Ugh, I'm terrible at using mages

[cbarchuk]

I never really know what spells to cast with a mage. Can anyone give me an idea on what spells are vital to be using and when. I've always played other classes and really just have no idea how to play one effectively whether its my own character or an NPC. They usually just sit back there and use a sling and I hate it cause I know I'm not getting any use out of them. Any help would be great.

[Stworca]

[url="http://www.gamebanshee.com/forums/baldurs-gate-ii-shadows-of-amn-9/guide-to-tactical-mods-spoilers-116063-p3.html#post1078980"]Applies to mages aswell[/url]

[kmonster]

The best way to learn using mage spells effectively is playing a solo sorcerer.

[Stworca]

The best way to learn using mage spells effectively is playing a solo sorcerer.

Did you just troll me, good sir? If not, and your response was a serious one - i guess i could agree with that, but playing a solo sorcerer at the beginning can be very tricky. I can only recommend it if the OP will use experience cheats to have a higher level than usually. It's quite easy then.

Kind regards nonetheless

[cbarchuk]

Thanks a bunch guys. It's a long time coming and admitting I have a problem is the first step...lol. I've got Edwin in the party and he's got so many freakin' spells and I don't know or remember what half of them do. I know that's pretty sad and I'm embarrassed and appalled all at the same time.:laugh:

[Stworca]

Level one spells are limited in usefullness to Magic Missile (offensive) and either Armor or Shield (defensive).

Clicking "Tab" when your mouse is over a spell icon will show you the name of the spell.

It's good to have either the BG2 handbook, or a PC document / webpage that lists all the spells and describes their effects, ready to alt+tab into.

[Ares2382]

Thanks a bunch guys. It's a long time coming and admitting I have a problem is the first step...lol. I've got minsc in the party and he's got so many freakin' spells and I don't know or remember what half of them do. I know that's pretty sad and I'm embarrassed and appalled all at the same time.:laugh:

Lol, I'd be more embarrassed in thinking that Minsc, a ranger of all people, has too many spells.... Don't you have a mage or a cleric in your party. They should have WAY more spells then Minsc.

If I remember correctly, right clicking on the spell in the spell book will give you it's full description. I'll double check that when I get home in a few hours.

[Philos]

Quote byStworca

Level one spells are limited in usefullness to Magic Missile (offensive) and either Armor or Shield (defensive).

Not fast my firend. There is one other 1st level that packs quite a punch because in gains in effectiveness as you gain levels. Check out Chromatic Orb. I usually have my mage(s) fill half their 1st level slots with it. It only takes 1 segment to cast so it is great in combat. When you start the game it can stun an opponent and when you reach 12th or 13th level (I think that's when), the spell kills the recepient if they fail their save (you'll see a little ghostlike wisp float up out of the victim). If you are in a fairly big melee, throw it at some the opposition's fighters (who usually have the worse saves). Really turns the odds in your favor.

[Stworca]

Well, Spook is also exceptionally good. But CO looses its usefulness in boss fights, and magic missile stays awesome for good. You won't believe the types of enemies i've finished with MM's

Ira'Kiou'Dneg, the time stopping dragon, to name one.

Since both MM and CO are single target spells, and later on the enemies tend to not only be highly resistant to elemental damage, but also immune to instant-death effects, the 25 magical damage spell is the way to go.

Spook has a wild card of having an amazing save penalty (6 points), which makes it much more useful than it sounds, but it still is nothing.

[Philos]

Hm, I will have to look at spook. There are so few spook scrolls, I hadn't paid it much attention to be honest. Have always stuck to my favs during character generation. My typical selection is Magic Missles, Chromatic Orb, Armor, Shield, Identify, Friends (coupled with the ring that raises charisma to 18, you get a great discount from vendors).

Regarding the boss fights I concur (probably will be so in ToB as well). But for someone looking for a generally useful spell early on, which I think is what cbarchuk is looking for, I would still say that CO is a good bet. It is quick and easy to use, and depending on who you use it on, very devastating. It has saved my bacon many a time. Very satisfying to watch an enemy's life force go "up in a wisp of smoke". Quite satisfying.

But we all have our preferences.

[Stworca]

I usually take Magic Missile, Shield, Find Familiar, Ident. and Spook.

Why?

Well..

Find familiar is essential if you're playing with Weimer's Illyich mod. The extra health is too good to drop. I remove the spell later on via shadow keeper, so that i can find other spells faster.
Shield stops magic missiles, which on insane can do up to 50 damage to you. 50 damage from a rank one spell is an overkill.
Spook i take for the very beginning, and edit it out by the time im in underdark, for the same reason i edit FF out,
Ident. i take only to fill a slot. Edited out asap.

[Philos]

Why are you using shadow keeper to remove it when you can just erase it from your spellbook?!?

But I always leave all my spells in my book. After I reach the learning limit allowed by my intelligence, I save up unlearned spells in my scroll case. When I get a large batch, I then drink a potion of genius which allows me to learn them. They stay in the spellbook after the potion wears off.

[Stworca]

Why are you using shadow keeper to remove it when you can just erase it from your spellbook?!?

Stworca the Sorcerous Sorcerer of Sorcery

Whatever you pick is permanent, that's why i've made ze list of top spells.

[Philos]

Ah, of course. How silly of me! :laugh:

Forgot your predilection for Sorcerors.

[cbarchuk]

Lol, I'd be more embarrassed in thinking that Minsc, a ranger of all people, has too many spells.... Don't you have a mage or a cleric in your party. They should have WAY more spells then Minsc.

If I remember correctly, right clicking on the spell in the spell book will give you it's full description. I'll double check that when I get home in a few hours.

Oh my gosh! I meant Edwin...lol:laugh:

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

I used to have this exact same issue, until I made a concerted effort to figure out how to use them. Now I'm competent, but nowhere to the level of experts when it comes to magery. The key thing I was doing wrong is focusing on direct damage spells when they're better off for summoning cannon fodder and casting disabling spells like Confusion or Emotion, and letting your fighter-types clean up the rabble. And of course they're a must-have for enemy mages. Basically the best way to learn is to play a mage and fool around with the spell system, and try out the tips and tricks from boards like here and GameFAQS.
This [url="http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/258273-baldurs-gate-ii-shadows-of-amn/faqs/11334"]spell list from Gamefaqs[/url] is well worth a look.
That said, my spell picks and uses thereof would are...

Level 1
Chromatic Orb - useful against grunts, especially when your mage is at higher levels.
Friends - good for shopping, or for casting prior to quest rewards. Worth having one memorised and using in conjunction with CHA-boosting items.
Find Familiar - only needed once so not worth taking it for a Sorcerer, but worth casting from a scroll if only for the HP boost.
Identify - Useful for what it is, but can be made up for with bards, items, potions of Lore, and scrolls.
Larloch's Minor Drain - good for a quick health boost, not much good for damage. Most useful at early levels when your mages are weak and low on health. Again, having one memorised is worthwhile for when your mage is low on health.
Magic Missile - good for the reasons Stworca mentions, but I prefer Chromatic Orb. Have one or two memorised and use them to get rid of enemy mages Mirror Images, or put 3 of them into a Sequencer and launch it at a near-death boss-type for a nigh-guaranteed kill.
Shield - nice AC boost and immunity to Magic Missile. I don't usually bother with it since it's generally easier to keep my mages out of melee combat.
Protection from Evil - good for buffing, but I usually leave this one to the Clerics, especially with the mass-effect version available later on.
Level 2
Aganazzar's Scorcher - If you have a group of slow-moving low-HD foes like zombies/kobolds etc on the other side of a long bridge or corridor this spell is great - just target one at the rear and move your mage so as to pass the flame over them multiple times. Better to use Wands of Fire for this one though.
Blur - worth having one to go, boosts your saving throws and effectively gives you an AC boost.
Glitterdust - have one ready to go, great to cast after a Greater Malison as it'll lower enemy saves as well as blinding them.
Knock - good for when your Thief has a low Open Lock skill, but it's better to leave it to the Thieves if you can so you get the XP for it. Have a few scrolls of it handy.
Melf's Acid Arrow - Must have. Use it on enemy casters once their spell protections are down to interrupt their casting for a few rounds.
Mirror Image - another must-have, I always have 2 memorised. Can be instantly negated with a Magic Missile when your enemies cast it.
Web - nice against groups of low-level foes if you have hitters with Free Action items, but higher-level foes will usually save against it. If you have Spider Spawn the spiders are immune to it.
Resist Fear - good, but the Cleric version is better what with being Level 1. Lasts for ages too. Note Paladins get it 'for free'.
Level 3
Dire Charm - Another nice one for targeting strong fighters, though if you attack them they'll go hostile. Good for casting and running away, letting enemy mages waste their spell on their own colleagues.
Dispel Magic - have one memorised, best used to remove nasty effects from your allies than to strip buffs from foes (use Remove Magic for debuffing).
Flame Arrow - nice single-target spell, especially at higher levels. I usually have one ready to go.
Haste - not really worth it for PCs and far outdone by Improved Haste, but at early levels the +1 attack per round is nice. Good buff to cast on groups of summons.
Hold Person - really good when it works. Note the dryad/nymph/whatever-it-is summoned by the druid Call Nature's Servant has a few of these memorised.
Invisibility 10 foot radius - really underrated spell as long as your caster isn't going to be doing anything to disrupt the spell, or for whole-group ambushes on waiting enemies.
Melf's Minute Meteors - awesome spell, but be aware that until the meteors are used up you can't equip weapons, so if you have a Thief/Mage with low Hide in Shadows they won't be able to cheese the Staff of the Magi for safe trap removal/scouting, or use the nice ammo like Kuo-Toa Bolts (Jan) or Arrows of Biting (Immy).
Remove Magic - great spell, I usually have 2 memorised if possible. Just make sure to cast it after the enemy is nice and buffed up.
Skull Trap - like a Fireball only better. Especially good if you have the version with the time delay removed from the Tweakpack.
Slow - I like Slow. Great for groups of grunts.
Level 4
Confusion - good disabling spell, but outdone by Chaos.
Emotion - GREAT spell, easily the best disabling spell there is IMO.
Fireshield (blue and red) - nice but not great, Red is useful against efreeti.
Greater Malison - must have. For pretty much any battle posing any challenge this should be one of the first spells out there. Follow it up with a Glitterdust for pure nastiness.
Improved Invisibility - awesome against enemy spellcasters since they can't target spells on invisible characters (without True seeing).
Minor Sequencer - good to have, but you can only have one MS at once, so fill it up and then reuse the spell slot for something else. Don't forget Cleric/Mages can put both mage and cleric spells in sequencers or contingencies.
Otiluke's Invisible Sphere - two good uses - to keep powerful foes out of battle (if they fail their save), or to buy a heavily injured PC some time out to drink some healing potions (i.e. put it in a Contingency to activate at 10% health).
Polymorph Other - stylish but pointless, and you lose the loot to boot. This + Feeblemind on the Mad cleric in the Docks makes my day.
Polymorph Self - Not great, BUT the mustard Jelly form is immune to Magic IIRC.
Remove Curse - have a few scrolls handy, but don't waste your spell slots.
Spider Spawn - good mid-level summons, work well with a successful Web but outclassed by later summons.
Stoneskin - must have defensive spell. Watch for elemental damage which gets through it (though the same holds true for enemy casters, so pelt them with elemental arrows/bolts to interrupt their casting if they put this one up).
Wizard Eye - good scouting device, and fast so useful for luring enemies into one spot for an area effect spell. Unkillable in vanilla, quite delicate in the patched version.

[Stworca]

Well, as i said before, summon familiar is a good pick only with Improved Illyich, because you cannot get do d'Arnise before facing him, and those bolts that fly towards mages, fallen planetars casting fire storms and more.. extra hp is godsend.

A few comments to lvl 2 spells above.

Glitterdust never fails against beholders. They have 100% vulnerability to it. Worth taking if only just for that.
Knock - no. Never. Even Nalia can open all the doors in vanilla.
Melf's Minute Meteors - couple it up with improved haste, and you'll destroy everything. Nalmissra fight as solo mage (everyone there has INSANE magic resistance)? No problemo.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Cont'd

Level 5
Animate Dead - good after Lvl 15, but Clerics get this at level 4 and level up faster, so it's better left to them. Still a great summons though, especially as meat shields against Mind Flayers - skeletons have no brains to eat. Umber Hulks tend to make short work of them though so maybe send in a Cloudkill first.
Breach - THE best anti-mage-protections spell. Have at least 3 memorised if you can once you have a few Lvl 5 slots.
Chaos - like Confusion but more effective. The trouble is Lvl 5 has so many good spells that sparing a slot for it can be hard.
Cloudkill - great due to it's insta-kill function and the poor AI of vanilla BG2, don't cast it in areas with neutrals or friendlies. And use a wand.
Conjure lesser X elemental - only good for Druids due to the delay and possibility of it going hostile with the 'will struggle' bit for mages. Same goes for all mage Elemental Summons.
Domination - good, but not really worth a slot most of the time.
Feeblemind - Great when it works, but it's usually saved against. Cast it on NPCs who tick you off and who you don't need for quests anymore and if it succeeds they won't go hostile. If it fails they will.
Hold Monster - would be great if it were lower level, but as it is skip it and memorise better Lvl 6 spells.
Lower Resistance - great for fighting Drow or dragons. Note that you can have a Cleric cast the 'friendly spell' Magic Resistance on highly magic-resistant foes which will lower their resistance, then cast Lower Resistance to lower it further.
Protection from Normal Weapons - useful for SoA, but I usually don't bother.
Shadow Door - nice little escape spell, good for Low-on-Health contingencies.
Spell Immunity - really useful, but again I rarely bother (this is where my lack of magery expertise comes in).
Sunfire - Nice but hurts your fellow PCs. If you have a spare slot it's worth having.
Level 6
Carrion Summons - surprisingly good summons (the spell guide doesn't give them due credit for their paralysing bite), quite tough and their paralysis works fairly often - once a foe is paralysed move them on to the next target while some other summons/party member finishes of the Held victim for best results. Not a must-have, but decent. Haste them for best results.
Chain Lightning - Nice mass damage spell, but only really worth it for softening up tightly packed hordes of mid-low enemies. Worth knowing, rarely worth memorising.
Conjure X Elemental - see Conjure Lesser Elemental.
Contingency - must-have. I find it makes a better defensive spell (i.e. with Shadow Door) than offensive. Cast it and then use the slot for something else 'til your contingency is used.
Death Fog - great for tossing into an area you won't be entering immediately, automatically kills all summons. For non-summons I usually stick to Cloudkill instead myself.
Death Spell - good for killing summons, but the 8HD creature immunity mean a well-placed Skull Trap will often do the job just as well for non-summoned hostiles.
Disintegrate - nice-looking spell, but costs you loot (if it works). Plot items will generally remain intact.
Flesh to Stone - again, nice spell with definite style, but costs you loot. I like to Feeblemind the Ore Merchant in Waukeen's Promenade and turn her into a statue with it after the Sir Sarles quest.:devil:
Improved Haste - THE must-have buffing spell. Will double your attacks per round, spells per round, everything, and can be cast on anyone. Cast it on all your party members before hard battles - if you have any fighter/divine caster combo character have them cast Righteous Magic and this baby and they'll be hitting for full damage double-time.

Spoiler

In the ToB duergar battle I had Jaheira using the Staff of the Ram with RM and this, and with some Critical Strikes thrown in for good measure she was chunking them with every blow, faster than they could spawn.

Oils of Speed are the potion version.
Mislead - best Invisibility-type spell. If you're using a high-level mage/thief multiclass couple it with the Shapechange Iron Golem form for backstabbing madness...pity so many of the tougher enemies are immune to backstab.
Pierce Magic - good spell, but better to wait for Pierce Shield at Level 8. Being in the same level as Improved Haste makes this one quite skippable.
Power Word Silence - awesome if you cast it on enemy casters, unless they cast Vocalise. Worth having.
Protection from Magical Weapons - great protective spell with short duration. If your mage is multiclass and can wear the Aslyferund Elven Chain s/he will be immune to all weapons for four rounds.
Stone to Flesh - keep a few scrolls handy.
Summon Nishruu - anti-magic summons good for sending against enemy mages, but can deplete/destroy magical equipment. Use with care if you like your loot.
Tenser's Transformation - sweet spell if you know how to use it right (which I don't, though I imagine it'd go well if you combined it with a Polymorph Self in a sequencer/contingency type spell), especially for Blades and Fighter/Mages, but doesn't boost your attacks-per-round and stops you casting while it's in action so I usually pass.
True Sight - Really useful spell against enemy mages who turn invisible, but you can get it from items or scrolls (or Inquisitors). Have one or two ready, cast before battle with high-level enemy magic users who cast Mislead or Mirror Image. Vital for the Twisted Rune battle.
Wyvern Call - I like it 'cos wyverns look cool, but by the time you're able to cast it there are better summons available.
Level 7
Cacofiend - fun to cast in the middle of pubic spaces (like the Order of the Radiant Heart) for a laugh, otherwise don't bother.
Delayed Blast Fireball - Fireball's big brother. Stick to Skull Trap.
Finger of Death - Worth spending a spare slot on, save it for after a Greater Malison, Doom, and/or Glitterdust. For most grunts a Chromatic Orb will do just as well.
Khelben's Warding Whip - good for enemy casters who cast a lot of spell protections and can last a while. Worth having on memorised when you have a few slots, but only after you have space for a Project Image or two.
Limited Wish - great if your caster has a high Wisdom. Cast it at least once after drinking a WIS-boosting potion or two and ask for one of the one-time wishes to get a bonus quest, and again to get a pair of Glasses of Identification.
Mass Invisibility - good group buffing spell if you have a slot to spare, but far from necessary. Invis 10 foot Radius will usually do you just as well if you want mass invisibility.
Mordenkainen's Sword - great summons, totally immune to physical damage so make great meat shields - mages can take them down without too much fuss though. A bit slow so haste them if you can.
Prismatic Spray - looks pretty, but a bit iffy. Can usually be saved against and will sometimes turn foes to stone or disintegrate them, which costs you loot. I usually have Jan use this as a reserve spell when he reaches high levels.
Project Image - THE star of this spell level. [url="http://www.gamebanshee.com/showshot.php?/baldursgateii/spells/images/projectimage.jpg"]Effectively doubles your casting power[/url]. Make sure your caster is invisible first.
Ruby Ray of Reversal - worth spending a slot on when you have one to spare, if only to counter enemy Spell Traps.
Spell Sequencer - Minor Sequencer's big brother, treat it the same. Great for Mage/Clerics, or for loading a few Magic Missiles into.
Spell Turning - another good anti-mage spell, that I rarely use. Good for beholders. Made redundant if you get the Cloak of Mirroring.
Summon Efreeti - decent summons, great against trolls.
Summon Hakaeshar - the bigger version of Summon Nishruu.
Level 8
Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting - great area effect spell. Use it against water elementals for greater effect.
Maze - should be great, but by the time you get it most enemies will escape it pretty quickly.

Spoiler

Not bad for getting rid of golems in Suldanesselar while you take out their fellows.

Pierce Shield - Great anti-magic spell, strips the highest spell protection AND lowers magic resistance. Load it into a Chain Contingency with Breach and Greater Malison for especially nasty magic-user types.
Power Word: Blind - good but not great due to occupying such a high level and for it's short duration.
Simulacrum - Not bad, but Project Image is better. Unless you cheat and have your Images cast Simulacrums, in which case you can have unlimited casters. Note the Vhailor's Helm can cast this for any character type who can wear helms, which is pretty useful (especially since their items will have all the charges of the original, meaning you can can deck them out with items with limited charges or once-per-day charges and have multiples of the same effect, i.e. 2x Sunrays from the Daystar).
Spell Trigger - The best Sequencer. Worth having and experimenting with.
Summon Fiend - like Cacofiend but more so.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Level 9
Chain Contingency - Get it, and ask a dedicated mage-type like Stworca how to use it.
Freedom - have a scroll or two handy for freeing Imprisoned party members and NPCs who'll give you quests. Make sure you have some for Kangaxx.
Gate - the biggest version of Summon Fiend.
Imprisonment - great if you don't mind losing the foe's loot or XP.
Power Word: Kill - good finishing spell, but not really worth spending a level 9 slot on IMO.
Shapechange - great if you know how to use the forms, otherwise leave the fighting to the fighters. Special mention for this in Iron Golem form + Mislead for Thief/Mages, and for this in Mind Flayer form + Time Stop.
Spell Trap - great protection spell, but just use the Staff of the Magi if you can.
Time Stop - This + Improved Alacrity + Robe of Vecna + Amulet of Power = .

Spoiler

Don't use it on Demogorgon though.

Wish - if you have a caster with high WIS, this can let you insta-rest.

Spoiler

Useful for the final battle in ToB.

Level 10
They're all good for what they do, but special mention to
Improved Alacrity - no wait between castings.
and
Summon Planetar/Dark Planetar - best mage summons in the game, practically a high-level Fighter/Mage/Cleric in their own right.

Whew...

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Well, as i said before, summon familiar is a good pick only with Improved Illyich, because you cannot get do d'Arnise before facing him, and those bolts that fly towards mages, fallen planetars casting fire storms and more.. extra hp is godsend.

A few comments to lvl 2 spells above.

Glitterdust never fails against beholders. They have 100% vulnerability to it. Worth taking if only just for that.
Knock - no. Never. Even Nalia can open all the doors in vanilla.
Melf's Minute Meteors - couple it up with improved haste, and you'll destroy everything. Nalmissra fight as solo mage (everyone there has INSANE magic resistance)? No problemo.

Your own mage skills far outstrip mine oh wise sorcerer , but you play rather more hardcore than most, so (being rather bored) I figured I'd put my take on non-Ascension-level mage spells. For a Sorc, yeah, Knock is a waste, but if you're levelling up your rogue's Open Lock skills it's worth having one or two scrolls and they're pretty common - I recall there being one or two chests that Immy couldn't open without equipment, for which Knock is a viable solution.

On a related note, do you know if Shadow Door lets you escape Otiluke's Resilient Sphere?
And if you can move while in Otiluke's? 'Cos if you can that opens up some interesting door/staircase-blocking opportunities.