Lurker

I count Simulacrum as a summon, in his case. And the only 60% XP thing sucks, especially for dedicated nukers.

Small issue with probably either SotSC or AutoDescription: Spike of Caprice +2 (L#ULCDA) AutoDescription doesn't pick up the "Summon Insects" on critical hits. In NI it's present on the item, but I cannot tell (due to lack of experience in game) if it's actually working like intended. Other instances of OpCode 341 do show up on other items, so I guess (literally, since I've no real clue about what I'm talking here) that the target ("self") doesn't fit the resource (SPPR319.SPL / Summon Insects). EDIT: Added 100% critical probability to the item and attacked a fellow party member who's not crit immune and able to survive the hit. Summon Insects triggers, but doesn't always get applied, perhaps due to saving throws.

That's possible. I haven't looked into the details (NI), apart from searching for CREs matching Nerys, and don't know more about area scripts other than that they exist. I can only tell that the behavior of the consoled Nerys is also affected by where she's consoled. EDIT: @Delior Also thank you for that link. The mod seems to be in support limbo. I've added this information to my notes.

Bug with Black Hearts: Chapter 5, Three Old Kegs, Nerys, 2nd conversation (after the rogues have left) In her hideout (supposedly in NW Baldur's Gate), the present Nerys only answers generic questions, but doesn't progress the plot. This also applies to any C:CreateCreature'd Nerys, regardless if WINERY or WINERY2. If any party member leaves the area, either by going upstairs or outside, and then goes back, the respective character ends up in the regular area for that location, and a short "empty cutscene" plays. Any other party members stay in the previous location, with the non-progressing Nerys. WINERY is passive, while WINERY2 actively approaches any visible party member. Any Nerys needs to be manually C:CreateCreature'd, after a party member has left the area from the first forced transition, and the "empty cutscene" has been triggered. The plot then should continue with a projection of Illaserea appearing. Illasera can appear either in the area from the first forced transition (if there are still party members present), or the regular area. Depending on where Nerys has been C:CreateCreature'd (and perhaps other factors), the game can end up in an infinite dialog loop. Step-by-step instructions to progress the plot: talk to Nerys in Three Old Kegs again, after the rogues have left transition to new location; no need to talk with Nerys here exit outside get back inside wait for "empty cutscene" to finish C:CreateCreature("WINERY2") image of Illasera appears --> normal progression

The cutscene for Rasaad's quest when entering the Baldur's Gate docks doesn't trigger. Local variables: RASAAD_CDEV: 2 RASAAD_CDEV2_END: 1 DARK_MOON_AMBUSH: 9737381 Setting DARK_MOON_AMBUSH to 0 while the party is at the docks, with Rasaad in the party and focused, does nothing. I don't really care much for neither this companion nor for his quest, but for why this bugs out.

The title is a bit vague, but that's intentional. I didn't want to make the topic all too specific, since it'll derail sooner or later anyway - if I'm not causing this myself due to too much mixing up questioning and opinionating about too many things all at once, which I tend to do. See proof below. So - sorcerers. Two game features that I regularly ignore are summoning and shapeshifting. The latter is something that I generally simply dislike, and is also more closely related to druids, but then again, that's a class that I wouldn't miss at all, on top of that. I also guess that I've a quite narrow minded way to play IE games, with little motivation to do things differently, which in turn might lead to getting bored by sticking to the same habits. I play with heavy focus on charname, with the remaining 5 party members in between roles of support, muling, banter/flavor and so on. I finished a game of BG2+ToB (unmodded) back in the day with a sorcerer, relying on the usual combos for heavy nuking on more meaningful battles (chaining TS+IA+LR+GM+Finger of Death ended any dragon battle around the beginning of round 2), and MMM or EB for dealing with smaller obstacles, paired with Wish-resting to keep on rolling in the later stages of the game. Good times. Currently, I'm more into warrior classes as charname, and use spellcasters mostly as sources for invisibility (simply the best party protection for a large chunk of the game), (improved) haste and for dealing with enemy combat protections, and I always have a skald (RR) on auto repeat. The last 3 party slots tend to be skald - mage - sorcerer. I can totally imagine a full run with those 3 companions ending up with zero kills in such a scenario. With Ascension in mind (on insane, but no double damage; SCS, but without improved AI; generally maxed HD rolls for enemies) and having tackled the final battle of ToB multiple times recently, I noticed how draining on spell slots it is to actually trying to kill endgame opponents via spells only, and am wondering if it's at all reasonably possible for a purely arcane focused party to beat the final battle. Without using summons, and having warrior support (IMO a properly supported warrior class is the most efficient way to beat almost any encounter) and being bored to death due to the tedium. So let's say a party of 6 sorcerers takes on this challenge. If two of them are strictly focused on Wish-spamming while under Improved Alacrity, one should never run out of "ammunition", but Yaga-Shura alone is such a drag due to his resistances and immunities. His only "vulnerability" is the - still - 50% resistance to cold; so sure, if I built a character specifically with this in mind - but then again, I find cold spells so lackluster that I don't use them anywhere else. So Yaga-Shura would end up with hundreds of magic missiles (or generally anything that in the end gets reduced to minimal damage) flying at him. Death by a thousand cuts - this feels frustratingly underwhelming. So, while the usual opinion is that arcane casters, or especially sorcerers "end up absurdly powerful", would people think the same without any summons in mind? No meat shields, no way to trick around the lack of physical damage dealers, only relying on self-protections and nuking? And how about a solo run with this kind of restriction?

I'm still updating my notes quite often, and also try to update older comments of mine with links to follow-ups by others, or by cross linking my own comments. My notes started out as more of sloppy to-do section for myself, but then I also started aggregating information which can either be helpful for dealing with issues that may come up with my current setup, or as guidance to take into consideration for when planning a new installation. Since updates via editing a comment do not get "pushed" like compared to posting new comments, people interested in my notes might find it useful to check by from time to time.

Thank you, once again, for your explanation. (adding this to my notes)

They didn't fix it because they wanted to (read: for users), but because they had to (Google requirement: comply or bust). That's my understanding of this PR thing. Re iOS vs Android: Differs heavily by region. In the end, it's just a matter of what kind of comfy golden cage people prefer to live in for their money. Don't ask questions, consume product. Don't start to ask questions, consume next product. Follow our rules, we know what's good for you. In between, invent new pronouns. Brave new world.

Is this the reason behind what appears like empty slots between other items in unlooted chests?

I still don't have any first hand experience with ext4 and casefolding - and thanks to XFS and its support for CoW no real intent to get some - but this should still apply, and wasn't explicitly mentioned: The extended file system attribute to enable casefolding must be set on an empty directory. For ext4, the filesystem on the corresponding device or partition must have the feature "casefold" enabled a newly created folder (meaning "must not have had any content since creation") must have support enabled by "chattr +F" (again, before adding any content) deleting files and/or directories to make a folder appear empty does not work chattr +F ./name_of_empty_directory But I suspect this is all just nerd talk to the OP.

Something that anybody (hint: users help users) can do who's willing to help to improve the general quality of this site: Cross linking! Comment updating! There's so much useful information buried in this forum (being optimistic here for a change - but have no proof, because cannot find it ), but it can be hard to dig up. Otoh, outdated information hurts people that aren't in a situation to validate what's still valid and good advice, and what's more like "broscience" or simply outdated.

List of quest mods which actually work with EET + Ascension for ToB: Reunion Turnabout I was dicking around with my saves from my doomed installation, a game that I started for ToB, and where I'm in the Pocket Plane, already buffed up to begin the final confrontation. I dumped the now really soulless husk that was Jon Irenicus - due to Longer Road not longer being part of my current installation - from my party, and replaced him with a freshly summoned (via Fate Spirit) Nalia. Her dialog leading to her content provided by Reunion almost immediately kicked in, and I can happily report from first hand experience that I was able to finish this mod without any issues. At least as far as I can tell, having nothing to compare to. The same applies to Turnabout. This does not express my opinion about the actual perceived quality of the content provided by the mods listed above, but strictly from a technical point of view. Regarding the sad state in which some of the seemingly more popular, but older mods actually dealing with ToB content currently are, I'm "whitelisting" the few mods here that won't break a full run and causing us completionists to cry Tears of Bhaal (without gaining anything from them).

(quote from up here) It's from @subtledoctor. Mods affecting SW2H19.ITM: 00000: /* created or unbiffed */ ~UB/SETUP-UB.TP2~ 0 20 // Extended ToB Item Descriptionsv28 00001: ~ITEMUPGRADE/ITEMUPGRADE.TP2~ 0 10 // Shadows Of Amn Item UpgradesRevised Version (new upgrades presented in the same style as existing upgrades)v45 00002: ~FORGOTTEN-ARMAMENT/FORGOTTEN-ARMAMENT.TP2~ 0 21 // Update Existing In-Game Itemsv3.0 00003: ~D5_RANDOM_TWEAKS/D5_RANDOM_TWEAKS.TP2~ 0 2708 // Change Mantle into 'Iron Skin'1.6 00004: ~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ 0 2140 // Expanded Dual-Class Optionsv16 00005: ~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ 0 2170 // Cast Spells from Scrolls (and Other Items) at Character Levelv16 00006: ~SKILLS-AND-ABILITIES/SKILLS-AND-ABILITIES.TP2~ 0 300 // Update Weapon Fighting Stylesv2.0 00007: ~SKILLS-AND-ABILITIES/SKILLS-AND-ABILITIES.TP2~ 0 312 // Overhaul Proficiency System - Add New Proficiencies and Weapon StylesAccelerated Proficiency Progressionv2.0 00008: ~SKILLS-AND-ABILITIES/SKILLS-AND-ABILITIES.TP2~ 0 400 // 2H Weapon Additional Strength Bonusv2.0 00009: /* acted upon in an undefined manner */ ~GENERALIZED_BIFFING/GENERALIZED_BIFFING.TP2~ 0 1 // Generalized BiffingBiff all files (recommended by the Big World Dudes)v2.6 00010: ~AUTODESCRIPTION/AUTODESCRIPTION.TP2~ 1 10 // Standardize item descriptions0.9.30 Effect not present in sw2h19.00003.itm, present in sw2h19.00004.itm. It's also adding "noise" to the generated item descriptions from AutoDescription, for I guess every single weapon. I was under the expression (again, my mental heuristics like to establish "rules", but often sadly lack enough information for reliably doing so) that this was a base game mechanic. Another misinterpretation on my part. Twice. And I install the component which adds this only because I find it stupid that druids in the base game get Iron Skin (but are allergic to metal equipment), and mages get Stone Skin. I'd be happy if that component was just switching the descriptions, and nothing else. I know this is OT here, but I nonetheless wanted to bring this to a sane conclusion. And I also suspected @morpheus562's other mod, S&A, for a brief moment while looking at this shorter diff, because I still tend to misinterpret the numbering scheme from weidu --change-log and the corresponding numbered items from time to time.

SOD2BG2_IU : Foebane +5 (SW1H63.ITM): Larloch's Minor Drain not working anymore SOD2BG2_IU replaces SPIN104A.SPL in "Item ability 0" (there is only one) with DTKFBANE.SPL, but this resource doesn't exist. Mods affecting SW1H63.ITM: 00000: /* created or unbiffed */ ~UB/SETUP-UB.TP2~ 0 20 // Extended ToB Item Descriptionsv28 00001: ~SOD2BG2_IU/SOD2BG2_IU.TP2~ 0 31 // Cosmetic Enhancements for Existing Items (does not affect function)v2.0.5 00002: ~D5_RANDOM_TWEAKS/D5_RANDOM_TWEAKS.TP2~ 0 2708 // Change Mantle into 'Iron Skin'1.6 00003: ~SKILLS-AND-ABILITIES/SKILLS-AND-ABILITIES.TP2~ 0 312 // Overhaul Proficiency System - Add New Proficiencies and Weapon StylesAccelerated Proficiency Progressionv2.0 00004: /* acted upon in an undefined manner */ ~GENERALIZED_BIFFING/GENERALIZED_BIFFING.TP2~ 0 1 // Generalized BiffingBiff all files (recommended by the Big World Dudes)v2.6 00005: /* created or unbiffed */ ~AUTODESCRIPTION/AUTODESCRIPTION.TP2~ 1 10 // Standardize item descriptions0.9.30 (reported)

What item is this? It doesn’t look like any that I am aware of. Carsomyr +6. I was just playing around a bit... Since the dispel on hit doesn't work vs. PfMW, and the ability to cast Dispel Magic at level 15 / 3 times per day is even more useless, I wanted to see what happens when I put a bit more oomph in that usable ability slot. That this doesn't work against ISoM isn't even problem; without SCS AI, I never noticed clerics to even cast ISoM. And against PfMW, it works more than fine.

That's why I wrote but the problem is that I could unload 99 Spellstrikes, Ruby Rays and Breaches, as long as the origin is "item", nothing gets removed from a cleric with active ISoM: EDIT: Partial item description, generated by AutoDescription: Charge ability (3x per day): - Remove Magic (as a level 30 spellcaster) - Breach (as a level 30 spellcaster) - Spellstrike (as a level 30 spellcaster) - Khelben's Warding Whip (as a level 30 spellcaster) - Breach (instant) (as a level 30 spellcaster) - Spellstrike (instant) (as a level 30 spellcaster) Mages cry, clerics with active ISoM shrug.

What's up with "Impervious Sanctity of Mind"? I can remove a truckload of buffs from my cleric with a quick combination of Spellstrikes and Breach, cast by a sorcerer, but the same spells, coming from an item, just result in "Spell Ineffective", while the same combo strips a fully buffed (including SI:Abjuration and Spell Trap) mage naked in seconds. "Impervious" is a bit too literal?

D'oh. Although, the ability to cast a level 15 Dispel Magic is even more mostly useless. Could replace that... (just thinking out loud for myself) It's there to prevent the bonus damage vs. CE to bypass mantles. I removed it, (re-)installed AutoDescription and compared the logs. EDIT: And, again, I misinterpreted the situation. I guess I jumped at the MANTLE, and then mixed that up with bypassing PfMW. Seems like my heuristics overreacted, while trying to make sense of this stuff. I'm sorry.

Sad but very true. I guess if there was an easy solution to achieve this without the need for EEex, you would have done it already. Although... a combination of Breach and Ruby Ray perhaps? What is this for? Effect 0 from Carsomyr's melee ability (Item ability 0): Type: Protection from resource (318) Target: Preset target (2) Power: 0 Creature value: MANTLE - 121 Creature type: SPLSTATE = specified value (110) Timing mode: Instant/Limited - 0 Dispel/Resistance: Natural/Nonmagical (0) Duration: 0 Probability 1: 100 Probability 2: 0 Resource: SW2H10.ITM (Carsomyr +5) # dice thrown/maximum level: 0 Dice size/minimum level: 0 Save type: ( No save ) Save bonus: 0 Description note: <NO TEXT> EDIT: Got it, thanks to AutoDescription. It's there to prevent the bonus damage vs. CE to bypass mantles. EDIT: Wrong again, see here.

Can this be traced somehow? I did a recursive grep for those prefixes on all tra, tp2 and tpa files, but the only partial match is "Symbul's Spell Matrix" from MIH_SP. I guess weidu --change-log is of not much help here? EDIT: Found the prefixes in "mih_[is]p/shared/lore/tables/spell_devs.2da" thanks to hints from @Graion Dilach's comment below.

Some mod modifies the names of some existing wizard spells, by adding a prefix, without checking of the original string. I'm vaguely suspecting MIH_SP. (EDIT: Yep.) Symbul's Spell Sequencer Symbul's Spell Trigger Alustriel's Improved Mantle Sylune's Absolute Immunity And since I reused my dialog.tlk, this is the first time that I get bitten by modified-instead-of-added-strings: Symbul's Symbul's Spell Sequencer Symbul's Symbul's Spell Trigger Alustriel's Alustriel's Improved Mantle Sylune's Sylune's Absolute Immunity

@Daeros_Trollkiller I've collected some information for a bug report over here. EDIT1: SOD2BG2_IU : Foebane +5 (SW1H63.ITM): Larloch's Minor Drain not working anymore

@Graion DilachThe wizard spells I discovered more as a by-product. From what I can tell, the "helper spells" aren't exposed to sorcerers. But the broken Faerie Fire shows up in the cleric spell selection. My other gripe is the missing feature that the spells from SOD2BG2_IU aren't optional, but part of the main component. Other's users have also already expressed their wish for better modularity regarding this mod. And the current content offered by this mod has clearly passed the initial scope it was originally intended for.

SOD2BG2_IU: installs partially redundant spells with its main component; broken StringRefs @Daeros_Trollkiller The spells (all of them, not only the ones named here) should really be optional, and not silently be installed alongside the main component. The spells mentioned below, which appear at their intended slots, aren't problematic (with the exception of occupying a spell slot), but the cleric version is exposed to players at cleric level 2 with mismatching text and icon, and isn't working. Faerie Fire: StringRef needs +200k Mods affecting SPPR219.SPL: 00000: /* created or unbiffed */ ~SOD2BG2_IU/SOD2BG2_IU.TP2~ 0 0 // SoD to BG2:EE Item upgrade by Daeros_Trollkillerv2.0.5 00001: ~D5_RANDOM_TWEAKS/D5_RANDOM_TWEAKS.TP2~ 0 1202 // Make Barkskin Block One Attack Each Round1.6 00002: ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ 0 5900 // Initialise AI components (required for all tactical and AI components)34.3 00003: /* acted upon in an undefined manner */ ~GENERALIZED_BIFFING/GENERALIZED_BIFFING.TP2~ 0 1 // Generalized BiffingBiff all files (recommended by the Big World Dudes)v2.6 also, this is a "triplicate" Mods affecting SPPR116.SPL: 00000: /* created or unbiffed */ ~SOD2BG2_IU/SOD2BG2_IU.TP2~ 0 0 // SoD to BG2:EE Item upgrade by Daeros_Trollkillerv2.0.5 00001: ~MIH_EQ/SETUP-MIH_EQ.TP2~ 0 0 // Revised Corporal Undeadv5.1 00002: ~D5_RANDOM_TWEAKS/D5_RANDOM_TWEAKS.TP2~ 0 1152 // Improve Faerie Fire1.6 00003: ~D5_RANDOM_TWEAKS/D5_RANDOM_TWEAKS.TP2~ 0 1202 // Make Barkskin Block One Attack Each Round1.6 00004: ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ 0 5900 // Initialise AI components (required for all tactical and AI components)34.3 00005: /* acted upon in an undefined manner */ ~GENERALIZED_BIFFING/GENERALIZED_BIFFING.TP2~ 0 1 // Generalized BiffingBiff all files (recommended by the Big World Dudes)v2.6 Mods affecting SPPR100.SPL: 00000: /* created or unbiffed */ ~EET/EET.TP2~ 0 0 // EET core (resource importation)V13.4 00001: ~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ 0 0 // Rewritten Final Chapter of Throne of Bhaal2.0.26 00002: ~D5_RANDOM_TWEAKS/D5_RANDOM_TWEAKS.TP2~ 0 1202 // Make Barkskin Block One Attack Each Round1.6 00003: ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ 0 5900 // Initialise AI components (required for all tactical and AI components)34.3 00004: /* acted upon in an undefined manner */ ~GENERALIZED_BIFFING/GENERALIZED_BIFFING.TP2~ 0 1 // Generalized BiffingBiff all files (recommended by the Big World Dudes)v2.6 Dancing Lights: same as above, StringRef needs +200k Mods affecting SPWI226.SPL: 00000: /* created or unbiffed */ ~SOD2BG2_IU/SOD2BG2_IU.TP2~ 0 0 // SoD to BG2:EE Item upgrade by Daeros_Trollkillerv2.0.5 00001: /* acted upon in an undefined manner */ ~GENERALIZED_BIFFING/GENERALIZED_BIFFING.TP2~ 0 1 // Generalized BiffingBiff all files (recommended by the Big World Dudes)v2.6 same as above, this is a "triplicate" Mods affecting SPWI121.SPL: 00000: /* created or unbiffed */ ~SOD2BG2_IU/SOD2BG2_IU.TP2~ 0 0 // SoD to BG2:EE Item upgrade by Daeros_Trollkillerv2.0.5 00001: /* acted upon in an undefined manner */ ~GENERALIZED_BIFFING/GENERALIZED_BIFFING.TP2~ 0 1 // Generalized BiffingBiff all files (recommended by the Big World Dudes)v2.6 Mods affecting SPWI100.SPL: 00000: /* created or unbiffed */ ~EET/EET.TP2~ 0 0 // EET core (resource importation)V13.4 00001: /* acted upon in an undefined manner */ ~GENERALIZED_BIFFING/GENERALIZED_BIFFING.TP2~ 0 1 // Generalized BiffingBiff all files (recommended by the Big World Dudes)v2.6 Darkness, 15' Radius: same as above, StringRef needs +200k Mods affecting SPWI328.SPL: 00000: /* created or unbiffed */ ~SOD2BG2_IU/SOD2BG2_IU.TP2~ 0 0 // SoD to BG2:EE Item upgrade by Daeros_Trollkillerv2.0.5 00001: ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ 0 5900 // Initialise AI components (required for all tactical and AI components)34.3 00002: /* acted upon in an undefined manner */ ~GENERALIZED_BIFFING/GENERALIZED_BIFFING.TP2~ 0 1 // Generalized BiffingBiff all files (recommended by the Big World Dudes)v2.6 same as above, this is a "triplicate" Mods affecting SPWI227.SPL: 00000: /* created or unbiffed */ ~SOD2BG2_IU/SOD2BG2_IU.TP2~ 0 0 // SoD to BG2:EE Item upgrade by Daeros_Trollkillerv2.0.5 00001: ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ 0 5900 // Initialise AI components (required for all tactical and AI components)34.3 00002: /* acted upon in an undefined manner */ ~GENERALIZED_BIFFING/GENERALIZED_BIFFING.TP2~ 0 1 // Generalized BiffingBiff all files (recommended by the Big World Dudes)v2.6. Mods affecting SPWI200.SPL: 00000: /* created or unbiffed */ ~EET/EET.TP2~ 0 0 // EET core (resource importation)V13.4 00001: ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ 0 5900 // Initialise AI components (required for all tactical and AI components)34.3 00002: /* acted upon in an undefined manner */ ~GENERALIZED_BIFFING/GENERALIZED_BIFFING.TP2~ 0 1 // Generalized BiffingBiff all files (recommended by the Big World Dudes)v2.6 (reported)