I'm trying to decide which arcane caster (sorcerer or wild mage) to use in my next run through the Baldur's Gate series. I'm using tutu for the first time and am pretty excited about going through the original Baldur's Gate with one of these two classes. What I want to know is, which class do you prefer to play with, and why.

Sorcerers don't require micromanaging. All you need to do is pick up the right spells and get started. Consequently I find this boring. It's nice for NPCs but I want my character to have more flexibility, I don't want a character that just spam fireballs and can't cast vampiric touch if I want to. In BG2 getting scrolls is not an issue so Wizards are not at a disadvantage.

Wild Mages are quite the opposite. It's all about micromanaging and taking chances. You can basically cast any spell in the game when you feel like it. The great thing is that when playing a WM you no longer rely so much on magic missile (the basic staple of the arcane spellcaster). At higher levels no Sorcerer or Specialist can compete with a Wild Mage. Nahal's Reckless Dweomer allows a WM to change his 1st level spells into any spell he/she knows (including spells that can't be cast yet!)... Having plenty of high level spells at one's disposal is particularly enjoyable. Another advantage is that thanks to NRD a WM will always have a spell adapted to the occasion.

And there are wild surges... You can expect anything to happen, good and bad (mostly bad when you're low level). I remember facing Davaeorn and casting Magic Missile and ending up opening a Gate. It was good I had Protection From Evil memorized, not so good however that the party got slaughtered. My Wild Mage? He finished off the Evil Archmagi and lived to fight another day.

Sorcerers are easier to play but so boring compared to Wild Mages, but that's just my opinion.

I agree with what Caradhras said.

Power-wise the Wild Mage at high levels is by far the most powerful class of BG2.
The NRD spell gives them so many tactical advantages that no other class can compete with them.

Like for example 6 Dragon's Breath spells in the FIRST round of a battle (24 in the first 2 rounds if you use multiple PIs cheese ).
And this only by using 1st level spells ;) .

Oh sorcerers are so plain and boring compared to wild mages. Sorcs know so few spells I think they are boring and limited in power. A wild mage on the other hand, can cast ANY spell in his spell book any time via NRD and luck. A wild mage is more fun too, your game will be full of suprises, for the good or ill. I cast NRD recklessly in my BG1 game to cause random wild surges just for the fun of it, and I enjoy the chaos I wrought! Try wild mage!

Sorcerers don't require micromanaging. All you need to do is pick up the right spells and get started. Consequently I find this boring.I agree completely, except for the boring part. This is precisely why I love Sorcerers.

Wild Mages might be more powerful eventually, but I don't like the micromanaging. It's all about your playing style.

Personally, I avoid Wild Mages because I don't like re-loading. Some wild surges really suck....even if they are funny.

Personally, I avoid Wild Mages because I don't like re-loading. Some wild surges really suck....even if they are funny. I know what you mean, I can give dozens of examples from my adventures. Still I like the randomness and unpredictibility of the wild mages, even when I get such a message:

Me-is casting Disintegrate on the Greater Otyugh.
WILD SURGE :Target Self!
Me-NOOOOOOOOO! as I get disintegrated and the fat hand shows up....well, it is good that I save a lot. :shake:

I'm crafting a Wild Mage NPC these days. Should be interesting... :)

I'd vote for a wild mage on this one. I took a sorc through TuTu and imported him into BG2. He was powerful and easy to use but rather dull so I got bored and gave up on him somewhere in chapter 5...

And if you're playing with Improved Anvil or Tactics you'll be loading the game quite often, so what's a few more additional reloads due to negative surges every now and then ;) .

I was leaning way in the wild mages direction, but was curious about everyone else. I think Caradhras explained it very well, thanks to all.

The Easy way to think of wild Mages is somewhere between a Sorcerer and a normal mage. With side effects. no they don't have to prepare certain spells to cast them(specially at high level) but yes they do have to find a scroll and learn the spell before they can cast it. Just make sure your intelligence is as high as possible.

Having to find the scroll and learn it in my mind is almost easier at times than if you really need a spell that you didn't pick yet for your Sorcerer and have to level him up at least once to add it to the spells you do know or finding a scroll to be able to cast it once.

While I think Sorcerer's are more than cool as NPC's and even play a few of the mod ones that way. I've always felt the sorcerer for his small ammount of versatility always had drawbacks that were too large for his casting style. Specially at low level. I'd rather deal with the wild surges.