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Semaj

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Semaj is a conjurer and one of Sarevok's most loyal and closest allies in Baldur's Gate. He's encountered again by Gorion's Ward during the Throne of Bhaal Pocket Plane challenges.

Baldur's Gate[]

Not much is known about Semaj, as he is only ever seen in the very last battle in the Temple of Bhaal, located in the ancient Undercity beneath Baldur's Gate's, during the confrontation with Sarevok.

Mage Book[]

Please refer to the infobox for a list of the spells, Semaj has memorized.

Gameplay[]

Note: This section is separated by games due to changes between the original game, with its expansion installed, or when playing the Enhanced Edition. Only generally applicable items are listed at the top.
  • Semaj has 80% resistance against fire damage.
  • His armor class is as low as if he would wear plate mail, without any specific damage bonuses.
  • He has a number of items equipped that are not accessible for the party via normal gameplay and give him some special resistances, immunities and abilities:
  • As a conjurer, he has the specialist mage's saving throw bonuses of 2 against spells from that school, while applying penalties of 2 against his own spells from the same school to targets of them.

Original Baldur's Gate[]

  • Semaj is equipped with an additional item, a necklace that makes him shielded: immunity to spells up to level 3 for 1 turn after entering the temple (or reloading a savegame inside, if possible); can be dispelled and is indicated by the same visual effect as if a true Minor Globe of Invulnerability had been cast.
  • He also wears a Ring that gives him eight dispellable Mirror Image when the party enters the map.
  • Semaj's saving throws are in most cases reduced (i.e. improved) by 4, compared to a regular mage of level 12:
    • these will be further reduced in the expansion.
  • He has the spell Dispel Magic memorized, which is erased in later editions.
  • Semaj's script lists a dedicated order of spells he will cast when combat starts. All aggressive spells will target the party member nearest to him.
    Note: This is heavily changed in the expansion and later, and thus is listed separately.
Semaj's battle plan
  1. He will open combat with his Cloudkill.
  2. Next, he will try to Dire Charm a party member.
  3. Followed by the first Dimension Door to coordinates 1018,912, near the temple's central (and trapped) skull relief, to the southeast.
  4. Web will be cast next.
  5. Then a Fireball.
  6. His second Dimension Door teleports him to coordinates 875,582 which is roughly the same position in relation to the skull as before, but this time to the northeast.
  7. Next, he'll cast Confusion.
  8. From this point on he will make use of his Lightning Bolt spells as long as he has some available – which are seven.

Tales of the Sword Coast[]

  • The "Minor Globe of Invulnerability"-item is removed from Semaj's inventory, as well as him being shielded.
  • He still wears a "Mirror Image"–ring that gives him eight dispellable Mirror Images.
  • His saving throws are far lower than by the rules.
  • The Dispel Magic is erased from his memory and replaced with two 5th level spells: Chaos and Domination.
  • Semaj's script lists a dedicated order of spells he will cast when combat starts, as well as defining conditions. Some of these spells are forced via the script and not taken from the ones he would have valid access to; one doesn't even exist in this game. If not noted otherwise, all aggressive spells will target the party member nearest to him.
    Note: This varies heavily compared to the original game, with further alterations in the Enhanced Edition, and thus is listed completely threefold.
    Note: The spells that are not taken from his available ones can't be interrupted and will be cast with zero time.
Semaj's battle plan
  1. If Semaj is under a Silence effect, he will cast Vocalize on self.
  2. The first thing he does when the final battle starts, is teleporting himself via a Dimension Door to the temple's coordinates 821,966 which is between the entrance door and the central (and trapped) skull relief, closer to the latter and almost in the middle regarding east-west.
  3. Conditional: The following actions depend on when he can visually see an enemy for what happens next. If not, then he will release a Contingency, which only includes a Greater Malison, targeted at the nearest enemy.
    1. After this Tattoo of Power is released and if he still is able to a party member visually, he will then cast Domination.
    2. If he cannot see a party member now, he will cast one of his three Fireball spells instead.
    3. His next step is another Dimension Door which teleports him to coordinates 1018,912, again near the temple's skull relief, now to its southeast.
    4. Conditional: This is followed by the Magic Staff, Mirror Image, and a further Tattoo of Power, this time Chaos and Cloudkill, centered on either the first or second closest party member detected.
    5. A second Fireball follows.
    6. Then his own second Dimension Door, to coordinates 875,582 which is close to the point where he appeared first.
    7. Another Tattoo of Power: again, he casts Mirror Imagesand then one of his six Lightning Bolt spells at the nearest party member.
  4. As long as Semaj has Lightning Bolts available, he will cast them (depending on conditions listed above, it might only be five).
  5. Then he switches to Fireballs, of which he has three memorized (depending on conditions listed above, there might be only one left).
  6. As long as Semaj still has memorized spells available, he will continue casting them.

Enhanced Edition[]

  • The "Minor Globe of Invulnerability"-item is removed from Semaj's inventory, as well as him being shielded. This is carried over from the Tales of the Sword Coast.
  • The "Mirror Image"-ring he has equipped works differently in the Enhanced Edition: instead of granting Semaj eight images, he gets only five.
  • His saving throws are far lower than by the rules.
  • See the InfoBox for a rundown of Semaj's BGEE scripted spell use and conditions - these are all the spells he'll be able to use.
  • Semaj's script has a dedicated order of spells he will cast when combat starts, as well as defining conditions. Some of these spells are forced via the script and not taken from memory.
    Note: Most spells released by Semaj are ForceSpell cast and cannot be disrupted and cast very rapidly. In the latter stages of the battle, when he's only launching fireballs, lightning and magic missiles, these will be taken from memory and can be disrupted.

Gallery[]


Throne of Bhaal[]

The formerly lawful conjurer has become a chaotic generalist mage who will be encountered – together with a darker image of Gorion's Ward, and Angelo and Tamoko – on the Pocket Plane during the second challenge, Possibilities. This happens after Yaga-Shura has been defeated.

Gameplay[]

  • Though having gained eight levels since the last encounter, Semaj's saving throws have worsened.
  • Additionally, he doesn't benefit anymore from the conjurer's saving throw bonus/penalty, as he has become a generalist mage.
  • He wears an invisible Helmet, making him immune to critical hit effects.
  • As in the first part of the game, several spells that Semaj casts after combat has started are ForceSpell launched.
  • Semaj opens battle with a Spell Trigger and activates Protection From Magical Weapons, Spell Deflection and Mislead.


Notes[]

  • BGIlogoonlyBaldur's Gate I
    Classic & Enhanced
    This icon indicates content from all games of the 1st Baldur's Gate instalment – all editions and expansions. This may include The Black Pits.     Besides the equipped and usable items listed in the infobox, other items found in the creature file's inventory which can't be accessed by him, or the player include: ten Darts and two Potions of Healing.
  • There are some conspicuous discrepancies between the two games: he only gained two hit points with an increase of eight levels, lost his conjurer specialization, and has completely different ability scores and saving throws.

Trivia[]

  • Many consider Semaj to be an allusion to the game's lead designer James Ohlen; it's not the first time a name is spelled backwards to create another one (see Sarevok ←→ Koveras, Bor ←→ Rob, Sakul ←→ Lukas). Sources for this, however, seem to not exist. [citation needed]
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