15 replies to this topic

[Longinus]

I found the use any item perk to be a travesty of a rogue high level ability. What's the point in having class/alignment exclusive weapons et al when a thief can simply bypass those restrictions? I feel as though it detracts from the uniqueness of the thief class.

Instead of dreaming up a few more decent HLA, UAI seems like convenient way not to bother. Where's my ability to read scrolls at level 10?

I know many people like the UAI perk, but does anyone disagree? If so, what abilities would you prefer instead?

[evildevil]

I only like UAI for one thing... scrolls. Replacing it with at least a Scroll Usage ability would be somewhat nice...

[Tydirium]

True, it's a bit over-the-top for thieves, but it isn't for bards. I've always felt that it was an ability perfectly in keeping with the jack-of-all-trades and use-some-of-everything nature of the class.

[Rathwellin the Bard]

And in fact there was much discussion on the old bio boards pre-SoA release clammering for a Loremaster kit for bards. Loremasters have UAI as a kit ability. Obviously bio never did this kit but all the requestes obviously got them thinking about UAI.

As a bard ability it does make sense to me.

[Littiz]

I played once with a Cleric/Thief, 8 Strenght.
Some weapons were unuseable because of that... well, once I got UAI, I could use all the weapons, not even the weight did matter anymore!!!!
I believe this ability is far too cheesy.
No problem in a thief using scrolls, or say, mage robes.
But a CE thief using Carsomyr?!?! Or all the dual-combinations going straight against their ethos???

On the other hand, it was argued (fable at gamebanshee IIRC) that thieves needed an uber ability to be comparable in power with the other classes...
Nonetheless, I'd welcome a heavy revision of this ability...

[Longinus]

UAI is an ability I feel could've been replaced by something that keeps the thief class restrictions and therefore their inherent identity.

I don't mind going head-to-head with Demogorgon in studded leather armour because it's the price a thief pays for his unique abilities.

[aVENGER]

When I started making this mod part of my original plan was to replace the UAI ability with the standard 'Use Scrolls' perk which all Thieves would gain at level 10 (as per PnP rules) along the 25% chance that the spell could go wrong if a scroll is read incorrectly. I wanted to create a similar table as the one that is used for the wild magic surges for determining the negative effect. At higher levels this ability would be improved, and Thieves would be able to read lower level spells (1-4) without penalty as described in the HLC supplement book.

The thing is, I was not as familiar with the Infinity Engine then as I am now. During my modding endeavors I have discovered that (among many other things) the UAI effect is completely hardcoded, meaning that it would take a change in the engine code to modify it. Sadly, that is still beyond the abilities of us simple modders, though I'm pretty sure that the Bioware programmers could have done this if they had wanted to.

[Longinus]

Shame, because I hate the UAI perk.

[T.G.Maestro]

To refresh this thread:
I plan on deleting the UAI from the thief HLA selection, and give them Use Scrolls instead. US will be the prerequisite for the (changed) Scribe Scrolls ability which will contain a more effective spell selection.

Bards will still have the old UAI.

[aVENGER]

Interesting, how do you plan to accomplish that ? The UAI effect is hardcoded IIRC.

[T.G.Maestro]

Yep, that is my main problem as well .
It is a shame, but it seems I (we) have to give up any efforts on this one..

[aVENGER]

It is the only reason why I left it out in the first place, as I've already said in my first post in this thread ^

[T.G.Maestro]

Right now, this thing seems to have been solved (many thanks to Littiz!). UAI is no more available for thieves, only to bards.
And as it was discussed before, thieves will now gain the Use Scrolls HLA instead.

These components are part of the BG2 Refinements Mod .

[T.G.Maestro]

It should be easy to remove UAI from the list of HLA's that thieves could use, it only requires you to edit the LU****.2DA file that are appropriate to the thieves.

Sorry, I wouldn't want to go into a bit harsh comment, but please take your time to read a topic before posting such a wise suggestion.
Again, no offense, but the debate was not on "how to remove HLAs", it deals with a much more difficult territory, to create the Use Scrolls ability, and find a good substitute for UAI.