Best Spells for Archivists?

[cannibal]

Heya, I'm going to be playing an Archivist in an upcoming campaign that starts at level 8. Any divine spells I should keep my eye out for? I've already found that I can get Legend Lore as a 4th level spell thanks to Consecrated Harrier.

[Maat Mons]

You could check out this list (https://bg-archive.minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=12661.0), but be warned that it was compiled with Artificers in mind, so it also includes spells from arcane spell lists. For some good but easily available spells, you might just want to look at some guides to Druid, Cleric (for domains), Paladin, and Ranger.

[Anthrowhale]

Summon Giants as a 4th level spell is a staple.

Edit: More generally, I'd suggest looking at the Ranger, Paladin, Healer, and Rune-Scarred Berserker lists.

[Maat Mons]

Some more thoughts:

1st

Barkskin (Nentyar Hunter)
Darkvision (Darkness Domain)
Entangle (Druid)
Grease (Divine Bard)
Identify (Cloistered Cleric)
Mage Armor (Spell Domain)
Ray of Enfeeblement (Mystic with Necromancer Domain)
Remove Paralysis (Healer)
Repair Light Damage (Warforged Domain)
Resist Energy (Ranger)
Restoration, Lesser (Paladin)
Spider Climb (Spider Domain)
Tasha’s Hideous Laughter (Divine Bard)

2nd

Alter Self (Alteration Domain)
Invisibility (Divine Bard)
Remove Blindness/Deafness (Healer)
Remove Disease (Healer)
Secret Page (Rune Domain)
Spike Growth (Ranger)
Suggestion (Divine Bard)
Tongues (Divine Bard)
Web (Ooze Domain)
Wind Wall (Air Domain)

3rd

Charm Monster (Divine Bard)
Confusion (Divine Bard)
Divination (Oracle Domain)
Evard’s Black Tentacles (Blackwater Domain)
Fly (Travel Domain)
Glibness (Divine Bard)
Knock (Greed Domain)
Haste (Divine Bard)
Neutralize Poison (Druid)
Poison (Druid)
Ray of Exhaustion (Entropy Domain)
Restoration (Healer)
Scrying (divine Bard)
Slow (Divine Bard)
Touch of Idiocy (Envy Domain)

4th

Dimension Door (Divine Bard)
Dominate Person (Divine Bard)
Enervation (Deathbound, Hunger, or Suffering Domain)
Explosive Runes (Rune Domain)
Legend Lore (Divine Bard)
Modify Memory (Divine Bard)
Polymorph (Alteration Domain)
Shadow Conjuration (Divine Bard)
Spike Stones (Druid)
Transmute Mud to Rock (Blighter)
Transmute Rock to Mud (Blighter)
True Seeing (Urban Ranger)


I hadn't realize Runescarred Berserker counted as divine. Good catch.

[Rebel7284]

It depends on what shenanigans are available to get specific arcane spells. For example, if divine Trapsmith spells exist in your campaign, it's very good to find them early on as many are under-leveled significantly. The Celerity line is similarly extremely powerful for a character that can natively cast Favor of the Martyr.

Customize Domain is a feat in Dragon #325, but it's hard to find NPCs that have just the combination of choices you want.

[AnonymousPepper]

Favor of Ilmater/Favor of the Martyr (Paladin 4) is basically just immunity to every negative condition that you would otherwise have trouble getting immunity to. Control Winds comes a whole level early (4) on the Nentyar Hunter list; it's just one example of why you should be sure to parse through all the wacky one-off prestige classes with their own lists.