.bs Script Discussion

[Dundee Slaytern]

I need some opinions on what would be the best priority.

Here is one Code Section for a character who is going to be ranged.

Aka: Archer, Cleric/Mage, Conjurer, Cleric, etc... ...

[~DEFENSIVE COUNTERMEASURES vs ENEMY SPELLCASTERS~]

After each spell is casted, there is a 50% chance that the character will wait till the next round and a 50% chance that the character will wait till the next next round before casting another spell from this section.

Will not cast arcane spells in the City of Amn if Cowled Wizards are still a problem. Player will have to manually cast if he wants to trigger the Cowled Wizards appearance.

In descending priority,

• 00FFFF">Spell Immunityivination: C or M sighted. Char either has no active Spell Immunity or timer for SIiv has expired. Timer for SIiv is set at 2 turns. Enemy Cleric must be at least level 10 or enemy Mage must be at least level 12. Enemy must not be able to see through invisibility.
  
  
  
• FFFFFF">Mislead: C or M sighted. Char is not invisible. Enemy Cleric is at least level 14 or enemy Mage is at least level 18. Enemy must not be able to see through invisibility.
  
  
  
• 00FFFF">Chaotic Commands: M sighted. Char has no active Chaotic Commands.
  
  
  
• 00FFFF">Free Action: When enemy Cleric(C) or Mage(M) sighted. Character(Char) has no Ring of Free Action or (Improved)Firecam Full-Plate Armor or Arbane's Short Sword +2 equipped. Set duration of 20 turns before any other attempt to cast Free Action again.
  
  
  
• 00FFFF">Spell Shield: M sighted. Char has no active Spell Shield. Enemy Mage must be at least level 10 (Breach).
  
  
  
• 00FFFF">Spell Trap: C or M sighted. Char has no active Spell Trap or Shield of the Archons. Enemy Cleric must be at least level 14 or enemy Mage must be at least level 18.
  
  
  
• 00FFFF">Shield of the Archons: Same as Spell Trap.
  
  
  
• 00FFFF">Death Ward: C or M sighted. Char has no active Death Ward. Enemy Cleric must be at least level 14 or enemy Mage must be at least level 12.
  
  
  
• 00FFFF">Mirror Image: C, M or Druid(D) sighted. Char has no active Mirror Image.
  
  
  
• 00FFFF">Spell Immunity:Abjuration: C or M sighted. Char either has no active Spell Immunity or timer for SI:Abj has expired. Timer for SI:Abj is set at 2 turns.
  
  
  
• 00FFFF">Improved Invisibility: C or M sighted. Char is neither improved invisible or invisible.
  
  
  
• 00FFFF">Spell Turning: C or M sighted. Char has no active (M)Spell Turning/Deflection/Trap. Enemy Cleric is at least level 14 or enemy Mage is at least level 18.
  
  
  
• 00FFFF">Minor Spell Turning: C or M sighted. Char has no active (M)Spell Turning/Deflection/Trap.
  
  
  
• 00FFFF">Spell Deflection: C or M sighted. Char has no active (M)Spell Deflection/Turning/Trap. Enemy Cleric is at least level 14 or enemy Mage is at least level 18.
  
  
  
• 00FFFF">Minor Spell Deflection: C or M sighted. Char has no active (M)Spell Deflection/Turning/Trap.
  
  
  
• 00FFFF">Globe of Invulnerability: C, M or D sighted. Char has no active (M)Globe of Invulnerability or Spell Deflection/Trap/Turning or Shield of the Archons, and either Char is not invisible or enemy spellcaster can see through invisibility.
  
  
  
• 00FFFF">Minor Globe of Invulnerability: Same as Globe of Invulnerability.
  
  
  
• 00FFFF">Magic Resistance: C or M sighted. Char has no active Magic Resistance as per the spell, and either Char is not invisible or enemy spellcaster can see through invisibility.
  
  
  
• 00FFFF">Shield: M sighted. Char has no active (M)Globe of Invulnerability or Spell Deflection/Trap/Turning or Shield of the Archons, and Char is either not invisible or the enemy can see through invisibility, and timer for shield is expired. Timer is set for 5 turns.

[ 02-20-2004, 11:53 PM: Message edited by: Dundee Slaytern ]

[Lord]

Why would you have Free Action first? It's important in some areas, like the Improved Sahuagin City, as was mentioned in Six's Tactics Mod thread. But why would you have it as your first priority?

[Dundee Slaytern]

Hold Person, Symbol Stun, Hold Monster, Slow, Celestial Fury, Tanari Paralytic Gaze, etc... ...

[Lord]

I know that, but why would you cast that first? There would be better choices for your first cast. I can't really find one on the list, but that's mainly because I'm not 100% sure on how this script works. Could you explain it a bit?

[Dundee Slaytern]

If you get stunned or disabled. You cannot do anything else.

The script itself is sequential. The game reads from top to bottom. When a code-block is valid to do, the game executes it and goes back to the top of the script.

So code blocks at the top have the highest priority, while those at the bottom have the lowest.

[Lord]

K, then what is your question. You asked for opinions, but opinions on what? You want to know if the list is compiled well for the ranged classes you listed?
Well, I think stonesking should be put in somewhere there. I know that as a general rule, most people just cast it when they start their adventure after they rest, but sometimes I forget to cast it.
I think Wondrous Recall (cleric) should be stuck in there somewhere. I understand that it's not an attack spell nor a defensive spell, but it could be used to recall defensive spells that you've already cast, which can then in turn be used again. But I guess it might not fit in that list.

[Dundee Slaytern]

This Code Sections deal with countermeasures against enemy spellcasters, not combat protections. Stoneskin does jack against spells. Wondrous Recall is a bit hard to do because it is troublesome to keep track of whether spells have been cast already. It is quite a Global nightmare in the script already.

As for the question... if your character meets an enemy spellcaster, would this be the priority you want your character to do? Remember, the character is suppose to be under AI control.

[Imrahil]

If I had to assign this script to CHARNAME, in order to survive the longest, I'd go with...

Mislead 1st & foremost, then...
Chaotic Commands
SI: Div
SI: Abj
Death Ward
Spell Trap/SotArchons/Spell Turning/GoInvuln
[only one of these]
(do these negate Breach? I'm not sure... if not, then Spell Shield in the step before these)
Mirror Image

Free Action I'm iffy on - if you must include it, I'd say right before Mirror Image.

Spells like Globe of Invulnerability & Imp Invis should only be used in the sequence if no Spell Trap etc. or Mislead available. Otherwise they are wasted attack rounds (your script would have several superfluous spells active at once - who cares if level 1-4 spells don't affect you if you're just going to absorb/reflect them anyway?).

Some, like Shield, are probably wasted attack rounds (assuming, as you said, an enemy is encountered, rather than known about ahead of time) regardless & should be removed from the list.

Granted I'm assuming you want to attack at some point, but certain spells in the list are only useful if you want to postpone damage rather than removing the threat itself.

You've only included defensive spells, & that's OK if that's what you're going for, but certain buffs, like DUHM, should probably be included if you want to remove the threat rather than just withstand it.

What about spells like Fire Shield (either) or the various Protection from... spells (Fire would be good to include)? Are they difficult to implement in a script? If not, I'd say Fire Shield (Red) after the above sequence, unless not available, then Prot from Fire.

All JMO, of course... [img]smile.gif[/img]

- Imrahil

[Dundee Slaytern]

Originally posted by Imrahil: Mislead 1st & foremost, then... Chaotic Commands SI: Div SI: Abj Death Ward Spell Trap/SotArchons/Spell Turning/GoInvuln [only one of these] (do these negate Breach? I'm not sure... if not, then Spell Shield in the step before these) Mirror Image

Hmmmm... I suppose SIiv and Mislead can go first.

Spl Trap/SotArchons/Spl Turning/GoI do not negate Breach. The first three ignores it, the second will be removed along with every other combat protection. However, Spell Shield negates RRoReversal, KWWhip, PMagic, PShield, etc... so it is still wise to cast a Spell Shield first before any heavy duty Protection Spell.

Free Action I'm iffy on - if you must include it, I'd say right before Mirror Image.

It will only be cast if the Char is not wearing any Ring of Free Action. Arbane's Short Sword and Keldorn's Firecam Armor will be taken into consideration too.

Spells like Globe of Invulnerability & Imp Invis should only be used in the sequence if no Spell Trap etc. or Mislead available. Otherwise they are wasted attack rounds (your script would have several superfluous spells active at once - who cares if level 1-4 spells don't affect you if you're just going to absorb/reflect them anyway?).

Good point. Improved Invisibility will not be casted if Mislead is active though, since Mislead is consider an Invisibility spell.

Some, like Shield, are probably wasted attack rounds (assuming, as you said, an enemy is encountered, rather than known about ahead of time) regardless & should be removed from the list.

Hmmmm... iffy. It protects against Magic Missile and grants good AC too. May shift it to the [~DEFENSIVE COMBAT PROTECTIONS~] section instead.

Granted I'm assuming you want to attack at some point, but certain spells in the list are only useful if you want to postpone damage rather than removing the threat itself. You've only included defensive spells, & that's OK if that's what you're going for, but certain buffs, like DUHM, should probably be included if you want to remove the threat rather than just withstand it. What about spells like Fire Shield (either) or the various Protection from... spells (Fire would be good to include)? Are they difficult to implement in a script? If not, I'd say Fire Shield (Red) after the above sequence, unless not available, then Prot from Fire.

... ...

This Code Section deal with defensive countermeasures against enemy spellcasters, not combat protections.

There are a grand total of 25 sections (may be forced to split into more), not including the sub-sections. I chose this particular section for analysis because it is one of the most subjective. I did not want to reveal the entire script because the analysis would have been too chaotic. I rather concentrate on one section at a time.

All JMO, of course... [img]smile.gif[/img] - Imrahil

And much appreciated too. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Dundee Slaytern]

Changes done, edits in the conditions reflected in bold.