipped.
L1: MAGIC MISSLE (ofc...), SPOOK (nice save comes handy later), SHIELD (AC is not that important, but handy, especially in the beginning), CHROMATIC ORB (on some lvls it has nice effect, with Greater Malison and some natural luck it could be useable even later), BURNING HANDS (FIRE! Troll killer, plus if I'm good enough, might hit 2 with it...)
Was thinking about Friends too, but fire won in the end.
L2: MELF' ACID ARROW (dmg, ofc...), BLUR (on low lvls I think its better than Mirror Image so I take this first), GLITTERDUST (CC and invisibility remover), WEB (CC, will work well with spiders), (Mirror Image not in BGEE due to exp cap).
Invisibility sounded good, but will worth nothing after I get my Staff of Magi in SoB. Agannazar's was tempting, but with 3d6 dmg and no scaling? Even when it comes to fire spells I still have some common sense...
L3: FIREBALL, FLAME ARROW, REMOVE MAGIC. Yeah, no skull trap. 50% more dmg, for less cast range and problematic to set up. Fireball is easier to use. My mage will have 1-2 skull traps. Flame Arrow for single targets, and remove magic to... well, remove magic. Others can do dispel too, remove is usually more useful, as I find it. (later: Vampiric Touch (just personal favourite. If we will ge to keep the Bhaal powers after slayer I will skip it) and Melf's Minute Meteor (might change places with Flame Arrow))
L4: STONESKIN, SPIDER SPAWN (goes well with Web)
Later: Greater Malison (don't think I'll need it for BGEE), Wizard Eye and a 5th one... maybe Fireshiled (FIRE!) or Polymorph Other. Minor sequencer is too limited... Imp. Invis could be a choice, but with Staff of Magi, and Mass Invisibility later... skip.
L5: CONE OF COLD or SUNFIRE. Can't really decide... Sunfire is fire, and bigger aoe, but another elemental dmg would be good to have, otherwise I will may some peoblems with fire immune creatures.
After that: Breach, Animate Dead, Lower Resistance and Domination
((( High levels:
L6: Chain Lightning, Invisible Stalker, Prot. from Magic Weapons, Death Spell, True Sight
L7: Mordy's sword, Mass Invis, Spell Sequencer, Finger of Death, Project Image (mage will do limited wish)
L8: ADHW, Simulacrum, Spell Trigger, Power Word: Blind, (+with cap remove: Incendiary Cloud (it cool to summon a firestorm...)
L9: Time Stop, Chain Contingency, Spellstrike, Wish (with cap remove: Shapechange, Wail of the Banshee or Gate) )))
Cloudkill or hold monster > Chaos.