evil mods!

[Pirengle]

It's been a while since I've played the game and even longer since I followed the modding scene. Are there any new (since 2005) evil character mods that DON'T break the fourth wall etc.? Any new evil game or plot twists?

Also, did someone code a way around Bodhi's distruct of PC thieves? (She won't offer assistance in Ch 2/3 if the PC's a thief, good or evil.)

[thetruth]

A very good guide to MOD NPCs can be found here.

Originally posted by Pirengle: Also, did someone code a way around Bodhi's distruct of PC thieves? (She won't offer assistance in Ch 2/3 if the PC's a thief, good or evil.)

IIRC if you have the Valen mod you can side with Bodhi even if you are a thief.

Maybe it is possible with the Shadow Thief Improvements from the Rogue Rebalancing mod too.

[SixOfSpades]

Originally posted by thetruth: Maybe it is possible with the Shadow Thief Improvements from the Rogue Rebalancing mod too.

Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Either way, you would be violating a cardinal tenet of good gameplay:

NEVER install the Shadow Thief Improvements component.

[thetruth]

Originally posted by SixOfSpades: NEVER install the Shadow Thief Improvements component.

What is it too unbalanced ?
I have never sided with Bodhi (can't play an evil character ) so I don't know what exactly this mod does.

If that's the case though then you could use the Valen NPC with less qualms and fight cheese with more cheese .

[Pirengle]

Originally posted by SixOfSpades: NEVER install the Shadow Thief Improvements component.

Quoting from aVENGER's site: In Chapter 2 of BG2:SoA the player is given a choice - to join the Shadow Thieves and fight Bodhi's Guild or to join Bodhi and fight the Shadow Thief Guild. Fact is, the thieves' guild offered very little challenge especially when compared to the Vampire lair. Therefore, this mod will improve all of the Shadow Thief encounters which you face when siding with Bodhi. It will also improve the Shadow Thief allies which come to your aid in Chapter six in case you side with Aran and request his help. Is it badly buggy or grossly unfair?

Back to my original question. One of my roommates wants to try playing an evil assassin, and can't understand why an evil assassin can't join with Bodhi. Assassin's a thief kit, true, but don't assassins come from all walks of life? (Hey, clerics and paladins for certain gods act like assassins, don't they?) I can understand swashies and the other thief kit that I can never remember, but assassins?

We proposed a workaround: use SK for a class change right before talking with Bodhi, and switching back right after. Or does she check the PC's class multiple times?

[PurpleXVI]

It wouldn't make sense for there to be subsequent checks, for one thing, it would only come up in an odd situation(Dual-classing after talking to her first) and it could break the quest chain if that change did happen.

[Pirengle]

Originally posted by PurpleXVI: It wouldn't make sense for there to be subsequent checks, for one thing, it would only come up in an odd situation(Dual-classing after talking to her first) and it could break the quest chain if that change did happen.

I dunno--the game runs multiple checks for Drow items in Ch 6, on Elhan's map, in Athkatla, in Suldanessellar, and at the start of ToB. But yeah, that would be game-breaking right there.

[Illumina Drathiran'ar]

Originally posted by Pirengle: quote: Originally posted by PurpleXVI: It wouldn't make sense for there to be subsequent checks, for one thing, it would only come up in an odd situation(Dual-classing after talking to her first) and it could break the quest chain if that change did happen.

I dunno--the game runs multiple checks for Drow items in Ch 6, on Elhan's map, in Athkatla, in Suldanessellar, and at the start of ToB. But yeah, that would be game-breaking right there. [/QUOTE]Exactly... Besides, after the subsequent check, what could possibly happen? "Sorry, you're a thief now. I'm kicking you out of the guild." If that happens, the game must have thought that you've dual-classed, as you mentioned, and then the Shadow Thieves would have to take you back... Otherwise you can't finish the game.

[SixOfSpades]

Originally posted by Pirengle: Is it badly buggy or grossly unfair?

The only real bug is that 3 (or so) enemies have been placed so that they're standing on . . . nothing. They're just hovering in space, shooting arrows at you, and you shoot back and kill them. No, the component functions just fine. As to the challenge level, though, aVENGER, um--understates it a bit.

Let me put it this way: I sided with Bodhi under STI once, with my Chaotic party: Korgan, Valygar, Jan, Haer'Dalis (I think), CN Anomen, and my CN Wild Mage. We knew we would probably be up for quite a challenge, so we did absolutely every quest and subquest available to us before actually taking on the Improved Shadow Thieves. I mean, we did EVERYTHING: Twisted Rune, Windspear Hills, Kangaxx, and maybe even the entirety of Watcher's Keep as well (it's been a while). My Wild Mage was Level 17 or 18 when we finally exhausted all of Chapter 3's offerings. High-level and armed to the teeth, we took up the gauntlet--and found ourselves hopelessly outmatched. We were forced to resort to cheesy tactics just to avoid wasting all our good spells on the dudes guarding the outside of the building. It got worse as we went along. The final level? It is, in fact, literally impossible to beat without a Solo Sorcerer who can spam Wish, or resorting to really rancid cheese like a Thief/Mage abusing Mislead for infinite auto-hit Backstabs, or outright cheating. Yes, the component is in fact impossible to beat, and that's coming from a guy who's beaten Improved Ilyich without Resting or Reloading.

We proposed a workaround: use SK for a class change right before talking with Bodhi, and switching back right after. Or does she check the PC's class multiple times?

I haven't actually done it myself (even when playing Evil, Bodhi doesn't exactly project an aura of being a trustworthy ally), but it should work just fine. Heck, make an archive save and try it out.

[Shard]

I recall trying the Improved Shadow Thieves with a solo dwarven fighter/cleric. That's not an experience I ever want to repeat!

Having Valen in a party does help - even if you only 'hire' her specifically for this fight - as she is overpowered as well.