Solo Sorceror Spells - Input

Deadalready · Post by **Deadalready** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 8:31 am

I've been playing a solo sorceror and it is a massive challenge with LOTS of loading and saving mostly before and after traps

For my current sorceror he's already reached the max spell ability (for SOA) and due to my spell decisions I've noticed there are some things where he is rather lacking. Although he's very powerful and I've been able to do all the missions I've tried with perserverance I've been rethinking my spell choices and would like some other people's thoughts and opinions.

~

Solo Sorceror - Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn (Without BG1 or BG 2: Throne or Bhaal) Exp Cap Removed
(Firstly is the spell level and the amount of spells I'm allowed per level at max casting ability)

Current Spell Decisions

Level 1 - 5
Magic Missile
Chromatic Orb
Identify
Protection from Evil
Burning Hands?

Level 2 - 5
Knock
Mirror Image
Acid Arrow
Resist Fear
Invisibility?
Blur?

Level 3 - 4
Fireball
Melf's Minute Meteors
Vampiric Touch
Skull Trap

Level 4 - 4
Stone Skin
Greater Malison
Wizard Eye
Minor Sequencer?
Secret Word?

Level 5 - 4
Animate Dead
Sunfire
Spell Immunity
Spell Deflection?
Spell Breach?

Level 6 - 3
Death Spell
Protection from Magic Weapons
Ture Sight

Level 7 - 3
Project Image
Morkainen's Sword
Khelben's Warding Whip

Level 8 - 3
Abi-Dalzims Horrid Whilting
Pierce Magic
Spell Trigger

Level 9 - 3
Imprison
Time Stop?
Wail of the Banshee?

The ones with question marks next to them are spells I'm not sure about having and open to alternate suggestions for, also I've placed the spells in roughly the order of preferance and priority.

Please Take into consideration higher level spells and ways to help overcome shortcomings. The spells I really want some input on are level 9 spells since they're all really good and in truth I find time spot not exactly that useful...

Danoxner · Post by **Danoxner** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 9:27 am

a small, and likely 'who cares' point . . .

You don't need to waste a spell on identify. There's lots of those scrolls laying around, and also you can pay people to do it, or even buy those silly glasses. Eventually, your lore will be so high anyway and you won't need any of those things. I would prefer to pick another first level spell, just to increase your 'bag of tricks'.

Danoxner, the Songster of Smeedaelian Lore

Deadalready · Post by **Deadalready** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 9:47 am

That's one thing I just realised stats kind of have role in this, with my current Sorc I have roughly the following stats (which are carp)

Strength: 17
Constitution: 17
Dexterity: 19
Inteligence: 10
Wisdom: 14
Charisma: 9

And my lore is equal to my character level (ie 17 lore at level 17), without saying I got very fed up with trying to balance two glasses of identifying (they can't both work together) and when I really needed money at the start of the game selling short swords +1 I couldn't make much of a profit

Still what do you think would be a good alternate choice to identify?

Nimiety · Post by **Nimiety** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 10:20 am

Firstly, your roll is horrible and certainly has an impact on your game - a sorceror with an int of 10 makes it very tough for sure. Yours scores better suit a thief, bu tyou seem to be too far along to start over.

Regardless, for your spell selections, I agree completely with Melf's at level 3. I would suggest the minor sequencer at level 4, and breach at level 5, and I'm not convinced about the animate dead, but you will probably need some summoning fodder. For level 9, I would suggest against imprison, as you lose any items the target is carrying, which may be important / too valuable to risk. I would take absolute immunity for buffing, wail for an offensive spell, and time stop - you can pause the game and beat the snot out of, or cast a bunch of spells at, your enemies.

N....

Skuld · Post by **Skuld** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 10:56 am

I don't have time to go over the mechanics of a solo sorceror at the momment, but I took most of what I know from Roman Grigorievs Guide at Gamefaqs. http://db.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswin/ ... rcerer.txt And a lot of your spell choices I wouldn't even have considered. Look at the guide. It'll help a lot.

Deadalready · Post by **Deadalready** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 11:30 am

Firstly, your roll is horrible and certainly has an impact on your game - a sorceror with an int of 10 makes it very tough for sure. Yours scores better suit a thief, bu tyou seem to be too far along to start over.

Yeah I gotta agree but there's a few very major things I've taken into consideration.

At Constitution of 17 I have a wonderful 36-40(?) hitpoints at level 9
Dexterity is always max as a rule when it comes to armour.
Strength this was the hazy point, although I know that I can get girdles the thing I most was interested in was the belt of inertial barrier to reduce missile and magic damage.
Charisma truthfully I couldn't care an afterthought about I have the ring and a few friends scrolls.
Intelligence and Wisdom are the things I'm a bit iffy on, since I don't have TOB there's many things taken out of consideration like Wish. Also the stupid thing that Intelligence is absolutely pointless in Amn. In the end I chose Wisdom for lower intuition cast rates.

Regardless, for your spell selections, I agree completely with Melf's at level 3. I would suggest the minor sequencer at level 4, and breach at level 5, and I'm not convinced about the animate dead, but you will probably need some summoning fodder. For level 9, I would suggest against imprison, as you lose any items the target is carrying, which may be important / too valuable to risk. I would take absolute immunity for buffing, wail for an offensive spell, and time stop - you can pause the game and beat the snot out of, or cast a bunch of spells at, your enemies.

I was thinking very much about minor sequencer and maybe in my next character I'll take it. Animate Dead is an absolutely wonderful and able to defeat most liches and handle enemies single handly my favourite tactic is to hide behind my LV15 Skeletons and cast sunfire without hurting them.

Imprisonment is probably my favourite spell now actually since with bad planning my current sorcerer didn't get lower resist. So every time I can't be bothered Vampires, Golems, Greater Wolfweres and other inconsequential non item holding high resist sob decides to get in my way I make him a tenant undeground.

It probably can be seen as making the game too easy though... but I like to make my enemies suffer before my strength for the countless reloads.

~

I don't have time to go over the mechanics of a solo sorceror at the momment, but I took most of what I know from Roman Grigorievs Guide at Gamefaqs. http://db.gamefaqs.com/computer/dos...ii_sorcerer.txt And a lot of your spell choices I wouldn't even have considered. Look at the guide. It'll help a lot.

I've actually based my sorceror on this guide (as opposed to *cough* another certain one...) but this one if I'm not mistaken is not for a solo character.

Thanks very much for input here

Skuld · Post by **Skuld** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 12:33 pm

It is a sorceror guide and IIRC he does give suggestions for alternate spell picks for a solo sorceror as opposed to a party one. Well now I'll tell you what I know.
Stats:
Strength - Should be high enough to carry a good amount of equipment but don't worry about bonuses because he's gonna suck in combat anyway.
Dex - Max it
Con - go to 16 but no higher being as only fighter types get any bonuses over 16
Int - Useless, but I try not to let any of my stats go below 10
Wis - Can give you certain good dialogue options and help out in Limited Wish and Wish spells, so put any extra points here
Cha - It's entirely up to you, but I like to keep it at 10, because if yu need to the ring is always there
Spells
level 1
Magic Missile
Chromatic Orb
Spook
Identify
Protection From Evil
level 2
Mirror Image
Knock
Melf's Acid Arrow
Vocalize
Web
level 3
Fireball/Skull Trap (not both)
Flame Arrow/MMM (not both)
Hold Person/Slow
Dispel/Remove Magic (personal preference)
level 4
Fireshield:Red
Improved Invis.
Stoneskin
Greater Malison
level 5
Breach
Chaos
Cloudkill
Sunfire(good in a pinch)
You could sub one of these for Animate Dead.
level 6
Chain Lightning
Prot. Magical Weapons
Mislead
Level 7
MordenKainen's Sword(the best summon)
Project Image
Khelben's Warding Whip/Delayed Blast Fireball(this is a tough one)
Level 8
ADHW
Simulacrum
Maze/Incendiary Cloud(personal preference)
Level 9
Imprisonment
Gate(because it's fun)
Time Stop(I know it's cheesy, but it works)

Basically the premise of a solo mage is to destroy everyone before they can get to you, not to protect yourself from everything, run out of damage spells and be left poking at them with your staff. And about your spell picks, most of the spells are very good. It's very rare of a spell to suck or be useless, but you have to figure that this is how you'll be killing your opponent. Some key pieces of gear for a Solo sorceror: Robe of Vecna, Amulet of Power, Cloack of the Sewers, Staff of the Magi, and the Ring of Gaxx. You should be able to get all of these before you leave Amn for Spellhold. I hope this helped.

Ekental · Post by **Ekental** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 6:09 pm

This is a thread thats come up for whats gotta be the upteenth time... search around and you'll find huge discussions on them. Hehe my very first post got me in an argument on one of the larger ones lemme see if I can find it.

EDIT... OK here it is its got most of the heavy hitters in the forums etc. Cheesy combos, links to cheesy combo sites etc.

http://gamebanshee.com/forums/showthrea ... +Selection

Hehe this was the first time I posted... lol memory is a great thing

Deadalready · Post by **Deadalready** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 11:03 pm

Thanks for the help so far everyone, all input much appreciated.

It'd probably help to list the major problems I have. Firstly the things I've noticed are that there are atleast 4 traps that will kill me outright these kinds drop a big green acid blob on my and cannot be countered with spell immunity (WTF?!?) or spell deflection. To compound this these traps can appear quite early as well. There is one in the slavers ship, one in the illithium ore quest, one in the Haer're Dalis quest and a few other points. Generally most traps are mostly lethal to a low hit point Sorceror and I almost need spell turning unless I want to die instantly all the time. (Just trying to defeat one otherwise impassable trap on the slavers ship I reloaded about 10+ times)

Problem is that spell turning becomes near redundant next to spell trap and almost becomes a liability since it takes a level 5 space. Unfortunately it is alll important to my survival at lower levels.

My second problem is that I'm seriously hurting for summons early on in the game when I'm too weak to survive up close without the benefits of good armour. With my current Sorc I countered with spider spawn, but it becomes a very useless spell with it's short duration...

One thing I do, do is sell those wands of cloudkill and summoning that I recieved from Irenicus's Dungeon and buy them back so they appear fully recharged (50 charges of Cloudkill!). BUT the problem is that they cost roughly 10000-15000 a pop and I don't have that kind of money easily or early.

~

So what I'm looking for is tactics and ways to over come the need for protection and summons early.

me0w · Post by **me0w** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 10:41 am

http://www.gamebanshee.com/forums/showt ... hp?t=26456

I decide what to give Kelsey based upon this thread, its helpfull, although due to playing style I do change it up slightly.

It'd probably help to list the major problems I have. Firstly the things I've noticed are that there are atleast 4 traps that will kill me outright

- 2 spells, mirror image, stone skin. stoneskin at levl 17 will let you be hit 8 times before you get any damage on you. Mirror image will create around 6 mirrors of you who will also take a hit for you, use these 2 spells are traps are then irrelivent.

"I don't have that kind of money easily or early."

Then don't buy them back early on, buy them later, or when you really need them.