SpVM, found Party tricks, what to learn?

[danr]

I'm playing a spriggan venom mage and just found the book of party tricks.

It's turning into more of a melee character as I've found an amulet of guardian spirit and a +3 dagger of speed, and I found an early altar of Nemelex, so that's what I went with god-wise.

I'm also trying to stick to lower level spells, at least until I find Hive, so that I don't burn through food.

So I'm curious, with this build so far, which spells would you choose:

Apportation
Blink
Summon butterflies
Projected noise
Alistairs intoxication

I've never used the last three before,

Butterflies - are they really that useful? I guess they act like a shield from wizards etc?

Projected noise - what's the point of this?

[MrMisterMonkey]

I'd get apportation (for grabbing things like the orb of zot), blink (escaping from packs; even more useful with ctele), and summon butterflies (overpowered meat shield maker).

Projected noise is for cheating at branch ends and ziggurats.

Alistair's Intoxication is probably desirable if you have clarity, especially if stabbing a bunch, but I'm not a fan of confusion or confusion stabbing, so I never get it.

More directional advice (related to spell choice):
Ditch the amulet; spellcasting is very important in combat (e.g. how do you blink away or summon protective butterflies or renew your missile repellent without mp).
Stabbing is better than hitting things with a speed dagger (which does piddly damage vs anything with AC); confusion stabbing with mephitic cloud, confusion, Alistair's intoxication, and the such can be painfully slow, though, so look out for Enscorcelled Hibernation.

[lucy_ferre]

Butterflies - are they really that useful? I guess they act like a shield from wizards etc?

It's one of the best spells in the game.

[danr]

Okay, I'll try butterflies out.

I'm wearing the amulet while I try to build up my fighting for an HP boost (and my dodging), but it's gone as soon as I find something different.

I'm mostly using L1 spells though as well so I don't need all my MP, and to be honest, as a Spriggan it really changes the game to have nearly double HP (effectively). I'm doing a lot of plain old sneak-stabbing, but will definitely get ensorcelled hibernation if I find it.

[asdu]

When using Summon Butterflies (most overpowered lvl 1 spell together with Confusing Touch for unarmed fighters), keep in mind meatshields are no use against bolt-type spells (and smiting, obviously). Boris taught me that lesson in a painful way

[MrMisterMonkey]

Watch out for crossbow bolts of penetration (mostly from yaktaurs), too, of course.

[danr]

Butterflies - are they really that useful? I guess they act like a shield from wizards etc?

It's one of the best spells in the game.

Please to explain why? Or is this sarcasm?

[tromboneandrew]

Because the butterflies have a good dodge rating, meaning that many monsters will get hung up swinging at them and missing instead of chasing you, you summon several of them at a time, and they are dirt cheap.

[danr]

Oh well, I YASD'd. Found a "water vault" - a tunnel of water leading off to some loot, but when I came around the bend there was a floating eye and an orange crystal statue, and between paralysis and confusion I was unable to do anything to get off the water, my levitation wore off, and I drowned.

[lucy_ferre]

Butterflies - are they really that useful? I guess they act like a shield from wizards etc?

It's one of the best spells in the game.

Please to explain why? Or is this sarcasm?

You get 15 meatshields for 1 mp. Think of it as a temporary barrier that blocks everything, except smite and bolt-targeted spells (and Executioners...). It's great for escaping and protecting yourself while channeling mana/using smite-style spells (Fire Storm, Airstrike, etc.).

[mageykun]

Oh well, I YASD'd. Found a "water vault" - a tunnel of water leading off to some loot, but when I came around the bend there was a floating eye and an orange crystal statue, and between paralysis and confusion I was unable to do anything to get off the water, my levitation wore off, and I drowned.

I prefer to digging into those vaults instead of levitating (you can guess where the goodies are after seeing one). They're almost always guarded by something, and a hallway is much safer than being caught out over the water.

[pratamawirya]

Yes, danr, Summon Butterflies IS overpowered. I know you're amazed by that. I was too.

[Stormfox]

Wait until you run into a ghost that can summon butterflies and you'll see just how overpowered it is. However, depending on the opponent, even 15 butterflies per cast may not save you -- a couple of big hydrae will disperse that butterfly cloud pretty quickly.

(If you want a quick lesson on how god wrath works, worship Okawaru, summon some butterflies, and then read a scroll of immolation. Hilarity ensues.)