8 replies to this topic

[LaughingMan]

File Name: Cleric Class Kit: Scion of Murder
File Submitter: LaughingMan
File Submitted: 14 Dec 2012
File Updated: 17 Dec 2012
File Category: BG:EE Mods

New Cleric Kit: Scion of Murder

This adds a new cleric kit to BG:EE, the Scion of Murder. In order to work as designed the mod also removed the hard-restriction that prevents clerics from equipping edged weapons. The kit can work without this change, but will have proficiencies available for weapons it can not equip in such a case. The installer will provide the option of skipping individual components.

README.txt file included with instructions for installation and further details.

Kit Description

SCION OF MURDER: Some of the Bhaalspawn discovered their inherited power early in life and, whether they understood its true nature or not, embraced it. Rather than devoting themselves to some existing deity these scions turned their conviction inward, cultivating their own divine spark and reaping the nascent power of their progenitor.

ALIGNMENT: Any Chaotic or Evil
"Those who both respect the rule of law and the freedom or lives of others simply lack the ethical perspective required to become a living embodiment of murder."

EQUIPMENT: Scions may use Cleric equipment and wield all one handed melee weapons. Scions have access to all styles except two-handed, and may specialize in daggers, short swords, the single weapon style, and dual wielding.
"The Bhaalspawn are Scions of murder, not wholesale slaughter. Thus they favor weapons that can be carried casually and quickly thrust between the ribs or skull of an unsuspecting enemy."

REQUIREMENTS: 12 Str, 9 Dex, 12 Wis

ADVANTAGES:
- Invisibility: Once per day at level 1, with an additional use every 4 levels thereafter
- Backstab: While invisible or otherwise hidden the Scion may backstab as a thief of the same level
- Hold Person: Once per day at level 5, with an additional use every 5 levels thereafter

DISADVANTAGES:
- None


Mod Components

Relax Restrictions: This removes the hard restriction on edged weapons for all clerics. This does not allow any clerics to take those proficiencies (except for the Scion of Murder, of course).

Scion Abilities: This creates two new spl files in the override directory for the innate abilities of the Scion. Without this, the kit loses half of what makes it unique.

Scion Kit: This is the actual class kit. Description follows.

Click here to download this file

[Mike1072]

I'd recommend you roll all 3 components into 1, as they aren't really independent changes. Also, you might want to consider giving the kit some disadvantages because right now it's insanely better than a normal cleric. Think of ways you could differentiate it from the Cleric/Thief multiclass.

[CamDawg]

Also, you might want to consider giving the kit some disadvantages because right now it's insanely better than a normal cleric.

To be fair, the bogstandard BG2 cleric kits have no disadvantages either. Even so, a backstabbing cleric is a bit much.

Edited by CamDawg, 15 December 2012 - 05:00 AM.

[horred the plague]

Also, you might want to consider giving the kit some disadvantages because right now it's insanely better than a normal cleric.

To be fair, the bogstandard BG2 cleric kits have no disadvantages either. Even so, a backstabbing cleric is a bit much.

Perhaps at a Stalker's level instead of an equal thief's? And with some minuses tacked on to help offset...maybe reputation &/or charisma? Can't picture this guy being the life of the party, at the local tavern....Or perhaps no ranged weapon proficiency allowed--to tie in w/ his combat style?

[Jarno Mikkola]

To be fair, the bogstandard BG2 cleric kits have no disadvantages either. Even so, a backstabbing cleric is a bit much.

Well, they don't have no disadvantages either... meaning that if you want, you can make them have severe restrictions that need not to be said in the kit description -say a blessed weapons, a cleric of Helm would probably avoid Lathander champions blessed items. Yeah, the game has this mechanic to use, it's just isn't in use, even after it's been modified for this long time, because it's more tricky to use 3 kits usability flags, and not say 1000 spare ones.

[LaughingMan]

Regarding power level, item availability, etc...

Ultimately this kit is actually getting one real power, the ability to turn invisible and possibly hit a single target hard as an opener. The Hold Person effect is not that big of a deal, as it is granted at the same level that the spell becomes available. So it really isn't much more than a single bonus spell.

Playtesting this has shown the kit to be slightly more powerful than the other cleric kits (mainly due to the proficiencies). Compared to kits such as "Blade", "Cavalier", and "Blackguard" however, I have not found this to be outside the power scope of existing kits.

The exception is if this is for a solo character, in which case the kit is somewhat exceptional. Personally I consider soloing an edge case that manages itself though.

One thing I am currently addressing are individual items that should explicitly *not* be available to clerics (I can't restrict the individual kit, and I'm not going to try and steal a new unavailability bit) that are being unlocked by the current mod. So far all the items I can think of having this issue are in BG2 though (such as Carsomyr). I don't want to get buried in specifics, I just want to address any major items that are class-focused.

Edit: Oh, and I consolidated the two kit components into one, as you guys were right, it made no sense for those to be split up. I'm leaving the unusability component separate though, in case someone doesn't want that change to go in, or already has a similar mod in place.

Update: Someone made an excellent suggestion on another forum. Based on the metaphysical concept behind this kit, it was suggested that being able to turn undead seemed a little out of place. Both for theme and to bring down the net power, I will be removing the ability to turn undead in the next version.

Edited by LaughingMan, 17 December 2012 - 08:35 PM.

[Ulb]

Hm, that probably depends on your (or better your character's) definition of murder I guess.

To qualify as a murder, a homicide generally needs to be against the law (that one's easy ) and carried out with the (planned) intention to cause death or injury.

 

I don't see why a chaotic good character couldn't commit such an act (or even more, commit to the principal of such an act in general) against beings that may act well within the law of their societies (which, by the way, could be very unethical or outright evil), but still cause suffering and grief for other beings.

 

@LaughingMan

 

Sounds like a really great kit!

[Jheral]

I hate to be the necro guy this early in my SHS career, but...

 

I guess another angle on it might be that Bhall is a god of Death, with murder just being his preferred form of it (It should be noted that my knowledge of Bhall is limited to what I've read in the BG series and some wikis online, but from what I remember of the History of the Dead Three, http://www.sorcerers...Worlds/FR/8.php "I choose death, and it is by my hand that all that you rule Lord Bane will eventually pass to Lord Myrkul...", seems to imply Death in general, rather than Murder specifically). Going with that angle, the Kit could potentially be just about any alignment, although Good people would be a stretch, I suppose. People in the Neutral parts of the alignment map could still fit well enough, however.

 

Consider the notion of a LN character with Mercykiller-like attitudes towards crime, for instance. Or a Chaotic-but-not-Evil revolutionary out to overthrow and kill Evil rulers, and so on.

Edited by Jheral, 08 June 2013 - 03:47 AM.