need help improving spell usage

[Schwoebli]

I like chars that can use some kind of spells. Can you give me some recommandations. I use the following spells:

mage:

lvl1:
- chromatic orb
- find familiar (only once )
- identify
- magic missile
- friends (only used once but you can buy stuff for less than you get when selling it back, at least when you meet MINOR SPOILER the smugglers in tob an get reduced prices. but I reloaded because its like cheating. btw i had about charisma 25)

lvl2
- melf's accid arrow
- mirror image
- stinking cloud

lvl3
- melf's minute meteors
- flame arrow
- protection from normal missiles
- dispel magic

lvl4
- greater malison
- confusion
- secret word
- stoneskin
- imroved invisibility

lvl5
- chaos
- cloudkill
- lower resistance
- spell immunity

lvl6
- improved haste
- protection from magic energy
- true sight (only if I dont have keldorn in my party)
- pierce magic

lvl7
- mass invisibility
- limited wish
- mordenkainen's sword

lvl8
- maze
- simulacrum
- symbol stun
- abi dalzim's horrid willing

lvl9 / quest
- time stop
- wish
- dragon's breath
- spell strike


priest

lvl1
- sanctuary
- armor of faith
- doom

lvl2
- draw upon holy might
- flame blade (only in the beginning of the game)
- hold person

lvl3
- animate dead
- cure medium wounds

lvl4
- protecion from evil 10'
- lesser restoration
- holy power (if str not over 18)
- death ward

lvl5
- chaotic commands
- righteous magic
- iron skin

lvl6
- heal
- harm

lvl7 / quest
- creeping doom
- symbol of stun
- globe of blades


am I missing some importants / powerful spells?

[HighLordDave]

Fireball
Delayed Blast Fireball
Death Fog
Incendiary Cloud
Haste
Spell Trigger
Contingency
Breach
Invisible Stalker
Spell Sequencer
Wizard Eye
Gate

Anything with "Bigby" in the name.

[Schwoebli]

thx

[mabrook]

most you have

well, it depends on levels, but I usually have fire elemental and fireball too. also a VERY usefull spell is insect plague (druid spell).
it serves to deal with some mages in a much easier way, really.

At least that my point of view

Mabrook

[Schwoebli]

yeah, I also like insect plague but forgot to write it hear. thx

[Xyx]

Secret Word and related stuff suck pretty bad, in my humble opinion.

You should get Remove Fear. It's incredibly cheap (level 1 priest), lasts for a whole hour, and protects the whole party. Panicked party members tend to get killed...

[Schwoebli]

sounds good, I ll check it out.

[Casius]

Here's my opinion on the Mage Spells going in order from most needed to least in each level:

Level I
Magic Missile
Find Familar
Identify
Chromatic Orb

Level II
Melf's Acid Arrow
Mirror Image
Detect Invisibility

Level III
Fireball
Haste
Dispel

Level IV
Greater Malison
Stone Skin
Improved Invisibility
Ice Storm

Level V
Breach
Lower Resistance (Very Useful for Adamantite Gollums)
Sunfire
Spell Immunity

Level VI
Chain Lightning
Pierce Magic
Improved Haste (See Below)
True Sight (Like you said, don't get it if Keldorn is in your party)

Level VII
Delayed Blast Fireball
Finger of Death

The rest of this level is hard to choose for a Sorcerer, but out of them here are some of my picks:
Summon Hakeashar
Limited Wish (Depends on Mage/Sorcerer's Wisdom)
Mordenkainen's Sword (Mostly because you can pickpocket Greenstone Amulets from them, but they are pretty good too if you get like 3-5 of them fighting for you)
Mass Invisibility

Level VIII
Incediary Cannon
Spell Trigger
Pierce Shield

Again, very hard pick, so here are some other suggestions:
Simulacrum
Maze
Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting

Level IX
Chain Contingency
Time Stop (I actually find Chain Contingency a lot more useful then Time Stop although it's still a good spell)
Imprisonment (If you're a cheap ass )
Spell Trap

Note About Improved Haste: If you'd remember I was very strong before on a debate only a few weeks ago that Improved Haste wasn't that mandatory, however I completely change my mind. While I still favor Chain Lighting and Pierce Magic over it, when you cast Improved Haste on your best fighter (and Archer if you have one), it does wonders. My archer can take down beholders alone in a few seconds.

[Dark Rook]

I would advocate the use of remove magic as opposed to dispel magic (keep a dispel for emergencies though)

Reason being that you can remove haste, stonekin, invisibility etc.. form enemies without comprimising your own

[samcu]

I think everyone left a few spells behind:

mage
lvl1 spook
lvl2 web
lvl3 skull trap
lvl5 animate dead
lvl6 misled
lvl7 project image

priest
lvl2 bless
lvl3 holy smite
lvl5 righteous magic
lvl6 blade barrier
lvl7 firestorm

i think that about right, although I need to go home to see whether that's what I have got at home...

[Cyrus]

Casuis?

What no Cloudkill on Level 5? That spell is pure cheese man!

Anything that has to make a death save is pretty much dead anyways, tis how I kill baddies like Umber hulks.

In addition to wearing down Dragons this spell I find far more useful then Sunburst

[samcu]

Do you mean sunray?

[Casius]

Cloudkill is okay, but to me Breach, Lower Resistance, and Sunfire are a ton more important. I'm a big fan of Incediary Cannon though which is kinda like Cloudkill, but thats because Incediary Cannon does about 40-80 damage per victim every round. However, if you want to replace Cloudkill with Spell Immunity, that's fine by me.

[kopywrite]

Glyph of Warding- all the joys of skull trap but with a safe range.

[Mirk]

glitterdust - forget the invisibility detection, get your enemies blinded!

polymorph self - the jelly form is 100% magic resistant. you can still use wands, scrolls (great with those wands of lightning - just step in the lich room, waist the summoned fiend with lightnings flying around, and wait untill the lich gets to level 3-2 spells...)

[Schwoebli]

wow, I have to try a lot of things.
thx to all

[Nightmare]

A list...

Here are my picks:

Mage
Level 1
-Magic Missile
-Identify
-Spook (saves at -6 at high levels!)
-Find Familiar (get any protagonist to cast it with the potion trick; extra hp!)

Level 2
-Mirror Image (area spell protection)
-Melf's Acid Arrow (for Trolls)
-Aganzar's Scrocher
-Knock

Level 3:
-Melf's Minute Meteors
-Fireball or Skull Trap
-Fire Arrow
-Dispel Magic (if no Inquistor in the party)
-Haste
-Clairvoyence
-Lighting Bolt

Level 4:
-Stoneskin
-Improved Invisibility
-Greater Malison
-Fire Sheild (if soloing)
-Secret Word (knocks out everything except Spell Trap)
-Polymorph other

Level 5:
-Breach
-Lower Resistance
-Animate Dead (after level 15)
-Chaos (not really that bad)
-Cloudkill (if you must...)

Level 6:
-Death Spell
-True Sight (if no Inquistor in party)
-Chain Lightning
-Mislead (for cheese)

Level 7:
-Finger of Death
-Ruby Ray of Reversal
-Projet Image (for cheese)
-Limited Wish

Level 8:
-Abi Dalzim's Horrid Wilting
-Maze (if your cheap)

Level 9:
-Time Stop
-Chain Contingency
-Wail of the Banshee
-Wish (with ToB)
-Imprisonment (if your cheap)

[Damone]

what about death spell!! (or whatever its called)
takes out LOADS! killed the sahugain King (sp?) and all his guards with this. got surrounded by myconoids in underdark and took all of them out with this spell! im a solo sorcerer now and it does wonders for me. i suggest u take this spell.

and consider summoning an elemental...i have summon earth elemental and when it doesnt turn on me it does wonders.

also dominate is a favourite of mine....greater malison + dominate is a powerful combination.