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I've decided to play BG1 without a mage in my party this time but nevertheless wanted to ask if someone knows a situation where a mage is definitaley required, eg unpickable locks that can be opened with the Knock spell.

I think BG1, unlike BG2, is pretty playable without a mage. In my first run I had Dynaheir as my only mage, and the major part of the game she was just a bystander, and sometimes she hampered the progress of the group. I would be better without her with another frontline warrior instead; her ocasional fireball or magic missile wasn´t worth her party slot.
The second time, I played with a PC Mage, I used plenty of magic. But I think it is not required. Take the bard with you so he can fire a Web every now and then.

I thougt about the bard in Beregost and did the quest but then decided not to take him in. The party will finally consist of: PC (human/F), Ajantis, Yeslick and of course Coran. They should provide enough firepower. I'm in Cloakwood 2, and Yeslick and Coran are soon to replace Viconia and Imoen. This four member line-up should level up quite quick and ToSC avoids to reach the cap too soon. Maybe I'll also remove it in case everyone is maxed out to early for my taste.

With ToSC installed I have also access to some good weapons for my staff specialist PC [ahem, he's actually SKed to staff master after gaing his fifth WP because I don't see why Coran should be the only person with this privilege]. Area effect spells will be replaced by the frequent use of arrows of detonation.

My plan is to import the main character into BG2 and dual him to cleric around level 20. Therefore I also like the idea of having no BG2 NPCs in my party. I wouldn't recognize them anymore after developping them in BG1.

In BG1, I usually need mages only for using identifiying magic weapons. Other than that, they are good for nearly nothing (like Leonardo said).

Here's an idea. Swap a Mage for a Bard. He can use much better weapons than a Mage, Identify most items, and keep you from spending precious thief points on PP.

Originally posted by Skuld
Here's an idea. Swap a Mage for a Bard. He can use much better weapons than a Mage, Identify most items, and keep you from spending precious thief points on PP.

So true, but then again, a mage can cast cloadkill, and that is a powerfull spell in BG2

I haven't started my BG 2 game yet, but I would think that Bards of higher levels could cast Cloudkill.

Bards casting cloudkill? Maybe TOB, but not in SoA, if I am correct

IIRC, neither mages are able to cast Cloudkill. Unless TotSC is installed.

Mages can't cast Cloudkill without ToSC installed, correct.

Anyway, arrows of detonation fired by a bow specialist wreak more havoc than Cloudkill does, the only advantage of spells is the ability to fire into the fog at no target, provoking no offensive reaction of your counterpart - which is a little cheesy IMHO. My objective is to play BG1 without using a single wizard spell.

I think that you will need a mage, ok there has been a long time since i played BG1 but i still think that mages can change a battle to the better...

I belive that mages are the best characthers in the games...(BG1. ToTsc, BG2 and ToB)

You played BG2? I would say that being able to dualclass gives it an extra edge though. Besides that I am not a great fan of playing mage as I am more melee-fight minded, sometimes even forget to cast spells and such. Which is then cause for an extra reload...

Think a really though battle...and a very good mage...your melee figthers are all busy with trying to Hack 'n slashin their way through the enemy... reload have the mag to throw in some fireballs, maybe web and cloudcill...and see how many of your enemys thats survives...=)

it's cheap but it's working...

Or in BG2 throw in Abi Haldimz Horrod wilthning thats a killer...

Originally posted by Phantom Lord
Mages can't cast Cloudkill without ToSC installed, correct.

I'm sorry my friends , that is incorrect. Without ToSC Cloudkill is still available for a mage. I think Monster Summoning 3 is only available with ToSC and maybe Animate Dead. Unless of course I've been playing all this time and havent found them.

Originally posted by warto


I'm sorry my friends , that is incorrect. Without ToSC Cloudkill is still available for a mage. I think Monster Summoning 3 is only available with ToSC and maybe Animate Dead. Unless of course I've been playing all this time and havent found them.

I just realized that I am wrong here. I play with an xp cap remover and sometimes forget.

How much differs cloudkill from the BG2 version? Not that much I recall, but not sure. I usually don't even use the scrolls. Have too much to think about.

Mage is tortally optional in BG1. Unlike BG2, they are utterly useless. Well, maybe that was little too harsh. The closest to a mage that I had in my party was bard Garick, and he was in my party for pickpocket and lore, not for his spell casting.

Originally posted by Wolf_pd
How much differs cloudkill from the BG2 version?

The spell itself doesn't, but the targets mostly do. They drop dead quíte fast since they lack the HP to survive it for a long time.



Anyway, I'm into brute force this time - and good fighters deal tons of damage with no saving throw ...

Same way, a little softing up with distance attack and the melee fighters to finish the job, don't need a mage to handle that.