sorry for starting so many threads

1. does using other items in shield slot (like torches) when not having shield proficiency also give the penalties?

2. what is the "defensive spell" mode that i can use with my wizard? the manual mentions nothing of this.

3. what is the counterspell mode? the manual is very vague about it. how to use it?

4. what exactly does the elves keen senses ability do? does it mean he is always in search mode? isnt that too powerful? is there any use of putting him in search mode if so?

4.

There is some sort of passive search mode that is on all the time. I've seen this with my characters (half-elves, which is my preferred race). Even when not actively searching, they will notice a nearby trap. Actively searching increases the chance of finding traps, especially if you stand still and wait a short time. Elves get a +2 to searching and half-elves a +1.

Of course, noticing a trap is one thing and being able to do something about it is another.

<center>Nightowl2</center>

1. I don't think so. Never used torches in any of my games personally. What's stopping you from just trying out? ;)

2. If you cast a spell and one or more opponents are within reach, they will get an attack of opportunity against you. If you have Defensive Casting mode enabled, they won't. But you'll have to make a concentration check at -4 to determine if you can cast the spell, if you fail this check the spell fizzles.

3. I've never used this, so I'll leave this to someone else.

4. Yes, characters with the Keen Senses ability (that is, Elves) are always in search mode. Too powerful? Not really. At least, I don't think so. If their search, spot and listen skills aren't high enough, they'll still fail to find traps, doors and hidden enemies anyway. And no, there's no use whatsoever for putting an Elf in detect mode. I don't even think it's possible anyway, since they already are, all the time.

I believe, though I'm not sure of this, that every character always searches at half-power, i.e. with half the value of their search, spot and listen skills. When in detect mode, or with Keen Senses, the full value of those skills is used.

You're correct J'aran, because Elves passively make their active searches it cannot be disabled.

I'm not sure that actively searching increase your chance of finding something, since your spot/listen/search skill checks are what they are (which is why enemies can still see and hear you at time's when you're in stealth mode, and I doubt all enemies are in search mode by default). I think it just increases the distance at which you can find things, something like 5 feet when passively searching and 10 feet when actively searching, although the distance feels more than this.

No need to apologise for asking questions.

1. No.

2. Defensive spell mode lets you cast spells in combat without provoking an attack of oppertunity. However, you have to pass a Concentration check every time you cast a spell, against DC 10 + Spell Level. Failing it will mean the spell's wasted.

3. Counterspell mode is accessed by using the radial menu on an enemy wizard. While in counterspell mode, your character will use his available spells to prevent the opponent's spells from working. Spells can be countered by identical spells, opposed spells and dispels. For example, if the enemy casts Hold Person, you can counter that spell if you have the Hold Person spell memorized yourself, or a Freedom spell, or a dispel of equal or greater spell level (There are four in total, Lesser Dispel, Dispel, Greater Dispel and Mordenkainen's Disjunction).
For it to work, you need to pass a Spellcraft check to identify the spell being cast as normal, and I believe class level factors in there somewhere also. You can improve your chances of succesfully countering a spell by having several people counter the same spell together. You can only counter the spells of one wizard at a time. Sorcerers are often better at counterspelling because they can have more uses of the Dispel variants.

4. Detect mode halves your speed and lets you search for traps and hidden characters at your normal skill level. It can't be cancelled for elves, without it active, you take checks at half your skill level, and it is indeed very useful for certain character classes. It has no effect on the distance at which you can detect hidden objects, unless otherwise scripted.

Thanks all

Then the game manual is about as reliable as the BG2 manual then [img]smile.gif[/img] . Mine clearly states under the Search skill "The search range is 5ft. if passively searching, 10 ft. if actively searching."

Was this changed in a patch, or has the manual been wrong from day one?

The game manual also says that you can parry one attack for every attack in your profile, but it's capped at 3. It does have a good many errors, but more than that, it doesn't make mention of many things it should either. It's worse than the BG2 one, I'd say.

The effective search range depends on the scripting for the hidden object, as I mentioned. In the OC, that applies to secret doors and hatches. They may actually be coded to take that into account, I'd have to check, but that's not really game mechanics as much as it is the module designer's choice. For purposes of spotting traps or hiding characters, it doesn't seem to have any effect at all, unless I'm confused about 5' not meaning 'just about everything on the screen'.