temnix

Final version 1. Summary 2. Compatibility 3. Table 4. Types of "magical" weapons 5. Protection from Magical Weapons and Normal 6. For clarity: what does what 7. Special ranged attacks 8. In the plans 1. Summary This small but consequential mod implements a mechanic from the AD&D Dungeon Master's Guide which anwers the question "how all these weapon-immune monsters fight each other." One has to wonder about that. Would a lich and a vampire only pointlessly catfight with each other? Couldn't a dragon with his huge teeth, claws and tail do something to a golem? On the other hand, a dragon probably should not be able to harm a ghost for all his weaponry; but then, what could harm a ghost? Questions like that have to be decided by the Dungeon Master on a case-by-case basis, or maybe he will design an approach, but that isn't something that can be done in computer adaptations. Here I applied the DMG principle that more Hit Dice (or levels, for non-playable races who can have levels) allow monsters to break through + defenses, but changed the table to suit the abundance of high-level creatures in these games. The mod patches all creatures in any game where it is installed, except the playable races, whether in the party or among NPC. The creatures are given an "innate enchantment bonus" (similar to weapon pluses, but with an important technical difference) in proportion to their power so that they can overcome weapon immunities of wizards and engage each other. This includes summoned minions, who become more useful. 2. Compatibility Only the Enhanced Editions. 3. Table This is the table this mod applies: Hit Dice/levels Overcomes Fewer than 5 Nothing 5-7 +1 8-10 +2 11-13 +3 14-16 +4 More than 17 +5 To get an idea what this can mean in practice, remember, for example, that flesh golems can only be hit with +1 or better weapons and that ogres, whom you can summon, only have 4 Hit Dice, but ogre berserkers, who can be summoned with a more powerful spell, have 5, and so do sword spiders from Spider Spawn. 4. Types of "magical" weapons The "magical weapon" mechanic in the Infinity Engine is not so straightforward, though, as it should be. It should be that weapons with pluses count as magical and ones without as not. Instead there is a muddled double system in place, which non-modders may not be aware of. Here is how it works. Monsters' natural attacks in these games are considered weapons just like swords and clubs, only they aren't dropped on death or shown on the screen. Often weapons monsters use are swords and clubs - a duplicate of what they drop. Ogres, for example, carry one morningstar with which they hit PC and which perishes with them and another, standard one PC pick up from their corpses. Although all "weapons" are lumped in one category, Bioware must have found it convenient to introduce a special item check mark, "Magical." It was probably meant for actual arms and special items - this property makes items indestructible by a script action or two, but the check mark began to be put in all kinds of monster "weapons." Parellel to this exists the numerical enchantment bonus of the weapon. This means that for the purposes of weapon immunity a weapon can be either checkmarked "Magical" or have some enchantment bonus - either one will go through Protection from Non-Magical Weapons. The problem is with Protection from Magical Weapons. Because the "Magical" checkmark is on for natural weapons of some powerful monsters, like all of the golems, you can keep them at bay completely with this spell, which makes no sense. On top of the checkmark, golems' attacks have enchantment bonuses from +3 upwards. My mod removes all enchantment bonuses from weapons that are invisible and undroppable, along with the "Magical" checkmark. All these bonuses are excessive, hard to judge exactly and at any rate the system is wrong-headed and leads nowhere. The ability to penetrate weapon defenses should be tied to the creature's power. It's the only idea that makes a little bit of sense. Instead of bonuses that were built into the weapons, golems (to go with this example) will penetrate as much as can be expected for their Hit Dice. Flesh golems are level 9, now they can punch through defenses of up to +2 instead of +3. Adamantine golems are level 18 and can beat anything - they used to go as far as +4. When and if a creature switches to a better-enchanted weapon than its innate enchantment, the weapon's enchantment will take precedence. 5. Protection from Magical Weapons and Normal This part will be interesting mostly to modders. There was a technical problem with giving creatures these "innate enchantment bonuses." It's easy to see that if a monster is made weapon-like with the same effect that can turn a basic club magical (opcode 345), the whole creature is going to be powerless against someone under Protection from Magical Weapons. Unlike Mantle, PMW doesn't shield from particular enchantment bonus degrees but from all three kinds of "magic": weapons checkmarked "Magical," weapons with a number in the "Enchantment" field and weapons with opcode 345 - or the whole creature under that effect. Patching creatures by their power with 345 would make a wizard under PMW invulnerable to the attacks of every monster with 5 Hit Dice and more. Instead I used the neighbouring opcode, 344, to give a universal bonus, in the right amount, vs. all creatures (ANYONE). It works the same way in practice but bypasses PMW. The result (players, read this) is that PMW now protects not from any monsters but from actual armaments: in those three categories - the checkmark, the field and 345. It will protect from swords and arrows +1, +5 or any other level of enchantment, even +20 if you have those in your game, from Melf's Minute Meteors, from monks' fists when they get pluses and so on, but don't expect it to do anything against golems, elementals or good old Karoug. I think this balances the spell out quite nicely, too. Protection from Non-Magical Weapons is not quite symmetrical: it will protect from real weapons without pluses and from attacks of monsters too weak to qualify for a power bonus, i.e. with 4 or fewer Hit Dice or levels, unless somebody has been selling enchanted spears to the tasloi. (Basically this spell is now a super-weak Mantle; opcode 120, protection from Magical, was converted to protection from Enchanted at enchantment level 0, which corresponds to non-magical weapons. I applied this to all items like golem rings, to creature properties and spells.) And don't forget, player races get no bonuses from levels. It is the quality of the weapon taken up that determines penetration. 6. For clarity: what does what Protection from Normal Weapons: good against weak monsters and 20th level fighters with basic swords. Protection from Magical Weapons: against fighters of any level with enchanted swords and against special ranged monster attacks (see below). Protection from Normal Missiles: defends against specific projectiles, not changed. Mantle: against weapons up to +2 and monsters with up to 10 Hit Dice (it's very nice, but remember, basic conjured elementals have 12 Hit Dice). Natural defense against non-magical: as Protection from Normal. Immunity to all but cold iron or all but silver: not changed. 7. Special ranged attacks Some monsters have special attacks, special weapons, really, which I thought it would be nice to have in a separate category, neither enchanted nor unenchanted. For example, ankheg acid spit or the blobs thrown by slimes. I don't see why these should be stopped by either Mantle or Protection from Normal Weapons. There are energy attacks, acid, fire, icicles, webs... If these are stopped by the weapon defenses, why not dragon breath? And it would be no improvement to defuse monsters completely. Unfortunately, there is no third option, so I made undroppable, invisible weapons with a single Ranged-type ability (rather than Launcher) supremely enchanted, enough to go through everything except Protection from Magical Weapons (which is absolute). This combination should narrow the list down to the natural ranged attacks of monsters who have them. The power-up is an equipped ability - the "enchantment" bonus only lasts while the creature uses the ranged weapon. If the ankheg switches from the spit to the bite, it will again drop down to no bonus. Beware of monsters' spitting et cetera, because not even Improved Mantle will protect against it! 8. In the plans It still remains to update some of the specific monster weapons that PC get to use while polymorphed: the iron golem's fist, maybe others, fix the flind's halberd separately and more. After patching most of these will be plusless by themselves, the enchantment is on the monster who wields them. PC would lose out when using Shape Change and the rest of the spells. There will be a separate mod that will nullify these and revise the polymorph spells. Download

If you want something done right, do it yourself.

For the sake of Imp: every scroll-selling stores has a particular selection, with a particular number of scrolls for sale, usually. For example, High Hedge in BG has 2 or 3 copies of every scroll. When I was patching that store, I opened it and found out just what it has and how many. Then I was able to use Weidu to put my scrolls in that store in the right amount and after or before scrolls of appropriate level. I had a 1st-level scroll, so I found out that HH was selling Burning Hands and put my scroll AFTER that; but not every magic store has Burning Hands, and putting blindly AFTER scrolls that aren't there will land custom scrolls on the bottom of the inventory, which screams "clumsy fan content." Sticking a 1st-level scroll next to Skull Trap also jars the eye. For this reason every target store should be opened in Near Infinity and examined before patching. What I need in particular for IWD2 stores, short of full inventory lists, is an example of 1st-5th level scrolls that they sell, if they do, and in what amount. My custom scrolls are in that range. I'm ready to give credit to people, but I need to know that such-and-such store sells 2 copies of Burning Hands and 1 copy of Confusion, for instance. I don't need their whole selection, but examples.

That's not good enough. Let someone who has the game installed reply. I can get it myself and install, but it's such a bother just to add the right number of spell scrolls after and before existing ones. Simply dumping scrolls in a store will put them at the end, where they will stick out like a sore thumb.

I'm sure you understand that this list is not very helpful. Which are magic shops? Preferably one in the beginning of the game and one somewhere around the middle, where players are likely to return to.

That game is often overlooked, which it does not deserve all. I'm making a mod that I would like to be applicable to as many of the IE games as possible. To put spell scrolls in stores I need to know who sells them there - STO names. I'll give you credit for the help.

That's what I wanted to know. Thanks. I have dug up the info already, but still. Your code misses the mark because you start off with FILE_EXISTS. But lots of areas don't have the BCS files for them, only references to where the files should be. Look at an area in Near Infinity. If the scripts really exist, the EXTEND_TOP adds to them, if not, the content of the BAF becomes the file.

Can I get a sensible answer here? From someone who is not him. And what area codes does the EE Trilogy use?

These game versions gave different designations to areas, right? According to the Baldur's Gate Wiki, what is area AR2100 for other versions of BG, is FW2100 in Tutu and AR8800 in BGT. My question is, do those versions carry over unfilled area script references from the original game? I mean that in BG, including the Enhanced Edition, areas have their area names prefilled for their area script slots, even if there no such scripts actually. For example, area AR0126, where nothing important happens, doesn't have a script, but its area script field reads by default with "AR0126." A modder can create the script for the area without checks and special insert actions just by writing something and compiling the BAF under AR0126. It will be there and working. This is very convenient, but it makes more sense to extend the script instead of compiling a brand-new BAF under that name, because that would overwrite any other scripts with that name, whether ones that come shipped with the game or from other mods. Instead one can write: ACTION_IF ...some kind of game check... THEN BEGIN EXTEND_TOP ~AR0126.BCS~ ~Your Mod/Your Scripts/AR0126.BAF~ END You don't compile the BAF but only take the information from there and put it on top of the name; if no AR0126.BCS exists, the BAF will become that file. This way a modder can be assured of compatibility, he just needs to remember to end his code with Continue() for the possible blocks below. Now, this is probably not news, but I'm coming around to my question about these alternative versions, Tutu and BGT. What do they have by default in area script fields? Their new designations? Or did the people who created them clean out the references? This makes a good deal of difference for my patching, if I want my stuff to work in those alternatives. If I must read the area scripts first everywhere, that's extra uncreative headache for me. I also have to ask if the area codes are traditional in EE Trilogy and everywhere else?

Those old games assumed that the world is there for the taking for all of us - something people don't think these days. Hence magic potions in vases and spell scrolls in cupboards. You are supposed to go out and explore everything you can. However, if you want a "good" reason to come in, maybe I can give you one.

What's your problem with campfires? You don't have to use them if you don't want to. What I think you asked for for the Miscellany was to exclude creature-patching, but that was necessary for several features, like dice-playing. If street NPC had no equipment to wager, no alignment differences and stats to influence how to wager, the dice would be at best a very trivial addition. Another thing I've done in a couple of mods is replace static NPC animations with versions that can walk. There is absolutely no advantage to NPC thrashing on the spot like speared fish when they should be running away or leaving the area on command from my Hypnosis spell, and so on. And I can't imagine why anyone would want to keep stupid, bland original aspects of the games like this untouched. It's this way with all non-optional changes that I've made - they were all of such a nature as to make the games more interesting without taking anything away (except holy blandness). What you say about lighting: you must mean my old stuff with fireball effect replacements. Yes, I might come back to that and make it modular, especially since there are different possibilities - a fire-ring spread or one huge explosion and so on. @Arthas I've heard there are several mods out there that rewrite Thalantyr's conversation. The dialogue all over again bugs me too, but I haven't ventured to change that to avoid screwing up people's new stores and quest triggers. Recharge wands? I'll think about that...

I kind of reached a point where I can pretty much implement any idea that comes to mind using the toolset, outside of area editing - I've never gone into that. But otherwise, whatever. But I'm also bored. What kind of mods people want? Quests, NPC, spells, new mechanics? Longer polearm reach? Transparent bears?

I added a small forth mechanic. It's in the description now. The old parts work as before.

Should. The differences between regular EE and EET, as far as I know, are in area codes and text string references, none of that here. I slightly updated the file as an afterthought to be more robust. Also Jog now uses a combination of Dexterity and Constitution. Run and Sprint use Dex + Str. Some characters should have better results only jogging, others with faster modes.

Version 2. Updated for smoother movement and against spell conflicts. 1. Summary 2. Compatibility 3. Weighed motion 4. Sedentary inertia 5. Running for it 6. Bloodlust 7. Money for WWF 1. Summary This mod brings four mechanics. First, creatures are given an imitation of body weight to take off more gradually after stopping. Second, nearly all creatures begin to become distracted and bored after they have spent 3 rounds or more on the spot, their attack speed and casting time slowing and visual range falling off. The party can take advantage of this to sneak up on or around enemies mired in intertia, but what's good for the goose is good for idle PC. All of the penalties go away after the creature or character moves, attacks, begins to cast a spell, uses an ability, an item or acts in any other way or takes damage. Third, stationary creatures with nothing better to do can spend a round prepping for a jog, which will improve their speed for a while when they take off, or they can accelerate further towards a run or a sprint. Fourth, some enemies will rush the party at greater speed than normal upon encounter, closing in faster and leaving less time to shoot them down. There is no need to start a new game. The party will be patched the first time the game is loaded after installation, and so will new creatures in areas never visited before. Companions who have been in the party already and left it will be updated if they join again. Have another party member take a few steps, and they will learn. The same goes for PC who have died and no longer receive the abilities afterwards - let somebody else move to fix them. 2. Compatibility Only the Enhanced Editions. Advanced effects don't exist in the "classic" game. From now on I make everything for EE, whether or not the mods work in "classic." I'm tired of looking over my shoulder and wondering which parts will fail in old setups. People who are unhappy with Beamdog's changes to the games (in which category I include myself) should go about making a rollback mod that will undo the most objectionable ones while keeping the new technology. Personally I encourage anybody who would focus on rolling back all the hand-holding Beamdog put in, like scimitars +2 lying on the ground, more than anything else. Now onwards to the module. 3. Weighed motion In life bodies with mass do not start from the spot instantly, they need a moment or two to accelerate. This now applies to all creatures except incorporeals and illusions - after they have walked and stopped for a second or two, they will rear up again in what I hope is a subtle and more realistic manner. It's too bad that deceleration as bodies come to a halt can't be implemented. Good Dexterity eases the take-off. 4. Sedentary inertia 3 rounds after stopping most creatures begin to lose concentration and tension. Their THAC0 drops, attack speed for the next attack slackens, casting time for the next spell they would cast drags out, the saving throw vs. breath weapon dwindles, visual range shortens. The rate of this happening depends on the creature's Wisdom and Constitution. Here the main character is singled out to illustrate this mechanic. Some rounds or turns have passed after he parked it, and he is deeply mired in inertia. He is vulnerable, and his range of sight is much shorter than for the rest of the party. (Because maximum visual range is used in a group, together they would be helping each other see in the fog of war anyway. Thus it makes sense to post at least two characters as sentries, if they are left outside of the main body.) My Beldammon can shake this off by acting or moving. The red line shows the limit to sight reduction. Now, if this mechanic were applied to monsters and NPC as they appear on maps, standing on the spot most of them, it would simply weaken them and turn them into patsies. By the time the party arrived, they would all be severely disabled and ready pin cushions for PC archers. For this reason the rule only begins to apply after non-party creatures have moved, attacked and so forth. You can send a thief ahead to startle a waiting group or a dangerous wizard, get them to react, then break off the pursuit with stealth, the shadowdancer vanishing, a potion of invisibility or in another way. Then you can bide your time to pounce or, if you wait long enough, sneak through the blind zone completely. The penalties lift a second after an action or motion. Undead, golems and other constructs, mindless monsters like slimes and insects always stay vigilant. On the plus side, this doing-nothing little by little relieves fatigue and shortens downtime. 5. Running for it All creatures and characters with at least 6 points of Intelligence, including some summoned minions (6 points is the brains level of ogres and ghouls, some spiders are also intelligent), receive the Jog ability as soon as they stop walking. Click on the button to build up a little speed. For the next 3 rounds you will go somewhat faster, very much dependent on Constitution and Dexterity. If instead of taking off you immediately click on the new ability that now appears, Run, you will spend another round preparing to go even faster, but only for two rounds; if you again refrain but click on the third button that comes up, Sprint, you will enjoy a great burst of speed, lasting just one round. These faster modes use Strength and Dexterity. No race is quite alike, as athletes know, there is randomness involved. At any rate, these dashes can be used to whoosh past enemies or aggro them, when characters have depleted their spells, arrows and otherwise would have to take a back seat to the action. PC could also foot-race to decide who gets loot and such. Moving from the spot or acting uses the current bonus, and you have to stop again and begin from Jog when you want to build speed another time. Any kind of running preparation keeps inertia from settling in. At the end of a run or sprint some fatigue will accrue, however. 6. Bloodlust When the party encounters enemies, some may close in much faster than usual. This is a short burst of speed to cross the distance. Creatures are capable of rushing this way once every turn, so normally it will only happen once before the group is slain, but may happen again if the party returns after a long leave. There is no rushing under the spell of intertia, however. 7. Money for WWF Modding that goes beyond coloring maps isn't easy. If you think this module deserves a few dollars into the panda's skull, DONATE to the World Wide Fund for Nature. They employ over 5000 staff and have over 3000 support and conservation programs around the globe. Download

I'm nodding in assent. The reason is just that nobody cares. Not very much for mods for these games generally, and much less for innovative ones. I invested several years of my life to very nearly master most aspects of modding for the Infinity Engine, and when it finally came together, then I realized that this kind of involvement could only be worth it if people wanted newness, rushed to see it, if they were eager to share ideas, interpretations - to make something more out of the toolset than tweaking the Bhaalspawn storyline. To me the IE was one of very few fantasy-game making toolsets out there that are relatively easy and have expandable graphics (because it's a 2D engine). This is very important, other toolsets are either next to without graphics, like various adventure generators, or they are 3D and graphics require skeletons, textures... a major undertaking even to create a couple of new items. This is the problem with Skyrim and the like. Here fairly different and original adventures could be made. But it isn't what most people care about, so neither should I. I did show up on the boards again, though, as you can see. Bad habits die hard.

Should be.

You will have to play this as it is. I'm leaving modding and these boards. All of the modules I've uploaded work, within their limitations, and that's all people will get.

There is no reason to think that this doesn't work for EET, if it works for basic EE, which it did back when I shipped it. I don't know what exactly distinguishes EET on the mechanics side, except that some item resource names are different, but probably nothing that would make a difference here. Just install it and play it.

Is there a special installer for EET? I've never tried that. The module will work and install for EET as it is, thanks to Guest Henanigan.

You are welcome. Why, this was a long time ago. In a galaxy far, far... I guess I can have a look at it again. Are you sure it doesn't work in EET?

One last touch. This is nothing essential, but in the 2++ version there is now a common random-drop item, pumice (or sponge?), which can polish the armor of a character wearing plate mail to a mirror shine. This gives an additional 30% chance of reflecting gazes, compatible with either the spell or the potion. The roll is made separately, so it is still not a complete assurance, but it helps. The other function of the sponge (or pumice?) is to absorb blood from wounds. It restores a little health and can sometimes defeat poison. This item ability will work in any game setup, but the armor-polishing only in EE. It will not crash anything, though.

A small but regrettably necessary follow-up update. The main component had a flaw, which this fixes. In the optional component there are some changes: the vampire domination gaze is shorter-range now; Hexxat's is shorter too. These gazes now not only bounce back from Gaze Reflection but can charm the vampires themselves instead of simply dissipating. This is the only case when vampires can be charmed - either by reflection or with the same power used on them by Hexxat or vice versa. (To go into detail for modders, vampires have lost their absolute undead immunity to charm in order to make it possible for them to succumb to their own gaze, but they are effectively still immune, because all of the wizard and priest spells only target humanoids, except Domination and Mental Domination; just in case I gave vampires specific protection from every mind-controlling spell that exists in BG2 outside of the gaze, but they can, in principle, now be charmed with some new or custom spells that do not discriminate type or target undead especially, a "Charm Undead" or the like.) Vampires who are encountered already as enemies (with red circles to begin with, this is a technical limitation) will use the gaze extra times on the party, and on the same rounds when they attack in other ways, too. Some will only gaze once, others will fire a few rounds in a row. This is in addition to their normal gazing from scripts. On the whole, this will probably make them more formidable if the party does not use Gaze Reflection or charm protection. There is also a new animation for the gaze projectile which vampires, basilisks and everybody uses, and a new beginning-of-charm effect.

I am uploading version 2. The first version had a rather terrible error which threw off the protection chance with the gaze component. Basilisks would kill characters so poorly protected almost every time. I apologize for getting the numbers wrong. Protection is normal here at 90%. Also there is a further option now to replace the Protection from Petrification spell and wizard scroll everywhere they are encountered (including in spellbooks of characters who have learned it) with a Gaze Reflection spell, which works just like the potion of mirrored eyes. The purpose is to make basilisk hunting non-trivial to the end, because even with the potion replacement the PfP still provided a cheap and easy way to disable stoning. With this option that temptation is gone; you can still use a green-figure scroll of protection from petrification, though, if you can find one. Finally, the Snake Gaze ability also uses the gaze projectile now. I'm not sure who has that one, but it can be reflected. The main component of the module was also updated: it no longer uses level drain, so there is no more need to take off protection amulets and such, at the cost of some of the flexibility. Now only the caster's relevant wizard or priest levels (depending on what kind of charm spell was used) receive a boost from allies and count toward intimidation, instead of all class levels as before. A 7th level wizard/8th level thief used to suppress hostility as a 15th level character, but not anymore. I made the mod potentially more compatible with "classic" versions of the games. I still don't guarantee that the module will work there, but at least script actions in Hypnosis not supported by the old engine (render XP worth and give the speaker backpack and quick items) have been eliminated from the version of the spell that will be installed there; as a substitute for the second the hypnotist will be able to demand all items from the subject. These are given to the party leader rather than the hypnotist, and there is no window message. You have to check what has been given, if anything, yourself. EE users should make sure to use the latest patched version of the game, past 2.3 at any rate. If this iteration of the mod is error-free, it will be final.

Updated to version 3. Includes a fix by @eyre 1. Summary 2. Compatibility 3. Rude awakening and gnawing resentment 4. A season for giving 5. Domination 6. Gazing lovingly (an optional component) 7. Hypnosis 8. Money for me 1. Summary This module deals with mind control spells and their consequences. One of the problems it is meant to address is that Charm Person and similar spells, when they expire, always turn the creature hostile - permanently. Not only is that inconvenient and unrealistic (reactions to a past charm may vary, from hate to confusion to amusement or even enjoyment and should nearly always take into account the danger of raging against well-armored adventurers and sorcerers), but it precludes players from enjoying special NPC dialogue written for the charmed state, because they inevitably end up reloading the game after they have checked out those lines. This effectively rules out of reality charmed dialogue and discourages modders from writing their own. With this mod charm, but not domination, will most often leave creatures neutral - including enemies, when the spells are used in combat. A portion will still turn hostile either directly or after some time, but this is not dire or inevitable, and immediate hostily may be suppressed if the caster displays intimidating force. Delayed resentment is still a factor and unavoidable to emphasize that strolling around charming people is not, as they say, a sustainable strategy. There are also some extras. 2. Compatibility Made for the Enhanced Edition, but should work on "classic." Changes everywhere are done by patching, not by replacement, except for the potion of mirrored eyes in the optional component. The module is compatible with alternative spell versions that might be installed and does not touch durations, saving throws and so on. The mechanic for hostility and suppressing it was added only to the specific charm spells and abilities present in Baldur's Gate 2 - probably the widest variety of them for this engine and including stuff in the first BG and Icewind Dale, too, certainly the standard magic in those games. If there are unfamiliar or custom charm-spells installed, they will only be changed in that they will end in neutrality, without all the sophistication. The same is true for existing charm spells that only affect animals - they simply end up neutral. Safana's kiss is also a special case. It is a proper charm spell with the ability to take items (see below) but none of the disadvantages or a danger of hostility. 3. Rude awakening and gnawing resentment When a charm spell succeeds, it will plant the seeds of immediate and later hostility. Those work differently. There is still a sizeable chance that the creature will turn hostile right after expiry, but not if the caster is at least 3 experience levels above it. Allies' levels also count: at expiry all friendly creatures in visual range of the subject that was just now charmed, including other party members and summoned minions, will briefly lend half of their levels to the caster - rounded down but no fewer than 1 and no more than 10 levels from each. This boost uses a reverse of the level drain effect, so make sure to get rid of any protections from level drain the caster might have and make thieves step out of invisibility, too. Arithmetic shows that to pacify a pedestrian with certainty after a charm the caster must be at least a 4th level wizard or sorcerer or priest (all classes count for multi- and dual-class characters) or have some help around, for example, it could be a 1st-level caster and three other party members in sight. Creatures and characters with Strength 18+ contribute another level to the total. Here is a little math problem: what is the level of Thalantyr the Conjurer of the High Hedge and the level breakdown of the party, given that Dire Charm was used, the caster was able to cast it only once, four other party members were nearby, Minsc one of them, and two summoned ettercaps helped to make an impression? There are some limitations on suppression: characters and monsters with more than 20 levels or Hit Dice cannot be intimidated and there is always 1% chance that a creature may be fearless and dare to start a fight, no matter what force is brought about. When someone does turn hostile right away, in most cases this does not last forever. It is a good bet that if the party leaves for some days and weeks and returns, the NPC will have calmed down. A long-term change of mind, on the other hand, cannot be prevented and it is permanent if it happens. Maybe it represents delayed trauma. If a creature has not turned into an enemy right away, it may still do so days and weeks later, and a favorite store may suddenly become unavailable. When a creature has reddened this way, there is no way to charm it back again. Domination still works, but it is not helpful. 4. A season for giving Beyond special dialogue and access to the creature's spells and attacks, charm now makes some of the subject's items available. Click on the special ability the subject receives to encourage him to drop his quick slot and backpack items. If you employ your "friend" this way, however, he becomes much more likely to turn on you when the spell expires. 5. Domination Domination-type spells (anything with "Domination" in the name) are simpler and more savage. Since there is no pretense to a friendship, the subject is always and permanently hostile at expiry. However, the master of the puppet can and does command it to give everything it has got: when a domination succeeds, the creature will drop all items, including armor. This works on party members too, when they are dominated, for example, by vampires or Demogorgon. Every time this happens the character will strip to the skin. Note that while fighting is underway armor cannot be put back on, even if you regain control of the character. 6. Gazing lovingly (an optional component) This component makes vampires' Domination power use the gaze projectile, as it explicitly should by AD&D rules. Because gaze can be stopped with simple potions of mirrored eyes, the bane of basilisks everywhere, that potion was changed as well to do what it is supposed to - reflect gazes back on gazers. (It no longer has any connection with petrification and does not protect, for example, from the Flesh to Stone spell.) Thus, instead of just blocking gazes, the potion does something much more powerful, but here is the catch: it is effective only 90% of the time. The other 10% the drinker is naked and vulnerable and not told when it happens. The hidden check is made every second of the duration. This makes fighting vampires, basilisks and everybody else who uses gazes a much more nail-biting business. Aec'Letec in BG1 used and still uses a gaze attack also, and you can turn it back on him, but do not expect him to turn into a ghast. He is immune to his own staring. The 10% failure chance means the gaze may come through instead of being easily and cheaply blocked, though, and that, in my opinion, is the way it should be in such a pitched fight. The potion did not and does not protect against beholder rays. With this component installed there will be an option to convert the Gaze Reflection spell to work the same way. And with my mod "Adventurer's Miscellany" in place and if installing on Enhanced Edition, a pumice (or sponge?) will be added to the inns' goods selection. It can be used to polish plate armor. 7. Hypnosis Back in the main component, a new Charm school spell is making an appearance. Hypnosis is an alternative to Charm Person, weak but giving a number of manipulative options. It has no side effects like hostility. In BG1 Xan will have this spell in his grimoire, but otherwise you have to look around quite a bit to acquire it. In BG2 it will be known to Edwin, sold at Bernard's and carried by some Cowled Wizards and others. In Icewind Dale 1 it will be sold at Orrick's. 8. Money for me If you think that this module deserves a few doubloons, guineas or sovereigns as a donation, write me a private message. Download