[Requires EET] The Cowled Menace v1.0.1 - Overview

[Guest Morgoth]

Played your mod. I need to understand a few things:
1) I've allied myself with

Shoon. The silver servant of mystra flees, but nothing else happens. What's supposed to happen?

[Daxtreme]

On 7/20/2021 at 2:19 PM, Guest Morgoth said:

Played your mod. I need to understand a few things:
1) I've allied myself with

  Hide contents

Shoon. The silver servant of mystra flees, but nothing else happens. What's supposed to happen?

 

Hi, thanks for trying out the mod! Much appreciated, glad you made it to the end (quite the feat considering not everyone plays through ToB)

answer below:

Spoiler

nothing much else should happen in this scenario as Shoon says that as a last resort method to get you to side against Laeral (it shows in his dialogue that he's agitated with this), but I think it might be missing a couple lines of dialogues, perhaps a trigger. He says something that ends in a dead-end because, as he says, he doesn't really care about you or what you do. He only said what he tells you to get rid of Laeral who can actually hurt him by destroying the artifact. I'll have to investigate but right now I have a forearm injury so it's hard for me to do so. Have you been able to reload and get to another ending? Curious to know

 

Edited July 22, 2021 by Daxtreme

[Guest Morgoth]

Yes, the other "path" works. Let me say that I liked the mod, but the evil path is not that great.

What I mean is:

Ok, Shoon promises you riches and items etc, and he asks you to deal with the Mystra servant. Fine, but pay first, get my help later. Currently to me it seems way too punishing for an evil player, especially after you are talked about what Shoon has done in the past, and what he represent.

The Mystra follower suggestion should probably make you tell Shoon, pay me now or die now. Pay me later, die now and I even clap the mystra follower that kills you. Also if he gave you something, I wouldn't mind betraying him for a taste of his own medicine. Right now I think everything happens a bit too fast, without many options to roleplay, and the mystra servant is a bit too keen into fleeing. I just find the whole thing odd.

By the way, I played it on EET but really, I don't think it's that needed to play. I just began and finished the quest in SoA, I would release it too for SoA players only. But your choice

Speedy recovery

[Daxtreme]

On 7/22/2021 at 4:02 PM, Guest Morgoth said:

Yes, the other "path" works. Let me say that I liked the mod, but the evil path is not that great.

What I mean is:

  Hide contents

Ok, Shoon promises you riches and items etc, and he asks you to deal with the Mystra servant. Fine, but pay first, get my help later. Currently to me it seems way too punishing for an evil player, especially after you are talked about what Shoon has done in the past, and what he represent.

 

The Mystra follower suggestion should probably make you tell Shoon, pay me now or die now. Pay me later, die now and I even clap the mystra follower that kills you. Also if he gave you something, I wouldn't mind betraying him for a taste of his own medicine. Right now I think everything happens a bit too fast, without many options to roleplay, and the mystra servant is a bit too keen into fleeing. I just find the whole thing odd.

By the way, I played it on EET but really, I don't think it's that needed to play. I just began and finished the quest in SoA, I would release it too for SoA players only. But your choice

Speedy recovery

 

 

Thanks a lot for your feedback. More below:

Spoiler

Those are great ideas, thanks. I think some dialogue didn't make it into the final version for some reason, I'll see to it when I get better.

You got into Shoon's sanctum, it means you got Zallanora's wardstone. Did you get it from the Baldur's Gate enclave?

 

Edited July 25, 2021 by Daxtreme

[Guest Morgoth]

No, I didn't go into the Baldur's gate 1 Area. Simply because you gave another (welcome) chance to roleplay that was simply "forbidden" in the game: you had no real reward by trying to cleanse Aktlaktha from the cowled wizards. 

I would be willing to bet hat every player, in every playthrough at least once has a cowled wizard appear to warn him not to use the spells on plain air. And that players have been killing them only once, because when you've finished with them, you notice you don't get any meaningful reward or money by doing so. 
 

In fact, I was into using Klatu fixes that buffs the xp points they drop.

Given what this mod does, I would bet that players will now be more keen into just go full berserk against the mages (I'm one of them, especially considering that the xp have been buffed and the "chaotic" route is not as punished as before).

Anyway, what I would probably suggest:

 

1) Make it possible to play this mod even without EET. I think there would also be a possibility to add the baldur's gate 1 enclave without having EET. All you have to do in that note dropped (if I remember well there is a note dropped when you fight the cowled wizards) where you are said where to go - just add a button on the note "go to the location" and make it happen. Also, do you think the usage of a BG1 location is justified? What I mean is: is the "BG1" location essential to play the mod? 

2) Make your mod an alternative to Klatu's fixes. There may be people not willing to install the main component, but the "appropriate items for enemy mages" is surely a welcome addition. Make it so that the players not interested into the main component of the mod can still download your mod to have appropriate fights with cowled wizards. Zallanora should be probably drop some good loot. Don't know what, but I would bet someone in Beamdog or G3 knows what would be appropriate. 

3) Add some meaningful roleplay options to the encounter. I would make it so that the evil player can get his payment from shoon and betray him. Not only that, I think that the evil player could be interested into looting the mystra follower for the stuff she has. So after killing Shoon, let the encounter go through as you currently have - make both be teleported into the pocket plane, and then kill the Mystra follower here. Mystra cannot intervene, you used your wits, you probably deserve some good loot from the body. Add some more evil options where you resurrect the mystra follower and ask her for some good loot that she may have hidden somewhere from the hands of an evil user. You are in your pocket plane, so I'm sure an evil charname can actually be pretty annoying. Your fantasy here is the limit. Then, after getting your sweet loot, let her go knowing that she failed her goddess. 

 

[Guest Morgoth]

Last thing:

I think that you could also open a path for the players that has payed the license in BG2 by making it so that you get ambushed by Zallanora after you entered the house in bridge district.

[Daxtreme]

On 7/26/2021 at 4:12 AM, Guest Morgoth said:

No, I didn't go into the Baldur's gate 1 Area. Simply because you gave another (welcome) chance to roleplay that was simply "forbidden" in the game: you had no real reward by trying to cleanse Aktlaktha from the cowled wizards. 

I would be willing to bet hat every player, in every playthrough at least once has a cowled wizard appear to warn him not to use the spells on plain air. And that players have been killing them only once, because when you've finished with them, you notice you don't get any meaningful reward or money by doing so. 
 

In fact, I was into using Klatu fixes that buffs the xp points they drop.

Given what this mod does, I would bet that players will now be more keen into just go full berserk against the mages (I'm one of them, especially considering that the xp have been buffed and the "chaotic" route is not as punished as before).

Anyway, what I would probably suggest:
 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

1) Make it possible to play this mod even without EET. I think there would also be a possibility to add the baldur's gate 1 enclave without having EET. All you have to do in that note dropped (if I remember well there is a note dropped when you fight the cowled wizards) where you are said where to go - just add a button on the note "go to the location" and make it happen. Also, do you think the usage of a BG1 location is justified? What I mean is: is the "BG1" location essential to play the mod? 

2) Make your mod an alternative to Klatu's fixes. There may be people not willing to install the main component, but the "appropriate items for enemy mages" is surely a welcome addition. Make it so that the players not interested into the main component of the mod can still download your mod to have appropriate fights with cowled wizards. Zallanora should be probably drop some good loot. Don't know what, but I would bet someone in Beamdog or G3 knows what would be appropriate. 

3) Add some meaningful roleplay options to the encounter. I would make it so that the evil player can get his payment from shoon and betray him. Not only that, I think that the evil player could be interested into looting the mystra follower for the stuff she has. So after killing Shoon, let the encounter go through as you currently have - make both be teleported into the pocket plane, and then kill the Mystra follower here. Mystra cannot intervene, you used your wits, you probably deserve some good loot from the body. Add some more evil options where you resurrect the mystra follower and ask her for some good loot that she may have hidden somewhere from the hands of an evil user. You are in your pocket plane, so I'm sure an evil charname can actually be pretty annoying. Your fantasy here is the limit. Then, after getting your sweet loot, let her go knowing that she failed her goddess. 
 

 

 

I could add it as an optional component, definitely. I just figured people would want the main quest because it's unintrusive. Zallanora definitely drops stuff right now, not sure what you mean by giving her loot. I'm already giving her loot.

I will think about it concerning the EET requirement stuff!

Spoiler

As for Laeral, I'd like to avoid a path that makes you fight her. She's one of the most iconic characters of the Forgotten Realms and I wouldn't like for the PC to just... murder her. That's a line I'm not willing to cross. However, I will try to expand on the evil options, especially with Shoon and more interactions in general. Just no murdering Laeral, sorry. She's way too smart and careful to get herself trapped like this. If she sensed the PC was evil she wouldn't follow him in his lair!

Thanks for your comments, much appreciated!

Edited July 29, 2021 by Daxtreme

[Daxtreme]

On 7/26/2021 at 4:25 AM, Guest Morgoth said:

Last thing:
 

  Reveal hidden contents

I think that you could also open a path for the players that has payed the license in BG2 by making it so that you get ambushed by Zallanora after you entered the house in bridge district.

 

That's a great idea, I hadn't thought of that. Will consider Thanks

[Guest Morgoth]

16 hours ago, Daxtreme said:

 

I could add it as an optional component, definitely. I just figured people would want the main quest because it's unintrusive. Zallanora definitely drops stuff right now, not sure what you mean by giving her loot. I'm already giving her loot.

I will think about it concerning the EET requirement stuff!

  Reveal hidden contents

As for Laeral, I'd like to avoid a path that makes you fight her. She's one of the most iconic characters of the Forgotten Realms and I wouldn't like for the PC to just... murder her. That's a line I'm not willing to cross. However, I will try to expand on the evil options, especially with Shoon and more interactions in general. Just no murdering Laeral, sorry. She's way too smart and careful to get herself trapped like this. If she sensed the PC was evil she wouldn't follow him in his lair!

Thanks for your comments, much appreciated!

very much true and I share your opinion about killing her being a bit farfetched.
 

But I will try still to convince you that you should give it another thought:

 

In ToB, your alignment doesn't matter. What matters is how you answer to the solar questions and according to that you will ascend as good or evil. So, there would be a path where Laeral wouldn't know you are actually "evil". Your alignment would be good, but the choices you are going to do/have done are pragmatic and evil. As such, it wouldn't be farfetched as well that Laeral follows you, not knowing what's gonna happen. Anyway, good modding.

[Cahir]

Hi @DaxtremeI have a question regarding Appropriate Items for High-Level Spellcasters component. How it will interact with Weimar's Item Upgrade and SoD to BG2EE Item Upgrade? If for example I upgrade vanilla item using Weimar's Item Upgrade, will your mod use upgraded version or vanilla? Same goes for SoD to BG2EE.

[Daxtreme]

Cześć!

That component in my mod uses only Vanilla item codes so if a mod changes those items, it will use the new ones.

Also worthy of note is that this component also modifies some random loot tables, namely rndtres.tda, RNDSCR04, RNDSCR05

The random scrolls that will drop from these 2 tables (rare, high level scrolls) will cover more spells in the game because of that modification. The rndtres.tda file is basically just adding the modified RNDSCR tables to it, and adding new tables for random cloaks+rings, and another one for miscellaneous magical items (amulet, bracers...)

Hope that helps

[Mordekaie]

Hi,

I am in the process of preparing my EET install order.

A question about installation order.

From the readme,  Cowled Menace should be installed after NPC mods and SCS, but before Tweaks and EET-End. It is quite confusing as SCS comes usually very late and after EET-end.

Can you check about install order?

 

 

[Daxtreme]

On 12/5/2021 at 6:15 PM, Mordekaie said:

Hi,

I am in the process of preparing my EET install order.

A question about installation order.

From the readme,  Cowled Menace should be installed after NPC mods and SCS, but before Tweaks and EET-End. It is quite confusing as SCS comes usually very late and after EET-end.

Can you check about install order?

 

 

 

Sorry for delay. Yeah since then the SCS and EET installations have changed, it's a bit confusing since even the authors of SCS and EET don't seem to see eye-to-eye on this one (might have changed recently)

I would say, install Cowled Menace after NPC mods. Then install the rest (SCS, EET-end, etc)

[Mordekaie]

"Mages cast Gate far from themselves" is aimed at vanilla. Is it also recommended with Spell Revisions ?

 

[Daxtreme]

I would say yes since I believe Spell Revisions doesn't change AI behavior with the casting of gate.

If you run SCS though, safely ignore that optional component.