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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Elder-Basilisk" data-source="post: 85539" data-attributes="member: 3146">That's actually somewhat strange because I'm not certain that the new spells accomplish this aim.At ten minutes/level, these spells are have more than decent durations (particularly at high levels) but they will never be spells you can count on only casting once or twice a day. Even a 20th level wizard's multi-buff spells would only last 200 minutes (3 hours and twenty minutes). So, unless the wizard has control over the timing of all the party's combats (no attacks at night or while the party is resting, no travelling, searching or exploration where transit time between encounters could easily eat up the three and a half hour duration), the wizard is likely to need three such spells per day in order to ensure protection during all combats.Comparing the slots taken up at the lowest level (5th level wizard):Well armored: 3 3rd level slotsExtended Mage Armor, Shield: 1 2nd level, 3 1st level slots.Although the extended Mage Armor only achieves 10 hours of protection (what a 20th level wizard would get with three of these protection spells) I would think that the third level slots are far more precious to a 5th level wizard than 1st and second level slots. The hypothetical 5th level Well Armored wizard won't be casting any fireballs, lightning bolts, Hastes, Slows, or dispel magics. A couple of extra magic missiles don't make up for that. Similarly, long duration spells like extended mage armor and persistent anything don't eat up the first round of combat. If there's no immidiate physical threat, the wizard can fireball his/her opponents right then and there.At higher levels, the payoff is somewhat better (and the opportunity cost significantly better because you can prepare fireballs, etc) but enemies have more resources as well. Attacks while you are sleeping and ambushes should be more likely at higher levels.So, I don't think that these actually give you as much of a spell-slot advantage as you think. (Although, I certainly don't use as many slots on defensive spells with my wizards as the buffing spells you seem to have selected indicate you do. A persistent shield, extended mage armor, and energy buffer are enough for me at mid levels. At higher levels, I'd use stuff like persistent haste (if I were feeling really munchkin) and mindblank, but I don't think I'd ever want to have blink, improved invisibility, mirror image, and protection from arrows (in fact, my Living Greyhawk character always carries around a protection from arrows spell--he's an abjurer and it's his only 2nd level abjuration but in the course of a half dozen adventures, he's never had a use for it)active at the same time.)</blockquote>

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