Cromwell & The Great Mithril Dilemma

[Ayce]

Is it just me, or does anyone else think the programmers of BG2 missed a great oppurtunity to have Cromwell work with Mithril?

 

I mean, I know, the mithril tokens are for the "boot" machine, whatever that means, I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around the idea of a boot machine. Anyway........................

 

It occurs to me, it's Mithril!!! Cromwell says he can work with special metals (he says scales or husks, special metals or he can even repair items and put them back together - I'm paraphrasing). but none of the items he makes involve any special type of metal. The all involve scales, husks or assembling artifact pieces and putting them back together. But what if...............

 

What if he could work with mithril? How can the programmers not have the legendary smith work this iconic fantasy metal. If that crazy gnome can make an iron golem out of golden and silver pantaloons, Cromwell should be able to do SOMETHING with the fantastic metal, so one might think anyway.

 

What did I have in mind? Well at first, I was thinking a certain amount of tokens could be used to "upgrade" metal weapons and armor (or even some other items) with a minor bonus like +1 or 5%MR. One token for a dagger, up to 20 tokens for a suit of armor, one token for two (or more) arrowheads, something like that.......

 

I quikly realized that would involve creating a new "mithril" version of every item eligible for upgrade. No thanx.

 

Then I thought, maybe he could create basic (mithril alloy) items depending on the number of tokens you give him and perhaps a small list of enchantments he could place on said basic items. It could work much like the blind smith in Heart of Winter with the Gloomfrost weapon, only allowing for player choice as to which bonuses and enchantments would be placed on the item.

 

But the mithril tokens are for the boot machine?

 

I see two solutions to this issue..............

 

1. Let the boot machine stand as is, players have to make a choice as to whether or not they buy magical boots or have Cromwell make something nifty for them.

 

2. Mod the boot machine so that player simply pull a lever once (or twice) and get a random item, or have lever 1 be for boots of speed, lever 2 be for boots of grounding, etc. (who really needs the Jester's Chain anyway?).

 

This mod isn't the next thing on my list (I'm currently learning kit design and installation - see my posts in NPC kitpack), but I do want to try a script-based mod like this sometime (as yet, I still have a lot to learn about scripting). I just wanted to run the idea by the group and see what people think, maybe get a few ideas.

 

Open to feedback.

[berelinde]

*This* idea I like very much. What the blazes are you supposed to do with all those tokens, anyway? It isn't as if I actually want the jester's chain, like you say.

[Cashews]

Then I thought, maybe he could create basic (mithril alloy) items depending on the number of tokens you give him and perhaps a small list of enchantments he could place on said basic items. It could work much like the blind smith in Heart of Winter with the Gloomfrost weapon, only allowing for player choice as to which bonuses and enchantments would be placed on the item.

 

Obviously much easier to accomplish than the first option. The only problem I see is that those items would lack in flavor and back story, unlike the weapons and armors reforged by Cromwell. What more could be said of them than the fact that they've been forged from mysterious mithril tokens found in a mysterious asylum maintained by a mysterious group of wizards? How mysterious!

 

An option (one of many) would be to keep the end result a mystery. Much like the smith in Wyvern Crown of Cormyr (NWN Premium Module), Cromwell would be unable to predict how an item would turn out. The player would select what kind of basic item he wants, add a certain number of Mithril tokens and a few rare components (dragon scales, pieces of other broken weapons like the hilt of the Equalizer) or weird random items like the Worn Boots, and let the great smith work his magic.

 

But the mithril tokens are for the boot machine?

 

I see two solutions to this issue..............

 

1. Let the boot machine stand as is, players have to make a choice as to whether or not they buy magical boots or have Cromwell make something nifty for them.

 

I prefer this solution. Choices and consequences are beautiful things.

 

As a side note, it could also be possible to had an extra roleplaying component to such a mod. Since mithril is such an amazing alloy, prized by both dwarvish and elvish smiths, it could be possible to add a quest where the player has to find an elven smith to work with Cromwell. Without him (or her) Cromwell would be unable to handle the alloy properly. Of course, both smith wouldn't have to like each other, which would make for some interesting banter.

[berelinde]

OK, so items wouldn't have the backstory, but they would be forged with 100% dwarven ingenuity, and that's kinda cool, too.

[Cashews]

OK, so items wouldn't have the backstory, but they would be forged with 100% dwarven ingenuity, and that's kinda cool, too.

 

As long as I can get a pint with it...

[Ayce]

As a side note, it could also be possible to had an extra roleplaying component to such a mod. Since mithril is such an amazing alloy, prized by both dwarvish and elvish smiths, it could be possible to add a quest where the player has to find an elven smith to work with Cromwell. Without him (or her) Cromwell would be unable to handle the alloy properly. Of course, both smith wouldn't have to like each other, which would make for some interesting banter.

 

Interesting notion, but it'd be a real trick for me just to pull off the basic idea. Like I said, I've got a lot to learn about scripting, but this mod is something I want to get around to after I master kit modding my kit mods into the game.

 

I've done a lot of basic modding in my time (custom items, custom spells, reclassifying spells, modding existing stores), I'm just beginning to get into the more advanced aspects of modding. Wish me luck!!

[Cashews]

Wish me luck!!

 

Done. Have fun!

[BigRob]

One could add a tiny bit of backstory to the custom designed items by requiring specific components to get specific effects (dragon scales, mimic blood, other bits and pieces added to the game by the mod itself). Of course, all items would have the same basic "Forged by Cromwell the Smith for the Bhaalspawn <CHARNAME>", but it would give you something.

 

Magic weapons have to start somewhere, after all.