BG2 Xzar?

[Smoketest]

Well, programming is one of my hobbies so I detest bugs (especially logic errors!), and do all I can to stamp them out. Thus things like patches are important to me and I always install them for the games I play, even if the changes are potentially unnoticeable. I might even be a bit obsessive about it.

 

There are portions of the game I've yet to experience after all this time. For example I've never had a bard in the party and never played one myself, so I've never experienced bard songs or the bard stronghold, but I still want bard-related things to be working right in case I change my mind.

 

Also I know that not everyone pays attention to details, as is obvious sometimes when I buy a game that has been through numerous playtesters and still has obvious (to me) bugs.

[Domi]

Even if you know most game items don't do what their descriptions claim they do? Most spells don't work quite as you'd expect them to work after reading descriptions? Original bard song doesn't do a damn thing except sometimes (not always) protecting party from fear effects? Check out complete Fixpack documentation for other items on the list.

 

Heh, that's exactly what I don't want to do -appart from the fact that I will not be playing BG ever again, I think- look into those things, research them, when they just don't bother me when I play. I never-ever compared a description of an item with what it does. It just never crossed my mind, that it is something to do while looking into Firekraag's ruse. Hey, those selected weapons that my chars carried seemed to dispatch monsters in good order and I was happy with that. As far as the bards were concerned, Scald's song gave me + 2 bonuses, and I did not care to check if it absolutely and truly did. For me it's a game, not some sort of a nerve-whrecking excersie in checking *everything* or gods forbid BioWARE "cheat" me out of some +1 to hit or tragically give me an unfair advantage. I prefer to relax while I am playing, not obssess over the rules. After all there is no like a prize or something waiting for me if I do an absolutely perfect run through BG with every rule invented by D&D observed. I don't think I am all that demanding player overoll. Certain plot points/inconsistencies irritated me, but I don'tthink I cared particulary on the first run-through. It's when playing repeatedly some of them become causes for more significant frustration. But 'invisible' bugs - no, never really cared.

 

Unlike SimDing0's seatbelt example where the consequences involve serious damage and/or fatality, no matter how I play my computer game it all have no bearing on rl (unless of course I start playing it 24/7 or something unhealthy like that). I *emphasise* that refusal to use fixpacks does not equate to being in favor of doing something stupid/dangerous in RL.

[theacefes]

G3's newest mod in progress...the seatbelt fixpack.

[yarpen]

Maybe a sort of Zhentarim Spy kit? (from pnp: Forgotten Realms Player Guide).

[SixOfSpades]

Both Xzar and Montaron have a good deal of potential as NPCs--more so, even, than people like Cernd. TDD made a good move in coming up with a way to keep Xzar alive ("That was only a decoy that Lucette killed,") but apart from that, I think it's safe to ignore TDD's existence, plowing on ahead with a mod that includes the pair as recruitable NPCs without worrying about stepping on any other modders' toes.

 

As you might expect, I've had my own ideas about the pair--so much so that I'll be modding them myself if nobody beats me to it, in which case I'll do what I can to help them with the project. My own thoughts are as follows: Xzar and Montaron are no longer joined at the hip, largely because they can't stand each other, although they'll still get along perfectly well (apart from their banters, pushing each other's buttons) in the same party. As hardcore members of the Zhentarim, however, they will of course absolutely refuse to work in the same team as Jaheira (and vice versa), and bloodshed will inevitably result if you try to force them together. So I don't worry about them messing up the Jaheira romance/quests, since simply accepting either of them into the party should turn Jaheira off to you permanently anyway.

 

Quests: Montaron's quests are designed to disrupt and destroy Harper activities in Athkatla. He must either kill Jaheira, or plant Shazellim on her and frame her for another Harper's murder. Then he gets involved in helping spy on Harper conferences with the Zhentarim Diviner who's stationed right behind the Galvarey Estate (go behind Rayic Gethras's estate and follow the path all the way back). Lastly, he has to rob the Temple of Helm and be seen carrying the loot back to the Harper Hold.

Xzar, meanwhile, actually has quests of a positive nature: He is to forge an alliance between the Zhentarim and the Cowled Wizards. I don't have his quests precisely figured out yet, because I'd also like to overhaul the Cowls themselves (pitting their LN members against their NE faction), and that's too major a change to allow anything specific with Xzar yet. But he will probably be asked to prove his loyalty (and skill) by disposing of a band of Wizard Slayers that's been causing the Cowls some trouble.

 

I confess, the possibility of Dualing Xzar into a Cleric had not even occurred to me. Because of the extreme difficulty of writing banters for a character that may have Dual-classed, and if so, may still be buried in the Dual. I try to avoid this awkward situation as much as possible, either by ensuring that the character does not have the stats required to Dual (dropping Xzar's Wisdom by 1 would do the trick), or making them already Dual-classed when you can first recruit them, or by having them refuse to Dual: In the case of Xzar, there could be a script that runs on every Rest, and detects if he is classed as a Cleric. If so, it resets his class to Mage again, effectively erasing the Dual. (I realize it's not going to be anywhere near that simple, but you get the idea.)

[Domi]

With Dual-classing, I think it might be important to give Xzar the opportunity to Dual, because there is only one evil cleric in the game, and Xzar will be a perfect evil substitute for Aerie if desired.

 

Imo, seeing how dual-classing does not eliminate the first class, you could probably avoid the awkwardness by maybe providing some additional banter that reflects xzar's newfound faith, but concentrating on his necromancy. And if his faith connected to the dead, it will fit either case. Plus, you can always concentrate more heavily on personality-zent things too.

 

just my 2 cents.

[Lemernis]

Six, just an FYI that I myself have no intention of attempting to make such a mod. I lack the skills.

 

I will say though, that having playtested just a little with a PC with Xzar's stats dualed from Necromancer 7 to Cleric 8, it looks like a total blast to play. Especially with Divine Remix. He'll have a nice selection of spells that would make him quite unusual.

 

A vanilla cleric with DR is fine. But even if admittedly unorthodox, a Necromancer/Strifeleader figures to be really fun to play. The Strifeleader special abilities look great. I would think he'd be a very popular NPC.

 

I suppose the typical necromancer would be drawn toward worship of Velsharoon. But that would require creation of a new kit. Plus, Cyric lets Xzar's insanity/goofiness shine a little more. Xzar's comic value is probably the chief reason for his BG1 popularity.

 

A conversion to Cyricism arguably works better anway. Cyric briefly took possession of Myrkul's portfolio (Domain of the Dead) but it ended up in the hands of Cyric's most hated enemy Kelemvor. Cyric covets it, and plots endlessly to get it back. I would think that should draw a lot of necromancers to Cyric, who would also absolutely despise Kelemvor. (Kelemvor being a protector of the dead.)