Polearms range extender v1

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polearms range extender v1

auther: lefuet

piercing damage is among the most easily resisted damage. and since the base damage of polearms is also lower than e.g. Greataxes I think it makes for more interesting weapon choices and enhances the playing experience to increase their range.

extended the range of most(all?) halberds to 3
extended the range of most(all?) spears to 4
extended the range of 9paces/12paces to 5 and 6 respectively

since the massive Greataxe of Flame is a rare and random drop I upped the massive Halberd of hate +4 to a +5 weapon and her base damage to 2d10 (twice the hitdice of normal halberds like the massive greataxe which has 2d12)

just copy the files of the components you like to your override folder to activate.

http://www32.zippyshare.com/v/30779969/file.html

it is fun to lance goblins from a distance or get lanced by a spear wielding enemy. sometimes there is a 3rd line of defence when spear wielders are standing behind the 2h weapon users.

 

It always bothered me that I couldn't use phalanx tactics in AD&D computer games. I recall many times in P&P setting up a heavily armored fighter in front, a spearman or other polearm wielder (especially a lightly armored druid) behind him, with archers (often the thief) and other missile users (often the low-level mage who doesn't have the spells to spare so uses darts or a sling) in the rear.

 

Slick so agreed and when using a stabbing motion with a staff you can get some decent range out of it if your hands are near the bottom since most staves are what at least 5+ feet meaning you can basically punch someone in front of some one else if you use it that way.

 

Pretty decent idea, considering how the hype in IWD2 is mostly concentrated around Axes in its various forms, with the occasional sword (Holy Avenger and Greatsword of the Soulless +5 mostly) for good measure. Added defensive capabilities for using a Spear just might be something that tips the balance in their favor again.

 

sure.

do I need to send them somewhere or how does it work?

 

RE: axe hype and reach.

IME, the best or second-best "missile weapon" in the game is the Phantom Staff +5. It's actually a melee weapon with a range of 15 feet, about halfway across the screen, which is longer than some throwing axes. Compared to Big Black Flying Death:

Similar:
Two-handed bonus damage
Good range

Pros:
Extra +2 to hit/damage (+5 vs. +3).
Better DR penetration from being +5, and also from being melee damage (some enemies like Madae have extra-high DR vs. ranged attacks).
Can use Power Attack for extra +5 damage.

Cons:
Harder to find. Actually the only place I've found one is a drop off the summoner wizard in the final battle in HoF.
Can't use Rapid Shot, so caps out at 4 attacks/round unless using Chains of Drakkas' Fury/Force of Lightning/Haste.
Only x2 on a critical instead of x3, so doesn't combine as well with obscene Luck.
No slashing bonus damage.

Anyway, just wanted to note that weapons with long reach can be extremely fun to play with even in the base game.

-Max

 

Uh, when you're using it that way, you're basically using a spear with a broken tip. The DM in our games would put penalties for trying to use a staff like that. Basically, the subdual damage rules/penalties and he reduced the base damage from 1d6 to 1d4.
The best for that type of situation was a piercing polearm like a spear, pike, glaive, voulge, etc. Those didn't get such penalties. I omitted a lot of others from the PHB, but I specifically omitted the lance since it was designed for mounted combat.

 

How does this compare to highly enchanted longbow + ammos?

 

Let's compare to the best bow in the game, Mithril Arc.

You have base damage of 1d6+7 from weapon and another 5 from +5 arrows for 13-18 base. With the standard buffs (ref: JUPP) you get +12 damage to ranged, zero luck and +1 crit area, thus we're at 25-30 with 10% chance for triple crit, ie. 5-6 average extra for a total expected damage of 30-36.

Phantom staff+5: 1d6+5 for 6-11 base. Standard buffs (incl. Power attack since this is melee weapon) gives +17 for 23-28 with 15% chance for double crits, ie. 26.45 to 32.2 expected. You only need 16 STR (for +4 STR bonus to damage since it's two-handed) to best Mithril Arc.

Further comparison with other ranged weapons:

Big Bad Flying-Death is 1d10+3+1d10 base for a base range of 4-13 (+1d10 which doesn't multiply on criticals). After the same buffs, we're at 16-25 with 10% chance for triple crits, ie. 19.2 to 30 expected plus 1d10 = 20.2 to 40. Hence, you only need a stupid low STR score of 14 to get better damage than Mithril Arc, and normally characters using it have upper 20's at least..

For comparison, a +5 sling with +5 bullets: 1d4+5+5 = 11-14 base, 23-26 after buffs, 15% double crits for 26.45 to 29.9 expected. Here you'll need 18 STR to best the bow.

In short: You're scr***d without STR bonus to damage. Only diplomats and decoys with their low STR need apply for (cross-)bows.

 

According to the LCS, on my main berserker (STR 34 Fighter4/Cleric25/Pal1) this would be:

Mithril Arc (w/ Everlast Arrow): +38/+38/+33/+28/+23 for 8-13 damage, x3 on crit

Big Black Flying Death: +35/+35/+30/+25/+20 for 25-43 points of damage, x3 on crit [in reality the 1d10 slashing doesn't get the x3, but that's why it's called the Lying Character Screen]

Phantom Staff +5: +38/+33/+28/+23/+18 for 29-34 damage, x2 on critical. (Have to wear Chains of Drakkas Fury to get the 5th attack though.) Would be 31-36 but this character is only specialized in axes, not staves.

This doesn't show the effects of luck, and obviously you could add some magical ammo to Mithril Arc for tough fights (I normally stick with Everlast Arrow just because anything else is such a hassle) but it doesn't make much difference. If you have the STR to use a good weapon, even the best enchanted longbow/ammo in the game is inferior.

Unlike Sir Rechet I usually play with minimal buffs, so these figures don't include Hope/Prayer/Recitation/Haste/etc.

-Max

 

Thanks guys!

(I generally don't go with heavy short duration buffs either)

So there aren't any old-style composite bows in the game?

 

Not in vanilla IWD2, no.

The mod Light of Selune has one tailor-made for Rangers, Green Bow IIRC, and that's pretty decent actually. Check the mods thread for more info.

 

Is this mod still available anywhere? The link is broken, and it was either never submitted, or never added to the IWD2 mod pages on SP.
I thought I downloaded it, but I can't find it.

 

Funny, I found it shortly after I made the post. It's on my new computer, rather than on the shared folder for the old Windows 98SE/XP computer that the Infinity Engine games are installed on.

Thank you however.
BTW, A long time ago I made a small mod to the "magic stone" spell to make it "magic stoned" for BG1, IWD1, and BG2 and submitted it when you asked. Did something go wrong with the submission?
I found the archive I made when looking for this mod and also found a typo in the readme. I fixed it and can submit it again.
http://www.sorcerers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=46806&highlight=magic+stoned

 

I sent it, however I wasn't sure which DC to put it in, so I chose IWD1 since nobody else has put anything there.
The archive contains the files for Baldur's Gate I, Baldur's Gate II, AND Icewind Dale I.
I guess I should have split them up into separate archives.