Baldur's Gate : The Sword Coast Chronicles : NWN2 Persistent World

So I chose to play a specialist for the first time in any game and I went with Diviner. Then as I was browsing the forums here I found a poster claiming that losing illusion was a catastrophy. Can I get an explanation why? There are some spells in there that look nice but nothing that would seem to be "can't live without that" type spell.
Thanks,
Rawel

Maybe they were referring to Shades? The spell, when cast on self, is pretty good. Invisibility is also great, but especially at low levels.

Can't you pick your restricted schools now, though?

Mirror Images + Displacement... The Mirrors get the displacement so if you have decent AC casting these two spells makes you all, but immune to physical attacks. Any time one of the Mirrors is 'hit' the attacker has to roll against concealment and few mobs have Blindfight so those mirrors are pretty well protected.

That said, BG allows you to chose your opposition school so you can be a Diviner without losing Illusion if you so choose. You just have to pick which school you are most willing to give up.

I actually never knew the mirrors get displacement too!

Rawel wrote:So I chose to play a specialist for the first time in any game and I went with Diviner. Then as I was browsing the forums here I found a poster claiming that losing illusion was a catastrophy.

That would be me. And I claimed it's a catastrophe, because it is. If you mind dying, that is...

Can I get an explanation why? There are some spells in there that look nice but nothing that would seem to be "can't live without that" type spell.
Thanks,
Rawel

I believe I have said it somewhere, so I apologize for eventual redundancy. The answer is: the most important thing for a classic, "paper" arcanist (so, not a PM 10, not an armored sorcerer...a "true" low HP caster that isn't full of immunities and lacks intrinsic, passive defenses) is positioning. You might think you're fine, but once dispelled in melee you'll die before you can cast. In time, BGTSCC devs added things that can save you in a pinch, if you're not sleeping behind the keyboard: BM scars, spell-like abilities and equivalent (MA's elixirs, for instance). Quicken spell and HiPS have been there all along.

Among your defenses, the most important are without a doubt Mirror Images, Shadow Shield and Displacement effects. Especially the first one. Being able to Empower/Maximise (even Quicken, if you are out of wands) them is simply crucial in certain cases. Shadow Shield also is fundamental, since it's your backup source of DR as well as providing crucial immunities and +5 NA. Shadow Simulacrum is one of the best spells in the game, and Shades is the quickest "rebuff" option in the book.

In standard PvE, you don't need Illusion so much IF you know the game and the server very well, and your mage is built with its loss in mind. However, certain events, PvP situations or other unforeseen circumstances (like...1 second lag...) can, and WILL kill you all the time.

In short: don't skip Illusion. I certainly wouldn't. And you'll have trouble finding mage players more experienced than me.

Invoker wrote: In short: don't skip Illusion. I certainly wouldn't. And you'll have trouble finding mage players more experienced than me.

Thanks for being modest Invoker.

He is right, about the illusion school.

Can you survive without Illusion, yes. There are other ways of casting invisibility and mirror image, but it will get expensive.

If you are looking for schools to drop, Necromancy, Divination (kind of counter to what the post is eh) and even Evocation.

Any of those three and you can still do your job of slaying and surviving. Keep in mind, Light Spell (and it is a very cool spell now) is considered Evocation. So you will need a wand. And Mark Rune (unless it was changed) is Divination. Just food for thought.

I played a 6 CON diviner without illusion all the way to level 30. You will notice the pain in your lack of defensive utility, but the key to success is the same it's always been: party up and stay the hell away from melee!

Tsidkenu wrote:I played a 6 CON diviner

Masochist...

Mind Over Body is a thing. At first level you use intelligence instead of constitution for hit points, then all Metamagic and Spellcasting feats net you +1 HP each. Constitution of 6 is not such a bad thing...


Also... Illusion grants easy access to Invisibility, which on this server allows arcanists to solo a lion's share of the server's repeatable quests. They can even do most of them once a week starting at level 3 or 4. Thus if you do not know how to properly play an arcanist on this server, and you cannot find that party to join, then you can still earn experience with the quest grind.


But if you are up for the challenge... Go ahead, it could be a 'fun' experience to forbid the best school of magic.



Oh, and illusion does come with some range of DC spells that target different saves. Then we have a bunch of custom spells that make the school more interesting.

Hawke wrote:

Invoker wrote: In short: don't skip Illusion. I certainly wouldn't. And you'll have trouble finding mage players more experienced than me.

Thanks for being modest Invoker.

Modesty is the excuse for the pavid to justify their eventual failures. I prefer competence.

Besides...Experience isn't a matter of opinion. I played more wizards to lvl 30 (any race, any split, UD and Surface) than most people, and no less than three BG veterans and excellent players pretty much confirmed what I said.

So...you are very welcome, I guess...?

chad878262 wrote:

Tsidkenu wrote:I played a 6 CON diviner

Masochist...

It’s actually a good idea, when you need high INT and WIS and you possess both cleric and wizard spellbooks. As Tsid mentioned herself, soloing isn’t recommended, though (especially due to random dispels)...

I played a cleric of Myrkul with CON 8. Given how Hierophant works, that was rather fine, but with top-notch equipment only...