I most definately agree with you. Blade-barrier with improved invisibility almost feels like cheating. It won't work on mages though, the spells you need there is breach and pierce magic. Lower resistance is also a good spell.

The protection spell I use very often is stoneskin and protection from normal missiles. Maybe sometimes I put in a minor globe of invulnerbility. (for my mage or sorcerer)

Of course if you are an assassin, you would like holy might (?) and poison blade.
Hmm...also very effective is haste and slow. Entangle and your arrows, (hehe) is also good.

I am sure there is more.

I'm new to this board, so perhaps this has already been discussed a zillion times, but I couldn't find it.
I use some very effective spell combo's, and I wonder about yours.
The one I learned from Icewind Dale is a cloud spell like cloudkill combined with a spell like web or a door you can close in time.
But the most effective to date (I'm only in act 3) is blade barrier combined with (improved) invisibility: just stand next to some monsters and watch them drop like flies. Even beholders don't stand a chance. It almost feels like cheating.

Try Druid Entangle with either Jaheria or Minsc. Then Cast a Web spell to same spot. I like to fire in a couple of fireballs (only in rooms where you know there are a lot of enemies) then use a cleric spell of ummmmmmm, shoot cannot remember what it is called, but it has two ~ (one on top of the other) and it makes you immune to any entanglements. Good stuff.

I like to mirror image, stone skin, fire shield, then walk into a room of monsters and cast sunfire, and fireballs on top of myself (or Nalia as it may be). The second mage will also blast away from a distance. Generally there aren't enough opportunties in the game to do this.

The spells with two ~'s is

Free Action (Abjuration)
Level: 4
Sphere: Charm
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 turn + 1 round/level
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: Creature touched
Saving Throw: None

While under the effects of this spell, the recipient becomes immune to anything that limits his movement. This includes the effects of web, hold person, grease and entangle.

Thanks, Nebuchedrezzar. I wanted to say Freedom, but I knew that was wrong.

BK

There's a Lvl 7 wiz spell, i think it's tensers transformation. It makes your wiz a fighter (Double HP, less thac0 and ac and so on) This, a fireshield, and the lvl. 5 "weapon spell" Black blade of something, makes your Wiz pretty deadly.

But I still think that Web/Entangle/Area Ofennsive is one of the strongest combos you can make.