Baldur's Gate 2 question about mages

Schadenfroh

Elite Member
Mar 8, 2003
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Building a mage, which is the most powerful subclass of mage and is there any point in having spirit?

Cant seem to find anything at gamefaqs.org that gives me a straight answer.
 

IamDavid

Diamond Member
Sep 13, 2000
5,888
10
81
Conjurer! Not sure if it's official or anything but I played many times as many different classes and the conjurer was the baddest. And a spirit is neat. That's it.
 

Elderly Newt

Senior member
May 23, 2005
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I played as a Necromancer... opposition school was either divination or illusion, cant remember what one, but whatever it was wasnt very useful. I dont know what you mean by spirit though :confused: its been a while for me though
 

Kromis

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2006
5,214
1
81
Well, someone help me on the game. I'm in the very very beginning when you start the game. I have no idea where the hell to do. I mean, why is it so hard to kill that one guy near the golem? God! I'm getting bored of BGII already... :D

Maybe I haven't spent enough time with it...
 

GreenMonkey

Member
Sep 22, 2004
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Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
So, no point in spending points in WIS if I am a mage then?

Wisdom is useful IIRC for bonuses vs Charm/Hold type spells. Characters with low Wisdom tend to get constantly enslaved :S

Some point, but not a lot.

You can shave points off your Charisma instead and grab the ring outside the first dungeon...it gives you a CHA of 18.

 

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
80,287
17,080
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In the AD&D 2nd edition game, mages dont actually get any bonuses with their chosen school. They get one extra spell per level and lose access to the opposing school.
So as was already mentioned, pick a school you dont like or use much, then choose its opposite.

Sorcerers have some advantages over regular mages. In fact I once found a pretty good article online about how they can be played effectively to make mages look lame.
The key to the argument was that bards and thieves can be used to read important wizard scrolls when needed, and sorcerers can pick the more commonly used spells for their book.
 

Staver

Senior member
Oct 10, 1999
909
0
76
I played as a general mage. The thought of missing out on spells is unthinkable. I don't recall what the spirit is, but I imported from BG1 after completing all the BG1 expansions. I was already set.
 

Elderly Newt

Senior member
May 23, 2005
430
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0
Originally posted by: Kromis
Well, someone help me on the game. I'm in the very very beginning when you start the game. I have no idea where the hell to do. I mean, why is it so hard to kill that one guy near the golem? God! I'm getting bored of BGII already... :D

Maybe I haven't spent enough time with it...


** SPOILER **

You're trying to escape from the dungeon. You'll work your way through the first area you start in and eventually find a portal (top right corner of the map I believe). After you go through the portal (you need a key to do so; I forget where you find it though) you'll arrive in another part of the dungeon and meet another companion, if you wish to take him with you. After you leave this second part of the dungeon (its much smaller/shorter than the first part), you'll be outside. The game is *MUCH* better once you get out of that dungeon place. It's definitely the worst part of the game, although I've never finished the whole game.
 

Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
32,887
12,170
136
Originally posted by: Kromis
Well, someone help me on the game. I'm in the very very beginning when you start the game. I have no idea where the hell to do. I mean, why is it so hard to kill that one guy near the golem? God! I'm getting bored of BGII already... :D

Maybe I haven't spent enough time with it...

you do have jaheria, imoen, and minsc, correct?

use the pyramid formation and have minsc lead, followed by jaheira, then you and imoen (since you are both mages). have minsc and jaheira attack, and you and imoen use magic missile. it's about the easiest way to kill everything :p

stats: get 18 in everything else except charisma. it is useless because you can find the ring of human influence (set cha: 18), so at the stat roll, set cha to 3. this should allow you large amount of points elsewhere. INT is a mage's primary attribute, so you want to max that first.
 

Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
32,887
12,170
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Originally posted by: Kromis
Ahh, thank you both Newt and Fenix!

i've beaten the game 5 or 6 times.. i know far too much about it, so feel free to ask more questions ;)
 

Kromis

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2006
5,214
1
81
Originally posted by: Fenixgoon
Originally posted by: Kromis
Ahh, thank you both Newt and Fenix!

i've beaten the game 5 or 6 times.. i know far too much about it, so feel free to ask more questions ;)

Are you serious? All 100+ hours of it?
 

IamDavid

Diamond Member
Sep 13, 2000
5,888
10
81
Originally posted by: Kromis
Originally posted by: Fenixgoon
Originally posted by: Kromis
Ahh, thank you both Newt and Fenix!

i've beaten the game 5 or 6 times.. i know far too much about it, so feel free to ask more questions ;)

Are you serious? All 100+ hours of it?

That's nothing.. I've beat it at least 6x's and played through all the mods as well. The game has been out for many years. Always good to go back and play.. New games get old quick.
 

Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
32,887
12,170
136
Originally posted by: Kromis
Originally posted by: Fenixgoon
Originally posted by: Kromis
Ahh, thank you both Newt and Fenix!

i've beaten the game 5 or 6 times.. i know far too much about it, so feel free to ask more questions ;)

Are you serious? All 100+ hours of it?

doesn't take too long when you can optimize your party, know where stuff is, and how to beat a given monster. i do almost all the quests, too :D
 

Kromis

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2006
5,214
1
81
Wow, pretty impressive! I wish KOTOR was like that though...wish it was soooooooooo long...I really did enjoy it!
 

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
80,287
17,080
136
Originally posted by: Fenixgoon
Originally posted by: Kromis
Originally posted by: Fenixgoon
Originally posted by: Kromis
Ahh, thank you both Newt and Fenix!
i've beaten the game 5 or 6 times.. i know far too much about it, so feel free to ask more questions ;)
Are you serious? All 100+ hours of it?
doesn't take too long when you can optimize your party, know where stuff is, and how to beat a given monster. i do almost all the quests, too :D
For shizzle.
If you dont know what you're doing it takes about 250 hours. If you do know it takes about 100 hours.
There are 96 hours in 4 days so usually when I play it hardcore I can be done in a week. (Assuming thats on one of my short work weeks.)

I have done it with about every character class except barbarian.
Great game and worthy of many replays.
In addition to the Fenix, you may ask me questions.

Shorty's little tip number 1: In the south part of the city sewers you will find a fence that sells excellent potions. Some of which should be held onto and saved for really tough battles late in the game.
#2: You can find further fences in the east side of the Waukeen Promenade (at night) and the south part of the docks, and the west side of the bridge district (next to that fence is a lady who sells decent potions). Also the southeast side of the Slums (just below Jans house). Fences will accept stolen goods and usually have a few neat items for sale.
#3: Try to sell all your goodies in one place, that way you can go back and find them if you need 'em again. I sell most of my junk in the Promenade. A fellow on the far west side (by the gate) gets all my gems. The lady named Myra just northeast of the "magic" tent gets my unneeded potions. There is a weapon seller in the south side. An indoor shop on the west side has a fletcher (arrow maker) and an armorer. The flower shop guy has unlimited normal potions of healing. There are some OK scrolls for sale at the north side on the steps.
And of course you have the Adventurers Mart, which has the one good item salesman, and the scroll lady in the back who has some AWESOME spells. Not to mention the additional lady in the middle of the store with some good items, but she only appears in the Collectors Edition of the game or if you have the add-on.
#4: Try to store all your junk in one place too. Stuff that you cant use right away but want to save. Again I recommend the Promenade or maybe the Copper Coronet, since so many of your party members end up there if you dump them. Along those lines, try to dump party members only when you are there. They give you an option to either meet you at a specific place or just stay where they are. The only exception is Jahera, who usually goes to the Harpers hideout and stands outside.
#5 Along a similar line of thought, save your game before letting someone go. They may not be happy with you and tell you off permanently, and then you dont see them ever again. Remember, each and every person can give you at least one good sidequest, simply by having them in your party at the right time.

WHOOPS! Almost forgot, when you meet the shady little man who wants 20,000 gold to meet with the Shadow Thieves, make sure you go into the 2nd floor of his house. He has a little fence there too.
 

Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
32,887
12,170
136
Originally posted by: shortylickens
Originally posted by: Fenixgoon
Originally posted by: Kromis
Originally posted by: Fenixgoon
Originally posted by: Kromis
Ahh, thank you both Newt and Fenix!
i've beaten the game 5 or 6 times.. i know far too much about it, so feel free to ask more questions ;)
Are you serious? All 100+ hours of it?
doesn't take too long when you can optimize your party, know where stuff is, and how to beat a given monster. i do almost all the quests, too :D
For shizzle.
If you dont know what you're doing it takes about 250 hours. If you do know it takes about 100 hours.
There are 96 hours in 4 days so usually when I play it hardcore I can be done in a week. (Assuming thats on one of my short work weeks.)

I have done it with about every character class except barbarian.
Great game and worthy of many replays.
In addition to the Fenix, you may ask me questions.

Shorty's little tip number 1: In the south part of the city sewers you will find a fence that sells excellent potions. Some of which should be held onto and saved for really tough battles late in the game.
#2: You can find further fences in the east side of the Waukeen Promenade (at night) and the south part of the docks, and the west side of the bridge district (next to that fence is a lady who sells decent potions). Also the southeast side of the Slums (just below Jans house). Fences will accept stolen goods and usually have a few neat items for sale.
#3: Try to sell all your goodies in one place, that way you can go back and find them if you need 'em again. I sell most of my junk in the Promenade. A fellow on the far west side (by the gate) gets all my gems. The lady named Myra just northeast of the "magic" tent gets my unneeded potions. There is a weapon seller in the south side. An indoor shop on the west side has a fletcher (arrow maker) and an armorer. The flower shop guy has unlimited normal potions of healing. There are some OK scrolls for sale at the north side on the steps.
And of course you have the Adventurers Mart, which has the one good item salesman, and the scroll lady in the back who has some AWESOME spells. Not to mention the additional lady in the middle of the store with some good items, but she only appears in the Collectors Edition of the game or if you have the add-on.
#4: Try to store all your junk in one place too. Stuff that you cant use right away but want to save. Again I recommend the Promenade or maybe the Copper Coronet, since so many of your party members end up there if you dump them. Along those lines, try to dump party members only when you are there. They give you an option to either meet you at a specific place or just stay where they are. The only exception is Jahera, who usually goes to the Harpers hideout and stands outside.
#5 Along a similar line of thought, save your game before letting someone go. They may not be happy with you and tell you off permanently, and then you dont see them ever again. Remember, each and every person can give you at least one good sidequest, simply by having them in your party at the right time.

WHOOPS! Almost forgot, when you meet the shady little man who wants 20,000 gold to meet with the Shadow Thieves, make sure you go into the 2nd floor of his house. He has a little fence there too.

monk is the only class worth playing ;)

by the end of ToB (cause i can't remember what my stats were for SoA), i had a -13AC, mad THAC0, 90% spell resistance, and tons of greater whilrwind.. i was a death machine - and that was without slayer form :D
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
126
Fenix, what do you think of this scheme, I did it in my play through BG2:

Have your mage start as a fighter (but with Mage stats, e.g. high INT), and play as one through the first area. Take feats for improving your main weapon choice (longsword, axe, etc.) without shield and longbow or crossbow. Save all the scrolls you find.

Once you reach baldur's gate, change class to mage. Learn all the scrolls you've saved (and possibly buy a few) for enough XP to gain several mage levels, at least enough to reach your fighter level.

Cheap trick? Waste of XP given the level cap? Or decent way to get better HP and weapon skills for your mage?
 

Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
32,887
12,170
136
Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Fenix, what do you think of this scheme, I did it in my play through BG2:

Have your mage start as a fighter (but with Mage stats, e.g. high INT), and play as one through the first area. Take feats for improving your main weapon choice (longsword, axe, etc.) without shield and longbow or crossbow. Save all the scrolls you find.

Once you reach baldur's gate, change class to mage. Learn all the scrolls you've saved (and possibly buy a few) for enough XP to gain several mage levels, at least enough to reach your fighter level.

Cheap trick? Waste of XP given the level cap? Or decent way to get better HP and weapon skills for your mage?

to be honest - i never tried dual classing. i always went monk, and they can't dual class. however, i will say that making a battle-mage style character shouldn't be bad, but realize that your base THAC0 will suffer (but you can offset that with Tenser's Transformation lvl5 spell, i think). in addition, you can't cast any spells when you have armor on - so find a good robe (robe of vecna if you can get it :)) and buff up before battles. also make sure your fighter/mage is the last to the front, not the first... don't want to run up to some dragon thinking you're hot stuff ;)

looks like a good idea if you want to make a battlemage though. let me know how it goes :)