Unofficial BG2 fix pack 3.51 - my view on item fixes there

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Now, related to my post about weapons that can kill certain creatures with only one stroke, and Tal's comment that they don't work as they should, I downloaded that famous unofficial fix pack (v3.51) just to check those weapons.
Since I was interested more, I checked ALL "fixed" items. To test them one by one I used WinZip 7.0 utility - with it you can open BG2FixPack351.exe and extract specific files/fixes you will later copy to OVERRIDE folder. All files of my concern were *.ITM files so I put those in brackets.

I'm very sory for the size of this spam, but...

Important:
The problem is that this in not official thing and we can't be 100% sure if glitches are in item abilities or in item description. However majority of fixes take item descriptions as correct and item abilities as glitched. If you still want to use this unofficial fix, please read this observations before you install any ITM file. Also note that any of item fixes I suggest to use DOES NOT inflict new or more bugs in the game. This is not the case with items I advise not to use - I'm not sure if they're safe too.

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Item "fixes" I suggest you use

- Acid Arrow (AROW04.ITM)
Fixes glitch that this type of arrows were originally not enchanted all, which left them unable to to hit enemies that require +1 enchantment to hit?!?!

- Azuredge Axe +3 (AX1H10.ITM)
Fixed many things.

- Mace of Disruption +1 (BLUN12.ITM)
Added -4 penalty to target's save in order to match the item's description.

- Flasher Master Bruiser Mate (BOLT07.ITM)
Corrected Jan Jansen's special bolts to enchantment level +1.

- Boots of Speed (BOOT01.ITM)
This fix replaces effect of Haste spell originally imbued in this item with actual "physical" movement rate increase. Since this negates bugs that occur when movement rate effects are applied on boots user and more, this is a fix you must install no matter what!

- Heartseeker +3 (BOW10.ITM)
This fix is made because this bow's THAC0 bonus ability was affecting all weapons originally, not just the bow. It has been changed to only affect missile weapons.

- Dart, Dart +1, Dart Of Stunning, Dart Of Wounding and Asps' Nest (DART01.ITM, DART02.ITM, DART03.ITM, DART04.ITM, and DART05.ITM)
These files contain many darts fixes.
Caution: Official patch already contains Dart (DART01.ITM) file. Choose at your own will which one you'll use.

- Cat familiar attack (HASTRING.ITM)
Fixed Cat familiar's haste attack. Instead of increasing attacks by 1, the bug caused attacks to drop down to zero.

- Imp familiar attack (IMP.ITM) and Quasit familiar attack (IMPQUA.ITM)
Removed inflicting poison effect that is not documented in these familiar's descriprion and originally is present as part of it's attack.

- Corthala Family Blade (NPSW04.ITM)
This file fixes a few Valygar's katana bugs.

- Delver's Plate (PLAT11.ITM)
Fix removes +2 bonus to save vs spells and renames armor to +1 as it should be stated. I suggest usage of the fix since +2 save bonus is very questionable for +1 armor and it is not noted in item description.

- Potion of Storm Giant Strength (POTN07.ITM)
The user of this potion was originally Magic Resistance checked and sometimes this potion wouldn't work. No other strength potion does this and resistance check is not noted in description, that's why I put this fix as "to be used".

- Potion of Freedom (POTN45.ITM)
This item was severely bugged indeed. It didn't act like Free Action spell as noted nor had the proper duration.

- Ring of Free Action (RING09.ITM)
Fixed ring's ability to be used as a cheat item.

- Rings of Air/Fire Control (RING27.ITM and RING28.ITM)
From description it is supposed that Air and Fire elementals should try to make a saving throw (with +2 bonus) against charm ability from these rings, but original file was made in a fashion that elementals are charmed without posible saving throw. This is not the case with Ring of Earth Control, and this fix make all three rings equal with charm abilities.

- Ring of Earth Control (RING29.ITM)
This fix removes providing a bonus of +1 to all Saving Throws to ring's wielder.

- Cursed scroll of Ailment (SCRL17.ITM)
This scroll originally was created to be casted at any target upon reading. This fix terminates targeting ability because cursed scrolls should all be used against reader/caster.

- Staff of Curing (STAF10.ITM)
Fixed resistance check in case of invoking curing ability, bonuses +2 to saving throws that shouldn't be there and added enchantment+1.

- Staff of the Magi (STAF11.ITM)
Although mage equipped with it should be under effect of Protection From Evil and colorglow is there - real effect is not present! This lead summoned/gated hostile creatures to attack the wielder! This is a major bug and this fix is to be installed at all costs.
Note that newer fixes may deal it's invisibility effect in cases when you kick NPC that is equipped with it outta party - it may happen that you never get him/her back because of invisibility (although it can be dispelled by priest Dispell Magic). Maybe to make it as critical item to be always placed in current party leader's inventory from NPCs that leave party like i.e. lack of Jaheira's hair.

- Staff of the Woodlands (STAF14.ITM)
Fix is not complete - you don't get +1 bonus saving throw rolls vs. all attack forms except magic as it should be with barkskin.

- Carsomyr (SW2H10.ITM)
Fixes sword's base damage to 1d12+5 instead of originally placed 1d10+5 as it is noted in description.

- Lilarcor (SW2H14.ITM)
Fix removes only rare cases animation glitch from wielder's resistance abilities.

- Sensate Amulet and Spear of Kuldahar +3 (WA2AMU.ITM and WASPEAR.ITM)
Fixed bonus hit points that remain even when these items are dropped.

- Sling Of Everard +5 (WASLING.ITM)
This fix terminates Strength bonus to damage that this sling was giving what is not stated in it's description like it is in Sling of Seeking.
Besides that. base damage from 1d4+2 is replaced with 1d4+3 because the description says that bullets do "+2 extra damage" and normal sling bullet does 1d4+1.

- Drow items, all Scimitars, quest weapons scrolls, and other items (AMUL21.ITM, BRAC06.ITM, DWBLUN01.ITM, DWCHAN01.ITM, DWCHAN02.ITM, DWCLCK01.ITM, DWHALB01.ITM, DWPLAT01.ITM, DWSHLD01.ITM, DWSPER01.ITM, DWSW1H01.ITM, DWSW1H02.ITM, DWXBOW01.ITM, HAMM06.ITM, LEAT19.ITM, NPBOW.ITM, NPPLAT.ITM, NPSW01.ITM, MISCA6.ITM, MISC3M.ITM, MISC3O.ITM, MISC4Q.ITM, MISC4U.ITM, MISC5T.ITM, MISC9O.ITM, RING35.ITM, SCRL3G.ITM, SCRL5G.ITM, SCRL8B.ITM, SCRL8C.ITM, SW1H20.ITM, SW1H22.ITM, SW1H23.ITM, SW1H30.ITM, SW1H50.ITM, SW1H52.ITM, SW1H56.ITM, WAND02.ITM, WAND04.ITM, WAND05.ITM, WAND06.ITM, WAND07.ITM, WAND09.ITM, WAND10.ITM, WAND11.ITM, WAND13.ITM, WAND14.ITM, WAND15.ITM)
Fixed items usability regarding wielder class.
Also fixed Drow Scimitar +3 (DWSW1H02.ITM) that slays bards with single strike - noone ever said that drow specifically hate bards nor it is noted in weapon description.
Also fixed damage that Shazzellim inflicts.
Also fixed Dwarven Thrower Hammer - lower damage than it should be (instead original 2d4+2, it is 2d4+3).
Also fixed effect of the Wand Of Cloudkill that never tested creature's Magic Resistance, which means that it could be used to kill anything with high Magic Resistance with little effort - and that is not ment to be possible with Cloudkill spell.
Also fixed problem when Keldorn is intelligence drained and becomes unable to use his Firecam Full Plate armor what shouldn't be.


Item "fixes" I suggest you don't use

- Familiar's spells losing because of Level Drain (IMMCLOUD.ITM and REGHP1.ITM)
Originally - if familiars who cast spells are level drained lose spells, they lose spells forever. Their "spellbooks" are not accessible so you can't place spells back to be memorized when drained familiar is restored. So he fixed this by placing immunity to level drain to familiars?! What about immunity to intelligence drain? And who ever said that this is a bug? Geez...
There are probably better ways to correct this.
I.e. he could remove spells from their "spellbooks" and put them as innate abilities.
Or replace all spells higher than level 1 in familiar's "spellbook" as if they were level 1 spells - however this would probably make a problem again if their intelligence is drained.
Or far more correct if it is possible - to add in sleep script destroying familiar if it exists and replacing it with new one. Of course, such familiar should be tested if it is proper level - I wouldn't want it to be replaced completely if it is not restored after possible level drain.

- Summoning Figurines that vanish to be returned later in inventory (MISC3D.ITM, MISC3E.ITM, MISC3F.ITM and MISC7T.ITM)
These files "fix" Golden Lion, Black Spider, Jade Hound and Moon Dog figurines. Originally if the character who invokes creature by them dies before the summoning duration has expired and has not been raised by this time, then the figurine can't return to their inventory and is gone for good.
I don't see this as a glitch - why should the figurine appear in dead character's inventory?! Accept figurines' descriptions - summoned creatures obey their summoner, if summoner is dead why should figurine return to him?!
With this fix figurine doesn't disappear with usage - just changes state into "0 charges".

- Harbinger +3 (MISC83.ITM)
There is a 5% chance per hit that a 10d6 fireball explodes, centered on the target - says in this weapon description. In chapter 6 while fighthing Bodhi you can get help from a paladin that wields it and of course sometimes will happen that this ability shows up. In this case other possible allies (Drizzt and friends, Arkanis and assassin or other paladins) think you attacked them and leave. I don't take this as a bug - it is just a risk it's wielder took and also risk that you took by getting his aid.
But the most important thing here is that he actually replaced reserved MISC83 item (Key to River Plug - maybe it will be used for something else in ToB) with this sword - the original sword's code is SW2H07 and he should stick with ONLY that. Or he could give to the critical paladin another sword to wield.

- Brine Potion (MISC9Y.ITM)
Although Wizard Slayers are restricted from the use of all magical items including potions - this is not a potion they should be forbidden to use as it just grants resistance to certain types of magic. Inside original file this potion was not classified as magical nor it should be.

- Neb's Nasty Cutter (NEBDAG.ITM)
This fix is not a fix but just another bug. The problem was that original file was made as this dagger has 10 charges of poison to be used - after wasted all charges the dagger was left unusable. Fix removes this special ability to make the dagger always usable which is not proper way to solve this.
The proper way to resolve this would be that with each hit the dagger is destroyed and another one is created as it is i.e. Ras+2 (SW1H33). That would be inlcude creation of 10 similar daggers to be created after each use, and last of them would be the one without poison.
Whatever, I suggest all those who used original Cutter's poison ability to dump it and use another dagger+2 or +3 (a few of them are easily find in chapter 2 quests).

- Full Plate +2 (PLAT19.ITM)
This fix clears THAC0 and movement penalties that are not included in item description, but exist as item abilities. Since I personally think that penalties are put there on purpose because you get this armor from limited wish spell, I take that description is false.

- Protection scrolls (SCRL03.ITM, SCRL04.ITM, SCRL05.ITM, SCRL06.ITM, SCRL08.ITM, SCRL09.ITM, SCRL15.ITM)
These protection scrolls (from: Acid, Cold, Electricity, Fire, Poison, Undead, Petrification) originally would fail if invoked by caster with high magic resistance as would similar priest spells.
He fixed that by lowering caster's resistance to 0 for one second before the effect is applied. Resistance gets back on it’s real value after one second elapses and the scroll takes effect. With this “fix” scrolls will always work.
I can’t accept that this is a glitch.

- * (SCRL3I.ITM)
Again usage of reserved item to fixing the item that already exists. This is just dangerous way to deal bugs - if it is not possible to fix bug with existing items, either you create new item files, new script files, new creature files or don't fix it at all. You can't know that this item won't be later used in possible official fixes, additions or expansions!

- Arbane's Sword +2 (SW1H27.ITM)
This fix just clears item's additional abilities with questionable leaving immunity to stun that is not included in item description. Pal, either you clear them all away or don't remove any of them!

- Throwing Dagger (SW1H57.ITM)
If Habib is met in the Docks district, he exclaims that "I will throw my mighty scimitar at your head" and then throws the weapon, a modified throwing dagger that creates two scimitars when it strikes the character. The character catches them and whatever weapons character was carrying are supposed to be replaced with the scimitars.
However, whatever weapons were there previously still remain, and trying to re-equip them or put any other weapons there to get rid of the scimitars in the game screen does nothing and returns the message "Magical weapon in use." This is the case whether or not the character can use the scimitars.
And he deleted the special ability that places the scimitars in target's quickslots?! If it was not possible to redefine that scimitars appear in regular inventory instead of quick slots, he should edit related script.
And yet, seems that you can cast Dispel Magic or Remove Curse to get rid of this effect without this "fix".

- Soul Reaver +4 (SW2H08.ITM)
This fix removes possible magic resistance to this sword's special ability to penalize enemy's THAC0. I don't think this is a glitch. If a creature is highly resistant to magic - there's no logical explanation why shouldn't such creature be resistant to THAC0 ruining. If this fix is applied it would make this sword an ultimate weapon.

- Items protected from Nishruu/Hakeashar attack (AMUL18.ITM, BELT04.ITM, BELT05.ITM, BELT07.ITM, BELT08.ITM, BELT10.ITM, BOW19A.ITM, BOW19B.ITM, BRAC01.ITM, BRAC02.ITM, BRAC03.ITM, BRAC08.ITM, BRAC11.ITM, BRAC13.ITM, BRAC14.ITM, BRAC18.ITM, CHAN01.ITM, CHAN02.ITM, CHAN03.ITM, CHAN06.ITM, CHAN07.ITM, CHAN08.ITM, CHAN12.ITM, CHAN13.ITM, CLCK01.ITM, CLCK03.ITM, CLCK05.ITM, CLCK10.ITM, CLCK11.ITM, CLCK12.ITM, CLCK13.ITM, CLCK14.ITM, CLCK15.ITM, CLCK16.ITM, CLCK17.ITM, CLCK18.ITM, CLCK19.ITM, CLCK22.ITM, CLOLTH.ITM, HALB09A.ITM, HALB09B.ITM, KEY24.ITM, KEY27.ITM, KEY28.ITM, LEAT04.ITM, LEAT15.ITM, LEAT16.ITM, MISC5F.ITM, MISC8U.ITM, MISC9H.ITM, MISCA2.ITM, MISCA3.ITM, MISCA7.ITM, MISCA9.ITM, MISCAC.ITM, MISCAE.ITM, MISCAF.ITM, MISCAG.ITM, MISCAH.ITM, MISCAJ.ITM, MISCAK.ITM, MISCAL.ITM, MISCAO.ITM, MISCAP.ITM, MISCAQ.ITM, MISCAR.ITM, MISCAS.ITM, MISCAT.ITM, MISCB1.ITM, MISCB2.ITM, MISCB4.ITM, MISCB5.ITM, MISCB6.ITM, MISCB7.ITM, MISCB8.ITM, MISCB9.ITM, MISCBA.ITM, MISCBR.ITM, MISCBS.ITM, NPCHAN.ITM, NPCLCK.ITM, NPRING01.ITM, NPSHLD.ITM, NPSW01.ITM, RING02.ITM, RING04.ITM, RING21.ITM, RING23.ITM, RING29.ITM, RING37.ITM, RING38.ITM, ROSSRING.ITM, SCALEB.ITM, SCALER.ITM, SW1H54A.ITM, SW1H54B.ITM, SW2H15A.ITM, TBAG01.ITM)
Originally game has a serious bug considering attacks from Nishruus and Hakeashars. These creatures should “eat” charges of magical items, however this effect was dangerous for many items with no charges – they will vanish! Items were properly defined, but nishruu weapon effect was the problem.
And instead of dealing Nishruu weapon he “fixed” items. Geez...
This is dangerous thing to do – and it simply CAN’T be compatible with possible additions, official patches, expansions and such. I must strongly advise NOT installing these item files.
Indeed, without these files you’ll risk losing even quest key items if attacked by Nishruu or Hakeashar – however there is a pretty good solution for this problem. The solution lays in the fact that “inside” the game Nishruu and Hakeashar are placed as race Ogre and class Ogre Mage. Any bells ringing? No? Try this link then (be warned of major spoilers there): http://www.sorcerers.net/ubb/Forum2/HTML/003088.html
Important: some of above item files I suggested to install are also “fixed” in this manner. That shouldn’t inflict any bug in SoA, but you never know... I’ll mail my observations about all this to Kevin Dorner who is distributing fix pack!


Item "fixes" I leave you to choose on your own will you use them or not

- Mace of Disruption +2 (BLUN25.ITM)
Fix just forbid "level drain" text that appears if there is successful hit from creatures that drain levels. This mace originally negates leveldrain effect no matter that floating note so this doesn't have to be considered as glitch. The wielder is not actually leveldrained. But, if you still think it's pretty confusing for a player, feel free to use the fix.

- * (RING39A.ITM)
This is an added item not originally present in the game and won't work without fixed HLDEMI.CRE file - all this contains much spoil to be noted here. Anyway, I'd suggest that newer fix denies all possible pickpocketing of this particular creature like i.e. impossible pickpocketing Renal Bloodscalp, instead of this complicating things.

- Remove Magic scroll (SCRLA7.ITM)
Replaces wrong icon on this scroll with correct one (no matter this, the correct icon will show up in mage book). It is really not necessary to add this but if you thing it's pretty confusing feel free to use this fix.

- Dragonslayer (SW1H32.ITM) and Blackrazor (MISCBC.ITM)
In original file there was not portrait icon present on wielder when Dragonslayer was equipped although the sword's regenerating ability really works. Also Blackrazors abilities work no matter non-present icons. With this fix the icons will appear, so if you need to see them, feel free to use these files.

- All possible *.ITM files you spot in the fix pack that I missed to mention here... But I don't take responsibility if those inflict more bugs! If you don't want to risk with them - don't install them.


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Disclaimer:
This text deals ONLY items in unofficial fixes. Other "fix" files (BCS, 2DA, etc...) are not no be judged from this text.

[This message has been edited by Extremist (edited July 12, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Extremist (edited July 12, 2001).]

 

Extremist,you have made a horsejob as we say in Sweden.
I just installed the whole patch and didnt think more of it. But i think it works great and i dont think it is worth it to pick out every file by them selves but do people want the ultimate gaming experience they should follow your lead.

 

Very impressive stuff Extremist. I'm especially pleased as I've read a few posts that dismiss these patches as buggy and not worth doing. It's nice to see a very thorough and balanced view so that people can make up there own minds.

Personally I'm pleased that those people took the time to write some of the necessay patches that Bioware can't be bothered about.

Now I must put this post in my favourites for everyone else who asks about this patch

 

Thanx guys, now if I'd have more time I'll scan thru scripts and other stuff included there...

But, I don't promise anything!

Unofficial fixes ARE buggy - I stated up there some possible causes. Touching the game part you don't know if it is used or if it will be used is dangerous and can lead to disaster.
So, installing the whole pack must be avoided - there should be i.e. pack 1 with "safe" fixes, and pack 2 with "risky" fixes - so everyone should choose what to install or not.

Last, underestimating reserved things that are not used in SoA lead to unability to use the fix pack in ToB.
My list up there points on all fixes that must WORK in ToB (those I said to install) and those that possibly don't work in ToB (I said not to install).