Rakshasas and Breach

[kreso]

Pls, continue this in SR thread, since it has nothing to do with Rakshasa.

[cipher]

If only I saw your new post a minute sooner

 

For convenience : http://gibberlings3.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=27577

[toxin]

Alright, try this hotfix:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/86011511/breachier.zip

 

This will convert any spell that includes the "remove combat protections" effect to follow Galactygon's example (a first effect of AC+0 for 0 seconds at power=5, then power=9 for all of the other effects). It does not change the power of any effects for any innate spells (like bpdispel.spl) because that would be bad.

 

Jarno as usual I can't understand what your objection is. This will equally change every spell in the game that has the "breach" effect, so everyone should be playing by the same rules.

 

EDIT - I haven't tested this aside from making sure it installs on BG2EE, but it should work with existing saves - no mod reinstallations or new games needed. So if anyone has a save outside Ihtafeer's house (whether SCS is installed on not) and can let me know if this in fact makes him vulnerable to Breach, that would be grand. Thx.

Say, have you considered submitting this mini-mod to Big World Setup?

http://www.shsforums.net/topic/58006-big-world-setup-mod-request-template/

 

Or alternatively adding it to one of your existing mods?

[subtledoctor]

Say, have you considered submitting this mini-mod to Big World Setup?

http://www.shsforums.net/topic/58006-big-world-setup-mod-request-template/

 

Or alternatively adding it to one of your existing mods?

I only spent about an hour on it, it is in very rough and not-thoroughly-tested condition. Its methodology is pretty hacky. I'm not sure I would want to release it in this condition.

 

That said I could maybe see releasing something like this as part of one of my mods (probably Might & Guile) if/when I get around to it. I've been considering a component to treat stupid Rakshasas more comprehensively - eliminate their spell level resistance and replace it with, say, poison immunity and fire resistance and very good saving throws - so they don't hurt themselves with their ridiculous reckless Cloudkills and Fireballs, but you can still use some strategies other than the one-dimensional 'buff+DPS' routine.

[toxin]

I've been considering a component to treat stupid Rakshasas more comprehensively - eliminate their spell level resistance and replace it with, say, poison immunity and fire resistance and very good saving throws - so they don't hurt themselves with their ridiculous reckless Cloudkills and Fireballs, but you can still use some strategies other than the one-dimensional 'buff+DPS' routine.

 

That sounds very cool

 

Having the rakshasas out of the way, shouldn't something still be done about liches though? Like you said it doesn't make sense DM works on them but breach doesn't, not to mention that barring SR (which adds combat protection removal to Pierce Shield) there's just no way to dispel their combat protections...

 

P.S. what's DPS?

[Jarno Mikkola]

P.S. what's DPS

Damage Per Second. UD.

[subtledoctor]

 

I've been considering a component to treat stupid Rakshasas more comprehensively - eliminate their spell level resistance and replace it with, say, poison immunity and fire resistance and very good saving throws - so they don't hurt themselves with their ridiculous reckless Cloudkills and Fireballs, but you can still use some strategies other than the one-dimensional 'buff+DPS' routine.

That sounds very cool

 

Having the rakshasas out of the way, shouldn't something still be done about liches though? Like you said it doesn't make sense DM works on them but breach doesn't, not to mention that barring SR (which adds combat protection removal to Pierce Shield) there's just no way to dispel their combat protections...

 

P.S. what's DPS?

 

Eh, in my view the PC should be basically unable to beat a lich, by almost any method, cheesy or not, until you are TOB level. A lich is a master of magic and has had decades or centuries or millenia to make sure that they don't get destroyed by some pup adventurers.

 

The way IWD handles its lich is pretty cool, it is explained that something went wrong and the lich is unusually underpowered. If it was up to me, I would do something similar with the planar sphere - make Lavok unusually vulnerable (game-wise, keep him as he is) due to something going wrong with the sphere and sapping his power. All the other liches I would make basically unbeatable by a mage below ~25th level, and almost completely unbeatable by any non-mage.

[Galactygon]

Liches are "undestroyable" due to their phylactery, which wasn't implemented in any of the BG games. Rather, they compensated by giving Liches lots of other immunities. The IWD interpretation is closer to what it was meant to be like in PnP; if you slay the Lich but do not manage to destroy its phylactery, its body will reform after a certain amount of time. Liches have no special spell immunities in PnP in addition to immunities due to them being undead.

[toxin]

Eh, in my view the PC should be basically unable to beat a lich, by almost any method, cheesy or not, until you are TOB level

 

That may be taking it a bit too far - after all there are liches in SoA and theoretically you may not even have ToB installed...

 

BTW you can turn liches as early as level 20... http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/258273-baldurs-gate-ii-shadows-of-amn/68318400

[subtledoctor]

That may be taking it a bit too far - after all there are liches in SoA and theoretically you may not even have ToB installed...

They are there, but I see no reason you should be able to stroll in and beat them. A reasonable adventurer would simply avoid them. The only one you have to confront in order to continue with the game is Lavok. The rest are simply skippable.

[Jarno Mikkola]

BTW you can turn liches as early as level 20...

I doubt that's true with the SCS's components installed. That's true in the regular game cause you can turn the undead creatures that are on the same level as the turner, but they get a few level added with the default SCS's settings, and so on... you'll never get a cleric in SoA that can do that, probably.

[toxin]

They are there, but I see no reason you should be able to stroll in and beat them. A reasonable adventurer would simply avoid them. The only one you have to confront in order to continue with the game is Lavok. The rest are simply skippable.

 

I agree that they should be very difficult to beat, but I think they should be beatable for a SoA XP-capped party (otherwise it doesn't make sense they even exist).

 

I doubt that's true with the SCS's components innstalled. That's true in the regular game cause you can turn the undead creatures that are on the same level as the turner, but they get a few level added with the default SCS's settings, and so on... you'll never get a cleric in SoA that can do that, probably.

 

Good catch, thanks. Are you sure being on the same level will suffice? That same thread says you have to be at least 2 levels above to turn and at least 7 levels above to destory. Elemental liches in SCS are lvl30 so yeah, maybe somewhere in ToB you'll have luck

[Adanedhel]

Found out the hard way that this component wasn't working for rakshasas because rakring.itm (I guess it's an EE-only item) wasn't edited by modify_breach.tpa and apparently no one has made a patch for it even though it's known for a while?

I'm not sure how the syntax works exactly but probably changing line 33 in modify_breach.tpa from

LAF edit_item STR_VAR item=lich edits=patch_data END

to

LAF edit_item STR_VAR item=lich rakring edits=patch_data END

would work? Eventually just add another line with IF ENGINE_IS ~ee tags~ LAF ... for the rakring.itm?

 

Is there a repository of SCS patches anywhere besides BWFixpack? Gonna reference this post on SHS BWFixpack thread anyway.

[frostysh]

 

 

Eh, in my view the PC should be basically unable to beat a lich, by almost any method, cheesy or not, until you are TOB level

 

That may be taking it a bit too far - after all there are liches in SoA and theoretically you may not even have ToB installed...

 

BTW you can turn liches as early as level 20.

What?! 20 level to defeat the casual bunch of rotten bones - the lich!? O_O

 

Perhaps this has been forgotten to said my party... 12 levels can easily defeat any lich (with "Azuredge +3"), 13-14 levels can defeat Kagnaxx (with "Daystar" equipped), but not easily.. Kangaxx is a really powerful one (he or she is a not a casual weak lich he is a frigging DEMILICH! that is tough like a bloody hell itself... ). In general sun soul monk ~15 level (with fists +3 minimum), can defeat any of a weak liches alone (but not a demiliches!).

 

For all saking goods why do you need a "Breach" to defeat Rakshasa!?

Never used it on them, it is even useful? O_o

 

Because Rakshasas almost impenetrable by any kinds of magic as I remembered.

 

P.S. Insane + SCS (hardest setting) + Tactics for EE, BG2:EE 1,3 something.

[kreso]

For all saking goods why do you need a "Breach" to defeat Rakshasa!?

Never used it on them, it is even useful? O_o

 

Because Rakshasas almost impenetrable by any kinds of magic as I remembered..

No, you don't need Breach. Remove magic will do just fine - Rakshasa are generally fairly low-leveled and Remove will almost surely work to remove their buffs. They're immune to all spells of level 7 and below, spells of 8th and higher level work on them.

SCS is supposed to make level 5 Breach affect them, but fails to do so apperantly.