I am not as well-versed on IWD:HoW as I am on BG2 SoA & ToB, so I would like to invoke the knowledge of the resident experts on the following questions. Thanks in advance.
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1. It is known that some spells have effects which get better as the caster's level becomes higher. However, I want to know whether there is a cap on the caster's level being taken into consideration in IWD.
   
   In BG2, the caster's level's effects on spells is capped at level 20, even if the caster is level 21 or higher.
   
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2. Same goes for THACO and AC. In BG2, the effective cap is -20 for best, and 20 for worse; even if the displayed information is lower or higher.</font>

[ 09-29-2002, 05:27 AM: Message edited by: Dundee Slaytern ]

AFAIK this is a "universal" truth for AD&D rules, no matter which game you play. There have to be some boundaries! Apparently.

<font color = mediumspringgreen>Dundee,

I know that at least some spells in IWD are capped, but forgot which (and don't have my manual handy).</font>

AFAIK only the ones that are capped by level in the description are capped in the game (ie fireball, lightning bolt, etc.) it would make sense for the rules to extend spell power (for ones that continue increasing, like abi-dalzim's horrid wilting) to go to lvl 30 at least, as that is the cap in HoW, but I don't know for sure, as I haven't cracked the game open to check yet...

Well, I would like to know for sure. [img]smile.gif[/img] Mordenkainen's Force Missiles for example,

[(2d4 + 20) * 7] is vastly weaker than [(2d4 + 30) * 7]!

Hey Dundee, you can always find out when you launch that baby at some tough, big, white, scaly thing and when you highlight it's red circle, it says "Barely injured". Then you'll know for sure. ;)

I need to know because in all my games, information is key. I do not subscribe to the school of thought that goes, "If it hurts them, use it". I am of the, "If it kills them, use it" mentality.

THAC0 stops decreasing at 0 in IWD. I'm not sure about AC though, the lowest you're likely to get it is around -16 since you don't have kit abilities like defensive spin like you do in BG2. (The AC cap for BG2 was -24)

Spell damage is capped at the characters level (i.e. level 30) unless otherwise stated in the spell description (fireballs and lightning spells are capped at 10D6 etc), so a horrid wilting spell will hit for 30D8 in IWD rather than the max of 20D8 in BG2. Of this I'm sure [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 10-01-2002, 03:13 PM: Message edited by: Jim ]

Up till level 30 eh? http://www.plauder-smilies.de/evilgrinblack.gif I am beginning to like the potential of Sunscorch... ...

As for THACO, do you mean that a character cannot have negative THACO? As in STR bonuses, weapon enchantment, etc... I have yet to have a character that exceeds level 20, so I do not know.

Yeah, no negative THACO. Ever. I was pissed when I found that out, believe me.

But at least you can get negative AC, now that couda been a nightmare.

I dont know about the spell caps, some of the BG2 ones are capped but not described as such. Like Lay on Hands for example, seriously screwed up since its capped at 20 and therefore of limited use at level 40.

Id say just do some experiments, if its capped at level 20 youll notice soon enough , unlike me who would just continue to blast away.