Some other tweaks

[Jarno Mikkola]

The problem remains that the bonuses as you jump ONE point from 18 to 19 are bigger than the bonuses from jumping FOUR points from 19 to 23, and bigger than jumping FIVE points from 13 to 18.

And you can't fix that ? You could divide the bonuses from the 18-19 to the 10-19, setting on a say 14 point ladder, so the 18:001 is the 9th, 18:026 is the 10th, 18:51 is the 11st, 18:76 is the 12nth, and 18:(1)00 is the 13rd, and the 19th is the 14th step.

This could give STR 12 a +1 to thac0, STR 14 a +1 Thac0 and +1 damage etc... up until the 19SRT would give a +7 to Thac0 and damage. Or how ever you wish to throw the numbers about. A +3 Thac0 and +7 damage: Easy, +1 to thac0 at ~STR 15, STR 18:026 and STR 19. Damage at every second step, so STR 12,14, 16, 18, 18:51....

[subtledoctor]

That still doesn't account for the fact that some game mechanisms (basically just warrior stat rolls) treat 18-19 as multiple steps, and some other mechanisms treat it as a single step.

 

In PnP there was no prohibition against non-warriors having 18/75 strength... they just couldn't roll that at the beginning. But a belt that grants +2 STR could bring a thief from 18 to 18/01 to 18/51.

 

The BG2 engine doesn't allow that. So, in setting the stat tables for a game in this engine, the best thing to do is minimize the discrepancy between how the jump from 18-19 is treated in some circumstances vs. other circumstances.

 

And yes of course I can fix it (imho) - I did, in my most recent table. Basically making the way warriors roll for exceptional strength conform to the way the rest of the game treats it.

[kreso]

Here's one more: Critical Strike rework. The ability isn't as overpowering as some others, but it has a very crappy side efect of making AC completely redundant. How about making this somewhat more sensible - +5 to critical range, % based chance of some crippling effect/bonus damage/silence etc?

[Demivrgvs]

Here's one more: Critical Strike rework. The ability isn't as overpowering as some others, but it has a very crappy side efect of making AC completely redundant. How about making this somewhat more sensible - +5 to critical range, % based chance of some crippling effect/bonus damage/silence etc?

Not really a priority, but I may think about it. Back then I suggested a bleeding wounds secondary effect for an eventual variant. The plan was to separate CS from the Power Strike "line".

[kreso]

 

Here's one more: Critical Strike rework. The ability isn't as overpowering as some others, but it has a very crappy side efect of making AC completely redundant. How about making this somewhat more sensible - +5 to critical range, % based chance of some crippling effect/bonus damage/silence etc?

Not really a priority, but I may think about it. Back then I suggested a bleeding wounds secondary effect for an eventual variant. The plan was to separate CS from the Power Strike "line".

 

Thinking about it, I'd go with a far more simplistic approach since I fear this would overlap with Called Shots and weapon abilities.

Flat damage bonus (so this HLA affects things immune to criticals, and isn't as powerful vs those who are not ). Simple +8 damage for one round? Additionaly, kits like kensai and archer could get an innate critical range bonus, since they're supposed to be fairly accurate by default.

 

Anyhow, I've tinkered with XP tables again. I think I got quite nice setup. I took thieves' table as a base; multiplied each level with 1.7. Here they be:

2125 // level 2

4250 // 3

8500 // 4

17000 // 5

34000 // 6

68000 // 7

119000 // 8

187000 // 9 GM in BG1 for those willing to play through ToTSC content, level 5 spells

272000 // 10

374000 // 11 first kit "feats"

748000 // 12 (almost same as vanilla mage)

1120000 // 13

1496000 // 14 ( almost same as vanilla mage)

1870000 // 15

2244000 // 16

2618000 // 17

3000000 // 18 (HLAs)

3366000

3740000

4114000

4488000

4860000

5236000

5610000

5980000

6350000

6732000

7100000

7480000 // level 30

7850000 // cap at level 31

[aigleborgne]

This is a hot topic and clearly, something need to be done here.

Vanilla attributes are so unbalanced where most mid values bring nothing...

On a general rule, I do think that 2nd edition is bad for many things and I like 3rd edition more.

 

Currently, I am using The Bigg tweak pack with 3rd edition rule for attributes, I find them rather balanced.

The only thing I dislike is the now useless exceptionnal strength attribute, which lowers Sarevok power.

 

On a side note, Kagain don't get a super bonus compared to Coran. They both get one more point than they should be allowed to. It's just than Kagain bonus gives him regeneration which can be game saver on sleeping ambush (especially with some improved spawns).

[kreso]

As per Critical hit/strike, I found out that implementing a -2 modifier on 301 opcode makes a character *never* score critical hits.

The idea I have behind this is that they could be "de-hardcoded", at least for kits/classes available to PC (let monsters do double damage on crit).

Or make a patching component which adds 301 with -2 to all creatures in the game.

Then one could simply add a melee/ranged hit effect with various probabilities (5-10%) which "simulates" something more appropriate for critical hit instead of double damage (something fairly debilitating, in any case, like bleeding, strenght penalty, sunder armor etc. - the possibilities here are endless. Seperate kits could have different abilities here, different chances etc.)

Item Revision items which grant "critical hit aversion" with relevant component could be modified to use a 206 opcode vs the spell which would simulate critical hit and is cast via hit effect. Effs could be used to protect creatures which should have immunity to criticals like Slimes and similar.

It would make the "Revised critical aversion" far less overwhelming imo. Secondly, it would make for some neat customization options (ie. kensai/archer could have better chances of striking a critical hit etc.).