Discussion: BG2 Kit Creation Series

[Guest nekritius]

I've looked into spellmaking and it appears that the School setup, specialize/opposition is not actually set in the kit setup but set into the spells themselves. So it looks as though I may just have to change the actual spells.

 

Maybe it'll be easier if I just go back to being a necromancer lol

[Guest Demendor]

Greetings everyone!

 

I am trying to make a new thief kit and can't figure out how to assign % gained to distribute on thief skills each level up. I've tried to read through this forum and searched it through the web. But since I can't find it I am either blind, stupid or the soloution is so simple it's not worth mentioning

 

Thanks in advance

 

D

[SixOfSpades]

I am trying to make a new thief kit and can't figure out how to assign % gained to distribute on thief skills each level up.

It's determined by whatever Usability you select for your kit: If you give it the same item restrictions as a Swashbuckler or default Thief, you'll get 25/level. If you choose the Bounty Hunter usability value, it's 20/level, and if you put down the Assassin value, you'll only get 15/level. As far as I know, those values will not change (hardcoded), but you might also experiment by giving your kit the usability value of (Bounty Hunter plus Assassin), or something like that, and seeing what happens.

 

Barbarian's extra hitpoints are also hardcoded into their usability flag, but I think that and the Thieving skills are the only class/kit attributes treated in such a manner.

[Guest Demendor]

I am trying to make a new thief kit and can't figure out how to assign % gained to distribute on thief skills each level up.

It's determined by whatever Usability you select for your kit: If you give it the same item restrictions as a Swashbuckler or default Thief, you'll get 25/level. If you choose the Bounty Hunter usability value, it's 20/level, and if you put down the Assassin value, you'll only get 15/level. As far as I know, those values will not change (hardcoded), but you might also experiment by giving your kit the usability value of (Bounty Hunter plus Assassin), or something like that, and seeing what happens.

 

Barbarian's extra hitpoints are also hardcoded into their usability flag, but I think that and the Thieving skills are the only class/kit attributes treated in such a manner.

 

Ah thanks! I thought the restrictions was only for items and such Cheers for the reply though I'm sure I'll figure something out.

[Guest Wetpipe]

How would I give the swashbuckler kit a backstab ability?

 

The Full Plate mod gives backstab ability to everyone, I was wondering how I would keep it exclusive to giving the swashbucklers backstab.

 

Hah, ya, it's definitely unbalanced. I want to do this just so playing a single class swashbuckler in a new play through of the BG games is more interesting and fun.

 

Also, unless I'm working off the wrong THAC0 tables, the Rogue Rebalance mod claims to give the swashbuckler fighter thac0 tables, but this doesn't appear to be so. Unless it somehow only applies to melee weapons, like it says.

 

How do I change the THAC0 table a kit follows?

[Mike1072]

How would I give the swashbuckler kit a backstab ability?

There's a spell effect that can increase the backstab modifier. I believe the assassin kit uses spcl332.spl for a +1 backstab bonus. If you're planning on making a mod, I'd recommend you make a duplicate of that spell, rename it (with your modder prefix) and stick it in your mod folder, and use the COPY command to copy it over, and add an AP_yourspellname entry to the swashbuckler CLAB file (clabth04.2da) at level one.

 

How do I change the THAC0 table a kit follows?

I'm not sure what Rogue Rebalancing does here. I think you can only affect this by giving them bonuses and penalties to their THAC0 as applied effects in their CLAB file - their base THAC0 will be their parent class's values from thac0.2da.

[Guest Wetpipe]

How would I give the swashbuckler kit a backstab ability?

There's a spell effect that can increase the backstab modifier. I believe the assassin kit uses spcl332.spl for a +1 backstab bonus. If you're planning on making a mod, I'd recommend you make a duplicate of that spell, rename it (with your modder prefix) and stick it in your mod folder, and use the COPY command to copy it over, and add an AP_yourspellname entry to the swashbuckler CLAB file (clabth04.2da) at level one.

 

How do I change the THAC0 table a kit follows?

I'm not sure what Rogue Rebalancing does here. I think you can only affect this by giving them bonuses and penalties to their THAC0 as applied effects in their CLAB file - their base THAC0 will be their parent class's values from thac0.2da.

 

Hey, thanks a lot for the quick response. I really should read tutorials, but I was hoping for a step by step. I understand editing the CLAB file, but is there a reason I would have to duplicate the spell and rename it? Can I just add the assassin's spell to the swashbuckler at level 1 and get the desired effect?

[Mike1072]

Hey, thanks a lot for the quick response. I really should read tutorials, but I was hoping for a step by step. I understand editing the CLAB file, but is there a reason I would have to duplicate the spell and rename it? Can I just add the assassin's spell to the swashbuckler at level 1 and get the desired effect?

Yeah, you can. If you're making a mod though, it's best to anticipate the worst. Perhaps some other crazy modder decided (or will decide upon reading this post) that they want to give assassins more abilities, and instead of making a new .spl for these abilities, they decide to just change spcl332. Then your leet swashbuckler might also end up with an unintentional permanent Improved Invisibility and 5 proficiency points in daggers.

 

 

Edit: For a step-by-step of the THAC0 thing...

 

Step 1: Make a .spl containing a permanent +1 THAC0 modifier.

Step 2: Make a .spl containing a permanent -1 THAC0 modifier.

Step 3: Add references to these spells to your kit's CLAB file at the appropriate levels to create your desired THAC0 progression.

Edited May 17, 2009 by Mike1072

[Guest Wetpipe]

Hey, thanks a lot for the quick response. I really should read tutorials, but I was hoping for a step by step. I understand editing the CLAB file, but is there a reason I would have to duplicate the spell and rename it? Can I just add the assassin's spell to the swashbuckler at level 1 and get the desired effect?

Yeah, you can. If you're making a mod though, it's best to anticipate the worst. Perhaps some other crazy modder decided (or will decide upon reading this post) that they want to give assassins more abilities, and instead of making a new .spl for these abilities, they decide to just change spcl332. Then your leet swashbuckler might also end up with an unintentional permanent Improved Invisibility and 5 proficiency points in daggers.

 

 

Edit: For a step-by-step of the THAC0 thing...

 

Step 1: Make a .spl containing a permanent +1 THAC0 modifier.

Step 2: Make a .spl containing a permanent -1 THAC0 modifier.

Step 3: Add references to these spells to your kit's CLAB file at the appropriate levels to create your desired THAC0 progression.

 

Haha, ya, I tried out the spcl332 thing. It worked, but good call on crazy mods Anyway, I could just make these spl files and place them in the override folder right? Then refer to it in the swashbuckler's clab file, also in the override folder?

 

This is pretty simple. Man, the last timeI played this game, there weren't any of the resources we have now, sheesh. Haha. But thanks so much.

 

And your suggestion on how to work the THAC0's is excellent, thanks, thanks, thanks.

 

Off the top of your head, do you have any thaco affecting spl's I could use as a base?

[Guest wetpipe]

Hey, thanks a lot for the quick response. I really should read tutorials, but I was hoping for a step by step. I understand editing the CLAB file, but is there a reason I would have to duplicate the spell and rename it? Can I just add the assassin's spell to the swashbuckler at level 1 and get the desired effect?

Yeah, you can. If you're making a mod though, it's best to anticipate the worst. Perhaps some other crazy modder decided (or will decide upon reading this post) that they want to give assassins more abilities, and instead of making a new .spl for these abilities, they decide to just change spcl332. Then your leet swashbuckler might also end up with an unintentional permanent Improved Invisibility and 5 proficiency points in daggers.

 

 

Edit: For a step-by-step of the THAC0 thing...

 

Step 1: Make a .spl containing a permanent +1 THAC0 modifier.

Step 2: Make a .spl containing a permanent -1 THAC0 modifier.

Step 3: Add references to these spells to your kit's CLAB file at the appropriate levels to create your desired THAC0 progression.

 

Haha, ya, I tried out the spcl332 thing. It worked, but good call on crazy mods Anyway, I could just make these spl files and place them in the override folder right? Then refer to it in the swashbuckler's clab file, also in the override folder?

 

This is pretty simple. Man, the last timeI played this game, there weren't any of the resources we have now, sheesh. Haha. But thanks so much.

 

And your suggestion on how to work the THAC0's is excellent, thanks, thanks, thanks.

 

Off the top of your head, do you have any thaco affecting spl's I could use as a base?

 

And I think I have every thing figured out, thanks so much for your help man!

[Guest misc user]

I was just wondering how I would go about finding the ability list for the kits already in the game so I can learn from them.

[Mike1072]

I was just wondering how I would go about finding the ability list for the kits already in the game so I can learn from them.

The default kits use files named clabXX##.2da for these - you can check which kit maps to which file in kitlist.2da. And while browsing through them, you might also find this page useful.

[Guest misc_user]

one mroe question. I read the part about importing items using weidu but i'm a bit lost. I have SPL and ITM files made with various programs. but i don't know what format they need to be in or how to edit them so they install with weidu.

[Mike1072]

one mroe question. I read the part about importing items using weidu but i'm a bit lost. I have SPL and ITM files made with various programs. but i don't know what format they need to be in or how to edit them so they install with weidu.

If you've made your own finished .itm/.spl files, you just need to tell WeiDU to copy them over to where the game can use them. Stick them somewhere in your mod folder, perhaps within itm/spl subfolders. Then in your .tp2 somewhere before or after you add your kit, do:

 

COPY ~mymodfolder/spl/spell01.spl~ ~override~
COPY ~mymodfolder/itm/item01.itm~ ~override~

 

If you wanted to give them unique names and descriptions, you'd do it like this instead:

 

COPY ~mymodfolder/spl/spell01.spl~ ~override~
 SAY NAME1 ~Your Spell's Name~
 SAY UNIDENTIFIED_DESC ~Your Spell's Description~

COPY ~mymodfolder/itm/item01.itm~ ~override~
 SAY NAME1 ~Your Item's Unidentified Name~
 SAY NAME2 ~Your Item's Identified Name~
 SAY UNIDENTIFIED_DESC ~Your Item's Unidentified Description~
 SAY DESC ~Your Item's Identified Description~

[Guest misc_user]

okay. thanks for your time. one last issue. I got it all to install. my items and spells work fine. However when i slect my kit in the character creation menu it just makes the character a normal thief instead of the kit I set up for it.

No obvious errors other than it not actually applying the kit when selected.