Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Molot 09-06-07, 05:44 PM	Just question to you all - if you had to choose one abjuration for every spell level from 0 to 9, what'd you take? For sorcerer - so it should be a spells that makes sense to be casted a lot, so no xp/gp price and a reason must be probable during typical campaign. My current list is 0 - 1 - 2 - Resist Energy 3 - Dispel Magic OR Protection from Energy 4 - 5 - 6 - Dispel Magic, Greater 7 - 8 - 9 -
solbergb 09-06-07, 06:20 PM	just sticking to the PHB lists 0. resistance (I think it is the only choice) 1. prot evil, with alarm, endure elements and shield as runnerups depending on the campaign and your other party members. (if you lack a cleric or paladin, prot evil for sure. If they rack routinely...the others might be better) 2. resist energy the others are too specific 3. dispel magic is a general purpose toolkit. When you grow out of it, swap for circle of prot evil if the cleric isn't doing it and prot energy if he is (prot energy is sometimes better, sometimes worse than resist energy). Explosive runes is mildly broken as it has no cost and can be set off remotely with area dispel magic. In theory a gamebreaker, in practice unlikely to be used that way for fear of ruining the game. 4. dimensional anchor, probably. I find stoneskin too expensive and the others too specific. If you are fighting a mage guild, lesser globe of invuln has its place. 5. Mordenkeinen's sanctum. Let the cleric do the dismissals and break enchantments, he can't make a safe, scry-immune place to sleep. 6. Greater dispel. The others are too specific, although against some foes and with good teamwork antimagic field can be decisive. Just very risky for the poor wiz casting it. Put it on a scroll and give it to the rogue to UMD. 7. Banishment. At these levels, outsiders are very annoying and this spell is worth it, even if the cleric also packs it. Your spell isn't competing with hero feast and heal, and your DC is a little higher. 8. Mind blank, no question. Let the cleric do dimensional lock, his spell list kinda sucks at level 8 anyway. 9. Mordenkeinen's Disjunction is just a devastating spell. Although use of it may cause MDJ-wars and eventual mutually-assured destruction pacts where you and the bad guys refrain from using it. In that case prismatic sphere gets the nod.
Horseshoe_Hermit 09-07-07, 12:49 AM	Ooh, good question. Resistance (only one I know of) Alarm (I have SO MANY USES for this) Arcane Lock... Resist Elements... Arcane Lock... Resist Elements... Resist Elements allows you to brave natural sources of elemental damage... it is also fairly good at deterring OMG BURN!!!!! pyromaniacal sorcery at the low level where it is available. Arcane Lock forces people to use resources or time to get past a door, or enter a locked object. I choose Arcane Lock. NOT DISPEL MAGIC, but Nondetection Remove Curse (I'm a healer. It's what I do) Dismissal (only one) Repulsion, a noncombatant's dream. Sequester, can be used for protection, or a mini-imprisonment. Mind Blank has obvious uses. Imprisonment - the ultimate way to take your enemies out of the picture... without killing them.
tarkin 09-07-07, 11:06 AM	Question why don't you like Dispell Magic? I love Non-Detection, but it is not as good as Dispell Magic. My favorites are (* = like a lot) 1: Shield 2: Arcane Lock 3: Dispell Magic* 4: Dimensional Anchor 5: Break Encahntment 6: Repulsion 7: Banishment 8: Mind Blank * 9: Prismatic Sphere
solbergb 09-07-07, 12:44 PM	I actually find the 3.5 version of nondetection kind of weak. The caster level check to defeat it is too easy, it just isn't reliable. In many ways Nystul's aura, obscure alignment and misdirection are better spells, or just being really good at hiding, because all of those just work without the other guy able to defeat you by rolling a d20 while running his detect spell. Repulsion causes big problems with teamwork, and when it's been used against me, anybody important just made the save and stomped up to the caster and eviscserated him. So perhaps I just have not seen situations where it works well. Generally if you can stick a will save spell, you can do more than just keep him away.
Molot 09-07-07, 02:40 PM	I actually find the 3.5 version of nondetection kind of weak.Happily, I've never been in a situation I have to use nondetection AND we suspected it really might work anyway. So I think it's either the DM or my character concept ;) but I hardly need it... I just thought most of others have the same, and solbergb's words makes me believe I wasn't totally wrong. Repulsion causes big problems with teamworkJust the case when the other spellcaster in my party was using it... Thanks for answers, my list begins to crystalize ;) Dispel series is something I consider a must-have. Spellcaster who is plainly unable to get thorough the magic left behind by enemy seems... unfinished... to me. Not powerful enough, that's whole different story.
WombleHunter 09-07-07, 02:51 PM	1 Shield 2 Resist Energy 3 Mass Resist Energy or Protection from Energy 4 Dimensional Anchor or Ray Deflection 5 Dunno - Greater Anticipate Teleportation? Reciprocal Gyre? 6 Greater Dispel Magic or Globe of Invulnerability (take that, Orb-lovers!) 7 Spell Turning, hands down. 8 Mind Blank or Chain Dispel 9 Prismatic Sphere or Mage's Disjunction or Elminster's Effulgent Epuration
Molot 09-07-07, 04:04 PM	4 Dimensional Anchor or Ray DeflectionRay deflection blocks all ranged touch attacks, so it is great indeed :) 7 Spell Turning, hands down.Hmm... right :) it may do the trick in magic fights.
Nephlite 09-07-07, 06:08 PM	3. dispel magic is a general purpose toolkit. When you grow out of it, swap for circle of prot evil if the cleric isn't doing it and prot energy if he is (prot energy is sometimes better, sometimes worse than resist energy). Explosive runes is mildly broken as it has no cost and can be set off remotely with area dispel magic. In theory a gamebreaker, in practice unlikely to be used that way for fear of ruining the game. Now I totally want to buy an item that casts Explosive Runes 1 or 5/day. Prepare dispel magic and blow up my Rune on a paper tied to my arrows. Best part: you can auto suceed on your own spells...
Molot 09-07-07, 06:15 PM	Now I totally want to buy an item that casts Explosive Runes 1 or 5/day. Prepare dispel magic and blow up my Rune on a paper tied to my arrows. Best part: you can auto suceed on your own spells...Just remember - if PC can do this, BBEG can too.