374 replies to this topic

[Jinnai]

Galactygon, on Jan 8 2004, 04:28 PM, said:

screen
-Same as improved invisibility but lasts for 24 hours (duration of normal invisibility)
-Allows caster to make offensive actions w.o. being revealed (I actually successfully implemented this into Shadow Door)
-Protects from the spell school of divination
-Enemies with innate abilities to detect invis. creatures can see thru this however.

That's a bit extreme, even for a HLA as that would the casting of choice for anyone because only creatures with inate abilities to see invis can bypass it....a bit too powerful even for level 10...more like a level 11 or 12 spell (mostly because of its duration makes such an uber spell.

[Galactygon]

Not really something uber... Almost anyone in TOB can see invis. creature. It is rare when someone does NOT. Remember we're not in BG1.

[Kish]

This ability would always either be completely worthless or make the user invincible, and I see both as problems. A HLA should be more useful than this would be against ToB bosses and dragons, and less useful than it would be against anything without invisibility detection by script.

[Jinnai]

Galactygon, on Jan 9 2004, 02:29 PM, said:

Not really something uber... Almost anyone in TOB can see invis. creature. It is rare when someone does NOT. Remember we're not in BG1.

Well yes, but many use spells and whatnot to achieve this which in your desciption won't work...why, i can't understand.

[Caedwyr]

I think Galctygon is refering to the see invisible by script detection method that allows NPCs to attack and target invisible enemies through their scripts. Many NPCs and monsters use this method in ToB, Planetears and Devas do for instance. If you leave these types of creatures alone, their scripts will cause them to attack invisible enemies.

I'd have to agree with Kish and Jinnai. Screen is either too powerful, or not useful whatsoever. I don't see how it would enrich the playing experience or help balance the HLAs. Unfortunately it's not too uncommon for the mechanics of the game to ruin an otherwise good spell idea. I had this happen with a banishment type spell that would destroy all Outsiders. Unfortunately because of game mechanics it ended up not working as intended and the idea had to be dropped.

[Schatten]

why should nightfall restore fog of war? does it interfere with my memories?

[Galactygon]

Yes, nightfall would "unexplore" the map thru the Unexplore() scripting synthax.

[Schatten]

nono, i mean. why should the fog be restored? [in game point of view] i know where i was and where the buildings are.

[Galactygon]

But ye don't know where the creatures are... and what top secret tactics they are currently devising against you....

[Kish]

How would obscuring the area map simulate that? Creatures aren't marked on the map anyway.

[Caedwyr]

@Galctygon: Maybe this needs clarification. When you say 'fog of war' are you refering to the black unexplored area that appears on maps, or the greyed out area that is currenlty not visible?

[Schatten]

he said unexplore () syntax. and you cannot restore the greyed out areas because it is already limited to the visible range of your npcs.
and to make it all black again isnt right, imo.

[T.G.Maestro]

I think both ideas need heavy changes to be useable in BG2 without any balancing issues. All the changes/new abilities that will come with BG2 Refinements follow the same standard: they aim to make the classes and kits more interesting and unique, but tend to kill any unbalancing aspects of any HLAs.

[T.G.Maestro]

Update: Lathander HLA added.

[T.G.Maestro]

Update: New HLA for Transmuters, while "Ruin" became a Necromancer spell

[T.G.Maestro]

Update: Evil version of Divine Intervention and Ancestral Spirit for Totemists added.

[T.G.Maestro]

Update: three new HLAs added
- Spell Worm for Enchanters (may change);
- Malavon's Fury for Invokers;
- Shadow Pool for Stalkers (may change);

[T.G.Maestro]

Update: Brew Poison for Assassins added.

[T.G.Maestro]

Update: Conjurer HLA (Animate Magic Golem) added. The HLA System is finished, we only need to organize the icons in a few tables .

[Kish]

T.G.Maestro, on Dec 18 2003, 11:05 PM, said:

Precision
With proper concentration a skilled archer can render his attacks more deadly and precise. By activating this ability the archer gains +6 to THAC0 with missile weapons and +10 bonus to damage for 2 rounds.
Precision has some drawbacks: it requires concentration, so it makes defense almost impossible and leaves time for just 2 attacks per round.
The archer's movement rate will be decreased by 75% and AC will suffer a 5 point penalty until the ability expires.

Isn't that kinda weak for a HLA? Even ignoring the other downsides, most of the time the reduction to 2 attacks while it lasts will result in it actually reducing the damage the archer can do. Compared to Greater Whirlwind Attack or Critical Strike (yes, I know archers no longer get those) it's really weak.