IR V2 release

[Demivrgvs]

"P.S I suppose you don't care as much about the most powerful Heavy Crossbow of BG"

 

Of course this crossbow is nothink more that a joke in BG1. Too easily obtainable on a weak/mad warrior like Gauntlets of Weapon Expertise...

I don't use this item and i don't sell it....

This Xbow is found at the end of the Underdark, and it's supposed to be extremely powerful.

 

However i never play with crossbow, bow are so far appealing, especially in BG1.

I think I am not very enough aware to give good advices about crossbows balancing. The less one attack/round in comparaison to bow make them so weak. (Or maybe bow are too strong...) especially in BG1. So maybe a good croosbow is not so imbalenced... I don't know.

 

What is the fact who make crossbows appealing in BG2 ?? Munitions ? coz many arrow are appealing (especially arrow of dispelling in BG1)

Bow's +1apr makes both slings and Xbows less appealing, especially the latter which are also two-handed. Crossbows deal 0-2 points of damage more, and IR adds to them a +1 bonus to THAC0 (which is cool in BG1 but probably much less noticeable in BG2). One thing that I'll probably do from now on is giving to Xbows slightly better enhancements compared to bow (like I did with 2handed weapons compared to 1handed ones).

 

That is why I've proposed "set STR to 9" first, the only small issue about it would be characters with STR < 9, but I don't think they exist, and I suppose very few players would make charname with STR 8.

Yes, my mages might have Str 3.

Ok, so I cheat them to have 18/00, but that's only good for carrying stuff at levels 10+

I'm not following your logic too much, and if you cheat I don't care. Anyway, I've found a better solution, set STR to 90%, this way we don't risk to increase a very low STR value nor to have a character killed by itself using the Xbow. Alternatively I'll just try to find another background for it to remove this hindrance!

 

Gauntlets of Weapon Exepertise

I don't like your latest suggestion about the Gauntlets of Weapon Expertise for different reasons: too many effects for one single item!

 

Also, I don't like the idea of THAC0 penalty only to offhand.

 

Overall I liked better your original plan although I think that it would be most balanced with a -1 THAC0 (-2 Offhand) and a +2 damage (it won't be difficult to switch to those value on .tp2 anyway... )

Actually the effects are only two (damage and knockback) the others are drawbacks used to limit the possible "exploits", and they both make sense even without a penalty to the main hand imo, because we're talking about a Power Attack which is supposed to be neither precise nor easy to perform wielding two weapons instead of focusing all the strength on the same one.

 

Anyway, copy that, you don't like it. These Gauntlets are really starting to stress me out.

[DrAzTiK]

I was taking about Heavy Crossbow of Accuracy +THACO +5 In BG 1. "wield by Dabron Sashenstar in BG (mad, alone,weak and wield a +5 weapon....), only if you killed his brother Aldeth Sashenstar."

It is the same crossbow you win in BG2 when you Investigate and Destroy the Cult of the Eyeless. But nevermind, I presume we must focus on BG 2 item rebalancing ^^

[Demivrgvs]

I was taking about Heavy Crossbow of Accuracy +THACO +5 In BG 1. "wield by Dabron Sashenstar in BG (mad, alone,weak and wield a +5 weapon....), only if you killed his brother Aldeth Sashenstar."

It is the same crossbow you win in BG2 when you Investigate and Destroy the Cult of the Eyeless. But nevermind, I presume we must focus on BG 2 item rebalancing ^^

It's not a +5 weapon, it's a +2 one with additional +3 thac0. That being said, as I'm working on xbows right now I'm going to switch the enchantment level of Xbow of Accuracy with the Xbow of Searing. The former is found in BG1 and it's currently too powerful (IR also added +10% chance to score criticals), while the latter is too weak for BG2 (+1 enchanted with small fire damage). Making the former +1 enchanted and the latter +2 enchanted will do a fine job imo, and will also lower the price of the former (which is "found" in both games) while raising the cost of the latter (which is purchaseable by Ribald).

[DrAzTiK]

cool cool ^^

 

What do you think about what i have said about axe :

 

make Hangard's Axe enchantment to +1 and (yes with 1d4 elemental damage).

make Rifthome Axe with more thac0 but less damage that Hangard's Axe (imo enchantment to +1 but with +3 thac0 and no elemental damages ...)

Does Stone fire will be +3 and set later in game in V2 ?

 

 

Have you finalized to modify a girdle of STR?

What is your final version of Lilarcor ?

 

 

ty

[DrAzTiK]

If you are ok to nerf (a bit) ranged ability of melee weapons Dwarven Hammer should my be a +1enchantment too... I don't have item's description, i think it's a +3 hammer...

 

I don't know why i haven't use this hammer before for Anomen (he can have grand mastery )...

 

Edit : i just see this warhammer is only usable by dwarf...erf it's already a sort of nerf... Make him +2 ?

 

 

I don't know why but i would like to see and Tansheron's Bow +2 Iron Bow of Gesen + 3.....

 

Infinity of +3 and +4 ammunitions, it's not nothing O_o.... and only avaible for short bow.... Even +2 and +3 make Tuigan Bow +1 so less appealing

And short bow are not supposed to do more damages than long bows...

[Demivrgvs]

Does Stone fire will be +3 and set later in game in V2 ?

Re-allocation is the very last thing I'll do tomorrow morning before starting to package everything, I'm not sure about Stonefire allocation right now.

 

Have you finalized to modify a girdle of STR?

What is your final version of Lilarcor ?

I fear both things may have to wait V3, as I don't have any idea for the girdle, and we didn't come to an agreement on Lilarcor on the relative topic.

 

Dwarven Thrower

If you are ok to nerf (a bit) ranged ability of melee weapons Dwarven Hammer should my be a +1enchantment too... I don't have item's description, i think it's a +3 hammer...

 

I don't know why i haven't use this hammer before for Anomen (he can have grand mastery )...

 

Edit : i just see this warhammer is only usable by dwarf...erf it's already a sort of nerf... Make him +2 ?

Surely not a +1, I'll think about slightly change it...perhaps using the standard "bane" effect vs. giants and ogres.

 

Tansheron's Bow & Iron Bow of Gesen

I don't know why but i would like to see and Tansheron's Bow +2 Iron Bow of Gesen + 3.....

 

Infinity of +3 and +4 ammunitions, it's not nothing O_o.... and only avaible for short bow.... Even +2 and +3 make Tuigan Bow +1 so less appealing

And short bow are not supposed to do more damages than long bows...

Gesen will surely remain +4, Tansheron's Bow may be nerfed instead, but it doesn't seem so much overpowered right now. Short bows do less damage than long bows, but if you're talking about these two particular specimen of short bows keep in mind that IR don't allow them to fire "normal" arrows anymore, thus you don't get the old "bow damage + arrow damage".

[DrAzTiK]

Tansheron's Bow +3

Requires no ammunition, but normal arrows cannot be fired with this bow.

 

I presume it's fixed in the mod.

 

After all, With tons of free ammunitions in BG2, infinity of +4 ammunitions is maybe not so powerfull...

Nevermind, but if it's possible i will disturb you a bit about this 2 weapons after V2 is out It's not the moment to speak about this 2 weapons now.

 

Dwarven Hammer don't disturb me too much if it usable only by dwarf....

 

Just a last quetions before i go to ping pong and i will not disturb you anymore ^^ :

make Hangard's Axe enchantment to +1 and (yes with 1d4 elemental damage). ?

make Rifthome Axe with more thac0 but less damage that Hangard's Axe (imo enchantment to +1 but with +3 thac0 and no elemental damages ...)

[Salk]

Please someone give DrAzTiK a worn-out ping pong racket with -4 penalty to hit.

 

Let's see how much he would like to play with a nerfed item...

[Demivrgvs]

In the last few days I've changed so many things it would take me hours to post...I'll do something more about it as soon as the work on IR V2 will be considered completely finished.

 

Until then let's "quickly" focus only on some of the few changes that may need more discussion. Until tomorrow there's still time for "last minute" changes.

 

Gauntlets of Power Attack

Equipped Abilities:

Power Attack: melee hits deal 2 points of additional damage, 5% chance to knock back target unconscious for 3 seconds

Note: performing power attacks causes a -2 penalty to off-hand THAC0 and a -1 penalty to backstab multiplier.

 

Notes: I've tested it in-game and the knock back is cool imo without affecting too much the effectiveness, 3 seconds aren't going to change the tide of the battle, but give the warrior some space in case of multiple enemies and and time that may be ideal to heal. It's pratically what vanilla's Staff of Ram does, but knock back 1/3 of the original distance, last half the time and has 1/3 the chance to take place. It probably needs to be tested and may as well be refined, but currently I can't think of a better and more balanced way to implement a Power Attack.

 

Cloak of Displacement

Special Abilities (once per hour):

Displacement: additional +1 bonus to armor class (+2 vs. missile weapons), 100% miss chance against the first attack

Equipped Abilities:

Armor Class: +1 bonus

 

Notes: this is the best I could do to make it work exactly as per PnP AD&D. The Displacement effect is dispellable via True Sight. Any suggestion to better write down the Displacement's "100% miss chance against the first attack"?

 

Helm of Glory

Having to remove the bless aura-like effect Valiant's Bless ability has been completely changed into: 5% chance when struck the wielder is affected by a battle fervor. For 5 rounds he gains +2 bonus to attack rolls and inflicts maximum damage.

 

Staff of Air +2

What about a "Whirlwind Attack" combat ability? Something like: +1/2 attack per round, 20% chance on hit to gain +1/2 additional attack per round for 2 rounds? Alternatively a chance to trigger a "Haste" effect, though I personally like more the former.

 

Martial Staff +2

Now that we've opened the elemental staffs to all classes I may slightly change this weapon. Considering that Staff of Striking isn't too reliable, Serpent Staff is found at the end of Watcher's Keep, and the Staff of Rynn will probably be restricted to mages, it may be appropriate to increase its enchantment level to 3 (if I can make sure it's only available in the mid-late SoA). The next few hours will decide its fate. At the moment if I'll change/re-allocate this staff than it will most likely have a parry ability (+2 AC, none vs. missile), increased damage output, and 5% chance to score critical hits.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Gauntlets of Power Attack

 

Cloak of Displacement Any suggestion to better write down the Displacement's "100% miss chance against the first attack"?

 

Helm of Glory

Having to remove the bless aura-like effect Valiant's Bless ability has been completely changed into: 5% chance when struck the wielder is affected by a battle fervor. For 5 rounds he gains +2 bonus to attack rolls and inflicts maximum damage.

 

Staff of Air +2

What about a "Whirlwind Attack" combat ability? Something like: +1/2 attack per round, 20% chance on hit to gain +1/2 additional attack per round for 2 rounds?

GoPA

CoD, the honest way, describing what it actually does, but "once per hour", that's once per five minutes??? In-real-time. It's better to say it in real time, not game.

HoG, now I can imagine Aerie constantly hitting my Half-Orc, just so he can crush his opponents(with her fist).

SoA, I like the former more too.

[Ardanis]

Please someone give DrAzTiK a worn-out ping pong racket with -4 penalty to hit.

 

Let's see how much he would like to play with a nerfed item...

Wasn't it me craving for -4 penalty?

 

The Displacement effect is dispellable via True Sight

I assume it's logical given the TS's name.

 

knock back 1/3 of the original distance, last half the time and has 1/3 the chance to take place

I somewhat thought it to be 'knock unconscious'. The blowing opponent away for half a screen (doesn't really matter for how much) imo is annoying. That's why the Smite HLA is always stripped of it's knockback effect in my gam. But I won't argue much, I think it indeed should be tested and refined. Perhaps it won't be too annoying after all.

[Salk]

Demivrgvs,

 

your proposed changes are overall good.

 

Indeed they need to be tested in game though. There is not much we can do untill we get the chance to play the game with those modified items.

 

But, yes, good work...

[Demivrgvs]

Gauntlets of Power Attack

I somewhat thought it to be 'knock unconscious'. The blowing opponent away for half a screen (doesn't really matter for how much) imo is annoying. That's why the Smite HLA is always stripped of it's knockback effect in my gam. But I won't argue much, I think it indeed should be tested and refined. Perhaps it won't be too annoying after all.

It knocks unconscious for 3 seconds (1 round seemed too much, but that can be easily changed in a hot-fix if needed or for V3), anyway I do hate Smite's "blow away" effect, but because they set the distace to 30 feet which is ridiculous imo. Power Attack is set to knock back of only 6 feet at the moment.

 

P.S As we talked about WW and GWW, I can assure you that an eventual revision of Smite would surely include reducing knock back's distance from 30 to something like 10.

 

Cloak of Displacement

CoD, the honest way, describing what it actually does, but "once per hour", that's once per five minutes??? In-real-time. It's better to say it in real time, not game.

You're right, "5 turns" should be more clear.

The Displacement effect is dispellable via True Sight

I assume it's logical given the TS's name.

Yeah, but I pointed it out just so you know that I care about details.

 

Helm of Glory

Having to remove the bless aura-like effect Valiant's Bless ability has been completely changed into: 5% chance when struck the wielder is affected by a battle fervor. For 5 rounds he gains +2 bonus to attack rolls and inflicts maximum damage.

HoG, now I can imagine Aerie constantly hitting my Half-Orc, just so he can crush his opponents(with her fist).

Well, the chance is 5% so you would likely have to hit him almost 20 times to trigger the effect, which means more than 60 hit points even with a unenchanted club. If you intend to use fists...well...feel free to exploit it!

 

P.S I'll try to think if it can be avoided so that not even a deviated mind like yours could to such a thing!

 

Staff of Air +2

SoA, I like the former more too.

Great.

[Guest D. U. Bertie]

Gauntlets of Power Attack

Does the knock back actually send your opponent flying backwards? If so, have you tested to make sure it doesn't send them through locked doors (this was an issue with Shadowless Kick from Oversight mod - http://forums.gibberlings3.net/index.php?showtopic=11341)?

 

Cloak of Displacement

Does 100% miss chance against the first attack mean that the enemy's first attack against you will always miss? If so, how about "The wearer is guaranteed to avoid an enemy's initial (or first, if you prefer) attack"?

[Jarno Mikkola]

Cloak of Displacement

Does 100% miss chance against the first attack mean that the enemy's first attack against you will always miss? If so, how about "The wearer is guaranteed to avoid an enemy's initial (or first, if you prefer) attack"?

The effect is made by casting 1 stone/iron skin to the wearer, effectively making the first hit "miss". Hmm it doesn't still reduce the elemental damage... we need 100% immunity!