I need help picking spells for an adventure

[Harmon]

Thank you for your time

Good ideas, though the character isn't a Summoner our cleric is (she has Protection and Summoning as her Domains and most of her feats are dedicated to Summoning), using the Order and Calling of spells that should help us get some more semi permanent allies.

Thanks for the suggestion(s).

Further on my spell list- 3rd lvl spells of note- Dispel Magic, NonDetection, Phantom Steed, Clair/Clair, Arcane Sight, Hold Person, FireBall, Lightning Bolt, Grtr. Mage Hand, Fly, Grtr. Magic Wpn, Haste, Slow, Keen Edge, Secret Page, Water Breathing and Missive Token.

 

[Piratecat]

It's worth remembering that devils are immune to fire, but vulnerable to lightning bolt. Plan accordingly.

Haste is always useful, and slow is a great spell. Grtr. magic weapon might help for your fighter-types. And remember, transmute rock to mud followed by a dispel magic is one of the best combinations around; you can trap a huge amount of enemies chest-deep in solid rock.

 

[Harmon]

Thanks for the suggestions esp the Transmute R/M, I had forgotten about that. We have four wizards (one of an unknown but surely not that high of level (3+), one at 9th (is she 10th now?), an arcane archer (wiz4) and my character 10th), a cleric and a bard. So Dispel Magic is something that better then half of them might well have.

The slow, and haste tricks are used often enough, GMW is something I usually save up for the rogue, the archer or the fighter- we have a two wpn fighter and- one of his blades is unmagiced.

Something I tend to use is Invisibility, sneak up on wounded comrades and Endrance them to increase their hp, or just move into possition unnoticed to Sonic Orb a baddy in the back- it ends the spell but it is usually the day saver.

The problem seems to be that I gather up all these spells, there is one fight and I expend most if not all of my combat spells just trying to keep up with the fight- I can't hold back because we often get overwhelmed then the other Players B&C that we have to retreat and rest another day so I can get my spells back.

I tend to use a lot of delaying actions or Readys and let the other PCs do battle, should something big and bad show then I will enter the fight with spells. Should the fight be with menions or little things then I tend to use my trusty cane (+1 Darkwood club) to crack a skull.

Something I am thinking about while I write this is that perhaps I am not using the right tactics. In all the years of gaming I have played very few wizards and those that I have tend to run out of spells very quickly, is this the norm? Should I use 60-100% of my spells/encounter, spend so much time retreating and avoiding HtH fights or is there something here that I am missing?

Another update on spells listed for my wizard- 2nd lvl- Resist Elements, Melf's Acid Arrow, Web, Detect Thoughts, Locate Object, Daylight, Flaming Sphere, Invisibility, Alter Self, Bull Str, Cat's Grace, Darkvision, Endurance and Foxs Cunning.

Thank you for you positive response.

 

[BlackSilver]

Suggestion

It sounds more like you are having some difficulty with tactics then anything else.

You are correct in the idea that Wizards do not belong in HtH combat without a few levels of Fighter or Ranger or something like that. Perhaps next level you should consider something like a Fighter, or Ranger level, carry a sword, avoid using armor as it will only burden you with spell failure.

Tenser’s Transformation is but just two levels away, though you have Polymorph Self, and could enter into HtH combat by becoming something large with natural weapons and this would save your true combat spells for when you are overwhelmed.

If you have the resources to I would suggest making wands and scrolls, however by the sounds of it you have not the resources to do so (you would have if you could by now I am sure).

A couple of suggestions- speak with your GM and fellow Players about your tactics before and after the battle. One of my Players does this- stops the game just as we roll intuitive, he claims that he is not nearly as smart as his 20 Int character and would like some help. I was reluctant at first, but this time allowed for bathroom breaks and refills of soda before the battles. If it is an ambush situation then I do not allow for this time, but I do allow the Players to speak while it is not either of their turns, this helps.

BTW- good job on the other thread.

 

[BlackSilver]

Was talking to some of my players and one of them suggested that you summon up a Chain Devil or some other beast capable of fighting the Bone Devils. Its expected in your level that you will do something like this (you mentioned that the GM had said something about EL of the adventure matching your group level). Of course you will have to pay him back and this might conflict with your groups alignment? (You mentioned a Summoner cleric, and I noticed the alignment of Greyhawk gods that have access to that domain.)

Good luck with your adventure.

 

[Jesus_marley]

What kind of room do you generally have to maneuver?

Can you cast fly and then range yourself? attack from above?

 

[Harmon]

Underground, cave like dwelling, so not a lot of room in the halls, one or two of the rooms have had fairly high (30' as I recall) cielings. I would consider that fly as a normal means for fighting, but not here.

Spells for 1st lvl- Endure Elements, Shield, Mage Armor, Mount, Unseen Servent, Comprehend Languages, ID, Charm Person, Sleep, Magic Missile, TFD, Change Self, Burning Hands, Feather Fall, Message, Reduce, Spider Climb, Lesser Cold & Electrical Orb and Low Light Vision.

Question- having listed all of my spells except zero level spells, is this a good or fair list for a 10th lvl wizard to have? (Was speaking to my wife earlier and realized that this is the first D&D wizard I have played in twenty years.)

Let me know what you think.

 

[BlackSilver]

A shame that you seem not to be getting what you need or want here

By the looks of your spell list and what I have read from your character I would say that you have a fair amount of spells- not as great as I think you would like, but it seems fair enough.

Your fellow Players post to EN World? I know that your GM does and I have seen a posting by another person from the same area- should they not be assisting you? Have you asked them for help outside of EN World?

 

[Harmon]

By the looks of your spell list and what I have read from your character I would say that you have a fair amount of spells- not as great as I think you would like, but it seems fair enough.

Thank you I had hoped that there were enough spells there to look like a professional wizard was behind those books.

Your fellow Players post to EN World? I know that your GM does and I have seen a posting by another person from the same area- should they not be assisting you? Have you asked them for help outside of EN World?

They do post to EN- at least two that I know of, our newest Player was supose to have been found here so I assume (WAKWTM) that he does.

Years ago I would never ask for help, and my GM worked at me until I would ask (in Real Life and in gaming). I got comfortable with the idea of asking for help. Now I am finding that when I ask people get upset and dislike the idea of working on something, so I have decided that I will go back to the old ways and no longer ask for help from my fellow players. Those that read and post here know what I have asked and they can respond, but they chose not to and that tells me. . . .

Not sure what it tells me other then what I already know- 'you are alone in this world, every second of every day, no matter how many people you know and love, they can not be relied upon- not even your most trusted. Get use to it- life is hard for everyone.'

Thanks Silver, you are being very kind.

 

[coyote6]

Eh, I don't often answer "what do we players do" threads on ENWorld. Plus, it's hard to answer without giving free prophetic hints, eh? If you want prophecy, have the cleric cast divination. "Ready oil and open flame light the way."

My generic advice -- first decide what you want to do with your spells. Sneak around, kill things, find out info, all of the above, whatever.

Then consider what you've encountered: shadows (that appear to replenish themselves), fiendish fish, a fiendish octopus, a fiendish chuul, fiendish stirges, skeletons, zombies, wights, a fiendish dire boar, a fiendish shark, fiendish centipedes, fiendish spiders, traps, one or more presumed bone devils*, and something that whispers in ears at a distance.

(*Though it could've been a couple of low-level sorcerers with invisibility, fly, and wands of wall of ice . . . )

Certain patterns emerge; one might conclude that SR, fire, & cold resistance will be relatively common. As almost always, sonic resistance is sadly lacking. Fiends from Hell (assuming they are all from Hell) have a distressing lack of electrical resistance, too. THere are a few juicy targets in that list for mind-affecting spells, but all the vermin & undead are immune to such spells.

Other than that, I wouldn't try to come up with a detailed plan -- you don't really know exactly what kind of mastermind is guarding Bloody Jack's gold, after all. Pick a strategy, be flexible, and conserve your ammo (err, spells) -- don't bother blasting dinky undead that the cleric can destroy with a casual wave of the ol' Rune of Pursuit. Unless said dinky undead are holding the cleric's head underwater, of course.

You might either convince the druid to be a bit more flexible with his wildshaping, or rearrange the line of march so the dire lion is closer to the front (and then hope he doesn't end up being the dire trap triggerer, or regretting the sad armor class of your basic dire animal).

Decide how you're going to get in and out -- teleport magic, fight (and swim) your way in & out, look for a secret passage (and hope whoever built the place put one in, for some mad reason)? Camping out inside is a Bad Idea; either skip it, or come up with a good way to make it not a bad idea; it looks like walling yourself off is viewed as an invitation to sustained siege. Rope tricks are neat, but potentially dangerous. They can be detected, after all, and if you think being ambushed while sleeping is bad, try being ambushed while sleeping while being dumped from 30 feet in the air...