Priest and druid spells partially overlap: Druids can cast all the following spells, while clerics can cast only those not marked "druid only."
(--Divine Remix--)
New divine spells include: Alicorn Lance, Beast Claw, Cause Blindness or
Deafness, Cause Disease, Cause Light Wounds, Cause Medium Wounds, Conjure
Air Elemental, Cure Blindness or Deafness, Curse, Detect Good, Divine Shell,
Energy Drain, Faerie Fire, Impervious Sanctity of Mind, Impregnable Mind,
Moonblade, Protection from Good, Protection from Good 10', Resist Acid and
Corrosion, Strength of Stone, and Sunscorch.
Level 1
Armor of Faith
Type: Defense
Strategy: Absorbing a portion of all damage done to the caster and increasing with the level of the caster, this spell is a great, basic armor spell. Though it will taper off, it is useful and stays so. Cast it before any major battle.
Importance: High
Bless
Type: Imbuement
Strategy: Affecting all creatures in a certain area with bonus to luck and dice rolls, bless is another acceptable buff-up spell. The dice rolls will make a small difference in your combat abilities, and it's worth casting if you have the time before major battles.
Importance: Moderate
Command Word: Die
Type: Hindrance
Strategy: This spell renders a creature unconscious for one round. The spell, with no saving throw, gives you one free round to do as you will before the creature returns to normal. A lot can happen in one round.
Importance: High
Cure Light Wounds
Type: Heal
Strategy: Cast this spell on a hurt party member. It heals one to eight points of damage. For Baldur's Gate II, that amount is negligible. However, it is useful to cut down on the number of hours spent resting, so if you find no other worthwhile spells, fill level 1 up with this.
Importance: Low
Detect Evil
Type: Detection
Strategy: Use this spell to find which creatures are evil in the area. When cast, a list will be made of all evil creatures. It's useful if you missed any enemies in a dungeon, and it's useful to determine motives and alignment.
Importance: Moderate
Doom
Type: Hindrance
Strategy: Giving a +2 THACO to the target, this spell actually manages to lower the target's combat abilities a noticeably small amount. The -2 to all general rolls, however, will help with spells cast in the future on the target as well as your ability to hit the target. In general, it's a nifty, if small, spell.
Importance: Moderate
Entangle
Type: Hindrance - druid only
Strategy: This is another great spell to keep the masses off of you while you fight just a few enemies at a time. Entangle will create a large area of effect that will stop enemies from moving unless they make a save at +2. This is a spell to have in your memory as you go into almost any battle, but beware - you can get your own party stuck, too. So, this is another one of those spells to cast at a distance, unless you want to take the risk.
Importance: Moderate
Magical Stone
Type: Missile damage
Strategy: A great principal level 1 damage spell, magical stone creates a projectile that does one to four points of damage to the target. The one to four points of damage is irresistible and quite good for a level 1 spell. Obviously, one to four points of damage is not great, but at level 1, it is nice for a small punch.
Importance: Moderate
Protection From Evil
Type: Defense
Strategy: This spell will become increasingly more useful as the game progresses. Not only is it a must for summoning minions, it will also protect you against many demons found in the later parts of the game. One particular battle comes to mind where there are hordes of demons, and casting this spell will let you turn the tide of battle from an impossible situation to an easy victory. However, if you happen to have a class like a paladin in your party, he will come with plenty of these spells as special abilities, so you shouldn't bother memorizing it.
Importance: High or low, depending on party makeup
Remove Fear
Type: Cure, heal, and dispel
Strategy: If your party members are afflicted by natural or magically induced fear, this spell will cure them. Also, it will help them resist it for the duration of the spell. Since fear is a common effect of spells in Baldur's Gate II, remove fear is actually quite useful.
Importance: Moderate
Sanctuary
Type: Defense
Strategy: When sanctuary is cast, the target can no longer take any offensive or defensive action without destroying the spell. A wonderful spell if you find your priest low in hit points, it will give him time to rest up, heal, and rejoin the battle without dying.
Importance: Moderate
Shillelagh
Type: Summoning
Strategy: This spell summons a magical club for the caster. In Baldur's Gate II, you will have a better weapon than this will summon, so it is pointless and, actually, detrimental.
Importance: None
Level 2
Aid
Type: Imbuement
Strategy: The aid effect is nice, but the additional 1d8 hit points are pretty much negligible to anyone but a mage. It is advised that you simply stay with bless, which is one spell rank lower.
Importance: Low
Barkskin
Type: Defense
Strategy: With effects that increase as you level up, barkskin begins useful and stays useful. Eventually lowering your base armor class to two, this spell will usually be one step ahead of your ability to find better equipment. It's definitely one of the better lower-level armor spells.
Importance: High
Chant
Type: Imbuement, hindrance
Strategy: Raising all party rolls by one, and lowering all enemy rolls by one, chant is simple but pretty effective for a level 2 spell, having the same general effectiveness as a double-bless spell.
Importance: Moderate
Charm Person or Mammal
Type: Charm - druid only
Strategy: This spell grants control of any one humanoid or mammal enemy to the player for five rounds. Toward the end of the original Baldur's Gate, most creatures resisted the charm series of spells. The same problem is present here in Baldur's Gate II, so most often, the spell will never get off successfully. However, keeping one copy of the spell memorized is advised for earlier portions of the game for those times when you do run into a person or mammal susceptible to charm.
Importance: Moderate
Draw Upon Holy Might
Type: Imbuement
Strategy: Gaining power as you level up, this spell will increase strength, constitution, and dexterity by one point for every three levels of the caster. In the later portions of the game, this spell can take your stats to godlike numbers and will give substantial bonuses. As you progress, this spell becomes increasingly important and will play a key role in making your priest one of your best all-around party members.
Importance: Vital
Find Traps
Type: Other
Strategy: Just like the thief's ability, this spell will let you locate traps. If you have a thief in your party (and you should), this spell is useless. If you don't, this spell is a must for dungeons.
Importance: Low or high, depending on party makeup
Flame Blade
Type: Summoning
Strategy: This spell summons a blade of flame (1d4+4) for the caster to use; this spell is especially good against trolls. As its name suggests, the blade is made of flame and will hence kill trolls. Otherwise, its damage and bonuses against the undead are actually quite nice and may be better than the weapon you have for the first bits of the game.
Importance: Moderate
Goodberry
Type: Cure, heal, and summoning - druid only
Strategy: Healing one point of damage, goodberries aren't so tasty (excuse the pun). Truly one point of damage is as inconsequential as it gets. Don't bother with this spell.
Importance: None
Hold Person
Type: Hindrance
Strategy: This spell freezes one humanoid creature in place, letting you do anything to it without consequence. Early in the game, when the spell is not resisted, it can work wonders again humanoid enemies. Later in the game, its use tapers off.
Importance: Moderate
Know Alignment
Type: Other
Strategy: If you ever find yourself in a situation where you are not sure whether to trust or not to trust those with whom you are dealing, casting this spell will answer it. However, it is usually more beneficial to follow through and trust, even if you know it's a trap, as the result can lead to hefty treasure, experience, and even new party members.
Importance: Low
Resistance to Fire and Cold
Type: Defense
Strategy: If you find yourself under cold or fire attacks from spells, traps, or anything else, casting this will absorb 50 percent of all cold and fire damage. This happens very infrequently in Baldur's Gate II and is only usable under select circumstances.
Importance: Low
Silence, 15-foot Radius
Type: Hindrance
Strategy: Casting silence will prevent enemy spellcasters from casting. A most efficient spell, but it's resisted most of the time. If you are not too far into the game, keep a copy memorized and see if it will affect anyone. If so, the cast will be well worth your time.
Importance: Moderate
Slow Poison
Type: Cure, Heal
Strategy: In Baldur's Gate II, most poisons will require a more potent spell to neutralize the poison. However, this spell will slow the poison. Use it only as a backup if all other poison cures are unavailable.
Importance: Low
Spiritual Hammer
Type: Summoning
Strategy: Summoning a magical hammer that will be +2 or +3, it is entirely up to you whether it is worth it or not. If your weapon is not as good, casting spiritual hammer will help. If your weapon is better, there is no point. You will most likely have a better weapon soon enough.
Importance: Low
Level 3
Animate Dead
Type: Summoning
Strategy: Letting more undead be summoned with each level, this spell becomes quite powerful, especially when used with hindrance spells. Since skeletons are immune to most spells like confusion and stinking cloud, it is a good idea to cast any of those hindrance spells, then move in on the skeletons while picking off the remaining enemies with long-range weaponry. Skeletons are particularly good against mind flayers, since they are not affected by their spells.
Importance: High
Call Lightning
Type: Missile damage - druid only
Strategy: This spells calls down one bolt of lightning that deals two to eight +1d8 points of damage per turn per level of experience. At higher levels, a very good amount of damage can be done, but it is often resisted. Also, the fact that this spell can only be cast outside makes it nearly impossible to use.
Importance: Low
Cure Disease
Type: Cure, heal
Strategy: If a party member is affected by disease, blindness, or deafness, casting this spell will cure him. Since this will happen often, this spell is very useful.
Importance: High
Cure Medium Wounds
Type: Heal
Strategy: Cast this spell on a hurt party member. This spell heals 14 points of damage. For Baldur's Gate II, that amount is small. However, it is useful to cut down on hours of rest, so if you find no better spells, fill up level 2 with this.
Importance: Low
Dispel Magic
Type: Dispel
Strategy: Most spell-induced ailments and magic effects can be cured with a cast of dispel magic. Since the level of the caster in relation to the level of the spell being cured is important, have your higher-level characters use this. Though this spell is very important to have around, paladins get some casts of this as a special ability. If you have one in your party, this can relieve some of the stress off the spellcaster.
Importance: High or low, depending on party makeup
Glyph of Warding
Type: Defense
Strategy: Used to protect a door or chest from entry, glyph of warding is of no use in Baldur's Gate II, as NPCs do not touch doors or chests.
Importance: None
Hold Animal
Type: Hindrance - druid only
Strategy: This spell freezes one animal-type creature in place, letting you do anything to it without consequence. Early in the game, when the spell is not resisted, it could work wonders against animal enemies, but there are none. Later in the game, when you begin to run into animals of some consequence, its effectiveness tapers off, making it all but useless in Baldur's Gate II.
Importance: Low
Holy Smite
Type: Area damage
Strategy: Dealing one to four points of damage per level of the caster to all evil creatures in the area of effect with a save for half, this spell will do tremendous amounts of damage at higher levels. This spell works especially well against the undead, sometimes killing a whole pack in a single casting. Otherwise, your group is easy prey to any pack of evil creatures.
Importance: High
Invisibility Purge
Type: Dispel
Strategy: If your party ever comes under attack from any type of invisible creature, casting this spell will force it back into visibility. However, on your journey, you will rarely face invisible creatures, and when you do, they will become barely visible when they attack you. Unless they have used greater invisibility, you can attack them from there (though your party will attack at a penalty). Also, you can easily cast dispel to rid the creature of the invisibility if needed.
Importance: Low
Miscast Magic
Type: Hindrance
Strategy: Forcing an 80 percent chance of failure on the spellcasting ability of the target, this spell works wonders at disrupting chain casting. One problem is that it is often resisted. Another is that it only lasts one turn. However, if it gets off, this causes hell for any spellcaster's casting.
Protection from Fire
Type: Defense
Strategy: If you find yourself under fire attacks from spells, traps, or anything else, casting this will absorb 80 percent of all fire damage taken. This happens very infrequently in Baldur's Gate II and can only be used in a select few situations.
Importance: Low
Remove Curse
Type: Cure, heal
Strategy: If you ever equip a cursed item, this spell will cure you of its effects and let you get rid of it. Churches will also perform this for a small amount of gold.
Importance: Moderate
Remove Paralysis
Type: Cure
Strategy: If you find yourself under paralysis, casting this will remove its effect. This happens very infrequently in Baldur's Gate II and can only be used in a select few situations. Churches will also perform this for a small amount of gold.
Importance: Moderate
Rigid Thinking
Type: Hindrance
Strategy: This is a nice spell if you are getting overwhelmed by low-level enemies and need time to deal with a few enemies at a time. Rigid thinking sends the target wandering, confused, or randomly attacking and will give you time to hit the other creatures or the target while it can't hit back. Remember, though, that when the spell wears off, the creature will be back in action. The monster gets a save, so it can resist. However, there are higher-level fear spells that can take effect on high-level creatures, get resisted less, and do more. For the level, though, the spell works acceptably on those lower-level creatures.
Importance: Moderate
Strength of One
Type: Imbuement
Strategy: Giving the entire party 18/76 strength, this can help and hurt. First, all your party members can gain strength to 18/76 if it is less than that level. If their strength is higher, though, they lose strength down to 18/76. If the majority of your party is weak, this spell can work wonders for battling. You will, however, find girdles like the girdle of hill giant strength that will help out where you need it most, so that you don't need to keep casting this spell. Remember, once you have said girdles, this spell will actually hurt.
Importance: Moderate
Summon Insects
Type: Area damage, hindrance - druid only
Strategy: Rather an all-in-one spell, this spell summons a swarm of insects that deals one damage every two seconds for seven rounds. Also, the target suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls and a +2 penalty to armor class. Most importantly, this spell also confers a 50 percent chance of spell failure on the target. Though the damage is negligible, all the other effects add up to make this a decent spell. However, the spell will become resisted quickly. So use it while it lasts, then move on.
Importance: Moderate
Unholy Blight
Type: Area Damage
Strategy: See holy smite. This spell works exactly the same way, except that the damage is against good creatures. If you are an evil character and plan on killing shopkeepers and other good creatures, this spell could serve you well. However, most will play the game by the rules and be fighting evil. So, it is of little use to most.
Importance: Low
Zone of Sweet Air
Type: Dispel
Strategy: This spell clears the area of all vapor-based effects like cloudkill and grease. Since enemy wizards have a lovely knack of casting these types of things all the time, this spell is extremely useful. Keep a copy or two memorized and dispel those vapor area affect spells as soon as you can. It will save you immeasurable amounts of health and frustration.
Importance: High
Level 4
Animal Summoning I
Type: Summoning
Strategy: Like the mage series of monster-summoning spells, this summons spell animals to fight for the caster. It does, however, summon fairly low hit point creatures that do almost no damage. Though some of the later summon spells are great to cast for creatures that absorb damage, this won't do much of anything and is just a waste of time.
Importance: Low
Call Woodland Beings
Type: Summoning - druid only
Strategy: Call woodland beings summons a nymph to help the party. Though nymphs make fairly lackluster fighters, they have a few spells at their disposal and can heal, confuse, and dominate enemies. If you need more spells, she may be worth summoning, but by the middle of Baldur's Gate II, the nymph's spells do almost nothing. Since she can't fight well, she loses any importance and is quickly not worth casting.
Importance: Low
Cause Serious Wounds
Type: Touch damage
Strategy: Since priests can wear most armor, they can naturally double as fighters. So, though touch damage spells are abysmal for mages, they serve to boost the already competent fighting abilities of the priest. For these spells, you must wait until you are attacking an enemy worth casting this spell on. Then, once you are out of harm's way, and the target is concentrating on attacking another party member, cast this spell. Once cast, you have two rounds to successfully hit the enemy. Once you do, this spell will deal 17 points of damage to it (with no saving throw). If you don't hit it, though, the spell will be wasted. So, make sure your priest has good enough weapons, and you are in a position to hit. All in all, if used correctly, cause serious wounds, like the rest of the line of priest touch spells, is extraordinary.
Importance: High
Cloak of Fear
Type: Hindrance
Strategy: Like the mage spell horror in effect, cloak of fear creates a magical cloak around the caster that will instill fear within a three-foot radius of the caster. This is a nice spell if you are getting overwhelmed by low-level enemies and need time to deal with a few of the enemies at a time, as it will give you time to hit them when they can't hit back. Since the cloak moves with the caster, this spell will also help alleviate the pressure on the front lines. Remember, though, that when the spell wears off, the terrified creatures will be back in action. The monsters get a save, so do not expect them all to be affected. However, there are higher-level fear spells that can take effect on higher-level creatures, get resisted less, and have a longer effect. For the level, though, the spell works acceptably on those lower-level creatures.
Importance: Moderate
Cure Serious Wounds
Type: Cure, heal
Strategy: Cast it on a hurt party member. This spell heals 17 points of damage. For Baldur's Gate II, that amount is acceptable and can be used outside of combat to heal the party back to full strength. However, the spell is also useful to cut down on hours of rest, so if you find no other spells, fill up level 4 with it.
Importance: High
Death Ward
Type: Defense
Strategy: This spell grants the target protection from spells like disintegrate, power word: kill, death spell, and finger of death. Since higher-level mages use these types of necromantic spells often, death ward becomes increasingly needed at higher levels. Once you start seeing these types of spells cast on you, you may want to keep a copy of death ward memorized to protect your most fragile party member. The downfall is that it only affects one creature, so it is impractical to defend the entire party.
Importance: Moderate
Defensive Harmony
Type: Defense
Strategy: Granting a +2 bonus to the armor class of all party members within ten feet of the target, defensive harmony can turn good fighters into untouchable instruments of death. A two-point bonus to armor class should not be underestimated and will help at all times in the game. Since this spell affects an area, one cast will benefit the entire party. Overall, it's very useful in any and all battles.
Importance: High
Farsight
Type: Other
Strategy: This spell is identical to the wizard spell of the same name. Farsight is a spell that often comes in handy, revealing a portion of the map and clearing the fog of war. This will let you easily scope out an area and memorize and cast needed spells before barging in. It's very useful for the more difficult areas of the game.
Importance: High
Free Action
Type: Cure, heal
Strategy: Working in much the same way as dispel magic, free action dispels all movement-hindering spells. That includes those that dispel but will not free, like web and paralysis. Overall, one copy of this spell must be memorized for the times for when these spells are cast on your party. In general, though dispel magic will clear many spells, it will not clear everything. Free action is one of the spells that pick up what's left.
Importance: High
Holy Power
Type: Imbuement
Strategy: Giving the caster 18/00 strength, an increase to THAC0, and additional hit points, holy power will help your priest act a bit more like a fighter. If you already have high strength, though, the main use of this spell has been negated. So, if you need the help, use it. Otherwise, go for a spell that will bestow a few more bonuses.
Importance: Low
Lesser Restoration
Type: Cure, heal
Strategy: The wonder spell for vampire hunting, lesser restoration will annul most energy-drain effects like drain level. Since these are extremely common when hunting vampires, and hunting vampires is itself very common, a copy of this should be memorized at all times.
Importance: High
Mental Domination
Type: Charm
Strategy: This spell lets the caster gain control of any creature that fails its saving throw. Otherwise, the spell acts strategically much like any other charm spell, such as charm person or mammal. In this case, though, the difference is that any creature can be charmed. Also, this spell is resisted much less and works incredibly well against most low- to mid-level creatures.
Importance: Moderate
Negative Plane Protection
Type: Defense
Strategy: Bestowing partial protection to undead and spells like drain level, negative plane protection only works when fighting creatures like vampires. Though the though of never worrying about drain level is nice, this spell only affects one creature. Since vampires have a nasty habit of attacking everyone, it serves little purpose.
Importance: Low
Neutralize Poison
Type: Cure, heal
Strategy: In Baldur's Gate II, most poisons will require a potent spell to neutralize them, and this spell is your best bet. Not only will it dispel the poison, it will heal a few hit points. It will even cure blindness and deafness. It's a four-in-one spell and comes in handy all the time.
Importance: High
Poison
Type: Missile damage
Strategy: Dealing continuous damage that gets more potent and has a longer duration as the caster levels up, poison packs a good punch when it is cast successfully. However, poison seems to be one of the easiest spells to resist. So, unless you use a magic resistance decreasing spell, poison can't do anything at all. If you do use it, try to find a very potent damage-over-time spell that is great to start a battle with, then follow it up with other damaging spells.
Importance: Moderate
Protection from Evil, 10-foot Radius
Type: Defense
Strategy: Like a normal protection from evil spell, this spell will become increasingly more useful. The difference between the two is that this one's range is ten feet instead of one. Not only is it a must for summoning minions, it will protect you against many demons found in the later parts of the game. One particular battle comes to mind where there are hordes of demons, and casting this spell will let you turn the tide of battle from an impossible situation to an easy victory. However, if you happen to have a class like a paladin in your party, he will come with plenty of normal protection from evil spells as his special ability. So, if you value the range boost, this spell is worth it. Otherwise, stick to the normal paladin ability.
Importance: Low or high, depending on party makeup
Protection from Lightning
Type: Defense
Strategy: Working like all other protection spells, protection from lightning confers immunity to all electric damage. It's useful if you are up against a mage who likes lightning bolt, or if you find yourself in an area with lightning traps, but usually, it's is of no help at all.
Importance: Low
Level 5
Animal Summoning II
Type: Summoning
Strategy: This spell is like animal summoning I, except that the creatures are more powerful. Still, this doesn't summon a creature worth your time, so wait for animal summoning III.
Importance: Low
Cause Critical Wounds
Type: Touch damage
Strategy: Much like cause serious wounds, this spell is a touch damage spell that will do 27 points of damage. Like its earlier incarnation, touch damage spells are abysmal for mages, but they serve to boost the already competent fighting abilities of the priest. For these spells, you must wait until you are attacking an enemy worth casting this spell on. Then, once you are out of harm's way, and the target is concentrating on attacking another party member, cast this spell. Once cast, you have two rounds to successfully hit the enemy. Once you do, this spell will deal 27 points of damage to it with no saving throw. If you don't hit it, though, the spell will be wasted. So, make sure your priest has a good enough weapon, and you are in a position to hit. All in all, if used correctly, cause critical wounds, like the rest of the line of priest touch spells, is extraordinary.
Importance: High
Chaotic Commands
Type: Defense
Strategy: Granting immunity to spells like charm, domination, command, sleep, and confusion, chaotic commands the protection form of free action. Instead of curing, it prevents. However, like many armor spells, it only affects one creature. For everyday party use, that simply isn't good enough. If you find yourself under duress, though, casting this on your main spellcaster will ensure that he is unaffected, so he can proceed to cure the rest of the party with free action.
Importance: Moderate
Cure Critical Wounds
Type: Cure, heal
Strategy: Cast on a hurt party member, this spell heals 27 points of damage. For Baldur's Gate II, that amount is decent and can be used outside of combat to heal the party back to full strength. If needed, cure critical wounds can even serve as a backup in-battle heal. Also, the spell is useful to cut down on hours of rest, so if you find no other spells, fill up level 5 with it.
Importance: High
Champion's Strength
Type: Imbuement
Strategy: An upgrade to holy power, this spell gives the caster 18/00 strength and a large bonus to THAC0. However, unlike holy power, which helps your priest act a bit more like a fighter, this spell will disable spellcasting for the length of the spell. In essence, champion's strength kills your priest's abilities and is much worse than its lower-level equivalent. Stick with holy power.
Importance: None
Flame Strike
Type: Damage
Strategy: One of the crowning priest damage spells, flame strike will deal 1d8 damage per level. Even if it is resisted, it will still deal half damage. At higher levels, flame strike will do upward of 50 points of damage and packs a serious punch. Always keep this spell memorized and always use it as one of your main damage spells.
Importance: Vital
Greater Command
Type: Hindrance
Strategy: Identical to the level 1 spell command, this spell will incapacitate the target. However, greater command will incapacitate the target for one round per level of the caster. At higher levels, this will serve to take a creature out of combat completely. However, the spell is often resisted, so make sure to lower the target's magic resistance before casting it.
Importance: High
Insect Plague
Type: Damage, hindrance - druid only
Strategy: Like its level 3 cousin, insect plague is rather an all-in-one spell. Now, this spell also confers a 100 percent spell failure rate on the target. Also, it has a chance of instilling fear in your enemies. Lastly, though the damage is still negligible at one point every two seconds, all the other effects add up to make this a good spell. However, the spell will also become resisted quickly. So, use it while it lasts, then move on.
Importance: Moderate
Iron Skin
Type: Defense - druid only
Strategy: Much like the wizard spell stoneskin, iron skin completely protects the priest from a number of normal physical attacks. With more skins (number of resisted attacks) gained with each level, this spell's importance is obvious. If your party is jumped, and it will be, having your party well defended is important. So, this spell should be on at all time while adventuring. With a duration of 12 hours, this spell can last between rests.
Importance: Vital
Magic Resistance
Type: Defense
Strategy: Giving a 2 percent magic resistance per level to the target, this spell will bestow an exceptional magic resistance bonus to the target. One good strategy is to cast this spell on a fighter that already has a good magic resistance. With this spell cast, he will be nearly untouchable. Then, send him right into a group of enemies and wait for them to cast all their major spells (which are always cast first). Then, run him back to the rest of the group and slaughter your enemies. If that's too much to do, then the spell isn't great. With only one creature affected, it is impractical, like so many others.
Importance: Moderate
Mass Cure
Type: Cure, heal
Strategy: Healing all party members hit points 1d8+1 per level, this spell is great during the middle of a battle when the whole party is hurt. Cast it, and everyone will recover a good amount of hit points. In the end, it will save your party and will keep all your party members in good shape.
Importance: High
Pixie Dust
Type: Imbuement - druid only
Strategy: Like a poor man's mass invisibility, pixie dust will make all creatures in an area invisible. The invisibility line of spells is one of the best set of utility spells in the game. When any of your party members is getting low on health, cast pixie dust to take him out of harm's way. If your mage is not needed at that moment, make him invisible, so he won't take unneeded hits. Lastly, if you must scout out an area for enemy strength and numbers, this is the answer to your problems. In this case, the spell will help the whole group.
Importance: High
Raise Dead
Type: Cure, heal
Strategy: This spell is simple in use, but tremendous in power. When one of your characters dies, cast raise dead on him, and he will come back to life. Be careful, though, as the character will have no hit points when he reappears.
Importance: Vital
Repulse Dead
Type: Other
Strategy: Working like the clerical ability ward undead, repulse undead will force all undead away from the caster for one turn. No saving throw is allowed. However, where ward undead repeats infinitely and has a chance at destroying the undead outright, repulse undead is a one-time deal. The bonus of not allowing a saving throw is not worth using the spell over the limitless ability. Only use this spell if you are overwhelmed by the undead and need a moment's respite.
Importance: Low
Righteous Magic
Type: Imbuement
Strategy: The ultimate in the line of spells that increase the combat abilities of priests, righteous magic gives the caster one extra point of strength for every three levels. Also, the spell grants one additional hit point per level. Righteous magic will downright turn your priest into a godlike weapon of destruction. Adding as much as 24 points of strength, it literally turns your priest into a behemoth of mythic proportions and should be used whenever your priest must get his hands dirty in combat.
Importance: Vital
Slay Living
Type: Touch damage, summoning
Strategy: This spell summons a weapon with which the priest has 18 seconds to hit the target. If he does, the weapon will deal 2d6+9 points of damage and will force the enemy to make a save versus spells or be killed. The damage is great, but the ability to use this spell will rarely get past the save, though.
Importance: Moderate
True Seeing
Type: Dispel
Strategy: Like the mage spell true sight, this spell has the effect of dispelling all illusions in the area and can be useful if your enemy is a mage and has cast mislead or another beguiling spell. Otherwise, there isn't much of a use for it.
Importance: Low
Level 6
Aerial Servant
Type: Summoning
Strategy: This spell is much like any other summoning spell, only this time, you get an aerial servant. Unfortunately, aerial servants are not particularly good, so neither is this spell.
Importance: Low
Animal Summoning III
Type: Summoning
Strategy: Like animal summoning I and II, this spell summons animals to fight by your side. However, in this case, the summoned minions have a good amount of hit points and do a bit of damage. Good for tough battles, these monsters will take the hits, but not much else. Mages, unfortunately, are the true masters of summoning.
Importance: Moderate
Blade Barrier
Type: Defense, touch damage
Strategy: Creating a damaging shield of blades, this spell is great if your priest is in the center of combat. When the Priest is in the middle of the fray, cast this spell, and it will deal 8d8 points of damage to all creatures near the priest. Though enemies do get a save, and it does often succeed, this spell lasts for ten rounds, so there is ample time for success as well as failure.
Importance: Moderate
Bolt of Glory
Type: Missile damage
Strategy: Dealing incredible damage against the undead and demons as well as scoring good damage against everyone else, this spell is stunning. With no saving throw and the damage enhancements for said creatures, this is one of the few truly great priest damage spells. Don't go anywhere without this.
Importance: Vital
Conjure Animals
Type: Summoning
Strategy: Like the other animal summoning spells, conjure animals summons animals to fight by your side. However, in this case, the monsters have a good amount of hit points and do a great deal of damage. Great for any battle, conjure animals will summon very worthwhile creatures and is well worth the effort. It's easily the best of the priest summoning spells.
Importance: High
Conjure Fire Elemental
Type: Summoning - druid only
Strategy: Exactly like the wizard spell of the same name, this spell works just like any other summon creature spell with strategies much the same. The only difference is that elementals can actually turn on their master and attack you. So, to avoid that unfortunate occurrence, cast a protection from evil spell on yourself. The elemental has a good amount of hit points, so he can absorb quite a bit of damage. Also, he helps in a fight by dealing acceptable damage. The casting time, though, makes the spell impractical to use en masse.
Importance: Moderate
Dolorous Decay
Type: Missile damage - druid only
Strategy: Dolorous decay slows the target for two rounds and deals one point of damage each second if the save is not made. However, the save usually is made, so the spell is rather pointless. Even if it weren't, most creatures won't be alive for almost a minute regardless.
Importance: Low
False Dawn
Type: Area damage
Strategy: Much like holy smite, this deals damage to the undead. In this case, it deals 6d6 points of damage, and no saving throw is allowed. Also, all undead are confused. So, this is better in every way. All in all, false dawn is the definitive anti-undead damage spell.
Importance: High
Fire Seeds
Type: Missile damage - druid only
Strategy: Creating four seeds that explode into a fireball upon impact, this spell is difficult to use and pointless. Though they explode for two to 16 points of damage, they explode into an area and can damage your party members. Since the seeds only last for three turns, it is impossible to position your priest strategically. In other words, this spell does more harm than good.
Importance: None
Harm
Type: Touch Damage
Strategy: Much like cause critical wounds, this spell is a touch damage spell that will do insane amounts of damage. With no save allowed, this spell will take the creature down to one hit point. Period. Like its earlier incarnation, touch damage spells are abysmal for mages, though they serve to boost the priest's already competent fighting abilities. For these spells, you must wait until you are attacking an enemy worth casting the spell on. Then, once you are out of harm's way, and the target is concentrating on attacking another party member, cast this spell. Once cast, you have two rounds to successfully hit the enemy. Once you do, this spell will simply take the enemy down to one hit point (with no saving throw). If you don't hit it, though, the spell will be wasted. So, make sure your priest has a good backup weapon, and you are in a position to hit. All in all, if used correctly, harm is the ultimate touch spell in the game. It's simply and utterly fantastic.
Importance: Vital
Heal
Type: Cure, heal
Strategy: Cast this spell on a hurt party member. This spell heals all damage. Heal is the ultimate healing spell and will fully heal whomever it is cast upon. This spell is extraordinarily useful both in and out of combat and will save you many, many, times. You will always have a use for it, so fill up any remaining slots with heal.
Importance: Vital
Physical Mirror
Type: Defense
Strategy: Reflecting all missile weapon attacks back to the sender, this spell would be decent if it weren't such a high level. Unfortunately, it is, so there is almost no point in using it. There are too many other ultra-useful level 6 spells.
Importance: Low
Sol's Searing Orb
Type: Missile damage
Strategy: Acting as a thrown fireball, Sol's searing orb does 12d6 points of damage and 6d6 points of damage if it's resisted (there is also a bonus for damage against the undead). The damage is extraordinary, but, like the wizard spell fireball, it affects a huge area, with all creatures in the area - friend and foe - taking damage. It is a great spell to start a battle with, however. Before you move your party in, send a searing orb flying forward to do some early damage without your party being hit. The damage dealt is incredible, and many creatures will fall from simply one strike.
Importance: High
Wondrous Recall
Type: Other
Strategy: This spell simply lets you take two spells level 6 or lower and cast them again. With this spell, you get two for the price of one. Always, always use it. There is no disadvantage, and the end result is one more spell. Marvelous!
Importance: Vital
Level 7
Confusion
Type: Hindrance
Strategy: This spell has a good and a bad side. It causes the creature to attack friend and foe, wander, or just stand around confused if it fails a save. The good side is that if the saves are failed, you can get rid of a large pack of monsters, but again, they get the save. Another bad thing is that if they do fail the save, there is no guarantee that they will leave or attack a friend. They may just keep on beating on you, making the spell worthless. We didn't care for this spell and feel that there are lots better ones at this level.
Importance: Low
Conjure Earth Elemental
Type: Summoning
Strategy: This is a speak-for-itself spell. Cast this, and you will have a new friend that will take a beating and hold back the pack. Always have this one ready to go. It will summon a very tough earth elemental that will fight to the death for you.
Importance: High
Creeping Doom
Type: Summoning - druid only
Strategy: This spell has a lot of potential, and the successful save will still do half the duration - instead of six rounds, it will work for three. This spell summons forth a creeping carpet of insects that will do two points of damage per round for the duration and will completely stop any spellcasting. It's a nice spell to keep those wizards at bay. If you have an extra slot to use and need some help against a tough wizard, this spell is nice.
Importance: Moderate
Earthquake
Type: Area damage
Strategy: This spell rocks. Cast this, and all the baddies in the area must make a save at a -6 penalty or take a lot of damage (6d6), drop their weapons, and be knocked to the ground for four rounds. They can make their save and still take 3d6 points of damage. This spell will go on to do it again in the next round, but for 3d6 points of damage or half if saved and again a third time for 2d6 points of damage or half if saved. All three tremors will have a chance of knocking the monster down and disarming it. The downside? There is a small chance you will upset an earth elemental that will attack the party. It's no biggie and worth the risk. Have one of these spells ready at all times.
Importance: High
Finger of Death
Type: Missile damage
Strategy: This spell has a good chance of ending a creature's life in one word. The monster must make a save at -2 or die: no deposit, no return. The thing is, even if it saves, it takes 2d8+1 points of damage, so you will still do something no matter what. We like this spell and do recommend it.
Importance: Moderate
Fire Storm
Type: Area Damage
Strategy: This is a decent spell, but not something to write home about. The damage is weak, but will last four rounds, if you can keep the monster in the spell's area of effect, and trust me, it wants to leave. The spell will do 2d8+1 points of damage per level, and the one nice thing is, no save is allowed. If you must do damage to a lot of monsters at one time, this spell will do the trick for you, but the wizard class can do better. Maybe it's better to leave it to the masters.
Importance: Low
Gate
Type: Summoning
Strategy: This spell is the same as the wizard's gate spell. This will summon a pit fiend that is not happy to be here. He comes out killing anything that moves, including your party, so you better have your protection from evil spell going. It's not a bad spell at all because there is no pet tougher than this one.
Importance: Moderate
Holy Word
Type: Area damage, hindrance
Strategy: Nice, nice, nice. This spell will do something to someone with no save. At the level you start casting this spell, you will most likely be doing the least amount of damage you can to a monster, which is still a pain for enemy wizards. Cast this, and any monster that is in the area with 12 hit dice or more will be deafened for one turn and have a 50 percent change of spell failure. Ouch! We always have this spell ready for those groups of nasty wizards and priests.
Importance: Moderate
Nature's Beauty
Type: Missile damage - druid only
Strategy: We don't like this spell because of the save. The monster that views you after this spell is cast must to make a save at a +3 (a very good chance of saving) or die.
Importance: Low
Greater Restoration
Type: Cure, heal
Strategy: Lose a level? Lose some intelligence? Gone berserk or have some other ailment? This spell is the fix for these problems, but at the cost of fatiguing the priest. It's a nice spell, and one you will use often. But, you shouldn't memorized it until you need it.
Importance: Low
Resurrection
Type: Cure, heal
Strategy: This spell will bring a fallen friend back from the dead and is a great spell, but not one that you must have memorized at all times. If you need it, rest and get it then, unless you are in an area in which you cannot rest. If that is the case, this spell is probably worth having in your memory before you enter.
Importance: Moderate
Shield of the Archons
Type: Defense
Strategy: This is the priest's version of spell protection. It will summon a shield that will protect the priest against one spell level per level of the priest. The catch is, the spell must be cast directly at the priest and is not an area of effect spell like stinking cloud. It's a nice spell for those fights against wizards, but why not just cast holy word on them and stop the casting altogether?
Importance: Low
Sunray
Type: Missile damage
Strategy: This is one heck of an anti-undead spell. This will do 1d6 points of damage per caster level versus the undead, but will only do three to 18 points of damage versus living monsters with a chance at a save or being blinded. If you are going up against some undead, this spell rocks and will most likely knock one undead down for the count because if the undead fails a save, it is destroyed. We look at it this way: Why not just summon a pit fiend to do the work and save you some time?
Importance: Low
Symbol: Stun
Type: Area damage
Strategy: We are not fan s of the symbol line of spells because of the chance of a save and getting nothing for your troubles. We prefer to stick with surefire damage or summoning. But, if you want to set up traps, these are some fun little spells to cast. With this one, you will stun a monster for one round per level of your priest unless your enemies make a save versus spells at a -4 penalty.
Importance: Low
Symbol: Death
Type: Area damage
Strategy: We do not like this spell. It will only affect monsters with 60 hit points or less, and they get a save. Stay away from it and stick to the stun symbol if you want to set up symbol traps.
Importance: None
Symbol: Fear
Type: Area damage
Strategy: One good thing about this spell is that the target gets no save. The bad thing is that the monsters run off and half the time bring friends back with them. Again, you are better off using the stun symbol to set up traps.
Importance: Low
Unholy Word
Type: Area damage, hindrance
Strategy: This spell is the same as holy word, but works on good creatures and people instead of evil.
Importance: Low