Best 6th-level wizard spells?

[Li Shenron]

The 6th level of spells has given me too some problems before, there are many interesting choices but most of them have downsides which aren't nice. (Anyway I have only the SRD for 3.5 suggestions).

4 of the 5 core necromancies and 2 of the 3 divinations have a Gp cost for example

The last necromancy (Eyebite) can dangerously affect your own allies.

The last divination (Analyze Dweomer) is quite a must in 3.5 because it takes a moment to cast and only has a focus. In 3.0 it was not so cheesy, but in 3.5 really it is a no-brainer.

The abjurations are powerful but:
Antimagic Field is centered on you, so bye to your own protections
Globe of Invulnerability has a similar side effect, and it awkwardly doesn't follow you
Repulsion repels your allies as well, and may hamper their tactical movements weirdly

Amongst the others:
Transformation is definitely good, but you won't be able to cast other spells meanwhile
The "mass animal buffs" are nice, but the PCs who need them most already have high enhancement bonuses from items at this level

I don't know what I would suggest. You could just pick a save-or-die like Disintegrate of Flesh to Stone, with the first being definitely better (does damage even on a save, affects everything and more) but only if you have decent ranged attack bonus. Or otherwise another area damage spell like Acid Fog or Chain Lightning.

All in all the 6th level of spells is not an easy one: there are many goodies, but there are pehaps more spells with a gp cost here than any other level.

 

[Thanee]

The last divination (Analyze Dweomer) is quite a must in 3.5 because it takes a moment to cast and only has a focus. In 3.0 it was not so cheesy, but in 3.5 really it is a no-brainer.

In 3.0 it was also a no-brainer, because it was required to identify magic items.

Now it's a faster way to do so, while Identify still works.
The in-combat use to find out about protective spells of opposing spellcasters is also quite useful.

Analyze Dweomer, Contingency and Disintegrate are definitely amongst the most useful 6th level core spells.

Greater Dispel Magic should be mentioned as well, of course, but is also available as a divine spell.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Li Shenron]

Oops... I forgot in fact Greater Dispel Magic. It doesn't have to be picked up immediately, but at 14th level it already makes quite the difference with Dispel Magic (which obviously I assume everyone has ). But if you are a mystic theurge then you'd better prepare it as a Cleric.

 

[Thanee]

...Dispel Magic (which obviously I assume everyone has)...

I have neither for my now 14th level sorceress.

The only dispel we have now, that the Mystic Theurge and after him the Cleric have been replaced, is the Dispel Magic from the bard.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Infiniti2000]

I'd have to put a further vote on analyze dweomer. It is a must-have in my opinion because it does the following vs. other spells (like identify or arcane sight):

1. Identifies 1 item/level. Booyah.
2. Automatically finds if an item is cursed. You'll never use Identify again. No brainer.
3. If you can't identify an item, it must be an artifact. Hello.
4. You can discern all the spells on an opponent (i.e. all buffs, levels, etc.), with no save or SR possible. No brainer and broken -- I recommend houseruling a save to negate.
5. You can identify an opponent's items, but saves are possible.

You can look up the other abilities, but this spell is a must have. If your opponents tend to use walls of force or forcecages a lot, then disintegrate is a must have. Disintegrate also helps in combat obviously. Greater dispel magic is a requirement if you ever need to dispel CL20 or higher effects. It's also useful for counterspelling and when opponents have dispel magic in their counterspell rings. It's also useful vs. spell turning because it's less likely to be turned (twice the level of a targeted dispel magic). A great combination would be a quickened greater dispel magic (via rod of quicken) followed by a disintegrate. Bye-bye buffs, hello high DC save.

 

[Li Shenron]

Well one in the group at least must have it, but it's much better if TWO have it, IYKWIMAITYD

I have neither for my now 14th level sorceress.

Did she already made it to Maerimydra? I remember you were playing the same adventure with almost the same character as mine... (perhaps because you posted lots of comments in the thread where I asked for help about it!)

 

[Jeff Wilder]

I've settled on probe thoughts for one of the spells. Our group has no enchantment spells, so we're constantly desperate for information. This is going to help a lot. (I completely agree that analyze dweomer is a great spell. My theurge has it available as a cleric spell thanks to his cloistered cleric levels.)

Selecting a Necromancy spell is becoming a pain in the ass. The core spells are lame. I've ransacked The Book of Vile Darkness, Complete Divine, Complete Adventurer, and Libris Mortis, with no luck. One of my players has my Complete Arcane ... it's my last real chance at a decent 6th-level necromantic spell.

 

[Thanee]

Did she already made it to Maerimydra? I remember you were playing the same adventure with almost the same character as mine... (perhaps because you posted lots of comments in the thread where I asked for help about it!)

We just entered the castle under siege by the giant and demon army.


BTW, here's the current spell planner for my sorceress.

[SBLOCK]SPELLS BY LEVEL

01 - Detect Magic, Read Magic, Daze, Prestidigitation, Mage Armor, Color Spray
02 - Light
03 - Magic Missile
04 - Mage Hand, Scorching Ray, Mending (<- Daze)
05 - Ray of Enfeeblement, False Life
06 - Message, Fireball, Shield (<- Color Spray)
07 - Unseen Servant, See Invisibility, Suggestion
08 - Detect Poison, Polymorph
09 - Command Undead/Invisibilty, Protection from Energy/Slow, Dimension Door
10 - Arcane Mark, Dominate Person
11 - Glitterdust/Resist Energy, Magic Circle against Evil, Dimensional Anchor, Greater Blink
12 - Planar Binding, Deeper Darkvision (<- Fireball)
13 - Orb of Force/Evard's Black Tentacles, Fleshshiver/Magic Jar/Hold Monster, Analyze Dweomer
14 - Greater Shadow Conjuration, Swift Fly/Mirror Image (<- Scorching Ray)
15 - Telekinesis, Wages of Sin, Limited Wish
16 - Greater Planar Binding, Greater Dispel Magic/Disintegrate/Starmantle (<- Planar Binding)
17 - Energy Immunity/Reverse Gravity/Greater Scrying, Moment of Prescience
18 - Dominate Monster, Persistent Image (<- Dominate Person)
19 - Polymorph any Object, Shapechange
20 - Shades/Gate, Greater Teleport (<- Greater Shadow Conjuration)

FEATS BY LEVEL

01 - Able Learner, Spell Focus: Enchantment
03 - Iron Will
06 - Empower Spell
07 - Silent Spell
09 - Assume Supernatural Ability
10 - Heighten Spell
12 - Extra Spell (Assay Resistance)
13 - Quicken Spell
15 - Arcane Preparation
16 - Twin Spell
18 - Spell Focus: Illusion[/SBLOCK]

Bye
Thanee

 

[Thanee]

The only 6th level necromancy spell in CA is Arrow of Bone, which can be quite nasty, but is only really useful, if you have an archer in the party.

Well, do you have Summon Undead V, Kiss of the Vampire or Fleshshiver (all found in Player's Guide to Faerûn/Magic of Faerûn, the first two are also in Libris Mortis)?

They are only 5th level, but every single one of them is a really nasty spell.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Joshua Randall]

At some levels you just have to suck up the lame spells in your school and use the slot for metamagicked spells. That's the case with 6th level for Necro, I think.