Offensive spells - damage or hindrance?

[RadeonX]

This question is probably at least somewhat dependent on personal taste, but I hope nevertheless to toss it out: what kinds of offensive spells are better for your spellcasters - those that deal raw damage (fireball, crush, make wounds) or those that hinder the enemy with status changes (terror, paralyze, etc.) I believe Guiler's faq on gamefaqs says status changes are infinitely more valuable because they make the enemy much easier to slash with fighters on the front line. But I believe that's just his opinion and I can't count how many times a good fireball has made a battle easier. It's just so nice to be able to toss out 3/4 fireballs at the beginning of a battle; the first few kills are harder since the enemies are near full health, but once the fireballs hit, your last few kills can't be any easier. However, I can also say that I *hate* being bogged down with status changes. I guess Wizardry puts more emphasis on these status effects than many other games. Which type of offensive spells is more valuable?

[Merkin]

I couldn't imagine the game without ripping fireballs down their alley. But hinderance/immob spells are a key part of my strategy too. Some seem way more effective in combat than others. Blind I find damn near useless, the just run away then come back. Irritation/itching skin/nausea doesn't seem to slow em down much. Terror is a little better, because it will render em unconsious sometimes. Sleep, web, and paralyze are the keeys for me. I try to have multiple casters that can fire these, I don't LIKE to fight fair. Typical combat will have (assuming your buff spell are already cast) Mage and Priest open with web, Bard open with sleep. 2nd round, depending on the number that missed web the first time, either two webs again, or if most of them got caught, then fireball, whirlwind, piercing pipes. Leaves the mobs soft and immobile, my fighter types just waltz right through them. (of course, that's on a GOOD day. [img]tongue.gif[/img] )

[Knip Dyolf]

Fireball is a fantastic offensive spell early in the game. Further on though I am finding that a lot of monsters have high resistance to fire spells and its use is rather limited.
IMHO I definately agree that status change spells are more useful than offensive spells (I am only about half way in the game though). Its such a cackle to paralise a monster an then just have my front line guys hack them to pieces


Knip

[fable]

Spells that hinder the enemy are more important, IMO, because they whittle down your foes like a narrow pass in a mountain. Makes it much easier for you to pick 'em off one at a time, or even to turn 'em against one another using Insanity and Turncoat.

[yoinkdersplat]

Both spell-types are helpful depending on the situation. It also can heavily revolve around your party makeup. An extremely magic-heavy party can do very well, because you have a lot more characters available to cast spells like hex and take full advantage of the effects...

[Achmed]

i notice that the mob spellcasters like to incapacitate my spellcasters with silence, sleep, etc. i think the best strategy is to fight spell caster against spellcaster and beat them to the punch. that means that i always have good dext and speed for my mage and priest so they get to go first. also i find that protection spells can be cast at any time (before my PCs get to combat mode) so that i dont spend my first turn casting these and can go immediately after the spellcasters.

[Megabot]

Blizzard spell is extreamely powerful against Savant trooper and wery good agains all monster and also Freeze flesh!!

[Kinfyr]

I hate to be different (ok, not really [img]smile.gif[/img] ) but I choose neither of those. If you take a look at the whole game I would have to say spells that improve your characters are the best. Just think about it, soul shield, hast, superman, x-ray etc. don't affect monsters whatsoever but are indespensible. When fighting monsters like Nessie and those with high magic resistance you can cast fireball or hex all day and not get anywhere. But a fighter with haste and superman is really going to kick ass.

Just my 2 cents

[Parrp the Karp]

Howdy there, RadeonX;

I was just thinking to myself last night that one of the most enjoyable parts of the game is how your fighting strategies are constantly evolving as both you and the enemy learn new spells.

When I first learned spells like Fireball, they were difficult to cast, but terribly useful in a fight. Now that I'm level 15 and tromping around the Rapax Castle, I can cast Fireball at the highest level, but it isn't much use at all currently. I instead am helped most by casting more of my newer spells, which, of course, I can't cast at quite as high a level - so I'm constantly pushing my best to get better. At least, that's the way it's worked out for me, and I am really enjoying it that way!

I have a Mook Bard, a Rawulf Priest and a Faerie Bishop as my magic users. In my recent fights with the Rapax Samurai/Warmages/Archers I've had the Priest cast Gaurdian Angel on the Faerie Bishop, the Faerie Bishop cast Summon Elemental, and the Bard play the Chaos Pipes. I never walk or run in this first round, because even though I'd love to get closer so my fighters can get in some nice hits on the enemy, the Chaos Pipes are absoutely crucial to my survival. Otherwise the Samurai and Warmages will each cast a spell, and there are usually at least 10 of them put together.

Sorry, rambled on a bit there. My point is that for me, status spells like insanity and fear are my favorite over brute force spells like fireball for most encounters my own level or higher. However, the Summon Elemental is an exception to this general rule because it's lovely strong (75 damage a punch, usually 3 punches per round) and it absorbs damage for me. If my Bishop had a fireball-type spell that did 75 damage I'd certainly be casting it, but instead her spells like fireball and iceball do a lot less, and have often been impossible to target on the enemy because the targeting mechanism requires you to drag the targeting staff around on the ground to reach your foe - no casting fireballs up at a catwalk. The enemies, on the other hand, seem to have no trouble doing this Am I missing something?

- Parrp

[tabbikaat]

Oh-I think it's absolutely necessary to keep armorplate, enchanted blade, magic screen, MISSiLE SHIELD, light and now x-ray.....running at all times when out adventuring. Don't waste precious rounds casting these during battle! Missile shield proctects you from those *!@#* Tanto wasps throwing their stingers, too.

However, I'm finding fireball to be a big disapointment. My level 12 Fairy Mage is casting at level 6 or 7 but only getting ABOUT 20-30 points of damage the first round.........this is not too helpful when surrounded in the swamp by 4-flesh-eating slimes, 8-blooddrinkers, and 7-(whatever) wasps. I lost 3 party members to that battle alone. And you should have heard the language I was using when my Alchemist/Bishop FIZZLED the first FOUR rounds of healing/stamina spells! I couldn't believe it. .......what's up with that???