Shapeshifter Fixing in BG2

[whathuh]

Okay, I want to fix the problematic shapeshifter to just what the game says it should be, without dialogue and spells, as well as find a way around the dispel bug.  The rebalanced shapeshifting is too overpowered for my liking (what's the point of having werewolf when you have greater werewolf forever, as many times as you want, and at will?).

Instead, I've changed werewodr.cre and weregrdr.cre so that they have essentially nothing on them, and changed the item so that it transforms the druid into the respective werewolf, gives all the corresponding abilities, and can still be dispelled.  The only problem is that shapeshifts: natural form (sppr224.spl or something like that) doesn't change back into normal form after the item disappears.  Could it be that the spell reverts you first, then destroys the item (and before the item is destroyed it re-applies the shapeshift)?

Alternatively, I was thinking that having a dispellable form would essentially ruin being a shapeshifter.  Is it possible to destroy any item in the first quick weapon slot, and then replace it with a "spiritual claw" that cannot be removed, or unequipped?  Then, of course, when you shapeshift back, the claw is destroyed.

Also, if you have any ideas on which form would be more correct, I'd like to hear it.  I'm worried that the second might be overpowered, while the first underpowered.  If only it were possible to use magic resistance on dispel magic, I could go with the first one easily.

[WizWom]

If you made the effect Instant/While equipped, wouldn't it go away when the item wass destroyed?

Oh, but then it would not be dispellable.  Hrm, Can you dispell someone's Spiritual Hammer?

[Echon]

Oh, but then it would not be dispellable.  Hrm, Can you dispell someone's Spiritual Hammer?

Yes, you can, but not using the Dispel opcode. You need to use Remove Item/Destroy Item/whatever it is called instead.

-Echon

[whathuh]

I've changed the shapeshift to (greater) werewolf on the claws so that the type, normally 0, be 1, where the choices are "1   No resistances/statistics gained, spell-casting enabled, colouring", and "2   No resistances/statistics gained, spell-casting enabled, no colouring", according to iesdp.  Also, this is using Polymorph into Specific [135].  I checked the big metal unit's ability to shapechange, and all it does is change the avatar to look like an iron golem.  Perhaps Graphics: Animation Change [53] might work out better.  I suppose I might install the rebalancing as well, and see how that is done...

The shapeshift natural form doesn't work, however, and while the claws are destroyed, the druid doesn't actually revert back into whatever form (s)he originated in.  So I'm stuck with a permanent, fully functioning as a human druid looking like a werewolf if I use Polymorph [135]

I'm really not sure why the effect doesn't go away when the item is destroyed...  I'm still interested in how Polymorph [135] works differently than Animation [53].

Edit: Hoohah!  Animation [53] was exactly what I needed for it to work the way I wanted.

Now, I'm not entirely sure how dispels work, so I'll go ahead and ask.  Since I made a brand new item for the Greater Werewolf, can that be dispelled, or will I have to go in and manually edit the dispels for that to work?  Or perhaps I can just use the Greater wolfwere claw instead and edit that as well?

Finally, what all is supposed to transfer over when you shapeshift?  The rebalancing is ambiguous about this, as it gives the greater werewolf super awesome saves, and yet gives nothing to the regular werewolf.  Is thac0 transferred as well?  Pretty much the only problem is that if I make the saves and thac0 cumulative, the form becomes overpowered fast.  If the saves and thac0 are flat, then the forms are overpowered at first, then become underpowered (except the greater werewolf...).  If there are no saves or thac0, then the shapeshifter might be hurting later on for lack of a proficiency, or a +x thac0 weapon.  I suppose the 19/21 strength helps out there immensely.

[Salk]

Just a question: have you ever tried the Shapeshifter fix that comes with Refinements ? If so, did you think it was no good ?

[whathuh]

I'll have to check that out.

Edit:
It looks like the d/l is down at exodus, so I just read the readme.  I like the idea of redoing all the shapeshifting, but the way I currently have it setup seems to be quite effective.  These are the things that the magical claws do:
Werewolf
Avatar change to Werewolf
Disable Speech
Disable Spells (Priest)
Disable Spells (Wizard)
+1 APR
Base AC 1
19 Str
16 Dex
15 Con
immune1
20 Resist Magic
1-12 Slashing (+2)

G Werewolf
Avatar changed to G Werewolf
Disable Speech
Disable Spells (Priest)
Disable Spells (Wizard)
+2 APR
Base AC -6
21 Str
20 Dex
25 Con
immune1
40 Resist Magic
2-16 Slashing +3
50 Resist Fire
50 Resist Cold
50 Resist Electric
50 Resist Acid
50 Reduced Magic Fire
50 Reduced Magic Cold
Regen 3/s
Max HP + 45

All the % resists are cumulative, instead of base, since I want them to stack, but I dont know exactly how the Flat works.

When dispelled, everything stops, since everything is given by the claws.  The regular werewolf form is quite useful in tactics with improved Irenicus.  The proles don't do anything to you.  The Greater Werewolf sure looks to be CRAZY overpowered, but I like to keep in mind that it's limited to once a day, and easily dispellable.

In refinements, if anyone can tell me, what ends up being transferred when you shapeshift?  I decided to keep the forms improving with levels by simply using normal saves (which get better later), using a +1 apr instead of setting it to 2, so that if, for some reason, you get extra attacks, they count too, and the resistances can be stacked on.