I find it difficult to cast spells without knocking out own party members. If I remember right in BG spells did not affect own party. With my two tanks holding back enemies how do I use those spells that effect anyone in area of spell? What is your strategy? Thank you.

Maybe one of the difficulties / options offers to turn off friendly fire? I think the IEmod offers that option too.

I find it difficult to cast spells without knocking out own party members. If I remember right in BG spells did not affect own party. With my two tanks holding back enemies how do I use those spells that effect anyone in area of spell? What is your strategy? Thank you.

No, most Bg spells affected party members. Some didn't, as it is the case in PoE.

 

Do you play PoE with Expert mode ?

 

If not, there should be an area indicator showing the affected zone. Red zone = friendly fire. Yellow zone (due to intelligence AoE buff) = no friendly fire.

 

You'll get used to it. My own spells rarely harm my party. Once your frontline is locked by your tanks, and characters stop moving, you should have no pb to aim anymore.

Edited March 30, 20169 yr by Elric Galad

 

I find it difficult to cast spells without knocking out own party members. If I remember right in BG spells did not affect own party. With my two tanks holding back enemies how do I use those spells that effect anyone in area of spell? What is your strategy? Thank you.

No, most Bg spells affected party members. Some didn't, as it is the case in PoE.

 

Do you play PoE with Expert mode ?

 

If not, there should be an area indicator showing the affected zone. Red zone = friendly fire. Yellow zone (due to intelligence AoE buff) = no friendly fire.

 

You'll get used to it. My own spells rarely harm my party. Once your frontline is locked by your tanks, and characters stop moving, you should have no pb to aim anymore.

 

 

Also, it really helps to learn which spells affect everyone, which ones affect enemies only, and while ones affect allies only.  Frankly, this is a core requirement (IMO) of playing any spellcasting class, knowing which spells affect who.

Not sure about wizard, I rarely play one, but Druid has a number of aoe spells that don't harm friendlies.

Following on from Elric, if the indicator is all yellow then the spell in question does not touch friends at all. Also if you open the spell descriptions, there will be a note under area of effect, something like foe aoe or just aoe.

Aoe in the description means everyone including your party gets hit, foe aoe means only enemies get zapped.

Easiest way as Elric pointed out is to check the indicator though.

Thank you for your reply's. I had it all wrong about the indicators colors. I really appreciate all the info and playing tips. Loving this game so far.

Also , funny thing is that in PoE wizards are really just better played in melee range , most of their spells are made for that

Also , funny thing is that in PoE wizards are really just better played in melee range , most of their spells are made for that

 

Not really, there's a ton of burst, AoE, and wall effects that outnumber the close range ones.

they work equally well either way.

play melee, and use the fantastic buff spells and cone damage spells.

play ranged and use penetrating burst attacks and round aoe spells.

penetrating burst attacks are awesome with the right instrument.  Plus, there are spells designed for burst wizards to lob elemental damage that way as well.