Cont'd
Level 5
Animate Dead - good after Lvl 15, but Clerics get this at level 4 and level up faster, so it's better left to them. Still a great summons though, especially as meat shields against Mind Flayers - skeletons have no brains to eat. Umber Hulks tend to make short work of them though so maybe send in a Cloudkill first.
Breach - THE best anti-mage-protections spell. Have at least 3 memorised if you can once you have a few Lvl 5 slots.
Chaos - like Confusion but more effective. The trouble is Lvl 5 has so many good spells that sparing a slot for it can be hard.
Cloudkill - great due to it's insta-kill function and the poor AI of vanilla BG2, don't cast it in areas with neutrals or friendlies. And use a wand.
Conjure lesser X elemental - only good for Druids due to the delay and possibility of it going hostile with the 'will struggle' bit for mages. Same goes for all mage Elemental Summons.
Domination - good, but not really worth a slot most of the time.
Feeblemind - Great when it works, but it's usually saved against. Cast it on NPCs who tick you off and who you don't need for quests anymore and if it succeeds they won't go hostile. If it fails they will.
Hold Monster - would be great if it were lower level, but as it is skip it and memorise better Lvl 6 spells.
Lower Resistance - great for fighting Drow or dragons. Note that you can have a Cleric cast the 'friendly spell' Magic Resistance on highly magic-resistant foes which will
lower their resistance, then cast Lower Resistance to lower it further.
Protection from Normal Weapons - useful for SoA, but I usually don't bother.
Shadow Door - nice little escape spell, good for Low-on-Health contingencies.
Spell Immunity - really useful, but again I rarely bother (this is where my lack of magery expertise comes in).
Sunfire - Nice but hurts your fellow PCs. If you have a spare slot it's worth having.
Level 6
Carrion Summons - surprisingly good summons (the spell guide doesn't give them due credit for their paralysing bite), quite tough and their paralysis works fairly often - once a foe is paralysed move them on to the next target while some other summons/party member finishes of the Held victim for best results. Not a must-have, but decent. Haste them for best results.
Chain Lightning - Nice mass damage spell, but only really worth it for softening up tightly packed hordes of mid-low enemies. Worth knowing, rarely worth memorising.
Conjure X Elemental - see Conjure Lesser Elemental.
Contingency - must-have. I find it makes a better defensive spell (i.e. with Shadow Door) than offensive. Cast it and then use the slot for something else 'til your contingency is used.
Death Fog - great for tossing into an area you won't be entering immediately, automatically kills all summons. For non-summons I usually stick to Cloudkill instead myself.
Death Spell - good for killing summons, but the 8HD creature immunity mean a well-placed Skull Trap will often do the job just as well for non-summoned hostiles.
Disintegrate - nice-looking spell, but costs you loot (if it works). Plot items will generally remain intact.
Flesh to Stone - again, nice spell with definite style, but costs you loot. I like to Feeblemind the Ore Merchant in Waukeen's Promenade and turn her into a statue with it after the Sir Sarles quest.:devil:
Improved Haste - THE must-have buffing spell. Will double your attacks per round, spells per round, everything, and can be cast on anyone. Cast it on all your party members before hard battles - if you have any fighter/divine caster combo character have them cast Righteous Magic and this baby and they'll be hitting for full damage double-time.
In the ToB duergar battle I had Jaheira using the Staff of the Ram with RM and this, and with some Critical Strikes thrown in for good measure she was chunking them with every blow, faster than they could spawn.
Oils of Speed are the potion version.
Mislead - best Invisibility-type spell. If you're using a high-level mage/thief multiclass couple it with the Shapechange Iron Golem form for backstabbing madness...pity so many of the tougher enemies are immune to backstab.
Pierce Magic - good spell, but better to wait for Pierce Shield at Level 8. Being in the same level as Improved Haste makes this one quite skippable.
Power Word Silence - awesome if you cast it on enemy casters, unless they cast Vocalise. Worth having.
Protection from Magical Weapons - great protective spell with short duration. If your mage is multiclass and can wear the Aslyferund Elven Chain s/he will be immune to all weapons for four rounds.
Stone to Flesh - keep a few scrolls handy.
Summon Nishruu - anti-magic summons good for sending against enemy mages, but can deplete/destroy magical equipment. Use with care if you like your loot.
Tenser's Transformation - sweet spell if you know how to use it right (which I don't, though I imagine it'd go well if you combined it with a Polymorph Self in a sequencer/contingency type spell), especially for Blades and Fighter/Mages, but doesn't boost your attacks-per-round and stops you casting while it's in action so I usually pass.
True Sight - Really useful spell against enemy mages who turn invisible, but you can get it from items or scrolls (or Inquisitors). Have one or two ready, cast before battle with high-level enemy magic users who cast Mislead or Mirror Image. Vital for the Twisted Rune battle.
Wyvern Call - I like it 'cos wyverns look cool, but by the time you're able to cast it there are better summons available.
Level 7
Cacofiend - fun to cast in the middle of pubic spaces (like the Order of the Radiant Heart) for a laugh, otherwise don't bother.
Delayed Blast Fireball - Fireball's big brother. Stick to Skull Trap.
Finger of Death - Worth spending a spare slot on, save it for after a Greater Malison, Doom, and/or Glitterdust. For most grunts a Chromatic Orb will do just as well.
Khelben's Warding Whip - good for enemy casters who cast a lot of spell protections and can last a while. Worth having on memorised when you have a few slots, but only after you have space for a Project Image or two.
Limited Wish - great if your caster has a high Wisdom. Cast it at least once after drinking a WIS-boosting potion or two and ask for one of the one-time wishes to get a bonus quest, and again to get a pair of Glasses of Identification.
Mass Invisibility - good group buffing spell if you have a slot to spare, but far from necessary. Invis 10 foot Radius will usually do you just as well if you want mass invisibility.
Mordenkainen's Sword - great summons, totally immune to physical damage so make great meat shields - mages can take them down without too much fuss though. A bit slow so haste them if you can.
Prismatic Spray - looks pretty, but a bit iffy. Can usually be saved against and will sometimes turn foes to stone or disintegrate them, which costs you loot. I usually have Jan use this as a reserve spell when he reaches high levels.
Project Image - THE star of this spell level. [url="http://www.gamebanshee.com/showshot.php?/baldursgateii/spells/images/projectimage.jpg"]Effectively doubles your casting power[/url]. Make sure your caster is invisible first.
Ruby Ray of Reversal - worth spending a slot on when you have one to spare, if only to counter enemy Spell Traps.
Spell Sequencer - Minor Sequencer's big brother, treat it the same. Great for Mage/Clerics, or for loading a few Magic Missiles into.
Spell Turning - another good anti-mage spell, that I rarely use. Good for beholders. Made redundant if you get the Cloak of Mirroring.
Summon Efreeti - decent summons, great against trolls.
Summon Hakaeshar - the bigger version of Summon Nishruu.
Level 8
Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting - great area effect spell. Use it against water elementals for greater effect.
Maze - should be great, but by the time you get it most enemies will escape it pretty quickly.
Not bad for getting rid of golems in Suldanesselar while you take out their fellows.
- Great anti-magic spell, strips the highest spell protection AND lowers magic resistance. Load it into a Chain Contingency with Breach and Greater Malison for especially nasty magic-user types.
Power Word: Blind - good but not great due to occupying such a high level and for it's short duration.
Simulacrum - Not bad, but Project Image is better. Unless you cheat and have your Images cast Simulacrums, in which case you can have unlimited casters. Note the Vhailor's Helm can cast this for any character type who can wear helms, which is pretty useful (especially since their items will have all the charges of the original, meaning you can can deck them out with items with limited charges or once-per-day charges and have multiples of the same effect, i.e. 2x Sunrays from the Daystar).
Spell Trigger - The best Sequencer. Worth having and experimenting with.
Summon Fiend - like Cacofiend but more so.