GameBanshee Forums

I've played the game through a couple of times, and started quite a few times, and while my magic skills have come a long way (from knowing diddly) I still feel that sure I'm not alone when I say that I *still* don't have a brilliant grasp of magic.

What are the hot spells? What spells suck? The game is so vast, yet there still never seems to be the time to try as much as you'd want to.

Hell, on my first time through I couldn't even grasp the different situations for Breach and Pierce Magic. I beat Jon the first time I met him by running away and waiting for the protections to wear off.

Suggestions welcome Even on this, my third run through, I'm still swapping spells in and out.

I would suggest...

*** Shameless Self-Promotion Alert ***

that you take a look at my Spell Reference.

Link is in my sig.

Will be updated any day now to include priest spells as well.

for me, mordenkain's sword was absolutely priceless. they are pretty much immune to everything and hit as a +4 weapon. awesome against those pesky mindflayers.
abidalzim's horrid wilting does good damage and doesn't harm party members.
for single tough bad guys with high magic resistance i like a chain contigency of 2 pierce shields, and bigby's clenched fist.
or if you don't have that many 8th level spells, go for a contigency of a breach, lower resistance, any damage spell.
improved haste is great. it really all depends on yoru party and how you play. you could either use your spellcaster as back up to your tanks by hasting them and attacking your enemies defenses with breach. or use your spellcasters to summon helpers. early summoning spell of animate dead is very useful since the skeletal warriors are immune to some attacks. and my personal favorite summoning spell is limited wish to bring a horde of bunnies to distract enemies.
simulacram/mislead/etc. can be priceless for extendign your protection and spell capability. helps prevent you from easting your own spells in case you won't be able to rest for a while.

you really just need to play around and see what you like. and what helps your style of play the most.

wow, that was a long post for me.

XYX, eagerly looking foward to the priest spells append in the definative spell guide.

Only thing missing is cheese spells, like stacked blurs.

May I suggest two entries for the preist?

Multiple armor of faith can make you regen off a hit!
Righteous magic can make priest fighter into kensai (works like kai shot)

Originally posted by UserUnfriendly:
<STRONG>Only thing missing is cheese spells, like stacked blurs.</STRONG>

There will be loads of small additions, this being one of them. I have decided to list Real Cheese(TM) separately alongside known bugs.

Originally posted by UserUnfriendly:
<STRONG>Multiple armor of faith can make you regen off a hit!</STRONG>

I tried this before, but never saw actual regeneration. You sure?

For lower levels fights, Web + spider spawn really rules.

had viccy cast 5

resist to slashing, blunt, etc showed 125%
have yest to try in combat, tho.

Xyx, almost forgot another spell I make sure my sorc always gets.

Detect evil or detect alignment. Seemingly completly useless, however I often use it to see via the messages in the scroll bar, how many of and what enemies are in an area. highly useful side effect of the spell.

The only resistance I found that actually heals you when it's above 100% was Resist Fire...

Is there any other use for Detect Evil than life scanning? But how does your Sorcerer get it? Perhaps I shouldn't ask...

I cheat of course.

Time for a bit of SPAM:

*** Shameless Self-Promotion Alert ***

I've updated my [url="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bwscript/files/DOCUMENTS/BGII%20Spells%20Reference/"]BGII Spells Reference[/url].

There has been a whole slew of updates, but the biggest update is the inclusion of the divine spells (finally ).

Though quite sizable by now, it's still not finished by a long shot. Comments, additions and other feedback is always appreciated.

XYX, all sorcs and mages bow before your wisdom. Found out something really annoying. Like I mentioned, I am playing full install of soa, and balderdash patches, and ton install plus patch. turns out balderdash patches disables stackable armor of faith and stacked blurs.

Oh well, thats what having a hacked sorc is all about.

Perhapse when I am bored one night I will post the "Hacked sorc" guide on this forum, with special dedication to you!!

For those of us who love sorcs but want more spells!

slight spoiler
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something i used on the dragon in the elf city, when i had ToB installed, was to get my sorc to get out the way so he dont get interupted, cast improved alacrity (spec. abilitie after lvl 20), then timestop. i found i could cast 5 dragon's breath (also spec. abilitie, and instant cast), then 3 abi-dalzim's horrid wilting(about that maybe more, maybe less). this kill him almost instantly
if you dont know what improved alacrity is, it lets you cast another spell as soon as you have finished the last one. and dragon's breath is an instant cast spell.
protection from divination and improved invisibility is good too

[ 08-26-2001: Message edited by: Stoner Cold ]

Cast improved acuity after casting timestop!

Takes effect instantly, and I was able to squeeze out 15 or so 3-5 duration spells in the same timestop. so the real qustion is for those of us who are power gamers, is it better to cast increased acuity before or after the timestop? I think after. I casted and started spewing short duration spells, and I tend to get bored and stop casting after about 15 or so and let the rest run out.

OH its important to have autopause at end of round. otherwise you waste time.

the most priceless spell is believe it or not Wizards eye it's uses are many and I would say that it is the bast spell for me (abidalzim's horrid wilting do kick some major a$$ though )

I guess it's bad habit or something, but I always seem to have these few mid-level spells on my Edwin:

Fireball (or Skull Trap on other mages)
Spider Spawn (fast attacks!)
MAGIC MISSILE!!! hehe... who can forget the best level 1 spell ever..

But other than that, I simply just love the Minute Meteors too.. hehe

no doubt that magic missle is one of the best "standard" weapons, agree. see a foe.....MAGIC MISSLE!!!! chromatic orb get's very nasty at high lvl. too. the less lvl. spells are not to be underestamated since a lot of them gets better with your lvl.

The Mage in the random encounter between city areas dies instantly to Magic Missile.

I like a Spell Sequencer with three Skull Traps for opening fights. Nothing like 51d6 area damage to clear up the battlefield.

Magic Missile and fireball if you want to be cheap and cast it into the "fog of war" when you know there are enemies there (use with caution).

My favourite combo: web and fireball.

It's not glamourous, but it does the job.

Taking down high level mages is another matter, and I'd be interested in people's favourite techniques.

I go: breach and/or spell thrust, secret word, dispel magic, and sometimes get a miscast magic on them, then try and take them down (including using summoned creatures and regular skull bashing techniques). But I don't really know what I'm doing.