Minor Spell Sequencer, Spell Sequencer, Contingencies and Chain Contingencies

Remove all ads!

I feel this is one of the aspects of the game that I greatly under-utilize. I hardly ever have a Contingency or a Chain Contingency set up, and I don't even use sequencers all that often. In fact, the only reason I even have a minor sequencer set up is because the 4th level spell selection for mages is quite poor. After stoneskin, there isn't anything particularly appealing.

So what do you guys typically put into your minor spell sequencers and sequencers?

What do you put in your contingencies and chain contingencies, and what is the requirement you set for them to be activated?

 

I don't use them that often myself as I find it a pain setting one up each time the last has been used.

But the few times I bother, I tend to go with 3 fireballs or maybe 2 lower resistances and a chromatic orb.

They're great spells but a bit awkward to keep resetting every time.

 

I find a contingency set for "when helpless -> Improved Invisibility on self" very usefull with solo characters. All too often you'll find yourself stunned or so by powerwords (which you can't roll a save for) and then beat up slowly but lowlifes that would otherwise flee at the very mention of your name. Improved Invisibility prevents such a sorry fate.

Unless there's a mage with True Sight handy of course

I also like Sequencers loaded up with Fireballs and MagicMissiles

 

I use that invisibility trick as well. But I don't use the improved because the level 2 invisibility lasts much longer.
Would Greater Malison hit before a Chromatic Orb?
If they do then Greater Malison, Doom and Chromatic Orb from a Cleric/Mage would kick ass. G.M don't stack when patched by the way.

 

For sake of ease, I use sequencers and triggers for offensive spells and use contingencies for defensive spells.

My sequencers and triggers are usually loaded with either spells that will tear down protections quickly or spells that, collectively, will deal a lot of damage quickly. Chromatic Orb, magic missile, breach, secret word, lower resistance, breach all work well. A couple pierce magics and PW:Silence in a spell trigger will all but eliminate enemy spell casters.

My contingencies are usually loaded with protection spells, such as protection from magic weapons, stoneskin, spell deflection etc. I normally set these up to activate once my HP reaches 50% (mage) or 25% (dual or multi-class mage).

Cleric-mages can be quite destructive with sequencers, triggers, and contingencies.

 

Chain contingency with 3 horrid wiltings targeting the nearest enemy on sight can be pretty devastating, especially with a casting time of 0.

 

I've been using Imoen and Chain Contingency with Horrid Wilting, Symbol of Death and Finger of Death on Nearest enemy, it's makes the hardest battle a snap.

 

As Bombur said - 3x horrid wilting is nasty (it will trivialize many encounters). Such a contingency can be prepared in advance, or you can cast it in the thick of battle (1x chain contingency casts much faster than 3x horrid wilting). My personal favourite is a spell trigger loaded with as many "lower resistance"s as possible. It makes pretty much anything vulnerable to magic. I usually just load the lower-level sequencers up with magic missiles... that will usually rip the stoneskin right off a caster (and probably seriously injure them, too).

 

Hmmm... I'm actually using a lot of things that others do, although the 3X horrid wilting never occurred to me. I definitely want more offensive spells, except for the contingencies, as a lot of the defensive sequencers can be set before battle by casting their respective spells anyway. The idea (I thought) behind those spells was to get two or three spells off in the time it would normally take you to cast one.

 

@malovae- haven't tried gm-doom-chromo, but giving aerie a minor spell sequencer of doom-chromo is both cheap and effective

 

A cleric/mage with a CHAIN contingency of: heal, mirror image, and stoneskin, set to HP 50 is always good...

And a sequencer with fireball*3 is helpful

I also keep a contingency "On hit" for invisibility

A bit on the safe side, but...

 

Like Spelladonna, I usually use contingencies for protective magics, and triggers for offensive and protection removal spells. Most of the time I have:

Chain Contingency (25%) - Wilting, Wilting, Mordenkainen's Sword
Contingency (50%) - Stoneskin
Triggers etc - Lower Resistance, Breach, Secret Word, Remove Magic, Magic Missile etc.

If I have Kelsey, I definately have him memorise two three lower resistances in his spell trigger, and greater malisons for other/s.

 

Hey Winterine!

You might want to make a spell trigger of:

Pierce Magic
Lower Resistance
and spell of your choice

Pierce Magic will stack with Lower Resistance in lowering the MR! I killed a Hive Mother with it!

Well 2 triggers of that anyway. First Immy with a trigger of PMagic, LResist, and PWordSilence, then Aarie with her trigger of PMagic, LResist and Flesh to Stone!

 

I used Pierce Magic, Horrid Wilting, and Finger of Death on the dragon in Watchers Keep, not Saladex, but the other one. It was looking good. THe pierce magic worked great the Sarevok got a vorpal hit on the dragon ust after the Pierce and it screwed my plans. Oh well, it was a really easy fight.

 

I like to use spell sequencer with Greater Malison, Emotion, and then Monster Summoning II as an after thought. It makes large groups of enemies fall down unconscious and then the summoned monsters are there to start mopping up.

 

I was tired of having my conjurer, Arevan, killed by swarms of magic resistant creatures (read Drow in Sendai enclave).

In the end I prepared a Spell Trigger with Stoneskin, Phantom Blade and Tenser's Transformation in that order. If I have a decent staff, I would then trade Phantom Blade for Haste or Strength, depending on whether I have the Boots of Speed or not. It does work wonders in tight situations.

 

Awesome thread. I'm just startng out a Sorcerer, and this thread has me giddy about what I'll be doing in the future!

 

For cleric mages, I always put a Heal into a contigency set at 25% health. It's nice to recover full HP in the thick of combat and they can't do anything to disrupt the spell. I generally avoid putting Stoneskin in contingencies because they cast so quickly anyways.

 

I've always wanted to set up a Chain Contingency for a Mage/Cleric with Ressurection, Summon Deva, Mordy's Sword in it set for 25% h.p. Even if it were to go off "a little too late" against a high damage foe, your dead NPC is now back at full strength, with a couple of friends to help.