IWD race/class/alignment-based item bonuses?

[Ayce]

Greetings,

 

Recently, I have returned to IWD (implementing a host of item/spell/innate abiltiy mods I had been designing/planning over the last several months). Most of them work just fine, but I have run into a general modding snagg that I am stuck on.

 

Several items in the game have race, class or alignment specific bonuses, such as.............

 

Guktok's Chopper (+2 Battle Axe, +4 vs. dwarves).............ZZN6GC.ITM

Axe of Caged Souls (+3 Battle Axe, +5 vs. cadaverous undead)...ZZU6CS.ITM

Bonecleaver (+1 Tow-handed Axe, +3 vs. skeletal undead..ZZZ6BC.ITM

Misery's Herald (+3 Flail, +4 vs. elves)....................ZZM5MH.ITM

Conlan's Hammer (+1 War Hammer, +4 vs. Iron Golems).........ZZA7CH.ITM

Mace of Weal & Woe (+1 Mace, +2 vs. lawful creatures)..........ZZ05WE.ITM

Selune's Promise (+1 Mace, +3 vs. spectral undead)...........ZZJ6SP.ITM

Giant Killer (+1 Sling, +4 vs. giants)...................ZZH8GK.ITM

Alamion (+3 Long sword, +5 vs. salamanders).........ZZF6AL.ITM

Pale Justice (+4 Long sword, +7 vs. evil)................ZZ57PJ.ITM

Troll Killer (+1 long sword, +5 vs. trolls)..............ZZTOP.TIM

 

These are all of the ones that I am aware of anyway...........so here's the thing.................

 

I have used both NI and IEEP to examine the various item's files and their properties and I found nothing that indicates the above mentioned bonuses within the ITM files. I know for a fact, that in BGII, these bonuses are easily applied to such items (like Daystar) with the use of an EFF file, however IWD doesn't use EFF files and when I try to create and apply an EFF file, it doesn't work (NI doesn't even read EFF in the chitin.key file for IWD).

 

I had begun to wonder whether or not the game really applies these bonuses. After all, there is no 2DA file that governs these items that I can tell. Nor any LUA files either. I may have missed something, but so far I don't see how these bonuses are applied to these items (and therefore how I might have them applied to items I am trying to create).

 

I have noticed that Holy Smite (3rd-level priest spell) does seem to read alignment on cre files and do damage to only evil creatures. However, when I have tried to create items using the same properties of that spell, it doesn't work as intended (damage to only evil creatures). This makes me think that these bonuses are hard-wired into the game itself. I hope not.

 

I have noticed that these items have a pattern to the ITM file names, i.e., ZZ followed by two random characters, followed by a two-character abbreviation of the item's name (with the exception of Troll Killer). This gives me some hope that there is a rule file of some kind, some where that governs these ZZ#### files.

 

That is everything I can think of on this issue. If someone out there knows how to apply these race, class & alignment-based bonuses to IWD item files, I would greatly appreciate the help in order to complete some mods I have in mind (but cannot finish because of this issue). Thank you in advance.

 

 

 

 

While I'm at it, there is a 2nd issue I am having trouble with as well......................

 

I have several ideas for custom innate abilities for some characters that I have designed. One of the problems that I have encountered with these mods is that level-based abilities don't work on multi-classed characters (example, giving lay on hands to a fighter/cleric, you are never able to heal more than 2hp, the ability doesn't improve with levels). My guess is that the ability doesn't know how to read the level of the character when you just install said ability via a "potion of innate ability" or something like that.

 

I figure if you can write it into the level progression abilities, that problem can be overcome. Again, in BG2, this is easily done by editing CLAB#### files. However, I can't find any such files in IWD, certainly not in the 2DA files. Again, if anyone out there knows which IWD files govern class abilities gained as levels increase (per BG2 CLAB#### files), I would greatly appreciate it. Thanx in advance. :-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CamDawg]

I have used both NI and IEEP to examine the various item's files and their properties and I found nothing that indicates the above mentioned bonuses within the ITM files. I know for a fact, that in BGII, these bonuses are easily applied to such items (like Daystar) with the use of an EFF file, however IWD doesn't use EFF files and when I try to create and apply an EFF file, it doesn't work (NI doesn't even read EFF in the chitin.key file for IWD).

EFFs aren't supported by IWD--these are all hardcoded as far as I know. They do work if you go and use the items.

 

I have noticed that Holy Smite (3rd-level priest spell) does seem to read alignment on cre files and do damage to only evil creatures. However, when I have tried to create items using the same properties of that spell, it doesn't work as intended (damage to only evil creatures). This makes me think that these bonuses are hard-wired into the game itself. I hope not.

The first effect (290) in holy smite protects non-evil characters from the spell.

 

I have several ideas for custom innate abilities for some characters that I have designed. One of the problems that I have encountered with these mods is that level-based abilities don't work on multi-classed characters (example, giving lay on hands to a fighter/cleric, you are never able to heal more than 2hp, the ability doesn't improve with levels). My guess is that the ability doesn't know how to read the level of the character when you just install said ability via a "potion of innate ability" or something like that.

Lay on Hands is unclear if it uses the actual spin109 spell or if it's dictated entirely by the layhands.2da. If it's the former, you should be fine, but your testing suggests the latter.

 

I figure if you can write it into the level progression abilities, that problem can be overcome. Again, in BG2, this is easily done by editing CLAB#### files. However, I can't find any such files in IWD, certainly not in the 2DA files. Again, if anyone out there knows which IWD files govern class abilities gained as levels increase (per BG2 CLAB#### files), I would greatly appreciate it. Thanx in advance. :-)

Hardcoded AFAIK.

[Ayce]

Rats, it looks like I'm SOL with a lot of my current projects.

 

However, I did make one discovery I would like to share with the community. Unknown affect #290 can be applied to items as well as spells.

 

As it exists in the Holy Smite spell, the resource key is set as sppr324 (Holy Smite). I found that if I create an extension header and enter my custom item as the resource key, the affect would make non-evil creatures immune to that particular extension header. In other words, my weapon did it's usual standard damage, plus addition damage to evil-only, plus requiring a save vs. spell to avoid blindness. When striking non-evil creatures, the dialog box reads "Armored Skeleton - Unaffected by effects from War Hammer."

 

I don't know why it reads "War Hammer" whereas in the Holy Smite spell the dialog box "random creature" Unaffected by effects from Holy Smite. When Holy Smite is cast, the dialog uses the specific spell, when used with my custom War Hammer, it uses a generic name. Minor issue I can live with.

 

Using unknown effect #290, you can create a myriad of evil-specific effects (not just random/fixed damage). For example, it can just blind evil-creatures, or cause weakness, etc. However, you must enter the correct resource key. I tested the item with the Holy Smite resource key (sppr324) and the message still read "Armored Skeleton - Unaffected by effects from War Hammer," but the listed effects still took affect.

 

 

As long as I'm at it, I made another discovery a few weeks ago regarding the effect "double damage vs. undead" used in the magic stone spell (sppr106). In times past, I tried using this effect (unsuccessfully) because I thought all you had to do was place the effect in an extension header in order for it to work i.e., create a weapon with standard features and add the "double damage vs. undead" effect and that was it (I was wrong). What I have since discovered is that "double damage vs. undead" is a modified random/fixed damage effect. You can set it to do any type of damage you want and can set the random/fixed damage as you please. For example, you could create a "holy fire" spell or item effect that would do fire damage, but do double damage vs. undead.

 

"Lay on Hands is unclear if it uses the actual spin109 spell or if it's dictated entirely by the layhands.2da. If it's the former, you should be fine, but your testing suggests the latter."

 

I'm not sure, but I seem to remember that all abilities that improved with level seem to have the same problem. Perhaps I will revisit this soon.

 

Peace