This page is specifically for the mage class in Baldur's Gate:
Enhanced Edition (2012)
This icon indicates content from the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition campaign.Baldur's Gate:
Siege of Dragonspear (2016)
This icon indicates content from the Siege of Dragonspear campaign of the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition.Baldur's Gate II
Classic & Enhanced
This icon indicates content from all games of the 2nd Baldur's Gate instalment – all editions and expansions. This may include The Black Pits II.. For the version in Baldur's Gate (1998)
This icon indicates content from the original Baldur's Gate campaign.Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast (1999)
This icon indicates content from the original Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast campaign., refer to Mage (Baldur's Gate).
Introduction[]
Mages are best known for their ability to cast spells which lead to various effects on creatures and objects. Their magic can be used for offensive ends, inflicting damage and status effects on the target. It can also be used for supportive goals, improving the stats of the mage or allies, and can be used to summon creatures. Generally, the mage's arcane magic cannot be used to heal; that skill is the domain of divine casters, such as clerics, druids, or shamans. Mages are, however, able to remove curses from allies.
Their mastery of the magical art comes at the price of weakness in physical combat, as they can neither absorb nor deal large amounts of physical damage. Mages are unable to use most heavy defensive equipment such as shields, headgear and body armor, instead they are largely restricted to magical robes and bracers. For that reason mages aren't usually found on the front line of large battles. They also have a limited selection of weapons, being restricted to staves, daggers, slings and darts, and may place no more than one skill point in any of these. Unlike Specialist Mages, mages can learn any spell from all eight schools of magic. Mages are free to choose any alignment they like.
In order for mages to cast a spell, first they need to successfully scribe a mage spell scroll into their spellbook (scroll lost in process regardless of success or failure). A mage may have any number of spells scribed and available to memorize. They must choose which spells they will have available for immediate use by placing them into a limited number of spell slots. The mage must then rest for eight hours to memorize the spells, which prepares them for casting.
Only humans, elves and half-elves may become mages; gnomes will automatically become Illusionists.
Ability Scores[]
Ability Score | Minimum Score^^ |
---|---|
Strength | 3 |
Dexterity | 3 |
Constitution | 3 |
Intelligence^ | 9 |
Wisdom | 3 |
Charisma | 3 |
During character creation, rolls below the minimum value for the class will be increased to that value. This table uses the values for humans; other Races have modified ability scores.
^ Prime Requisites for Dual-classing.
^^ Applies only to standard Mage and the Wild Mage class kit. The Specialist Mage class kits have varying minimum ability scores.
- In Enhanced Editions, Intelligence score determines up to which levels of spells the character can learn, counting in both natural scores and temporary altering values.
Mage Spellbook[]
Scroll's spell level |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Scroll Scribed |
Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition (2012) This icon indicates content from the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition campaign. |
10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 |
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000) This icon indicates content from the original Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn campaign. Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition – Shadows of Amn (2013) |
1000 | 2000 | 3000 | 4000 | 5000 | 6000 | 7000 | 8000 | 9000 |
Mages, bards, sorcerers are able to cast wizard spells.
Class kits[]
Mage[]
The wizard strives to be a master of magical energies, shaping them and casting them as spells. To do so, they study strange tongues and obscure facts and devotes much of their time to magical research. A wizard must rely on knowledge and wit to survive. Wizards are rarely seen adventuring without a retinue of fighters and men-at-arms. Because there are different types (or schools) of magic there are different types of wizards. The Mages study all types of magic and learn a wide variety of spells; their broad range makes them well suited to the demands of adventuring.
Class features:
- May only wear robes in the armor slot
- Cannot wear helmets
- May only use the following weapons:
- May only become Proficient (one slot) in any weapon class
- May not place any slots in any fighting style
- May cast arcane spells
- Hit Die: d4
- Prime requisites for dual-classing: Intelligence
Specialist Mage[]
- Abjurer specializes in protective magics;
- Conjurer specializes in creating creatures and objects for assistance;
- Diviner specializes in detection and divining magics;
- Enchanter specializes in manipulating the minds of sentient beings;
- Illusionist specializes in creating illusions to confuse and mislead;
- Invoker specializes in the manipulation of raw and elemental energies;
- Necromancer specializes in magic dealing with death;
- Transmuter specializes in magic that alters physical reality.
Class features:
- Have different minimum Ability Scores in character generation in addition to intelligence score of 9
Advantages:
- May cast one additional arcane spell per spell level
- Receives a +15% learning chance bonus when scribing scrolls from the chosen school
- Receives a -2 bonus when making saving throws against spells from the chosen school, including cleric spells and innate abilities
- Targets suffer a +2 penalty when making Saving Throws against spells from the chosen school, also applies to cleric spells (for multi- or dual-classing mages) and innate abilities
Disadvantages:
- May not learn, use arcane scrolls, or cast any arcane spells of the opposite school. However, may still use all priest scrolls and spells if multi- or dual- to cleric
- Receives a -15% learning chance penalty when scribing scrolls from other schools
Gameplay
- A quick rundown of some notable spells each specialist gives up. Specialists with a long list of excluded spells clearly have substantial limitations that should be considered when choosing this kit. Spells within < > are similar improved versions, or direct counters of each other
- Abjurer gives up arcane Alteration spells such as Knock, Vocalize, <Slow, Haste, Improved Haste>, Stoneskin, Tenser's Transformation, <Polymorph Self, Shapechange>, <Ruby Ray of Reversal, Spellstrike>, Time Stop
- Conjurer gives up arcane Divination spells such as Identify, True Sight
- Diviner gives up arcane Conjuration spells such as Find Familiar, Glitterdust, Power Word, Blind, Power Word, Silence, Symbol, Stun, Limited Wish, Summon Nishruu
- Enchanter gives up arcane Evocation spells such as Magic Missile, Chromatic Orb, Agannazar's Scorcher, Fireball, Incendiary Cloud, Melf's Minute Meteors, Black Blade of Disaster, Bigby's Clenched Fist, <Minor Sequencer, Spell Sequencer, Spell Trigger>, <Contingency, Chain Contingency>, Limited Wish, Web, Mordenkainen's Sword, Death Fog
- Illusionist gives up arcane Necromancy spells such as Animate Dead, Death Spell, <Skull Trap, Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting>, Energy Drain
- Invoker gives up arcane Enchantment spells such as Friends, Luck, Charm Person, Sleep, Emotion: Hopelessness, Domination, Feeblemind, Greater Malison
- Necromancer gives up arcane Illusion spells such as <Invisibility, Invisibility, 10' Radius, Shadow Door, Improved Invisibility, Mass Invisibility>, Spook, Mirror Image, Mislead, Project Image, Simulacrum
- Transmuter gives up arcane Abjuration spells such as Remove Curse (wizard), Protection From Petrification, Resist Fear, <Imprisonment, Freedom>, <Protection From Magical Weapons, Breach>, <Minor Globe of Invulnerability, Spell Immunity>, <Protection From Energy, Protection From Magic Energy>, <Spell Deflection, Spell Turning, Spell Trap>, <Lower Resistance, Spell Thrust, Pierce Magic, Pierce Shield, Spellstrike>, Spell Shield, <Dispel Magic, Remove Magic>
- A specialist mage will still inflict save penalties against themselves, which, combined with the bonus they get against their chosen school, means they get no penalty nor bonus against spells of their chosen school when they're cast by themselves. For example, invokers will get a -2 bonus on a save against fireballs cast by enemy mages, but won't get anything when they roll against their own fireball (because the penalty and the bonus cancel each other).
- Conjurer is considered by many to be the best specialized mage since their weaknesses can be mostly dealt with using scrolls, magical items, and divine spellcasters who can cast True Sight such as Anomen, Aerie, Viconia, and Keldorn
- For cleric / illusionist or specialist > cleric dual-classers, casting priest spells from spellbook or scrolls of any school is permitted. For specialist > thief dual-classers, Use Any Item allows for quick slot scroll casting of any school, but they still may not scribe arcane scrolls of the opposite school into their spellbook
- Companion Dynaheir is an invoker; Edwin is a conjurer; Xan is an Enchanter; Xzar is a Necromancer
- (tested in BG2EE) The saves in some items' abilities are affected by mage specialization bonuses/penalties. Some examples (as there are more of them) are:
- Black Blade of Disaster (necromancer, despite the fact the weapon originates from an evocation). Other spell-created weapons, like Ghoul Touch, are also affected, but they simply match the school from the spell that created them.
- Celestial Fury (illusionist, but only for the ability that inflicts 2 rounds of blindness)
- Collar Bell (invoker)
- Eyes of the Beholder (enchanter, all three abilities)
- Kazrah's Shield (invoker)
- Namarra (transmuter)
- Rings of Air/Earth/Fire Control (enchanter for the elemental charm effects, invoker for the flame strike and transmuter for the burning hands)
- Ring of Human Influence (enchanter)
- Staff of Air (enchanter, but only for the Sleep Cloud, not the on-hit effect)
- Staff of the Woodlands (enchanter)
- Staff of Thunder and Lightning (invoker, but only for the Lightning Bolt and Call Lightning abilities, not the on-hit effect)
- Tunic of Blindeye (conjurer)
- Wand of Cloudkill (invoker)
- Wand of Fear (enchanter)
- Wand of Fire (invoker)
- Wand of Frost (invoker)
- Wand of Glitterdust (conjurer)
- Wand of Lightning (invoker)
- Wand of Paralyzation (enchanter)
- Wand of Sleep (enchanter)
- Wand of the Heavens (invoker)
- Various other items that claim to cast exact spells (eg Helm of Brilliance that casts Prismatic Spray/Fireball/Sunray) do actually reproduce said spells exactly and, as such, specialists of the equivalent schools apply their penalties/bonuses accordingly.
Wild Mage[]
Wild Mages are wizards who specialize in the study of wild magic. They have access to spells to protect themselves from wild magic and bend it to their wills. Wild magic is extremely unpredictable and should be used with caution.
Wild Magic is a new type of magic that is characterized by powerful and dangerous surges of unpredictable magic. Generally considered to be an unfortunate byproduct of the Time of Troubles, wild magic has recently begun to attract the attention of many a curious or scholarly wizard.
Class features:
- May memorize one additional arcane spell per spell level
- May cast the 1st-level spell Nahal's Reckless Dweomer, 2nd-level spell Chaos Shield and 7th-level spell Improved Chaos Shield, all included in spellbook automatically
- Upon casting a spell, including casting from scrolls, there is a 5% chance of incurring a Wild Surge, which generates a completely random magical effect from the spell being cast. Its effects may be either beneficial or detrimental to the Wild Mage and allies
- Casting level varies somewhat whenever a Wild Mage casts a spell - anywhere between 5 levels lower and levels higher than the Wild Mage's true level.
- May not dual class. This can be circumvented by installing Tweaks Anthology mod.
Gameplay
- Spells such as Nahal's Reckless Dweomer, Spell Immunity have a hidden feature that bypasses the one-casting-per-round rule: pause the game before clicking NRD, select the desired spell, unpause to start chanting the spell, pause/auto-pause immediately after the casting, repeat the process. Remember that the chanting period can be brought down by equipment such as the Ghostdreamers' Robe, Robe of Vecna and Amulet of Power
- Companion Neera is a wild mage
High-level class abilities[]
Mages start to learn level 10 spells beginning at level 18. Once picked, those spells can be accessed from the level 9 wizard spellbook (they are never available as scrolls), the spells need only to be selected once. There is no benefit beyond the 8th HLA gain as none may be chosen more than once.
- Comet
- Dragon's Breath
- Energy Blades
- Improved Alacrity
- Summon Planetar (Good and Neutral Alignment. Only one can be picked; picking Summon Planetar makes Summon Dark Planetar unavailable)
- Summon Dark Planetar (Evil and Neutral Alignment. Only one can be picked; picking Summon Dark Planetar makes Summon Planetar unavailable)
- The option to spend three high-level class ability points to gain a level 6, level 7, and level 8 spellslots consecutively.
Memorizable spells progression[]
The number of memorizable spells by level increases with nearly every newly gained class level, only from twenty onwards there are some levels without progression. The related game files' 2da table, MXSPLWIZ
, defines spell progression even for levels that cannot be gained by player-controlled characters, marked red below; however, there are a few NPCs and hostile mages leveled this high.
Class level | Spell level | Total slots | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
2 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||
3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||||
4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | |||||||
5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 7 | ||||||
6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 8 | ||||||
7
Baldur's Gate (1998) |
4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | |||||
8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 12 | |||||
9
Baldur's Gate |
4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 13 | ||||
10
The Black Pits (2012) |
4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 15 | ||||
11
Siege of Dragonspear (2016) |
4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 18 | ||||
12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 21 | |||
13 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 25 | |||
14 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 26 | ||
15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 28 | ||
16 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 31 | |
17
Shadows of Amn (2000) |
5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 33 | |
18 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 34 |
19 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 35 |
20 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 37 |
21 | ||||||||||
22 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 39 |
23 | ||||||||||
24 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 40 |
25 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 41 |
26 | ||||||||||
27 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 42 |
28 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 43 |
29 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 44 |
30 | ||||||||||
31
Throne of Bhaal (2001) | ||||||||||
32 | ||||||||||
33 | ||||||||||
34 | ||||||||||
35 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 45 |
36 | ||||||||||
37 | ||||||||||
38 | ||||||||||
39 | ||||||||||
40 |
There are items in the game that, when equipped, allow to memorize more spells of certain levels. Also, mages can gain an additional level 6, 7 and 8 slot by spending a High-Level Ability (HLA). See spell progression tables.
Table for experience, hitpoints and weapon proficiency[]
Level | Level Cap |
XP Required |
Hit Dice | Weapon Proficiency |
THAC0 | Saving throws D/W/P/B/S |
No. of HLA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 0 | 1d4 | +1 | 20 | 14/11/13/15/12 | ||
2 | 2,500 | 2d4 | 20 | 14/11/13/15/12 | |||
3 | 5,000 | 3d4 | 20 | 14/11/13/15/12 | |||
4 | 10,000 | 4d4 | 19 | 14/11/13/15/12 | |||
5 | 20,000 | 5d4 | 19 | 14/11/13/15/12 | |||
6 | 40,000 | 6d4 | +1 | 19 | 13/9/11/13/10 | ||
7 | 60,000 | 7d4 | 18 | 13/9/11/13/10 | |||
8 | 90,000 | 8d4 | 18 | 13/9/11/13/10 | |||
9 | Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition (2012) This icon indicates content from the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition campaign. |
135,000 | 9d4 | 18 | 13/9/11/13/10 | ||
10 | The Black Pits (2012) This icon indicates content from the Black Pits campaign in the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition. |
250,000 | 10d4 | 17 | 13/9/11/13/10 | ||
11 | Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear (2016) This icon indicates content from the Siege of Dragonspear campaign of the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition. |
375,000 | 10d4+1 | 17 | 11/7/9/11/8 | ||
12 | 750,000 | 10d4+2 | +1 | 17 | 11/7/9/11/8 | ||
13 | 1,125,000 | 10d4+3 | 16 | 11/7/9/11/8 | |||
14 | 1,500,000 | 10d4+4 | 16 | 11/7/9/11/8 | |||
15 | 1,875,000 | 10d4+5 | 16 | 11/7/9/11/8 | |||
16 | 2,250,000 | 10d4+6 | 15 | 10/5/7/9/6 | |||
17 | Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000) This icon indicates content from the original Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn campaign. |
2,625,000 | 10d4+7 | 15 | 10/5/7/9/6 | ||
18 | 3,000,000 | 10d4+8 | +1 | 15 | 10/5/7/9/6 | 1 | |
19 | 3,375,000 | 10d4+9 | 14 | 10/5/7/9/6 | 2 | ||
20 | 3,750,000 | 10d4+10 | 14 | 10/5/7/9/6 | 3 | ||
21 | 4,125,000 | 10d4+11 | 14 | 8/3/5/7/4 | 4 | ||
22 | 4,500,000 | 10d4+12 | 13 | 8/3/5/7/4 | 5 | ||
23 | 4,875,000 | 10d4+13 | 13 | 8/3/5/7/4 | 6 | ||
24 | 5,250,000 | 10d4+14 | +1 | 13 | 8/3/5/7/4 | 7 | |
25 | 5,625,000 | 10d4+15 | 13 | 8/3/5/7/4 | 8 | ||
26 | 6,000,000 | 10d4+16 | 13 | 8/3/5/7/4 | 9 | ||
27 | 6,375,000 | 10d4+17 | 13 | 8/3/5/7/4 | 10 | ||
28 | 6,750,000 | 10d4+18 | 13 | 8/3/5/7/4 | 11 | ||
29 | 7,125,000 | 10d4+19 | 13 | 8/3/5/7/4 | 12 | ||
30 | 7,500,000 | 10d4+20 | +1 | 13 | 8/3/5/7/4 | 13 | |
31 | Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal (2001) This icon indicates content from the original Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal campaign. Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition – Shadows of Amn (2013) |
7,875,000 | 10d4+21 | 13 | 8/3/5/7/4 | 14 | |
Total | 6 | 14 |
Stronghold[]
If no other stronghold is in care, protagonists with a active mage class are able to claim Lavok's Sphere upon the completion of The hunt for Valygar Corthala side quest in Shadows of Amn campaign.
Class Group exclusive items[]
- Adventurer's Robe
- Knave's Robe
- Traveler's Robe
- Circlet of Netheril
- Mage Robe of Cold Resistance
- Mage Robe of Electric Resistance
- Mage Robe of Fire Resistance
- Reaching Ring
- Ring of Acuity
- Ring of Wizardry
- Robe of Goodman Hayes
- Robe of the Apprenti
- Robe of the Good/Neutral/Evil Archmagi
- Robe of Invocation
- Robe of Vecna
- Staff of the Magi
- Thayan Circlet
- Wizzard Hat Baldur's Gate:
Siege of Dragonspear (2016)
This icon indicates content from the Siege of Dragonspear campaign of the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition. - Crown of Lies Baldur's Gate:
Siege of Dragonspear (2016)
This icon indicates content from the Siege of Dragonspear campaign of the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition.
Arcane Spellcasters exclusive items[]
- Metaspell Influence Amulet
- Staff of Power
- Golem / Clay Golem / Stone Golem / Juggernaut Golem Manual
- arcane wands
- arcane scrolls
Notes[]
- Multi-class or dual-class mages can equip armor, but will be unable to cast spells until it is removed or unless it's elven chain mail. However, helmets can be equipped with no penalty to casting ability.
Gameplay (community)[]
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