Shadowkeeper Help

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It is with much embarrassment that I must admit that this is the very first time I have ever downloaded Shadowkeeper and attempted to use it. As a complete newbie to the Shadowkeeper experience, I need a quick crash course regarding the ins and outs of how to work it. I have downloaded it, and ran the install program, and now I have a cool looking Shadowkeeper icon in my BG2 folder.

I now have several points of confusion of how do I use SK to access the different components in my game? I suppose a list is in order:

1. For example, if I have a newly made character saved, and I want to modify his class, stats, etc., how to I use SK to get to my character? Similarly, if I want, for example, to change the class or kit of an NPC, how would I do that? This is actually the main point - Death Rabbit had the idea of going through the BG2 with NPCs with different classes, and that seemed like a great idea to me.

2. Is it possible to change character alignments using SK? And along those lines, could you change how that alignment reacts to reputation. For example, if I made Korgan neutral, would he now no longer leave if the party's reputation exceeded 18?

3. What other cool stuff can I do with SK?

 

1-You can open character files to edit your exported character files. If you want to edit your own PC or NPCs in a game, you need to open a save game, and edit the characters from there. You can edit NPC classes but it is tricky, you need to lower their XP to 0, adjust their HP, THAC0, saving throws and weapon proficiencies to level 1, THEN CLUA your XP back for it to work AFAIK.

2-Yes and no. You can change alignment, race, gender and basically everything about your PC or NPC. BUT making Korgan neutral won'T prevent him from leaving once you hit 18+ rep. I guess it is due to the fact that it is a very complex scripting, you need EoU's happy NPCs component for that if it troubles you too much.

3-Oh, basically everything. You can change your gender, race, class, levels, skill points, saving throws, spells per day, HP, AC etc. You can add any item in the game to your inventory. You can also add new and spiffy special abilities to your innate abilities section. There are some special 'spelllike' abilities that are used in the cutscenes, they have different descriptions; like those JonBon uses on his enemies, instant killing, disintegrate and petrification things with no save. You can add these to your innate abilities for FUN only. Though if you want to have some special abilities like some NPCs have (ie:Minsc has rage ability?) you need to adjust the number of usage/day to the ability once you add it via double-clicking. I myself added Selune's Blessing and CUrse abilities to my vanilla cleric to make him a true Silverstar. Those abilities were already in SK, but was never used in the game for some reason?

You can also change your avatar's colors to more spiffy ones. There are really cool colors which can only be selected by SK. Like flashy colors. I love them. You can edit them so that any leather or metal on your avatar, be it weapon or armor, looks like that color. For example, when my F/M/T equips a non-colored sword, it glimmers blue, or his metal armor looks spiffy!

BE WARNED, some colors will crash your game when you try to load. It seems some colors are really not compatible with avatars. You need to try via error, if the game crashes, re-edit the save and give a different colour.

You can also track romances, and many major quests via SK. You can see their stance, and edit them. NOT reccomended unless you know what you are doing or else you will bug your entire game!

Hope I was of help. SK is an invaluable tool once you learn to use it and resist abusing it too much!

 

1. You get 2 options to change a character, either by a save game that you are currently runing or by the character save that you have when you import it.

You can change class, spells, equipment, you can even use it to check in romances

2. You can change the alimnet, but I don't know if changeing an evil character will allow you to keep it if you pass 18 rep. never acttuly try it so can say there.

3. Almost anything you want, stats, alinment, class, spells (how many you can use, and which ones you know/memorize), portrait, name, equipment, saves, thief skill (how much you have for each)...romances...etc

 

So all I have to do is double click on my saved game or my character in either the character folder or saved game folder? Hmm... Seems almost too easy.

 

If you edit a character file, you'll have to reimport the character (if you're playing multiplayer) or, er, restart the game (single player).

When you open a save file, you'll get a window with all of your PC's various vital statistics in it. You can switch from your PC to your party members using the scroll bar directly below the portrait. You can also edit NPCs who aren't in your party by clicking "Edit Out of Party Characters" under the Tools dropdown.

Class and kit are under the 'Characteristics' tab, but as Silver said, there are issues with not getting the abilities you ought to if you just change the kit. I don't think you need to screw around with your character's experience, though - changing the character's class and/or kit, then switching to the 'Abilities' tab and changing his Level(s) to 0 should be enough. When you load up the game he'll still have the appropriate amount of experience, so you should be able to then level him up and receive kit abilities as normal.

Also, I thought changing a character's alignment did have a direct effect on whether they leave at certain rep levels. I know they're scripted to leave when their *happiness* hits a certain threshold, but I think happiness and alignment work independently of individual characters and their scripts. You can test it for yourself though, just CLUA a helm of opposite alignment, give it to one of your goody two-shoes characters and then kill a bunch of people.

Edit: I tested it myself - it works with some characters and not with others. Most characters only have one "I'm leaving" dialog which checks their happiness level, and since happiness is interpreted through alignment, changing their alignment with Shadowkeeper will work just fine. However, some (in particular the 'holy warrior' archetypes, Mazzy and Keldorn) have a separate dialog which checks your reputation directly, and these usually result in them leaving the party and attacking you if it gets too low.

[ February 27, 2006, 15:14: Message edited by: Prine ]

 

I've tried to explain it in a recent topic i've posted....i've started a new game with the NPC in the game, but i changed their classes.
Here's how to do....
I changed Nalia to a pure Swashbuckler by now with no problem in the game.
You have to:
- set her hp (max and current) to 1
- set her level to 0 / 0 / 0
- set her experience to 1
- erase all her proficiencies
- set her class to thief and kit Swashy
- erase her spellbook entirely
- give her 0 in all the thieving skills
- erase all her proficiencies
Now save and load the game. You'll hear the level up rumor. She'll be a level 1 Swashy now...with all her abilities (AC modifier, to hit and damage bonus, traps). Now you only have to raise her experience....

Hope this helps!!!!
If you have any problem, let me know....

 

^Oh I didn'T know that, but it makes sense. You say it worked without problems? Can this also be used on MC characters as well? For example, turning a normal Fighter/Mage-Cleric-Thief whatever into a Kensai one or Assasin one?

 

I took a slightly different approach when I wanted to try Jaheira as a Ranger/Cleric.

First I made a "protagonist" character (R/C) with Jaheira's stats (str, dex, etc). Then exported that.

In my new "real" game (with a proper protagonist), once I freed Jaheira I saved the game.

Then in Shadowkeeper I opened up the character file of the R/C "Jaheira" side by side with my savegame. Then I just copied across/changed all the relevant details in the savegame Jaheira to match the Char File Jaheira.

Worked a treat (although doing the spells was a little tiresome).

 

*shrug* I find SK pretty self-explanatory. Just fiddle around with it until you've mastered it - that's part of the fun!

 

Yes, iti s user-friendly afterall, always names your editted save games differently, so if you really screw things badly you can still try again!

 

It will prevent him from leaving.
I've got a party with Valygar, Viconia, Korgan ... and I've altered their alignments to keep them happy, even at 20 Rep. (other than that, I don't cheat: I just want to have a huge variety of party members to chose from)
Believe me, Korgan will express his joy, everytime your reputation increases. (I don't have any mods installed, such as Happy Group)
"This be a grand enough lot, mayhap I won't be needin to kill y'all anytime soon." ^^
Of course Keldorn, Minsc, Valygar will still leave if your reputation is too low. (class restriction)

 

OK, one more question - I have a multi-class F/T. I understand that you can include one kit to a multi-class. So for example, I could be a Kensai/T, or a F/Swashbuckler, but not a Kensai/Swashbuckler. What I'd really like to try is making a F/Assassin - but I'm clueless - help?

 

Just create a fighter/thief, save the game, open it up in Shadowkeeper and change his kit to "assassin". (The kit dropdown is under 'characteristics'.) It should automatically assign it to the correct class.

You will also need to change his levels to 0/0/0 as well (levels are under 'abilities'), since he won't receive the proper kit-specific abilities for the levels he already has by just changing the kit outright; if you change his levels to 0, then open the game, then level him up, you'll get them. But beware the evil repeating abilities of doom (i.e. you'll get more snares than you ought to, more thief skill points than you ought to, more HP than you ought to, and more weapon proficiencies than you ought to, since you've effective received all your levels twice).

 

Thanks Prine - this is exactly what I was looking for. Will I still get everything twice even though I am effectively starting with a character that is level 1/1? I don't understand why I'd get them twice? Should I set all my snares and proficiencies to what a level 1/1 character has?

 

You're starting with a 1/1 character? Are you playing Tutu or something?

If you're able to edit the character when he's still level 1/1, then you don't need to do anything except change the kit, I think. If you're creating a new BG2 character who begins at the usual 7/9 or whatever, then you will need to fiddle with levels to get all the proper abilities. The simplest way to avoid the double proficiencies/HP/etc. problem is to record the values for each of those before you edit the character, then once you've re-levelled him in-game, open him up in Shadowkeeper again and manually change the values to what they were before.

 

My mistake. When you said I had to set the levels to 0/0/0, I assumed that meant I had a level 1/1 character again.

 

another way to get the assassin abilities is to go into S/K and go under innate. You will see a kit bar and you can click on it. It will have a list and you can ad abilities from any kit from any combinations of levels from 1-100 and they will come in memorized and ready to go. So set the levels of 1- what ever level of thief you are and you will have your poison ability. Unfortunately I do not know if it touches the +1 to hit and damage that an assassin gets or not. Oh lastly if you level up your character most of the time the game retroactively gives you the abilities you didnt add in via shadow keeper such as spells if you are willing to wait that long.

 

This gave me an idea for my F/M/T I am going to be importing from BG1. Now I have to decide which way to go. Kensai/M/T or F/M/Assassin. Now I am stuck.

 

The game will retroactively apply things like THAC0 and saving throws, but kit bonuses are applied level by level. If you take a level seven fighter and turn him into a kensai, you're missing out on every kensai bonus from level one to seven.

The kit function in Shadowkeeper only gives you the kit's innate abilities, it doesn't apply the additional effects, like the to hit/damage bonus and the additional backstab multipliers.

 

OK, now I'm thoroughly confused. I will explain exactly what I'm trying to do - maybe that will give me a more specific answer to my question.

I took a F/T half-elf through BG1, used all the tombs and now I'm going to import him into BG2. Instead of him being a F/T, I want him to be a Fighter/Assassin. So, I'm thinking this would be the easiest way:

Export character file from BG1.

Copy and paste character file into BG2 character folder.

Open character using shadow keeper.

Change his kit to "assassin" using the characteristics tab.

Change his levels to 0/0/0 under "abilities".

Here's where I'm not sure what to do. At this point do I give him 161,000 XP to bring him back up to his old level, or do I just start a new game with this modified character (in which I assume he will get the standard 80,000 XP you get for a newly created character).