Specialist Mage Schools, Baldur's Gate 1

Specialist Mages Baldur's Gate 1

This is for self-reference purposes since I can never remember which spells I will miss out on if my Mage BG1 chooses to be a Specialist. For example, as Conjurer I won't be able to cast Divination spells, but what spells does that include, exactly?

Note that Specialists can still employ spells of their Opposition School, but only by casting from scrolls or by waving wands BG1. For example, Xzar the Necromancer, who can't scribe Illusion spells to his spellbook in order to cast them conventionally, may nevertheless cast Mirror Image from a scroll (at full caster level). Xan, who can't cast Fireball conventionally, may nevertheless wave the Wand of Fire to great effect.

I have highlighted key spells in pink. Further to that, I have bolded what I consider to be Best Spells Baldur's Gate.

Abjurer Spells

• Abjurer (prereq: Wis 15)
• Opposition School: Alteration: Burning Hands, Color Spray, Shocking Grasp, Knock, Strength, Vocalize, Haste, Slow, Dimension Door
• Thus, Abjurers may not cast Alteration spells (9 spells). I have never tried an Abjurer due to the Wis 15 prereq. You could certainly get by as one, though.

Conjurer Spells

• Conjurer (prereq: Con 15)
• Opposition School: Divination: Identify, Infravision, Know Alignment, Detect Evil, Detect Invisibility, Clairvoyance
• Edwin, Imoen.
• This is my go-to Specialization because I always roll with another caster capable of casting Identify (including a Bard on top of that for their Lore).

Diviner Spells

• Diviner (prereq: Wis 16)
• Opposition School: Conjuration: Armor, Flame Arrow, Grease, Melf's Acid Arrow, Monster Summoning I, Ghost Armor, Monster Summoning II, Monster Summoning III
• Armor is bread-and-butter and MS III is extremely powerful.

Enchanter Spells

• Enchanter (prereq: Cha 16)
• Opposition School: Invocation / Evocation: Magic Missile, Chromatic Orb, Shield, Web, Agannazar's Scorcher, Stinking Cloud, Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Cloudkill
• Xan (Imoen and Safana dual)
• Losing the best AoE immobilizer and the best single-target immobilizer (CO: Stun) is pretty harsh. Losing Fireball isn't a huge deal (wands), but the loss of Cloudkill could be hurtful in the latter stages of the campaign, or in Durlag's Tower.

Illusionist Spells

• Illusionist (prereq: Dex 16)
• Opposition School: Necromancy: Chill Touch, Larloch's Minor Drain, Horror, Ghoul Touch, Skull Trap, Vampiric Touch, Spirit Armor
• Quayle (Imoen and Safana dual)
• Necromancy isn't strong in BG1. Animate Dead isn't itemized for arcane spellcasters and, while Skull Trap is great, I can do without it.

Invoker Spells

• Invoker (prereq: Con 16)
• Opposition Schools: Enchantment and Conjuration
• Enchantment: Charm Person, Friends, Sleep, Luck, Hold Person, Dire Charm, Confusion, Emotion, Greater Malison, Chaos, Domination, Hold Monster, Feeblemind
• Conjuration: Armor, Flame Arrow, Grease, Melf's Acid Arrow, Monster Summoning I, Ghost Armor, Monster Summoning II, Monster Summoning III
• Dynaheir (Imoen dual)
• No Sleep and no Emotion (Sleep on steroids). Not to mention a great loss to Divide & Conquer power. Still, maybe you're up for a challenge?

Necromancer Spells

• Necromancer (prereq: Wis 16)
• Opposition School: Illusion: Blindness, Blur, Invisibility, Mirror Image, Improved Invisibility
• Xzar
• I generally dual Xzar to Cleric due to his inability to protect himself with Mirror Image.

Transmuter Spells

• Transmuter (prereq: Dex 15)
• Opposition Schools: Abjuration and Necromancy 
• Abjuration: Protection from Evil, Protection from Petrification, Resist Fear, Dispel Magic, Non-Detection, Protection from Normal Missiles, Minor Globe of Invulnerability
• Necromancy: Chill Touch, Larloch's Minor Drain, Horror, Ghoul Touch, Skull Trap, Vampiric Touch, Spirit Armor
• Imoen dual, Safana dual
• Resist Fear and Dispel Magic are divine spells. You may feel the loss of MGoI and Skull Trap, though.

Specialist Saving Throws

Not only do Specialists gain +1 spell slot per circle (at the expense of being banned from Opposition School spells), but their enemies incur a 2 point saving throw penalty when attempting to resist a spell cast by Specialists, if the spell is of the school of which the Specialist belongs. Thus, for example, Domination's 2 point penalty becomes a 4 point penalty when cast by an Enchanter such as Xan. 

Conversely, Specialists receive a 2 point saving throw bonus when attempting to resist a spell of their school.

• Enchantment Spells ST (Single-Target) and AoE (Area of Effect) spells:

• Single-target: Charm Person, Dire Charm, Domination, Feeblemind
• AoE: Sleep, Hold Person, Confusion, Emotion, Chaos, Hold Monster

Not a bad line-up, is it?

Remember that Bard BG1 and Sorcerer BG2 are treated as Generalists, meaning they have access to the spells of all Schools. However, while I do love Bards and recognize their faster level progression and ability to reach one level higher than Mages (meaning that a few spells with level-based variables are more effective when cast by Bards), they are not capable of the sheer arcane output of Specialist Mages, who receive several extra spell slots and can advance to the fifth circle in order to cast spells such as Cloudkill, Chaos and MS III.

Baldur's Gate	Baldur's Gate Races	Baldur's Gate Spellcasting
Best Classes Baldur's Gate	Baldur's Gate Items	Baldur's Gate Dual-classing
Best Spells Baldur's Gate	Baldur's Gate THAC0	Baldur's Gate Specialist Mages
Best Weapons Baldur's Gate	Baldur's Gate Armor Class	Baldur's Gate Proficiency
Best Companions Baldur's Gate	Baldur's Gate ApR	Baldur's Gate Thieving