Blackguards

[Lokey]

Have we fixed cahaal's BG yet? I thought that was the point

Secondly, I agree re: RDD.

You were right the first time. Two levels = 2 str, 1 stacking ac, and 3 fort/will, great for twinking some bard/x builds that have a class slot to spare--bard plus wm 5 or 7 stock for example. 4 or 5 is ok too, but yeah, takes a while til you get to the immunes.

[Tsavong]

... and RDD's flaw as 'THE best melee dip class' is that it requires 10 to dip. not 5 like BG or Pally or Monk or Rogue or Cot or Ranger or PDK or Harper or SD. All those classes (and more) pay off in 5. RDD forces you into 25/5/10 builds which leave you very few epic feats. and that "5" has to be sorc or bard. so it basically takes 15 of your 40 levels to "dip". its nice but quite balanced. dream about your hogre rdd's and get slaughtered by your generic neutral cot gith monk.

Wall I agree with what you said about minings post I have to say I agree with him about RDD first for 5 levels you can get 4 str and a nice skill set to get RDD you only need 1 level of bard or sorc (if you take it pre epic) and 8 lore which limits you to 34/1/5 if we are talking just diping into it.

On monks with cot it is more the monk and say pally or cleric in them that make them hard to kill the CoT just adds nice offence.

[Twiggy]

give me a sec trying to get this straight

[Twiggy]

(and it adds to caster lvl.....)Regarding PM.
It adds to dispel resistance is all. Not caster level.

"Upon reaching pale master levels 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in his highest caster class (bard, sorcerer or wizard)" IE gaining caster lvls

(Ranger- Purpose is to spot sneakers and damage a very specific group of people.)This is so wrong its not funny. Ranger is a class that has a minor set of casting option, and from there the ability to make a strong melee, ranged or sneaker toon with higher AB and damage than average.

with spot as a class skill added on top of the bonus from being his enemy, keen senses if ur an elf, and the stereotypical thought of ranger's being trackers and hunters. yes he is a spotter. where you're wrong mining is your looking at classes as dip classes where i am looking at them as pure. change ur perspective

(Sorcerer- cross between fighter and caster)
Sorcerer- More spells, less options. In NWN, doesn't matter so much, so the sorceror is generally called the wizard deluxe.

when i said that, i was stating what it should be, or what it stereotypically is. Sorc is more of a "dip" class, as you say, to fighter lvls (paladin, namely) where wiz is more of a "pure class" and isn't dipped into fighter classes as much. More into rogueish classes.

(Monk- Mage Killer)Lol, no. To kill something, you need to do good damage, and have AB, and not be slowed/disabled by a bigby and slowly dying from ice spam and melf's.

spell resistance, speed, kd, attacks per round. How is this not a mage killer? if you can't make a monk a mage killer there is something wrong with you. (or they nerfed monks into something it's not)

(Red Dragon Disciple- (pretty much shifters now))
RDD is THE best melee dip class in the game, amazing for AC, AB, str bonuses, con bonuses, cha bonuses, int bonuses, amazing skill list...

i said that because they change into a red wyrm at whatever lvl it is they do that. If your going pure that is. Again look at it in a pure perspective, instead of taking them as dip classes. And how is changing into a big dragon not like shifters? Sit down and shut up before you hurt yourself.

(Harper Scout- really only a good addition for rangers.)Really only a great addition to casters, rangers, and anything that desperately wants more epic feats at the cost of 2 preepic ones.

I personally think this is a useless class. didn't know about the epic feat thing.....but then again why not take fighter? even more feats.

I said this because it adds to the favored enemy thing and gives a few spells, that help ranger, and expound upon already established features of the ranger. (do i need to explain expound?)

(Shadow Dancer- Summon)Shadow Dancer's don't get a summon. Shadow dancers get a mobile archery target.

shadow dancers do get a summon. However it sucks, which is what you're saying. still doesn't negate what i said. Shadow dancers skills work best with a rogue. (sneaking) they are like assassin's in that sense, and the only thing different from a rogue/assassin is the summon. hence why i was saying summon. Maybe how i came across was poor.

(want to beat a mage make a monk. want to beat a pally, make a good aligned WM (or even nuetral aligned).)Want to beat a mage? Make another mage, or pray you have something it isn't built to kill.
Want to beat a pally? Play a mage. Or Shadowdancer. Or god knows what else.

i stated that because people where whining about "unfair." my class can't beat ur class. So i was saying quite whining and make a class that CAN win that battle instead of asking to nerf other classes. your point still doesn't negate mine

(that isn't a BG that's a sorcerer. if it was a BG it would have a majority of BG lvls.)That isn't a SD, thats a rogue. No, thats a Rogue/SD. Its not any one thing, for it has elements of it all.

I was being facetious and in case you didn't know what that meant it means lacking seriousness. I realize it is both. But that's like saying that a doctor who took one class on how to be a mechanic is now a mechanic. regardless of the fact, i am looking at things in a pure perspective. what your saying still doesn't negate what i said.

(why have a class if it's only good for 5 levels.)
Hello PDK and HS! Hello SD!

Hello exactly my point!

HS is pointless (when i say pointless i don't actually mean pointless), pdk is good but because of game mechanics is only left with 5 lvls (kinda sucks). those are the only two classes that ONLY HAVE 5 LVLS. Shadow dancer you can take more so your point is erroneous. which means your point is wrong in layman's terms. and layman's term in turn means i'm dumbing it down for you. I was saying that classes should be more useful the more lvls of the class you take in it. You are saying that SD are only good for 5 lvls. Pretty much hammering home my point in that sense.

(a once per day ability that lasts way too short to be of use for anything but boss battles and a short stint in pvp.)Oh yeah, CoT Wrath is so beyond useless, we've made CoTs to protest the uselessness of it.

i nvr said CoT's where useless, i said divine wrath was way too short to be good for anything but short stint battles. Can you read?

(All i've been saying is make the BG better)You've also been talking about nerfing every class, and all of the above, and heaven forbid, roleplay.

not nerfing every class, only said stuff about Pally's, Bg's, and assassins so far. but i could go further in depth with other classes if you want me too.

Excuse me, i also talked about changing the damage type and dc nature of druids, bard, sorc's, and wiz's. But how would that be a bad thing? Who makes a druid caster again? oh yeah that's right no one.

All of your incorrectness, listed in an easy to read form!

(also, I'm sure I could've done better. Couldn't be bothered wasting any time on actually doing this)

all of your incorrectness is easy to read form! if you do better so will I. Care to make more of an a** of yourself?

BTW look at what I'm writing in pure class form. Instead of as what your used to seeing them as. Your perspective is skewed. You looking at my posts and saying they are wrong really irked me. Especially since you had no idea where i was coming from. I do have reasons for what i say. even if you are too slow to comprehend.

also when mining said "i.e. tokens to 'curse' enemies to suffer small damage over time (say, 5 damage damage a round for 10 rounds)" i said the exact same thing for pally's. remember my rant on aasimar ability tokens! if aasimars can't get it then BG's can't. that's "Balance" also where you are coming from when u give the bg's better stuff is in the right direction but i would tone it down a little. Giving them the ability to dispel an ability based on rounds not times per day is over powered. Pally's get a greater dispel twice a day. what your giving BG's is way more powerful. Giving the BG a curse token usable thrice a day maybe? sounds good with varying affects. (i think of curse as the disease thing, where there are different diseases, if only one curse then nvm on varying affects)

also i like the the pure class thing u got going there mining. There's hope for you yet :p. however some of the abilities are overpowered. Mirror the pally and it should be alright.

[Tsavong]

HS and PDK are far from pointless.

Pally's get a greater dispel twice a day. what your giving BG's is way more powerful.

Don't forget the pure pally purge dispel thing once a day which is probably one of the most useful tokens they have drop that on a 35/x sorc get them in your anti magic aura and they scream! Any way you are right a BG should not get access to that sort of toy.

[Rufio]

um.. i haven't really been paying attention to all these arguments over classes, but, I keep seeing arguments over pale master spells, so let me set everything straight, because it is sort of complicated and not just a matter of opinion.

Pale master levels grant you 1/2 caster levels with respect to gaining new spell slots and dispell resistance

Pale master levels do not grant you any new spells. If you are a bard or sorc you can only use those new higher level spell slots for metamagiced spells that you already know. if you are a wizard you can get around it by learning spells from scrolls

And the biggest one:
Pale master levels do not grant you caster levels with respect to spell duration, spell power, or spell penetration. If you are 10 wizard 30 pm, your haste will only last 10 rounds, your igms will only do 10d6 + 10 damage (unless I have the base damage amount wrong, hehe), and you will only have 10+1d20 for spell penetration, so you will never penetrate racial spell resist.

So in reality, no, pale master does not grant you caster levels, but it somewhat simulates getting caster levels for dispell resist and spell slots.



Now back to talking about blackguards

[Daral0085]

(or they nerfed monks into something it's not)

They did. Bigby's ignore SR now, so mages can actually take down monks without too much hassle. Just lvl 7 bigby's followed by ice storm or melfs (all of which ignore SR and saves).

[Bargeld]

There is a famous saying that goes something like: 'It is better to be silent and allow others to assume you are the fool, than to open your mouth and prove it.' Suggestions are good, arguing is not.

It is also better for the thread's lifespan and for your own forum access to remain silent rather than flame... just a helpful tip to a recently returned old timer.

[mining]

(and it adds to caster lvl.....)Regarding PM.
It adds to dispel resistance is all. Not caster level.

"Upon reaching pale master levels 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in his highest caster class (bard, sorcerer or wizard)" IE gaining caster lvls

Code: Select all

Caster levels =/= spells per day or dispel resistance. Caster levels = more effective spells.

(Ranger- Purpose is to spot sneakers and damage a very specific group of people.)This is so wrong its not funny. Ranger is a class that has a minor set of casting option, and from there the ability to make a strong melee, ranged or sneaker toon with higher AB and damage than average.

with spot as a class skill added on top of the bonus from being his enemy, keen senses if ur an elf, and the stereotypical thought of ranger's being trackers and hunters. yes he is a spotter. where you're wrong mining is your looking at classes as dip classes where i am looking at them as pure. change ur perspective

Code: Select all

Elf is a race, not a class. This is no longer 1st edition. Stereotypes are wrong to apply. And they don't get any ways to self buff spot.

(Sorcerer- cross between fighter and caster)
Sorcerer- More spells, less options. In NWN, doesn't matter so much, so the sorceror is generally called the wizard deluxe.

when i said that, i was stating what it should be, or what it stereotypically is. Sorc is more of a "dip" class, as you say, to fighter lvls (paladin, namely) where wiz is more of a "pure class" and isn't dipped into fighter classes as much. More into rogueish classes.

Code: Select all

Stereotypically: The plotting Wizard analyses the situation, and commits only to win.
(first image)
The Sorceror is all about raw power. (image 2) 

^^^Implication its a dragon wizard and a humanish sorceror is there for the fact it was the best images I can find.

(Monk- Mage Killer)Lol, no. To kill something, you need to do good damage, and have AB, and not be slowed/disabled by a bigby and slowly dying from ice spam and melf's.

spell resistance, speed, kd, attacks per round. How is this not a mage killer? if you can't make a monk a mage killer there is something wrong with you. (or they nerfed monks into something it's not)

Code: Select all

Attacks a round is a death sentence vs a mage if it has bludg resistance, Ewarding and a damage shield up. SR is irrelevant with so many no SR spells. KD is useless. Sorry, but you need at least 70 AB to try to KD my cleric, Rozsudek, so there's no way in hell you can do it to a mage as a monk.

(Red Dragon Disciple- (pretty much shifters now))
RDD is THE best melee dip class in the game, amazing for AC, AB, str bonuses, con bonuses, cha bonuses, int bonuses, amazing skill list...

i said that because they change into a red wyrm at whatever lvl it is they do that. If your going pure that is. Again look at it in a pure perspective, instead of taking them as dip classes. And how is changing into a big dragon not like shifters? Sit down and shut up before you hurt yourself.

Code: Select all

The Red Wyrm is a NS imposed gimmick. It is not the only way of making RDDs. It is not even the best way. If you go pure, you could still be owning harder as a melee with the option to go RDD.

(Harper Scout- really only a good addition for rangers.)Really only a great addition to casters, rangers, and anything that desperately wants more epic feats at the cost of 2 preepic ones.

I personally think this is a useless class. didn't know about the epic feat thing.....but then again why not take fighter? even more feats.

I said this because it adds to the favored enemy thing and gives a few spells, that help ranger, and expound upon already established features of the ranger. (do i need to explain expound?)

Code: Select all

Because fighter doesn't let me maximize my DC on a sorceror, or pick up Great Dexterity feats, or Epic Will and ESF discipline. The spells that they grant are arguably least efficient on a ranger. Sleep is useless without massive focus, II is ok, but rangers get conceal already, and cats. Eagles is nice, albeit unneeded most of the time.

(Shadow Dancer- Summon)Shadow Dancer's don't get a summon. Shadow dancers get a mobile archery target.

shadow dancers do get a summon. However it sucks, which is what you're saying. still doesn't negate what i said. Shadow dancers skills work best with a rogue. (sneaking) they are like assassin's in that sense, and the only thing different from a rogue/assassin is the summon. hence why i was saying summon. Maybe how i came across was poor.

I say again, SDs are nothing like assassins. SD = "I sneak attack you 2x per round, for however long you're still standing up". Assassin = "Pray you don't spot me, then I pray you fail your saves, then I kill you.

(want to beat a mage make a monk. want to beat a pally, make a good aligned WM (or even nuetral aligned).)Want to beat a mage? Make another mage, or pray you have something it isn't built to kill.
Want to beat a pally? Play a mage. Or Shadowdancer. Or god knows what else.

i stated that because people where whining about "unfair." my class can't beat ur class. So i was saying quite whining and make a class that CAN win that battle instead of asking to nerf other classes. your point still doesn't negate mine

Code: Select all

I'd say its more the arguement that BG isn't so amazing as, say, paladin.

(that isn't a BG that's a sorcerer. if it was a BG it would have a majority of BG lvls.)That isn't a SD, thats a rogue. No, thats a Rogue/SD. Its not any one thing, for it has elements of it all.

I was being facetious and in case you didn't know what that meant it means lacking seriousness. I realize it is both. But that's like saying that a doctor who took one class on how to be a mechanic is now a mechanic. regardless of the fact, i am looking at things in a pure perspective. what your saying still doesn't negate what i said.

Code: Select all

http://drmcninja.com/ There is my arguement.

(why have a class if it's only good for 5 levels.)
Hello PDK and HS! Hello SD!

Hello exactly my point!

HS is pointless (when i say pointless i don't actually mean pointless), pdk is good but because of game mechanics is only left with 5 lvls (kinda sucks). those are the only two classes that ONLY HAVE 5 LVLS. Shadow dancer you can take more so your point is erroneous. which means your point is wrong in layman's terms. and layman's term in turn means i'm dumbing it down for you. I was saying that classes should be more useful the more lvls of the class you take in it. You are saying that SD are only good for 5 lvls. Pretty much hammering home my point in that sense.

HS is amazingly good. PDK is amazingly good. 5 levels is all you need. SD you can take more, but except in || specific situations, its not doing anything for you.

(a once per day ability that lasts way too short to be of use for anything but boss battles and a short stint in pvp.)Oh yeah, CoT Wrath is so beyond useless, we've made CoTs to protest the uselessness of it.

i nvr said CoT's where useless, i said divine wrath was way too short to be good for anything but short stint battles. Can you read?

Code: Select all

It lasts, what, 6 minutes with 30 levels and 10 charisma? Thats almost as long as blinding speed ;)

(All i've been saying is make the BG better)You've also been talking about nerfing every class, and all of the above, and heaven forbid, roleplay.

not nerfing every class, only said stuff about Pally's, Bg's, and assassins so far. but i could go further in depth with other classes if you want me too.

Excuse me, i also talked about changing the damage type and dc nature of druids, bard, sorc's, and wiz's. But how would that be a bad thing? Who makes a druid caster again? oh yeah that's right no one.

Code: Select all

The point was merely that you were talking about more than BG. Thanks for clarifying my point.

All of your incorrectness, listed in an easy to read form!

(also, I'm sure I could've done better. Couldn't be bothered wasting any time on actually doing this)

all of your incorrectness is easy to read form! if you do better so will I. Care to make more of an a** of yourself?

BTW look at what I'm writing in pure class form. Instead of as what your used to seeing them as. Your perspective is skewed. You looking at my posts and saying they are wrong really irked me. Especially since you had no idea where i was coming from. I do have reasons for what i say. even if you are too slow to comprehend.

Code: Select all

In pure class form, 80% of PRCs are missing out on a ton. Would you make a 30 WM? A 30 shifter? 

also when mining said "i.e. tokens to 'curse' enemies to suffer small damage over time (say, 5 damage damage a round for 10 rounds)" i said the exact same thing for pally's. remember my rant on aasimar ability tokens! if aasimars can't get it then BG's can't. that's "Balance" also where you are coming from when u give the bg's better stuff is in the right direction but i would tone it down a little. Giving them the ability to dispel an ability based on rounds not times per day is over powered. Pally's get a greater dispel twice a day. what your giving BG's is way more powerful. Giving the BG a curse token usable thrice a day maybe? sounds good with varying affects. (i think of curse as the disease thing, where there are different diseases, if only one curse then nvm on varying affects)

Code: Select all

Pure blackguard. Its a mirror of paladin with offensive effects instead of defensive. Its... boring as crap, and I don't want it on this server ever. You might though. Stick to your 10x/30y//40z builds.

also i like the the pure class thing u got going there mining. There's hope for you yet :p. however some of the abilities are overpowered. Mirror the pally and it should be alright.

[Cahaal]

I'm done with this topic and it has been hijacked such that the original topic and conversation is lost.

Moderator Please Lock It or delete the irrelevant posts.

[mining]

I'm done with this topic and it has been hijacked such that the original topic and conversation is lost.

Moderator Please Lock It or delete the irrelevant posts.

Its not like its the first time this is happened. There's still mileage left in this horse.

[Twiggy]

Caster levels =/= spells per day or dispel resistance. Caster levels = more effective spells.

The main point i was making in the original post is that PM adds to caster classes/lvl. no other classes do that. my point is still valid.

Elf is a race, not a class. This is no longer 1st edition. Stereotypes are wrong to apply. And they don't get any ways to self buff spot.

I realize elf is a race, that's why i said if you take elf....notice the if. the stereotype adds to the picture it isn't the picture, if you get what i mean. regardless of not having anyways to buff, they SHOULD be better than any other class. unless you do some class that has spot as a class skill and go wisdom build in something and carry over skill points.


Stereotypically: The plotting Wizard analyses the situation, and commits only to win.
(first image)
The Sorceror is all about raw power. (image 2)


the only picture i see is raistlin majere from dragonlance, and he is a wizard. stereotypically this is the difference between a wizard and a sorc

"Within a given work, such distinctions can be important, as the writer defined them. Steve Pemberton's The Times & Life of Lucifer Jones describes the distinction thus: "The difference between a wizard and a sorcerer is comparable to that between, say, a lion and a tiger, but wizards are acutely status-conscious, and to them, it's more like the difference between a lion and a dead kitten."

In role-playing games, the types of practitioners of magic are far more clearly delineated, and named, in order that players and game masters may know the rules by which they are played.[30] In the original edition of Dungeons and Dragons, Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson invented the term "magic-user" as a generic term for a practitioner of magic (in order to avoid cultural connotations of terms such as "wizard" or "warlock"); this lasted until the second edition of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, where it was replaced with "mage" (later to become "wizard"). The exact rules vary from game to game. In Dungeons and Dragons, a wizard or mage is a character class, distinguished by their ability to cast certain kinds of magic and their weak combat skills; subclasses are distinguished by their strength in some areas of magic and their weaknesses in others.[35] Sorcerers are distinguished from wizards as having an innate gift with magic, as well as possessing blood of a mystical or magical origin."

In dragonlance A sorcerer is a practitioner of magic that does not abide by the rules of the towers of high sorcery. Which include no weapons besides a dagger, and following the laws layed down by the gods of magic in relation to casting spells. since wild magic was very chaotic and destructive (sorcerers used this power). Going by these definitions. A wizard can't be a cross between a fighter and magic because of his need for dedication. A sorcerer since his magic comes more easily is more apt for crossing the two of them.


ttacks a round is a death sentence vs a mage if it has bludg resistance, Ewarding and a damage shield up. SR is irrelevant with so many no SR spells. KD is useless. Sorry, but you need at least 70 AB to try to KD my cleric, Rozsudek, so there's no way in hell you can do it to a mage as a monk.

there are gloves and kamas that add slash and elemental dmg. also i did not know bigsby was changed. Sucks for monks. i retract my previous statment and think that should be changed.


he Red Wyrm is a NS imposed gimmick. It is not the only way of making RDDs. It is not even the best way. If you go pure, you could still be owning harder as a melee with the option to go RDD.


your point? i was stating as far as NS goes. that was my point. Hence "pretty much shifters NOW." i was also going on the terms of pure class


Because fighter doesn't let me maximize my DC on a sorceror, or pick up Great Dexterity feats, or Epic Will and ESF discipline. The spells that they grant are arguably least efficient on a ranger. Sleep is useless without massive focus, II is ok, but rangers get conceal already, and cats. Eagles is nice, albeit unneeded most of the time.

your point is granted. they still work well with rangers however.


I say again, SDs are nothing like assassins. SD = "I sneak attack you 2x per round, for however long you're still standing up". Assassin = "Pray you don't spot me, then I pray you fail your saves, then I kill you.

Shadow dancers are sneakers like assassin. Hence the similarity. I am looking at this as if the toon is going alone. A shadow dancer needs a summon to keep the attention off of him as he sneaks or attacks a foe. an assassin comes up and stabs you, paralyzing you so that he can attack you. both require stealthiness. Can't hips without stealthiness and can't para without stealthyness. Similarities. in either sense if you are going to do more than dip into sd, the summon should be upgraded.

I'd say its more the arguement that BG isn't so amazing as, say, paladin.

that was in direction to more than the bg topic


http://drmcninja.com/ There is my arguement.


LOL, that is kinda funny. and odd at the same time. also highly unlikely hence why it's in a comic book.


HS is amazingly good. PDK is amazingly good. 5 levels is all you need. SD you can take more, but except in || specific situations, its not doing anything for you.

HS is debate-ably all that. PDK the added buffs (the few that i have seen) are awesome. I nvr said anything against them. and i realize that some people argue that 5 sd's is all you need. i say i want having more sd's lvls to mean something.


It lasts, what, 6 minutes with 30 levels and 10 charisma? Thats almost as long as blinding speed

ok so how long is 6 minutes? one map maybe two? so you would rest every two maps for one ability? and blinding speed is a short stint thing as well. if divine wrath was like divine might/shield i would prefer it more.


The point was merely that you were talking about more than BG. Thanks for clarifying my point.


that statement was in relation to the BG post. not my other side tangents.


In pure class form, 80% of PRCs are missing out on a ton. Would you make a 30 WM? A 30 shifter?

as of right now no. that's my point.

Pure blackguard. Its a mirror of paladin with offensive effects instead of defensive. Its... boring as crap, and I don't want it on this server ever. You might though. Stick to your 10x/30y//40z builds.

when you say boring what exactly are you saying? not interesting to play? what makes things interesting to you? the ability to keep up with people and not die all the time? being powerful? When you say boring you must mean something else. Maybe un-inventive. but that is your preference. mine is to keep things simple. and people who have a pure pally can you let me know if that class is boring? do you not get enough fulfillment while playing that class? Idk about you but considering the amount of pure pally's i would say that's a no. interesting to you is obviously an overcomplicated build that does everything and and can keep up with everyone. mine is the same but with simplicity. saying my way is dumber than yours is stupid and ignorant. it's preference. Kinda like being a vegetarian or a meat eater.

[Bargeld]

Seriously, this is old... I'd really like to see more about BG summon improvements, since they have a +6 weapon that does 1d8 base, 2d8 fire, 1d6 slashing, and 1d6 piercing.

For twiggy, please remember that 1) you are "returning" to a server and are not even familiar with a lot of the topics which you address. 2) this is not stereotypeland; this is NS4. If you want a dragonlance server or something different than what you see occuring here, feel free to go find it. The rest of us like the way 99% of NS4 already is built. Those who didn't like it already left.

[mining]

1) HiPS is so broken you can kill anything without keen senses with 1/2 their spot in hide, and anything with keen senses while having 10 less hide than their spot.
2) SDs need nothing but standard gear (mundane) to kill and eat 70% of builds.
3) What you want and what IS is not the same. Rangers are NOT amazing spotters.
4) I apologise for using the wrong image for a sorceror. Is this better?

A few unintelligible words and fleeting gestures carry more power
than a battleaxe, when they are the words and gestures of a wizard.
These simple acts make magic seem easy, but they only hint at the
time the wizard must spend poring over her spellbook preparing
each spell for casting, and the years before that spent in apprenticeship
to learn the arts of magic.
Wizards depend on intensive study to create their magic. They
examine musty old tomes, debate magical theory with their peers,
and practice minor magics whenever they can. For a wizard, magic is
not a talent but a difficult, rewarding art.
Adventures: Wizards conduct their adventures with caution and
forethought. When prepared, they can use their spells to devastating
effect. When caught by surprise, they are vulnerable. They seek
knowledge, power, and the resources to conduct their studies. They
may also have any of the noble or ignoble motivations that other
adventurers have.
Characteristics: The wizard’s strength is her spells. Everything
else is secondary. She learns new spells as she experiments and
grows in experience, and she can also learn them from other wizards.
In addition to learning new spells, a wizard can, over time,
learn to manipulate her spells so they go farther, work better, or are
improved in some other way.
Some wizards prefer to specialize in a certain type of magic.
Specialization makes a wizard more powerful in her chosen field,
but it denies her access to some of the spells that lie outside that
field. (See School Specialization, page 57.)
Like a sorcerer, a wizard can call a familiar—a small, magical
animal companion that serves her. For some wizards, their familiars
are their only true friends.
Alignment: Overall, wizards show a slight tendency toward law
over chaos because the study of magic rewards those who are
disciplined. Illusionists and transmuters, however, are masters of
deception and change, respectively. They favor chaos over law.
Religion: Wizards commonly revere Boccob (god of magic).
Some, especially necromancers or simply more misanthropic wizards,
prefer Wee Jas (goddess of death and magic). Evil necromancers
are known to worship Nerull (god of death). Wizards in general
are more devoted to their studies than to their spiritual sides.
Background: Wizards recognize each other as comrades or rivals.
Even wizards from very different cultures or magical traditions have
much in common because they all conform to the same laws of
magic. Unlike fighters or rogues, wizards see themselves as
members of a distinct, if diverse, group. In civilized lands where
wizards study in academies, schools, or guilds, wizards also identify
themselves and others according to membership in these formal
organizations. But while a guild magician may look down her nose
at a rustic wizard who learned his arts from a doddering hermit, she
nevertheless can’t deny the rustic’s identity as a wizard

Sorcerers create magic the
way a poet creates poems, with
inborn talent honed by
practice. They have no books, no
mentors, no theories—just raw
power that they direct at will.
Some sorcerers claim that the blood
of dragons courses through their veins.
That claim may even be true in some
cases—it is common knowledge that certain
powerful dragons can take humanoid form and
even have humanoid lovers, and it’s difficult
to prove that a given sorcerer does not have
a dragon ancestor. It’s true that sorcerers
often have striking good looks, usually
with a touch of the exotic that hints
at an unusual heritage. Others
hold that the claim is either an
unsubstantiated boast on the
part of certain sorcerers or
envious gossip on the
part of those who lack
the sorcerer’s gift.
Adventures: The
typical sorcerer adventures in order to
improve his abilities. Only by testing
his limits can he expand them. A
sorcerer’s power is inborn—part of
his soul. Developing this power is a quest
in itself for many sorcerers, regardless of how
they wish to use their power.
Some good sorcerers are driven by the
need to prove themselves. Marked as
different by their power, they seek to win
a place in society and to prove themselves to others. Evil sorcerers,
however, also feel themselves set apart from others—apart and
above. They adventure to gain power over those they look down
upon.Since sorcerers gain their powers without undergoing the years of
rigorous study that wizards go through, they don’t have the
background of arcane knowledge than most wizards have. However,
they do have more time to learn fighting skills, and they are
proficient with simple weapons.
Alignment: For a sorcerer, magic is an intuitive art, not a science.
Sorcery favors the free, chaotic, creative spirit over the disciplined
mind, so sorcerers tend slightly toward chaos over law.
Religion: Some sorcerers favor Boccob (god of magic), while
others revere Wee Jas (goddess of death and magic). However, many
sorcerers follow some other deity, or none at all. (Wizards typically
learn to follow Boccob or Wee Jas from their mentors, but most
sorcerers are self-taught, with no master to induct them into a
religion).
Background: Sorcerers develop rudimentary powers at puberty.
Their first spells are incomplete, spontaneous, uncontrolled, and
sometimes dangerous. A household with a budding sorcerer in it
may be troubled by strange sounds or lights, which can create the
impression that the place is haunted. Eventually, the young sorcerer
understands the power that he has been wielding unintentionally.
From that point on, he can begin practicing and improving his
powers.
Sometimes a sorcerer is fortunate enough to come under the care
of an older, more experienced sorcerer, someone who can help him
understand and use his new powers. More often, however, sorcerers
are on their own, feared by erstwhile friends and misunderstood by
family.
Sorcerers have no sense of identity as a group. Unlike wizards,
they gain little by sharing their knowledge and have no strong
incentive to work together.

Finally, you ignored the Dr. Mcninja bit.

[mining]

Seriously, this is old... I'd really like to see more about BG summon improvements, since they have a +6 weapon that does 1d8 base, 2d8 fire, 1d6 slashing, and 1d6 piercing.

Give 'em an abyss trident?