Unearthed Arcana presents Might & Guile: tweaks and kits for warriors and rogues

[subtledoctor]

2 hours ago, Thacobell said:

Now this bug sounds incredibly cursed

Ah, I figured it out. Will update the mod soon.

2 hours ago, Thacobell said:

the proficiency skill thing from scales and balance is a bit better alternative

It's an evolution of the feats mod. And soon it will be in its own mod, focused solely on proficiencies. So hopefully will be easier to find and easier to support.

[Granger77]

Hi there! Subtledoctor, thank you so much for your hard work with this and every other mod you've worked on (and continue to work on)!

What do people think of the Meistersinger kit? It sounds super cool; I really love how it has the druid tinge to it. For my next playthrough, I'm heavily considering using this kit; my charname will be the group's support/healer, so I'm still deciding on whether the kit is the right fit.

I could of course change my group compilation to include a cleric and have the Meistersinger be an off-healer/CC'er. Hmm...

[moggadeet]

It's more of a bard/cleric than a bard druid, but I really enjoyed my time with the Loresinger kit and I'll vouch for it as a solid support kit. I don't use Revised Bards, so it was the 2e-style version of the class, and I appreciated the healing/buff spells and anti-undead capabilities of the song. Honestly, a bard who can cast healing spells is always going to be useful.

[Granger77]

Ahh yes, the Loresinger was the other kit that caught my eye!

I'll definitely have to ponder this, lol. Thank you for your input!

[Thacobell]

Meistersinger is my personal favorite kit. Very flavorful.

[subtledoctor]

Okay here is the big update, to version 5.5.

Most of the stuff in the mod is the same, but should work a bit better and more efficiently. There is a new system for e.g. Weaponmasters and Bladesingers to go one higher than normal in a weapon proficiency.

Two major changes that are worth noting, however:

1) The 'Revised Bards' component no longer changes the way those bards cast spells. They will be bard kits in various different multiclasses, and they will have the new bard song system, but they will cast spells like regular fighter/mages or thief/mages or cleric/thieves. If you want bards to cast spells with the 5th Edition D&D system, you can now use the 5E Spellcasting mod to make that change either for all casters, or just for bards.

2) Some components have disappeared and/or moved around a bit. Most importantly, the Feat System is now fully phased out. I have integrated MnG feats into the game's proficiency system in my new "Combat Skills & Proficiencies" mod. Also the revised multiclass component is gone, you can as well use Tweaks Anthology for that. The Improved Rangers component is moved to the top of the tweaks section, which now focuses largely on making the Ranger class stand out a bit more.

There are so many components here; I have been trying to slim the mod down, without breaking it up like I did the other one. I think this is probably as slim as I can get it.

[Shadow Ranger]

Been toying with an idea of a quintessential jack of all trades bardic kit, what do you think? The concept was to give them a lot of options, but to limit their choices:

• bardic inspirations are predetermined;
• thieving skills are very limited;
• weapon proficiencies and fighting styles are limited to what one could reasonably wear and use in a court;
• perhaps spellcasting should be limited even further?

COURTIER: These well-read and refined figures surround the highborn found at the courts all over  Faerûn, providing them with their expertise and support in the hopes of getting ahead. They wield blades and poison with equal success and often dabble in the arcane as well – all in the name of their search for the keys to wealth and prestige.

Advantages:

·         May achieve Specialization (++) with long swords, bastard swords, short swords and daggers, as well as the single-weapon style.

·         May use Inspiration: Luck.

·         From 6th level, may use Inspiration: Mind Shield.

·         From 11^th level, may use Emanation: Charm - this causes all enemies in an area of effect to save each round or be Charmed.

·         +3 bonus to Lore each level.

·         May coat their weapon in the following poisons:

1)      Level 5 – Swiftsleep Poison.

2)      Level 10 – Imvris Poison (Paralysis).

3)      Level 15 – Dwarfbane Poison (Death).

·         May use the Dueling fighting style at will.

DUELING: This is a fighting style which focuses on combating a single opponent, at the cost of every other consideration. This style may be turned on and off at will.

Disadvantages:

·         May cast spells one level later than a wizard.

·         May not learn to manifest other Bard Song effects.

·         May not learn spells from the Evocation or Necromancy schools of magic.

·         May not learn 9th-level spells.

·         May cast one fewer spell per day at each spell level, compared to other bards.

·         May not use Find Traps, Set Traps or Pickpocket skills.

·         May only distribute 10 skill points each level.

·         Backstab damage limited to a 2x multiplier.

Edited October 13, 2023 by Shadow Ranger

[Thacobell]

The F/M/T kit Agent is pretty generalist.

[subtledoctor]

I like a lot of those ideas! It sounds a lot like the Herald kit, which the Complete Bards Handbook set up as a kind of medieval James Bond type, but my Herald kid is a fighter/thief. (Closer to the actual James Bond character.) I could see a mage/thief version as a palace Vizier/Jafar-style sorcerer-spy in a similar mold.  And I like the names and concepts for the poisons - "swiftsleep," "dwarfbane." Though I'm not sure I would go to the effort of modding different poisons just for one kit... I would dearly love to do a proper poison overhaul, adding a variety of poisons (sleep, paralysis, hallucination, normal damage, etc.) and apply them to different monsters and kits. But to do it right would be so much work.

Easiest thing might be to make two versions of the Herald kit, a F/T or  M/T. Kind of how the Ninja can be either a T or F/T, or the Loresinger can be a C or a C/T.

A bard song with infinite Charm would be a bit crazy. Maybe something like Enthralling, like Emotion: Hopelessness where those affected just stand around and don't take any action.

I'm not sure what the concept for dueling is... sounds like something maybe appropriate for the fighting Stances in my CSP mod. Not sure the engine can really implement it, though.

[Shadow Ranger]

15 hours ago, subtledoctor said:

I like a lot of those ideas! It sounds a lot like the Herald kit, which the Complete Bards Handbook set up as a kind of medieval James Bond type, but my Herald kid is a fighter/thief. (Closer to the actual James Bond character.)

I could see a mage/thief version as a palace Vizier/Jafar-style sorcerer-spy in a similar mold. 

And I like the names and concepts for the poisons - "swiftsleep," "dwarfbane." Though I'm not sure I would go to the effort of modding different poisons just for one kit... I would dearly love to do a proper poison overhaul, adding a variety of poisons (sleep, paralysis, hallucination, normal damage, etc.) and apply them to different monsters and kits. But to do it right would be so much work.

Easiest thing might be to make two versions of the Herald kit, a F/T or  M/T. Kind of how the Ninja can be either a T or F/T, or the Loresinger can be a C or a C/T.

A bard song with infinite Charm would be a bit crazy. Maybe something like Enthralling, like Emotion: Hopelessness where those affected just stand around and don't take any action.

I'm not sure what the concept for dueling is... sounds like something maybe appropriate for the fighting Stances in my CSP mod. Not sure the engine can really implement it, though.

I've taken the poisons from here: https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Poison - it's a nice starting point, but of course doesn't have to be followed closely (or at all).

Adding poisons to different monsters would definitely be a lot of work, but it sounds great. If you're thinking about adding them to the kits, there are some natural candidates like assassins, of course the heralds (but perhaps they wouldn't be able to pick specific ones?), ninjas...Perhaps even some druid/ranger kits? Another possibilty would be to add a Poisoner to your feats from Scales of Balance mod, with a limited selection (could be also further expanded with some kind of Mithridatism feat).

Making the herald a F/T and a M/T kit sounds great too, that way players could simply pick whichever focus they prefer. You mentioned a Vzier/Jafar style sorcerer, so perhaps even a sorcerer multikit (S/T or S/F) would work?

Enthralling Emanation sounds like a great idea (charm would be indeed overpowered), but that should probably disable spellcasting as well?

As for dueling - I was wondering what could be actually implemented. I orginally envisioned it like a style that adds bonuses provided you fight only a single enemy, but that's probably not possible to do in the BG engine.

Another idea would to have something like BG3's Compelled Duel:

But that's likely not possible either (unless maybe as some weird form of Berserk that would force the target to attack CHARNAME specifically?).

It's just that dueling struck me as something a herald/courtier type would definitely use in his repertoire, as a possible means of assassinating someone without raising suspicions. And if we're talking about a James Bond type of a figure, then it's something that definitely fits

Or they could simply use a style called Fencing, which could be similar to Swashbuckling, but more...disciplined?

Edited October 14, 2023 by Shadow Ranger

[subtledoctor]

With great apologies: a typo snuck into a shared function library and affected a number of mods that use a dialogue to select proficiencies. In this case it affects the Weaponmaster and Bladesinger's ability to select a 'Weapon of Focus.'

It is fixed in version 5.6.

[mickabouille]

Hi @subtledoctor.

The previous translation merge gave me the required motivation to update my MnG french translation, test it and submit it.

If you're interested, you can see it there: https://github.com/UnearthedArcana/Might_and_Guile/pull/32

[Delior]

Hello @subtledoctor, I encountered the error below when trying to install the fighter/thief version of the ninja kit.  This looks similar to the error I noted in another thread about your archer overhaul, and so I am guessing it may be a similar internal compatibility error:

Added D5NINJA_F kit.
Copying 1 file ...
Copying 1 file ...
Copying and patching 1 file ...
ERROR: No translation provided for @20107
ERROR: [might_and_guile/misc/spcl922.spl] -> [override/spcl922.spl] Patching Failed (COPY) (Not_found)
Stopping installation because of error.
Stopping installation because of error.
Stopping installation because of error.
Stopping installation because of error.
ERROR Installing [Add the Ninja (fighter/thief kit)], rolling back to previous state
Will uninstall 204 files for [might_and_guile\might_and_guile.tp2] component 97.
Uninstalled    204 files for [might_and_guile\might_and_guile.tp2] component 97.
ERROR: Not_found
Please make a backup of the file: Setup-might_and_guile.debug and look for support at: SubtleD
Automatically Skipping [Add the Ninja (fighter/thief kit)] because of error.
Using Language [English]
[.\lang\en_us\dialog.tlk] created, 120713 string entries
NOT INSTALLED DUE TO ERRORS Add the Ninja (fighter/thief kit)
 

[subtledoctor]

Ah, it was using a string from the old Feats component, which I removed in order to slim down the mod in hopes that it would be easier for, among other things, people to translate it to different languages.

Which worked! That missing string is fixed in version 5.6.3, and a french translation is added. (Note, however, @mickabouille, that this fix did not make it into the French translation, so you may want to take a look at strings @20107 and @20108 when you get a chance, and update the French .tra file. Thank you!)

[mickabouille]

On 11/3/2023 at 6:26 PM, subtledoctor said:

(Note, however, @mickabouille, that this fix did not make it into the French translation, so you may want to take a look at strings @20107 and @20108 when you get a chance, and update the French .tra file. Thank you

Sure, no problem!

Here you are: https://github.com/UnearthedArcana/Might_and_Guile/pull/33