Favourite Specialist Mage

[dragon wench]

I was just poking around the Search Engine to see if there were any threads really dedicated to this topic, and I didn't find a great deal, so I thought I'd start one.

I just decided to create a specialist mage for something a bit different (usually I play sorcerers instead), and after looking carefully at the various opposition schools I settled on an Abjurer. Since I rarely use spells from Illusion or Transmutation anyway, this seemed to be the most obvious choice for me.

So, anyone else prefer a particular specialist mage?

[sinbad71]

i haven't played icewind dale 2 for a long while, but when i do i would probably have a necromancer, purely because never thought about having one before.

[kmonster]

For the party balance a specialist class (like abjurer or necromancer) which doesn't allow to cast the powerful illusion spells is surely a good choice.
It just doesn't feel right if the party mage can tank better than heavy armored fighters because of mirror image.

[Claudius]

For a party with a sorceror friend I choose conjurer because you'll have plenty of evocation spells from the sorceror...

[DoE]

I voted conjurer. I just love fireball,

[Mulligan]

I've just started IWDII again and decided to do some of the things i always wondered about but never got around to.

I vote transmuter for the side quest, although the bonus HP isn't much...

But in my new party my main character is PaladinOfMystra/Transmuter, my main tank and negotiator, and she's just great!! She focuses on transmutation & enchantment and self-buffs.

First time i played a pure mage, each time i reached a new spell level my spellbook didn't have any, so i had to wait until i reached a shop. IWDII has poor scroll placement, so i like to multiclass my mages.

My Paladin8/Transmuter22 is followed by a Monk20/Sorcerer10(i had to try this), a Druid xx/Dreadmaster1, a Dreadmaster19/Bard11 and a Drow Rouge9/Cleric Of Mask21. A very fun party to play so far (Underdark normal mode). Numbers indicate planned levels.

Cheers, Mulligan

[Mulligan]

I've just started IWDII again and decided to do some of the things i always wondered about but never got around to.

I vote transmuter for the side quest, although the bonus HP isn't much...

But in my new party my main character is PaladinOfMystra/Transmuter, my main tank and negotiator, and she's just great!! She focuses on transmutation & enchantment and self-buffs.

First time i played a pure mage, each time i reached a new spell level my spellbook didn't have any, so i had to wait until i reached a shop. IWDII has poor scroll placement, so i like to multiclass my mages.

My Paladin8/Transmuter22 is followed by a Monk20/Sorcerer10(i had to try this), a Druid xx/Dreadmaster1, a Dreadmaster19/Bard11 and a Drow Rouge9/Cleric Of Mask21. A very fun party to play so far (Underdark normal mode). Numbers indicate planned levels.

Cheers, Mulligan

[Philos]

Although I have previously preferred the general purpose mage's ability to choose spells from any school, I tried having both a specialist and a dual classed in my most recent party. The dual class is able to use the minor spells my specialist can't. Does make a pretty good combination. I concur with Mulligan about spell placement. I seem to frequently be ready to level before I get the spells for the next level (except at the very end). My most recent party's mage did however find (random drop I am sure) an 8th level spell "Great Shout" a while back. Really when starting to acquire 6th level spells. She is currently in need of 7th level spells as she is ready to level up to 13th. I am at the Yuan-Ti Temple and still finding just 5th and 6th level spells. There is not too much more of the game left to go IIRC and yet still no 7th level spells??
For this reason in IWD2 there is some definite advantage for the sorceror who does not face this problem.