Characters Choose Minor New Abilities Every Three Levels
This component is based on the 'feats' system in Icewind Dale II (and in 3rd edition D&D). At 2nd level, and every three levels thereafter, a character chooses a special ability from a list. For instance: a character might gain a bonus to some saving throws or damage rolls, an extra use of a special ability, the ability to brew potions or scribe scrolls, or a new spell slot. The abilities are intended to be modest rather than dramatic, though I welcome feedback. The full list of special abilities can be seen here.
Abilities are selected during the leveling process using a similar interface to the one used for High-Level Abilities in Baldur's Gate II. If you are playing Baldur's Gate II, the ability system merges into the High-Level Ability system when you become eligible for High-Level Abilities; normal abilities remain available as alternatives to High-Level Abilities as you continue to level.
Multi-classed and dual-classed characters gain abilities only according to their highest level.
Revised High-Level Ability system
Only available for BG2EE, EET
This component substantially revises and expands the High-Level Abilities (HLAs) granted to characters every level after reaching 3 million XP. The existing set of 46 HLAs is expanded to (depending on how you count them) 187 HLAs, of which:
- 41 are retained from the unmodded game (although several are modified)
- 46 are adapted from the classic Refinements mod by T.G.Maestro, Littiz and the bigg, and used under the bigg's generous blanket permission for modders to adapt and use Refinements' contents
- 8 are adapted from the classic Rogue Rebalancing mod by aVENGER and used under that mod's Creative Commons 3.0 license
- 92 are original to Talents of Faerûn (though in many cases inspired by other sources)
Improved NPC Customization and Management
Not available for IWDEE
This component makes it much easier to customize NPCs and to make sure they keep up with your main character even if you swap them in and out of the group. When it is installed, NPCs (including mod-added NPCs) join your party at level zero. If you want, you can activate a special 'customize' power on their innate abilities to change their class and kit to whatever you like. After that, you can level the character to first level and choose their proficiencies, skills and the like. The character will continue leveling until they reach about the same level as your character. (The 'customize' power is unavailable once you increase above level zero.)
If you kick the NPC out of the party and subsequently re-recruit them, they will again start leveling until they reach about your character's level. (To be more precise: they are given that level which they would have if they had as much XP as you do; they get given exactly the right amount of XP to reach that level.)(This component is identical to the equivalent component in Sword Coast Stratagems; it is included here because if you are using the Feat system, you may wish to start your characters at first level so that they gain feats properly.)
Engine limitations lead to some slight awkwardness with this component. Firstly, mages and bards have their spellbooks selected from a fixed list (you don't get to choose yourself). Secondly, if you have the Party AI disabled, you may occasionally notice minor glitches in the amount of experience your characters receive (this will be most noticeable if you use the customize program to change a character's class). Turning AI back on (even if only briefly) will resolve this (though it is possible to get a slightly-too-high level character if you change from single-class to multi-class and then level without AI on). Thirdly, a few NPCs in the game have illegal statistics (for instance, Coran has three proficiencies in bows); these will be lost if you use this component. Fourthly, wild mages will have to save and reload in order to get their special spells (Chaos Shield and the like.) Finally, it is not possible to let rangers choose their favored enemy.
The component should be able to allow for other mods that let humans multi-class, non-humans dual-class, and multi-class characters select kits. However, it is incompatible with any mod (notably the component of Tweaks Anthology) that removes the ability to dual-class from humans—basically because the component doesn't know what to do with the existing dual-classed humans in the game, like Imoen.
Some NPCs are only partially affected by this component: notably, Wilson the bear and the joinable vampire in BG2EE cannot be customized; nor can the sorcerer added in Baldur's Gate and the aasimar in Siege of Dragonspear.
This component makes very extensive use of features of the Enhanced Edition game engine, and so is not (and never will be) available for original BG/BG2.
Important note: Dual-classed NPCs begin at level zero in their original class; you level them until they can't level any more, then dual-class them, then level them again. Do not delay dual-classing them—it is likely to break the game. (If you want to adventure with them in their original class, just respec them to that class.)