Making a Real Holy Avenger (Item Creation)..

Dennism · Post by **Dennism** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 1:24 am

another minor spoiler for future ToB players
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In ToB there is a Holy basterd sword, the +4 purifier.

velvetfreak · Post by **velvetfreak** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 1:27 am

+10 to hit is definitely too chunky, that's adding a 50% likelihood of hitting. It's not for no reason that you don't see bonuses that high in the game.

I believe weapons as an item include a flag for 1-handed or 2. Also proficiency type is specifiable, THAC0, enchantment level, etc. IOW, there's nothing wrong with having a sword that requires Bastard Sword proficiency but won't allow you to equip your off-hand. I'm pretty sure it can be done so don't let that discourage you.

Orland · Post by **Orland** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 1:27 am

Really Dennism? Any chance you know where a screenshot is? I'd love to see this weapon, it's got to be a beauty (probally comes off the Demon Prince Demogorgon).

Orland

Orland · Post by **Orland** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 1:30 am

+10? It's +4 to THACO & Damage, it does +5 additional damage to Chaotic Evil aligned (no addition to THACO).

And yes, it can be made 2 handed. votes people?

Orland

[ 06-20-2001: Message edited by: Orland ]

Weasel · Post by **Weasel** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 1:32 am

Originally posted by Dennism:
<STRONG>another minor spoiler for future ToB players
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In ToB there is a Holy basterd sword, the +4 purifier.</STRONG>

Cool

I wonder if it's based on the Sword +3 purifier.

Thanks for the spoiler warning.

Orland · Post by **Orland** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 1:39 am

What +3 Purifier? Must...know...need...bastard...sword...fix...

GAAGH!
*collapses*

Hope it's as good as Foebane

Orland

Weasel · Post by **Weasel** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 1:49 am

Originally posted by Orland:
<STRONG>What +3 Purifier? Must...know...need...bastard...sword...fix...

GAAGH!
*collapses*

Orland</STRONG>

LMAO

I was meaning the one out of the Hand Book.

velvetfreak · Post by **velvetfreak** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 2:05 am

Originally posted by Orland:
+10? It's +4 to THACO & Damage, it does +5 additional damage to Chaotic Evil aligned (no addition to THACO).

Sorry, I was looking at your original item and its THAC0 bonus against Chaotic alignments.

Have you thought about the item's origins/background? A bit of a story will add to the mystique. And I hoped you might be inclined to make it a 2-handed weapon, which would offset its overall power.

Oh, and you'll need somewhere to place it in the game. I vote for somewhere nasty...

Orland · Post by **Orland** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 2:43 am

Currently, I just have general description, though I do have the text so that your character's name appears in it. Here's the descript I currently have:

A magnificent Bastard Sword of ancient and astounding craftsmanship, the blade hums lightly in the hands of *character name insert*. This Divine Protector is etched with runes surrounding the symbol of the ever-seeing eye of Helm at the base of the blade. Obviously, the God of Watchers has taken notice of your actions and granted you a great boon.

I am inclined to do a more detailed description once I become inspired.

Orland

velvetfreak · Post by **velvetfreak** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 4:20 am

Ya know, I don't think this should be too hard to knock together. I think I could almost do it entirely with NearInfinity. All I have to do is work out where I can look at existing items with these effects and take it from there.

I've sussed that the Staff of Thunder stuns upon hitting, I can borrow a lot from Carsomyr, and I just have to work out the Deafness bit. I think the saving throw should carry a -2 penalty or else it's a bit useless. Or can anyone think of an existing item that causes deafness?

And I also think that it should replace Carsomyr in the game, for game balance reasons, and for consistency with the weapon's background. I don't think you should have a party running around with both those blades at your disposal eg. protagonist Paladin and Keldorn.

Dennism · Post by **Dennism** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 4:27 am

When i can access some webspace i can put up some discriptions of ToB weapons if you all want?

MegaToerist · Post by **MegaToerist** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 4:59 am

Originally posted by Orland:
A magnificent Bastard Sword of ancient and astounding craftsmanship, the blade hums lightly in the hands of *character name insert*. This Divine Protector is etched with runes surrounding the symbol of the ever-seeing eye of Helm at the base of the blade. Obviously, the God of Watchers has taken notice of your actions and granted you a great boon.

If you use the <CHARNAME> in the item's description, it'll show the name of the protagonist. This might make the description very weird if your main character is no paladin...

TC, Geert

velvetfreak · Post by **velvetfreak** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 3:04 pm

That's a good point Dennism. I was thinking of "...in the hands of its holy wielder". I think the personal nature of Helm's attention is fine too, though it took a little bit of thinking about, but then I remembered Mazzy and Arvoreen.

I've almost nailed it all, but the Deafness feature is taking the most time because I'm working from scratch and have to specify all the effects. Also I have to research it, I don't know if the spell is normally permanent, but the effect as I'm writing it up seems to be. I can see the end result will take some playtesting. Is there a consensus on whether we make it an unusual "requires 2 hands" bastard sword?

velvetfreak · Post by **velvetfreak** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 5:01 pm

Something I forgot to mention, I think there should be something in the item description that alludes to/explains the 'sonic-force'-like abilities of Deafness and Stun that the sword possesses.

Also, I'm still trying to think of an item that has deafness I can steal the stats from. C'mon guys! Help me out! Ring of the Ram? Horn of Blasting? I'm sure there's one, but I can't remember!

Orland · Post by **Orland** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 8:22 pm

The only reason I'm not for it being 2 handed right now, is the speed of the weapon, with maxxed points in 2 hand skill it has a speed of 0.

Which means it's faster than Carsomyr, though ironically, it's as fast as the impaler.

As for placement of weapon, I'd stick it with either the Shadow Dragon or, if your feeling humorous, with the Unseeing Eye. Replacing Carsomyr with it, is an idea, but Carsomyr compliments Keldorn so much...guess I'd leave it to personal taste.

As for the actual creation of this weapon, it's done, I wrote it up with infinity editor, but for some unknown reason I can't get it into BG2, because it locks it up when I place it with Shadowkeeper.

I'll give it a shot using CLUA and hopefully that works.

Orland

Orland · Post by **Orland** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 8:45 pm

Nope, it did, for some reason it does not like the Protector at All.

Anyone got an idea why it's like that?

Orland

velvetfreak · Post by **velvetfreak** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 8:48 pm

Good call on the 2-handed issue. I happen to disagree on the Carsomyr issue. I like the idea of this item but if I drop it into the game it will replace Carsomyr.

Give it to the Unseeing Eye. At least it's a temple-based quest (I can't see Amaunator being relevant to a Helm artifact), and the Eye theme makes the eye-tyrants the perfect enemy.

The other place that occurred to me was the lich (Shade Lich?) that guards Kangaxx' torso. Tough baddie whose only treasure is a component, bleah

not fair Bioware.

Incidentally, how did you implement the description? Did you export a *.TBG file, edit the Dialog.tlk directly, or something else?

/Edit - not the Shade Lich, but the Elemental Lich (in the house in the Bridge District.

[ 06-20-2001: Message edited by: velvetfreak ]

velvetfreak · Post by **velvetfreak** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 8:51 pm

Hard to know what the problem is without having the file at hand. It could be an invalid reference with one of the effects, Strref, or just something that got knocked out of whack by the editing tool.

Orland · Post by **Orland** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 9:46 pm

Velvet, check your private messages.

I did a direct edit of the description, nothing spectacular, used another item as reference.

I ended up turning it to a 2 hand to see if it'd be more acceptable with the design, but still no luck.

Orland