Utilising mages

ruscavo · Post by **ruscavo** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 5:50 am

Hi all, I've been playing through BGI for a little while now (my first time through, though I have played BGII) and I'm really enjoying it!

I try to roleplay to some degree although occasionally having a small inkling of precognition can go a long way. I also try to make my party as balanced as possible, i.e. 2 fighters, 1 thief, 1 cleric, 1 mage, 1 optional. Right now I'm trying out: Ereoth (PC Ranger), Adjantis, Kivan, Vicconia, Imoen, Edwin (not my favorite group but I like trying out the NPCs) and we're making our way through Cloakwood.

Now, coming to my problem, mages! I just don't seem to use them effectively. They have uses, for crowd control and such but as damage dealers it just doesn't work out. Is this normal? Problems I have lie in a reluctance to use spells (I tend to think "oh I can make it through this fight without, I'll save them for something big" which never turns up). Link this to a complete inability to use scrolls ("But what if I wanna scribe that spell later, better not waste it!") and it means my mages tend to watch most of the fight go by, idly twiddling their thumbs. The only mage I have had some successs with was Xan, as I just used his spells to buff him then employed him, and his moonblade, as a secondary fighter.

Any advice you learned people could give my on how to make better use of my mages would be greatly appreciated. And just to tag on another quickie, will Edwin leave if I don't make an effort to find Dynaheir any time soon?

Thanks a bunch (sorry if its a bit long)

Luis Antonio · Post by **Luis Antonio** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 6:22 am

Dynaheir will not be found in BG2

Ruscavo, mage playing in BG2 is cheesy. Yes. It will spoil a lot of your fun, or create a lot of your fun depending on how much of a powergamer you are. Now a good way to start developing your mage spells on BG2 is having a single mage on your party (I'd recomend aerie, cause you'll practice both cleric and mage spells) so that you can recognize and understand their effects in situ. A good spell reference site is found here . Have fun

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 6:37 am

What I used mages for most in Baldurs Gate 1 was simply summons and wands. Compared to Baldurs Gate 2 mages are very underpowered because of the relative low level you attain in BG1. So if you are used to BG2 mages, then it is hard to play BG1 mages.
They die fast (very fast) due to low hit points, they don't have many spells and so on.

However, with the no-summon limit in Baldurs Gate 1, mages definately have their usage. Also charm spells are (can be) very powerfull, but compared to straight up meele and ranged damage, they don't score high as damagedealers as they could in Baldurs Gate 2. Mages are a utility class, and less of artillery in BG1.

@LA: What does Aerie have to do with a BG1 mage thread?

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 6:40 am

Not 100%sure, but i think Edwin will leave if you dont find Dynaheir soon.
I know Minsc will leave.

As for mages in BG1, the ring of wizzardy is a must at the start of BG1, to double the amount of spells.

I recommand the "auto-pause-spell-cast" option, it makes magecontrol more easy, but that is just personal.

Read spell discritions, some spells just do damage, but some spells lower rolls, stunn, hold,or buff your party members.
There are loads of options, see whats fits your playing style best.

Sure you can just let te mage stand still (or make him/her atleast use a sling).
But same can be said for the warrior, or the rogue.
Experiment, in Baldur's Gate I the mage isnt the most powerfull class (certainly not untill the higher levels),but it is one of the most intresting classes to play with.

Luis Antonio · Post by **Luis Antonio** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 6:48 am

[QUOTE=Xandax]
@LA: What does Aerie have to do with a BG1 mage thread?

[/QUOTE]

You're right. I've mixed them up

@Ruscavo, 1000 apologies, I've read that you had played bg1 and started bg2, not the oposite. Hehehehehe I guess it is lack of coffe.

ruscavo · Post by **ruscavo** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 7:29 am

[QUOTE=Luis Antonio]@Ruscavo, 1000 apologies.[/QUOTE]

No worries mate, I know its an unusual way round to do things.

Cheers for all the advice given so far. Guess I'm just a bit used to BGII mages having more, and stronger, spells to throw in. I'll just have to worry less about the damage they're doing and look at the alround effectiveness.

How do you guys use the spells though? Do you cast as many as you can in every battle or do you try and conserve for the bigger fights?

And also, what about scrolls? My mage tends to have an inventory full off them but rarely uses any. Should I be more gung-ho with them, on the knowledge I should be able to get more.

Sorry about the number of questions, just I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to these things and wanna try and get the most out of all my characters if I can.

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 7:36 am

I dont cast spells in every battle.
I usually search the entire map, and i dont waste my spells on xzwarts and gibberlings.
But anything that has a "unique" name, or that is giving me trouble can certainly expect one or two spells comming their way, damage or otherwise.

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 7:47 am

[QUOTE=ruscavo]<snip>
And also, what about scrolls? My mage tends to have an inventory full off them but rarely uses any. Should I be more gung-ho with them, on the knowledge I should be able to get more.
<snip>[/QUOTE]

I advice you to use scrolls when you have them. I normally do (did) the oppersite and always ran around with many scrolls but was to affraid to use them, incase I could use them later..... but I rarely did, so in effect they were often wasted or sold.

So just use them imo, but I'd be a little more conservative with wands then scrolls, for the reason that wands

Rhûn · Post by **Rhûn** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 8:26 am

I'll never forget the final battle of the game with my two mages, Imoen and Xan, our party flanked by 50 monsters either side

Mages arent that great until around lvl5-6, then they start to improve (with spells like fireball).

FireLighter · Post by **FireLighter** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 8:54 am

Magic Missle, Im sure everyone will agree, starts to get GOOD when it shoots 3 missles around player lvl 5. Keep that in mind as it is great for killing those who run scared if you dont feel like chasing them (thats what I do

).

Luis Antonio · Post by **Luis Antonio** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 9:12 am

[QUOTE=FireLighter]Magic Missle, Im sure everyone will agree, starts to get GOOD when it shoots 3 missles around player lvl 5. Keep that in mind as it is great for killing those who run scared if you dont feel like chasing them (thats what I do

).[/QUOTE]

In fact when my character reaches 2 magic missiles I'm already cheering up. Its so wonderfull

I'll always have (on BG1)

Magic Missile
Fireball
Horror
Invisibility

mr_sir · Post by **mr_sir** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 11:49 pm

I find mages incredibly useful. I always have at least one, often two in my party. If you keep them out of harms way they are great for backing up your fighters. Magic Missile is very effective once you get to level 3 or 4 and fireball is great. Often a few magic missiles fired at a tougher opponent can make it a lot easier for your fighters and clerics spells are also great as the buffing spells make fights so much easier. I use clerics at the start of battles to buff up my fighters then mages to back them up during the fight itself. also spells such as knock are very handy while you are waiting for your thief to advance his/her lockpicking skills enough to open the more difficult chests etc.

Also, like others have said. mage spells can be pretty useful for finishing the bad guys that are running away so you don't have to keep chasing after them

Ravager · Post by **Ravager** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 2:24 am

Hopelessness is also a great spell. It can reduce opponents of great power to just standing around doing nothing, soaking up damage.

A fully-charged Wand of Monster Summoning also goes a long way.

Coot · Post by **Coot** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 4:25 am

Magic Missile is also very handy for disrupting enemy spellcasting. But don't rule out Chromatic Orb. Like MM it gets more powerful too when you lvl.

Minerva · Post by **Minerva** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 7:31 am

I find mage useful with wide area damage spells, like clear cobolds with fire balls (though you can use wands and other equipment for this)

Spells like Grease and Web are particularly useful in BG1. They are low level spells, and just cast them to prevent enemies from coming to you, then spree with arrows, bolts, bullets and magic missiles.

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 7:42 am

Agreed, Web is one of the most effective early level spells for dealing with parties. There are few enjoyments to compare with webbing a group of fire-armed archers.

CFM · Post by **CFM** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:03 am

[QUOTE=ruscavo]How do you guys use the spells though? Do you cast as many as you can in every battle or do you try and conserve for the bigger fights?

And also, what about scrolls? My mage tends to have an inventory full off them but rarely uses any. Should I be more gung-ho with them, on the knowledge I should be able to get more.[/QUOTE]
When I played thru BG1...

I says to myself: "Dynaheir the witch, save your spells for that next *big* battle that should be coming up." So she refrains from casting, and before I knew it...
It was time to rest.

Then I says to myself: "Imoen the dualled mage, save those scrolls & wands & potions for when we *really* need them." So she accumulates an arsenal of consumable magicks, and before I knew it...
End Credits were rolling.

So I says to myself: "Boo the space hamster, this is for the better. We'll import all this stuff into BG2, SoA, *the* ultimate sequel." So I imported my Final Save into BG2, and before I knew it...
I was standing naked in a cage.

The moral of the story is...
If you see a red circle on-screen, shoot off your fireworks. July 4th may never come.

krunchyfrogg · Post by **krunchyfrogg** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 3:39 pm

I think mages kinda stink too, because I never know when to use their spells (don't want to use them too early, but hate having a useless character).

You best bet, IMHO is a multiclassed mage, or maybe a Bard (or both!). Both of these guys have uses outside of casting spells, and can use the mage equipment.

FireLighter · Post by **FireLighter** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 5:01 pm

I mainly use spells on people who turn yellow ie. run (by people i mean any creature). Or I use them on party fights ie. the party with sendai and alexander/delgoth. Other than that I just use them when I know I will rest soon.

Minerva · Post by **Minerva** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 6:29 am

Am I right to think people who can't find a good use for the mage in BG1 tend to have played BG2 first?

I played BG1 first, so found mages spells like Web and summoning are very useful. Summoning wild dogs in Spider's Den or the house with the horrors etc saved my life, while Web helped me a lot when I was ambushed by Black Talons (I think...those with Ice Arrows) while wandering in the wilderness.

Also, Identify saved a lot of money for the early days. It costs 100gp per identification in shops. That is a lot for the young traveler who can't even afford a bunch of Arrows+1.

You need a lot of creatifvity in BG1, because of the low hit points, less efficient equipments, less money etc. It is completely different from BG2. And I never traveled without a mage.

Oh, and my most powerful and favourite PC I traveled through BG1 to ToB, it was a mage/cleric multi. It was tough at the begining, but it was the most enjoyable and the most powerful by the time I hit Baldur's Gate.