Favourite priest and mage spells?

[♥♥♥♥ Goblin]

I haven't played too far into the game (I think my characters are level 7). I was wondering what spells people find the most useful or ones you use a lot? Vice versa, what spells do you find lacking?

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Only about Priests spells...

Less interesting, of course, are all the healing spells, since potions can achieve the same, and trying to survive a healing vs damage race is a bad idea and inefficient, too. For some protection spells there are scrolls, but they require a Lore skill based caster.

There are a couple of favorites that also are my primary choices when it comes to choosing an extra per encounter spell.

https://pillarsofeternity.fandom.com/wiki/Priest_spells

- Holy Radiance - particularly for Vessel killer specialists that learn related talents/abilities and also Survival based bonus
- Armor of Faith
- Prayer Against Fear

- Holy Power

- Despondent Blows
- Warding Seal

- Devotions of the Faithful
- Searing Seal
- Shining Beacon

- Triump of the Crusaders

- Champion's Boon
- Prayer Against Imprisonment
- Shields of the Faithful

- Cleansing Flame
- Crowns of the Faithful

- Minor Avatar

[Gilmoy]

Wizard:
+ Bewildering Spectacle, Confusion
+ Chill Fog, Slicken
+ any spell that targets Reflex (which is usually lowest)

- any touch-range offensive spell (I'm not getting that close)
- any +Deflection spell (I'd rather just take the rare hits and win the fight faster)
- any spell that targets Fortitude (PotD Fortitude is often 90+, I can't even hit that)

Priest:
+ Blessing (ye basic +5 Accuracy)
+ Divine Mark (vs. monsters to about L5, this is almost an instant-kill)

~~~~

For a funny gimmick, Wizard L4 Minor Arcane Reflection.
Pick a fight vs. 2 Skeletal Wizards, who often declare L3 Minoletta's Bounding Missiles.
Reveal your own Wizard first (among your party), e.g. by deliberately ending your Stealth.
Then cast Minor Arcane Reflection. It's Fast, so you should win the casting race.

They nuke themselves and their own side with their own Bounding Missiles
+ It's cheaper than casting 2 MBMs yourself.
+ It unerringly targets two wizards, even if you can't see them. They know where they are.
- It consumes 1 L4 cast. At L7, you have only 2 L4s per rest.
- You are beating skeletals regardless, so this is a "waste" of an L4 cast for ... laughs only.

Do it at least once, and laugh
It's a favorite trick to joke about, but not something you actually do multiple times.