Mage

This page is specifically for the mage class in.

For the version in, refer to Mage (Baldur's Gate).

Introduction
Mages use spells which lead to different effects on creatures and objects. Their magic can be used for offensive ends, inflicting damage and status effects on the target. It can be used for supportive goals, improving the stats of the mage or allies, and can be used to summon creatures. Generally, this type of magic cannot be used to heal; that skill belongs to the priest classes, clerics, druids, or shamans. Mages are, however, able to remove curses from allies.

Their mastery of the magical art comes at the price of weakness in physical combat, as they can neither absorb nor deal large amounts of physical damage. Mages are unable to use heavy defensive equipment such as shields, headgear and body armor, they are only able to wear magical robes and bracers. For that reason mages aren't usually found on the front line of large battles. They also have a limited selection of weapons, being restricted to staves, daggers, slings and darts, and may place no more than one skill point in any of these. Unlike Specialist Mages, mages can learn any spell from all eight schools of magic. Mages are free to choose any alignment they like.

In order for mages to cast a spell, first they need to successfully scribe a mage spell scroll into their spell book (scroll lost in process regardless of success or failure). A mage may have any number of spells scribed and available to memorize. They must choose which spells they will have available for immediate use by placing them into a limited number of spell slots. The mage must then rest for eight hours to memorize the spells, which prepares them for casting.

Only humans, elves and half-elves may become mages; gnomes will automatically become Illusionists.

Ability Scores
During character creation, rolls below the minimum value for the class will be increased to that value. This table uses the values for humans; other Races have modified ability scores.

^ Prime Requisites for Dual-classing.

^^ Applies only to standard Mage and the Wild Mage class kit. The Specialist Mage class kits have varying minimum ability scores.
 * In Enhanced Editions, Intelligence score determines up to which levels of spells the character can learn, counting in both natural scores and temporary altering values.

Mage Spellbook
Mages, bards, sorcerers are able to cast arcane spells.

Mage
The wizard strives to be a master of magical energies, shaping them and casting them as spells. To do so, they study strange tongues and obscure facts and devotes much of their time to magical research. A wizard must rely on knowledge and wit to survive. Wizards are rarely seen adventuring without a retinue of fighters and men-at-arms. Because there are different types (or schools) of magic there are different types of wizards. The Mages study all types of magic and learn a wide variety of spells; their broad range makes them well suited to the demands of adventuring.

Class features: Gameplay
 * May not wear any armor
 * May only use the following weapons: dagger, quarterstaff, dart, sling
 * May only become Proficient (one slot) in any weapon class
 * May not place any slots in any fighting style
 * May cast arcane spells
 * Hit Die: d4
 * Prime Requisites For Dual-Classing: Intelligence

Specialist Mage

 * Abjurer specializes in protective magics;
 * Conjurer specializes in creating creatures and objects for assistance;
 * Diviner specializes in detection and divining magics;
 * Enchanter specializes in manipulating the minds of sentient beings;
 * Illusionist specializes in creating illusions to confuse and mislead;
 * Invoker specializes in the manipulation of raw and elemental energies;
 * Necromancer specializes in magic dealing with death;
 * Transmuter specializes in magic that alters physical reality.

Class features: Advantages: Disadvantages: Gameplay
 * Have different minimum Ability Scores in character generation in addition to intelligence score of 9
 * May cast one additional arcane spell per spell level
 * Receives a +15% learning chance bonus when scribing scrolls from the chosen school
 * Receives a -2 bonus when making Saving Throws against spells from the chosen school, including cleric spells and innate abilities
 * Targets suffer a +2 penalty when making Saving Throws against spells from the chosen school, also applies to cleric spells (for multi- or dual-classing mages) and innate abilities
 * May not learn, use arcane scrolls, or cast any arcane spells of the opposite school. However, may still use all priest scrolls and spells if multi- or dual- to cleric
 * Receives a -15% learning chance penalty when scribing scrolls from other schools
 * Since specialized spell school bonus DOES NOT apply to the actual game, upon creating specialist mage, it is wise to consider the weak points of school only.
 * A quick rundown of some notable spells each specialist gives up. Specialists with a long list of excluded spells clearly have substantial limitations that should be considered when choosing this kit. Spells within < > are similar improved versions, or direct counters of each other
 * Abjurer gives up arcane Alteration spells such as Knock, Vocalize, , Stoneskin, Tenser's Transformation, , , Time Stop
 * Conjurer gives up arcane Divination spells such as Identify, True Sight
 * Diviner gives up arcane Conjuration spells such as Find Familiar, Glitterdust, Power Word, Blind, Power Word, Silence, Symbol, Stun (arcane), Limited Wish, Summon Nishruu
 * Enchanter gives up arcane Evocation spells such as Magic Missile, Chromatic Orb, Agannazar's Scorcher, Fireball, Incendiary Cloud, Melf's Minute Meteors, Black Blade of Disaster, Bigby's Clenched Fist, , , Limited Wish, Web, Mordenkainen's Sword, Death Fog
 * Illusionist gives up arcane Necromancy spells such as Animate Dead (arcane), Death Spell, , Energy Drain
 * Invoker gives up arcane Enchantment spells such as Friends, Luck, Charm Person, Sleep, Emotion: Hopelessness, Domination, Feeblemind, Greater Malison
 * Necromancer gives up arcane Illusion spells such as , Spook, Mirror Image, Mislead, Project Image, Simulacrum
 * Transmuter gives up arcane Abjuration spells such as Remove Curse (arcane), Protection From Petrification, Resist Fear, , , , , , , Spell Shield, 
 * Conjurer is considered by many to be the best specialized mage since their weaknesses can be mostly dealt with using scrolls, magical items, and divine spellcasters who can cast True Sight such as Anomen, Aerie, Viconia, and Keldorn
 * For cleric / illusionist or specialist > cleric dual-classers, casting priest spells from spellbook or scrolls of any school is permitted. For specialist > thief dual-classers, Use Any Item allows for quick slot scroll casting of any school, but they still may not scribe arcane scrolls of the opposite school into their spellbook
 * Companion Dynaheir is an invoker; Edwin is a conjurer; Xan is an Enchanter; Xzar is a Necromancer

Wild Mage
Wild Mages are wizards who specialize in the study of wild magic. They have access to spells to protect themselves from wild magic and bend it to their wills. Wild magic is extremely unpredictable and should be used with caution.

Wild Magic is a new type of magic that is characterized by powerful and dangerous surges of unpredictable magic. Generally considered to be an unfortunate byproduct of the Time of Troubles, wild magic has recently begun to attract the attention of many a curious or scholarly wizard.

Class features: Gameplay
 * May memorize one additional arcane spell per spell level
 * May cast the 1st-level spell Nahal's Reckless Dweomer, 2nd-level spell Chaos Shield and 7th-level spell Improved Chaos Shield, all included in spellbook automatically
 * Upon casting a spell, including casting from scrolls, there is a 5% chance of incurring a Wild Surge, which generates a completely random magical effect from the spell being cast. Its effects may be either beneficial or detrimental to the Wild Mage and allies
 * Casting level varies somewhat whenever a Wild Mage casts a spell - anywhere between 5 levels lower and levels higher than the Wild Mage's true level. The modified casting level is capped at 25 for Wild Mage's level 20+
 * May not dual class
 * Spells such as Nahal's Reckless Dweomer, Spell Immunity have a hidden feature that bypasses the one-casting-per-round rule: pause the game before clicking NRD, select the desired spell, unpause to start chanting the spell, pause/auto-pause immediately after the casting, repeat the process. Remember that the chanting period can be brought down by equipment such as Ghostdreamers' Robe, Robe of Vecna and Amulet of Power
 * Companion Neera is a wild mage

High-level class abilities
Mages start to learn level 10 spells beginning at level 18. Once picked, those spells can be accessed from the level 9 wizard spellbook, the spells need only to be selected once. There is no benefit beyond the 8th HLA gain as none may be chosen more than once.
 * Comet
 * Dragon's Breath
 * Energy Blades
 * Improved Alacrity
 * Summon Planetar (Good and Neutral Alignment. Only one can be picked; picking Summon Planetar makes Summon Dark Planetar unavailable)
 * Summon Dark Planetar (Evil and Neutral Alignment. Only one can be picked; picking Summon Dark Planetar makes Summon Planetar unavailable)


 * The option to spend three high-level class ability points to gain a level 6, level 7, and level 8 spellslots consecutively.

Stronghold
If no other stronghold is in care, protagonists with a active mage class are able to claim Lavok's Sphere upon the completion of The hunt for Valygar Corthala side quest in Shadows of Amn campaign.

Gameplay (community)
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