Polytweak, initial release

[polytope]

Those are very fast updates. I don't know if you've done something with Fire Trolls in Fire Giants Temple....

I remembered them, it's the regular, almost identical trolls which will bug out if their script isn't matched exactly to their cre file that are driving me crazy.

 

Willing to do something with the Minotaurs? Aren't they supposed to be actually scary in PnP? 3k exp for a target that never hits you and is slow like a slime isn't exactly a fun way to level up.

This is turning into quite a mod, btw.

I looked at the minotaur's stats and it isn't immediately obvious why they're so much weaker than an Umber Hulk, (base THAC0 10 and 18/00 strength). I think part of the problem with minotaurs is their avatar has a slow "pain" animation and their axes also have a slow speed factor, so the minotaur spends most of the round recoiling after being hit and never getting a swing in. Vanilla game Tazok has the same issue. The only tough minotaurs in the game (Rock and Garrock in Watcher's Keep) have magic axes (better SF) and are perma-hasted (which improves attack spped even further).

 

I might replace the ordinary minotayr's axes with halberds (their avatar's "axe" is already the size of a halberd!) and give them 2 handed weapon style specialization, so their attack speed is a bit better.

[kreso]

They should me immune to Maze (they never get lost, but why would you use Maze on a Minotaur anyway?), have Power Attack (chance to stun?) and Bull Rush - gore attack with horns (movement speed increase, charge nearest target, short lasting Hold/Stun/Slow effect?). In addition, they're never caught flat-footed (immune to backstab).

[Constantine]

They should me immune to Maze (they never get lost, but why would you use Maze on a Minotaur anyway?), have Power Attack (chance to stun?) and Bull Rush - gore attack with horns (movement speed increase, charge nearest target, short lasting Hold/Stun/Slow effect?). In addition, they're never caught flat-footed (immune to backstab).

I'd vote against making more generic monsters immune to backstab. rogues are pretty useless in combat already, lets not make them just a walking lockpick/disarm machines early in SOA, because they already are in TOB.

[kreso]

I'd vote against making more generic monsters immune to backstab

Afaik, backstab immune monsters are as rare as talkative Stalkers in this game.

[polytope]

I'd vote against making more generic monsters immune to backstab

Afaik, backstab immune monsters are as rare as talkative Stalkers in this game.

 

You can even backstab those mushrooms that summon myconids (if you can work out which side is their "back"). Minotaurs are on my to-do list anyway.

 

I had time this weekend to finish the improved Yuan-Ti for version 1.7, these snakes get their proper spell like powers (Darkness 15' Radius is like a dark version of glitterdust) have improved morale and a chance to possess magic weapons:

 

Edited December 29, 2013 by polytope

[kreso]

This looks great!

[Constantine]

I'd vote against making more generic monsters immune to backstab

Afaik, backstab immune monsters are as rare as talkative Stalkers in this game.

maybe you're right, but afair most bosses are immune, and there's really no excuse for a minotaur to be immune, remember that backstab isn't just an attack from behind that by some magical means do an increased damage, but rogue's ability to find the foe's weak spot, thus an increased damage output.

[Constantine]

You can even backstab those mushrooms that summon myconids (if you can work out which side is their "back"). Minotaurs are on my to-do list anyway.

yeah it's funny all right, being able to "backstab" a mushroom, just remember that if someone has no actual back for rogue to hit to don't mean that it cannot be backstabbed and vice versa. this is IMO of course. this is why you cannot backstab jellies, they just don't have any vital organs or other weak spots that you can hit, but you can easily backstab golems which don't have any organs too, but may have some weak spots that a rogue can hit.

 

great mod BTW, I m looking forward for other useful creature revisions from you!

[kreso]

Apperantly, this mod is fully compatible with EE. To my utmost surprise, even correct strings get displayed (i.e. Uberhulk's gaze, Darkness etc.). @polytope - you might want to announce it on EE forums, since people there are in a state of mod starvation unfortunately.

Anyhow, the creature changes are great, I love Umber Elders, these are now fairly dangerous. I have cleared Nalia's Keep and met no unkillable trolls, everything seems to work as it should. Great addition to SCS...this is quite a must-have for me.

Anyways, some more suggestions:

1) Shadows - for me, these are arguably the most annoying opponents in game until (possibly) Anomen can Turn them. Two hits, and it's time to rest of the damn strenght drain. Lower duration perhaps?

2) Sahaugin - these can have some neat special traits. I'd love to see them improved, since their city is nothing more than a farming ground for exp

3) Mists - fairly interesting in PnP, BG2 makes them only annoying to deal with.

 

I'd find much more in BG1, but I don't know if you play TuTu or BGT.

[Cahir]

Since kreso says it's great mod, I think I must add it to my slowly growing list of mods waiting to install on my upcoming BGEE + BG2EE run

 

Recently, I've come to conclusion that there are very few completely new quality mods that pop up these days. Mostly there are updated versions of old mods, but I crave for something completely new and fresh. The more I read about this tweak pack I like it more and more.

 

Is it overlaps the areas reserved by SCS or is its purpose is to fill the blanks that SCS (un)intentionally left? Kreso said it's a great addition to SCS, but my question is is it solely an addition or is it tries to jump into SCS's role?

[polytope]

 

Is it overlaps the areas reserved by SCS or is its purpose is to fill the blanks that SCS (un)intentionally left? Kreso said it's a great addition to SCS, but my question is is it solely an addition or is it tries to jump into SCS's role?

Yes, my purpose was mainly to change creatures that aren't currently improved by the tactical mods, SCS, aTweaks or similar. For instance I left Yuan Ti mages and those trolls with unique scripts (like TorGal) untouched. Polytweak can certainly be installed without SCS though.

 

Apperantly, this mod is fully compatible with EE. To my utmost surprise, even correct strings get displayed (i.e. Uberhulk's gaze, Darkness etc.). @polytope - you might want to announce it on EE forums, since people there are in a state of mod starvation unfortunately.

Good idea.

 

Anyhow, the creature changes are great, I love Umber Elders, these are now fairly dangerous.

 

I've noticed a problem with them, the fixpack makes the ring of Gaxx give immunity to to the "bleeding" message and portrait icon - because bleeding shares an opcode with poison in vanilla - but bleeding damage from an elder hulk's claws is different and will continue to tick on the character anyway without a notification. For the next release I might try and standardize "wounding" weapons and effects and switch them all from the poison opcode (they really shouldn't be cured by antidote for instance).

 

I have cleared Nalia's Keep and met no unkillable trolls, everything seems to work as it should. Great addition to SCS...this is quite a must-have for me.

Anyways, some more suggestions:

1) Shadows - for me, these are arguably the most annoying opponents in game until (possibly) Anomen can Turn them. Two hits, and it's time to rest of the damn strenght drain. Lower duration perhaps?

2) Sahaugin - these can have some neat special traits. I'd love to see them improved, since their city is nothing more than a farming ground for exp

3) Mists - fairly interesting in PnP, BG2 makes them only annoying to deal with.

 

I'd find much more in BG1, but I don't know if you play TuTu or BGT.

Sahaugin's frenzy might be interesting, but two mods already exist to improve them (I don't think SCS Sahaugin are quite hard enough). I think Kuo Toa would be next on my list, right now they're like walking quivers of uber crossbow bolts for the party to collect.

 

As for mists, I think Bioware just made up most of the mist creatures featured in game, I don't have any 2nd edition source to work with re. their abilities. Their attacks should probably count as magic weapons though and I guess their targeting could be improved.

 

I have played Tutu+SCS but I don't think I've got it installed on my current machine, so that might have to wait a while.

[Cahir]

As for mists, I think Bioware just made up most of the mist creatures featured in game, I don't have any 2nd edition source to work with re. their abilities. Their attacks should probably count as magic weapons though and I guess their targeting could be improved.

 

@polotype as for 2nd edition source about mists you may want to check these:

http://www.lomion.de/cmm/misthorr.php - Mist Horror

http://www.lomion.de/cmm/mistcrde.php - Crimson Death

http://www.lomion.de/cmm/mistscda.php - Scarlet Dancer

http://www.lomion.de/cmm/mistvamp.php - Vampiric Mist

[polytope]

As for mists, I think Bioware just made up most of the mist creatures featured in game, I don't have any 2nd edition source to work with re. their abilities. Their attacks should probably count as magic weapons though and I guess their targeting could be improved.

 

@polotype as for 2nd edition source about mists you may want to check these:

http://www.lomion.de/cmm/misthorr.php - Mist Horror

http://www.lomion.de/cmm/mistcrde.php - Crimson Death

http://www.lomion.de/cmm/mistscda.php - Scarlet Dancer

http://www.lomion.de/cmm/mistvamp.php - Vampiric Mist

 

Ok thanks, but you see BG2 vampiric mist and mist horror/wandering horror are really nothing like their PnP counterparts, they're usually much stronger for one (i.e. a wandering horror is supposed to have a THAC0 of 15, in BG2 it's 7) and have different abilities... not to mention those horrors are supposed to only be encountered in the mists of Ravenloft.

 

Anyway, polytweak version 2.0 is out, new components include Improved Minotaurs (meh, I think they're still not challenging...), an option to correct vampire stats/abilities (including magic resistance - all vampires except fledgling have this) and large creatures now use weapons appropriate to their size, so the minotaurs and Yuan-Ti have two handed swords and halberds instead of axes (which they can wield in one hand).

 

Also some totally new item tweaks, including mace of disruption that functions as in PnP and new bams I made for the mace, Flametongue, and Blackrazor (perhaps not on par with Erephine's work, but at least Flametongue has a unique icon now - this component doesn't include 1PP flaming swords btw).

 

Edited January 11, 2014 by polytope

[aigleborgne]

Very interestng mod, I will test it and most likely add it to my favorite mod list

Keep it up !

[Jarno Mikkola]

As for mists, I think Bioware just made up most of the mist creatures featured in game, I don't have any 2nd edition source to work with re. their abilities. Their attacks should probably count as magic weapons though and I guess their targeting could be improved.

Erhm they shouldn't be attacking at all... the reason is that it's transformative form of the original creature ... the vampire mist is the vampires dead wrath going back to it's grave to reform back to the actual vampire, in the grave. So when you kill the actual container body with a stake to it's heart in the grave the incorporeal mists disappears and ... So the mist doesn't have a weapon, cause the best thing for it to do is to try as fast as possible to go to a grave to take another body.