Improved Fiends

[DavidW]

1) interesting, I didn't know that.

 

2) I'm afraid I don't yet see what the problem is. What's the aspect of the existing code that you don't like?

[Demivrgvs]

2) I'm afraid I don't yet see what the problem is. What's the aspect of the existing code that you don't like?

Well, it makes summoned fiends quite broken (I'm talking about player's version, enemy's one is fine). For example SR Glabrezu's True Seeing ability won't affect the enemy, but this is extended to many abilities/effects. Because of the existing code the summoned creature considers the enemies as "allies" even when it is supposed to fight them. Thus, even if it continues to cast spells at the enemy all abilities/effects which don't affect allied creature won't correctly work (e.g. Glabrezu will still cast Confusion at the enemy, but only the player's party will be affected by it).

[DavidW]

2) I'm afraid I don't yet see what the problem is. What's the aspect of the existing code that you don't like?

Well, it makes summoned fiends quite broken (I'm talking about player's version, enemy's one is fine). For example SR Glabrezu's True Seeing ability won't affect the enemy, but this is extended to many abilities/effects. Because of the existing code the summoned creature considers the enemies as "allies" even when it is supposed to fight them. Thus, even if it continues to cast spells at the enemy all abilities/effects which don't affect allied creature won't correctly work (e.g. Glabrezu will still cast Confusion at the enemy, but only the player's party will be affected by it).

I see that issue (though there's not that much that can be done about it in the case of Confusion, short of making new versions of the spell for player-summoned fiends), but I don't see how your proposed code helps.

[Demivrgvs]

I see that issue (though there's not that much that can be done about it in the case of Confusion, short of making new versions of the spell for player-summoned fiends), but I don't see how your proposed code helps.

Yeah, I thought too about making custom spells which affects both sides and it may be the only solution without flaws.

 

My proposed code makes sure that unless a party member attacks the summoned fiend, the latter will consider the party's enemies as "enemy", thus allowing its abilities/spells to affect them. The drawback is that my code simply move the problem to the other side, the fiend's abilities won't work against the party until you fight the fiend yourself.

 

It's either the custom spells or something like this changed code unless you want to leave the player with a broken version of these powerful summons, and now that I've thought a little more about it I'll probably work on the former for SR v2.

 

EDIT: I'm going to do some more tests, I do fear there are more problems than I though. Without changing the code it is possible that the AI won't be able to dispel Glabrezu's Mirror Image and Pit Fiend's Improved Invisibility with True Seeing, because the fiends are considered to be on their side.

I'll let you know.

[Demivrgvs]

Unfortunately my supposition was correct. Without changing the code the AI won't be able to dispel Glabrezu's Mirror Image and Pit Fiend's Improved Invisibility with True Seeing, because fiends are considered to be on its side.

 

The code has to be changed, else player's summoned fiends will behave in a really awkward way. I'm sure you're able to find a way to code it removing the current drawback my code has, and by changing the code correctly it won't be necessary to create custom spells.