Maeglin's Questions (Some more obvious than others)

Going to try a spellcaster, going Dwarf Wizard, and probably staying purist (although may take a few Pale Master levels for the AC... I do love my AC...)

What specialist school of magic is recommended for a novice spellcaster? And are there any tips for getting started as a magic-using character? Most of my NWN experience has been with rogueish or warlike characters.

I do not recommend specialising. Losing access to two schools of magic is not worth it, and in NWN there is really no benefit to school specialization. You dont even get extra spell slots for your chosen school.

My suggestion is stay a Generalist and take the spell focus feats in a school you like... good candidates would possibly be Evocation (for raw dmg spells), Necromancy (at high lvls this can mean you end fights before they ever really begin), Transmutation (my personal favorite), or maybe even Enchantment (very powerful school as long as targets are not immune to mind effects).

Getting started is about using your summon abilities (familiar, summon creature, etc) to protect you while your spells are weaker. I always tried to keep at least one Summon Creature of my highest spell level memorized. Metamagic is also a very good thing to invest feats into. It can have benefits at low levels (extend spell is wonderful, as is empower spell), and at high levels they can turn good spells into incredible spells.

Learn as many spells as you can. If you find a scroll, try to learn it. Make sure you get the highest INT you can, as this affects many things... like spellcraft checks to learn spells, bonus spell slots, and spell DCs, among others.

Think ahead. If you have been in an area before and you know what awaits you, remember to select spells that are appropriate for memorization. If you dont know what awaits you, memorize your most versatile spells and also some escape spells in the unfortunate event that your versatile spells are not quite versatile enough Invisibility, teleport (as long as youre wearing a glove of teleport), potions of escape, transference, haste, etc are all good candidates for this purpose.

Hope all that helps.

I think it will.

Going Dwarven Wizard, using normal stat spread, taking a Panther familiar at first for muscle, although eventually I want to have a Raven once I'm not so reliant on it.

Went with Ralth for the deity.

Eh, last I knew NWN did specialization differently than pnp... you only lose access to one school, and get one extra spell slot per spell level that can be used for any spell, not just chosen school.

The benefits of specalizing in nwn aren't really worth it unless you REALLY know what your doing. When you choose a school, you gain a +2 spellcraft check against your specalized school and 1 extra spell slot per level, but a -5 spellcraft penalty (-1 to all saves vs spells from that school) from spells of you restricted school, and the inablity to cast spells at all from your restricted school.

So yeah...to echo dave, don't specalize unless your an advanced builder. -Focusing- though....evocation, enchantment, and necromancy are the big 3. Illusion and conjuration are decent if your familiar with the spells, as is transmutation with the additional aenea spells. Divination is the worst, as theres not a single spell in the divination school that uses DC's (unless theres some additional aenea spells i missed)

As for tips....
-Buff your party. Whether your party is your familar or another pc...buff them! Aenea has a "joint buffing" script, i believe, which allows it so that if certain spells are cast on you, they simultaniously affect your familiar in the same casting. Take advantage of that!

-Ghostly visage. Grab it asap. It grants an immunity to 1st level spells and lower (good for those magic-missle spammers) and a 5/+1 DR. Sure, its duration is short, but its not something thats supposed to last through an entire dungeon run...just 2-3 spawns at a time.

-Choose at least one school to grab spell focus feats in. Two or three is quite doable too, if your playing a pure-or-near-pure wizard.

-Grab scrolls and wands (if you can't make 'em) and use those as backups, especially at low levels.

-Have fun experimenting!

Question: Derfel sacrificed a Shield of Ragnor (Tower Shield from the Orc who accompanies the General in the Orc fortress) and there was a lightning bolt animation, but no damage was done. Any idea what happened?

How soon after killing the general did you sac?

I've seen the lightning bolt strikes as well, although there was no sacrificing being done. I *think* it may have been the favor of Ragnor kicking in for the priest (ragnor's favor is a strike back upon dying type, like sorgath's I beleive, not 100% sure).

Recognition from your god? A reward of some sort, be it gold or xp or a "valuable potion," something along those lines, perhaps ...

Speaking of helpful elixirs.... Cure Light Wounds isn't particularly helpdul, Dalix. Not that I'm complaining or anything.... But when I sac something nice, and I get a CLW, I'm not particularly motivated to continue doing so.

Just saying.

I just sac the helpful elixir as well ...

So do I. Dalix must not look closely enough to recognize it.