Which specialist wizard class should I use?

[Erenor]

I've never attempted Baldur's Gate with a wizard or mage of any sort, because they always died right away from having no armor and insanely low hit points. I want to try again, but I don't know what specialty mage class to choose. I know I want to use a specialty mage, because I want the extra spells every level. Necromancer makes for an interesting role-play character, but Invokers and Conjurers have much better offensive spells. Any ideas/input?

[Volever]

If I play mage, I usually either play an Elf vanilla mage or Gnome Illusionist. I never found the lack of necromancy spells to be a problem in BG I, although I hear they become more useful in BG II. Necromancer would be interesting from an RP sense yes, but I would think missing things like Mirror Image would be annoying, not that it should be the deciding factor.

I think the overall standard response to this question is Conjurer since the only big spell you miss is Identity. So from power perspective, it is probably the strongest. If you want a challege, get an Enchanter or whatever Dynahier is (I think an Invoker). They both have two opposing schools with the Enchanter loosing things like Magic Missle and Fireball and the Invoker losing things like Armor spells and Monster Summoning. Like I said, I personally go with Illusionist, but it is up to you

[TheAmazingOopah]

The Conjurer is quite good, since you only miss one really usefull spell: Identify (as Volever already stated), but you really don't have to identify every item and the items you do want or need to know can be done in shops.
However, in the end I probably also prefer the Illusionist: I like the personal image of this chanting circuswizard more than that of a conjurer (probably because it makes me think of Edwin, who I find mean ), and you hardly miss good spells (Skull Trap can be interesting, and Horror can be quite usefull but you can easily live without it). So in the end, I join in with Volever's opinion: I would advise a Illusionist the most, or else a Conjurer. And I wouldn't take the challenge yet, by playing a Diviner or a Invoker; it makes you miss some very nice spells like Monster Summoning and Flame Arrow. I'm having Dynaheir in my party right now, and that's only working since she has a great status. But I wouldn't advice it for your Leading Character, it's too soon.

And finally I would also note this: it is nice when your mage has a high dexterity, so that he has a low AC (=high defence) and can better avoid enemy hits. Though it is not neccessarily that you give that to your character at the beginning of the game, since you will find Bracers of Dexterity at the Gnoll Stronghold, which will turn your dexterity up to 18 (while wearing the bracers). So you could instead focus on your constitution, giving you a bit more hitpoints which is usefull, since mages don't have much of those.

[lompo]

You will be playing at low lev. in BG, so I agree with either illusionist or conjurer class.
I would add to take a human fighter and dual it very soon (even at first lev.), so to have good hit points and the ability to use any weapon (bows/xbows)

[TheAmazingOopah]

Hmm, that might be indeed quite a good idea. From a role-playing perspective, I wouldn't like it, but it has indeed quite some advantages. Good thinking, lompo