Wizard specialisation

[Biggums]

Is it just me, or does being a specialist wizard make any difference?

[ishuman]

AFAIK it makes three differences:

1) some minor roe-play differences in the plot

2) you get one extra spell caster per spell level (from any school you can cast)

3) you cannot cast spells from the opposite school

The trick is that you get absolutely no benefit to the spells in your school- only a loss of spells in the school opposite. So pick your specialty based on what you don't want to cast- not what you do want to cast.

-ishuman

[Ravager]

Check the tables that are shown in the .pdf file on the CD for oppositon schools. I think choosing Evocation has the greatest limits- Conjuration and Divination (though I think you can get up to 3rd level Conjuration)

You should be able to cast prohibited spells from their scrolls, you just won't be able to memorise them.

[Brynn]

I think those extra spells you get for specialization doesn't worht the loss of the spells from the opposite school at all. You have enough spells anyway, excluding certain types is a big loss, according to my exp.

[Ravager]

I agree, 1 extra spell per level, isn't worth losing 20 oppositon school spells .

[Ellester]

I look at a specialization wizard as a middle ground between a regular wizard and a sorcerer. You are willing to have a spell caster that is limited in what he can cast, and you want a spell caster that gets a bonus spells so it only puts him 1 spell behind a Sorcerer, so you want the “more” spells over variety style of play. So you can look at it as a Sorcerer with more spell selection, just as easily as a wizard with less spell selection. I find you are taking a middle ground with a specialization wizard.

I like them because you are only 1 spell per level behind the sorcerer, but you get the higher level spells 1 level quicker. And you have more variety of casting spells than the Sorcerer. My last party had a transmuter and a necromancer, and loved them both.

I prefer the necromancer for roleplaying purposes, though. I can’t remember the prohibiting schools, but you get all the good damage/death spells in the game by being allowed to use Necromancy and Conjuration.

Last thing, the specialist wizard I think is the hardest wizard to play. You must think it out and plan appropriately or you’ll be sorry. So take everyone’s advice and look at the opposing schools, then check out those spells to find out if your comfortable playing without them. You’ll find you can always do without a school or two, but some you can not do without like evocation.

[myrophine]

There are some cases when I'd argue a specialist is better but in general I want ALL the spell options...

An example when I like to specialize: Spellsword building towards 5 levels of wizardry does not need necromancy spells so take Transmutation or Illusion for extra MI,blink,blur...

Of course they do lose abjuration spells too and so they miss out on shield...

Another ODD example that happened in one of my parties:

Bard 5 ----> Bard5Necromancer19 -----> Bard11Necromancer19

*Talker
*supplemental mage
*High intelligence complements bard breadth of skills
*Need only take 14 Charisma for defensive bard spells

Basicly the bard got MI confusion charm etc and so I didn't need to be able to cast illusion or enchantment on the mage side. Kind of neat

On the other hand it could've been a good generalist mage with GSF enchantment...use the bard spells for low will opponents (charisma 14) and mage for higher will save opponents (based off high intelligence casting stat + chaos's -4 to save)

cheers

myrophine

[Ravager]

In IWDII you can put all the spells in your spell book can't you (like NWN)? If that's the case I would say it's better not to be a specialist as you have the complete choice. In BGII you were limited by INT (even when TOB presented the option to erase spells) and so having a specialist makes less of a difference.

ADDITION - SPOILER FOLLOWS- If you are a transmuter then you can transform the White Wyrm helm to improve it, when you get to the Drider Cavern.

[myrophine]

Yep. You can get every spell (in your book) that you can find a scroll for if you are a generalist. I think a 20th level generalist is better but at lower levels its nice to get extra spells.

myrophine

PS use a potion of genius in BG2 if there is too limited spells for your intelligence (but usually you only NEED a handful of spells per level...soo if you plan correctly...ie don't take "know alignment" or "infravision" etc you are ok)

[koz-ivan]

[QUOTE=Biggums]Is it just me, or does being a specialist wizard make any difference?[/QUOTE]

the first question is - is this a support caster or the main caster in the party?

if it's your main caster i'd think pretty hard about being a general wizard or choose a specialty that doesn't give much up.

otoh if it is a backup caster - sometimes having more spells to cast per day is better then more selection. depends on rest of party, if you have someone else who can cover the schools you cannot then go for it.

[JJComo]

Sorceress/Necromancer

I'm currently playing with a Sorceress/Necromancer. It is fun to play with. The added spells from the sorceror class compensates quite nicely for the loss of arcane schools. I've also been thinking of multi-classing with cleric as well to gain the rebuke undead ability but I don't think this is possible.

Can multi-class Necromancer/Sorceress/Cleric? I think this character would be fun to play.

J

[myrophine]

@ JJ

I too thought about a tri-class caster (actually I thought about making Makados from the default party hands of fury into a cleric 11 (heal) Bard 5 (tymora's melody) sorceror 14...

The problem is that you don't get the highest level spells in any 1 class and instead get tons of lower level.

Instead I'm making him Bard 11 (more bardic songs and spells) / Cleric 19

Yeah he loses some sorceror spells but he gets plenty of 8th/9th level cleric spells, more songs, more bard spells...etc

The tri-caster would forever be not using spells to keep pace with how frequent the rest of the party rests.

If you have a Necromancer/Sorceror thats fine... I would advise 2 things.

level in one class all the way to 20th level (extra feat + max spells for necro, or 3 9th level spells to choose for sorceror)...Then add your extra class. Otherwise it takes ages to level to peak power.

Consider taking something else instead! You've already got TONS of arcane power at level 20. Why not grab something else...

If Necro...well take sorceror I guess or bard to get MI? Thats a really good spell and well worth it! (the only problem I see is you have to wait so long to get that MI and might have to be resurrected a few times...)

If Sorceror grab a Paladin level for super saves and a 2nd for no fear. Or fighter considering that Sorcerors could use a few more feats to make their awsome spell power more effective.

But I can see why it would be cool to be a necro 20 sorceror 10. You have tons of casting of those low level spells (illusions and enchantments) that you recast a lot: blur, mirror image, charm, dire charm, chaos, confusion, shadow monsters...GOOD IDEA JJ!!!! (I think I may have to steal it for my party ) The only problem I see is that I'd want 9th level spells ASAP and to do that I'd lose out on MI untill heart of fury...Whereas a bard 11 can be singing (and level squatting/muling) untill the necro ability picks up...

cheers

myro

[JJComo]

HoF

My hope is to have a high level party set up for HoF. I'm unsure this is possible. My party is nearly complete. I suppose dalekeeper would be much easier when making characters. But have to know that I like the character. I don't have a clue on how to find and install this mode.

J

[Aerich]

HoF mode is in the configuration menu. If you did a standard installation, it should be found in Start>Programs>Black Isle>Icewind Dale2>IWD2Configuration. On the General tab on the left side is the difficulty slider; there is a little checkbox below it called Heart of Fury mode. Check the box and start your HoF game - do a Create New Party and import your characters.

[Ravager]

Once you start a game in HoF mode, it is stuck there, so you may want to turn off the function after you have began a game in the mode. This will prevent any other games you load also going to HoF.