Future tweak ideas - post 'em here

[jmerry]

Actually, the current bard song range varies based on which song it is (at least in the BG series):

Vanilla bard song: The entire area, but only party members.

Blade song, skald song, HLA enhance bard song: all allies within a standard medium AoE.

Jester song: all enemies within a standard medium AoE.

And here's an existing tweak for bard song range: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/61898/tressets-choice-tweaks (Bigger Bard Song, some way down the post)

[agris]

20 hours ago, jmerry said:

Actually, the current bard song range varies based on which song it is (at least in the BG series):

Vanilla bard song: The entire area, but only party members.

Blade song, skald song, HLA enhance bard song: all allies within a standard medium AoE.

Jester song: all enemies within a standard medium AoE.

And here's an existing tweak for bard song range: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/61898/tressets-choice-tweaks (Bigger Bard Song, some way down the post)

Thanks, I’m aware of tresset’s mod.

It doesn’t address the functionality that I’ve suggested.

[jmerry]

An idea on extending an existing component:

"Druids Use 3e Alignment Restrictions"

How about an option to have some existing characters make use of this? Jaheira should be NG, Faldorn and other Shadow Druids should be NE. The existing component only changes the rules without changing any existing creatures; a subcomponent which lets some of the druids out there be good, evil, lawful, or chaotic would be nice.

[subtledoctor]

There is already a “Make Jaheira NG” in the NPC Tweaks section IIRC. But it would be good to add a NE component for Faldorn. 

[jmerry]

So there is. Would you accept "I wasn't looking at that part of the mod" as an excuse? Also, my idea wasn't restricted to joinables on the alignment changes. Dalok, enemy Faldorn, Nyalee, Amarande, Ferrusk, Corsone, Izefia, Takiyah ... there are a number of druids that could easily be interpreted as evil. Mostly by their dialogue as they go hostile.

SoD actually already has some non-neutral druids. Onoroth (met in the Bloodbark Grove area) is NG, and some goblinoid enemies are NE. So maybe not Ferrusk on this one, given the effort that went into writing him and the fact that the SoD team already considered NE druids an option.

[subtledoctor]

On 4/9/2023 at 7:17 PM, jmerry said:

Would you accept "I wasn't looking at that part of the mod" as an excuse?

Absolutely. I have long found the organization of this mod to be problematic. It’s not anyone’s fault and it probably cannot be changed, but in an ideal world I would move a lot of components around. 

On 4/9/2023 at 7:17 PM, jmerry said:

my idea wasn't restricted to joinables on the alignment changes. Dalok, enemy Faldorn, Nyalee, Amarande, Ferrusk, Corsone, Izefia, Takiyah ... there are a number of druids that could easily be interpreted as evil.

Good points. I would endorse making a component for this and simply having the “allow more druid alignments” component be a prerequisite. 

[Zot]

Hey folks, player since release but newbie tweaker. I have some personal tweaks that I was thinking of converting into one or more mods, but I've taken a look at WEIDU and doubt that the learning curve is worth it. So I'll just post them here in case there is any interest. Cheers, and thanks for all the mods.

 

1. Better Minsc Berserk:

I have a few versions, but I've settled on the lightest which is simply to eliminate the "cursed" true-berserk quality from the ability.  More aggressive improvements could include nonlethal expiry damage, Imprisonment immunity, or a Barb-flavoured +10DR and movement boost. If I were making the mod I'd force a choice between the last two options.

This is a simple SPIN117.spl replacement.

 

2. Rebalanced Weapon Mastery

This allows 5 proficiency pips ONLY for two handed melee weapons, and caps the limit at 4 pips for all other weapons. It also tweaks the bonuses:

1: no bonuses or penalties
2: -1THACO, +2Damage, +1/2 APR
3: -2THACO, +3Damage, -1Speed, +1/2 APR
4: -3THACO, +4Damage, -2Speed, +1 APR
5: -3THACO, +5Damage, -3Speed, +3/2 APR

Dual-wielding is still better, but this system gives the two-handers a little boost.

This involves edits to WeapProf.2DA, wspatck.2da, and wspecial.2da.  There are compatibility issues here that make this a daunting prospect: for one thing, the dlg.tlk references are different between my BGT and BGEE installs. Also it could theoretically work with other mods like "Grandmastery for All" but it would need to take those into account.

 

 

[jmerry]

Some reactions to those proposals:

#1: 

11 minutes ago, Zot said:

...nonlethal expiry damage...

Already in place, at least in the EE. The damage when his temporary HP boost runs out is of the "STUNNING" type.

#2:

12 minutes ago, Zot said:

This involves edits to WeapProf.2DA, wspatck.2da, and wspecial.2da.

And to every creature that has grand mastery in a different weapon already. Korgan and Mazzy would need their proficiencies redistributed. So would many non-party NPCs such as Belt (bastard sword) or Meilum (BG1-style "large swords").

Restricting grand mastery to melee two-handers also has issues with some other components. I see five components in this mod that would create proficiencies that straddle the line with both one-handers and two-handers available: "Two-Handed Bastard Swords", "Two-Handed Katanas", "Two-Handed Bastard Swords", "BG-Style Weapon Proficiencies", and "IWD-Style Weapon Proficiencies".

Your concern about different string reference numbers between games ... easily handled with WeiDU. This mod deals with lots of instances of that already.

[Zot]

1 hour ago, jmerry said:

Some reactions to those proposals:

[...]

#2:

And to every creature that has grand mastery in a different weapon already. Korgan and Mazzy would need their proficiencies redistributed. So would many non-party NPCs such as Belt (bastard sword) or Meilum (BG1-style "large swords").

Restricting grand mastery to melee two-handers also has issues with some other components. I see five components in this mod that would create proficiencies that straddle the line with both one-handers and two-handers available: "Two-Handed Bastard Swords", "Two-Handed Katanas", "Two-Handed Bastard Swords", "BG-Style Weapon Proficiencies", and "IWD-Style Weapon Proficiencies".

Thanks. Also, "ouch, yes". The NPC edits would be tedious but doable, but the latter mods would be basically incompatible.

[zelazko]

Enable Tranzig to use innate Flesh to Stone spell.

Since upping Tranzig's class level to allow him tap into level 6 arcane spells would unbalance the encounter innate spell should be used instead.

Tweak is lorefriendly. As we all know Branwen fell victim to Tranzig's flesh to stone magic.

[polytope]

9 hours ago, Zot said:

2. Rebalanced Weapon Mastery

This allows 5 proficiency pips ONLY for two handed melee weapons, and caps the limit at 4 pips for all other weapons. It also tweaks the bonuses:

1: no bonuses or penalties
2: -1THACO, +2Damage, +1/2 APR
3: -2THACO, +3Damage, -1Speed, +1/2 APR
4: -3THACO, +4Damage, -2Speed, +1 APR
5: -3THACO, +5Damage, -3Speed, +3/2 APR

I think we discovered that speed factor bonuses from WSPECIAL.2da aren't actually applied in game, although 5 stars gives an increase to attack rate which effectively reduces the delay associated with high speed factor weapons.

4 minutes ago, zelazko said:

Enable Tranzig to use innate Flesh to Stone spell.

Since upping Tranzig's class level to allow him tap into level 6 arcane spells would unbalance the encounter innate spell should be used instead.

Tweak is lorefriendly. As we all know Branwen fell victim to Tranzig's flesh to stone magic.

He could've used a scroll though, even a scroll of Chromatic Orb (at lvl 10), or he could perhaps have been level drained.

It makes more sense to me than a human - not a Medusa - wizard having such an innate ability.

[zelazko]

10 hours ago, polytope said:

I think we discovered that speed factor bonuses from WSPECIAL.2da aren't actually applied in game, although 5 stars gives an increase to attack rate which effectively reduces the delay associated with high speed factor weapons.

He could've used a scroll though, even a scroll of Chromatic Orb (at lvl 10), or he could perhaps have been level drained.

It makes more sense to me than a human - not a Medusa - wizard having such an innate ability.

If I am not mistaken Spell Revision takes down the flesh to stone effect from Chromatic Orb spell.

Scrolls? Good idea. This way it will not overpower Tranzig. Level 10 Tranzig could prove unbalanced for chapter 3 players.

[zelazko]

I dunno if this would be implementable probably only through a dialogue mode and not level up screen.

Make Rangers and Paladins achieve proficiency beyond specialization by spending two time the proficiency fighter requires. So if Fighter needs to spend 5 points to achieve grand mastery in any given weapon Ranger/Paladin would need to spend 10 points to achieve same grand mastery.

Edited June 16, 2023 by zelazko

[polytope]

2 hours ago, zelazko said:

Make Rangers and Paladins achieve proficiency beyond specialization by spending two time the proficiency fighter requires. So if Fighter needs to spend 5 points to achieve grand mastery in any given weapon Ranger/Paladin would need to spend 10 points to achieve same grand mastery.

Honestly I think it would be easier and less buggy to try to make this a HLA tree than either messing around with the 2da files and level up UI screen or adding a background script/invisible creatures and associated dialogue (which also feels a bit unnatural and immersion breaking).

I.e. it would work similar to the power attack->critical strike->smite or extra 6th->7th->8th level spell choice progressions of HLA, first time it's picked grants weapon mastery, second time high mastery, third time grand mastery.

Edit: I mean your character will probably be at epic levels anyway by the time you've spent 10 proficiency slots on a weapon, depending on your game 5 slots in a weapon might be achievable at 9th level, 10 slots at 24th, but for some setups you could have 5 slots as soon as 3rd level if you didn't spend them elsewhere, thus 10 slots at 18th level (which is above the threshold for rangers and paladins to start getting HLAs).

Edited June 16, 2023 by polytope

[Retief]

Let bg2 use the druid xp and spell progression tables from IWD: they are the same as the bg2 tables until level 14, but instead of then freezing until 3 million xp, they end up settling into being 1 level behind the cleric progression. 

Split apart the "faster chapters 2 and 3 cutscenes" component into "faster dreams" and "faster 'real' cutscenes".  I honestly like some of the cutscenes (particularly irenicus taking over spellhold), but I can't stand the chapter 2/3 dreams.