Changing from straight mage/psi/priest/alc to bishop

[elbarono]

I want to hear some opinions on changing to a bishop from another one-book caster -- I don't see any downside to doing this except that you lose your bonus in one particular book, but you shold still be able to learn high level spells in the former profession (since your skill in that book will be high).. Opinions?

[fable]

Not so. I don't remember the exact equation, but I think you gain higher levels of spells at half the rate as a bishop as you do as a mage, priest, etc. All spellbooks level up at the same time. So your highest level spellbooks would simply wait longer to rise, while the other spellbooks played catch-up.

[Erydian]

Bishops can learn level 7 spells in any of the realms if their skill is high enough (and the key to that is practice, practice, practice [img]smile.gif[/img] ).

I started my second bishop as a mage, leveled her once, and changed her over at level two. I wanted the bonus skill points that mages begin with (in the elemental realms). You also start with a bonus to Wizardry, and I figured being the sole non-clerical caster in my party, and being a slow leveler at that - my bishop would need all the bonus skill points she could get.

It has worked out well so far - my bishop is now level 20 and can cast level 7 spells from every realm except Divinity (I have a priest for that), though because she began as a mage, I did not get the option to choose level 7 spells from Alchemy or Psionics until level 19 (I could choose my level 7 Wizardry spells at level 18).

The only real downside (that I've seen) to class-changing like this is the fact that you are always going to be one less level than you truly are (or however many levels you spent as the other class) - and that has a definite impact on when you get your spells. However, you will get spells on time that fall under the realm of the class you began as (Mage - Wizardry, etc.). Additionally, bishops do level significantly slower than their specialist counterparts.

The tradeoff is a few bonus starting points, which in my opinion, can make a big difference in a Bishop's development, but you can just as easily get them by practicing. I guess you would want to weigh in all factors - is your Bishop going to be your only caster? Are you going to focus your Bishop on one or two different realms? Is it going to matter to you if you get some of your spells a level late?

If you are considering class-changing a character that has already been developed - meaning you've played through half the game as a mage and want to become a bishop - remember that as far as the game is concerned, your level 12 mage is now a level one bishop. You would still be able to cast the same spells that your mage could cast, but any spells that you learned as a Bishop would be subject to your bishop's level.
[ 01-09-2002: Message edited by: Erydian ]

[ 01-09-2002: Message edited by: Erydian ]

[Tennessee Ernie Ford]

All casters improve skills at the same rate (all else equal) but you have to be more judicious in practicing.

Spells that belong to two or more schools only improves one school at at time--the school that already has the highest level. So if you cast 1000 L7 lights, you'll improve your Wiz skill a bunch, but not Alk or Pri.

Erydian's suggestions are excellent. Another choice is to specialization until you get proficient in a desired spell and then make the switch. My priest switched around L14, so that Heal All was robust and then focused on Alchemy. After another bunch of levels, he became a straight alchemist. Given that I finished at L22-25, I would make the first switch at L8-9 playing the same party over again (esp. since the Bard got Heal All around the same time) and the second switch perhaps at L14.

My suggestion won't give you as versatile a PC as Erydian's, but I didn't need a jack of all trades. I needed someone who had Heal All/Rest All and good offense/disabling spells.