Elemental Transformation 
Gives single-classed Druids a little melee boost, but not enough. Keep them in
the back of the party to do useful things like casting Nature's Beauty or
Implosion. If you want melee backup, summon an Elemental Prince. The healing
when you transform back is cute but nothing compared to a decent potion. This
is practically disastrous for Fighter/Druids, who should kick way more butt in
their humanoid form.
Duration: Forever (until you change back manually).
Alchemy
Yay, a single potion per day. Go steal them somewhere and save your slots for
something good.
Assassination
Great ability for Fighter/Thief types (imagine the damage Kensai/Thieves could
do)! Get Improved Hasted to make the most out of it. Single-classed Thieves
don't have the THAC0 or attacks per round needed to make this shine.
Bards cannot choose this ability.
For some reasons, multiclass Fighter/Thieves may choose this ability more than once. |
Avoid Death
A moderate ability practically made obsolete by Death Ward. Get a single one
if you have problems keeping your Thief alive, otherwise get something better.
Enhanced Bard Song
An excellent reason to take a Bard along. The bonuses are just too good not to
use. Makes the Skald's perk obsolete and negates the Blade's biggest drawback.
Bard songs stack. Contemplate the effectiveness of a party of five Bards and
one Fighter...
Bard clones can sing as well, even Mislead decoys. Get some Simulacra and Projected Images to cast as many Misleads as possible and have them all sing. Watch your mage become a juggernaut. |
Evasion
The effects are way too short-lived to warrant filling a precious slot with
this. Pick only if you want Greater Evasion.
Greater Evasion (requires Evasion)
A clear upgrade from Evasion. Get one after you're loaded with other abilities.
Magic Flute
Three Delayed Blast Fireballs per day is nice but not great. Get one
after your Bard has collected enough great abilities.
The flutes last a full day but resting only takes 8 hours. Get three flutes by resting in quick succession.
Set Exploding Trap
The worst of the high level traps. Fire resistance is very common by the time
you can get this. Help yourself to a Spike Trap if you like your traps to
actually damage anything.
Set Spike Trap
The best trap and perhaps the most powerful weapon in the game. High damage,
always hits, not stopped by saving throws or magic resistance, goes right
through weapon immunities. Kill just about any creature in the game (rare
exceptions noted, but nothing really dangerous) with a stack of these. Load up.
Set Time Trap
A very interesting trap that gets you a mini-Time Stop. Stopping time is good,
provided you can do something useful in the time given.
Use Any Item
An insanely powerful ability, the first any rogue should pick. Ignores not
only class restrictions but also alignment restrictions, race
restrictions and "NPC only" restrictions (meaning you can equip items
useable only by specific NPCs). Equip any armor, wield any weapon, and
(probably the best of all) read any scroll.
Some tastes of what this could get you:
Critical Strike (requires Power Attack)
A good ability if you have lots of attacks. Dual wield and get Improved Hasted
to make the most out of it. You won't score many critical hits because most
enemies have something of a helmet (even the mages) but at least this will
guarantee that you actually hit. If you don't have access to lots of Improved
Hastes you're better off with (Greater) Whirlwind Attacks.
You can pick this ability more than once.
Deathblow
Just about nothing you would hit with this would have lived otherwise anyway.
Only take this if you want Greater Deathblow.
Greater Deathblow (requires Deathblow)
A surprising amount of dangerous creatures are level 12 or lower. Mow down
Mind Flayers, Beholders and Abyssal Demons with this. Ranged attackers get
more out of it since they don't have to waste time walking across the
battlefield. Use with Fire Seeds, Arrows of Detonation or Frag Grenades from
the cheesy Big Metal Rod for massive area-wide slaughter.
Greater Whirlwind Attack (requires Whirlwind
Attack)
Awesome ability. Useful any time, anywhere, in both melee and ranged combat.
Makes most fights a cakewalk. Unless you dual-wield and have easy access to
Improved Haste you'll want to stock up on this.
Hardiness
A good defense with a decent duration. Saves you tons of punishment. Combine
with Barbarian damage resistance, Armor of Faith or the Defender of Easthaven
for incredible toughness. Get at least one for the toughest fights.
This ability is erroneously cumulative with itself. Get the fix from Baldurdash. |
Power Attack
Not interesting compared to the other abilities. The average Throne of Bhaal
enemy has a Save vs Death of about 5. Pick only if you want Critical Strike.
Resist Magic
Very useful if you lack the means to protect yourself from magic. Very useless
otherwise.
Smite (requires Critical Strike)
Having to chase your victims usually isn't too practical, so this should be
considered a "tactical use" ability for melee fighters (meaning it might come
in handy in the occasional tough spot). It is great for ranged fighters; you
can keep distance without even moving.
Tracking
An improved Detect Evil. A simple "life scan" isn't worth a high level ability
slot.
War Cry
Worthless at this level; the save is too easy.
Whirlwind Attack
A great ability for Swashbucklers, a step on the way to Greater Whirlwind
Attack for warriors.