Sorc, best spells

rlterry · August 2016

I've decided to stop messing around, rerolling toon after toon, and play a Sorcerer through all three games.

I'm still only level 1 but I got the Wizardry Ring and I'm having a fun crushing things with 6 Magic Missiles.

I want to build an offensive Sorcerer that focuses on damage out put above all else. I will use a seperate NPC mage for all of the utility type stuff. I just want my PC to melt stuff.

Right now I have Magic Missile and Ghost Armor. None of the other level 1 spells looked good to me. I may pick up Sleep when I can though.

I know I want Fireball and Sequencer for front loading Magic Missile blasts

What else should I get that's offensive based or Buffs my offensive spells?

What items should I be looking for that will buff my offensive casting?

Ratatoskr · August 2016

Personally I'm a big fan of the acid and flame arrows (level 2 and level 3 respectively).

And I don't think there's too much to buff offensive casting in unmodded BG1 that I remember (though you'll probably want the amulet that gives you +1 level 2 spell), but the Robe of Vecna in BG2 can get a bit ridiculous. I also like the amulet in BG2 that gives you Vocalize and immunity to level drain since those are both annoying when you're trying to cast spells.

JumboWheat01 · August 2016

I wouldn't recommend Sleep, it doesn't scale well. Spook, while a single target, has its saving throw penalty scale, which helps it stay more viable throughout a Sorcerer's life. Remember, this isn't a Sorcerer's proper edition, and they can't swap out spells when they level up. And while you want offensive, really, Identify can be such a handy spell to have on tap, especially since you can just go on binges and then rest up to get all those first level slots back.

Skull Trap is a particularly powerful spell that, unlike Fireball, doesn't stop scaling its damage at a lower level. This lets it continue being a powerhouse move.

TheArtisan · August 2016

Don't bother taking Sleep. I personally think it's an overrated spell unless you have SCS and even then there are only a handful of fights where it makes a meaningful difference in. Most level 1 spells are worthless for the later majority of the game but MM, Spook, Reflected Image, Blindness, Shield and Friends are okay options that have some relevance later on. I think Chromatic Orb is trash personally but some people seem to like using it.

A common piece of advice is to never take two damaging spells of the same spell level because it's redundant due to the way sorcerer casting works. The only exception I'd make is for Flame Arrow and Fireball/Skull Trap for level 3 as you use them for different purposes.

magisensei · August 2016

Well since you wanted an offensive sorcerer than chromatic orb (level 1) is a must; role-play an offensive sorcerer with almost no defensive spells or buffs (for party) and see how it goes, although you can have a few debuffer spells for enemies; everything should be offensive, all attack spells; the only exception being stone skin and one invisibility type spell, and the sequencers (and such spells).

And don't forget web spell is a good spell to have if you have room.

As you encounter a random encounter - start with a fireball, then stinking cloud, followed up with a lightning blast, and finally a magic missile, or MMM and kaboooom all dead maybe.

Gallenger · August 2016

Sleep is without a doubt the very most powerful spell in bg1 atm. It makes sense for a bg1 sorc to take it because it'll effect almost every fight in the game. But more long-lasting spells also make sense, such as spook, blindness, magic missile, and shield. If you were only playing BG2 sleep would be pointless, but since you're going to spend a lot of time on the character in bg1, sleep would be a *very* handy spell to have unless you intend to just load the other casters up with it.

Glitterdust is an oft overlooked level 2 spell that will remain useful throughout most of bg2 - because it blinds your opponents in an AoE. It's probably my most casted spell lol. It gets even more effective once you get greater malison and can blind nearly anything that doesn't have magic res lol.

rlterry · August 2016

Thank you for all of the replys.

I noticed no one said Ghost Armor. Did I mess up by taking it?

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Mandragora · August 2016

I played dragon disciple not so long ago and suprisingly, horror was very effective, life saver in some battles vs spiders in TOB. Usually people say that dont bother picking horror spell, because it doesnt scale good, just as sleep

Ratatoskr · August 2016

Horror is a good one. I still use it in BG2, but you can find wands instead if you're short on spells.

Abi_Dalzim · August 2016

Death Spell is great to wipe away trolls and umber hulks without having to think about it. I'd also recommend Incendiary Cloud, which can do some pretty ridiculous damage, and unlike my calling card, it works well against Kuo-Toa.

rlterry · August 2016

Thanks for the advice guys.

What about that cursed claw ring? Anyone use that thing?

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Gallenger · August 2016

Since your sorc can't use any more than 16 CON if you have points to spare (since sorcs don't actually need any stats that shouldn't be hard) getting 18 CON and knocking it down to 16 will not harm you in any way and makes the claw a good option for a ring slot.

Abi_Dalzim · August 2016

Mislead is cheesy as hell, but undeniably effective, especially in conjunction with Spell Immunity: Divination.

Ygramul · August 2016

Here is a summary from my earlier notes for a Sorcerer build.
(You'll need to decipher with some care, but worth the effort.)

(left to right : order in which to take spells at each level)
1. Shield / MM / PrP / PrE / Spook
2. MAA / MI / Glitterd / RemFear / Blur
3. Fireb / SpThru / Disp Mag / Slow // [ SkuTr]
4. IceStorm / Stoneskin / ImpInv / FS:Bl // GM [ TelFiel ]
5. Chaos / Breach / LowRes / SpIm // [SpShield]
6. ChainLight / PrMW / TruSght // [Conting // DeathSp ]
7. LimWish / SpTurning / RRR // [ SpSeq // FinDth ]
8. IncClo / Simul / SpTrig // [ PwBlind ]
9. TimSt / Wish // [Shapech // SpTrap // ChCont]

Keep in mind that a well-played sorcerer will wipe the floor with the game, even solo. I therefore recommend that:

1. "Do unto the AI as you would have the AI do unto you."
I have decided that I should avoid doing things that AI is incapable of.
I do not permit myself to use Sequencers mid combat. They are no longer an obvious first choice for a Sorcerer. (Casting 3 spells a round really breaks the balance.)

see:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/44257/7-3x4-8-3x6-9-3x8

2. play no-reload:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/40393/

lunar · August 2016

Blindness is also a sweet little level 1 spell. If it sticks, the target's offensive capability is greatly reduced, you can pepper it with ranged attacks and spells as it wanders around, oblivious to everything. (Don't stand next to him and melee, he can reteliate, abeit with penalty to his rolls)

Don't pick up sleep, get the sleep wand instead. It does not scale wel in the long run.

Sorcerer's rule: Do not pick up spells that need to be cast only once daily. Do not pick duplicate spells, ie:spells that do similiar things. Do not pick spells that do not scale well and have use in higher level play. (Sleep and color spray are completely useless, but blindness is still useful in bg2.) Do try to have spells at each level for various purposes, damage, debuff, protection and utility.

Armor is a bit of waste of a lvl 1 slot, bracers of ac6 are common in bg2. Shield at least has its niche use against magic missiles. Still, it helps a bit in bg1, you cast it every morning and it lasts a good time, but any spell you need to cast only once daily is a waste on a sorcerer, whose strength is to cast the same spell over and over again. (Stoneskin is an exception, it is the greates protection spell ever and can and will be cast often in one day)

For lvl 2, invisibility and mirror image are solid defensive choices, for offense I would suggest web, with a fighter equipped by free action, or spider form/spider summons it is a great combo. Horror is meh, it is easier to save, those who fail wander around, and undead are immune, so overall it is a weaker spell and I would advise against it. Damage spells are not quite worth it in lvl 2, melf's acid arrow and aganazar's are weak IMHO. You can get one if you are so keen on offensive casting. You may choose either see invisibility or glitterdust to deal with invisible foes, it fills for utility.

In lvl 3, fireball is the bomb, literally, especially in bg1. However do not pick it! (Unless you are a fire themed sorcerer and must simply have it for rp reasons) You can get fire wands very easily and thus you won't ever need to cast fireball from memory. I would suggest melf's minute meteors, with this and a little kiting you can solo flesh golems and skeleton warriors for thousands of free xp. Slow is a very nice debuff, has its use even till ToB. Lightning bolt is great for a surprise offensive punch, especially in bg2 shadows are very weak against it. However, surprisingly, skull trap is the powergamer's choice, for it has no cap and can do sick damage at higher levels, better than fireball in damage output. You will need remove magic eventually, but possibly only in bg2 levels. Also, flame arrow becomes awesome at lvl 20, stick three in a sequencer and it will hurt like hell. Not so hot at low levels, though so pick it late if you want to. So roughly, melf's meteors for damage, slow for debuff, remove magic for utility, and pick the later spells from skull trap/flame arrow/lightning/fireball. (recommended in that order)

In lvl 4, stoneskin is a must to have, no exceptions. Other spells are various and this level has great utility and defensive options, not so much keen on damage. (Ice storm may be a fun pick to deal another elemental damage, its damage output is not stellar, but not bad either.)

Theodread · June 2021

Check out my top 15 spells for BG2 (includes a few Priest spells as well):
https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/baldurs-gate-2-best-spells

Cheers.

Pokota · June 2021

Echoing what @lunar said:

If it only needs to be cast once per day, cast it from a scroll instead of from memory. The various Armor-type spells are handy, especially early on when you don't have equivalent bracers, but you don't want them eating up your precious selections.

Stoneskins is not an Armor-type spell: it actively blocks incoming mundane attacks instead of increasing the chance of you avoiding them.

Sleep is invaluable in BG1's lower level play - a perfect example of why is the Viconia initial encounter - but wands of sleep are common enough that you can get by without ever learning it (if you're not soloing you can get by with Cleric Commands instead, though you have to be more precise with those).

You won't need Remove Magic very often in BG1 - most hostile spellcasters aren't Immune To Everything yet and unmodded they have a preference for disabler spells. It's Nice To Have though, for the fights where hostile spellcasters have MGOI up (the only one that actually comes to mind right now is Khark, who is a completely optional encounter and who routinely mops the floor with me even when I'm at 161k since I'm bad at strategy when I can't setup)

jmerry · June 2021

The problem with Remove Magic is that it doesn't do anything if you fail the level check. And you'll be failing most of the time until pretty late in BG2 because enemy spellcaster levels tend to be high.

If you want to dispel enemies in BG1, don't use a mage. Or a priest. Use a fighter or thief, with arrows of dispelling.

xler3 · July 2021

I play with SCS so I get the spell trigger type stuff for free. If you don't have that modification then just remove one of the weaker spells with spell sequencer/spell trigger/chain contingency etc. There is room for all of them. I also think dragon disciple is strictly better than a plain sorcerer since you are almost never rest blocked (possibly chateau irenicus and possibly mind flayer dungeon depending on your mods) and once you get to lvl 14 (project image), you have an infinite spellbook which gets even more infinite when you get to 18 (wish).

1. PfP > Blind > MM > Identify > PfE

After PfP/MM, I don't think the other choices matter. Go for spook/sleep/shield if you want.

2. Invis > MAA > MI > Blur > Remove Fear

Invis makes travel/sleeping safe. I don't think I'd ever change any of these spells. Some people like web but I don't care for it.

3. MMM > Fireball > Haste > Dispel Magic > Slow

I think MMM is the only super important one here. I just like haste for quick travel but it's super good with a summon army. Some people like skull trap over fireball since it scales better. I think fireball makes BG1 a lot easier than skull trap does though. Dispel Magic is non-negotiable for me since it auto-cancels Project Image... I've lost no-reloads to mind flayers porting on me while I was projecting. If you're soloing then it will also always land successfully on enemies! That's pretty nice.

4. Stoneskin > Improved Invis > Spirit Armor > Vitriolic Sphere > Fire Shield

The level four spells make you unkillable. Some people like the web/spider spawn combo but I don't care for it. I only care about being invincible.

5. Cloudkill > Spell Immunity > Animate Dead > Spell Shield > Lower Resistance

All the AoE spells are good. They annihilate mages which are the most dangerous enemy in the game. Spell Shield protects your defenses. The lvl 5 spells are all important for fighting mages. Maybe you want breach over Lower Resistance. Depends on the setup. Animate Dead is droppable as well, I think. If you have a cleric then you're all set I suppose. Spell Immunity and Cloudkill are really the non-negotiables.

6. Death Fog > PFMW > Death Spell > Improved Haste > True Sight

Death fog kills mages. Not only does it kill mages but it kills liches. Liches don't come prepackaged with acid resistance. Liches come prepackaged with electric/poison/cold resistance and they almost always put up protection from fire. Protection from Acid does happen but its pretty rare. Death Fog is the nuts. Maybe you can lose Improved Haste depending on your setup but there isn't a lot of good at lvl 6 so idk. Use it on mordy swords lol. The first three spells are the important ones.

7. Project Image > Mordy Sword > RRoR > Mass Invis > PW:S

Project image is broken man.

8. Incendiary Cloud > Simulacrum > PW:B > ADHW

There isn't a lot of juice at lvl 8 so you can take both incendiary cloud and ADHW. Maybe you want Pierce Shield or Maze over the second damage spell. I like to have a variety because sometimes they skip protection from magical energy and sometimes (not often lol) they skip protection from fire. But with the current loadout you can throw out powerful types of fire (incendiary cloud), poison (cloudkill), acid (death fog), and magical energy (adhw). Only the most powerful enemies will be immune to all that stuff.

9. Wish > Time Stop > Imprisonment > Spellstrike

You can take shapechange but I don't think you need it unless you're playing legacy of bhaal. Spell trap is a good spell but you get it for free from staff of magi. If you need to actually select chain contingency then I'd drop imprisonment.

Sorc, best spells

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