Useless spells (or I'm not using them?)

[Zoltan]

As well you all noticed there's lots of spells in BG2, and I memorized many of them (after all you gain very nice xp's!!) But now I'm getting lost being confused too many spells and I never used many of them before am I doing something wrong? I got a pure mage and 2 back-up mage (Jan and Aerie) Nalia can memorize 2 9th levle, 3 8th level, 4 7th level and 5 6th level spells. For level 6, I take lower resistance, BREACH and for level 4, greater malison, ice storm, stoneskin. Level 3 Melf minute Meteors Fireball Flame Arrow etc

Pierce shield, pierce magic, khelben's waerding whip, summon djini/effet,sphere of chaos,disintegrate(because also items are beign disintegrated)mantle,spell turning I never use these spells. they are worthless or am I stupid? [img]smile.gif[/img]

comments about spells are all welcome I like to learn which spells you keep in your spellbook and do you change them often?

[SixOfSpades]

Like you said, a great many of the spells available to you are either close to useless, or can be replaced with other spells. That's why Sorcerors are good. But a few of the spells you listed are very important: For instance, Khelben's Warding Whip is like casting 3 Ruby Rays at once. Sure, it only removes 1 spell protection per round, but it's gold against those casters who build their protections back up as soon as you take them down. Pierce Shield & Pierce Magic are great, especially since they lower the Magic Resistance of your target and IGNORE THE SPELL PROTECTIONS (One guy was a real pain in the ass until I figured out how to get around his Spell Immunity: Abjuration.)

I don't fully understand all the spells yet, so my strategies are more based on muscle than anything else. If a bad guy casts Stoneskin & Mantle, I'd rather stand there & slowly pound him with the Flail of Ages then cast Breach or something. So a lot of my spell slots are taken up with summoning spells, though I am learning to use Spell Triggers filled with Pierce Magic, Pierce Magic, & Breach and Spell Sequencers filled with Greater Malison, Spook, Slow.

You're right about Disintegrate (and Flesh to Stone), I wouln't use those if you paid me.

[Zoltan]

It looks like our playing strategies are very similiar, ToB is mostly a hack and slash game, I'll give it a try the khelben's warding whip spell. thanks for your advices

[Ted Bigfoot]

I agree with you guys, you can't beat muscle and ignorance.
However, I did learn to my cost to watch the command line to see what spell protections are being cast or immunity various creatures have.

Targeting spell casters with ranged weapons works well causing spell casting failures. Most of my spells used were to remove spell protections or reduce magic resistance.

The worst defense to break was a combination of absolute immunity and protection from magical weapons. Combine this with very high magic resistance and you've got a tough cookie.

Mislead is a great spell in battle - its fast to cast and takes the heat off your spell caster giving them time to cast those more powerful but time consuming spells.

[Lucifer Lord of demons]

having played mostly with thief/mages gnomish fighter/illusionists and kensai mages I have come to a conclusion as to what spells to use.

note:these tactics are for very high level characters

Firstly thief mages (and more paticularily assasin mages) should cast spells like this:chain contingency-pierce magic breach prot from magical energy. then spell sequencer-prot from magical weopons, improved haste shadow door. then they should immediately cast dispel magic with robe of vecna on. This means that the enemy has no defenses and no true sight(thanks to dispell magic) and your invisible thanks to inproved haste your going at twice your speed and can quickly run up and backstap for 50+ damage. then cast assasination and hit: this will =200+ damage a turn=dead enemy!!! Then finish the remaining guys with improved aluctricity and time stop. You will be able to pull all this off because you are protected from offesnsive spell(prot from magical energy) and weopons(prot from magical weopons). to finish the battle cast sunfires, abi dalzims horrid wilting etc...

for kensai mages do the same except that in your contingencies put all the defensive spells you can then cast improved aluctricity and timestop then cast simultaneosly critical hit and greater whirlwind. (you can do this because of improved aluctricity)

with gnomish fighter/illusionists do the same thing as for kensai mages

[Azred]

Pierce magic is good in a pinch, for it removes one spell protection and lowers MR. Khelben's Warding Whip is useful against those who have Spell Immunity: whatever and Spell Shield (although most foes don't use Secret Word/Spellstrike). Pierce Shield is essential because some very powerful foes are immune to/protected from Lower Resistance. Mantle is a lovely live-saver in combat; I use it quite often, especially in conjunction with Improved Haste and Black Blade of Disaster. Spell Turning is also quite valuable because it reflects the spells back to their source (hint: take two mages, both with Spell Turning, and have one cast Magic Missile at the other). Stay away from Summon Djinn/Efreet and Sphere of Chaos.

For double xp fun, use Imprisonment on a foe, rest, cast Freedom, and beat them again. Or Imprison them again and repeat.

[DJG]

quote:

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Originally posted by SixOfSpades:
One guy was a real pain in the ass until I figured out how to get around his Spell Immunity: Abjuration

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How do you get around Spell Immunity: Abjuration?
I always use that! It works like a treat!

Disintegrate and flesh to stone are among my fave spells...u just feel so powerful and they're well funny, watching ppl just dissapead..hah


"he holds all the strings"

[TheDutkanator]

BG2 just hack and slash?? are u mad!?? Have you ever used just hack and slash on Kengaxx? Have you even beaten the game? Mages are the single most powerful class in existance and their protection and protection-removing spells are what make it so. If you are using a mage, u r not using it to it's full potential. I found this out recently... how dumb I felt!! You really should be experimenting with ALL the spells. Find out what works and what doesn't. I definately agree with summoning creatures for some battles (a lot really), but a lot of battles require different tactics. If you like summoning, try using a Sorcerer instead of a mage. Try summoning a full Earth Elemental, then give him spirit armor! Thats a kick ass creature!

But really, you need to try out all the spells. I didn't use some of the prot. spells for a long time. I tried them recently, and my sorcerer has become 5x more powerful!! HONEST! Try this: Stoneskin, then Melf's Minute Meteor, then Armor, then (minor) Globe of Invulnerability, then Spell Immunity: Abjuration, then any others you may have ( (minor) spell turning, Spell Shield, etc). Now walk into a battle by yourself and see what happens. [img]smile.gif[/img]