7 replies to this topic

[Doug Piranha]

File Name: Arcane Archer
File Submitter: Doug Piranha
File Submitted: 11 Jan 2012
File Category: Miscellaneous Released Mods

ARCANE ARCHER: These elven warriors use innate magic talent to supplement their deadly marksmanship. Arcane archers can create special arrows and with them achieve what ordinary fighter cannot.

Advantages:
- +1 to hit, and +1 to damage with any missile weapon for every 4 levels of experience.
- May create imbued arrow once per day at 3rd level. This arrow creates deadly fireball on impact.
- May create seeking arrow once per day at 6th level. This arrow seeks it's target and almost never misses.
- May create phase arrow once per day at 9th level. This arrow passes through target, dealing magical damage and slowing the opponent.
- May deliver a hail of arrows once per day, making two extra attacks per round for a short amount of time.
- May create arrow of death once per day at 15th level. This arrow is capable of instantly slaying the target.
- Arrows created by arcane archer retain their potency for 4 turns.

Disadvantages:
- Can only become proficient (one point) in non-bow weapons.
- Cannot wear any metal armor.


To install the mod extract the content of ArcaneArcher.zip to your game folder (usually C:\Program Files\Black Isle\BGII - SoA for Baldur's Gate II: SoA and ToB). Run setup-ArcaneArcher.exe and follow onscreen instructions.

Click here to download this file

[ShadowTek]

File Name: Arcane Archer
File Submitter: Doug Piranha
File Submitted: 11 Jan 2012
File Category: Miscellaneous Released Mods

ARCANE ARCHER: These elven warriors use innate magic talent to supplement their deadly marksmanship. Arcane archers can create special arrows and with them achieve what ordinary fighter cannot.

Advantages:
- +1 to hit, and +1 to damage with any missile weapon for every 4 levels of experience.
- May create imbued arrow once per day at 3rd level. This arrow creates deadly fireball on impact.
- May create seeking arrow once per day at 6th level. This arrow seeks it's target and almost never misses.
- May create phase arrow once per day at 9th level. This arrow passes through target, dealing magical damage and slowing the opponent.
- May deliver a hail of arrows once per day, making two extra attacks per round for a short amount of time.
- May create arrow of death once per day at 15th level. This arrow is capable of instantly slaying the target.
- Arrows created by arcane archer retain their potency for 4 turns.

Disadvantages:
- Can only become proficient (one point) in non-bow weapons.
- Cannot wear any metal armor.


To install the mod extract the content of ArcaneArcher.zip to your game folder (usually C:\Program Files\Black Isle\BGII - SoA for Baldur's Gate II: SoA and ToB). Run setup-ArcaneArcher.exe and follow onscreen instructions.

Click here to download this file

Wow, I remember this class, nice work man!!

EDIT: Downloaded

Edited by ShadowTek, 10 January 2012 - 10:03 PM.

[Doug Piranha]

Thanks! Any feedback is welcome, especially advice and error reports, since this is my first mod. I'm working on a much more ambitious mod, a NPC named Mavis, priestess of Leira, but I thought a little mod like this is a nice way to break the ice.

[Quester]

I appreciate the idea, but...doesn't this kit render the regular Archer kit obsolete? This just seems vastly better than a normal archer.

[Doug Piranha]

Well, I was aiming for the balance, so I wouldn't call it vastly better. Here is how I rationalized it: Assuming basic fighter and ranger classes are balanced, the difference is in to hit and dmg bonuses, and AA arrows vs. called shot. My kit has slightly worse bonuses to hit and dmg throughout the game (at SoA XP cap it's +4 vs. +5, at ToB cap it's +10 vs. +11). The called shot at it's max power gives around +10 dmg per use (4 uses in SoA, 8 in ToB). AA arrows give one 6d6 fireball, one sure shot, one slowing, 4 extra attacks (actually 3 with bow it seems) and one save or die shot. Considering there are arrows of detonation already, and that flail of ages is much better at slowing, that silver sword is better at instant killing and items that give improved haste are better at adding attacks, I don't consider it much better, if at all. But criticism is welcome, and I would like to hear what would you change to make the kit more balanced.

[Aranthys]

The most powerful ability of called shot is not the damage bonus.
It's the fact that it does the following :

Called Shot once per day for every 4 levels, lasts for 10 seconds (2 rounds, more or less) and each successful arrow hit does the following :

-1 THAC0
-1 Save vs. Magic
-1 Strength
+2 damage bonus to the arrow

These stacks, meaning that if you use, say, an ability that grants you lots of attacks (IE. : Improved Haste) you can have an ennemy get something like -6 THACO / STR / Magic Save per round, since Archers have the best thaco available among all classes.

Basically, with an Archer, you can pling arrows at a Dragon, and have it be completely unable to hit reliably with their melee attacks anyone with an AC of -4 or so.

So, well, can't say this Kit is better than the Archer kit

[Quester]

I had no idea those stacked! But how long do the penalties / bonuses last?

[Aranthys]

Long enough for your ennemy to be dead when it no longer takes effect