12 replies to this topic

[aVENGER]

Introduction

Here's another PnP creature component that's currently being worked on. For now, only the Readme is available, as the actual coding may take a bit longer since my free time is becoming scarcer again. If you find anything out of place in the readme please let me know. It's still a work in progress.


Component Summary

Basically, this component will make sure that all the plant creatures, animals and magical beasts have their proper PnP stats, abilities and behavior. For example, non-aggressive animals (i.e. wolves) will no longer attack the party unless provoked. Also, the movement rates of all animals have been re-examined and will now match the PnP values more accurately (i.e. bears will move at the same speed as humans, wolves and dogs are a bit faster etc). As per PnP, some animals also get special (non-magical) abilities such as Stealth, Sprint and Rake for Cheetahs. Meanwhile, magical beasts such as Ankhegs and Basilisks become a bit more challenging and get their missing PnP stats and abilities back while plant creatures such as Myconids and Shambling Mounds get the appropriate immunities (i.e. poison, disease, bleeding... etc).


Revised spells

This component will also revise the Animal Summoning and Conjure Animals spells. For some reason, these spells were seriously weakened by Bioware in BG2. Bringing the spells closer to their PnP counterparts should makes them much more useful. Also, other spells and items which summon animals or plant creatures (i.e. the Staff of the Woodlands) will be adjusted to ensure that the summons conform to the PnP norms.

Edited by aVENGER, 03 June 2012 - 10:08 AM.

[Salk]

Great job thinking of revising plants and especially animals and magical beasts!

I was sort of scared by the poison damage dealt by a 5 HD monster like the Giant Poison Snake (worth a miserable 420xp)! Base movement 15 + 120 points of poison (4 / second!) if not saving at a -4 penalty? Better keep far from them but I guess they will be hostile in the game? How nasty to NOT have them in the AS spells...

And what about the Greater Basilisk dealing equally much poison damage with its breath? And I who thought those were already nasty as they were...

A possible typo in the description of Petrifying Gaze ("...and constructs made from are not affected by the gaze").

Hm... I find myself fascinated by the PnP implementations of Plants, Animals and Magical Beasts but I do feel the Giant Poison Snake acquired too much power for its level. How true do you want to keep your modifications to the PnP traits? Could you consider reducing a bit its poison damage?

I'll be looking forward to your updates, aVENGER!

Edited by Salk, 03 June 2012 - 09:01 PM.

[aVENGER]

I was sort of scared by the poison damage dealt by a 5 HD monster like the Giant Poison Snake (worth a miserable 420xp)! Base movement 15 + 120 points of poison (4 / second!) if not saving at a -4 penalty? Better keep far from them but I guess they will be hostile in the game? How nasty to NOT have them in the AS spells...

And what about the Greater Basilisk dealing equally much poison damage with its breath? And I who thought those were already nasty as they were...

In PnP, their poison simply kills (save vs. death or die in 1 round). Since players generally dislike that, I instead made the poison deal a large amount of damage in a relatively small timeframe, giving the party a chance to use an Antidote or cast Neutralize Poison on the victim. So you see, these creatures are actually slightly weaker than they should be.

A possible typo in the description of Petrifying Gaze ("...and constructs made from are not affected by the gaze").

Cheers, will fix. It's supposed to be "made from inorganic materials".

[Andrea C.]

More win from aVENGER!! The BG:EE guys would better make it compatible with your mods, 'cause there is no way on earth I'm giving up on them. Absolutely mandatory in my every install.

[Azazello]

I've been wanting someone/body/modder/gipper (I was hoping it would happen in an updated Divine Remix version) to pull out, component-ize, and expand the 7th-level Druid spell "Animate Tree" from BP (and CtB?). And now with your mod concept, this might be the time?

Two birds-one stone: it'll allow you to 'PnP' Treants -plus- give players & druid NPCs something new to chew on.

Edited by Azazello, 11 September 2016 - 09:23 AM.

[aVENGER]

In the initial release, this component will only affect creatures that exist in the unmodded game.

However, I might also look at mod-added creatures (i.e. Treants, Displacer Beasts... etc.) in some future update.

[aigleborgne]

Great component !

I haven't read everything but I'm curious about bear's constrict.
Here is a P&P quote: "If a black bear scores a paw hit with an 18 or better it also hugs for 2-8 (2d4) points of additional damage."
So, shouldn't it be 15% with no saves ?

[aVENGER]

I haven't read everything but I'm curious about bear's constrict.
Here is a P&P quote: "If a black bear scores a paw hit with an 18 or better it also hugs for 2-8 (2d4) points of additional damage."
So, shouldn't it be 15% with no saves ?

You're right that the chance should be 15%. Thanks, it will be corrected.

However, I'm not so sure about removing the save. The bear's hug is basically a grapple attack and exceptionally strong characters should be able to resist/escape it. Since we can't properly implement opposing strength checks within the BG2 version of the IE, I opted for a save vs. breath instead.

[aigleborgne]

You're right that the chance should be 15%. Thanks, it will be corrected.

However, I'm not so sure about removing the save. The bear's hug is basically a grapple attack and exceptionally strong characters should be able to resist/escape it. Since we can't properly implement opposing strength checks within the BG2 version of the IE, I opted for a save vs. breath instead.

I was wondering the same thing when I did it in my mod but I have supposed that it was already included in hit roll. 15% is not that much, add a save and you will be sure it will almost never succeed. Additionnally, there is no mention of a save in PnP and usually, when there is save, it is clearly stated.

But you logic is good too

[aVENGER]

I was wondering the same thing when I did it in my mod but I have supposed that it was already included in hit roll. 15% is not that much, add a save and you will be sure it will almost never succeed.

The save will get progeressively more difficult with higher HD of the creatures.

For example, the Black Bear's Constrict has a plain save vs. breath. However, the Brown Bear's Constrict imposes a -1 penalty, the Cave Bear's a -2 etc. up to a -4 penalty for the Constrict performed by a 16 HD Giant Bear.

[Pol]

The bear's hug is basically a grapple attack and exceptionally strong characters should be able to resist/escape it. Since we can't properly implement opposing strength checks within the BG2 version of the IE, I opted for a save vs. breath instead.

I have a feeling that a strength check should be a save vs polymorph, since save vs breath is the obvious sub for a dexterity check, and save vs death for a constitution check.

The save will get progeressively more difficult with higher HD of the creatures.

Will this include the fiends? By the time they are encountered for a usual party, making the saving throw is quite easy.

[aVENGER]

Good points on both accounts.

I'll see if I can make the Constrict implementation a bit more consistent across various components for the next release.

[Hoo]

Do you plan to include wyvern in this component? and some spiders...