Icewind Dale II guide to ranger spells by Michael Marshall This guide describes each ranger spell, which spell level it is, how useful it is based on gameplay experience. I found some spells were more or less effective than the description suggests, and decided to write a guide to help other gamers avoid these problems. I hope you find it useful. I have sorted first by level then mainly by the alphabet. I have used some abbreviations and technical terms here which I assume everyone is familiar with, but please contact me if unsure. If spells have effects on other spells, whether ranger or not, then I have mentioned that spell in capitals. If you have any suggestions, spot any mistakes, or have questions re. ranger spells then e-mail me at ihave2manynicknames@hotmail.com, If you put IWD2 ranger spells as the subject, I should reply sooner. Please do not e-mail about other aspects of the game, unless I have written a guide about that as well. The following websites have permission to use this guide: www.gamefaqs.com www.neoseekers.com 1st level spells Delay poison Casting time: 1 Affects: 1 creature Effect: slows effect of poison, or sobers up a character This spell has limited use, as you rarely get poisoned, but it is worth learning 1 as a precaution. Sobering can be useful as well. Entangle Casting time: 4 Duration: 10 rounds Saving throw: R. enables movement Affects: 20 foot radius Effect: any creature in the area that doesn't make a save cannot move and suffers -2 penalty to attack rolls and -4 to Dex. Creatures that save successfully move at half rate. This spell has very little use, as creatures that you really want to slow down will have a better R.S.T. than your characters so you will suffer more anyway. There are much better things to do to enemies anyway. Minor elemental barrier Casting time: 5 Duration: 1 round/level Affects: 1 creature Effect: gives a bonus of 4 to cold and fire resistance. This has some use, when expecting to recieve large amounts of attacks based on either cold or fire. Don't take charges otherwise. Sunscorch Casting time: 4 Saving throw: R. half and avoid blindness Affects: 1 creature Effect: does 1d6 + 1/level(max +15) fire damage. Vulnerable creatures take an extra point/level of fire damage. Target also blinded for 3 rounds. Drow and svirfneblin blinded with no save. This is the best 1st level ranger spell, the damage can be quite high, especially against creatures weak against fire or light, and blinding gives other advantages. Take as many as you can. Summon nature's ally I Casting time: 6 Duration: 1 round/level Effect: Summons 1 random creature. These spells are useless for the ranger. As rangers must wait a long time for their spells, the enemies improve so quickly that summoned creatures will be much weaker than the enemies. Avoid. 2nd level spells Alicorn lance Casting time: 5 Saving throw: R. half Affects: 1 creature Effect: does 3d6 piercing damage and gives target -2 to AC for 3 rounds. This is a brilliant spell, it does plenty of damage and reduces AC. Take as many as you can. Beast claw Casting time: 5 Duration: 10 rounds Affects: caster Effect: gives caster +4 Str bonus and replaces weapons with claws that do 2d4 slashing damage. Limited use, most available weapons to a level 10 ranger will do much more damage than this, even with the Str bonus. Don't bother. Cure light wounds Casting time: 5 Affects: 1 creature Effect: heals 1d8 +1/level(max +5) of damage. Rangers aren't great at healing damage, as they gain spells far too slowly for the healing to have much significance. But they generally do max healing the spell allows because of the levels at which they gain spells. Not too bad though. Hold animal Casting time: 5 Duration: 1 round/level Saving throw: W. negates Affects: 1d4 creatures in 20 foot-radius Effect: Holds affected creatures immobile. This spell has some use, but if the creature is a real threat then this is unlikely to affect it. Not really worth it. Protection from fire Casting time: 6 Duration: 5 rounds/level Affects: 1 creature Effect: 7/- fire resistance if cast on caster, 5/- if a different target. This is a wonderful spell if you are expecting to recieve much fire damage, don't bother otherwise. Sleep Casting time: 1 Duration: 5 rounds/level Affects: 2d4 creatures in 15 foot radius, ones with 5+ hit dice are immune. Effect: Sends affected creatures to sleep, they can't do anything but will awaken if they take damage. This is extremely poor, it only affects very weak creatures, and you can't even damage them without removing the effect. Don't bother. Summon nature's ally II Casting time: 6 Duration: 1 round/level Effect: Summons 1 random creature. Better than previous versions. These spells are useless for the ranger. As rangers must wait a long time for their spells, the enemies improve so quickly that summoned creatures will be much weaker than the enemies. Avoid. 3rd level spells Cure moderate wounds Casting time: 5 Affects: 1 creature Effect: heals 2d8 +1/level(max +10) of damage. Rangers aren't great at healing damage, as they gain spells far too slowly for the healing to have much significance. But they generally do max healing the spell allows because of the levels at which they gain spells. Not too bad though. Twice as good as CURE LIGHT WOUNDS. Neutralize poison Casting time: instant Affects: 1 creature Effect: removes all poison Does what it says, you need to take 1 or 2 charges, but more will be wasted as poison is quite rare in this game. Protection from lightning Casting time: 7 Duration: 5 rounds/level Affects: 1 creature Effect: gives target 6/- resistance to electricity This spell is worth taking if you expect to recieve much electric damage, but pointless otherwise. Rainstorm Casting time: 6 Duration: 2 rounds Saving throw: R. halves Affects: 30 foot radius. Outside only Effect: all cold or fire based creatures take 2d3 magic damage each round, all creatures in area have 50% chance of taking 2d6 electric damage, which they can save against. Salamander auras and long term flame spells are extinhuished. This is a great spell whenever fighting cold or fire creatures outside, especially salamanders. Otherwise has very limited use. Take none if inside for a long time; take 1 during normal outside areas; up to 3 when fighting cold or fire based creatures outside. Remove Disease Casting time: 1 round Affects: 1 creature Effect: removes disease and cures 5HP Does exactly what it says. Must take 1, more is of very little use. Storm Shell Casting time: 6 Duration: 10 rounds Affects: caster Effect: gives caster 15/- resistance to fire, cold and electiricity. A brilliant general protection spell against 3 major types of damage. Must take 1, more has little use. Summon nature's ally III Casting time: 6 Duration: 1 round/level Effect: Summons 1 random creature. Better than previous versions. These spells are useless for the ranger. As rangers must wait a long time for their spells, the enemies improve so quickly that summoned creatures will be much weaker than the enemies. Avoid. 4th level spells Call lightning Casting time: 1 round Duration: 10 rounds/level Saving throw: R. halves Affects: 1 enemy every 10 rounds. Only works outside. Effect: does 1d10 electric damage to an enemy seen by the caster automatically. This is a brilliant spell for outside and you could take up to 3 charges. Don't bother when going indoors for long periods though. Cure serious wounds Casting time: 7 Affects: 1 creature Effect: heals 3d8 +1/level(max +15) of damage. Rangers aren't great at healing damage, as they gain spells far too slowly for the healing to have much significance. But they generally do max healing the spell allows because of the levels at which they gain spells. Not too bad though. Better than the previous 2 healing spells. Flame strike Casting time: 8 Saving throw: R. halves Affects: 10 foot radius Effect: all affected creatures take 1d6/level(max 15d6) fire damage. This is a brilliant spell, and will always do 15d6 damage because of the time a ranger will get this. You can do large amounts of damage to several enemies with this. You should take plenty. Freedom of movement Casting time: 7 Duration: 10 rounds/level Affects: 1 creature Effect: Immune to all magic that slows movement. This has some use, but as it only affects one creature and the common spells cast are area-effect, it isn't great. Giant vermin Casting time: 7 Duration: 10 rounds/level Effect: Summons an giant insect. Improves with caster level. As this summoning spell improves with caster level, it is extremely useful for a ranger, and is certainly worth taking. Nondetection Casting time: 3 Duration: 1 hour/level Affects: 1 creature Effect: Makes a creature undetectable by spells that reveal hidden or invisible creatures. Enemies rarely use these spells. Don't bother. Snakebite Casting time: 5 Duration: 1 round/level Saving throw: F. negates Affects: Caster Effect: Turns arms into snakes which attack twice each round doing 1d3 piercing and poisons target. The poison paralyzes the target and does 6 poison damage each round for 4 rounds The poison has a very small amount of use, but taking a poisoned weapon will be much more effective, and won't waste a valuable spell charge. Avoid this spell. Star metal cudgel Casting time: 7 Duration: 30 rounds Affects: caster Effect: creates a club that does 2d6+2 damage, has a +2 attack bonus and can hit any creature that requires up to a +4 weapon to recieve damage. Does 2d6 more against undead and constructs. If you have a level 15 ranger then you should have a much better weapon combination than this. Don't bother. Summon nature's ally IV Casting time: 6 Duration: 1 round/level Effect: Summons 1 random creature. Better than previous versions. These spells are useless for the ranger. As rangers must wait a long time for their spells, the enemies improve so quickly that summoned creatures will be much weaker than the enemies. Avoid. 5th level spells Animal rage Casting time: 8 Duration: 15 rounds Affects: 1 creature Effect: Target gains +4 Str and Con, + 20% movement, +2 tp S.T. and loses ability to cast spells. 5% chance target will go berserk. This is a good buffer spell, and the target goes berserk only very rarely. Worth taking 1, but no more. Insect plague Casting time: 1 round Duration: 15 rounds Affects: 25 foot radius Effect: All creatures in the swarm suffer 1HP damage each round and can't cast spells. Creatures of less than 3 hit dice will try to flee the cloud, ones of less than 6 hit dice must make a W.S.T. to remain in the swarm. Undead and constructs are immune. This has some use to restrict enemies attempting to cast spells, especially as you can send undead summons after them without having them affected. Could take 1 charge. Iron skins Casting time: 1 round Duration: 8 hours Affects: caster Effect: caster gets damage reduction of 10/- to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage. Applies to 1 attack/2 caster levels (max 8 attacks). This has some use, and it will always protect against 8 attacks for the ranger, but 8 hits is not many and there are much better spells to spend charges on. Not worth it. Smashing wave Casting time: 1 round Saving throw: R. halves Affects: all creatures hit by 5 foot wide wave Effect: Does 1d8(caster level) crushing damage (max 15d8), 25% chance of stunning target for 2 rounds, 5% chance of knocking creature unconscious. This is brilliant, you can send this and hit a long line of enemies, doing 15d8 damage to each and stunning some, not many become unconscious. Take several charges. Summon nature's ally V Casting time: 6 Duration: 1 round/level Effect: Summons 1 random creature. Better than previous versions. These spells are useless for the ranger. As rangers must wait a long time for their spells, the enemies improve so quickly that summoned creatures will be much weaker than the enemies. Avoid. 6th level spells Conjure animals Casting time: 9 Duration: 40 rounds Effect: Summons a mountain bear. The mountain bear is powerful, and remains for ages, and is never hostile. This is a very nice summon and 1 charge should certainly be taken. Planar ally: fire elemental Casting time: 1 round Duration: 3 rounds + 1 round/level Effect: Summons a 16 hit dice fire elemental that will target anything not under effects from PROTECTION FROM EVIL(PFE). This is a powerful summoning spell, but you need your other characters to have plenty of charges of PFE to ensure your own safety. Take a charge, if you are prepared to protect yourself a lot first. Elemental barrier Casting time: 7 Duration: 1 round/level Affects: 1 creature Effect: gives target damage resistance of 15/- to acid, cold, fire and electric damage. The manual doesn't acknowledge this as available to the ranger, it is however and is another useful resistance spell that can be cast by the ranger. It can be taken but the level 3 spell STORM SHELL does almost as much and you get many more spell charges for that level. Wouldn't bother, though the effects are good. Sol's searing orb Casting time: 6 Saving throw: F. halves damage and negates blindness Affects: 1 creature Effect: blinds target creature and does 6d12 fire damage. Undead take double damage. This is very useful spell, it does plenty of damage and you get bonuses against target after blinding. Worth taking. Static charge Casting time: 1 round Duration: 10 turns Saving throw: R. halves Affects: 1 visible enemy each turn Effect: does 1d8(caster level) electricity damage (max 16d8). This is brilliant, once you get this the ranger will be level 22, so this will always do 16d8 damage. This should be used the moment a long battle begins. Take plenty. Summon nature's ally VI Casting time: 6 Duration: 1 round/level Effect: Summons 1 random creature. Better than previous versions. These spells are useless for the ranger. As rangers must wait a long time for their spells, the enemies improve so quickly that summoned creatures will be much weaker than the enemies. Avoid. This guide is copyright 2005 by Michael Marshall. Icewind Dale is copyrighted by the companies who developed it. I am not associated in any way with any company or person involved in the creation of this game. This may not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any website or otherwise distributed publicly unless you e-mail me a request and recieve a reply giving permission. Use of this guide on a unpermitted website or as part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright.