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I can`t make up my mind if Timestop is worth a slot. I have a party of two (Cleric/Ranger 19/16) and Imoen.
When I took on Firkrag, Imoen was supposed to use Timestop. Firkrag batted her across the room while she was casting - one wasted high level spell.
On another occasion, she gets off the timestop, and after she`s let go of the last spell, she stands next to the baddy and gets a good hiding.
Simalcrum is another dodgy one. Unless it`s a fighter, I don`t think it`s worthwhile. The simalcrums spells are strictly limited and it`s a bit confusing in the heat of battle to know which is which.
I`ve just rembered - if you use the protection from magic spells, simalcrum is needed, but then you get it with that fancy hat.

I've found timestop to be tremendously useful. I usually play F/Th characters and with UAI I read timestop scrolls and then cause all kinds of havoc- set traps, read other scrolls, or just generally pop off and attack.

*casts Time Stop*
*casts Improved Alacrity* (with Robe of Vecna, of course)
*cast a bunch of other spells*
*sees what gets killed first, the enemy or your video card*

I could call it quite useful, a sure way to quickly rain destruction on your enemies

Agreed with the others. Timestop is one of the most useful spells around. It's like gaining a turn, free, on the enemy, and you can make that still more effective with a few other high level spells whose benefits are increased by Timestop.

Time stop *can* be usefull sometimes it plain won't be, it usually has to be used in conjunction with other spells like Haste and Alclarity before it's much use though.

Your problem might not be with the spell but where you're positioning your mages, if you're casting Timestop it's best to be as safe as possible.

~

Similacra is another spell that has it's uses but I agree, it is certainly not worth wasting a level 8 slot in. There are cheesy ways of using Similacar but again even then I don't like using it. There's other ways of using Similacar though a specific helm casts it and additionally I just use scrolls to cast it on occasion.

Dude- Tovam is spot on. Timestop and Improved Alacrity are the top two spells in the game. I killed my video card as often as I killed whatever I was fighting. Just don't try it with the Gorgon- that's a tough one to learn the hard way!

I always thought that Wish+IA are the top spells in the game(since the wish can give you a double length IA+Time Stop, and many many more options...

Anyway, for Time Stop.

In the beginning, I underestimated this spell. So what - three spells cast freely. Big deal.

After that I began using it with IA. Wow! 12-15 spells. Now that's power. 5 summons, buffing them, buffing myself, new Time stop and so on...

And finally, a F/M or a T/M or a F/M/T or Blade(the last two using scrolls, of course.). Now that's power. The Ascension's cheesiest way of killing all of the five with a Blade or a F/M or a F/T is using several Timestops and pure melee with the appropriate weapons. Nothing more is needed.

Time Stop is a must-have pick for a sorcerer. Unfortunately, usually the last to pick 9 lvl spell because there are much more important than this one. I always start with CC, after that Wish, later Shapechange and finally at lvl 30 or so - Time Stop.

Cuchulain82 wrote:Dude- Tovam is spot on. Timestop and Improved Alacrity are the top two spells in the game. I killed my video card as often as I killed whatever I was fighting. Just don't try it with the Gorgon- that's a tough one to learn the hard way!

Mellisan and Balthazar are also immune to Time Stop. I think that there may be more, thou I cannot say for certain. And TS is not that bad used on Demogogron. Because although he can move, his whole army cannot.

Deadalready wrote: Similacra is another spell that has it's uses but I agree, it is certainly not worth wasting a level 8 slot in. There are cheesy ways of using Similacar but again even then I don't like using it. There's other ways of using Similacar though a specific helm casts it and additionally I just use scrolls to cast it on occasion.

This simply points out that you haven't played much with arcane casters. A simulacrum is one of the best spells. First, if cast by a highly enough lvl mage or sorcerer(lvl 31-32), you get a simulacrum lvl 20. An additional powerful spellcaster with all of your spells and items. And this image cannot be duspelled by True sight like projected Images. Also, you can command BOTH your original caster and the simulacrum, while with PI you must babysit your original caster in order to keep the image.

A simulacrum can be also used for casting ninth lvl spells in SoA. Doesn't matter that it is actually a lvl 12 wizard cast by a lvl 17(xp cap) protagonist, You can collect 4 Time Stop scrolls in SoA, 4 Incendiary Clouds, 4-5 Horrid Wiltings, a Shapechange, and other powerful and limited scrolls. Then, you can load them in quick-slots, cast a Simulacrum, and he will have those scrolls also. And they will not be wasted if cast by the Simmy.

Third, if you're playing a solo sorcerer, you should have a Simulacrum spell because a solo Sorcerer cannot waste slots on Prot from Fire, Cold, Acid, Elec,Magic Energy and Ghost Armor, yet they have to be cast on the sorcerer in order to keep him alive - well, use 2 simulacrums loaded with protection scrolls to buff your PC.

The Simulacrum is the first-pick for a solo sorcerer. Second comes Spell Trigger, and after that - Horrid Wilting. The fourth is whatever you wish.

I also forgot to mention one details; I believe that when you're in a timestop, all attacks automatically hit.
Should I mention (greater) whirlwind attack now? Not to mention in combination with critical strike or the kensai's ki strike.

Saros wrote: This simply points out that you haven't played much with arcane casters. A simulacrum is one of the best spells. First, if cast by a highly enough lvl mage or sorcerer(lvl 31-32), you get a simulacrum lvl 20. An additional powerful spellcaster with all of your spells and items. And this image cannot be duspelled by True sight like projected Images. Also, you can command BOTH your original caster and the simulacrum, while with PI you must babysit your original caster in order to keep the image.

I play casters all the time, probably soloed the game more times with a mage class than with a party.

Simulacrum has it's uses, but it's frustrating that it's always significantly lower level (though there are cheese ways fix it)

When it comes to level 8 spells, I've always gotten Abi first, Pierce and then Spell Sequencer (don't ever remember what came after that). With a sorceror I just used Time Stop and either Pierced or Horrid Wilted everything to death. With a mage I only have Horrid Wiltings, Pierces and 1 sequencer memorised.

I do use a Simulacrum occasionally, but I just prefer the lower level Project Image any day.

Anyways different people, different tactics. Hell looking at the solo sorceror guide on gamefaqs makes me annoyed (recommending Protection from Elements and Fire?!?, what a waste of a spell slot!).

Strange. Ever soloed the SoA with a sorcerer with the xp cap? There are only two 8 lvl slots. And while the PI has its uses, the Simmy has more. Both are needed and both are played.

I agree on the fact that Prot from Elements and from Fire are silly slots for a sorcerer. Either way, thanx to simulacrum and scrolls of elemental protections your sorcerer can be buffed at all times. Works also with Projected images, but not in the original game. Because in the unmodded game the spell makes your character Improved Invisible and cannot be targeted by your PI with buffing spells.