Author Topic: Systems Wishlist  (Read 286869 times)

boompowclash

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Systems Wishlist
« on: February 19, 2009, 06:46:05 AM »
Maybe someone will like one of these ideas, I know a couple of these things have been brought up before.

Armor - donning time: I find that a lot of people flash-change their Armor, and this breaks immersion a bit to see the naked people buffing up.

Fear Effects: I would recommend a duration of 1d4 rounds + 1 round/4 caster levels for fear spells and effects.  Failing this save means death and the end of an encounter...  With a shorter duration it'd still be scary.  I'd also go for the "Confused" AI, since attacking randomly makes more sense than huddling in a corner to be beaten to death.  Another idea would be to make the PC unable to attack, but able to flee normally.

Domination Effects:  I have one PC with the ability to Dominate, and another who casts the spell.  The duration is abysmally short and doesn't really help create role play situations.

Flying Characters: Yes, there are some here.  Is it possible to get conversation points put in for PC with exceptional movement types?

Monstrous: Vampire Bat-form is still broken.  Polymorph doesn't remove your carried weight in NWN, but I'm sure there's a work around so the bat-form isn't constantly encumbered.   Adding strength in that form and applying a matching attack/damage penalty sounds like a simple fix.


Thanks for your time and hard work.

Iconoclast

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2009, 11:30:38 AM »
Quote
Domination Effects:  I have one PC with the ability to Dominate, and another who casts the spell.  The duration is abysmally short and doesn't really help create role play situations.


I'll second that, as I've stated before, and also bring up the thunderclap spell.  There are a lot of spells rendered near useless, that I'd rather take since they match my character concept.  Carrib is an enchanter, and I try to take spells that enhance the concept.  Unfortunately, quite a few spells just don't work well in this engine.  I'd rather not have to adopt all the same old same old heavy duty arcane spells due to the practical reality of the engine.  After one level with dominate, due to the short duration, I had to get rid of it upon the next level.  For a sorcerer class, at high levels especially, you may live with your spell choices for a very long time.  You don't have the wizard's luxory of picking and choosing according to the situation.  So for the sorcerer, having more useful spells would mean less cookie cutter sorcerers with the same old same old.  Thunderclap was a fun spell for my caliban, but it was also given up after one level, due to sneakers remaining in hiding despite being knocked and thrown about after failing their saves.  I end up taking spells for practicality sake, when I'd rather take spells that would fit my character's role play better.  The problem is quite a few spells are too impractical at this time.

« Last Edit: February 19, 2009, 11:35:17 AM by Iconoclast »

Soren / Zarathustra217

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2009, 12:04:40 PM »
Stickied :)

Nefensis

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2009, 12:20:50 PM »
extended spawnable personal furniture. (Go beyond the tent and bedroll)

Cooking pot (option for the campfire)
Bear pelt (option for a bedroll)
Container : barrel or chest  (useful for crafters and merchants)
Small carpet (for merchants, tarot reading, worshiping, meditating etc)
Placable lantern or candles (So roleplayers can sit around in a dim lit area without needing to HOLD a lantern)

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Eledaar

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2009, 01:46:55 PM »

Placable lantern or candles (So roleplayers can sit around in a dim lit area without needing to HOLD a lantern)

That would be awesome.
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Chrisman888

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2009, 02:00:26 PM »


Placable lantern or candles (So roleplayers can sit around in a dim lit area without needing to HOLD a lantern)

YES!
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darkpriest

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2009, 04:26:16 PM »

Fear Effects: I would recommend a duration of 1d4 rounds + 1 round/4 caster levels for fear spells and effects.  Failing this save means death and the end of an encounter...  With a shorter duration it'd still be scary.  I'd also go for the "Confused" AI, since attacking randomly makes more sense than huddling in a corner to be beaten to death.  Another idea would be to make the PC unable to attack, but able to flee normally.


I agree with all but the above. Just stop tweaking the spells more and more. Invest in will saves or get a caster to help you protect from the fear effects. If there is a viable counter, do not touch the skill or sbility. It is as if I asked to have KD being usable lvl/4 times a day ability.

Chrisman888

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2009, 04:31:19 PM »

Fear Effects: I would recommend a duration of 1d4 rounds + 1 round/4 caster levels for fear spells and effects.  Failing this save means death and the end of an encounter...  With a shorter duration it'd still be scary.  I'd also go for the "Confused" AI, since attacking randomly makes more sense than huddling in a corner to be beaten to death.  Another idea would be to make the PC unable to attack, but able to flee normally.


I agree with all but the above. Just stop tweaking the spells more and more. Invest in will saves or get a caster to help you protect from the fear effects. If there is a viable counter, do not touch the skill or sbility. It is as if I asked to have KD being usable lvl/4 times a day ability.

You can't really invest in will saves unless you are one the classes that there base save are high. ((IE: Cleric, monk)) The fear just needs to be tweak for it's a low level spell but can last almost 5 mins...



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Wids

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #8 on: February 19, 2009, 04:48:54 PM »
extended spawnable personal furniture. (Go beyond the tent and bedroll)

Cooking pot (option for the campfire)
Bear pelt (option for a bedroll)
Container : barrel or chest  (useful for crafters and merchants)
Small carpet (for merchants, tarot reading, worshiping, meditating etc)
Placable lantern or candles (So roleplayers can sit around in a dim lit area without needing to HOLD a lantern)
I'll second all of these...and suggest a bucket that looks like one of those actual in-game-environment buckets (with or without fill-with-water animation) rather than the usual brown leather bag.

darkpriest

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2009, 05:38:48 PM »

Fear Effects: I would recommend a duration of 1d4 rounds + 1 round/4 caster levels for fear spells and effects.  Failing this save means death and the end of an encounter...  With a shorter duration it'd still be scary.  I'd also go for the "Confused" AI, since attacking randomly makes more sense than huddling in a corner to be beaten to death.  Another idea would be to make the PC unable to attack, but able to flee normally.


I agree with all but the above. Just stop tweaking the spells more and more. Invest in will saves or get a caster to help you protect from the fear effects. If there is a viable counter, do not touch the skill or sbility. It is as if I asked to have KD being usable lvl/4 times a day ability.

You can't really invest in will saves unless you are one the classes that there base save are high. ((IE: Cleric, monk)) The fear just needs to be tweak for it's a low level spell but can last almost 5 mins...





It's the same for classes with no class skill discipline. they can't protect themselves from being KDed. or for classes with no class skill spot, listen to rpevent themselves from being HIPS spam killed or simply deadly sneak attacked.. BUt lets do not go down that path, just leave those skills and spells intact. all classes should have strengths and weaknesses. and parties should be balanced to cover weakness and make use of strenghts... the solution is, get a caster or invest in potion from a herbalist. ther are also some itmes that remove fear effect.

Ric

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2009, 11:17:29 AM »
Quote
Armor - donning time: I find that a lot of people flash-change their Armor, and this breaks immersion a bit to see the naked people buffing up.

Not really immersion breaking; my characters that have required to remove their armor always have clothing beneath them, as do many others I've traveled with.  The people who are too lazy to make clothing for that occassion are just going to have to RP that their traveling companions get to pick on them for being a moron.

Donning times would just give Divine Casters more umph over Arcane Casters than they already do.  Also, it would just waste minutes of time for people waiting to continue when their caster has to put the armor back on.  I'd rather see either (or both) added to the module before giving this sort of script:  Armor that can be crafted to have negative arcane spell failure, OR add a feats that can be taken to remove arcane spell failure (since that's there in NWN2).

Quote
Fear Effects: I would recommend a duration of 1d4 rounds + 1 round/4 caster levels for fear spells and effects.  Failing this save means death and the end of an encounter...  With a shorter duration it'd still be scary.  I'd also go for the "Confused" AI, since attacking randomly makes more sense than huddling in a corner to be beaten to death.  Another idea would be to make the PC unable to attack, but able to flee normally.

I like the bolded part.  If your character suddenly cannot even attack, he'd sure be afraid and run.  I really don't like how fear does lead to death 90% of the time since it sends your character into a wall where you continue running into it while the mobs beat on you.

Quote
Domination Effects:  I have one PC with the ability to Dominate, and another who casts the spell.  The duration is abysmally short and doesn't really help create role play situations.

I made a big thread about this a year ago, so yes, I totally support that.

Quote
Flying Characters: Yes, there are some here.  Is it possible to get conversation points put in for PC with exceptional movement types?

Agreed, same goes for shifters who get shapes that should be able to fly long distances (wyrmlings, harpies, etc.), as well as the flying Animal Companions.  I think it would be pretty sweet RP for a mage to be in a bind somewhere, and then use their raven familiar to fly the hell over to the other side of the map to get help from unavailable friends.

Badbelly

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #11 on: February 22, 2009, 12:02:36 PM »
extended spawnable personal furniture. (Go beyond the tent and bedroll)

Cooking pot (option for the campfire)
Bear pelt (option for a bedroll)
Container : barrel or chest  (useful for crafters and merchants)
Small carpet (for merchants, tarot reading, worshiping, meditating etc)
Placable lantern or candles (So roleplayers can sit around in a dim lit area without needing to HOLD a lantern)

Love all these ideas,Nef  :D   the more the player can interact with the world the better, things like this would add a lot to immersion.

I know it would require some work, but i would like climbing (using rope and grapple) to be introduced into the game. Used a really nice one before that was based on Dex and the type of armour worn.

Ric

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #12 on: February 22, 2009, 03:08:01 PM »
On top of Nef's spawnable items, could we also get Chairs & small tables?

Nefensis

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #13 on: February 22, 2009, 03:19:48 PM »
Armor donning time is part of those roleplayable. I think ever ive seen one person roleplaying the pain and annoyance that is donning a full plate armor, asking for help to put it/remove it etc.  But personally i dont think we need a script for that. Accident happens, ive missclicked my armor just before combat etc, i wouldnt want to have to wait 10 minutes to put it back on again, which leads us to the next issue, not everyone has unlimited amount of time to play, enter that the time to now put your armor. A quick trip away from the party and a little emote *puts on the armor* is enough for me.

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darkpriest

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #14 on: February 22, 2009, 05:38:02 PM »
There is already a feat for casting in armor. it's called "still spell"

Ric

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #15 on: February 22, 2009, 06:51:01 PM »
Except I was referring to feats that take out spell-failure for specific armor (like light, medium).  Still Spell, for the sake of RP, is good to use in scenarios where your character, well, can't move.

There is such a thing as special armor/shields that take away spell failure, just like there are feats that do the same thing.  If I recall, bards in particular get to wear light armor by default without failure and wear medium armor with a feat in NWN2.

darkpriest

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #16 on: February 22, 2009, 08:01:40 PM »
bards and warlocks. Those two can use a feat for wearing medium armor, but not multiclassed wizards, sorcs. They have to use still spell feat and use metamagic if they want to have the benefit of spellcasting in armor. There are some materials that are treated as very light, hence armors are reduced to one class lower. Since i doubt that there are such materials in Ravenloft i doubt that anyone would stomp upon mithril chain shirt (being considered plain clothing then). I am not sure how could you in other way apply reduced arcane spell failure other then serious enchanting, and since it is rather uncommon here.. lets say i have serious doubts if you will see such items which will not have serious trade-offs.

Problem with armor donning is the same as clerics and others gifted by the gods not following their god's dogma or druids breaking their -oaths- and still being able to use their powers. It's all the matter of how well and true you want to RP your character in various situations.

Ric

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #17 on: February 22, 2009, 08:31:09 PM »
It's one of the major misbalances I see with the donning script.  If we're basically going to go witht he RP-Appliance argument for divine casters when it comes to penalties they should receive for breaking oaths, then you might as well keep donning out of the way, there have been plenty of casters I knew who took time to do the minimum emoting of putting the armor back on after buffing.

Though here's a thought for the future, since Enchanting is a trade-skill that's to be coming (Even though we've been hearing that it's coming for a pretty long time now):  Allow the creation of armor with negative spell failure as an Enchantment. 

Mrjunkie

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #18 on: February 23, 2009, 08:38:25 AM »
Is it possible to work Negative Energy into the spell system.
I.E: Lets say an evil paladin can do curse sword instead of bless sword, getting a 2d6 neg energy/+1 enhancement instead of divine dmg.
A cleric could cast the opposite to 'heal' on undead for instance, although regeneration work wonders to.

But adding more evil spell to fit the setting, its primarily based around 'holyer than thou' types atm.

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #19 on: February 23, 2009, 10:49:34 AM »
A cleric could cast the opposite to 'heal' on undead for instance, although regeneration work wonders to.

This is already in place, and is part of vanilla NWN - any 'harm' spell, or 'inflict wound' spell heals undead, while heals damage undead.


Mrjunkie

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #20 on: February 23, 2009, 01:05:08 PM »
true, but im referring to the 'equivelant of heal' but neg energy, so a undead could be healed to full 'death' in one go.

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #21 on: February 23, 2009, 01:15:16 PM »
Harm should heal an undead to full health. Granted, I've never tried it. But that's the way it's supposed to work.

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #22 on: February 23, 2009, 06:04:57 PM »


An in game note maker or other method for characters to create their own notes, letters, books and so on.


A smith npc who for a fee would engrave a weapon, ring, helm or armor, a tailor npc who would sew 'monograms' clothing items thus allowing characters to personalize their weapons, or clothing in game.

The same 'renaming' of wares option available to crafted items by the character who made them for free or a nominal fee.


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Tarth

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #23 on: February 23, 2009, 07:27:32 PM »

Fear Effects: I would recommend a duration of 1d4 rounds + 1 round/4 caster levels for fear spells and effects.  Failing this save means death and the end of an encounter...  With a shorter duration it'd still be scary.  I'd also go for the "Confused" AI, since attacking randomly makes more sense than huddling in a corner to be beaten to death.  Another idea would be to make the PC unable to attack, but able to flee normally.


I agree with all but the above. Just stop tweaking the spells more and more. Invest in will saves or get a caster to help you protect from the fear effects. If there is a viable counter, do not touch the skill or sbility. It is as if I asked to have KD being usable lvl/4 times a day ability.

You can't really invest in will saves unless you are one the classes that there base save are high. ((IE: Cleric, monk)) The fear just needs to be tweak for it's a low level spell but can last almost 5 mins...





It's the same for classes with no class skill discipline. they can't protect themselves from being KDed. or for classes with no class skill spot, listen to rpevent themselves from being HIPS spam killed or simply deadly sneak attacked.. BUt lets do not go down that path, just leave those skills and spells intact. all classes should have strengths and weaknesses. and parties should be balanced to cover weakness and make use of strenghts... the solution is, get a caster or invest in potion from a herbalist. ther are also some itmes that remove fear effect.

I really think fear is horribly here, duration is freakishly long, and it's not "fear" it's run into a wall....or run at the monsters.

as for a will vs Disc arguement? I mean seriously, since when was comparing saves to skills even fair? bards get will and disc, then greater skill focus is +6 to disc, compared to iron will's +2
and the point isn't for "fighters' to become overpowered (which they've never been, nor will ever be) it's so not every new player dies for the first hundred times, from fear.

 and another bonus would be that maybe newer players willn't make clerics, or mages, or bards, in a anti 'witch' setting.

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Re: Systems Wishlist
« Reply #24 on: February 23, 2009, 10:38:33 PM »
I would like to see more abilities tied to crafted arrows.For instance when you start making arrows you begin with copper arrows.

copper arrows +1 vs Fey......Not an overly use full ability But an ability non the less. Next you make bronze arrows. Harder to craft harder to make all around. Higher DC rating to craft when you are done....plain arrows.....Then you move up to iron arrows same thing higher DC plain arrows. Until finally you make steel arrows which have an additional 1D4 piercing damage. And the silver arrows +1 vs weres.

what I would lie to see would say bronze or iron arrows doing something like +1 bludgeoning...or a +1 vs shadows. Not these abilities exactly but something similar. Just to make the arrow crafting a little bit more rewarding.....Thanks