EoU script

[the bigg]

It'd be really nice if my melee-oriented Swashbuckler->Mage would charge into combat without constant prodding. After all, if I'm having her wield a sword rather than a bow it means I want to use that.

 

Also, it'd be nice if a sorceror who made the mistake of learning Melf Minute Meteors (E.G. Xan) didn't deplete all of his 3th level spells while fighting gibberlings, but I'm not too picky - it took less time to remove the spell with NI than it would to find a codeable and logical workaround, and I should concentrate more on spellcasting anyway

[DavidW]

It'd be really nice if my melee-oriented Swashbuckler->Mage would charge into combat without constant prodding. After all, if I'm having her wield a sword rather than a bow it means I want to use that.

 

Agreed. The new version lets you shift characters from "will enter melee" to "won't enter melee" via a hotkey, so you can choose whether a given character is cowardly or not - that should be a bit more flexible than the current version's hardcoded class-based preferences.

 

Also, it'd be nice if a sorceror who made the mistake of learning Melf Minute Meteors (E.G. Xan) didn't deplete all of his 3th level spells while fighting gibberlings, but I'm not too picky - it took less time to remove the spell with NI than it would to find a codeable and logical workaround, and I should concentrate more on spellcasting anyway

OK, that one didn't occur to me... I've never played with a Sorceror. They shouldn't autocast at all, I guess (or maybe just Stoneskin?... people who play Sorcerors, advise me!)

[BigRob]

It's a real balance of how people prefer things with autocasting scripts. I hate the things personally, as there seems to be no way to properly scale the way the spells are cast. I suppose you could try to set up rules not to cast spell above x level for cratures with x hit dice (assumnig that's not insanely complex).

[the bigg]

Also, don't cast (stoneskins or whatever) if you have a spell failure rate.

[DavidW]

Also, don't cast (stoneskins or whatever) if you have a spell failure rate.

 

Good point.

 

Too late for v5, sorry.

 

(BTW and off-topic, once you've finished your run I'd be very interested in more general feedback - good or bad.)

[the bigg]

(BTW and off-topic, once you've finished your run I'd be very interested in more general feedback - good or bad.)

I can try - however, I am partial to using ctrl-{r,y} when frustrated and/or want to press forward, and besides I use some unbalancing Item packs (FR_ROV, IU...) which shift the power balance quite widely, and have poor short-term memory. Let me know if you want some more precise feedback somewhere, and I'll try to.

 

Anyway, I'm at WK L4, and have done Saradush and Marching Mountains, having 5M XP per character. Here is a component-by-component quick comment (only the components I installed, of course).

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #10 // Detectable spells and effects (required for most other components)

N/A

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #20 // Allow Spellstrike to take down a Protection from Magic scroll

N/A

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #30 // More consistent Breach spell (always affects liches and rakshasas; doesn't penetrate Spell Turning)

Makes mages harder than before, except Liches, who are easier to deal with once you can cast Spell Strike.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #40 // Antimagic attacks penetrate improved invisibility

Mages battles are much easier with this one, if the above is installed. Otherwise, it doesn't affect anything (since I'd True Sight + Break irregardless of any protection against Spellstrike)

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #50 // Iron Skins behaves like Stoneskin (can be brought down by Breach)

Makes sense, but I wish they were as fast to cast.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #90 // Blade Barrier and Globe of Blades only affect hostile creatures

I rarely cast either, but nice to have.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #105 // Make Power-Word: Blind single-target

It's broken even now, but slightly less absurd

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #160 // Remove unrealistically helpful items from certain areas

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #170 // Remove unrealistically convenient ammunition from certain areas

Makes sense, too. Unless you go to de'Arnise out of Chateau Irenicus or similar, it doesn't matter, though.

BUG: some Fire Giants still carry normal weapons (for the Magic Golem).

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #175 // Faster Bears

Not fought any. Nice to give them that 1% extra of danger.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #181 // Increase the price asked by Gaylan Baele -> Gaylan wants 60,000 gold pieces

Not noticeable thanks to Ding0's Money Lender.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #190 // Make Watchers' Keep accessible between SoA and ToB

Makes sense RP-wise, but nothing to comment on it (without mentioning the bug). It'd likely make Saradush easier.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #201 // Prevent party members from dying irreversibly

Not harder, less frustrating

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #220 // Smarter general AI

Not really noticeable, because I tend to waltz through the game with +4 and +5 hackmasters. That's how I like my game, blame me if you wish

It's at least nice to see people avoid wasting time on PFMW'd people. I'm not a good enough observer to notice more.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #230 // Better calls for help

Sometimes makes for fun party vs. a whole area fights. Otherwise, you can run away and regroup / heal / buff with only 50% of the previous efficency.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #235 // Potions for NPCs

Makes fighters somewhat tougher, and frees me from worrying about running out of potions of whatever.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #238 // Improved Spiders

Not noticeable.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #241 // Improved fiends -> Fiends cast spells like normal wizards

Hackmasters still beat fiends. Except perhaps the Balor in the Underdark.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #251 // Smarter genies -> Genies cast spells like normal wizards

Ditto.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #261 // Smarter celestials -> Celestials cast spells like normal wizards

I use Refinements' Celestials anyway. They're really scary to have against, though.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #271 // Smarter dragons -> Dragons cast spells like normal wizards

Under Improved Speed + Hackmaster + Timestop, all dragons look the same. Except maybe for the odd Breach I need to throw in.

Inconsistency: Firkraag didn't cast Protection From Magic Weapons, whereas the Shadow Dragon did. It's still just a Breach away, but Firkraag is meant to be scarier.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #280 // Smarter beholders -> Upgrade the beholders' AI but don't include a Hive upgrade

Berzerker + Cloack of Cheese deals with 90% of beholders. Since I'm a rush-to-Spellhold weenie, I had to ctrl-R / cast-from-fog-of-war through the main Hive battle, so I don't have any worthwhile things to say.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #289 // Smarter mind flayers -> Illithids have only original-game resistances; Illithids cannot see invisible enemies (matches original game)

They avoid wasting time on Skeletons at least.

suggestion: unless you want to make this 'Frustrating Mind Flayers', they should ignore stun members when possible (they're out of battle already, no point on killing them and forcing a resurrection / reload).

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #300 // Smarter githyanki

Not really noticeable.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #320 // Smarter Mages -> Mages cast some short-duration spells instantly at start of combat, to simulate pre-battle casting

Mages are fearsome opponents... Until you can cast Spell Strike. After that, they're only annoyances (unless they use Planetars or chain-cast three Abi Dalzims and a Dragon Breath, or you fail your Finger of Death save). Power Word: Kill on Xan and Sequencer: 3x Fire Arrow are just ways to suggest you to cast Power Word: Reload, though.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #330 // Smarter Priests -> Priests cast some short-duration spells instantly at start of combat, to simulate pre-battle casting

Priests die quickly in 99% of cases, thanks to no PFMW/StoneSkins.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #341 // Add high-level abilities (HLAs) to ToB mages -> All ToB mages who can cast 9th-level spells get HLAs

I'm less than half-way through, but I haven't noticed any Divine HLA. No, right, I might have witnessed an Aura of Flaming Death... Except that AoFD still doesn't scare me away when I'm not dealing with PFMW.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #351 // Add high-level abilities (HLAs) to ToB priests -> All ToB priests who can cast 9th-level spells get HLAs

Dragon's Breath is Power Word:Reload (since the only guy with Spellstrike is my low-HP sorceror), Planetars can be troublesome if I don't kill them fast enough (vorpal weapon, some nice spells...)

bug: Mages tend to waste Improved Alacrity throwing Meteors. The Time Stop + Imp Alac Wish would be fearsome... if they didn't waste it on Meteors as well.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #360 // Add high-level abilities (HLAs) to SoA mages -> Only selected SoA mages get HLAs

I didn't run into any HLA'd mage prior to getting Spell strike, at which point they usually fell quickly to Spellstrike + True Sight + Breach + Gang Up. And, as above, Kangaxx wasted his Wish on Meteors.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #370 // Add high-level abilities (HLAs) to SoA priests -> Only selected SoA priestss get HLAs

Never noticed it.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #379 // Improved d'Arnise Keep ("Tactics Remix") -> Spirit trolls have the same powers as in the original game

I did this out of Chateau Irenicus and managed without Ctrl-Y (but really had to buff&micromanage my way through them). I had to CLUA in Flame Arrows because I couldn't cast Flame Arrow (or similar) on Spirit Trolls, and they kept making their saves (wasting the twenty Arat gave ne).

Suggestion: add a component to allow save-less Flame Arrows (Acid Arrows are save-less anyway) or make downed trolls fail all saves, or make the Druidic Flame Blade (sp?) magical (otherwise it's useless against Spirit Trolls). I wish I could cast Melf Acid Arrow on downed Spirit Trolls as well...

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #383 // Improved Fire Giant temple

OMFGWTFBBQ!!11 A dragon and ten Fire Giants!

I ended up having Sorcerer-Xan empty his spell book to take down the dragon and Beren (using the Time Stop Wish), after that SwashImoen chained Improved Haste + Hackmaster + 2 Time Stops to down all fire giants. Quite a respectable fight, and the "Cool!" moment of SCS thus far (think Improved Irenicus round 1 for Tactics).

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #385 // Enhanced Sendai's Enclave

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #386 // Improved Abazigal's Lair

N/A, not there yet

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #387 // Improved Shade Lord

N/A, since I did this at 3.2M XP.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #410 // Improved minor encounters [almost no content yet]

N/A, I did both Twisted Compound and Guarded Rune at 3.5M XP.

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #415 // Give SCS II style AI to Ascension enemies

N/A, must remember to uninstall (or upgrade).

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #420 // Ease-of-use party AI

See above in this thread

 

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #430 // Remove animation from the Cloak of Mirroring (leave it for other spells and effects that use the same graphic)

Didn't appear to work... and have installed also the similar component from Tweaks. Oh well, not a real problem