Icewind Dale II guide to paladin spells by Michael Marshall This guide describes each paladin 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 paladin or not, then I have mentioned that spell in capitals. If you have any suggestions, spot any mistakes, or have questions re. paladin spells then e-mail me at ihave2manynicknames@hotmail.com, If you put IWD2 paladin 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 Bless Casting time: 1 round Duration: 1 minute/level Affects: 25 foot radius Effect: allies in area get +1 BAB, or dispels BANE. This spell is slightly useful, +1 BAB can help, and BANE is sometimes annoying, a reasonable 1st level spell. Cure light Wounds Casting time: 5 Affects: 1 creature Effect: heals 1d8 +1/level(max +5) of damage. Paladins 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. Protection from evil (PFE) Casting time: 1 Duration: 1 minute/level Affects: 1 creature Effect: +2 deflection bonus to AC and S.T., also guards against attacks from some creatures, inc. summons. This spell has uses throughout the game, +2 to AC and S.T. can really help, and the protection against creatures summoned from spells such as GATE late on is vital, becomes worse once you get MCAE though. 2nd level spells Bull's Strength Casting time: 1 round Duration: 1 hour/level Affects: 1 creature Effect: gives target 1d4 +1 Str bonus This spell can be quite useful for boosting abilities, as it will give at least +1 to your Str mod., which helps, and can give upto +3 if you have an odd Str. Can be worth taking. 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. Draw upon holy might(DUHM) Casting time: 2 Duration: 10 rounds Affects: caster Effect: +1/3levels to Str, Dex and Con This is an extremely useful spell, paladins are a tanker class, and a boost to the 3 A.S. that are most vital for tankers is amazing, especially when you could get upto +10 for each. As paladins get this at level 10, there will always be a bonus of at least +3. Brilliant. Remove paralysis Casting time: 6 Affects: 25' radius Effect: does exactly as the name suggests, removes paralysis You need at least 2 different party members to have 2 charges of this spell, any more won't be used. Extremely important. 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. 3rd level spells Cure moderate wounds Casting time: 5 Affects: 1 creature Effect: heals 2d8 +1/level(max +10) of damage. Paladins 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. Dispel Magic Casting time: 3 Affects: 15 foot radius Saving throw: W. negates for enemy creatures Effect: dispels magical effects on all creatures in the area Can be good or bad, removes boosts from both your magical items and spells you've cast, but removes bad effects from enemy spells. If you re-equip the item after dispelling then you get that effect back, but until you do that you won't get the magical benefits from it. Same for your enemies, will remove both their boosts and the curses and enchantments you've placed on them. You need some, but be wary when using it. Magic circle agianst evil(MCAE) Casting time: 7 Duration: 10 rounds/level Affects: 10 foot radius around caster Effect: casts PFE on all creatures in area This is a good spell, but it is actually quicker to cast PFE on all your characters than to cast this, though this only requires 1 spell charge. If you are casting to protect against evil attacks then this is better, but the AC and S.T. are only really useful for characters that are getting attacked, and then PFE is better. Prayer Casting time: 6 Duration: 1 round/level Affects: 60 foot radius around caster Effect: allies get +1 to attack rolls, damage and S.T., enemies get -1 to those factors. This is a useful spell, and the area is large, so affects virtually everyone in a battle. The change isn't that significant at an individual level, and the casting time is long, but if you start casting as the enemies close in then you can make a battle considerably easier, whether attacking with weapons or spells. Worth taking 1. Strength of one Casting time: 3 Duration: 7 rounds Affects: 25 foot around caster Effect: +3 Str bonus to allies in area This is very useful as it should boost all your characters and summons, and you can cast it in the middle of a battle and it only affects enemies. Take 2 charges max. 4th level spells Cure serious wounds Casting time: 7 Affects: 1 creature Effect: heals 3d8 +1/level(max +15) of damage. Paladins 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. Death ward Casting time: 1 round Duration: 10 minutes/level Affects: 1 creature Effect: Protects target from death magic Very mildly useful, but enemies rarely use very powerful death magic that you can't save against, and this only affects one ally, so either the enemy will have to target that party member, or all your others have a high chance of being affected, so is pretty poor. Defensive harmony Casting time: 1 Duration: 6 rounds Affects: 10 foot radius round caster Effect: All allied creatures in area are controlled as one, and they gain +4 deflection bonus to AC. This has some use, as you can surround your paladin with summons and then control them all as one, and enabling simple tactics and boosting AC. Doesn't last for long though, so don't rely heavily on this. 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. Holy power Casting time: 6 Duration: 1 round/level Affects: caster Effect: caster gets +4 damage bonus This has some use, but by the time you get this DUHM will give +5, which will increase combat ability much more, and it takes less time to cast. Has some use as a filler spell though. 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. Recitation Casting time: 7 Duration: 1 round/level Affects: 60 foot radius around caster Effect: allies get +2 to attack rolls, and S.T., enemies get -2 to those factors. This is basically PRAYER*2 without the damage increase, but the other effects are good enough for this to be a good improvement. Take 1. 5th level spells Champion's strength Casting time: 2 Duration: 10 minutes/level Affects: 1 creature Effect: gives target 1d4 +4 Str bonus. This is quite good, it lasts for quite a high length of time, and the increase to the Str is significant, DUHM is much better though as by the time you get this the bonus will be +7 to all abilities, and this would require a lucky roll to get that, though this last for longer. Take 1 max. Lower resistance Casting time: 5 Duration: 20 rounds Affects: 1 creature Effect: lowers magic resistance by 1/2levels This can be useful, but anything that has a high enough resistance to be worth lowering should resist this anyway, and is thus much worse than it could be. Spell resistance Casting time: 1 round Duration: 1 round/level Affects: 1 creature Effect: gives target 12+ 1(caster level) spell resistance This spell has no use on deep gnomes or drow, as it replaces existing resistance, but is very useful for spell heavy battles to use on characters that haven't got some naturally. Paladins don't get enough spells for this to be worthwhile. Undead ward Casting time: 7 Duration: 10 rounds Affects: 20 foot radius around caster Effect: turns all undead Has no use, most undead are your summons anyway, and the paladin has the ability naturally, it isn't any more powerful than the turning either, useless. 6th level spells Circle of Blades Casting time: 9 Duration: 2 rounds Affects: 3 foot radius round caster Saving throw: R. halves damage Effect: any creature entering area suffers 8d8 damage, caster can't move during effect. This spell is reasonable, you can use this to damage anyone trying to attack you with any non-ranged weapon, but the duration is quite short, only worth using when you're getting surrounded. Divine Shell Casting time: 9 Duration: 1 round/level Affects: caster Effect: gives caster +6 deflection bonus to AC, 10/- point damage reduction to electricity,fire, cold, and acid damage, +2 to S.T. and immunity to ranged attacks. This is a brilliant defensive spell, by the time a paladin gets this the duration will be massive, and the effects are brilliant. Take 1. Spiritual wrath Casting time: 2 Affects: creatures of different moral alignment hit by a bolt Saving throw: R. halves damage Effect: sends 4 perpendicular bolts, any affected creature recieves 4d10 +2 damage. The only true attack spell a paladin gets, worth taking, but make sure your neutral and evil party members won't get hit. Take 1. 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.