Pocket Plane Group

BG2 Completed Mods => Six's Idle Meddlings => Topic started by: SixOfSpades on October 25, 2008, 02:10:42 PM

Title: Whetting your interest for Version 2
Post by: SixOfSpades on October 25, 2008, 02:10:42 PM
I'm about half done--the other three kits should be finished in roughly 4-6 weeks. Here's what I've completed so far:

WIZARD SLAYER
Class: Fighter
Race: Any
Alignment: Any
Description: Warriors have always frequently regarded spellcasters with both contempt and fear, and naturally this led to certain cadres of fighters trained to strike down practitioners of magic above all other targets. Abject hatred of spellcasters (especially mages) is what drives most of them, and since the Time of Troubles, Wizard Slayers have grown even more dangerous: They have learned to channel the newly-discovered Dead Magic into an aura around themselves, disrupting any nearby magical enchantments.

ADVANTAGES:
* Gains +2% Magic Resistance per level
* Gains +1% Magic Damage Resistance per level
* Special Ability of Nullifying Blow, usable 1x/day per level: For 1 turn, all successful attacks by the Wizard Slayer cause a cumulative chance of Spell Failure to their victims--melee hits cause 1% per EXP level of the Wizard Slayer, and ranged hits cause 1% per 2 levels. The Spell Failure effect lasts for 6 rounds.
* Special Ability of Anti-Magic Aura, usable 1x/day per 4 levels. For each EXP level of the Wizard Slayer, all creatures within 30 feet take a 2% cumulative Spellcasting Failure penalty (lasts for 6 rounds), and have a 1% chance to have all active enchantments on them instantly dispelled.
* Gains access to the HLA of Greater Magic Resistance: Grants +30% Magic Resistance for four rounds. Unlike the regular Magic Resistance HLA, this is cumulative with other sources of Magic Resistance.
* Gains access to the ToB HLA of HLA of Greater Anti-Magic Aura: Instead of being centered on the Wizard Slayer, the Greater Aura can be projected toward any point within 30 feet.

DISADVANTAGES:
* +1 penalty to THAC0 every 4 levels, stops after Level 20
* May put no more than three proficiency points into any weapon
* Cannot use ANY magic item whose enchantments make it primarily useful against any foes other than spellcasters. The one exception is weapons whose only magical effect is their base enchantment level (e.g., a Spear+3). See table.
* Able to select the ToB HLAs of Greater Whirlwind, Greater Deathblow, and Critical Strike only 3 times each
* Able to select the ToB HLA of Hardiness only once

Compatibility and other Notes: This component will conflict with any other mod which seeks to change the default Wizard Slayer. However, the spells & effects that the default Wizard Slayer used to use remain unaltered. Wizard Slayers who Dual-class to Thief will be unable to choose the ToB HLA of Use Any Item. The Spell Failure effect (though not the Dispel Magic effect) of both Nullifying Blow and the Anti-Magic Auras acts as a Level 7 spell, so it will affect creatures such as Liches and Rakshasa. All of my spells and abilities have a maximum casting level of 20, so a Level 40 Wizard Slayer's Nullifying Blow will still cause 20% Casting Failure on a melee hit, and 10% on a ranged hit. While the original Wizard Slayer caused Spell Failure only for Wizard spells, mine affects both Wizard and Priest spellcasting.


HUNTER OF THE OCCULT
Class: Ranger
Race: Human, Elf, Half-Elf
Alignment: Any Good
Description: Frequently, threats to wildlands and isolated villages take the form not of hunters or marauding bandits, but more insidious forces, such as priests of some malevolent deity, or greedy wizards hellbent on obtaining some prize, no matter the cost. To prevent these sorts of people from causing destruction and desolation, Hunters of the Occult have broken from a large part of their Ranger training, the better to school themselves in neutralizing dangerous rogue spellcasters, and if necessary, destroying them without hesitation.

ADVANTAGES:
* Gains +2% Magic Resistance per level
* Gains +1% Magic Damage Resistance per level
* Extended spell progression, up to Level 5 spells (see table)
* Special Ability of Nullifying Blow, usable 1x/day per 2 levels, starting at Level 1 with 1 use: For 1 turn, all hits by the Hunter of the Occult cause a chance of Spell Failure to their victims--melee hits cause 1% per EXP level of the Hunter, and ranged hits cause 1% per 2 levels. The effect lasts for 6 rounds.
* Special Ability of Anti-Magic Ray, usable 1x/day per 4 levels. For each EXP level of the Hunter of the Occult, the single target of the Anti-Magic Ray takes a 2% cumulative Spellcasting Failure penalty (lasts for 6 rounds), and has a 1% chance to have all active enchantments on them instantly dispelled.
* Gains access to the ToB HLA of Anti-Magic Ray, which grants an additional daily casting of the ability.
* Gains access to the ToB HLA of Greater Magic Resistance: Grants +30% Magic Resistance for 4 rounds.
* Gains access to the ToB HLAs of Dolorous Decay and Shield of the Archons (the former is a prerequisite for the latter).

DISADVANTAGES:
* +1 penalty to THAC0 every 4 levels, stops after Level 20
* May put no more than two proficency points into any weapon
* Severely limited spell selection (see table)
* Cannot Dual-class
* Does not get Charm Animal ability
* Cannot use ANY magic item that whose enchantments make it primarily useful against any foes other than spellcasters. The one exception is weapons whose only magical effect is their base enchantment level (e.g., a Spear+3). See table.
* Able to select the ToB HLAs of Greater Whirlwind, Greater Deathblow, and Critical Strike only 3 times each
* Able to select the ToB HLA of Hardiness only once

Compatibility and other Notes: The Hunter of the Occult's Anti-Magic Ray ability does not weaken the Beholder ability of the same name . . . even though it probably should. Just like the Wizard Slayer, the Hunter of the Occult's abilities act (mostly) as Level 7 spells.


GOLIARD
Class: Bard
Race: Human, Half-Elf
Alignment: Any Chaotic
Description: Irreverence is an extremely odd trait to find in a servant of the gods, but those priests who manage to retain their sense of humor and sardonic wit sometimes become Goliards, whose japing mockeries of sacred rituals and satiric twists on holy writ help to break down the spirit of rival churches, or test the faith of their own god's followers. Commonly ridiculed as heretics and blasphemers, Goliards are usually found only among the clergy of fun-loving or trickster deities such as Liira and Mask; sterner gods like Helm have no tolerance for them.

ADVANTAGES:
* Able to cast a large number of Priest spells (see table)
* Expanded spell progression roughly matches that of a Cleric of equivalent EXP
* Can cast spells while wearing heavy armor (Leather & non-Elven Chain)
* Guaranteed at least 9 Wisdom
* Gains access to the ToB HLAs of Power Word: Blind, Pierce Shield, Spellstrike, Spell Trap, Globe of Blades, Energy Blades, and Storm of Vengeance

DISADVANTAGES:
* Able to cast only a limited selection of Wizard spells (see table)
* Cannot learn new Wizard spells, or cast Wizard spells from scrolls
* Only guaranteed at least 9 Intelligence (typical Bard minimum is 13)
* Denied access to the ToB HLAs of Enhanced Bard Song, Magic Flute, Alchemy, Set Exploding Trap, Set Spike Trap, and Set Time Trap 

BARD SONG: "Oh Lord Please Don't Burn Us," distracts nearby spellcasters from concentrating on their spells & prayers, though it is more effective against Priests than Wizards. 
Level   Effects 
1        Imposes 2% Spellcasting Failure on all Priests within 30 feet, and 1% on all Wizards. The Singing Bard recieves a -2 AC bonus. All effects last for 1 round. 
7        Spellcasting penalties raised to 10% for Priest spells and 5% for Wizard spells. Bard's AC bonus raised to -4. 
13      Spellcasting penalties now 20% and 10%. Bard's AC bonus raised to -6. 
19      Priests in the area now suffer 30% Spell Failure, while Wizards must endure 15%. Bard's AC bonus raised to -8. 
25      Local Priest spells now have a 40% chance to fail, and Wizard spells have 20%. Bard's AC bonus now -10.

Compatibility and other Notes: For the most part, the Priest and Wizard HLAs are mutually exclusive: Globe of Blades is the prerequisite for Energy Blades and Storm of Vengeance, while Pierce Shield is the prerequisite for Spellstrike and Spell Trap--and Globe of Blades & Pierce Shield cannot both be chosen. The spell HLAs are treated as innate abilities, and may be chosen up to 3 times each.


As you've probably guessed, the other 3 kits are also Anti-Spellcaster in nature. I'll be rebalancing the Inquisitor, and creating the kits of Hivemaster (Druid) and Disillusioned (Thief).
Title: Re: Whetting your interest for Version 2
Post by: Guest on October 27, 2008, 02:55:02 PM
Regarding the HotO "Cannot use ANY magic item that whose enchantments..." bit, if I make Valygar one of these, what weapons will he be able to use?  I'm thinking of using the Items Revisions mod as well, and don't want Valygar to be too restricted when it comes to available weapons.
Title: Re: Whetting your interest for Version 2
Post by: SixOfSpades on October 27, 2008, 05:51:35 PM
You won't be able to make Valygar a Hunter of the Occult yourself (I don't think), but I do include that feature as one of the optional components upon install. At the moment, my Kitpack just runs through the item lists and checks/unchecks usability flags without changing anything else (including Descriptions, sorry about that), so as with all mods, everything depends on installation order: If you install Item Revisions first and then the Kitpack, you'll get items with Demigvrvs's properties & descriptions, and my flags on whether or not a Wizard Slayer / Hunter of the Occult can use them. If you install the Kitpack first and IR second, I'm not sure, but I think his items will entirely override whatever was there before them.

Here's the table from Page 2 of the README:

Enchantments that contribute to an item's Acceptance:
Base enchantment level of melee weapons or ammunition
Magic Resistance
Elemental resistances
Saving Throw bonuses
Immunities to spells & effects commonly used by spellcasters
Weapons that add elemental damage
Attacks that do extended damage over time
Bonuses to Speed Factor
anything designed to prevent spellcasters from casting
anything likely to make a spellcaster more vulnerable to physical attacks. 

Enchantments that contribute to an item's Rejection:
Base enchantment level of launcher-type weapons
Bonuses to Armor Class
Physical Resistances
Bonuses to THAC0 or Damage
Changes to STR / DEX / CON / INT / WIS / CHA
the casting of any spell that would not be especially useful against spellcasters
any item designed to combat any specific type of enemy other than spellcasters
any spell or effect that would not directly benefit a trueclassed Wizard Slayer.

          If an item has a fairly even mix of "positive" and "negative" enchantments (e.g., Rings of Protection), I usually allow their use, provided that the items are fairly simple and rather benign. Artifact-level items, however, such as the Ring of Gaxx and Staff of the Magi, are commonly ruled out, as they would be rejected simply due to the large number of powerful enchantments on them. Also, where two spells/effects are very similar, Wizard Slayers will tend to accept one but shun the other: Healing is good, Regeneration is bad. Potions of Explosions are magical, Oils of Fiery Burning are not. Etc.

In all, the Kitpack opens up approximately 58 items as newly usable by WS / HotO, and closes off something like 220 items as now unusable. I'll go and post the exact item listings over on Item Revisions, but as I've just typed Demigvrvs's ear off about Spell Revisions, I'm not sure how quick he'll be to respond.
Title: Re: Whetting your interest for Version 2
Post by: SixOfSpades on October 28, 2008, 03:30:29 PM
Note: I'll be changing the Goliard's Bard Song, dropping the Spellcasting Failure effect and replacing it with Wild Magic, as Wild Magic is funnier, and the Goliard is definitely a prankster. I'll try to keep it as primarily effective against Priests, though.

If you have any questions about the changes coming in Version 2, feel free to ask.
Title: Re: Whetting your interest for Version 2
Post by: Demivrgvs on November 05, 2008, 08:24:40 AM
Quote
I'll go and post the exact item listings over on Item Revisions, but as I've just typed Demigvrvs's ear off about Spell Revisions, I'm not sure how quick he'll be to respond.
Sorry I've been quite busy, I'll reply to it asap.

Regarding your topic on Spell Revisions' forum I actually think it has been a very constructive disussion, and I think it can continue to be so if you want to add further contributes.  ;)
Title: Re: Whetting your interest for Version 2
Post by: SixOfSpades on December 13, 2008, 02:43:18 PM
Sorry, everyone, but this is taking longer than I'd thought: The combination of the Hivemaster and Real Life are kicking my ass. I am making progress, but the projected release date is now January/Februaryish. But hey, at least the kits are packed full of flavor: For the Hivemaster, instead of "ADVANTAGES: Special Ability of Insect Plague, twice per day," he gets the custom spells of Hive Mind, Cocoon, and Swarm, with HLAs of Greater Swarm, Infestation, Set Web Trap, and Vortex Spider Transformation. Really cool, but a lot of work.
Title: Re: Whetting your interest for Version 2
Post by: FarisCultist on May 22, 2009, 04:39:05 AM
I like the Cleric Casting Bard, nice idea!


I think you are nerfing a already weak Class: Wizard Slayer.