dtgreene: For your Bishop, which spells did you spend your spell picks on?
gods_rottweiler: I started the bishop off as a Mage. Then at level 2 swtiched to bishop. At level 1 I picked energy blast and saved the other pick at level 2 I picked mind stab and Acid Splash. I will not take another pick till level 6 and 7 spells are available.
Personally, I don't like multi-classing into Bishop, as that puts you one level behind on the other 3 schools of magic. What I have done with Bishops is the following (separately, not on the same Bishop, of course):
1. Take only Mind Stab and Holy Water, and save the remaining spell picks for level 6-7 spells (except Banish). Great in the late game, but rather lousy early game; I recommend only doing this if the rest of the party can handle it.
2. Pick a few early spells that are particularly useful (for example, Missile Shield if there's no Mage, Noxious Fumes or Freeze Flesh when available). I believe I have even played with the self-imposed restriction that spell picks can't be used for spell levels that weren't available when the spell pick was gained. (For example, only picks from level 14+ may be used on 6th level spells; I only restrict based on level, not on skills.) This restriction makes the choice of spells at higher levels more interesting, while keeping the Bishop more viable at lower levels, and able to cover important spells like Missile Shield early.
3. Use a different character, geared towards the early game, in that slot. (For example, a Fairy Mage who ignores Intelligence would work there.) Once I get past the beginning, I *replace* her with a Bishop, then go with approach 1. This means I have somebody who is useful in the early game, and I have a powerful late-game character with maximum spells known in the endgame. A good time to switch is right before talking to Vi Domina for the first time (as you get an XP reward for doing so).
Out of these options, I think I prefer 2, especially if the party has other spellcasters; it makes the choice of spells more strategic and results in a more even relative level of usefulness throughout the game.
Incidentally, I have another character idea to try once I decide to try playing this game again: Create a mage (ignore Intelligence), then, perhaps on reaching the Trynton Intelligence fountain (but before using it), replace that character with a Gadgeteer. (I note that Fuzzfas sells the Missile Shield spellbook, and he also has the ingredients for a nice gadget for sale.) This would let me get a Gadgeteer in the party, but avoid that class's early game lack of gadgets issue.
Zadok_Allen: Since that is what you aim for: where's the Light Shield? It is extremely good and probably the Bishop's and/or the Bard's best choice.
gods_rottweiler: Probably give it to bard.
Personally, since the *Light* *Shield* looks overpowered, my rule is, if I happen to get this shield by chance, I don't use it (but I keep it as a souvenir). Yes, I have obtained the shield without really trying.