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Shield Amulet


Azazello

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My first thought was to protect against wands as well, but the descript is quite explicit in only limiting against the spell.

 

// amulet of shield not protecting against MM
COPY_EXISTING ~amul15.itm~   ~override~
 READ_LONG  0x64 "abil_off" ELSE 0
 READ_SHORT 0x68 "abil_num" ELSE 0
 READ_LONG  0x6a "fx_off"   ELSE 0
 SET "abil_length" = 0x38
 SET "fx_delta" = 0
 FOR (index = 0; index < abil_num; index = index + 1) BEGIN // start iterating through abilities
READ_SHORT  ("%abil_off%" + 0x1e + ("%abil_length%" * "%index%")) "abil_fx_num"
READ_SHORT  ("%abil_off%" + 0x20 + ("%abil_length%" * "%index%")) "abil_fx_idx"
SET "abil_fx_idx" = ("%abil_fx_idx%" + "%fx_delta%")
WRITE_SHORT ("%abil_off%" + 0x20 + ("%abil_length%" * "%index%")) ("%abil_fx_idx%")
FOR (index2 = 0; index2 < abil_fx_num; index2 = index2 + 1) BEGIN
  READ_SHORT ("%fx_off%" +		(0x30 * ("%abil_fx_idx%" + "%index2%"))) "opcode"
  READ_LONG  ("%fx_off%" + 0x08 + (0x30 * ("%abil_fx_idx%" + "%index2%"))) "icon"
  PATCH_IF (("%opcode%" = 142) OR ("%opcode%" = 15)) BEGIN // display shield icon
	READ_ASCII ("%fx_off%" +		(0x30 * ("%abil_fx_idx%" + "%index2%"))) "clone" (48) // clone fx
	// insert protection from mage version of MM
	INSERT_BYTES			("%fx_off%" +		(0x30 * "%abil_fx_idx%")) 0x30		 // insert new effect
	  WRITE_EVALUATED_ASCII ("%fx_off%" +		(0x30 * "%abil_fx_idx%")) "%clone%"	// clones portrait icon
	  WRITE_SHORT		   ("%fx_off%" +		(0x30 * "%abil_fx_idx%")) 206		  // protection from spell
	  WRITE_LONG			("%fx_off%" + 0x04 + (0x30 * "%abil_fx_idx%")) 0xffffffff   // strref
	  WRITE_ASCII		   ("%fx_off%" + 0x14 + (0x30 * "%abil_fx_idx%")) ~spwi112~ #8 // mage spell
	// insert display string
	INSERT_BYTES			("%fx_off%" +		(0x30 * "%abil_fx_idx%")) 0x30	  // insert new effect
	  WRITE_EVALUATED_ASCII ("%fx_off%" +		(0x30 * "%abil_fx_idx%")) "%clone%" // clones portrait icon
	  WRITE_SHORT		   ("%fx_off%" +		(0x30 * "%abil_fx_idx%")) 139	   // display string
	  WRITE_LONG			("%fx_off%" + 0x04 + (0x30 * "%abil_fx_idx%")) 14771	 // 'shielded'
	  WRITE_BYTE			("%fx_off%" + 0x0c + (0x30 * "%abil_fx_idx%")) 1		 // instant/perm
	  WRITE_LONG			("%fx_off%" + 0x0e + (0x30 * "%abil_fx_idx%")) 0		 // duration
	SET "fx_delta" = "%fx_delta%" + 2
	SET "abil_fx_num" = "%abil_fx_num%" + 2
	WRITE_SHORT  ("%abil_off%" + 0x1e + ("%abil_length%" * "%index%")) "%abil_fx_num%"
	SET "index2" = "%abil_fx_num%" // kills loop
  END
END
 END
 BUT_ONLY_IF_IT_CHANGES

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Dicey semantics, good sir! Dicey semantics!

 

The description says the amulet duplicates the Shield spell: "This amulet can be activated by a simple command word and a touch, with each use expending one charge. The effect is a duplication of the 1st level wizard spell Shield."

 

Does the Shield spell protect against MM from wands? (I dunno for sure.)

 

If so, why not let the amulet also do that?

If not, then, well, okay then.

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Does the Shield spell protect against MM from wands? (I dunno for sure.)

 

It doesn't - nor against the trap that fires magic missiles at you.

 

How would the amulet know that the MM comes from a wand or a trap and not the spell? IMHO a MM is a MM regardless of where it originates. If I fart and a MM comes out its still a MM.

 

ronin

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If it protected against all forms of MM, it might be worth keeping, if you could get it while low enough (it's found in de'Arnise, IIRC). I don't think I've ever kept one and used it in a battle.

 

Actually, as far as it goes, I've yet to see an enemy use a wand of MM.

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Heh, it's definitely semantics, but I'd rather err on the side of conservatism.

 

The description says the amulet duplicates the Shield spell: "This amulet can be activated by a simple command word and a touch, with each use expending one charge. The effect is a duplication of the 1st level wizard spell Shield."

Exactly. From the Shield spell description:

 

It also grants the wizard immunity from the spell Magic Missile.

 

There's nothing to suggest it also protects against magic missiles from wands or traps or beholder eyeballs. (Unless the beholders are actually casting the spell instead of being some innate beholder ability.)

 

The Wand description says it duplicates the spell Magic Missile...

No it doesn't.

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I think it is very strongly implied that a wand or a trap of Magic Missile is functionally the same as a Magic Missile spell. As I said, that's how it is in pnp and I see no logical reason, aside from an ambiguous wording in the Shield spell description, to have it act otherwise in BG2.

 

In pnp the wand or trap requires the casting of the Magic Missile spell to empower it, in any case...

 

Were the Shield spell not intended to protect against wands, etc then I would expect it to say so in the description, as in pnp these things tend to be more explicitly clarified.

 

Oh, and I don't think Beholders can use Magic Missile. :blush:

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I think it is very strongly implied that a wand or a trap of Magic Missile is functionally the same as a Magic Missile spell. As I said, that's how it is in pnp and I see no logical reason, aside from an ambiguous wording in the Shield spell description, to have it act otherwise in BG2.

 

In pnp the wand or trap requires the casting of the Magic Missile spell to empower it, in any case...

 

Were the Shield spell not intended to protect against wands, etc then I would expect it to say so in the description, as in pnp these things tend to be more explicitly clarified.

 

Oh, and I don't think Beholders can use Magic Missile. :blush:

 

I absolutely agree with Andyr! :hm:

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