Thoughts on Mage Armours

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olimikrig,

If you cannot restrict spell level by Int recommendation is there a way to restrict character level that will not affect HP, saving throws, etc.. only spell level?

Off the topic: I would like to see some swords for Mages. If Xan can have a sword why can't the PC mage or any other mage for that matter have a sword. I know his sword was a moonblade, maybe create a kit that would allow a Elven Mages to become MoonBlade Mages, etc...

 

@ Abdel:

I don't think so without putting a whole lot of effort into adding tons upon tons of equipped abilities to the armor, but I'm not sure. The spell slot modifier should work on all lvl's as a negative modifier, and I've managed to completely remove lvl 2, 3 and 4 spells as up to now.

Abdel, that is not off topic! Mage arm was a kick starter, post any item suggestion you'd like, but please do try to post some outlines for what you'd like to see, so I can "judge" it, and so other people can comment on it and help building it.
I'd looked some into a magesword, based upon none other than, *drums*, Xan himself's moonblade.
I'd thought about adding a +2 AC modifier, and some extra lvl spells. Call it a mix between Drizzt's 'twinkle' and the ring of wizadry. And anyone who say that a pure mage can't wear a sword, you're missing out on a whole lot of fun! I'm playing Xan melee Bg1 atm, and when I get to bg to I'd play Nalia and Jan melee too (with weaps like clubs and daggers).

 

Edwin's amulet! If you could use something similar to set the number of spells for a particular level to 0, it would effectively close off that spell level. (Damn I'm good!)

There may or may not already be a Moonblade kit out there, but if there isn't ... *sniff, sniff* What's that I smell; could it be olimikrig's next project?

 

I'll just load up edwins amu and see fer myself what excactly it is that it does.

Or, it could be part of my current project .

 

Well, Edwin's just increments them IIRC, but the Ring of Wizardy from BG1 doubles the spell count for 1st level only. If they can do a x2, isn't it reasonable that they could do a x0 as well?

 

First, Edwins amulet does the same as the ring of wizadry: It modifies the amount of spell slots accesable.
In theory, yes it could and should be able to make a negative effect of spell slot modification.

I'll look a wee more into things!

 

@Olimikrig

Sorry if I came off as harsh. I applaud you for working at making the game better. I only meant my comments as a way to try to help you balance the items. I can't play Mages really well either for the record.

Anyway, I'll follow what you said:

I don't like the costs. I think they are low. I'll agree that 300,000 (I never said 1 million for the record) is definately over-the-top but currently you've got 30,000 as the base price. I was assuming that Reputation and Charisma modifiers would be in effect (perhaps in error); therefore that 30,000 could easily be below 15,000 when all is said and done. And I would rank this armor above the Robe of Vecna (which usually costs me 14,000 when I buy it; at Reputation 18-20, 20 Charisma [Ring of HI and Nymph's Cloak]).

As for another completely different idea (and I thought of it after reading your posts)... well, it sort of changes your/Abdel's idea but it may be easier to do. It seems you are having problems with the level of spell limitations. Instead, why not take what you said to Firag and implement it. Each armor is basically "enchanted" with Miscast Magic. Is it hard to copy the spell already in the engine and change the percentages? So your Mage Leather Armor has a 5% chance of spell failure but minimal protection. That Mage Full Plate has a 100% chance of spell failure. Scale it in between and remove 15% (or something) for each +1 to the enchantment.

So Plate Mail is 100% failure, Plate Mail +1 is 75%, etc. May be easier to do, I don't know?

 

It's okay, I just threw a hissy fit

Prices also depends on stores. Take Ribald, FX. He sells items at 165% their price and buy them at 1% their price, which also has to be taken into considerartion when setting the base price of an items..

Yes, a percentile chance of miscast magic would be easy to set on the item...

 

One of the optional components of the Gibberlings Three's tweak pack gives armor that Miscast Magic effect. Check out:

http://www.gibberlings3.net/g3tweak/index.php

It's about three-quarters of the way down the page.

Question: What other items were you thinking of including in your item pack?

 

I know thought on expanding upon this idea to make a mage only orientated armour...

Currently, anything you or any other guys can come up with. I've gathered some ideas as of now, and added a few of my own.

Items thoughts

#1
Mageblade - me

STATISTICS:

Damage: 8d1(+x?) / (1d4 <insert elemental> damage)
THACO0: +3 bonus
Special abilities:
+2 AC bonus
Spells: Gives one extra fifth level spell, one extra sixth level spell and one extra seventh level spell
Weight: 5
Speed Factor: 1
Requires: 10 strenght and 15 intelligence
Only Usable By:

#2
THRWONG HAMMER +1 - Gilden

STATISTICS:

Combat Abilities: Returns to thrower
THAC0: +1 bonus
Damage: 2D4 + 1 / 1d4 + 1 (melee)
Damage type: crushing
Weight: 4
Speed Factor: 1
Proficiency Type: War Hammer
Type: 1-handed
Requires: 9 Strength
Not Usable By:
Druid
Mage
Thief


#3
THRWONG HAMMER +2 - Gilden

Combat Abilities: Returns to thrower
THAC0: +2 bonus
Damage: 2D4 + 2 / 1d4 + 2 (melee)
Damage type: crushing
Weight: 4
Speed Factor: 1
Proficiency Type: War Hammer
Type: 1-handed
Requires: 9 Strength
Not Usable By:
Druid
Mage
Thief

This is simply to add low-end throwing hammers that non-dwarven chars can use. Might add a special one later one, but these two are straight forward.

#4
Javelins (Roughly these are stacked throwing spears) (+x?) - Olimikrig (me)

#5
Pilas of Returning (Roughly these are Javelins that do not stack) (+x?) - olimikrig(me)

#6
Throwing hammer of (?) - Gilden add-on

#7
Mace of <Deity> - Silverstar
My thought is to make these maces only available to one of the different original cleric kids. Moreover to add some modified spell-like effects and that resembled the given deity, and maybe an equipped effect or two.

#8
Elven Moonblades (Equivalent to Xan's in BG1, plus a little extra...)


#9
Shortbows (Decent shortbows presented much earlier in the game) - Kitrax
The Merchant will be accessable form chapter one, and have a great variety of poor, decent, good items. So I will present some semi and a good or two croos-bow(s) from the start of the game (almost anyways).

#10
Sling of <insert name> (more than one shot/round) - Blog
alá the Trucheron(sp?) bow, but a sling instead.

#11
Spear of <insert name> (A decent Spear) - The Magpie
A regularly Spear worth the while.

#12
+2,3 wepons with special abilities... - Abdel - Bhaal Spawn

#13
MAGE ARMORS - Abdel - Bhaal Spawn

#14
Bane of <insert name> (Ranger only weap) - Kuemper
Think spiders Bane, but more ranger orientated in the choice of weap.


#15
Morning star(s) - Harbouboy
Add some piercing damaging effects too Morningstars, thought this will probably first be looked at when I get some more hold on things. However, I'll add some ok and decent morning stars too.

#16
Dagger of Backstabbing - Olimikrig (me)
Not a Always backstab, or +10 backstabbing weapon, but a dagger alá the sword short of backstabbing. Imho, a dagger is more of an assassins tool than a short sword.

#17
Dagger of <insert name> - Olimikrig (me)
A decent dagger.

This is only what I've gathered by now. Have been much too busy making the store, the merchant, the dialog and scripts to begin thinking on more.
Add any thought you have yourself.

 

Here are some items I would like to see....


Helmets:
Helm of Invisibility
Character has improved Invisibility cast upon him when wearing this helmet.

Helm of Fire
50% Protection from Fire
Once a day can cast Fireball or Delayed Fireball

Helm of Quickness
Can cast haste 3 times a day
Can cast improved haste once a day

Ioun Stone of Stealth
Usable only by characters with Stealth
+20% Hide in Shadows
+20% Move Silently

Ioun Stone of Str, Dex, etc...
Adds +1 or +2 to character Stats...

Vampic Ioun Stone
Regenerate 2 HP each turn
Vampic touch with no weapon equiped

Gloves/Gaunlets:
Gaunlets of Physcial Health
+1 to Str, Dex, & Con

Improved Gaunlets of Physical Health
+2 to Str, Dex, & Con

Gaunlets of Mass Protection
+5 to AC

Gaunlets of Death
-2 to Con
-2 to all saving throws
May cast the following spells once a day
Finger of Death
Death Symbol
Power Word Kill

Gloves of Love
Set Cha to 18
Charm once a day
Wearable only by females

Gloves of the Mage
Reduce Casting time by 1
Usable by Mage (Multi or Dual)


Improved Gloves of the Mage
Reduce Casting time by 1
+1 to AC
Usable by Mage (Multi or Dual)


Gloves of the Arch-Mage
Reduce Casting time by 2
1 extra 1st through 3rd level spells
Usable by Mage (Multi or Dual)

Improved Gloves of the Arch-Mage
Reduce Casting time by 2
1 extra 1st through 5th level spells
Usable by Single Class Mage Only

Gloves of the Mad
-5 to Int
-5 to Wis
May cast chaos once a day

Gloves of the Divine Power
One extra spells per a spells level till level 6.
+1 HP per a level
Usable by Clerics only

Weapons:

Short Sword of Bluntness +2
Sames stats as a short sword +2 expect it is only usable by clerics and does bashing damage not slashing.

Warrior Blade
This blade is a legend within itself. Many warriors have searched high and low for a weapon such as this. This weapon history has many tall tales, but the truth of its origin is unknown. What is known about this blade is that when wield it provides a warrior the ultimate blade and after wielding this sword, a warrior will not wield any blade expect this specific one. And if legends hold true that is why many warriors have died with this blade in their hand.

Long Sword +5
Speed Factor 0
Weight 0
Thaco +5
Damage 1d8+5
Special Abilities
+5 to AC
+2 to movement
+ 1/2 attack a round
Usable
Only by a true warrior/ Kensai

I could add to the list if you would like.

Edit to add the Warrior Blade

[ September 22, 2005, 19:03: Message edited by: Abdel - Bhaal Spawn ]

 

Short Swords does piercing dam afair.

Bashing damage would seem weird, looking logically upon the weap... What excactly would justify that this weap would do blunt instead of pierc dam?

These would be a wee too overpowered for my liking. Afaic with most PC fighters people make them all have at least 16, most likely 17 regulatly 18 in all these stats already. If imported from bg1 make that 19... With this they would have 20! That would make them somewhat un-balanced, no?

are you thinkin' on a equipped effect, thus when wearing them you're permanent improved invis? If so, any thief would be hitten all the time, and backstabbing like crazy. Which would be so much overpowered that I dare not think about it.. Please explain what excactly you ment with this.

For the rest they look to be okay in balance.Definately adding: quickness, fire, vampric Ioun, gloves of the mage (maybe improved too), and those funny hindering gloves...
Divine I might alter somewhat concerning extra spells, but they're coming in too(good idea).
Do you really want the gloves of love? You cannot make them only wearable by females as it is, and they're really just an altered version of the ring og human infl imho.

Please do so

 

olimikrig you are correct about the gloves of love and that is the point. To those of use who don't want to take up a ring spot but wants a CHA of 18.

The Helm of Invisibility could do the following instead...
Cast Invisibility 3 times a day
Cast Improved Invisibility once a day

As for the Gaunlets of Physical Health Here is an idea...
Wearable only by Mages, single class

As for the Sword of Bluntness it would basically look like a sword but when equip but function as a club. For those of us who like clerics but want a sword, I thought this would be the answer. As for the damage it would be the same as the sword does.

 

But, why not just make a regularly short sword +2 that clerics can equip? All it need is a simple unflag, and the proficiency set at clubs or flails or some such. Then the sword would function as every other short sword, but would be wearable by clercs...

The changes to the helm of invis would make it do-able.... Equipped effect improved invis you must admit that a wee too much

Sorry. I won't even take a +5 sword into consideration. This item pack is to somewhat fill the item holes of BG2. As it is there's more than enough good, great and almost (if not) overpowered long swords in bg2. So this would be pointless to some degree.

EDIT: If it rather looked somewhat like this

Long Sword +5
Speed Factor 1
Weight 10+
Thaco +2 or 3
Damage 1d8+5
Special Abilities
+2 to AC
+ 1/2 attack a round

Then maybe... Maybe a higher +AC if it were Kensai only, yet Kensais do get a decent AC in due time..

[ September 22, 2005, 19:50: Message edited by: olimikrig ]

 

olimikrig

How about this...

Warrior Blade (Kensai Only)
Long Sword +5
Speed Factor 1
Weight 12 lbs
Thaco +2
Damage 1d8+2
Special Abilities
+3 to AC
+ 1/2 attack a round

or

Warrior Blade (Kensai)
Long Sword +5
Speed Factor 1
Weight 12 lbs
Thaco +3
Damage 1d8+3
Special Abilities
+2 to AC
+ 1/2 attack a round

 

the Gaunlets of Physical Health is still too powerfull any part thief can use them, nad if improted from bg1 and going trough WK it would give them 21-22 in some stats with these loves, i think it's a bit overpowered still.


and on a site note, i dont like stat changing items that much

 

I might go for the upper one of those two.

In addition to Balle's remark, I'd also rather want to focus upone somewhat overloooked items, than enhancing too many already widely existing ones.

Warrior Blade would go if it was a Bastard Sword that would justify putting it in, since bastard swords are somewhat overlooked...

Items I'd manily (or first) want to focus upon:

Weaponry:
-Bastard Swords
-Spears
-Scimitars
-Wazakhis (sp?)
-Ninja-Toos
-Throwing Spears
-Throwing Hammers
-Throwing Axes
-Throwing Daggers
-Cross-Bows
-Short Bows
-Maces
-Morningstars
-Daggers
-Darts
-Halberds
-Clubs

Armory:
- Buckler's
-Armors (mainly implementing the mage arm)
-Robes (Some robes that provided something somewhat more useful than res. - FX, more AC vs. certain dam type, equipped mage orientated abilities)

misc:
-non, nada, zero.... Yet anyways.

[ September 22, 2005, 21:30: Message edited by: olimikrig ]

 

Darts... I have one that all Mage would like to throw.

Flaming Dart of Returning +2, +4 vs. undead
Special Ability on Critial Hit vs. Undead, undead must make save vs. spell -2 or be destroyed.

 

That sounds tempting. But I think that only one of the vs. undead components is requirred.
+4 as my suggestion, hence that a dart should be able to deliver so powerful blows to, say a skeleton, sounds weird

Abdel, I really, really apriciate what you're doing. It makes the making so much easier, and we all (Even I! ) need some guidance now and then...

 

I use to DM a lot of Campgains when I was in High School. Every weekend I got with one group or another. And they were lucky to have someone who enjoyed playing multiple roles and personalities. But besides that most of them really enjoyed the weapons and items they found, since they usually helped the group out as they adventured. I never left any item or weapon take over one of my groups. Of course when I stopped DMing it was my senior year and that is when all the additional player handbooks were being released.

Besides it is fun to come up with new or altered magical weapons, not previosly listed in the BG files.

Maybe next Friday I can have a list of 100+ items, weapons, & armors for you.