Shield Spell

[GawainBS]

I was surprised when I saw this didn't stack with my armour. It should, according to the rules.
Am I missing something?

[Aerich]

Incorrect. AC bonuses (aside from the "generic" category, which stacks) generally use the best available bonus. Therefore, if you have a +5 armor bonus from actual armor and a +7 bonus from Shield, you get +7, not +12.

I mostly use the Shield spell for fighter/wizard combos. There's some rings and potions available too if you want other characters to be able to use the spell (e.g. a monk).

[GawainBS]

Wow, that spell is badly implemented then... It's supposed to give a Shield-bonus, which should stack with anything but another shield-bonus.

[Tioma]

Yeah, logically, the shield (magic or not) should stack with armor (magic or not).

[GawainBS]

Well, it doesn't. I want more P&P!

[Tioma]

Well, let's try to fix it! I just looked at both spells with Near Infinity. The spells themselves are implemented correctly, I don't see any stacking restrictions. What are other spells giving bonus to AC (among other features) which stack with Magic Armor or Shield?

Tc, Yigor

[GawainBS]

Well, they're both item from the BGII items mod for IWD. The Drow Chainmail and the Harper's Pin. The Harper's Pin effects you as the shield spell, but it doesn't stack with the Chainmail. When I remove the Chainmail, or equip the Pin on someone else, it gives its shieldbonus.

Here's the mod: Icewind Dale 2 Mods It's the second one.

[Tioma]

Hey GawainBS! I've just fixed the problem. I can send you modified (stackability is the only modification) Shield spell if U wish. U should put it in your IWD2\Override folder (and just delete it if U wanna come back to the original version).

Tc, Yigor

[GawainBS]

Wow, that's awesome! Thanks! I'm looking forward to try it out! You might let the webmaster of weidu.org know that you fixed it, you deserve the credit.

[Tioma]

U are welcome! Pliz send me your e-mail address via a private message.

Nope, it was easy to figure out the necessary modification. I just looked how it's done in the case of protection rings/neklaces. They should know that at weidu.org though it's strange that they didn't fix it yet for BG2 imported items.

I'll try to fix U those Harper's Pin and Drow Chainmail too.

Tc, Yigor

[Tioma]

I modified Harper's Pin as well and sent U the corresponding file.

In IWD2 AC is essentially divided into 3 parts : Armor, Deflection and Generic. Bonuses to different parts are stackable with each other (Generic AC bonuses are maybe stackable with everything, I didn't check it). Logically, Shield spell corresponds to Deflection and not to Armor as in the official version. So I've fixed this part for Shield spell and for Harper's Pin (I've tested both of them).

Good luck,
Yigor

[GawainBS]

So, there isn't a "Shield" category of armour? How come then basic shields stack with armour and Rings of Protection?

[Tioma]

Hmm, there is "Shield" category too but it doesn't work well in this case. When I put AC bonus in deflection category it seems to work good. If I put it in "Shield" category, it doesn't increase overall AC. Don't seek too much logic in this, Black Isle lacked time and money (lol ) to make this game perfectly passing quickly from 2nd to 3rd D&D edition and so on. Testing is the only way to find correct procedures.

Some solid shields add double AC bonus to Armor and Deflection categories, others add to that a triple bonus to Armor/Deflection/Shield. More comparisons and testing are necessary to understand all that. Pliz try my current modification, it seems to work correctly.

Tc, Yigor

[Tioma]

Deflection belongs to the universal (vs all weapons) part of AC. When we put +7 bonus to AC via Armor, Deflection or Generic, it seems that the result is exactly the same.

The 2nd part of this Shield spell gives "Immunity to projectiles". So +7 AC bonus via universal Deflection + Immunity to Projectiles looks good to me.

Tc, Yigor

[GawainBS]

Ok, I'll try it out tonight in a fresh, new game.

[Tioma]

Ok, I'll try it out tonight in a fresh, new game.

Great ! Pliz make a special save just before opening Ribald's store for testing reasons. If something doesn't work, we can always make modifications.

[GawainBS]

Strange. I also tried it with a game that was saved before Ribald was installed. That gave the exact same result with the items you sent me: no stacking of the Amulet with the Armour...

[Tioma]

Strange. I also tried it with a game that was saved before Ribald was installed. That gave the exact same result with the items you sent me: no stacking of the Amulet with the Armour.

Have U changed w#sola1.itm ? Reinstall the initial Bonus Merchant and change only w#jah1.itm in the Override folder with the modified file. It works for me.

NB. If U possessed already Harper's Pin, modifications don't work! U should acquire it after copying modified w#jah1.itm file into Override.

[GawainBS]

Ok, I'll reinstall the bonus merchant, copy your Jaheira-Pin to my override and start with a game where I didn't speak with Ribald before. That should do it, right?

[Tioma]

Ok, I'll reinstall the bonus merchant, copy your Jaheira-Pin to my override and start with a game where I didn't speak with Ribald before. That should do it, right?

Hopefully. I tried it once again and it works for me. U can see changes in your ingame profile (the part related to AC). My monk of level 14/3 has AC=17. My profile says : "Base :10 ; Generic : +2 ; Dexterity : +5". If I put chainmail, it becomes "Base : 10 ; Generic : +2 ; Armor : +8 ; Dexterity : +5". When I put Harper's Pin, it becomes "Base : 10 ; Generic : +2 ; Deflection : +7 ; Dexterity : +5". If I put both items, it says "Base : 10 ; Generic : + 2; Armor : +8 ; Deflection : +7 ; Dexterity : +5" with overall AC equal to 32.

P.S. When I saved modified Harper's Pin item file from my sent message, it became w_jah1 instead of w#jah1. So correct it too please.