I'm afraid I always turn my Mages into Fighters as well. I love Magic, but I am a 'hit 'em wiv an 'ammer' player. Or sword. Or whatever. I use Magic for distant targets, weapons for melee.
Yeah. Get yourself a nice shortblade. For emergencies. Make sure you get properly trained, too! You only need to use it if you HAVE to.
Magic effects? No, not spectacular, but quite nice. Some are rather pretty!
Greater Fireball isn't bad, and some of the other more powerful destruction spells.
Not like the effects in Black Isle games, though.
[ 10-11-2002, 04:48 PM: Message edited by: Fljotsdale ]