I think, somewhere, in a banter, Nalia reflects that her mother or father encouraged her to become a mage to stop her becoming a thief, or something. It implies that she was a thief before she was a mage. There are also a lot of TOB dialogs, not to mention her epilogue, that refer to her Archmage status. These might need to be changed if the change to Swashbuckler goes ahead.

I can't help but think that Nalia being able to backstab suits her so damn well, though! The number of times I've seen a fragile heroine in films or books take a baddie out by sneaking up behind him and hitting him over the head with something hard, like a bottle or something, while he's busy growling or laughing evilly or something... well, I always associated that action with Nalia's 'backstab'. You could always just shift the majority of her thievery skills to traps, locks and illusions...

[ 04-30-2003, 07:03 PM: Message edited by: Tancred ]

Ok, so, make Nalia a Half Elf. Her father could have had some loving on the wrong side of the sheets. Make her a multi class Mage/Thief [img]smile.gif[/img] Or even a Fighter/Mage/Thief, which would be interesting, as there are no FMT NPCs.

Hell, nowhere does it say Nalia's mother was human. [img]smile.gif[/img]

for god sake, make imoen have a variable alignment, so she could become evil w/ the pc's prods, or at least nuetral.

It'd take a lot more than 'tweaking' to pull THAT off and make it consistent, I'm guessing. That's a whole different mod!

As impossible as, say, Dualing to Cleric with only 12 WIS? No, I say full speed ahead with the Priest of Helm deal--it makes a lot more sense than making him a Berserker. Hey, wait--hold on a second. Suggestion: If he fails his test and becomes Chaotic Neutral, he loses his Priest of Helm kit and abilities, and gains the Berserker kit and abilities.

It'd take a lot more than 'tweaking' to pull THAT off and make it consistent, I'm guessing. That's a whole different mod! </font>[/QUOTE]Not at all--at the very start of the game, have a script detect the PC's Alignment and perform an Alignment shift on Imoen. And then just call the script again when you pick her up in Spellhold. Apart from that, you'll just need to change some banters and voice files.

<span style="color: lightblue">Should do... I`ll give it a shot. [img]smile.gif[/img]
And just to make that script alot shorter, I`ll bind the sword to his bloodline... or, in English, make it undropable.
TakeItemReplace should put the new item into the same spot that it took the old item out of, shouldn`t it ??

On Anomen - I`ll try to make him a Fighter->Helmite; and if that turns out to be truly impossible, I`ll just give him some special abilities based on his worship of helm.
On Imoen allignment change - I`ll either make her switch between Good/Neutral/Chaotic Good; or Neutral Good/Neutral/Evil ... whichever ends up making more sense once I look at her dialogue. [img]smile.gif[/img]
On Nalia - I`ll read through her dialogue and epilogue, and see what I can do... if there is alot of stuff about her being a good Mage, then I might make her a pure Mage... the game does lack a 'good' one, after all...


[ 05-01-2003, 04:34 AM: Message edited by: LennonCook ]

TakeItemReplace does that.
But beware, the new item will be added even if the NPC doesn't have the item that needs to be removed. Which is really dumb.

<span style="color: lightblue">If it`s undroppable, how can he *not* have it (short of cheating) ?? [img]tongue.gif[/img]

i would love to see a monk NPC...but there doesnt seem to be a portrait right for a monk...maybe josimo woulb be a good one.

i think a good mod would be to to make thir thei a.i more intresting...
i hate the fact that i cant speak to my party members even they have nothing really important to say...just to chat...even make an affair with jaheira for example

Hmmm. Yes, this is a good idea. Why not make a "force dialog" with each NPC, something like Tashia, Kelsey and other custom NPCs have?

Hmmm.. all you people that say Valygar should be a wizard slayer are missing one MAJOR point... Valygar leads the mage stronghold quest! What mage would take a wizard slayer into their party?????? Especially one they didnt know. it doesnt make sense. make him a Kensai.

If the PC was a wizard and Valy was a Wizard Slayer.. that just doesnt work out. you see what i mean? you would have to "break" role playing or find some reallllly good reason why a wizard slayer would join a wizard, or vice versa. ;)

For example: player is angry because Tolgerias lied to him, and Valygar has troubles with bounty hunters. They forget their class disputes, and ally against common enemy.

Yes or something like this:
Enemy of my enemy is my friend..so for this case:PC and Valygar are alies against Coweld Fool by name Tolgerias

Well, this is the thing. Make him a Kensai or make him a Wizard Slayer, it's not going to change the fact that Valygar STILL HATES MAGIC. When he was a Stalker he STILL HATED MAGIC. I think he'll follow you; he's a Good character, he'll join you if your Rep is high enough. Same as everyone else! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Besides, why the hell should he be a Kensai?

Reason for Wizard Slayer: He's slain Wizards.

Reason for Kensai: ...?

Anyone quoting the existence of the Family Blade should note it was probably crafted by one of Valygar's wizard ancestors, not a Wu-Jen.

<font color=white> My PC slays wizards all the time, though he still is a kensai... [img]graemlins/1ponder.gif[/img] and not a Wizard Slayer [img]tongue.gif[/img]

I see him as an kensai for several reasons, he uses a katana (though not a Wu Jen forged one, change the story and it becomes a forged Wu Jen weapon ;) easy as that ) he only slayed like.. 2 wizards? and is trying to kill Lavok (his ancestor), does this make him a wizard slayer?

My PC also haunts down a powerfull Wizard (Irenicus... ring any bells?)... I repeat.. he aint a wizard slayer :D

Valygar looks like an forign looking guy (tainted skin color), flexible, wielding a katana of considerable powers and hates wizards.. I only see 1 reason for making him a wizard slayer and not a kensai, his ancestor.

My vote goes to making Valygar a kensai. </font>

<span style="color: lightblue">I agree that a Monk NPC would be nice... but, I don`t see how one could fit into this particular mod. :(
A monk has had a life of absolute devotion to the martial arts, and the only existing NPCs who hint at having a devotion to anything much are Keldorn and Cernd - Cernd is always on about nature this and nature that, which says Druid through and through. Also, the entire reason that you get him is due to his being a druid. Keldorn is constantly saying about Helm and Torm... making him religious, making him a Cleric or a Paladin.

Unless anyone can think of an existing NPC that the Monk class would suit, well... maybe next mod. [img]smile.gif[/img]

<span style="color: lightblue">Ok, it's been almost a month since my last post here, and I have done almost *nothing*... so, I'm going to be posting updates every Sunday to try to keep myself motivated. I am still open to suggestions, and always open to criticism.

The following tweaks have been decided sofar:
Aerie: Sorceress, gaining clerical abilities at key points of her romance. I may be revoicing this part, and as such it may be very large... if that is the case, I will make it a separate mod to be kind to people's diskspace.

Valygar: Kensai. I may modify his stats a little, and if I do, I will be making sure he has stats that will prevent him from dualing to a Mage. I will probably keep his Mage bloodline present, by making some spells fire off randomly, which neither the player nor Valygar himself will have control over.

Nalia: Her epilogue mentions her being a Mage, and she has Thief levels to escape the keep... thus, I will make her a Swashbucker -> Mage, dualled at a level to make her thieving skills actually useful.

Anomen: I have finally decided to try the following: make him a Cleric of Helm to start with, give him a couple more special abilities if he becomes a knight. He will loose the ability to use his family items if Cor disowns him, and will loose his helmite abilities if he feels that Helm has betrayed him. In other words, I am going to make it actually potentially worthwhile for Ano to fail his test, and give him some disadvantages for passing it.

<span style="color: white">_{Edit to fix a typo that made half the post bold.}

[ 05-19-2003, 05:20 AM: Message edited by: LennonCook ]

I, personally, see no reason why Aerie would be "better" as a Sorceress, except of course the fact that's it's one of the very most powerful classes. There's plenty of motivation for having her be a Cleric/Mage (Her dialogues mention how odd it is that she worships human, elven, and gnomish gods), and what you suggest would take the most versatile spellcaster in the game and make her the most <u>limited</u> spellcaster in the game (except for Kelsey and Tashia). I have no problem whatsoever with keeping Aerie exactly as she is....except for the fact that she needs a spine, of course. What you're suggesting would work better as an all-new, standalone NPC than as a tweaked Aerie.

Don't go too far--you don't want to eclipse Imoen, and Nalia already has her Ring to back her up. You might rearrange Nalia's Thieving skills to boost her Traps and Locks skills, but I don't see much motivation behind the Swashbuckler part--except for powergaming reasons, of course.

Ooooo, I *like* the disowning bit. But it'd carry more of a sting if he had more items to lose--the Delryn Family Shield isn't really that big a loss, even if you've upgraded it. And I still think Anomen should get the Berserker kit if he fails his Test.

I, personally, see no reason why ... than as a tweaked Aerie.
<span style="color: white">Point taken. All of them. And when I think about it, scripting in the extra abilities would be an absolute pain... and finding a better voice for her... and recording it... Aerie is off the list.

Don't go too far--you don't want to eclipse ... powergaming reasons, of course.
<span style="color: white">I'll definately be wary of overdoing it... I'll boost her up by one or two levels maybe, but atleast one level lower than Imoen. And I'll leave her at that, if the Swashbuckler would be that powergamy. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Ooooo, I *like* the disowning bit.... Berserker kit if he fails his Test.
<span style="color: white">I have never heard of any character changing kits in the course of the game without the player using Shadowkeeper... which makes me doubt the possibility of doing it. I'll ask around, though, and if it's possible, I might just make him go beserk at failing. As for more items... I'll definately consider it, especially if I'm given some input onto what those items should be. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 05-21-2003, 05:43 AM: Message edited by: LennonCook ]

I think Anomen should have a piece of equipment that doesnt clash too much with the way people like to play him (ie giving him FoA etc). So maybe an under powered area such as belts, boots, or gloves would be a good choice for items. Also maybe you could give him an item for passing his test from the Order. Anarg the Fallen Paladin has a cup that was given to him by the order so it isnt unreasonable.

Hmmm.....well, if the game can perform such tricks as "Lost Class: Paladin," "Loses all Bhaal powers," and the temporary suspension of your class-based Special Abilities when you Dual, then removing 'Fighter->Priest of Helm' and replacing it with 'Berserker->Cleric' sounds doable. If worst comes to worst, you could let his actual kit stay the same (meaning his Record page would still say the same thing), but just erase all of his True Sight and Seeking Sword abilities, and grant him 1 or 2 Berserker Rages (since his Fighter class will always be 7).

I like the Anomen's Cup idea, but that would mean Keldorn gets one too, and so would a Cleric or Paladin PC (but then, the Paladin stronghold needs all the help it can get). In any case, it should be able to be Drunk once per day (or create a potion), conferring some effect that Clerics and Paladins cannot cast, but still sounds reasonably Faith-based. Suggestions: Clairvoyance (fits well with a Priest of Helm), Protection from Petrification, Stone to Flesh, Protection from Magic Energy, or Mantle. There is also no reason that Anomen, Keldorn, PC Clerics and PC Paladins cannot receive different Cups.

As for another "Delryn Family Item" for him to lose (which should be stripped from Anomen via a script during the Disowning speech, and possibly returned after his father's potential death), I don't think it should be an item made of leather (boots, belt, gloves), since family heirlooms tend to be more durable. We can't use his Ring, as having 2 copies would create confusion....a Helmet might be nice. A Helmet that grants Infravision, sets the wearer's DEX to 15 (granting Anomen a -1 AC bonus), and casts either Flame Blade or Phantom Blade once per day, since Anomen does mention using a sword from time to time. Howzat?

[ 05-21-2003, 07:04 PM: Message edited by: SixOfSpades ]

<span style="color: lightblue">Losing the Paladin class is nothing more than loosing the special abilities that the class grants you... you don't actually "change" class (well, your record says "Fallen Paladin", but that would probably be a script in the class rather than the dialogue or AI), and removing special abilities is quite possible... hence you can loose all of your Bhaal powers.
A cup for passing his test would lead to all sorts of inconsistancies, as mentioned, such as "Why doesn't Keldorn have one?","Why can't Player1 get one?"... and changing the Paladin stronghold would take it a bit out of the realms of an "NPC-Tweak Mod".
To solve both of these problems, I'll ask around about changing classes, and "invisible" classes (ie, classes which appear to exist ingame, that you can never actually choose yourself, only earn... Fallen Paladin, for example). If it is possible, I will make Anomen a pure Beserker if he fails, and a Knight if he passes... if this goes ahead, the Knight class will be thus:

Advantages
- THAC0 equivalent to a Fighter of the same level.
- Can cast Clerical Spells up to level 4.
Disadvantages
- Cannot use any ranged weapon.
- Cannot gain points in Dual Wield, Two-Handed Weapon Style, or Single Weapon Style; or in any two handed weapons.
- May not dual class (I am removing Anomen's dualclass aswell, incase that wasn't clear. [img]smile.gif[/img] )

I may also make it a choosable Fighter Kit, who gets their choose of the Fighter or the Cleric stronghold; and add the disadvantage of "must be Neutral Good alignment" (meaning also that Anomen's alignment will shift to Neutral Good rather than Lawful Good)... as always, suggestions welcome. I probably won't make it playable though, not this mod.
And that helmet, I love it. Now all I need is to figure out how to make the thing. :D

Actually, what the game does is:
1) Adds the word "Fallen" to your class or kit
2) Removes all Special Abilities related to the class/kit you just lost
3) Removes all other benefits of the class you just lost (A Fallen Archer cannot put any extra stars into Bow weapons)

Whether or not the game actually changes the character's class or kit, though, is not for me to say.

Actually, that kit description sounds almost exactly like the Rebalanced Cavalier. Whatever happened to Anomen being a powerful Cleric? I would go for something simpler: When you meet Anomen, he's a Fighter->Cleric. If he passes, he becomes a Fighter->Priest of Helm. If he fails, he becomes a Berserker->Cleric.

I'll try to make it this weekend & send it to you. (The Phantom Blade part will be the tricky bit.) Rather pressed for time, though.

Actually, what the game does is:
1) Adds the word "Fallen" to your class or kit
2) Removes all Special Abilities related to the class/kit you just lost
3) Removes all other benefits of the class you just lost (A Fallen Archer cannot put any extra stars into Bow weapons)

Whether or not the game actually changes the character's class or kit, though, is not for me to say.
<span style="color: white">Interesting... I'll have to look into it.

Actually, that kit description sounds almost exactly like the Rebalanced Cavalier. Whatever happened to Anomen being a powerful Cleric? I would go for something simpler: When you meet Anomen, he's a Fighter->Cleric. If he passes, he becomes a Fighter->Priest of Helm. If he fails, he becomes a Berserker->Cleric.
<span style="color: white">Rebalanced Cavalier? Got a link?
I'll do what you suggest if I can change his second class to a kit... I'll ask around. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I'll try to make it this weekend & send it to you. (The Phantom Blade part will be the tricky bit.) Rather pressed for time, though.
<span style="color: white">Thanks. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 05-23-2003, 12:59 AM: Message edited by: LennonCook ]

This game needs the Potion of Mirrored Eyes. Remember the basilisk-saver from BG1? It lasts about as long as a giant strength potion and reflects gaze attacks. I can count at least five posts on the front page alone that would have their problems solved if this potion were put back into the game (and used it wisely, but that's another post entirely). I've copied the item file from BG1 and I use it in my own games. (Bought Mind Focusing potions at Temples, threw them away, put in Mirrored Eyes through the CLUA console.) Now, I can only think of two afflictions that a potion can't cure, and that's Blindness and Level Drain.

Any way to tweak Mirrored Eyes back in?

<span style="color: lightblue">Ok, I've asked around a bit, and it seems that giving a character a kit as a second class is impossible, and therefore Anomen the Fighter->Helmite is impossible. Making him a Beserker->Cleric for failing should work, though... I think I'll give him some special abilities for passing, or maybe some new items to replace those he lost. Suggestions ??

The Delryn Family Helmet is done--what's your Email? The Phantom Blade was actually easier than I'd expected, and now I know how to do any Wizard spell. It's only the Priest spells that can be tricky. The only flaw is that the Blade can be Dispelled out of Anomen's hand, but that's not my fault--blame the spell, not me. [img]smile.gif[/img]

There is no "Rebalanced Cavalier" MOD, or at least not yet--as far as I know. But since the Cavalier stomps on the other two Paladin classes (not to mention the straight Paladin), it could use a little dumbing down....and the Undead Hunter could use some tweaks as well. Since, in PnP, Cavaliers absolutely *MUST* fight with a Shield at all times, it would make sense to forbid Cavaliers to put points in Dual-wielding, 2-Handed Weapon Style, Single Weapon Style, or any 2-Handed weapon. (They can still use Carsomyr, they just can't put points into it.) They also lose their Turn Undead ability (or have it reduced), to simulate honing their skills against Demons and Dragons. In exchange, they can reach Mastery (***) in any weapon they're allowed to use, and get a -5 bonus to their Save vs. Breath Weapon.

I believe Potions of Mirrored Eyes are still in Shadowkeeper, and therefore can be easily put back into the game. Whether or not they'll reflect Gaze attacks that were not in BG1/ToSC, though (such as the Paralytic Gaze so favored by BG2 Demons), is another question altogether. 'Diseased' is also uncurable though Potions.

No Dualing to kits, even through scripts? That bites! :mad:

The Delryn Family Helmet is done--what's your Email? The Phantom Blade was actually easier than I'd expected, and now I know how to do any Wizard spell. It's only the Priest spells that can be tricky. The only flaw is that the Blade can be Dispelled out of Anomen's hand, but that's not my fault--blame the spell, not me. [img]smile.gif[/img]
<span style="color: white">My MSN is in my Profile - mail it to there. [img]smile.gif[/img]
There is no "Rebalanced Cavalier" MOD, or at least not yet--as far as I know. But since the Cavalier stomps on the other two Paladin classes (not to mention the straight Paladin), it could use a little dumbing down....and the Undead Hunter could use some tweaks as well. Since, in PnP, Cavaliers absolutely *MUST* fight with a Shield at all times, it would make sense to forbid Cavaliers to put points in Dual-wielding, 2-Handed Weapon Style, Single Weapon Style, or any 2-Handed weapon. (They can still use Carsomyr, they just can't put points into it.) They also lose their Turn Undead ability (or have it reduced), to simulate honing their skills against Demons and Dragons. In exchange, they can reach Mastery (***) in any weapon they're allowed to use, and get a -5 bonus to their Save vs. Breath Weapon.
<span style="color: white">Ah, gotcha. [img]smile.gif[/img]

No Dualing to kits, even through scripts? That bites! :mad:
<span style="color: white">Yes, yes it does.


<span style="color: lightblue">Ok, I'm thinking for Anomen passing his test: True Sight (3/day, may give extras on levelups - ), and something which makes him immune to blindness. Suggestions?

<span style="color: lightblue">Status Report
What I've done since last status report: made a few decisions. And ofcourse gotten that one item made...

Current list of NPCs to be tweaked:

- Anomen Delryn: will gain abilities for knighthood, possibly level dependant. Loose family items (including the new Delryn Family Helmet) if Cor disowns him. Will go beserk if he feels his god has betrayed him (ie, if he fails).
Abilities for passing at this stage: True Sight (as per the Mage spell): 3/day; Immunity to Blindness... probably 3 turns worth through a once/day special ability.

- Valygar Corthala: will be a Kensai, the Corthala Family blade will improve with levels. His armour will probably just vanish.
NEEDED: Suggestions for Katana improvements. Most probably, it will improve at levels 15, 24, and 33.

- Nalia De'Arnase: thieving skills will be tweaked so they are slightly more useful. I have decided against doing anything else to her at the risk of clashing with the in-progress Nalia romance mod.

I will probably also make Cernd another kit than Shapeshifer: he is almost useless before the Rebalanced Shapeshifter mod, and could finish the game to the end of TOB solo without taking more than about 5 points of damage and resting maybe once after it. Ofcourse, this would also involve changing one cutscene, but that wouldn't be too hard.

[ 05-25-2003, 05:17 AM: Message edited by: LennonCook ]

I’m not sure I follow why changing Aerie to a sorcerer is a positive. As annoying and disruptive as Aerie is she is already on of the more powerful and versatile classes. Two sorcerer mods already exist, Tashia and Kelsey so I can’t see any benefit from this.

I have never understood peoples obsession with Kensai class.

My question then becomes what differentiates her from Imoen?

So you’re taking an NPC and actually making him LESS useful.

<span style="color: lightblue">IronDragon, please read the updated list... Aerie: Sorceress is off the list, Nalia tweak been changed a bit, so has Anomen's one.
"so you're taking an NPC and making them less useful" - how? I will take your arguments with more seriousness if you put some explanation to your thoughts. I will not take into account anything that says "this would be good" or "this would not be good", without any explanation of *why* it would be so. See, for example, all of SixofSpades' posts in this thread for an indication of what I will take seriously.

<span style="color: white">Status Report
My blade party is nearing the end of the game, so I lost track of this mod a bit this week... ie, I didn't get much done. Then I lost all of my saves bar the quicksave from before I left Amkethran after the meeting with Balthazar... I'm taking it as a message from the game to get on with the mod. So I will. This week I have a fair amount of time off school, and next weekend is 3 days long because of some holiday, so I'll have a bit extra time to work on it. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I don't really have any particular ideas about individual npc's but I think there is definite need for a thief that can reach higher levels and continue on through the later chapters of the game. After playing through the game and starting a new character for the next game I felt like I almost had to make my pc at least a partial thief. I hate dual classed chacters because the limitations seem too constricting.

<span style="color: lightblue">There are already some mods about which deal with this, although I don't know of any *released* ones...
The Darkest Day gives us back Montaron and Xzar, but it's bugridden, power-gamey, with lots of stuff that doesn't fit in with the game, and is a 700 MB download. From fileplanet.
Silverstar looks good - Evil Elf Asassin. [img]smile.gif[/img] It doesn't have a download link, but it's listed as 'completed'... so, I dunno. BETA, maybe ??
EDIT: this looks download-linky [img]smile.gif[/img]
And, SixofSpades was working on a thief mod a little while ago, to add several thieves to the game, including doing a better job of Montaron than what TDD does (not hard). I'm sure he'll burst in soon telling us if he's still working on it. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 06-01-2003, 03:54 AM: Message edited by: LennonCook ]

The Darkest Day is actually just over 300mb.

I am indeed still working on it, but it's waaaaay on the back burner right now: First off, I want to finish the Rebalanced Wizard Slayer, and then perhaps an Item Balancing MOD. But before I do that, I'd better learn WeiDU and how to make the MODs be self-extracting--no more of this piddling about with annoying *.TBG files. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

<span style="color: lightblue">Ah, so it's shrunk a bit, then. [img]smile.gif[/img] Still huge, though... even on broadband...

Six, on TBG files... you were probably expecting this, but it didn't work again... didn't do *anything* this time, maybe it does need to be extracted ??

Today, I accidentally double-clicked on a *.TBG file, and it said, "File successfully imported into BG2." But I suspect that you have to have IEEP installed on your computer for it to work. So I'm gonna download me some WeiDU and learn how to do it right.

In the meantime, the Delyrn Family Helmet is still perfectly usable, as long as you don't mind the funky-ass name and description. If you want 15 DEX, Infravision, and Phantom Blade once a day, it's 100% functional.

Today, I accidentally double-clicked on a *.TBG file, and it said, "File successfully imported into BG2." But I suspect that you have to have IEEP installed on your computer for it to work. So I'm gonna download me some WeiDU and learn how to do it right.

In the meantime, the Delyrn Family Helmet is still perfectly usable, as long as you don't mind the funky-ass name and description. If you want 15 DEX, Infravision, and Phantom Blade once a day, it's 100% functional. </font>[/QUOTE]<span style="color: lightblue">Would you be able to PM me the proper name & description, then ?? If this is all that shipping in .itm format will damage, it can be fixed while it is installing. And it isn't too hard. [img]smile.gif[/img]

On the Corthala Family Blade upgrades, this is the only advise I've been given sofar, that doesn't seem to be very impossible to do:

Level 15
- +3 Enchanted
- 1 AC Bonus vs all Weapons.
- Bleeding 3 points/round for 3 rounds.

Level 21
- +4 Enchanted
- Bleeding 4 points/round for 4 rounds
- +5% MR

Level 30
- +5 Enchanted
- Bleed 5 points per round for 5 rounds
- +10% MR
- -2 AC vs All Weapons.

What do people think of these ?? Most importantly, is it overpowered ??
If all goes well, the mod should be released early next week. [img]smile.gif[/img] Ofcourse, that's if all goes well...