SCSII and solo Sorcerer spell picks
Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 6:29 pm
SCSII and solo Sorcerer spell picks (spoiler)
I've seen many posts regarding sorc spell picks, but I'd like to ask people for their opinions regarding spell picks specifically for the Sword Coast Stratagems II mod. I've gotten my solo sorcerer all the way into TOB (where I'm running Ascension), but haven't quite finished it yet. Well, I didn't quite solo the whole way--I "borrowed" Jan at the very beginning so he could do some pick-pocketing. Nothing like making 50 grand at the very beginning of the game. Anyways, I had so much fun building my sorcerer up, that I'm thinking about doing it again! I'm sure this time around I can make some better choices for my spells. Here's what I went with (spell order counts):
Level 1
Magic Missile - Duh
Chromatic Orb - Actually, barely used this because I was so busy casting MM
Spook - Barely used it, but with a -6 save theoretically it stays useful even into TOB
Protection from Evil - Never bothered casting it, and now I have the staff
Blindness - Never bothered casting it
Comments: I'm thinking about getting "Shield" next time, because having a defense against magic missile early on would have been handy.
Level 2
Mirror Image - Duh, this spell is more awesome than it has a right to be
Knock - cuz i'm soloing
Web - for use in conjunction with spider spawn. stays useful in the late game if combined with greater malison.
Melf's Acid Arrow
Resist Fear - good for fighting dragons/demons and the hell trial
Level 3
Melf's Minute Meteors - ok, i didn't opt for the nerfing of the meteors to +2 weapons. Was useful for killing golems. With a high dexterity sorc you should still be able to hit stuff.
Spell Thrust - LOTS of mages use Spell Immunity: Abjuration, Spell Immunity: Divination, and some kind of invisibility. SI is a 5th level protective spell. In SCSII, Spell Thrust is an area-effect spell that simultaneously dispels all spell protections 5th-level and lower. So my usual sequence when fighting mages would be Spell Thrust, True Sight, Breach, etc.
Skull Trap - still good, even with the SCSII 12d6 damage cap
Remove Magic
Flame Arrow - good damage, but probably don't need this in the early game, hence the late pick.
Comments: Occasionally wished I had haste. Waiting for my skeletons became tedious, and I was usually too lazy to individually improved haste each one.
Level 4
Stoneskin
Spider Spawn - good for making melee units in the early game, good synergy with web. Good fodder for depleting lich spells.
Wizard Eye - because I liked using project image and summons. Also, I picked this instead of farsight because the book of infinite spells has farsight as one of the options.
Improved Invisibility - the +4 saving throw bonuses keep you alive just as much as the invisibility itself.
Greater Malison
Level 5
Sunfire - bypasses magic resistance
Breach - I didn't opt for the breachable liches component, so fighting those guys sometimes became epic wars of attrition, but it was useful against all other spell casters.
Spell Immunity - Was already quite useful in the vanilla game, but now in addition SI:Conjuration is very useful against vampires that use bats to disrupt your spell casting
Animate Dead - Skeleton warriors are awesome, picking this 4th will coincide with your reaching level 15, which is when this spell first becomes useful.
Spell Shield - Not that crucial except for tough fights, hence the late pick. (You don't get this pick until level 28.)
Level 6
Death Fog - I thought this would deal more damage! I also thought it would be good for getting rid of enemy summons, but, other than the occasional Mordy sword, enemies focused on gating in demons and genies (yes, these are gated in SCSII) which were immune to the insta-kill effect. The only thing I've managed to do with this spell is accidentally kill my skeleton warriors.
True Sight
Pierce Magic - used mostly for its ability to lower magic resistance. works on characters immune to 5th level and below (demogorgon, that lich trapped in a cave in Amkethran)
Improved Haste - cuz I liked using summons
Protection from Magical Weapons - mirror image + stoneskin + running around is good enough for most occasions, hence the late pick. Crucial in TOB (you are f$#ed if you try to fight Ascension Ilesara without it)
Comments: Maybe I should have picked Chain Lightning! With a casting time of 5, this would be nearly instant damage with the robes and amulet on. there were a few times when I wished I had more damage-causing spells (like when I emptied my entire spellbook at Yaga-Shura under improved alacrity and he was still standing).
Level 7
Mordenkainen's Sword - lots of enemies stupidly try to beat it up, even though the swords are immune. can be downright nasty when improved-hasted.
Project Image - yes, I play cheap, and I'm not above using this to summon in an army of planetars.
Ruby Ray of Reversal - I used spell thrust to eliminate spell immunities, and this spell for every other spell protection
Spell Sequencer
Protection from the Elements - when used in conjunction with the belt of inertial barrier and Protection from Energy you become immune to elemental and magic damage (with the exception of some acid damage). But mirror image is usually good enough, hence the late pick.
Level 8
Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting
Power Word: Blind - no saving throw! so good against beholders and liches
Spell Trigger
Protection from Energy - good synergy with Protection from the Elements and the Belt of Inertial Barrier. However, mirror image is good enough for nearly every occasion, hence the late pick
Level 9
Chain Contingency
Time Stop - don't use this that much, because of improved alacrity
Shapechange - The iron golem form is great for withstanding the initial barrage of those tougher liches
Wish - actually not that useful, even with 18 wisdom. if i have an extra spell left over after a fight, i cast this to see if I can get a free "rest"
I've seen many posts regarding sorc spell picks, but I'd like to ask people for their opinions regarding spell picks specifically for the Sword Coast Stratagems II mod. I've gotten my solo sorcerer all the way into TOB (where I'm running Ascension), but haven't quite finished it yet. Well, I didn't quite solo the whole way--I "borrowed" Jan at the very beginning so he could do some pick-pocketing. Nothing like making 50 grand at the very beginning of the game. Anyways, I had so much fun building my sorcerer up, that I'm thinking about doing it again! I'm sure this time around I can make some better choices for my spells. Here's what I went with (spell order counts):
Level 1
Magic Missile - Duh
Chromatic Orb - Actually, barely used this because I was so busy casting MM
Spook - Barely used it, but with a -6 save theoretically it stays useful even into TOB
Protection from Evil - Never bothered casting it, and now I have the staff
Blindness - Never bothered casting it
Comments: I'm thinking about getting "Shield" next time, because having a defense against magic missile early on would have been handy.
Level 2
Mirror Image - Duh, this spell is more awesome than it has a right to be
Knock - cuz i'm soloing
Web - for use in conjunction with spider spawn. stays useful in the late game if combined with greater malison.
Melf's Acid Arrow
Resist Fear - good for fighting dragons/demons and the hell trial
Level 3
Melf's Minute Meteors - ok, i didn't opt for the nerfing of the meteors to +2 weapons. Was useful for killing golems. With a high dexterity sorc you should still be able to hit stuff.
Spell Thrust - LOTS of mages use Spell Immunity: Abjuration, Spell Immunity: Divination, and some kind of invisibility. SI is a 5th level protective spell. In SCSII, Spell Thrust is an area-effect spell that simultaneously dispels all spell protections 5th-level and lower. So my usual sequence when fighting mages would be Spell Thrust, True Sight, Breach, etc.
Skull Trap - still good, even with the SCSII 12d6 damage cap
Remove Magic
Flame Arrow - good damage, but probably don't need this in the early game, hence the late pick.
Comments: Occasionally wished I had haste. Waiting for my skeletons became tedious, and I was usually too lazy to individually improved haste each one.
Level 4
Stoneskin
Spider Spawn - good for making melee units in the early game, good synergy with web. Good fodder for depleting lich spells.
Wizard Eye - because I liked using project image and summons. Also, I picked this instead of farsight because the book of infinite spells has farsight as one of the options.
Improved Invisibility - the +4 saving throw bonuses keep you alive just as much as the invisibility itself.
Greater Malison
Level 5
Sunfire - bypasses magic resistance
Breach - I didn't opt for the breachable liches component, so fighting those guys sometimes became epic wars of attrition, but it was useful against all other spell casters.
Spell Immunity - Was already quite useful in the vanilla game, but now in addition SI:Conjuration is very useful against vampires that use bats to disrupt your spell casting
Animate Dead - Skeleton warriors are awesome, picking this 4th will coincide with your reaching level 15, which is when this spell first becomes useful.
Spell Shield - Not that crucial except for tough fights, hence the late pick. (You don't get this pick until level 28.)
Level 6
Death Fog - I thought this would deal more damage! I also thought it would be good for getting rid of enemy summons, but, other than the occasional Mordy sword, enemies focused on gating in demons and genies (yes, these are gated in SCSII) which were immune to the insta-kill effect. The only thing I've managed to do with this spell is accidentally kill my skeleton warriors.
True Sight
Pierce Magic - used mostly for its ability to lower magic resistance. works on characters immune to 5th level and below (demogorgon, that lich trapped in a cave in Amkethran)
Improved Haste - cuz I liked using summons
Protection from Magical Weapons - mirror image + stoneskin + running around is good enough for most occasions, hence the late pick. Crucial in TOB (you are f$#ed if you try to fight Ascension Ilesara without it)
Comments: Maybe I should have picked Chain Lightning! With a casting time of 5, this would be nearly instant damage with the robes and amulet on. there were a few times when I wished I had more damage-causing spells (like when I emptied my entire spellbook at Yaga-Shura under improved alacrity and he was still standing).
Level 7
Mordenkainen's Sword - lots of enemies stupidly try to beat it up, even though the swords are immune. can be downright nasty when improved-hasted.
Project Image - yes, I play cheap, and I'm not above using this to summon in an army of planetars.
Ruby Ray of Reversal - I used spell thrust to eliminate spell immunities, and this spell for every other spell protection
Spell Sequencer
Protection from the Elements - when used in conjunction with the belt of inertial barrier and Protection from Energy you become immune to elemental and magic damage (with the exception of some acid damage). But mirror image is usually good enough, hence the late pick.
Level 8
Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting
Power Word: Blind - no saving throw! so good against beholders and liches
Spell Trigger
Protection from Energy - good synergy with Protection from the Elements and the Belt of Inertial Barrier. However, mirror image is good enough for nearly every occasion, hence the late pick
Level 9
Chain Contingency
Time Stop - don't use this that much, because of improved alacrity
Shapechange - The iron golem form is great for withstanding the initial barrage of those tougher liches
Wish - actually not that useful, even with 18 wisdom. if i have an extra spell left over after a fight, i cast this to see if I can get a free "rest"