Can't live with 'em. Can't bl**dy find 'em!

I know I've said this often enough, but I thought I'd get a collective view on this topic. In anyone's opinion, do you find that certain scrolls only appear once throughout the entire game? (Answers from those that have HoW/TotL installed preferably.) I was wondering if it's a matter of having the difficulty set up high enough; this is true of certain items, but what of spells? My thoughts are no, so where have all the little spell scrolls gone?

my first time through i didn't find any of the conjure elemental scrolls, alot of them are random though, resting where random enemies spawn tends to make them appear more often, also turning up the difficulty in thoes areas helps, as the more dangerous they are, the better the loot they drop (or so it seems), places like the severed hand, and dragons eye drop decent enough spells, but you can always buy mage scrolls from Orrick in Kuldahar, and in the severed hand, as well as a few other places, like the mage in dorns deep

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The Summon Elemental spells are only available in IWD/HOW from Bandoth (the bad-tempered mage in the cavern just north of the entrance to Lower Dorns Deep). You have to do the Razorvine extract retrieval quest in order to get him to sell you the scrolls.

As for the rest of the spells, I believe that all of spells are available in at least two locations (except for the forementioned elemental summoning spells). Some of the HOW spells make an appearance as early as Orrick's tower in Kuldahar (cat's grace comes to mind). The lone exceptions might be cloudkill and stoneskin which I believe are fairly scare, but I could be wrong on those two. I know that my fighter/mage/thief ended up with virtually every listed spell in the game except for one or two that I opted NOT to add.

<font color = mediumspringgreen>Er, hmmm, I was going to start a new topic for this, but Lord Brass' post seems eerily well suited (Twilight Zone music playing in the background) to pre-empt me from starting a new thread.

My "light cheating" has me in a quandry: Sashii, my multiclass Thief/Illusionist has been helping two parties, therefore getting twice the experience. In addition, she has soloed through enough expo enhancing quest rewards to get to level 8 mage and level 9 thief (I think I got that right). This has created a problem: Sashii has three (3) level four spell slots, but has not yet found any 4th level spells, for sale or otherwise.

I have HoW (and TotLM) installed; but am far from qualifying to enter those areas: My most advanced party has just left the first level of Severed Hand and climbed the stairs to the 2nd floor for the first time.

I could hack a few spells into inventory with DK, BUT I do have just a smidgin of scruples left, and don't want to do this. So.... when can I expect to start finding some of these juicy 4th-level spells?

Party On!
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I dont recall if you find any in the Severerd Hand, but there is someone in the next area who will sell them to you.

Are you sure that Orrick in town wouldnt sell you any 4th level spells?

You could have gotten some in Dragon's Eye by talking to the Librarian in the fourth level.

You will level 5 spells in the Severed Hand (Cloudkill and Animate Dead)

<font color=silver>Just a quick note for those who might not be aware of it:

As soon as the party gets to Dragon's Eye, Chapter 2 starts and the ineventory in Orrick the Grey's magic shop back in Kuldahar changes. Upon returning to Kuldahar and visiting Orrick one should find that he now has several 3rd and 4th level spells available for purchase.</font>

[ 10-15-2002, 04:26 PM: Message edited by: Cyril Darkcloud ]

As Cyril says, this is true; check out Orrick's immediately after entering Dragon's. The purpose behind this is the game assumes that you now have sufficient XP to qualify in memorising and casting those spells. The only fourth level spells likely to turn up are the three from HoW (Mordenkainen's, Vitriolic Sphere, and Lance of Disruption) plus Otiluke's Resilient Sphere and Monster Summoning II. (In fact, that list my be spot on for fourth level spells.) This still leaves a large selection unaccounted for.

A good majority of spells are in the same location every time. Bandoth's is a good example, as is Presio's hoarding of the only Fireball scroll I've ever seen. So is this the case guys, or is there some more randomness inside the HoF difficulty?

<font color=silver>A listing of the mage scrolls in IWD and where they can be found is available <a href=http://mikesrpgcenter.com/icewind/magescrolls.html>here</a>. Note that this list does not include HOW/TOL scrolls, only those for the basic campaign.

I'm not sure whether this list is exhaustive or not, but it looks to be fairly thorough.</font>

Sorry Cyril Darkcloud, what I meant to say was that I think I listed all of the fourth level spells available to the party from Orrick's, when you get to the Dragon's Eye section. Some you do find in DE itself, Confusion and Dimension Door I think with my last party, but there seems to be a plethora of random spells that you see again and again, but not the ones you want. Once you've committed Magic Missile to your spellbook, you might as well sell the scroll the next time you come across it - and you will come across it again, trust me.

<font color=silver>Sorry for the mix up, Lord Brass. I was simply posting the link as a potentially useful reference to those folks who were wondering about finding specific spells.

Your're too right about the less than useful spells that one finds in abundance in the game while there seems to be only one scroll for certain other spells such as stoneskin -- something that can make playing multiple mages as I prefer to do a bit frustrating.</font>

[ 10-15-2002, 05:40 PM: Message edited by: Cyril Darkcloud ]

Quite right Cyril, sorry about that (note to self: think of others more). You have the heart of the problem there. I too like to have multiple mages in the group. This lack of spells is annoying, as yet again, I have to sort out the fight between my dwarven Cleric/Conjurer and my dwarven Bard. Who gets what? I decide! [img]smile.gif[/img]

<font color = mediumspringgreen>Thank you, Ar-Cunin, Lord Brass, and Cyril Darkcloud!

I especially enjoyed the link you sent, Cyril: An expose' on scroll locations --- Everything I wanted and more!

Had forgotton about the merchandise changeover. Since I just mopped up the 2nd level of D.E., and am halfway through the third, I think it's about time to visit Orrick's shop in Kuldahar, again....

Is Orrick the guy you can thieve rings of free action from? Did this once in the first game, but forgot who the victim was. I sure need 'em.... I thought "Hold" spells, like web, entangle, etc. just stopped a character/enemy from moving, but allowed them to fight. However, when I get held, I lose control of my character. Is this a bug?

Party On!
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Arundel has one of the items in question, and Orrick holds the other. You can also get additional MI from Orrick and I think that this section is randomly generated.

No, if a character is under the influence of web you lose control as that character can no longer perform any actions whatsoever (which is why it's slightly better than Entagle). Entangle allows you to carry on fighting, as does the Slow spell.

Spell location spoiler:
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The lone Fireball spell guarded by the Lizard King and NOT the Poison Mage.