Sword Coast Stratagems v34 (edit: 34.3) now available

[DavidW]

1 hour ago, polytope said:

DavidW has confirmed that he won't be changing it, so I guess further posts on this subject are pointless under an SCS release thread unless someone wants to recode berserker abilities as a kit mod.

I wouldn’t go that far- there are things that could address this which don’t violate the play-fair injunction.

[polytope]

7 minutes ago, DavidW said:

Berserkers plausibly should be raging only when they get to melee. (Trade off, since they lose the immunities).

Or upon seeing an opposed cleric or mage, if you don't want to change the core ability.

ETA: But the priority should be, don't bother to enrage on sight of a spellcaster if a potion of magic shielding or equivalent has been consumed and isn't dispelled.

Edited August 10, 2022 by polytope

[guyudennis]

Speaking from my personal take of the concept and my playing experiences.

This is a unstoppable maelstrom of destruction, and a scary psycho on top. I don't think his fighting strategy should be really that "intelligent" or "optimal"; he probably doesn't care either. Their current SCS behavior can be simplified as: seeing party, goes mental, locks on a random opponent and charges directly to him/her. My best chance of defeating him is actually not facing him in close range, but to slow him (with Grease for example) and try to use missiles and evocation school magic to damage him as much as possible before he reaches me, 'cause when he finally and inevitably does, my character is already effectively "half-dead", and his/her first reaction is to actually try fleeing from the berserker rather than "okey, let's dance!". I won't deliberately kite the zerker, but I always consider him scary enough that I should try to keep myself away from him, especially taking advantage of the initial distance I have with him. The whole experience of fighting a SCS berserker for me, feels just about right...

Now if somehow the psycho learns the dark art of being a smart-ass at the same time and can willingly control his freakout timer to be just about 1 meter away from me, the whole experience would feel "wrong", at least to me. And I would actually argue it's not fair to the player either, especially during earlier stages of the game, 'cause no self righteous butt-kicking goodness would stand a chance in close proximity with a raging orger berserker. So I would say, let the player who deliberately kite kite, and keep the zerkers mental.

PS. The "raging" would actually take time both in PnP and from actual legends. A recent movie, The Northman, at least made an effort showing the actual "preparation" process of going berserk before a battle. So once again, being able to time your rage to activate just when he reaches an opponent in close range does not feel right. Too optimal and artificial, I think is the word I was searching for.

[subtledoctor]

4 hours ago, guyudennis said:

Now if somehow the psycho learns the dark art of being a smart-ass at the same time and can willingly control his freakout timer to be just about 1 meter away from me, the whole experience would feel "wrong", at least to me.

But the player can do that. The player can go “berserk” and then sit in the back row shooting a crossbow. The player can go berserk and stay back casting spells, using the berserk rage as a more-convenient Mind Blank + Dimensional Anchor. 

I’ve long said that the Berserker rage should be like Minsc’s, uncontrollably using melee attacks against the nearest enemy until no enemies are left. And yes in PnP it takes a solid 10 rounds to initiate it. (And, it doesn’t replicate Mind Blank + Dimensional Anchor.) But that’s not what we have in the game. In-game “berserking” allows for very careful and smart tactical choices, even down to stuff like kiting and outright retreating. If SCS is meant to allow enemies to use the game’s tools the way players do, then it should use Berserking in a rational, intelligent way. 

[Endarire]

For the option to make certain creatures immune to Web, should that also apply to Grease?  What about Evard's Black Tentacles from the Made in Heaven Spell Pack?

Should there be an option to allow Grease to ignite and also deal fire damage for its duration?

Thankee!

[DavidW]

Some creatures should be immune to grease - good idea - though not the same creatures.

igniting grease is a bit beyond the scope of SCS.

[polytope]

22 hours ago, guyudennis said:

Now if somehow the psycho learns the dark art of being a smart-ass at the same time and can willingly control his freakout timer to be just about 1 meter away from me, the whole experience would feel "wrong", at least to me. And I would actually argue it's not fair to the player either, especially during earlier stages of the game, 'cause no self righteous butt-kicking goodness would stand a chance in close proximity with a raging orger berserker. So I would say, let the player who deliberately kite kite, and keep the zerkers mental. 

PS. The "raging" would actually take time both in PnP and from actual legends. A recent movie, The Northman, at least made an effort showing the actual "preparation" process of going berserk before a battle. So once again, being able to time your rage to activate just when he reaches an opponent in close range does not feel right. Too optimal and artificial, I think is the word I was searching for.

Yes, that's why I initially suggested indefinite duration so that the berserker will simply be berserk for the length of combat, whatever it is.

The problem is, as things are now, if you intentionally or unintentionally avoid the berserker for a turn, he will be suffering from the refractory fatigue penalty when you come to blows with him, even though he hasn't engaged in combat and shouldn't be any more tired than the PC who kited him is.

That feels wrong to me too.

[subtledoctor]

46 minutes ago, polytope said:

if you intentionally or unintentionally avoid the berserker for a turn, he will be suffering from the refractory fatigue penalty when you come to blows with him, even though he hasn't engaged in combat

Maybe an answer could look like: triggering the ability just sets a contingency or spellstate; then, it actually turns into the berserk rage when the berserker is hit by, or lands a hit on, an enemy. 

It honestly would be fine for the player ability to work that way as well - though of course it’s beyond the scope of this mod. 

Edited August 11, 2022 by subtledoctor

[Graion Dilach]

Improved Bandit Camp: When the team from Tazok's tent is triggered to leave the camp, the additional elite troops lack their index.

See https://github.com/Gibberlings3/SwordCoastStratagems/blob/af9270e8157d7cd3002b2d3e108a48c1813a10eb/stratagems/tactical_bg1/ssl/sealtent.ssl#L35-L39 vs https://github.com/Gibberlings3/SwordCoastStratagems/blob/af9270e8157d7cd3002b2d3e108a48c1813a10eb/stratagems/tactical_bg1/ssl/tazoktent.ssl#L17-L21

Edited August 11, 2022 by Graion Dilach

[Graion Dilach]

@pochesun and Morgoth - sorry for belated response on the Candlekeep inn behaviour "change", but from what I'm seeing, that's how oBG1 even acts like, so if Beamdog restored this behaviour recently, that is a bugfix and not a bug. (WAITHSTL.BCS and WAITRUN.BCS are already assigned out to the relevant mobs in my TotSC install.)

[Guest Morgoth]

On 7/2/2022 at 11:49 AM, DavidW said:

It does look as if this go-hostile thing is a vanilla game change; it’s certainly not an intentional SCS change. Better Calls for Help is mostly intended to get already-hostile groups to work together better; it’s not intended to mess with the vanilla game’s (somewhat tangled) logic as to who goes hostile in the first place, though sometimes it ends up doing so accidentally.

But with the use of Better calls of Help, now the player is barred from looting the cabinet near the noble, and that's not that great, especially if you are playing an evil charname.

[Moonboy187]

On a side note, I seem to remember maybe a past version of SCS where Demogorgon made an appearance in the Throne of Bhaal, I think it was something to do with Imoen essence or a dialogue choice would allow him to show up and I think you fought him there, I am not too sure. Was this a feature on a older version?

[DavidW]

No.

[Jarin]

On 8/1/2022 at 8:04 AM, DavidW said:

I'll look into it.

Incidentally one might as well just update their speed to BG2-style speeds wholesale. It seems an artifact leftover from BG1's slower pace, and it's usually not a big deal since bears tend to just leave you alone if you have a druid in the party. And also, why would you ever attack bears!?

Also, good work on this mod! It's certainly come a long way since the Tutu days. I adore the proper implementation of in-game adjustable difficulty in particular.

[Lilaina]

I recently started my yearly BG playthrough and finished BG1 with the latest version of SCS/insane/no IWD-spells. I came across two issues:

1. The demon knight didn't seem to use teleport although the readme says he should do so now. (Aec'Letec did to great effect)

2. Mendas didn't cast any offensive spells in his human form, just buffs. On later reloads for testing purposes he did so however so dunno what that was about.

I would also suggest a new tweak/component to give lycanthropes more HP like fiends, genies etc. in BG2. My party had 2 fighter types and a cleric who absolutely smashed through the doggie hordes with haste and strength potions on maxed out difficulty. I think most players know about silver weapons and hoard their potions for endgame so they could use some extra beefiness to pose some danger.

Other than that I had a nice bug free experience so thanks for continuing to support new game versions!