Sword Coast Stratagems v34 (edit: 34.3) now available

[boof]

Running into a strange issue.
The kobold shaman you fight at the bottom of Nashkel Mines always used to cast a lightning bolt when encountered.
Today on a new run, he cast an icelance.
I looked him up in near infinity and... he doesn't even have an icelance memorized.
The kobold shaman that's in my game is dw#kbash.cre
This is the same install I've used previously, the only thing being different is a voice pack or two that have been installed at the end of the install order.
I've tested it out with a few different characters (all scs settings max) and it's always icelance (which he shouldn't have) or melf's acid arrow.
Which leads to another strange thing which I've only noticed now. After his mirror image prebuff, he only casts one spell and then just chases you around trying to shank you. Intended? To be fair if he actually used all the spells he was supposed to have , it would be a bit on the insane side for this stage of the game.
Anyone that knows scripts mind looking into this? I'm mostly very confused by the icelance when there is no icelance in his spellbook.

Edited July 24, 2023 by boof

[jmerry]

Well, that looks like perfectly normal memorization for a level 6 SCS mage (invoker). That behavior, though ... what do this kobold's scripts look like?

It is kind of a ridiculous encounter even when working properly. A level 6 mage with unusually high HP, plus a bunch of warriors that aren't even super-squishy like most kobolds? Serious trouble unless you went and got some levels before entering the mines.

[boof]

On 7/23/2023 at 11:31 PM, jmerry said:

Well, that looks like perfectly normal memorization for a level 6 SCS mage (invoker). That behavior, though ... what do this kobold's scripts look like?

It is kind of a ridiculous encounter even when working properly. A level 6 mage with unusually high HP, plus a bunch of warriors that aren't even super-squishy like most kobolds? Serious trouble unless you went and got some levels before entering the mines.

He's got three scripts, two of which are under race and default, and are super long.
Then there's this one under general script called mage5.bcs

Quote

IF
    StateCheck(Myself,STATE_PANIC)
THEN
    RESPONSE #100
        RandomWalkContinuous()
END

IF
    See(NearestEnemyOf(Myself))
    !StateCheck(Myself,STATE_MIRRORIMAGE)
    HaveSpell(WIZARD_MIRROR_IMAGE)  // SPWI212.SPL (Mirror Image)
THEN
    RESPONSE #100
        Spell(Myself,WIZARD_MIRROR_IMAGE)  // SPWI212.SPL (Mirror Image)
END

IF
    See(NearestEnemyOf(Myself))
    HaveSpell(WIZARD_CONFUSION)  // SPWI401.SPL (Confusion)
THEN
    RESPONSE #100
        RemoveSpell(WIZARD_CONFUSION)  // SPWI401.SPL (Confusion)
        SpellNoDec(NearestEnemyOf(Myself),WIZARD_EMOTION_FEAR)  // SPWI428.SPL (Emotion, Fear)
    RESPONSE #100
        Spell(NearestEnemyOf(Myself),WIZARD_CONFUSION)  // SPWI401.SPL (Confusion)
END

IF
    See(NearestEnemyOf(Myself))
    HaveSpell(WIZARD_MONSTER_SUMMONING_1)  // SPWI309.SPL (Monster Summoning I)
THEN
    RESPONSE #100
        Spell(Myself,WIZARD_MONSTER_SUMMONING_1)  // SPWI309.SPL (Monster Summoning I)
END

IF
    See(NearestEnemyOf(Myself))
    HaveSpell(WIZARD_LIGHTNING_BOLT)  // SPWI308.SPL (Lightning Bolt)
THEN
    RESPONSE #100
        RemoveSpell(WIZARD_LIGHTNING_BOLT)  // SPWI308.SPL (Lightning Bolt)
        SpellNoDec(NearestEnemyOf(Myself),WIZARD_ICELANCE)  // SPWI323.SPL (Icelance)
    RESPONSE #100
        Spell(NearestEnemyOf(Myself),WIZARD_LIGHTNING_BOLT)  // SPWI308.SPL (Lightning Bolt)
END

IF
    See(NearestEnemyOf(Myself))
    HaveSpell(WIZARD_HORROR)  // SPWI205.SPL (Horror)
THEN
    RESPONSE #100
        Spell(NearestEnemyOf(Myself),WIZARD_HORROR)  // SPWI205.SPL (Horror)
END

IF
    See(NearestEnemyOf(Myself))
    HaveSpell(WIZARD_MELF_ACID_ARROW)  // SPWI211.SPL (Melf's Acid Arrow)
THEN
    RESPONSE #100
        Spell(NearestEnemyOf(Myself),WIZARD_MELF_ACID_ARROW)  // SPWI211.SPL (Melf's Acid Arrow)
END

IF
    See(NearestEnemyOf(Myself))
    HaveSpell(WIZARD_LARLOCH_MINOR_DRAIN)  // SPWI119.SPL (Larloch's Minor Drain)
THEN
    RESPONSE #100
        Spell(NearestEnemyOf(Myself),WIZARD_LARLOCH_MINOR_DRAIN)  // SPWI119.SPL (Larloch's Minor Drain)
END

IF
    See(NearestEnemyOf(Myself))
THEN
    RESPONSE #100
        Attack(NearestEnemyOf(Myself))
END

 

It actually has mention of an icelance in there, but yeah... the icelance isn't in the book.

Edited July 26, 2023 by boof

[polytope]

The base IWDification which adds new spells to BG2 also updates default mage scripts (like MAGE5.bcs) to randomly substitute them on the fly, as in your example:

IF
    See(NearestEnemyOf(Myself))
    HaveSpell(WIZARD_LIGHTNING_BOLT)  // SPWI308.SPL (Lightning Bolt)
THEN
    RESPONSE #100
        RemoveSpell(WIZARD_LIGHTNING_BOLT)  // SPWI308.SPL (Lightning Bolt)
        SpellNoDec(NearestEnemyOf(Myself),WIZARD_ICELANCE)  // SPWI323.SPL (Icelance)
    RESPONSE #100
        Spell(NearestEnemyOf(Myself),WIZARD_LIGHTNING_BOLT)  // SPWI308.SPL (Lightning Bolt)
END 

There are several other subs of spells at any given level like Emotion: Fear for Confusion, Lance of Disruption for Flame Arrow.

The mystery is why the kobold is using a vanilla game script rather than an SCS mage script, probably something to do with the install order (the kobold mage with his mage script should have been added to the game before the overarching replacement of original AI caster scripts).

[Chitown Willie]

On 7/23/2023 at 10:00 PM, boof said:

Which leads to another strange thing which I've only noticed now. After his mirror image prebuff, he only casts one spell and then just chases you around trying to shank you. Intended? To be fair if he actually used all the spells he was supposed to have , it would be a bit on the insane side for this stage of the game.
Anyone that knows scripts mind looking into this? I'm mostly very confused by the icelance when there is no icelance in his spellbook.

I experienced the same thing with the Shaman. Between that and the overpowered Commandos, I've dropped the "Improved Kobolds" component from my installs even though conceptually I really like it.

I would love to see a rework of it more in line with the Monster Manual:

"The average kobold tribe has 40 - 400 (4d10x10) adult males. For every 40 kobolds in a band there will
be one leader and two bodyguards (AC 6; HD 1-1; hp 4 each; damage 1-6). In a lair there will be 5-20
(5d4) bodyguards, females equal to 50% of the males, young equal to 10% of the males and 30-300
(3d10x10) eggs. There will also be a chief and 2-8 guards (AC 5; HD 1+1; hp 7 each; damage 1-8).
Further, there is a 65% chance there will be guard animals: (70%) 2-5 wild boars (AC 7; HD 3+3;
damage 3d4 gore) or (30%) 1-4 giant weasels (AC 6; HD 3+3; damage 2d6 bite and blood drain). There
may be one or more shamans."

[boof]

14 hours ago, polytope said:

The base IWDification which adds new spells to BG2 also updates default mage scripts (like MAGE5.bcs) to randomly substitute them on the fly, as in your example:

IF
    See(NearestEnemyOf(Myself))
    HaveSpell(WIZARD_LIGHTNING_BOLT)  // SPWI308.SPL (Lightning Bolt)
THEN
    RESPONSE #100
        RemoveSpell(WIZARD_LIGHTNING_BOLT)  // SPWI308.SPL (Lightning Bolt)
        SpellNoDec(NearestEnemyOf(Myself),WIZARD_ICELANCE)  // SPWI323.SPL (Icelance)
    RESPONSE #100
        Spell(NearestEnemyOf(Myself),WIZARD_LIGHTNING_BOLT)  // SPWI308.SPL (Lightning Bolt)
END 

There are several other subs of spells at any given level like Emotion: Fear for Confusion, Lance of Disruption for Flame Arrow.

The mystery is why the kobold is using a vanilla game script rather than an SCS mage script, probably something to do with the install order (the kobold mage with his mage script should have been added to the game before the overarching replacement of original AI caster scripts).

So you think installing the kobold component first, then running scs again and installing the rest would fix him? Not that I'm going to bother, just curious. That particular kobold is strong enough as it is, though the whole cast one spell then run around trying to melee does annoy me a bit.

[polytope]

19 hours ago, Chitown Willie said:

I would love to see a rework of it more in line with the Monster Manual:

"...Further, there is a 65% chance there will be guard animals: (70%) 2-5 wild boars (AC 7; HD 3+3;
damage 3d4 gore) or (30%) 1-4 giant weasels (AC 6; HD 3+3; damage 2d6 bite and blood drain). There
may be one or more shamans."

Who'll provide the new animations for boars, giant weasels etc? Boars are boring anyway, at least the giant weasel has a unique ability, whereas a boar has such similar AC, hp and attack and damage values to a worg that I don't think anyone will support new animations for a functionally indistinguishable creature.

ETA: Worgs have a bite for 2d4, but the ones in game have a damage bonus from strength. Boars also have the "last stand" ability to fight for 2-5 rounds if between 0 and -6 hp, then again bears were supposed to get this as well, but didn't.

10 hours ago, boof said:

So you think installing the kobold component first, then running scs again and installing the rest would fix him? Not that I'm going to bother, just curious. That particular kobold is strong enough as it is, though the whole cast one spell then run around trying to melee does annoy me a bit.

I believe so, this was a problem in earlier versions with Revanek in the TR encounter, also with one of the caster statues on the first floor of WK.

Maybe it still is a problem, I'd need to reinstall everything freshly to check, because I've already edited some of the setup tp2/tpas on my local version and can't remember if I changed those guys for this campaign (don't do this unless you're sure you can fix problems that arise).

Edited July 27, 2023 by polytope

[Graion Dilach]

10 hours ago, polytope said:

Who'll provide the new animations for boars, giant weasels etc? Boars are boring anyway, at least the giant weasel has a unique ability, whereas a boar has such similar AC, hp and attack and damage values to a worg that I don't think anyone will support new animations for a functionally indistinguishable creature.

Actually, we've got the boar covered. SoD has a brown boar palette for the IWD2 arctic boar artwork, backporting this for classic is on the IAv6 list, but if someone sits down to write the FIND_FREE_ANIM & co. stuff for classic to combine it with TobExAl, said one can bypass IA completely.

[polytope]

Good to know about the boar, but it's still not a unique creature statwise and tactically, more of a cosmetic reskin. Not something DavidW generally added to SCS.

Some years ago players were requesting one of the two black dragons outside Abazigal's lair be replaced with a white, for variety and as a sensible place to actually find that white dragon scales component. Iirc he objected that it would need a unique animation (I would have used the existing aqua dragon, lightened a bit).

[Graion Dilach]

TBH, I read the request wrt kobolds for an external mod as an alternative to the DSotSC kobold option, and BuTcHeRy's system can already be cited for an SCS-compatible example. (And we disagree wiith the white dragons even... IWD has white dragon art.)

The main issue IMO is that prior to ToBExAl, dynamic creature animation slot allocation was an EE-only feature and no currently released mod has an example to do that on top of ToBExAl atm.

Edited July 28, 2023 by Graion Dilach

[polytope]

2 hours ago, Graion Dilach said:

The main issue IMO is that prior to ToBExAl, dynamic creature animation slot allocation was an EE-only feature and no currently released mod has an example to do that on top of ToBExAl atm.

I'm sure all classic players would appreciate that, but I'm unfamiliar with the process.

Speaking of dragons, Conster really should have Protection from Fire in his prep list, in case he's fought alongside Firkraag (depending on the dialogue).

I think it wouldn't be too much to give him wing buffet immunity either, obviously the dragon will try to avoid slapping the mage who's helping him.

[Guest Mad Wizzzard]

Is there eny way to se all changes to all the spells you @DavidW have done from both Baldur's gate and Icewind dale?

 

Do you have eny plans to incorporate spells from Planescape torment? 

Perhaps one can find a lost spell tome that was discarded by an incarnation of the nameless one and/or dak'kons unbroken circle of zerthimon... 

[Guest Mad Wizzzard]

On 9/16/2021 at 5:28 PM, Bartimaeus said:

Dang, what happened here - were there more bugs with this than just the ones I identified? I've been using a fixed version of the file and can't say I've ever run into any issues since...but I'm not playing on the EEs, and maybe there were other problems I don't know about?

Where can I get my hands on that "fixed version of the file"

Pretty Please!

[Bartimaeus]

On 7/29/2023 at 2:24 AM, Guest Mad Wizzzard said:

Where can I get my hands on that "fixed version of the file"

Pretty Please!

From what I can see, SCS more or less implemented the fixes I suggested, it's just that the component is still disabled in setup-stratagems.tp2. While I haven't had issues with it in my setup, DavidW clearly thought there still were and which that needed to be ironed out first, so I make no guarantees of its efficacy if you re-enable it.

Edited July 30, 2023 by Bartimaeus
missing "there"

[jmerry]

Exactly. Re-enabling that component just requires editing one line in setup-stratagems.tp2:

BEGIN @3400 DESIGNATED 4250 GROUP @4 DEPRECATED "Removed for the moment due to significant bugs"

Delete DEPRECATED and the quotation that follows to enable the component, whatever flaws it may still have.