BG2 Fixpack: Optional But Cool

This documentation is complete as of Version 13 and will contain game spoilers.

Party Gets XP for Sending Keldorn to Reconcile With Maria

In Keldorn's personal quest, if you go with Keldorn when he reconciles with Maria the party receives XP. However, if you send him alone to reconcile you do not--this component gives you XP for sending him alone to reconcile. (keldorj.dlg)

Improved Spell Animations

This component alters the animations of several spells, including Maze, by addressing subtle errors in their animation cycles.

  • Maze gets a different animation; you can see a three-step preview in the gallery (one, two, three) and compare it against imprisonment. (spcl415.spl, spin774.spl, spspmaze.vvc, spwi813.spl)
  • Enemies using Symbol spells now use the same graphics as the party using Symbol spells. (cdnpcsym.pro, spin897.spl, spin898.spl, spin899.spl)
  • Several spell effect animations were running too long, so they would start to repeat and then stop mid-cycle. (bhaal4b.spl, spcl213.spl, spin550.spl, spin553.spl, spin558.spl, spin674.spl, spin675.spl, spin696.spl, spin826.spl, spin891.spl, sppr107.spl, sppr408.spl, spwi113.spl, spwi214.spl, spwi702.spl)
  • Despite its description, Burning Hands only hits one target. This component changes it to a proper (albeit small) area-of-effect. (burnhand.pro, scrl68.itm, spwi103.spl)
  • Errard's divination spell now uses divination casting graphics. (spin541.spl)

Mixed-Use Dagger Fixes

Daggers that can be used in melee and thrown are an irresolvable bug: when thrown, daggers should get an extra attack per round, but there's no way to apply this bonus without also granting it when he dagger is being used in melee. This component grants the extra attack but at the expense of removing melee abilities. (dagg11.itm, dagg12.itm, tooltip.2da)

Ghreyfain's Holy Symbol Fixes

Basically, it makes the granting of Holy Symbols in the game a bit more logical. Aerie gets the symbol of Baervan, Viconia gets the symbol of Shar, and Anomen gains the symbol of Helm even when lawful good (he used to get Lathander's). (aerie.bcs, aeri25.bcs, anomen.bcs, anom25.bcs, baldur.bcs, baldur25.bcs, belt13.itm, d0baer.bam, d0shar.bam, j#belt12.itm, j#belt14.itm, viconia.bcs, vico25.bcs)

Giants Receive Penalties When Attacking Halflings, Dwarves, and Gnomes

This component gives giants their P&P penalty when trying to attack undersized (halflings, dwarves, gnomes) foes. (giafir.itm, giafir2.itm, giafir3.itm, giants01.itm)

Remove Dual-Classing Restriction from Archers and Stalkers

In Throne of Bhaal, archers and stalkers can't dual-class to clerics as normal rangers and beastmasters can; for consistency Core Fixes adds this restriction to SoA-only games as well. This component will remove the restriction. (dualclas.2da)

Remove Second Attribute Bonus for Evil Path in Wrath Hell Trial

If the protagonist selects the 'evil' option when speaking to Sarevok in the Hell Trials, the PC gets rewarded twice with attribute bonuses. There are several factors that suggest one of the bonuses is leftover junk in the script, but there's not enough evidence of developer intent to include it in the Core Fixes. (ar2905.bcs)

Corrected Summoned Demon Behavior

This component alters the AI of summoned demons, causing them to behave less predictably, but at the same time, more realistically (i.e. Baatezu will attack Tanar'ri). (demglasu.bcs, demnabsu.bcs, dempitsu.bcs)

Additional Script Fixes

There are several additional scripting errors which can't be fixed by the core fixes. While clearly bugs, what was intended by the developers is more towards speculation and, as such, these fixes have been moved into their own component. Most of the bugs are missing checks in spellcaster scripts for memorized spells (or casting spells), generally referred to below as a 'null reference'.

  • Most commoners have a script where they turn hostile if attacked, but several were missing this script. (aewimer1.cre, aewimer2.cre, aewimer3.cre, bdgoph01.cre, bdgoph02.cre, brat1.cre, brat2.cre, brat3.cre, ftown1.cre, ftown2.cre, ftown3.cre, ftown4.cre, haquat.cre, maria.cre, mourner5.cre, mourner6.cre, mtown1.cre, mtown2.cre, mtown3.cre, mtown4.cre, murtlen.cre, noblem1.cre, noblem2.cre, noblew1.cre, noblew2.cre, peony.cre, postul1.cre, postul3.cre, postul5.cre, postul6.cre, pwauk2.cre, radeel.cre, scbutler.cre, scqar.cre, scsarles.cre, sethle.cre, trskin02.cre, trtavp05.cre, uhmer02.cre, wellyn.cre)
  • In SoA's final cutscene, the party is resurrected and fully healed, but level drain effects were not restored (cdpr417.spl, cut59a.bcs)
  • Dragons will use wing buffet (which includes a zone of sweet air) to counter cloud-based attacks. In the action block a second null reference is removed. Another null call to a spell when using their breath attack is also removed. (abazdrag.bcs, dragblue.bcs, dragbrow.bcs, draggre2.bcs, draggree.bcs, gorsal.bcs)
  • Vongoethe had a null reference in a summoning block, which has been filled with Summon Efreeti. (amlich02.bcs)
  • Two slimes--from the name, presumably Olive Slimes--were supposed to be in the enemy slime group in Ust Natha but referenced non-existent creature files. They've been replaced with a Mustard Jelly and Green Slime. (ar2200.bcs)
  • The Unseeing Eye had a null spellcasting block; the only spell it had memorized but was not using was Horrid Wilting, which is added to the script. (bheye.bcs)
  • In the Pocket Plane challenge with the Chosen of Cyric, one of their pre-buffing spells was nulled. It's been replaced with the Assassination HLA. (chalcy02.bcs)
  • The clone in the opening dungeon had a nulled block that's been filled with Magic Missile, one of the spells she has memorized. (clone1.bcs)
  • In one of the cutscenes where Irenicus is torturing Imoen, there's a missing spell reference. It's been changed to a cosmetic spell to show damage to Imoen. (cut67d.bcs)
  • Degardan's script is a gigantic mess with four nulled blocks. These are filled with Hold Monster, Cone of Cold, Melf's Acid Arrow, and Hold Person based on the targeting. (degard2.bcs)
  • One of the generic healing scripts in ToB had two null casting blocks. Based on similarities to other scripts and the targeting, they're filled with Symbol, Death and Symbol, Stun. (gphealer.bcs)
  • Some fixes for the generic mage AI scripts:
    • Two scripts had a partially-nulled block for Dispel Magic which is fixed. (gpmage1.bcs, magehigh.bcs)
    • Two scripts had a partially-nulled block for Magic Missile which is fixed. (lyros.bcs, mage12b.bcs)
    • One script had a null block; Chaos was inserted based on the casting sequence. (mage12e.bcs)
    • One script had a null block; Death Spell was inserted based on a near-identical script used by another creature (mage14d.bcs)
  • Melissan had a null option when responding to multiple enemies. Based on other scripts, used Symbol, Death. One script also had a null block that's been filled with Dragon's Breath. (meliss01.bcs, meliss02.bcs, meliss03.bcs)
  • Fire mephits had a null block that's been filled with their innate Flame Fan. (mepfir.bcs)
  • The cutscene where you acquire Lilarcor had a non-existent sound reference; it's been filled with a forging sound to match the animation. (pipe04.bcs)
  • Fire Salamanders had a null block when targeting enemies, which has been filled with Agannazar's Scorcher. (salgrfir.bcs)
  • Tahazzar had a four-way casting block where one of the options was nulled. Since the others were all divine damage or disabling spells it's been filled with Flame Strike. (tahazz.bcs)
  • Demon Knights had multiple nulled blocks. Based on targeting they've been filled with Fireball and Symbols, Stun and Death. (uddeath.bcs)

Bard Song Fixes

The manual describes bard's Battlesong as granting "morale and luck improvement for the party." And then goes on to describe a luck bonus for the party as though it were a luck penalty for opponents. And then in-game battlesong grants only immunity to fear (without preventing the additional effects that can accompany fear) with no morale or luck effects at all. Our best educated guess at developer intent adds a +1 luck bonus to battlesong, which improves to +2 at 15th level and improves again to +3 at 20th level. Blade's version of battlesong in this component still does not improve with levels (as the class disadvantage states) and Skald and Jester songs (which already vaguely match their descriptions and work) are untouched. (clabba01.2da, clabba02.2da, fjbard.spl, fjbarda.spl, fjbardb.spl, fjblade.spl, fjbladeb.spl)

Wizard Slayers Cause Miscast Magic on Ranged Attacks

The original kit description of the Wizard Slayer states as a kit advantage: "For each successful hit on an opponent, 10% cumulative spell failure penalty is applied". However, it was only applying this effect on melee hits. The Core Fixes do not change this and the Game Text Update clarifies the kit description to specify melee-only. This component allows players to extend the ability to both melee and ranged attacks and updates the kit description. (strref #25203, spcl133.spl)

Additional Alignment Fixes

As part of the Core Fixes, the Fixpack addresses many creatures who either lack alignment, have conflicting alignments between their creature files, or have an alignment completely at odds with their behavior. These changes underwent a great deal of scrutiny in an organized review, and it was decided that some of them should be moved into an optional component as there was no general consensus for the new alignments of these specific creatures.

  • Changed to Lawful Good: Iltha (garkid01.cre), Sir Beverus (alex.cre), Taar (garkid02.cre)
  • Changed to Lawful Neutral: Acolyte Byron (helmbyr.cre), Commoner (gftown01.cre, gmtown02.cre), Guardian Telwyn (sctelwyn.cre), Higgold (bdhigg01.cre), Shield Knight (helmkni1.cre, prophelm.cre), Sir Lothtyran (helmpr.cre), Watchknight Aabir (acolyte3.cre), Zaren (bdact05.cre)
  • Changed to Lawful Evil: Bounty Hunter (bounha.cre, bounha04.cre), Jamis Tombelthen (amtgen01.cre), Jeremon (jade3.cre), Thenry (jade2.cre)
  • Changed to Chaotic Neutral: Harper (jarev1.cre)
  • Changed to Chaotic Evil: Commoner (the ones trying to burn Viconia) (victown1.cre, victown2.cre, victown3.cre), Drow Priestess (drow07.cre), Priss (priss.cre), Rumar (rumar.cre)

Change Free Action to Protect Against Stun

BioWare was very inconsistent about whether free action should protect against stun or not. The spell did not protect against it, but most items that grant free action did. However, per David Gaider, free action is not supposed to protect against stun. For players who think this overpowers stun (particularly mind flayer psionics) this component will extend free action to protect against stun. (blun30.itm, potn45.itm, ring09.itm, sper12.itm, sppr403.spl)

Paws from Shapeshifting Can Not Be Dispelled

Windows-only, requires TobEx

Dispel magic will no longer remove the paws of shapeshifted creatures. (brblp.itm, brbrp.itm, cdwolfm.itm, druear.itm, drufir.itm, earthrn.itm, firern.itm, goliro.itm, mindflay.itm, plyjelly.itm, plysala.itm, plyspid.itm, plytroll.itm, plywyvrn.itm, polyrat.itm, shakti1.itm, slayerwp.itm, squirp.itm, trollall.itm, wolfgr.itm, wolfm.itm)

Remove Thieving Start Bonuses from Bard and Ranger Skills

All thieving skills use one lookup table to determine their racial bonuses for their abilities. However, the table is actually a combination of racial bonuses and initial thieving abilities. This component seeks to remove the initial thief bonuses from non-thief classes. Specifically, bards will no longer receive a 15% bonus to their pickpocket skills, and rangers will not receive the 7% bonus to stealth. (_eldoth.cre, _eldoth5.cre, _garric.cre, _garric2.cre, _garric4.cre, _garric6.cre, eldoth.cre, eldoth5.cre, garric.cre, garric2.cre, garric4.cre, garric6.cre, haer10.cre, haer11.cre, haer13.cre, haer15.cre, haer19.cre, skillbrd.2da, skillrng.2da)