Level 4 Arcane Spells Baldur's Gate 1

There are twelve level 4 Baldur's Gate arcane spells in Baldur's Gate 1 Original. Level 4 spells are not as interesting as the previous three spell levels, though we do break into Dimension Door and Minor Globe of Invulnerability. Also, Emotion is a step up from Sleep.

Confusion Baldur's Gate 1

Confusion (Enchantment, SCRL1U): AoE divide & conquer spell that causes impacted enemies to run around like idiots and/or attack each other. As with Horror, I generally don't cast this because it's annoying to chase down the confused combatants. However, it is powerful and can turn the tide of battle like many AoE D&C spells.

Rank: Mid-tier.

Dimension Door Baldur's Gate 1

Dimension Door (Alteration, SCRL1V): Quick-fire mobility/escape spell that is famously employed by Davaeorn in the Cloakwood Mines. Dimension Door allows us to bypass obstacles such as walls, placeables and heightmaps. In fact, it enables us to bypass entire segments of the game and is potentially sequence-breaking in regards to plot progression. Ah yes, the power of Mages...

Rank: Top-tier.

Emotion Baldur's Gate 1

Emotion (Emotion: Hopelessness) (Enchantment, SCRL5H): Upgraded Sleep in that its devastating immobilization impacts ANY mundane enemy as well as buffs the party's morale and removes Fear status.

Rank: God-tier.

Greater Malison Baldur's Gate 1

Greater Malison (Enchantment, SCRL5I): Powerful AoE debuffer that causes victims to incur a 4 point saving throw penalty for 2 rounds per level of the caster. In other words, it makes the effects of any saving throw-based spell harder to resist, which is what we want.

Rank: Top-tier.

Improved Invisibility Baldur's Gate 1

Improved Invisibility (Illusion, SCRL1Y): Single-target combat buff that grants the recipient an effective 4-point AC bonus as well as a 4-point all-saves bonus. This isn't really a scouting and mobility spell like second circle Invisibility because its duration is only 10 rounds.

Rank: Top-tier.

Minor Globe of Invulnerability Baldur's Gate 1

Minor Globe of Invulnerability aka MGoI (Abjuration, SCRL1Z): An extremely powerful ward that grants full immunity to any spell of the first, second and third circles. The orb the caster is protected by doesn't disable spellcasting either [pic]. Can be brought down by Dispel Magic.

Rank: God-tier.

Monster Summoning 2 Baldur's Gate 1

Monster Summoning 2 (Conjuration, SCRL2A): Conjures 12 HD worth of monster allies. In practice, that means packs of wolves, gnoll elites, hobgoblin archers (note that: archers) and war dogs. No summon cap.

Rank: Top-tier.

Otiluke's Resilient Sphere Baldur's Gate 1

Otiluke's Resilient Sphere (Alteration, SCRL5J): A cheesy ward in all RPGs it is found in. Single-target ward that protects the recipient from any form of damage for one round per caster level. That means the aggro just whales away upon the Otiluke'd combatant while the rest of the party picks them apart from safe distance. Can be brought down by Dispel Magic. Fists bypass ORS. Thus, powerful enemies like Shandalar can be ORS'd and then punched out.

Rank: Cheese.

Polymorph Other Baldur's Gate 1

Polymorph Other (Alteration, SCRL5L): Single-target debuffer that turns an enemy into a harmless squirrel which then wanders off into the woods.

Rank: God-tier.

Polymorph Self Baldur's Gate 1

Polymorph Self (Alteration, SCRL5M): Caster-only transformer spell that grants the ability to assume the form of certain animals and monsters; also, acquiring their innate traits such as increased attack rate and Web immunity (sword spider), increased movement speed (wolf) and even damage reduction and non-trivial magic resistance in the case of polymorph: mustard jelly! Duration is 1 turn +2 rounds per level.

From left to right: Wolf, Black, Bear, Brown Bear, Natural Form, Mustard Jelly, Sword Spider, Ogre, Flind.

Example of usage: Cast Web, shift into a sword spider, and then crawl into the web and tear the immobilized victims new assholes.

Rank: Top-tier.

Remove Curse Baldur's Gate 1

Remove Curse (Abjuration, SCRL5G): Can be useful as there are many cursed items in the game.

Rank: Mid-tier.

Spirit Armor Baldur's Gate 1

Spirit Armor (Necromancy, SCRL5K): An upgraded Ghost Armor that is most notable for being single-target rather than just caster-only. That means we can give our companions and summons plate mail AC and a 3-point bonus to save vs. spells.

Rank: Top-tier.

Next up: Level 5 Arcane Spells Baldur's Gate.

cf.:

Lilura1