Familiar Evolution BG2SOA/TOB needs some advice

[PureSpirit]

Hello again

I have been working on a mod for quite some time now. It is called "Familiar Evolution" and will be released for original BG2. I will require a little help and andvice from you guys to complete it. I am almost done. I just need to set up the elemental spells, and it should be A-OK.
Here's a little info:

 

What it does

 

Familiar Evolution mod does exactly what the name says. It aims to improve familiar gameplay by making the familiars level up and get stronger. The idea is directly inspired from my most favourite game of all time; Castlevania: Curse of Darkness.

Basically, you feed your familiar x amount of time per day... and your familiar grows in strength, hp, ac, etc. They can also level up. When certain conditions are met, your familiar may learn new abilities and spells. What abilities and spells they learn depends on their alignment. The good familiar gets a lot of damage resistances and healing/party boosting spells, while the neutral is the fastest running and fastest spellcaster with great amount of dispel magics, find traps, knock spells and the like. The evil familiar becomes most powerful in combat, gaining greater HP, AC, and chance to critical hit. Their spells are also all focused on attack, and breaching defences.

When a critical point in a familiar's evolution is reached, your little sweeties will undergo an elemental transformation of your choosing. They magically spawn 6 evolution crystals in your inventory, all imbued with different type of elemental magics; acid, cold, fire, lightning, earth and magic. You can feed your familiar with one of these crystals, and only one. Doing so, your familiar becomes attuned to those magics and will start a new path of evolution, where they learn spells attuned to that element, and also have their basic attacks changed to that element.

But you won't go unrewarded. As you and your familiar share a bond, you too will be affected - gaining permanent protection against that element, and also able to imbue your weapon, and those of your allies with this element. Your strength in this depends on both your experience and that of your familiar. And finally, the familiar will reach the final stage of a greater elemental, with more powerful spells. And you too will be rewarded for this. Familiar's can be leveled up indefinitely, making them a force to be reckoned with - provided you have the patience for it ofcourse, as leveling occurs by chance.

 

 

 

 

 

What I need help with

 

I have fixed all basic alignment spells. But I will need ideas for what elemental spells to use/create, and how to create a healthy balance between all these. Important to note is that each elemental will have some sort "paralysis". Earth, which is just extra crushing damage, knocks enemies unconscious, acid lowers defense making your target a lot easier to hit, fire causes panic, cold freezes enemies with hold and stun, lightning confuses enemies, magic prevents spell casting. Any ideas you might have, and what you would wish to see, please let me know.

My plan is basically that once you reached your first elemental transformation, the familiar willI have one "fire seeds" kind of spell for that elemental... allowing them to "spit out" or "breathe" that element towards a target. The second basic spell learnt is a single target affecting spell, and the third being an area affecting spell of that element. For cold area spell, I could ofcourse just edit the "ice storm", for fire element I could edit the "fireball" spells. But I am not sure about the others. Nor am I sure how I would go about a single targetting spell.

And I also wish to create higher tier spells, when you reach the final stage of evolution. They are supposed to be at least as strong as level 9 wizard spells.. you know the very special ones. So that's it.... I need ideas for spells for these elements, and how to balance them... furthermore, if you are good with making awesome cg special effect visuals, if you have time and will, I could use a couple of cool visual effects. Let me know here so I can tell you what I need.

 

 

 

What I already have

 

Like I said, the basic spells for the familiar are all done. All I need is some tweaks. The list is as follow:

 

GOOD

===============

 

Normal abilities

--------------------------

* Protection from level drain

* +50% Elemental damage resistance

* Reflect missiles

* Regeneration

 

Spells learned

--------------------------

* Death Ward

* Stoneskin

* Protection from Evil 10' radius

* Blur

* MIrror Image

* Neutralize Poison

* Remove Paralysis

* Chaotic Commands

* Mass Cure

* RARE: Shield of the Archons

* RARE: Protection from Magical Weapons

* RARE: Resurrection

* RARE: Greater Restoration
* RARE: Storm Shield

 

 

 

 

NEUTRAL

===============

 

Normal abilities

--------------------------

* Magic resistance 50% (or 30% - not sure which yet)

* -3 Spell casting speed

* Permanent improved alacrity

* +4 movement speed

 

Spells learned

--------------------------

* Knock

* Luck

* Find Traps

* Wizard Eye

* Dispel Magic

* Haste

* Strength of One

* Otiluke's Resilient Sphere

* Teleport Field

* True Seeing

* RARE: Simulacrum

* RARE: Mislead

* RARE: Spell trigger

* RARE: Contigency

* RARE: Wondrous Recall (cast upon a target creature, able to recover both priest and wizard spells)

 

 

 

 

EVIL

===============

 

Normal abilities

--------------------------

* +50% physical damage resistance

* Immunity to backstab

* +50 HP, -2 AC

* +3 Critical hit modifier

 

Spells learned

--------------------------

* Horror

* Magic Missile

* Melf's Acid Arrow

* Greater Malison

* Contagion

* Skull Trap

* Hold Person

* Lightning Bolt

* Cloud Kill

* Chaos

* RARE: Breach

* RARE: Maze

* RARE: Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting

* RARE: Power Word Blind,

* RARE: Finger of Death

 

 

Edited September 12, 2018 by PureSpirit

[ABlake]

By "paralysis" did you mean like some sort of "debuff"? In my experience there are several properties that tend to go along with each element type:

 

- Fire: damage over time, panic

- Cold: slow, or frozen (there could be other effects accompanying slow, such as AC and to hit penalties)

- Acid: damage over time, AC penalty

- Electricity: short duration stun

- Earth: some hold kind of effect, like the Stonehold property that Item Revisions gives the Staff of Earth

- Magic: up to you, I guess. Maybe some sort of magic disruption effect that applies casting failure?

 

The ranged attack for each type of element should be easy enough to do. There are enough projectiles in the game you should be able to find one fitting for each element. Then there's only the matter of damage amount.

 

The key problem here as I see it is what "projectile" to use for the spells. For example, for a single target lightning spell you can simply make use of the lightning bolt. Single target fire spell: fire arrow, or fireball without AoE explosion. Acid: acid arrow, or the "Acid Blob" projectile. Cold: ice arrow, or blue fireball without explosion. Earth: there's nothing that deals "earth" damage in the game, even though it's a legit element. You'll just have to be creative with this one. You could make something like what the Ring of the Ram does, using the "Small Comet" projectile, and dealing crushing damage. Magic: magic missile projectiles - how many projectiles depending on how powerful you intend for the spell to be.

 

Same with the AoE spells. You have to decide what kind of projectiles you want to use. How powerful the spells are is also a factor that could affect this. I mean, if you use the visual effects of Meteor Swarm, you kinda expect the results to be dramatic too. If you're just using the visual effect of a fireball explosion, maybe not so much.

 

One thing that should be really useful to you is how to modify projectiles: color, speed, number of repetitions, and so on. For example, for a cold AoE spell, you can just use the projectile of Code of Cold, which is a cone. Or you can remove the "cone-shaped" flag so that it will become a full-circle explosion, just like what Sunfire does.

 

As for what exactly each spell does, I think you should start simple. Then gradually come up with things that make sense to you. You could look into Item Revisions and Spell Revisions and maybe the rule books too for ideas. Acid Fog, Incendiary Cloud from Spell Revisions, or Prismatic Explosion from Item Revisions (an ability of the Prismatic Chain), for example.

Edited September 12, 2018 by ABlake

[PureSpirit]

This seems great. But:

 

1) Are you sure feeding them is the right idea? Why not go for xp to make them grow?

2) Will the game acknowledge the familiar, so if he kills someone you get the xp ?

3) Will he occupy the slot of a party npc?

 

1.) I'm not sure how to implement xp into this. I am no coder. I do like the idea of feeding them too. You learn the "feeding" through a book. And you could feed them 3 times per day. I actually prefer the feeding to level up in combat, because in the end, it's all about you caring about your familiar, and making a bond, seeing them grow into an awesome elemental, etc.

 

#2 and #3 - No. The familiar is the standard familiar cast with the "Familiar" level 1 spell. I am however wondering whether the skills obtained by the familiar through SoA will be transfered to ToB once the player is done with SoA and goes for the expansion. It is unknown to me at this point.

Edited September 12, 2018 by PureSpirit

[ABlake]

 

I am however wondering whether the skills obtained by the familiar through SoA will be transfered to ToB once the player is done with SoA and goes for the expansion. It is unknown to me at this point.

 

 

As far as I can tell, yes, if you have a familiar in SoA, when you're in ToB the game will detect that and move the familiar to your main character. You can verify that by checking BALDUR25.BCS.

[PureSpirit]

By "paralysis" did you mean like some sort of "debuff"? In my experience there are several properties that tend to go along with each element type:

 

- Fire: damage over time, panic

- Cold: slow, or frozen (there could be other effects accompanying slow, such as AC and to hit penalties)

- Acid: damage over time, AC penalty

- Electricity: short duration stun

- Earth: some hold kind of effect, like the Stonehold property that Item Revisions gives the Staff of Earth

- Magic: up to you, I guess. Maybe some sort of magic disruption effect that applies casting failure?

 

The ranged attack for each type of element should be easy enough to do. There are enough projectiles in the game you should be able to find one fitting for each element. Then there's only the matter of damage amount.

 

The key problem here as I see it is what "projectile" to use for the spells. For example, for a single target lightning spell you can simply make use of the lightning bolt. Single target fire spell: fire arrow, or fireball without AoE explosion. Acid: acid arrow, or the "Acid Blob" projectile. Cold: ice arrow, or blue fireball without explosion. Earth: there's nothing that deals "earth" damage in the game, even though it's a legit element. You'll just have to be creative with this one. You could make something like what the Ring of the Ram does, using the "Small Comet" projectile, and dealing crushing damage. Magic: magic missile projectiles - how many projectiles depending on how powerful you intend for the spell to be.

 

Same with the AoE spells. You have to decide what kind of projectiles you want to use. How powerful the spells are is also a factor that could affect this. I mean, if you use the visual effects of Meteor Swarm, you kinda expect the results to be dramatic too. If you're just using the visual effect of a fireball explosion, maybe not so much.

 

One thing that should be really useful to you is how to modify projectiles: color, speed, number of repetitions, and so on. For example, for a cold AoE spell, you can just use the projectile of Code of Cold, which is a cone. Or you can remove the "cone-shaped" flag so that it will become a full-circle explosion, just like what Sunfire does.

 

As for what exactly each spell does, I think you should start simple. Then gradually come up with things that make sense to you. You could look into Item Revisions and Spell Revisions and maybe the rule books too for ideas. Acid Fog, Incendiary Cloud from Spell Revisions, or Prismatic Explosion from Item Revisions (an ability of the Prismatic Chain), for example.

Yes friend. I did intend some debuffs. And that list is similar to what I had in mind. I've been thinking to add "Hold" or "Pause Target" on the ice section though. But I could add slow as area effect, and frozen solid on single target spell. And do something similar to the others spells too.

 

Ahhh yes. Do you know per chance what number in the list the "acid blob" and "blue fireball" projectiles have in the list?

 

I sincierly thank you for the input. I'll take this to Heart. Though, I have never edited projectiles myself. Is it possible to create new ones by editing existing ones? And if so, how could I do that? This would sincierly help me making some more unique spells. I really really REALLY like the Cone of Cold idea you mentioned. I want to do that for sure. It would be awesome looking indeed.

 

Prismatic Explosion? Never heard of that one I'm afraid. What spell is that?

 

I appriciate your input.

 

 

[PureSpirit]

Ask Argent77 for help. He is a great and really insightful guy.

 

Allright friend. I will do so tomorrow. Thank you.

[PureSpirit]

 

 

I am however wondering whether the skills obtained by the familiar through SoA will be transfered to ToB once the player is done with SoA and goes for the expansion. It is unknown to me at this point.

 

 

As far as I can tell, yes, if you have a familiar in SoA, when you're in ToB the game will detect that and move the familiar to your main character. You can verify that by checking BALDUR25.BCS.

 

 

Hmm... BCS stuff, I am not familiar with those things. (No pun intended. xD Intentionally that is) I will check it out. If it is true that the familiar keeps the innate abilities and properties gained during SoA events with this mod, then it's excellent.

[lynx]

The transition to tob upgrades all familiars. You'll have to change those files as well. Those being the first 6 chars of the CRE + "25".