I have Xzar in my new party and it's been a while since I last used him. I'd forgotten just how useless he is during the first few chapters. Ok, so all Mages (Magi?) are weak at the beginning, but Nacromancer is one of the hardest to play and a Mage with a Dagger has to turn and run at the sight of a Gibberling. Actually, it wasn't until I remembered that Throwing Daggers are ok, then he started getting in a few hits of his own. So are you an Xzar fan, do you love his crazy personality and wait for the day when his Magic starts to work, or do you walk on and leave him to rot?

I usually pick him up for gibberling fodder early on. Sometimes he survives till Nashkel, sometimes not.

What's so hard about playing a Necromancer? The only spells you aren't able to use that are worth a darn are Mirror Image, Improved Invisibility, and Blindness. Using Dynaheir or Xan would be much more difficult as far as spell restrictions. You could argue that Xzar is better than Edwin in that he has a higher dexterity vs. Edwin's higher constitution. So unless you're really in love with one of the spells I mentioned, Xzar is a fine choice for a mage.

[ 05-01-2004, 05:17 AM: Message edited by: The Ozzman ]

No I've never used Xzar as I'm usually the mage in my party and if I do pick up a mage then it's usually Minsc's piece of skirt.

The furthest I've taken him was to nashkel, and that was only once. I usually kill him just for the sake of it, when I meet him the first time round.

You'll be using Mirror Image up until the final battle of ToB, and at such a low level, Mirror Image is usually the deciding factor between life and death for a mage. Xan doesn't make the cut either, come to think of it... No Magic Missile? No Fireball? These are also spells you use up till the end.

True, you can make them work. My question is, why make things harder on yourself?

I've lost count on how many times I've completed BG & Totsc but I can tell you this, I think I've used Mirror Image once, and that was to see what it looks like. It is not by any means a must have spell.

I had thought the same thing about Xzar, but I am in a game where I have played him through all the way to Baldurs Gate. I had the same problem as you (Miget Gems) as far as his wepons go until he hit 6th level. Then I got him a +1 sling and some +2 bullets and he's allright. He can cast all the spells that I need him to, Identify, Magic Missel, Horror, Hold person, Flame arrow, Acid arrow, Monster summoning, Dispel magic, Fire ball. All I did was get him a neclace of missels, some of those fancy wands and through on the Robe Of Evil Archemegi and he has done as well as any mage befor him. But its up to you to decide if thats worth it to you. [img]graemlins/arcadefreak.gif[/img]

Whenever the subject of Magic comes around, then people have quite strong ideas about it. Personally, I am a big fan of Mirror Image - I find it essential as a defencive device, but it also allows the Mage to be more agressive, if needs be. Since quite a few of the Nacro' spells are close range effects, it would be nice to use them while protected by Mirror Image. Anyone who has solo'd a Mage will tell you how useful Mirror Image can be.

It has always bugged me that the merit of a particular School is based on what you can't do, rather than being better at your chosen Spells. It may be harder to implement but I would rather have had a bonus system for specialisation, instead of restrictions. But I guess the rules were in place before the game was made.

As for Xzar, I have used him on previous occations, often for roleplaying interest. One of his most noteable exploits is recorded in my old posting "Xzar v The Zombies" - it still makes me laugh. For my new party I have an idea that should give him a new path in life - he is going to 'find religion' and Dual-Class to a Cleric!

Not being able to cast certain spells is not the kiss of death for a Specialist Mage--which is fortunate, because if it were the kiss of death, the Specialist Mages wouldn't exist at all. Hey, it's not like anybody refuses to use Jan (an NPC in BG2) because he can't cast Abi-Dhalzim's Horrid Wilting.

Take Xan: No Magic Missile? No Fireball? Duh--grab some Wands.

Dynaheir: No Monster Summoning? Wands again.

Xzar: No Mirror Image or Improved Invisibility? So what? MI is indeed a great defensive spell, but how often are you going to send your Mage into a melee anyway? And I, personally, only use II as one extra buffing spell for my Tank--one extra buffing spell that they don't really need all that much.

Edwin: No Identify. Oh, boo frickin' hoo. In BG2, the spell of True Sight also comes into play, for a grand total of *two* good spells barred to Conjurers. Happily, it can also be cast by Clerics, Bards, Inquisitors....