0
Sorcerer's Guide for Baldur's Gate 2
(updated for Throne of Bhaal)
Version 2.1
By: Roman Grigoriev
1. General Information
2. Race
3. Alignment
4. Stat Allocation
5. Spell Picks
5.1 Level 1
5.2 Level 2
5.3 Level 3
5.4 Level 4
5.5 Level 5
5.6 Level 6
5.7 Level 7
5.8 Level 8
5.9 Level 9
5.10 Special Abilities
6. Equipment
7. Battle Tactics
8. Contributors
9. Legal Stuff
1. General Information
Dedicated solely to pursuit of magic, Sorcerer is undoubtedly the most
powerful spellcaster in BG2. Having your entire spell list available
for casting at all times is incredibly convenient, and makes Sorcerer
that much superior to the already underpowered plain Mage. As for
Sorcerer's limited choice of spells; it is not much of a detriment,
as even with this weakness Sorcerer will still have more variety of
spells in any given battle. Sorcerer's main weakness is the fact that
you can't Dual-Class him or to him, but then again, if you could, it
would be a totally unbalanced killing machine (Berserker/Sorcerer? Ouch!)
All in all, if you enjoy playing a spellcaster, you will immensely enjoy
this kit, probably to the point of never even looking at a Mage
(or Specialist Mage) again. In the party, it definitely pays to have
a Sorcerer as your main spellslinger, while have someone like Jan or
Imoen as a support mage.
I also want to point out that since the introduction of Throne of Bhaal
(ToB)things have changed and have changed alot. Especially spell picks
and battle tactics.
2. Race
Since it is impossible to Dual-Class a Sorcerer, we are no longer limited
to Humans as the only racial choice. Other possibilities include Elves and
Half-Elves, with the former being the most optimal choice for a Sorcerer.
Why Elf? Because Elven Sorcerer has a few nifty (albeit minor) perks
that Humans lack. Infravision aside, you have high resistance to sleep,
charm (although Domination will still work against the Elf), and 19 Dex.
All of that with no downside whatsoever. Of course, overall it won't make
that much of a difference, but why not grab a free perk? In short, Elf is
a perfect choice, but any other available race will do.
3. Alignment
The most obvious effect of your alignment is a familiar that you get. Yes,
for some reason, Pseudo Dragon (Lawful Good, Neutral Good) got the most
attention because of his combat skills. Ask yourself, however, how many
times should you involve your familiar in combat? The correct answer is
NEVER. Having said that, I'd opt for Chaotic Neutral which will net you
a Cat. With 99% in both Hiding and Stealth, this kitty will make a perfect
scout, which is the only practical use of your familiar
(aside from the HP bonus).
As for the difference in the starting Rep... Lawful Good starts at 12,
Chaotic Neutral at 10, boo-hoo. If you want 20 Rep, you still can get it,
and if you're in a habit of having Evil companions (most wise choice,
I might add), then you will never need more than 18 rep anyway. In short,
don't limit yourself to Lawful Good, see which familiar you like the most
and pick your Alignment accordingly.
Note: in ToB familiars have twice the original hitpoints and also
enhanced abilities.
4. Stat Allocation
Since Sorcerer is a pure spellcaster, he should have the same stats as a
Mage, right? Wrong! There is one very important difference between the
two, specifically: Sorcerer does NOT need Intelligence. That's right,
Intelligence plays absolutely no part in how many spell picks you get,
or how high up in spell levels you can advance. With that being said,
you are left with a few stat points that can be allocated elsewhere.
Go ahead, and max out Str, Dex, and Con. Keep Int at 9, Wis at 8, and
pump the rest into Cha. The Sorcerer I tested when writing this FAQ, had
the following stats (he was an Elf):
18 Str, 19 Dex, 16 Con, 9 Int, 8 Wis, 16 Cha.
Took me about five minutes to roll enough stat points for that character.
Note: When I was forced to sacrifice a stat point while in Spellhold, I
did so with Int, which brought it down to 8, and resulted in an interesting
sideffect; I was no longer able to cast spells from Scrolls. No big deal
really, it can be bypassed with a good old potion of Genius, but it is
something to keep in mind.
In ToB things have changed...profoundly. I'm talking about the 9th level
spell Wish. Being an extremely useful spell that it is, Wish check for
both caster's Wisdom AND Intelligence. So, if you plan on using this spell,
(highly recommended) I suggest that you max out both Int and Wis. Easily
done at the expense of Str and Cha (neither of which will be of any
importance to the Sorcerer in ToB. So, for ToB I'll recommend the classic
mage-like stat allocation:
8/9 Str, 18/19 Dex, 16 Con, 18 Int, 18 Wis, 9/10 Cha.
5. Spell Picks
Ahh, this is what makes or breaks a Sorcerer. The first two levels are very
forgiving, but beyond that you'll be forced to make a few tough choices.
Spells to avoid:
Charm-type spells: (Dire Charm, Domination, etc.) I find them to be of
marginal value. If you like them, put them on your Secondary Mage (you do
have a Secondary mage, right?). Personally, I avoid them altogether.
They are almost completely useless in ToB, since everyone there has very
low saving throws.
AC-modifying spells: (Armor, Ghost Armor, etc.) Don't get me wrong, these
are nice spells, the problem is that you don't need them. What? You want to
take your Sorcerer into the heat of a battle? So do I, and there are ways
to enchant your Sorcerer enough to make a Dragon cry. AC spells are NOT
the way to do it though. You will NOT be going anywhere near melee combat
in ToB, let alone tanking.
Damage-over-Time spells: (Cloudkill, Ice Storm, etc.) I'll probably get
bashed for this, but I find these spells to lead to cheap tactics.
Functional? Sure. Enjoyable? Hardly so. I prefer to take my Sorcerer into
the heat of the battle and have him single-handedly destroy, say a group of
ten Vampires while watching them make futile attempts to harm him. In
short, if you want to have fun, avoid the Damage-over-Time spells.
Low Level Trigger-type spells: (Minor Sequencers, Contingencies, etc.)
You will have access to the highest level triggers (i.e. Spell Trigger
and Chain Contingency), so ignore the rest.
Weapon Immunities: Only protection from Magical Weapons and Protection
from Normal Missiles are worth spending picks on. You can safely ignore
the rest.
Party-Enhancing spells: (Resist Fear, Haste, etc.)
Your first and foremost pupose is to hurt enemies, not help friends. So
concentrate on what you do best.
Most Summoning Spells: Unless the summoned creature has something
special about it (for example, Skeletal Warriors have 90% magic
resistance), it is not worth having.
Finally, avoid spell duplication. By that I mean, avoid
having two or more spells that do the same thing (unless they can
be combined for a cumulative effect.) In other words, if you have
A Nishruu, you don't need Hakeashar, etc.
A word of caution: when deciding in advance which spells to pick, do
NOT consult the manual; it is riddled with errors and inconsistencies.
Instead, look up the in-game spell description.
5.1 Level 1 Spells (5 Picks)
Magic Missile: The only must-have in this whole level. Good damage,
handy for spell disruption in the early parts of the game. Evem in ToB
there will be an occasional use for it. Great all-around spell.
Chromatic Orb: after you reach level 12, it becomes a poor man's Finger
of Death. I did manage to kill Firkraag with 3 Orbs (after a preemptive
Greater Malison of course). Yes, you need luck with it, but hey, it's a
1st level spell.
Note: don't expect this spell to be of much use in ToB.
Spook: with its -6 to save modifier it becomes the only reliable way
to scare enemies in ToB.
Burning Hands: Why have it? In case if you ran out of Flame and Melf's
arrows vs. Trolls. Also, it seems to do more damage vs. the Undead.
Friends: if you have sacrificed Charisma to bump up Intelligence
and Wisdom, this is the way compensate for it. Since multiple Friends
have cumulative effects, you can quickly attain angelic charisma just
in time for shopping.
Summary: Magic Missile is still the only must-have, the rest of your
choices won't make a diddly squat of a difference, so go ahead and
pick whatever strikes your fancy.
Note: Find familiar should be cast off a scroll, since you are only going
to do it once.
5.2 Level 2 Spells (5 Picks)
Melf's Acid Arrow: Aside from it being a troll killer, there really isn't
much to it. Unfortunately, it is the only direct damage projectile in
this level. Since it deals damage every round, it can be used for spell
disruption (mainly vs. Clerics) early in the game. Acid arrows are
cumulative with each other, so if you pump your enemy full of them,
EACH of them will do damage every round. A spellcaster with 3 Melf's
arrows eating him away will NOT get any spells off. Guaranteed.
Surprisingly, even in ToB it has its uses.
Mirror Image: Still a good pick, even in ToB. Good regardless of your AC.
Vocalize: There is only one Amulet of Power in the game, and it better
be used on a fronliner (like a Fighter/Cleric or whatever). Keep this
spell as an insurance from silence.
Blur: the only reason to have this one is because you can. It won't save
your day and is nowhere near the must-have list, but you CAN have it, and
that's good enough for me ;]
Invisibility: Occasionally, there's a neer to sneak a party member past
a powerful but dumb (unable to dispel) monster. It had a few uses in ToB,
which is amazing for a second level spell.
Summary: most second level spells are defense-oriented, which is fine.
I recommend having both Blur AND Mirror Image. Other spells worth
mentioning...
Resist Fear: now I have a Cavalier to do that (or a cleric, or whoever).
Horror: farewelll, my friend. You served well in the original game but
you are of no use in ToB. Goodbye. Good riddance.
Knock: are you a thief? No. Let the thief do his job.
Web: Too risky. I see some merit in having this spell, but it can far
too easily disable your own party.
Stinking Cloud: Works okay with Greater Malison, but like Web, it is
party-unfriendly. Hardly works on anybody in ToB.
Overall, Second level gives you some room to maneuver, but not much.
Weigh your spell picks carefully.
5.3 Level 3 Spells (5 Picks)
Skull Trap: Excellent way to get rid of those pesky Iron and Adamantine
Golems without engaging in melee. Get the golem stuck in the narrow
pathway, lower his resistance a few times, then fire a few skull traps.
Note: Fireball will NOT work with this strategy, since it relies on
elemental damage rather than pure magical damage.
Flame Arrow: how should I put it... if a critter is vulnerable to fire,
he will die. Fast. This is a GOOD spell, I recommend it.
Slow: Probably the only disabling spell that is still good in ToB,
thanks to its innate -4 to save modifier. Although more often than not
you WILL need Greater Malison to go along with it.
Remove Magic: I no longer favor Dispel Magic over it for the simple
reason that my fronliners usualy go into battle loaded with lots of
enchantments. I found that Dispel Magic often hurt me more than it
helped me.
Protection from Normal Missiles: there are a few occasions in ToB
where you get ambushed by archers from every direction. Cast this
one on yourself while your warriors make short work of them.
Summary: aside from above, not many 3rd level spells are of much use in
ToB.
Haste: forget it. With Whirlwind attack who needs Haste?
Melf's Minute Meteors: With your THAC0, it's a total waste. Plus, the
damage isn't great either. If you like this spell, take it instead of Flame
Arrow.
Protection from Fire/Cold: there are better ways to accomplish the
same thing.
Lightning: nah. Requires too many preliminary arrangements to work
properly.
5.4 Level 4 Spells (5 Picks)
Fireshield Red or Blue: I prefer Red, since fire is far more common than
cold (hence the 50% Fire Resistance that it gives, will aid you more often).
Why do I like this spell? Because it is an excellent Offensive weapon.
That's right, offensive. Each time someone hits you they get zapped by
fire. Instrumental in buffing up the defenses. Blue Fire Shield on the
other hand is more useful offensively (fewer monsters resist cold) but
less useful defensively (fewer monsters are cold-enchanted). Still worth
having even in ToB.
Greater Malison: Extremely powerful, makes all those Horrors, Chromatic
Orbs, Fingers of Death, VERY hard to resist. An absolute necessity later
in the game. In you expect any spell that requires a save to work in ToB,
you better have this one.
Stoneskin: the most important defensive spell bar none. An absolute
necessity for any spellcaster, since it prevents spell interruptions
while active (although it does not protect from area effect spells).
Also if you are hit with an enchanted weapon (say, a fire-enchanted axe),
stone skin will block the damage from the weapon itself, but will
NOT block the fire damage.
Wizard Eye: good scout, plus it makes Project Image a very wise
investment.
Polymorph Self: for those few times when you have trouble surviving an
assault by various elemental forces, this spell offers Mustard Jelly
as one of its forms. That pretty much exhausts its use in ToB.
Summary: with no direct damage spells, save for Ice Storm
(which is a Damage-over-Time spell), Level 4 is mostly composed of
buffing/disabling spells. Other spells worth considering...
Emotion: Useless in ToB. Nuff said.
Minor Sequencer: I miss it, but not enough to consider spending a spell
slot on it. Keep it on your Secondary Mage.
Otiluke's Resilient Sphere: too easily resisted, otherwise would have
been a worthy pick.
Polymorph Other: entertaining, but also useless in ToB.
Minor Globe of Invulnerability: There's only one reason to get this spell
really, and that is if you like to use Lightning. (more on this in the
Battle Tactics section).
Spirit Armor: the most decent among all magical armors, this one is worth
considering to have instead of a Fireshield or Polymorph Self. Your call.
Secret Word: buh-bye! Who needs Secret Word when you can have Spellstrike!
5.5 Level 5 Spells (5 picks)
Breach: The most important spell in the game. Get it, or else. Seriously.
Without Breach, mages will wipe the floor with you over and over, so get
it, or face countless reloads and hours of frustration. In ToB
it still remains as important as always.
Lower Resistance: Works very well, and becomes essential when facing the
Drow. Extremely important in ToB, since most opponents have a hefty
magic resistance.
Sunfire: no longer the "ultimate" killer spell, but still pretty good.
I definitely recommend it for ToB, as it comes in handy quite a few
times.
Spell Immunity: The most obvious use of this spell is to prevent
imprisonment (immunity from Abjuration). I wish Immunity from
Necromancy could protect me from level drain, but it's not happening.
rather limited spell overall, but imprisonment efect alone is enough to
warrant its use.
Animate Dead: The effectiveness of this spell varies greatly with your
level. If you pick this one, don't plan cashing in on it until about
level 15. That's however, where the magic happens so to speak; instead of
lowly (and useless) skeletons, you get Skeletal Warriors. These guys have
an amazing THAC0, 90% Magic Resistance, 80 hitpoints, and hit with
magic weapons. Very tough to say the least. Excellent fodder against
enemy mages.
Summary: I got rid of the Shadow Door, since I never had a chance (or a
reason, or an urge) to use it in ToB. Other than that, my spell picks
remain largely unchanged.
Cone of Cold: weaker than Sunfire, and still hard to use when your party
is around. Having this one AND Sunfire maybe worthwhile, since there are
monsters immune to Fire and monsters immune to Cold.
Spell Shield: The best defence is good offence. The way I play, enemy
mages never get a chance to fire anything decent at me before they expire.
5.6 Level 6 Spells (5 Picks)
Chain Lightning: rather mild damage, but it is a party-friendly spell.
Comes very handy when battling the Drow, as a way to disrupt the
spellcasting of all Drow Priestesses at once. Do not take this one,
if you have Lightning. Still good in ToB. Keep it.
True Sight: the second most important spell in the game (after Breach).
The only spell capable of dispelling Shadow Door (which enemy mages use
extensively), along with any other Illusion. Best of all, it does NOT
dispel your party's Illusions(unlike Oracle). An absolutely necessary
spell, more so, if you don't have Keldorn in your party (even if you do,
it is still worth having).
Protection from Magical Weapons: since everybody and their brother in
ToB is wielding some kind of a magical weapon, having this spell in your
book is a no-brainer. Four rounds that it gives you is more than enough
to give you a chance to cast Time Stop. The rest should be easy. This
spell also protects you from vampiric level drain since vampires can
only level drain what they can hit (and their attack counts as magical).
Death Spell: enemy summoned critters may become a potential problem in
ToB. This spell is here to make sure that they never do. Best of all, no
save is required. Don't expect much use out of the Primary effect of this
spell.
Protection of Magical Energy: this spell totally and completely protects
you from Magical Energy (100%, not 50% as the manual claims), but ONLY
from that. Magic Missile, Skull Trap and Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting
fall into this category. Fireball, Flame arrow, or Lightning don't,
because they deal elemental damage. This spell does come in handy
for some active use of skull trap, and protection from Abi-Dalzim's is
always welcome.
Summary: with 5 spell picks allowed, 6th level is no longer a weakness
of a Sorcerer. In fact, there aren't that many good spells left here...
Disintegrate/Flesh to Stone: nice to look at, but they lack a saving
throw penalty (which makes Finger of Death such a nice spell).
Also, many creatures carry important loot, making these spells even
less useful.
Improved Haste: two words, Whirlwind Attack. This is a useless spell now,
well, almost useless (it still has a nice duration which Whirlwind lacks).
Invisible Stalker: a decent scout. Unfortunately, you can't waste a spell
slot on a scout. And Skeletal Warriors make better Mind Flayer fodder.
Mislead: You no longer need to hide yourself, so don't waste your time on
this one.
Summon Nishruu: I prefer Hakeashar, but if you want to spend a 7th level
pick on something else, this is acceptable. Apparently, if your mage gets
charmed, so will your Nishruu/Hakeashar will get charmed as well
[Cheloniophile].
Power Word Silence: Power Word Stun is better for disabling enemy mages.
Spell Deflection: best defence? Good Offence.
Tenser's Transformation: it is amazing how an absolutely awesome spell
can become totally useless. This is one of those cases. Don't get this
spell, in fact avoid it like plague. Even with all those protections and
double hitpoints, Sorcerer won't last long in ToB. Besides, he has other
important things to do (like casting spells). To make a long story short,
your time at the frontlines has ended with the arrival of ToB.
(let us observe a moment of silence)
5.7 Level 7 Spells (5 picks)
Finger of Death: Dragons, Greater Wolfweres, Elder Beholders, Kuo Toa
Princes, and anything else I can think of, will fall to this spell,
provided that you bust their spell protections and cast a pre-emptive
Greater Malison. Still packs a punch in ToB, although not nearly as
much as before.
Project Image: this is an excellent utility spell both in and outside
of combat. Combined with a Wizard Eye it makes an excellent kamikaze,
however the real beauty of this spell is that it can cut down
significantly on the number of spells you use. Example:
You want to summon 5 skeletal warriors? Cast a Project Image and
have it do it for you. YOUR 5th level spell picks will remain untouched.
You can do the same thing with umm...Protection from Magic Energy,
Summon Planetar, and many many other spells. I highly recommend this one.
Mordenkainen's Sword: While being rather unremarkable in terms of
THAC0, these guys have a neat perk of being totally immune to physical
damage (as in Normal and Magical Weapons), which comes in handy on more
than one occasion when playing ToB.
Limited Wish: I'm not particularly crazy about this spell, but since
you are going to have 18 Wis (for the Wish spell), you might as well
pick this one up too.
Summon Hakeashar: The value of this spell has been greatly reduced in
ToB, because enemy wizards are no longer your biggest threat. Feel
free to dump this one for anything else that catches your eye on this
level. Unfortunately, I saw nothing good.
Summary: 7th level is surprisingly unremarkable when it comes to spell
picks, with few good spells besides the aforementioned ones.
Ruby Ray of Reversal: with Spellstrike on the horizon, you don't need
this Ruby Ray or whatever it is.
Power Word Stun: works on anyone with less than 90 hitpoints (provided
that you have eliminated their spell defences). This means, that most
mages and clerics WILL be stunned by this spell. Of course, most
warriors will just shrug it off. In ToB most enemies have far too many
hitpoints for this spell to work.
Protection From Elements: 75% Protection from all elemental attacks.
Pretty good, actually. Take this one instead of either Hakeashar or
Limited Wish.
5.8 Level 8 Spells (4 picks)
Abi Dalzim's Horrid Wilting: this spell is just too cool for words.
I took down half of the Underdark with it (including the Mind Flayers'
Elder Brain). Cruel, brutal damage, and totally party-friendly!
Long casting time though (but that can be countered). In ToB, this
spell only increases in importance.
Spell Trigger: this is a very versatile spell that has its uses in
various combat situations. Good spells to queue include Lower Resistance,
Skull Trap and Flame Arrow.
Power Word Blind: my new favorite. It blinds anyone with no save
(although Magic Resistance can stop it), long enough to finish them off.
Especially useful on spellcasters, since instead of killing you they
just stand there looking stupid. Highly amuzing.
Summon Fiend: if you want to have a demon, this is the way to go. It is
absolutely pointless to spend a 9th level spell slot on Gate, when
this spell accomplishes the same thing except that instead of a Pit Fiend
it summons a Glabrezu, which is just as good.
Summary: Yuck! 8th level proves to be even more useless than 7th...
other than those two aforementioned spells there's hardly anything
here to lay eyes on...
Maze: cool effect, no save. What the spell description doesn't say
however, is that this spell CAN be countered by magic resistance.
By the time you can cast this spell, most of your adversaries will
have TONS of magic resistance, making this spell far less than
what it seems to be.
Pierce Shield: Spellstrike makes this one moot.
Symbol Stun: also an okay spell. Good effect and good saving penalty.
However, by this time melee opponents are no longer a threat, and Mages
don't seem to be affected by it. Also, this spell WILL disable your
own party.
Simulacrum: to put it bluntly, this spell sucks, especially compared to
Project Image. Add the fact that can only have ONE simulacrum at a time,
and this spell becomes a complete loser. Thumbs down. Big time.
5.9 Level 9 Spells (4 picks)
Time Stop: Hail to the chief. Long live the king. Bow before this spell
for you are not worthy. On a serious note, this the crowning achievement
of a high level spellcaster, which leaves you free to try any strategy
you want. This spell is what will make your enemies tremble. This is
not only a must-have, but it should be the first 9th level spell you pick.
Spellstrike: this is what allows you to completely ignore lower level
defense-busters (other than Breach). This is a one-shot spell protection
remover, and it does it's job extremely well. As Lilarcor has succintly
put it: "I'm good at what I do, and what I do ain't pretty."
Wish: it's new, it's cool, it allows you to do things that you normaly
can't. For instance, you can rememorize all your spells (including 9th
level), or raise dead party members (clerics? ha!), or...well, let's just
say that it allows you to do many nifty things. The only downside is that
it need both high Int (which you otherwise don't need) and high Wis.
Nevertheless, an excellent choice.
Chain Contingency: allows you to kill your enemies the moment they turn
hostile (or the moment they are seen). Stick 3 Abi-Dalzims, set them to
release them upon the nearest enemy sighted. Neat. Oh, and there are all
those obvious defensive uses that annoy me so much when the enemy has them.
Summary: Lo and behold, the 9th level is here. This is what mage's power
is all about. If Kensai is a master of one on one combat, the Sorcerer is
a master of one on everyone else combat. 9th level is here to make sure
that that is exactly what's gonna happen. Let's see what else we have here.
Absolute Immunity: Protection From Magical weapons will suffice. Do not
take this one.
Black Blade of Disaster: let me explain it in a complex mathematical
formula...Sorcerer + melee combat = dead Sorcerer. Do not take this spell.
Gate: Gah, it's a total ripoff, considering that there are spells of the
same power at lower levels.
Energy Drain: won't it be cool to be a vampire? not at the expense of a 9th
level spell pick. Plus it requires physical contact and all those other
things a self-respecting Sorcerer shouldn't do...
Freedom: there are scrolls for that. Obviously.
Imprisonment: this is actually a good spell. The problem is that it's too
good. Totally takes the challenge out of the game, hence I don't use it.
Meteor Swarm: No, no and no. You get the Comet special spell for a reason,
and that reason is not to get Meteor Swarm.
Power Word Kill: if you can get an enemy to as low as 60 hitpoints, he
is already as good as dead. Don't bother with this spell.
Shapechange: this spell comes too late to be of any use. If only it were on
the 8th level...As it is, don't bother.
Spell Trap: Staff of Magi gives you an undispellable spell trap (not even
Spell Strike can bring it down), therefore conveniently allowing you to
avoid this otherwise neat spell.
Wail of the Banshee: without a penalty to save (Greater malison alone
is not enough) this spell just doesn't cut it.
5.10 High Level Abilities
Starting at level 18 you will receive some high level abilities as
bonus 9th level spells. It is not a matter of choosing which ones to have
(as in the end you will have them all), but only in what order to get them.
Here are my recommendations...
Improved Alacrity: allows you to cast spells without any delay whatsowever
for 2 rounds. Combine this with Time stop and Robe of Vecna, then see for
yourself how it feels to get hit by four Abi-Dalzims simultaneously.
A definite winner that should be your first choice.
Summon Planetar/Dark Planetar: this guy is one helluva fighter, and one
helluva cleric. I dummped my cleric from the party after I got this spell,
which by itself if good enough of a reason t get this one.
Comet: it is sort of like a meteor swarm, but party-friendly. In other
words, better than meteor swarm in every respect.
Dragon's Breath: a super-sized fireball. Not too useful.
Energy Blades: Think of Improved Melf's Meteors. Now think of all the
reasons not to have Melf's Meteors. Those reasons still apply granting
this spell an undisputed last place in the hierarchy.
6. Equipment
There are a few particularly potent items that will make your Sorcerer
extremely powerful. Listed in the order of importance...
Amulet of Power: Vocalize + Immunity to Level Drain + Spellcasting reduced
by 1. All three effects are VERY handy, making this the most important
artifact for your Sorcerer (or any spellcaster for that matter). It has
a magic resistance bonus as well, but that is really unimportant.
Location: Thieves Guild. A gift from (or loot from) Aran Linvail.
Robe of Vecna: Spellcasting reduced by 4(!), AC set to 5. Further
reduction in the spellcasting time makes it possible to cast most
spells instantly. Spells are literally cast faster than you can finish
the incantation. AC bonus is nice, but unimportant. With the introduction
of Time Stop and Improved Alacrity, this artifact becomes extremely
powerful.
Location: Sold by Deidre at the Adventurer's Mart (bonus CD).
Ring of Wizardry: Bonus 5th, 6th, and 7th level spells. A boon, for any
mage, more so for a Sorcerer. Very nice.
Location: Harper's Hold. After the first battle with Harpers. Of course,
for that to happen you need Jaheira in your party. [WheresTheBeef111]
An alternative way to get it, is to give it as an assignment to your
apprentices in Planar Sphere, but half the time they will fail at it,
and in any case there will be heavy casualties among them.
Ring of Acuity: Bonus 2nd, 3rd, and 4th level spells. Goes very well with
the ring of Wizardry.
Location: Planar Sphere, on Lavok's body.
AC 3 Bracers: These will take care of your AC once and for all. You can
get them early too.
Location: Sold by Ribald at the Adventurer's Mart.
+2 AC Cloak: aside from the AC bonus you also get +2 to saving throws
which is invaluable.
Location: Sahuagin city. You'll need to solve the riddle of the imps to
get the cloak. [WheresTheBeef111]
Staff of the Magi: +2 AC bonus, Invisibility, special version of Spell
Trap (lasts all day), Protection from Evil, hits as a +5 weapon,
dispels magic upon striking, casts Fireball/Lightning 3 times a day.
Wow. WOW! What's the downside? You'll have to fight Shandalar & friends
to get this one, so don't plan on having it until Chapter 6.
Location: Bridge District, Rogue Stone Passage.
Circlet of Netheril: a piece of head gear that allows you to memorize
an extra 7th level spell. Or was it 6th? Or both? In any case, it's not
like there are plenty of choices for headgear.
Location: ToB. Needs to be upgraded by the butler imp before becoming
useful.
That pretty much sums it up for your Sorcerer's equipment, there are a
few other items, but these are the best.
7. Battle Tactics
Most of the battle tactics in ToB revolve around using the almighty Time
Stop. In fact, that pretty much sums it up for battle tactics. Just cast
Time Stop, then follow-up with Improved Alacrity, then, well...
Then you can do whatever you want, enemies are yours for taking. In that
short timeframe you can summon a bunch of Mordenkainen Swords or unleash
a few Abi-Dalzims, or cast Wish and wish the enemies never had a
misfortune of meeting you...All options are open and ready for taking.
Total Invulnerability:
Stoneskin + Blur + Mirror Image + Fire Shield makes your Sorcerer pretty
much invulnerable to melee attacks. Sort of... I still use this for
combat situations that last longer than 4 rounds (or I'd use Protection
from Magical Weapons), but not long enough to warrant the use of Time
Stop.
Finger of Death:
This is the ultimate one-shot killer spell, IF you do it right. In order
for it to work properly, you MUST insure its success, meaning...a few
pre-emptive Secret Words a Warding Whip thrown in for good measure,
and (drumbeat!) Greater Malison. Add Lower resistance when necessary.
With this setup, Finger of Death usually works on the first try.
I successfully killed magic-immune Sarevok this way, although he did
require 4 Lower Resists.
Lightning Madness:
Yet another way of turning your Sorcerer into a scythe of death. This
one works best in small chambers with lots of enemies. Cast Minor Globe
of Invulnerability then start letting loose as many lightnings as you
can, as fast as you can. More walls + more enemies = more dead enemies.
Oh, and your caster better be alone, or your party WILL be BBQed along
with the bad guys. You'd think that you can use Fireball and Skull Trap
in the same manner (since they are both 3rd level), but no, Minor Globe
won't protect you from those. If you want to have fun with Skull Trap in
close quarters, you'll need Protection from Magical Energy (level 6).
Fun with Skull Traps:
Precast Protection from Magical Energy before battle (on yourself and
on the party members). Then, once the battle has begun, start releasing
Skull Traps right into the fray. Combine that with Improved Alacrity,
and you can send out 6 Skull Traps in rapid order. Your party members
will howl in pain but won't receive a single point of damage, while
enemies will be ripped to shreds. Once again, this strategy will NOT
work with Delayed Blast Fireball (if you have it). Consider yourself
warned.
I still occasionally use Slow in conjunction with Greater Malison to
make easy fights even easier, but with the introduction of Wish, I'm
always able to refresh my spell list, and therefore no longer have to
savor those Time Stops.
Note: in order for this to work, you must always leave one unused 9th
level spell, so that you can cast Wish. A lifesaver in the last series
of battles when you cannot rest.
All in all, I find the Sorcerer class to be extremely enjoyable and quite
easy to play. It is the perfect class to learn the ins and outs of magic,
as long as you suit your spell picks to your gameplay style. And that
concludes my Sorcerer's Guide.
8. Contributors
I would like to thank the following people for contributing
tips/corrections to this guide:
Rob Sevening
Cheloniophile
WheresTheBeef111
Thanks, folks.
Questions? Comments? Drop me a line at rvgrigoriev@mdeintl.com
9. Legal Stuff
Disclaimer: the writer of this guide is in no way responsible for any
wrongdoing committed by anyone upon reading this guide, bla, bla, bla.
In other words, if you do something stupid, don't blame me.
Copyright notice: this guide is the sole property of Roman Grigoriev.
Feel free to distribute it, but do not modify it or charge money for it.
Okay? Thanks.
(updated for Throne of Bhaal)
Version 2.1
By: Roman Grigoriev
1. General Information
2. Race
3. Alignment
4. Stat Allocation
5. Spell Picks
5.1 Level 1
5.2 Level 2
5.3 Level 3
5.4 Level 4
5.5 Level 5
5.6 Level 6
5.7 Level 7
5.8 Level 8
5.9 Level 9
5.10 Special Abilities
6. Equipment
7. Battle Tactics
8. Contributors
9. Legal Stuff
1. General Information
Dedicated solely to pursuit of magic, Sorcerer is undoubtedly the most
powerful spellcaster in BG2. Having your entire spell list available
for casting at all times is incredibly convenient, and makes Sorcerer
that much superior to the already underpowered plain Mage. As for
Sorcerer's limited choice of spells; it is not much of a detriment,
as even with this weakness Sorcerer will still have more variety of
spells in any given battle. Sorcerer's main weakness is the fact that
you can't Dual-Class him or to him, but then again, if you could, it
would be a totally unbalanced killing machine (Berserker/Sorcerer? Ouch!)
All in all, if you enjoy playing a spellcaster, you will immensely enjoy
this kit, probably to the point of never even looking at a Mage
(or Specialist Mage) again. In the party, it definitely pays to have
a Sorcerer as your main spellslinger, while have someone like Jan or
Imoen as a support mage.
I also want to point out that since the introduction of Throne of Bhaal
(ToB)things have changed and have changed alot. Especially spell picks
and battle tactics.
2. Race
Since it is impossible to Dual-Class a Sorcerer, we are no longer limited
to Humans as the only racial choice. Other possibilities include Elves and
Half-Elves, with the former being the most optimal choice for a Sorcerer.
Why Elf? Because Elven Sorcerer has a few nifty (albeit minor) perks
that Humans lack. Infravision aside, you have high resistance to sleep,
charm (although Domination will still work against the Elf), and 19 Dex.
All of that with no downside whatsoever. Of course, overall it won't make
that much of a difference, but why not grab a free perk? In short, Elf is
a perfect choice, but any other available race will do.
3. Alignment
The most obvious effect of your alignment is a familiar that you get. Yes,
for some reason, Pseudo Dragon (Lawful Good, Neutral Good) got the most
attention because of his combat skills. Ask yourself, however, how many
times should you involve your familiar in combat? The correct answer is
NEVER. Having said that, I'd opt for Chaotic Neutral which will net you
a Cat. With 99% in both Hiding and Stealth, this kitty will make a perfect
scout, which is the only practical use of your familiar
(aside from the HP bonus).
As for the difference in the starting Rep... Lawful Good starts at 12,
Chaotic Neutral at 10, boo-hoo. If you want 20 Rep, you still can get it,
and if you're in a habit of having Evil companions (most wise choice,
I might add), then you will never need more than 18 rep anyway. In short,
don't limit yourself to Lawful Good, see which familiar you like the most
and pick your Alignment accordingly.
Note: in ToB familiars have twice the original hitpoints and also
enhanced abilities.
4. Stat Allocation
Since Sorcerer is a pure spellcaster, he should have the same stats as a
Mage, right? Wrong! There is one very important difference between the
two, specifically: Sorcerer does NOT need Intelligence. That's right,
Intelligence plays absolutely no part in how many spell picks you get,
or how high up in spell levels you can advance. With that being said,
you are left with a few stat points that can be allocated elsewhere.
Go ahead, and max out Str, Dex, and Con. Keep Int at 9, Wis at 8, and
pump the rest into Cha. The Sorcerer I tested when writing this FAQ, had
the following stats (he was an Elf):
18 Str, 19 Dex, 16 Con, 9 Int, 8 Wis, 16 Cha.
Took me about five minutes to roll enough stat points for that character.
Note: When I was forced to sacrifice a stat point while in Spellhold, I
did so with Int, which brought it down to 8, and resulted in an interesting
sideffect; I was no longer able to cast spells from Scrolls. No big deal
really, it can be bypassed with a good old potion of Genius, but it is
something to keep in mind.
In ToB things have changed...profoundly. I'm talking about the 9th level
spell Wish. Being an extremely useful spell that it is, Wish check for
both caster's Wisdom AND Intelligence. So, if you plan on using this spell,
(highly recommended) I suggest that you max out both Int and Wis. Easily
done at the expense of Str and Cha (neither of which will be of any
importance to the Sorcerer in ToB. So, for ToB I'll recommend the classic
mage-like stat allocation:
8/9 Str, 18/19 Dex, 16 Con, 18 Int, 18 Wis, 9/10 Cha.
5. Spell Picks
Ahh, this is what makes or breaks a Sorcerer. The first two levels are very
forgiving, but beyond that you'll be forced to make a few tough choices.
Spells to avoid:
Charm-type spells: (Dire Charm, Domination, etc.) I find them to be of
marginal value. If you like them, put them on your Secondary Mage (you do
have a Secondary mage, right?). Personally, I avoid them altogether.
They are almost completely useless in ToB, since everyone there has very
low saving throws.
AC-modifying spells: (Armor, Ghost Armor, etc.) Don't get me wrong, these
are nice spells, the problem is that you don't need them. What? You want to
take your Sorcerer into the heat of a battle? So do I, and there are ways
to enchant your Sorcerer enough to make a Dragon cry. AC spells are NOT
the way to do it though. You will NOT be going anywhere near melee combat
in ToB, let alone tanking.
Damage-over-Time spells: (Cloudkill, Ice Storm, etc.) I'll probably get
bashed for this, but I find these spells to lead to cheap tactics.
Functional? Sure. Enjoyable? Hardly so. I prefer to take my Sorcerer into
the heat of the battle and have him single-handedly destroy, say a group of
ten Vampires while watching them make futile attempts to harm him. In
short, if you want to have fun, avoid the Damage-over-Time spells.
Low Level Trigger-type spells: (Minor Sequencers, Contingencies, etc.)
You will have access to the highest level triggers (i.e. Spell Trigger
and Chain Contingency), so ignore the rest.
Weapon Immunities: Only protection from Magical Weapons and Protection
from Normal Missiles are worth spending picks on. You can safely ignore
the rest.
Party-Enhancing spells: (Resist Fear, Haste, etc.)
Your first and foremost pupose is to hurt enemies, not help friends. So
concentrate on what you do best.
Most Summoning Spells: Unless the summoned creature has something
special about it (for example, Skeletal Warriors have 90% magic
resistance), it is not worth having.
Finally, avoid spell duplication. By that I mean, avoid
having two or more spells that do the same thing (unless they can
be combined for a cumulative effect.) In other words, if you have
A Nishruu, you don't need Hakeashar, etc.
A word of caution: when deciding in advance which spells to pick, do
NOT consult the manual; it is riddled with errors and inconsistencies.
Instead, look up the in-game spell description.
5.1 Level 1 Spells (5 Picks)
Magic Missile: The only must-have in this whole level. Good damage,
handy for spell disruption in the early parts of the game. Evem in ToB
there will be an occasional use for it. Great all-around spell.
Chromatic Orb: after you reach level 12, it becomes a poor man's Finger
of Death. I did manage to kill Firkraag with 3 Orbs (after a preemptive
Greater Malison of course). Yes, you need luck with it, but hey, it's a
1st level spell.
Note: don't expect this spell to be of much use in ToB.
Spook: with its -6 to save modifier it becomes the only reliable way
to scare enemies in ToB.
Burning Hands: Why have it? In case if you ran out of Flame and Melf's
arrows vs. Trolls. Also, it seems to do more damage vs. the Undead.
Friends: if you have sacrificed Charisma to bump up Intelligence
and Wisdom, this is the way compensate for it. Since multiple Friends
have cumulative effects, you can quickly attain angelic charisma just
in time for shopping.
Summary: Magic Missile is still the only must-have, the rest of your
choices won't make a diddly squat of a difference, so go ahead and
pick whatever strikes your fancy.
Note: Find familiar should be cast off a scroll, since you are only going
to do it once.
5.2 Level 2 Spells (5 Picks)
Melf's Acid Arrow: Aside from it being a troll killer, there really isn't
much to it. Unfortunately, it is the only direct damage projectile in
this level. Since it deals damage every round, it can be used for spell
disruption (mainly vs. Clerics) early in the game. Acid arrows are
cumulative with each other, so if you pump your enemy full of them,
EACH of them will do damage every round. A spellcaster with 3 Melf's
arrows eating him away will NOT get any spells off. Guaranteed.
Surprisingly, even in ToB it has its uses.
Mirror Image: Still a good pick, even in ToB. Good regardless of your AC.
Vocalize: There is only one Amulet of Power in the game, and it better
be used on a fronliner (like a Fighter/Cleric or whatever). Keep this
spell as an insurance from silence.
Blur: the only reason to have this one is because you can. It won't save
your day and is nowhere near the must-have list, but you CAN have it, and
that's good enough for me ;]
Invisibility: Occasionally, there's a neer to sneak a party member past
a powerful but dumb (unable to dispel) monster. It had a few uses in ToB,
which is amazing for a second level spell.
Summary: most second level spells are defense-oriented, which is fine.
I recommend having both Blur AND Mirror Image. Other spells worth
mentioning...
Resist Fear: now I have a Cavalier to do that (or a cleric, or whoever).
Horror: farewelll, my friend. You served well in the original game but
you are of no use in ToB. Goodbye. Good riddance.
Knock: are you a thief? No. Let the thief do his job.
Web: Too risky. I see some merit in having this spell, but it can far
too easily disable your own party.
Stinking Cloud: Works okay with Greater Malison, but like Web, it is
party-unfriendly. Hardly works on anybody in ToB.
Overall, Second level gives you some room to maneuver, but not much.
Weigh your spell picks carefully.
5.3 Level 3 Spells (5 Picks)
Skull Trap: Excellent way to get rid of those pesky Iron and Adamantine
Golems without engaging in melee. Get the golem stuck in the narrow
pathway, lower his resistance a few times, then fire a few skull traps.
Note: Fireball will NOT work with this strategy, since it relies on
elemental damage rather than pure magical damage.
Flame Arrow: how should I put it... if a critter is vulnerable to fire,
he will die. Fast. This is a GOOD spell, I recommend it.
Slow: Probably the only disabling spell that is still good in ToB,
thanks to its innate -4 to save modifier. Although more often than not
you WILL need Greater Malison to go along with it.
Remove Magic: I no longer favor Dispel Magic over it for the simple
reason that my fronliners usualy go into battle loaded with lots of
enchantments. I found that Dispel Magic often hurt me more than it
helped me.
Protection from Normal Missiles: there are a few occasions in ToB
where you get ambushed by archers from every direction. Cast this
one on yourself while your warriors make short work of them.
Summary: aside from above, not many 3rd level spells are of much use in
ToB.
Haste: forget it. With Whirlwind attack who needs Haste?
Melf's Minute Meteors: With your THAC0, it's a total waste. Plus, the
damage isn't great either. If you like this spell, take it instead of Flame
Arrow.
Protection from Fire/Cold: there are better ways to accomplish the
same thing.
Lightning: nah. Requires too many preliminary arrangements to work
properly.
5.4 Level 4 Spells (5 Picks)
Fireshield Red or Blue: I prefer Red, since fire is far more common than
cold (hence the 50% Fire Resistance that it gives, will aid you more often).
Why do I like this spell? Because it is an excellent Offensive weapon.
That's right, offensive. Each time someone hits you they get zapped by
fire. Instrumental in buffing up the defenses. Blue Fire Shield on the
other hand is more useful offensively (fewer monsters resist cold) but
less useful defensively (fewer monsters are cold-enchanted). Still worth
having even in ToB.
Greater Malison: Extremely powerful, makes all those Horrors, Chromatic
Orbs, Fingers of Death, VERY hard to resist. An absolute necessity later
in the game. In you expect any spell that requires a save to work in ToB,
you better have this one.
Stoneskin: the most important defensive spell bar none. An absolute
necessity for any spellcaster, since it prevents spell interruptions
while active (although it does not protect from area effect spells).
Also if you are hit with an enchanted weapon (say, a fire-enchanted axe),
stone skin will block the damage from the weapon itself, but will
NOT block the fire damage.
Wizard Eye: good scout, plus it makes Project Image a very wise
investment.
Polymorph Self: for those few times when you have trouble surviving an
assault by various elemental forces, this spell offers Mustard Jelly
as one of its forms. That pretty much exhausts its use in ToB.
Summary: with no direct damage spells, save for Ice Storm
(which is a Damage-over-Time spell), Level 4 is mostly composed of
buffing/disabling spells. Other spells worth considering...
Emotion: Useless in ToB. Nuff said.
Minor Sequencer: I miss it, but not enough to consider spending a spell
slot on it. Keep it on your Secondary Mage.
Otiluke's Resilient Sphere: too easily resisted, otherwise would have
been a worthy pick.
Polymorph Other: entertaining, but also useless in ToB.
Minor Globe of Invulnerability: There's only one reason to get this spell
really, and that is if you like to use Lightning. (more on this in the
Battle Tactics section).
Spirit Armor: the most decent among all magical armors, this one is worth
considering to have instead of a Fireshield or Polymorph Self. Your call.
Secret Word: buh-bye! Who needs Secret Word when you can have Spellstrike!
5.5 Level 5 Spells (5 picks)
Breach: The most important spell in the game. Get it, or else. Seriously.
Without Breach, mages will wipe the floor with you over and over, so get
it, or face countless reloads and hours of frustration. In ToB
it still remains as important as always.
Lower Resistance: Works very well, and becomes essential when facing the
Drow. Extremely important in ToB, since most opponents have a hefty
magic resistance.
Sunfire: no longer the "ultimate" killer spell, but still pretty good.
I definitely recommend it for ToB, as it comes in handy quite a few
times.
Spell Immunity: The most obvious use of this spell is to prevent
imprisonment (immunity from Abjuration). I wish Immunity from
Necromancy could protect me from level drain, but it's not happening.
rather limited spell overall, but imprisonment efect alone is enough to
warrant its use.
Animate Dead: The effectiveness of this spell varies greatly with your
level. If you pick this one, don't plan cashing in on it until about
level 15. That's however, where the magic happens so to speak; instead of
lowly (and useless) skeletons, you get Skeletal Warriors. These guys have
an amazing THAC0, 90% Magic Resistance, 80 hitpoints, and hit with
magic weapons. Very tough to say the least. Excellent fodder against
enemy mages.
Summary: I got rid of the Shadow Door, since I never had a chance (or a
reason, or an urge) to use it in ToB. Other than that, my spell picks
remain largely unchanged.
Cone of Cold: weaker than Sunfire, and still hard to use when your party
is around. Having this one AND Sunfire maybe worthwhile, since there are
monsters immune to Fire and monsters immune to Cold.
Spell Shield: The best defence is good offence. The way I play, enemy
mages never get a chance to fire anything decent at me before they expire.
5.6 Level 6 Spells (5 Picks)
Chain Lightning: rather mild damage, but it is a party-friendly spell.
Comes very handy when battling the Drow, as a way to disrupt the
spellcasting of all Drow Priestesses at once. Do not take this one,
if you have Lightning. Still good in ToB. Keep it.
True Sight: the second most important spell in the game (after Breach).
The only spell capable of dispelling Shadow Door (which enemy mages use
extensively), along with any other Illusion. Best of all, it does NOT
dispel your party's Illusions(unlike Oracle). An absolutely necessary
spell, more so, if you don't have Keldorn in your party (even if you do,
it is still worth having).
Protection from Magical Weapons: since everybody and their brother in
ToB is wielding some kind of a magical weapon, having this spell in your
book is a no-brainer. Four rounds that it gives you is more than enough
to give you a chance to cast Time Stop. The rest should be easy. This
spell also protects you from vampiric level drain since vampires can
only level drain what they can hit (and their attack counts as magical).
Death Spell: enemy summoned critters may become a potential problem in
ToB. This spell is here to make sure that they never do. Best of all, no
save is required. Don't expect much use out of the Primary effect of this
spell.
Protection of Magical Energy: this spell totally and completely protects
you from Magical Energy (100%, not 50% as the manual claims), but ONLY
from that. Magic Missile, Skull Trap and Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting
fall into this category. Fireball, Flame arrow, or Lightning don't,
because they deal elemental damage. This spell does come in handy
for some active use of skull trap, and protection from Abi-Dalzim's is
always welcome.
Summary: with 5 spell picks allowed, 6th level is no longer a weakness
of a Sorcerer. In fact, there aren't that many good spells left here...
Disintegrate/Flesh to Stone: nice to look at, but they lack a saving
throw penalty (which makes Finger of Death such a nice spell).
Also, many creatures carry important loot, making these spells even
less useful.
Improved Haste: two words, Whirlwind Attack. This is a useless spell now,
well, almost useless (it still has a nice duration which Whirlwind lacks).
Invisible Stalker: a decent scout. Unfortunately, you can't waste a spell
slot on a scout. And Skeletal Warriors make better Mind Flayer fodder.
Mislead: You no longer need to hide yourself, so don't waste your time on
this one.
Summon Nishruu: I prefer Hakeashar, but if you want to spend a 7th level
pick on something else, this is acceptable. Apparently, if your mage gets
charmed, so will your Nishruu/Hakeashar will get charmed as well
[Cheloniophile].
Power Word Silence: Power Word Stun is better for disabling enemy mages.
Spell Deflection: best defence? Good Offence.
Tenser's Transformation: it is amazing how an absolutely awesome spell
can become totally useless. This is one of those cases. Don't get this
spell, in fact avoid it like plague. Even with all those protections and
double hitpoints, Sorcerer won't last long in ToB. Besides, he has other
important things to do (like casting spells). To make a long story short,
your time at the frontlines has ended with the arrival of ToB.
(let us observe a moment of silence)
5.7 Level 7 Spells (5 picks)
Finger of Death: Dragons, Greater Wolfweres, Elder Beholders, Kuo Toa
Princes, and anything else I can think of, will fall to this spell,
provided that you bust their spell protections and cast a pre-emptive
Greater Malison. Still packs a punch in ToB, although not nearly as
much as before.
Project Image: this is an excellent utility spell both in and outside
of combat. Combined with a Wizard Eye it makes an excellent kamikaze,
however the real beauty of this spell is that it can cut down
significantly on the number of spells you use. Example:
You want to summon 5 skeletal warriors? Cast a Project Image and
have it do it for you. YOUR 5th level spell picks will remain untouched.
You can do the same thing with umm...Protection from Magic Energy,
Summon Planetar, and many many other spells. I highly recommend this one.
Mordenkainen's Sword: While being rather unremarkable in terms of
THAC0, these guys have a neat perk of being totally immune to physical
damage (as in Normal and Magical Weapons), which comes in handy on more
than one occasion when playing ToB.
Limited Wish: I'm not particularly crazy about this spell, but since
you are going to have 18 Wis (for the Wish spell), you might as well
pick this one up too.
Summon Hakeashar: The value of this spell has been greatly reduced in
ToB, because enemy wizards are no longer your biggest threat. Feel
free to dump this one for anything else that catches your eye on this
level. Unfortunately, I saw nothing good.
Summary: 7th level is surprisingly unremarkable when it comes to spell
picks, with few good spells besides the aforementioned ones.
Ruby Ray of Reversal: with Spellstrike on the horizon, you don't need
this Ruby Ray or whatever it is.
Power Word Stun: works on anyone with less than 90 hitpoints (provided
that you have eliminated their spell defences). This means, that most
mages and clerics WILL be stunned by this spell. Of course, most
warriors will just shrug it off. In ToB most enemies have far too many
hitpoints for this spell to work.
Protection From Elements: 75% Protection from all elemental attacks.
Pretty good, actually. Take this one instead of either Hakeashar or
Limited Wish.
5.8 Level 8 Spells (4 picks)
Abi Dalzim's Horrid Wilting: this spell is just too cool for words.
I took down half of the Underdark with it (including the Mind Flayers'
Elder Brain). Cruel, brutal damage, and totally party-friendly!
Long casting time though (but that can be countered). In ToB, this
spell only increases in importance.
Spell Trigger: this is a very versatile spell that has its uses in
various combat situations. Good spells to queue include Lower Resistance,
Skull Trap and Flame Arrow.
Power Word Blind: my new favorite. It blinds anyone with no save
(although Magic Resistance can stop it), long enough to finish them off.
Especially useful on spellcasters, since instead of killing you they
just stand there looking stupid. Highly amuzing.
Summon Fiend: if you want to have a demon, this is the way to go. It is
absolutely pointless to spend a 9th level spell slot on Gate, when
this spell accomplishes the same thing except that instead of a Pit Fiend
it summons a Glabrezu, which is just as good.
Summary: Yuck! 8th level proves to be even more useless than 7th...
other than those two aforementioned spells there's hardly anything
here to lay eyes on...
Maze: cool effect, no save. What the spell description doesn't say
however, is that this spell CAN be countered by magic resistance.
By the time you can cast this spell, most of your adversaries will
have TONS of magic resistance, making this spell far less than
what it seems to be.
Pierce Shield: Spellstrike makes this one moot.
Symbol Stun: also an okay spell. Good effect and good saving penalty.
However, by this time melee opponents are no longer a threat, and Mages
don't seem to be affected by it. Also, this spell WILL disable your
own party.
Simulacrum: to put it bluntly, this spell sucks, especially compared to
Project Image. Add the fact that can only have ONE simulacrum at a time,
and this spell becomes a complete loser. Thumbs down. Big time.
5.9 Level 9 Spells (4 picks)
Time Stop: Hail to the chief. Long live the king. Bow before this spell
for you are not worthy. On a serious note, this the crowning achievement
of a high level spellcaster, which leaves you free to try any strategy
you want. This spell is what will make your enemies tremble. This is
not only a must-have, but it should be the first 9th level spell you pick.
Spellstrike: this is what allows you to completely ignore lower level
defense-busters (other than Breach). This is a one-shot spell protection
remover, and it does it's job extremely well. As Lilarcor has succintly
put it: "I'm good at what I do, and what I do ain't pretty."
Wish: it's new, it's cool, it allows you to do things that you normaly
can't. For instance, you can rememorize all your spells (including 9th
level), or raise dead party members (clerics? ha!), or...well, let's just
say that it allows you to do many nifty things. The only downside is that
it need both high Int (which you otherwise don't need) and high Wis.
Nevertheless, an excellent choice.
Chain Contingency: allows you to kill your enemies the moment they turn
hostile (or the moment they are seen). Stick 3 Abi-Dalzims, set them to
release them upon the nearest enemy sighted. Neat. Oh, and there are all
those obvious defensive uses that annoy me so much when the enemy has them.
Summary: Lo and behold, the 9th level is here. This is what mage's power
is all about. If Kensai is a master of one on one combat, the Sorcerer is
a master of one on everyone else combat. 9th level is here to make sure
that that is exactly what's gonna happen. Let's see what else we have here.
Absolute Immunity: Protection From Magical weapons will suffice. Do not
take this one.
Black Blade of Disaster: let me explain it in a complex mathematical
formula...Sorcerer + melee combat = dead Sorcerer. Do not take this spell.
Gate: Gah, it's a total ripoff, considering that there are spells of the
same power at lower levels.
Energy Drain: won't it be cool to be a vampire? not at the expense of a 9th
level spell pick. Plus it requires physical contact and all those other
things a self-respecting Sorcerer shouldn't do...
Freedom: there are scrolls for that. Obviously.
Imprisonment: this is actually a good spell. The problem is that it's too
good. Totally takes the challenge out of the game, hence I don't use it.
Meteor Swarm: No, no and no. You get the Comet special spell for a reason,
and that reason is not to get Meteor Swarm.
Power Word Kill: if you can get an enemy to as low as 60 hitpoints, he
is already as good as dead. Don't bother with this spell.
Shapechange: this spell comes too late to be of any use. If only it were on
the 8th level...As it is, don't bother.
Spell Trap: Staff of Magi gives you an undispellable spell trap (not even
Spell Strike can bring it down), therefore conveniently allowing you to
avoid this otherwise neat spell.
Wail of the Banshee: without a penalty to save (Greater malison alone
is not enough) this spell just doesn't cut it.
5.10 High Level Abilities
Starting at level 18 you will receive some high level abilities as
bonus 9th level spells. It is not a matter of choosing which ones to have
(as in the end you will have them all), but only in what order to get them.
Here are my recommendations...
Improved Alacrity: allows you to cast spells without any delay whatsowever
for 2 rounds. Combine this with Time stop and Robe of Vecna, then see for
yourself how it feels to get hit by four Abi-Dalzims simultaneously.
A definite winner that should be your first choice.
Summon Planetar/Dark Planetar: this guy is one helluva fighter, and one
helluva cleric. I dummped my cleric from the party after I got this spell,
which by itself if good enough of a reason t get this one.
Comet: it is sort of like a meteor swarm, but party-friendly. In other
words, better than meteor swarm in every respect.
Dragon's Breath: a super-sized fireball. Not too useful.
Energy Blades: Think of Improved Melf's Meteors. Now think of all the
reasons not to have Melf's Meteors. Those reasons still apply granting
this spell an undisputed last place in the hierarchy.
6. Equipment
There are a few particularly potent items that will make your Sorcerer
extremely powerful. Listed in the order of importance...
Amulet of Power: Vocalize + Immunity to Level Drain + Spellcasting reduced
by 1. All three effects are VERY handy, making this the most important
artifact for your Sorcerer (or any spellcaster for that matter). It has
a magic resistance bonus as well, but that is really unimportant.
Location: Thieves Guild. A gift from (or loot from) Aran Linvail.
Robe of Vecna: Spellcasting reduced by 4(!), AC set to 5. Further
reduction in the spellcasting time makes it possible to cast most
spells instantly. Spells are literally cast faster than you can finish
the incantation. AC bonus is nice, but unimportant. With the introduction
of Time Stop and Improved Alacrity, this artifact becomes extremely
powerful.
Location: Sold by Deidre at the Adventurer's Mart (bonus CD).
Ring of Wizardry: Bonus 5th, 6th, and 7th level spells. A boon, for any
mage, more so for a Sorcerer. Very nice.
Location: Harper's Hold. After the first battle with Harpers. Of course,
for that to happen you need Jaheira in your party. [WheresTheBeef111]
An alternative way to get it, is to give it as an assignment to your
apprentices in Planar Sphere, but half the time they will fail at it,
and in any case there will be heavy casualties among them.
Ring of Acuity: Bonus 2nd, 3rd, and 4th level spells. Goes very well with
the ring of Wizardry.
Location: Planar Sphere, on Lavok's body.
AC 3 Bracers: These will take care of your AC once and for all. You can
get them early too.
Location: Sold by Ribald at the Adventurer's Mart.
+2 AC Cloak: aside from the AC bonus you also get +2 to saving throws
which is invaluable.
Location: Sahuagin city. You'll need to solve the riddle of the imps to
get the cloak. [WheresTheBeef111]
Staff of the Magi: +2 AC bonus, Invisibility, special version of Spell
Trap (lasts all day), Protection from Evil, hits as a +5 weapon,
dispels magic upon striking, casts Fireball/Lightning 3 times a day.
Wow. WOW! What's the downside? You'll have to fight Shandalar & friends
to get this one, so don't plan on having it until Chapter 6.
Location: Bridge District, Rogue Stone Passage.
Circlet of Netheril: a piece of head gear that allows you to memorize
an extra 7th level spell. Or was it 6th? Or both? In any case, it's not
like there are plenty of choices for headgear.
Location: ToB. Needs to be upgraded by the butler imp before becoming
useful.
That pretty much sums it up for your Sorcerer's equipment, there are a
few other items, but these are the best.
7. Battle Tactics
Most of the battle tactics in ToB revolve around using the almighty Time
Stop. In fact, that pretty much sums it up for battle tactics. Just cast
Time Stop, then follow-up with Improved Alacrity, then, well...
Then you can do whatever you want, enemies are yours for taking. In that
short timeframe you can summon a bunch of Mordenkainen Swords or unleash
a few Abi-Dalzims, or cast Wish and wish the enemies never had a
misfortune of meeting you...All options are open and ready for taking.
Total Invulnerability:
Stoneskin + Blur + Mirror Image + Fire Shield makes your Sorcerer pretty
much invulnerable to melee attacks. Sort of... I still use this for
combat situations that last longer than 4 rounds (or I'd use Protection
from Magical Weapons), but not long enough to warrant the use of Time
Stop.
Finger of Death:
This is the ultimate one-shot killer spell, IF you do it right. In order
for it to work properly, you MUST insure its success, meaning...a few
pre-emptive Secret Words a Warding Whip thrown in for good measure,
and (drumbeat!) Greater Malison. Add Lower resistance when necessary.
With this setup, Finger of Death usually works on the first try.
I successfully killed magic-immune Sarevok this way, although he did
require 4 Lower Resists.
Lightning Madness:
Yet another way of turning your Sorcerer into a scythe of death. This
one works best in small chambers with lots of enemies. Cast Minor Globe
of Invulnerability then start letting loose as many lightnings as you
can, as fast as you can. More walls + more enemies = more dead enemies.
Oh, and your caster better be alone, or your party WILL be BBQed along
with the bad guys. You'd think that you can use Fireball and Skull Trap
in the same manner (since they are both 3rd level), but no, Minor Globe
won't protect you from those. If you want to have fun with Skull Trap in
close quarters, you'll need Protection from Magical Energy (level 6).
Fun with Skull Traps:
Precast Protection from Magical Energy before battle (on yourself and
on the party members). Then, once the battle has begun, start releasing
Skull Traps right into the fray. Combine that with Improved Alacrity,
and you can send out 6 Skull Traps in rapid order. Your party members
will howl in pain but won't receive a single point of damage, while
enemies will be ripped to shreds. Once again, this strategy will NOT
work with Delayed Blast Fireball (if you have it). Consider yourself
warned.
I still occasionally use Slow in conjunction with Greater Malison to
make easy fights even easier, but with the introduction of Wish, I'm
always able to refresh my spell list, and therefore no longer have to
savor those Time Stops.
Note: in order for this to work, you must always leave one unused 9th
level spell, so that you can cast Wish. A lifesaver in the last series
of battles when you cannot rest.
All in all, I find the Sorcerer class to be extremely enjoyable and quite
easy to play. It is the perfect class to learn the ins and outs of magic,
as long as you suit your spell picks to your gameplay style. And that
concludes my Sorcerer's Guide.
8. Contributors
I would like to thank the following people for contributing
tips/corrections to this guide:
Rob Sevening
Cheloniophile
WheresTheBeef111
Thanks, folks.
Questions? Comments? Drop me a line at rvgrigoriev@mdeintl.com
9. Legal Stuff
Disclaimer: the writer of this guide is in no way responsible for any
wrongdoing committed by anyone upon reading this guide, bla, bla, bla.
In other words, if you do something stupid, don't blame me.
Copyright notice: this guide is the sole property of Roman Grigoriev.
Feel free to distribute it, but do not modify it or charge money for it.
Okay? Thanks.