Spellcasting in Armor - critic and suggestion

[ragnar-gd]

Hi, demivrgvs,

 

after thinking about your revision on spellcasting in armor, I always though: The percentage failure su**s, because even with a low chance of failure, I wouldn't carry armour anyway. As in plain vanilla BG2 dual classed human ex-fighter/now-mages can carry shields and helms without penalty, I'd rather stick with plain vanilla, wouldn't I?

 

The delayed casting has its good side, but as you pointed out yourself, hindering clerics can be considered a kind of problem.

 

Still, I hope you can get this problem sorted out.

 

But, by far, this would be quite unbalancing, as simply slowing spellcasting down is not enough.

 

But then I though by myself: Well, would't additionally lowering the spellcasters level somehow aid in here?

 

And than I found this wounderful thread just days old:

 

"Items that raise the caster's level, Are there any such in BG1 and BG2?"

 

There it is! In that thread is a hint to Xans sword, which raises the level at which a spell is cast (not the level of the caster himself). I can't proove this, as I'm not a BG2-modder myself (at this time).

 

But imagine this: Attach to each and every armour (and shield and helmet) a *lowering* of the level at which a mages spells are cast: Wouldn't that be wounderful? Together with the delay of casting, that would make soloing or low-headcount groups so much more interesting! And add the allowance for every character to use any weapon, and presto: Someone happy.

 

Perhaps have a look at it? I'd be really ...

 

(And now think of the same effect for druids wearing metal, which some people are so much concerned about)

 

Cheers,

Ragnar-GD

[Mike1072]

The delayed casting has its good side, but as you pointed out yourself, hindering clerics can be considered a kind of problem.

For option #2, the only divine spells affected are those of cleric/mages and fighter/mage/clerics, but I agree that it would be better if they weren't. As I know of no way to limit casting speed penalties to specific types of spells, this option will probably stay the way it is for now.

 

But then I though by myself: Well, would't additionally lowering the spellcasters level somehow aid in here?

 

And than I found this wounderful thread just days old:

 

"Items that raise the caster's level, Are there any such in BG1 and BG2?"

 

There it is! In that thread is a hint to Xans sword, which raises the level at which a spell is cast (not the level of the caster himself). I can't proove this, as I'm not a BG2-modder myself (at this time).

 

But imagine this: Attach to each and every armour (and shield and helmet) a *lowering* of the level at which a mages spells are cast: Wouldn't that be wounderful? Together with the delay of casting, that would make soloing or low-headcount groups so much more interesting! And add the allowance for every character to use any weapon, and presto: Someone happy.

 

Perhaps have a look at it? I'd be really ...

 

(And now think of the same effect for druids wearing metal, which some people are so much concerned about)

 

Cheers,

Ragnar-GD

The screenshot linked in that thread seemed only to show that Xan was a wild mage, not that he had any items granting an increased caster level. I've not experimented with the opcode myself, but I will try to do so sometime soon.

 

Thanks for the feedback and ideas.

[Ardanis]

For option #2, the only divine spells affected are those of cleric/mages and fighter/mage/clerics

Innates are affected by casting speed too. Though I found myself not taking a benefit of "arcane casting in armor" despite having it installed. I think that's due to the fact that melee combatant needs his spells to be cast as quickly as possible lest they'll get interrupted. Sad truth (for me at least) - casting in armor is pointless anyway, unless it has no penalties, which I'm not fond of at all.

 

PS Something just has sparkled in my head. Magic users may get a "-5% casting failure chance" HLA.