Spell Revisions for Baldur's Gate 2
Author: Demivrgvs
Contact:
Version 1
I Overview
II Compatibility
III Customizing Your Installation
IV Installation
V Contents
VI Acknowledgements
VII Version History
I Overview
The Spell Revisionsmod aims to fix/tweak/enhance arcane and divine spells in Baldur's Gate II. This originally started as a project to make the spell system more balanced: weaker spell have been improved, overpowered ones have been (or will be) nerfed, save-or-else spells now benefit from increased saving throw penalties, and so on.
All spell descriptions can be found in Spells_rev\languages. I know that not everyone will like some of the changes I've made - and some of them are controversial- but this can be discussed and I’m open to any suggestions. Anyway, if you think that your favorite spell has become complete rubbish, don't delete this mod just yet! You can choose spells that should be left unmodified before starting the installation process. See Section III - Customizing Your Installation for more details.
Spell Description Changes
Descriptions for all spells have been updated. Now, you can be sure that what you read is what you get (well, maybe 95% sure). Descriptions are constructed in the following manner:
<Name>
<Level>
<School>
<Sphere>
only priest and druid spells
<Range>
Personal - area of effect is centered on the caster
Touch - same as the range of one-handed weapons
Short - 1/3 of visual range of caster
Medium -2/3 of visual range of caster
Long -visual range of caster, the longest that the game allows
<Duration>
BG2 uses the following units:
1 round = 6 seconds
1 turn = 10 rounds
1 hour = 5 turns
1 day = 12 hours
<Casting time>
1 = fastest
9 = 1 round = slowest
<Area of effect>
Caster - spell affects the caster only
1 creature - spell affects one creature
X'radius - spell affects creatures in thegiven radius (50 feet is almost equal to visual range of caster)
Cone - spell has a cone-shaped area of effect
<Saving Throw>
<Magic Resistance>
Yes – the target’s magic resistance can protect from the spell effects
No – target’s magic resistance is ignored (Breach, Lower Resistance, ...)
<Description>
Universal School of Magic
Spells that belong to the universal school can be learned and cast by every specialist mage(in the case of arcane spells), and cannot be blocked by the Spell Immunity spell. Universal spells include all level 10 wizard spells, all level 8 priest spells, and Find Familiar.
Scroll of Restoration
Some spells that had previously been available to both clerics/paladins and druids/rangers are now accessible by only one pair. After starting the game, the protagonist will be given a Scroll of Restoration. Use it on all clerics, druids, paladins and rangers in your party - spells with changed restrictions will be removed, andthe correctones will be added to the spellbook after the next level-up.
Note: characters created after the mod has been installed willalready have the correct spells in their spellbooks. In this case, you will only have to use the scroll on the NPCs in the party.
II Compatibility
This mod is designed to work with BG2: Throne of Bhaal. It hasn't been tested with BG2: Shadows of Amn, but there shouldn’t beany problems without the expansion installed. The modhas been tested and may be installed over BGT/Tutu if desired.
Spell Revisions should also work fine with most other WeiDU and non-WeiDU mods (it has been tested with most of them). Small problems may arise if you've installed other spell-modifying mods. Spell Revisions will overwrite changes made by these mods (although new spells introduced by them probably won't be affected). To prevent this, you might want to disable some of the changes made by this mod. Read the section below for details.
In general, it should be installed after BG2 Fixpack and before AI enhancing mods.Install it before all mods that change spells unless you want their version. I highly recommend to install DavidW’s SCS II, all my efforts will be put to achieve compatibility between the two mods, and the author himself has already been kindly enough to take into accountsome of the new summons (e.g. Death Knights) as of SCS II v5.
Spell Revisions may haveslight compatibility issues with Divine Remix. Divine Remixrearranges the spellbooks of clerics and druids, and I’ve not tested how this works with the changes made bySpell Revisions (e.g. clerics no longer have access to animal summoning spells while druids gain some “precluded” spells like sunray along with new ones like ice storm and polymorph other). However installing Divine Remix after Spell Revisions will surely lead to better results.
III Customizing Your Installation
You can find all of the spell descriptions in:
Spells_rev\doc\mage_spells.doc
Spells_rev\doc\priest_spells.doc
To choose which spells should not be changed by Spells_rev, follow these instructions:
1) Open the file Spells_rev\Setup-Spells_rev.tp2 with a text editor.
2) Find the spell that should be left unmodified.
3) Use the structure /* ...... */ to disable the spell.
4) Save the file.
example: disabling the spell Oracle
/* COPY ~Spells_rev\spwi5##\spwi515.spl~ ~override~ //Oracle
SAY NAME1 @639 SAY UNIDENTIFIED_DESC @640
COPY ~Spells_rev\spwi5##\scrl6w.itm~ ~override~
SAY NAME2 @639 SAY IDENTIFIED_DESC @640 */
5) Optional - spell descriptions that appear in the game can be altered by editing (with a text editor) one of these files:
Spells_rev\Languages\English\arcane.tra
Spells_rev\Languages\English\divine.tra
IV Installation
1) Unpack the main RAR file into your BGII main directory. This is normally:
C:\Program Files\Black Isle\BGII - SoA\
2) Run (double click on) "Setup-Spells_rev.exe" in your BG2 directory.
3) Choose which components you would like to install. The first component is required to install the secondor third components. You can always uninstall any or all of these later by re-running "Setup-Spells_rev.exe".
You should not need to start a new game to take advantage of this mod. Currently, only an English version is available.
V Contents
1) Shared Files (Required) - files used by both the second and the third component.
New animation for some illusion spells, from Icewind Dale
Some minor fixes
Items used by the improved creatures summoned by various spells
Innate Abilities of many summoned creatures
2) Divine Spells
Most notable changes:
-LEVEL 1-
Armor of Faith – no longer provides elemental damage reduction
Cure Light Wounds - heals 1d8+1/level HP (max 1d8+5)
Magical Stone - creates magical stones that can be thrown at opponents
Shillelagh - creates +1 enchanted weapon (no bonus to THAC0 and damage); 5% chance of entangling the target; druids only
-LEVEL 2-
Aid - corrected description (gives +1 to saving throws)
Barkskin–+x bonus to AC instead of set AC to x; druids only
Chant - affects allies and enemies (fix); effect centered on the caster
Cure Medium Wounds - moved from level 3; heals 2d8 +1/level HP (max 2d8+10)
Flame Blade - creates +1 enchanted weapon; damage 1d4 + 10 fire; druids only
Goodberry - heals 1 HP + 1/3 levels; duration 24 hours
Know Alignment - no save; ignores magic resistance
Resist Fire/Resist Cold - duration increased to 1 turn + 1 round/level
Silence 15' Radius - area of effect 15' (fix); affects only enemies
Spiritual Hammer - the hammer can strike opponents from a distance
-LEVEL 3-
Animate Dead – improved creatures
Call Lightning – limited to 6d6 damage but it can be cast indoors!
Cause Serious Wounds – moved from level 4; causes 3d8 +15 damage
Contagion – replaces Rigid Thinking; as per mage’s spell
Cure Serious Wounds - moved from level 4; heals 3d8 +1/level HP (max 3d8+15)
Glyph of Warding - damage 1d4 per level up to 10d4; doesn't affect allies
Invisibility Purge - area of effect 50'; lasts for 1 turn (as True Seeing)
Hold Person or Animal – improved to be useful (it now affects humanoids)
Holy Smite – limited to 10d4 damage (previously too powerful for its lvl)
Miscast Magic - causes wild surge instead of spellcasting failure
Protection from Fire – disabled (for now)
Repulse Undead - moved from level 5
Rigid Thinking – disabled in favor of Contagion
Strength of One - +2 bonus to strength instead of setting it to 18
Summon Insects - no save against the damage; spellcasting failure allow a save
Unholy Blight – same as Holy Smite
-LEVEL 4-
Animal Summoning I–summon 1-5 Dire Wolves; druids only
Cause Critical Wounds – moved from level 5; causes 4d8 +20 damage
Cloak of Fear - lasts for 1 turn
Cure Critical Wounds – moved from level 5; cure 4d8 +1/level HP (max 4d8+20)
Defensive Harmony - area of effect 10' (fix); +4 to AC for 8 rounds
Ice Storm – added to druids available spells
Lesser Restoration - available to druids
Negative Plane Protection - duration 1 turn/level (worth memorizing now!)
Neutralize Poison– protects from poison for 1 turn
Protection from Evil 10' Radius - area of effect 10' (fix)
Protection from Lightning – disabled (for now)
-LEVEL 5-
Animal Summoning II–summon 1-3 Dire Leopards; druids only
Champion's Strength - +1 point/3 levels to Str, Con, and Dex
Flame Strike - damage 15d6; affects all within 5' radius around the target
Greater Command - area of effect 20' (fix); allow a save every round; affects only enemies
Insect Plague - spellcasting failure allow a save
Iron Skin – renamedStoneskin (druids with iron?!); is affected by breach
Magic Resistance - cumulative with items
Slay Living - available to druids
-LEVEL 6-
Animal Summoning III–summon 1-2 Dire Bears; druids only
Blade Barrier - damage 1d6 per second (save for none); dispels invisibility and sanctuary on the caster
Conjure Animals – disabled (for now)
Conjure Air Elemental – added to druid’s available spells
Conjure Earth Elemental – moved from level 7; druids only
Dolorous Decay - available to clerics; damage 60HP
Fire Seeds - improved
-LEVEL 7-
Shield of the Archons - clerics only
Confusion– disabled (forever, a useless spell for its level)
Creeping Doom - spellcasting failure allow a save
Earthquake - doesn't summon earth elemental; druids only; causes the targeted creature(s) to drop a piece of equipment (no save): first tremor-50% chance, second-35%, third-20%; general improvements
Fire Storm - does not ignore magic resistance; duration 4 rounds (fix)
Gate–Pit Fiend has been vastly improved
Greater Restoration - area of effect 50'; fully heals and restores targets but doesn't remove poisons or diseases; causes fatigue upon the caster (-2 to Con and 10% spellcasting failure for 1 turn)
Nature's Beauty - area of effect 15' (fix); no bonus to saving throw (fix)
Symbol of Weakness - replaces Symbol Fear; -4 to Str, Dex and Con permanently
3) Arcane Spells
Most notable changes:
-LEVEL 1-
Armor – AC 6 + 1/4 levels (maximum AC 1 at level 20)
Blindness - permanent; no AC penalty; -10 to THAC0; now a Necromantic spell
Burning Hands - damage 1d4/round up to 5d4; no save; single target only
Chill Touch – damage 1d8; drains 1 point of Strength
Chromatic Orb – damage 1d8 + random effect
Color Spray–causes sleep, blindness or stuns creatures depending on their HD
Find Familiar – fixed and tweaked familiars
Magic Missile – damage 1d4 +1 (fix)
Sleep – affects creatures with less Hit Dice than caster
Shield - +2 bonus to AC (further +4 vs. missile) instead of setting it
Shocking Grasp – 5d6 damage; stuns the target for 1 round
Spook – no improving save (previously too powerful for its level)
True Strike – replace Infravision (for now); +10 to thac0 for 1 round
-LEVEL 2-
Deafness – permanent duration; now a Necromantic spell
Detect Invisibility - area of effect 50'; lasts for 1 turn (as True Sight)
Ghoul Touch – damage 1d8; paralyzes the target for 3-6 rounds
Know Alignment - no save; ignores magic resistance
Luck – duration 10 rounds; added the missing +1 to all saves
Stinking Cloud –new cloud color
-LEVEL 3-
Detect Illusion - cancels all illusion spells of 4rd level and lower
Ghost Armor – AC 2; duration 1 turn/2 levels; +30% to Hide in Shadow
Haste – spell recipients are fatigued after the spell ends (-2 to THAC0, AC and damage for 1 turn); corrected description
Lightning Bolt – damage 1d10/level up to 10d10; single target
Melf's Minute Meteors – creates +3 enchanted meteors; damage 1d4 and 2d4 fire
Protection from Missiles – now protects from ALL type of missile (including Acid Arrows, Flame Arrows, and Melf’s Minute Meteors)
Slow – -1 AC and thac0 penalty; better description
Skull Trap – damage 1d4/level (up to 20d4 at level 20)
Vampiric Touch – damage 3-18 + 3/2levels up to 3-18 + 18 at 12th
-LEVEL 4-
Ice Storm – slow targets in the area; duration 4 rounds (fix)
Improved Invisibility – no saving throws bonus
Teleport Field – creatures are allowed a save every round to avoid effect
-LEVEL 5-
Cloudkill - new cloud color
Conjure Lesser Fire/Air/Earth Elemental – improved creatures
Oracle - cancels all illusion spells in the area of effect (all levels)
Phantom Blade–1d12 magic damage (+10 vs. Undeads); +4 enchantment; causes 100% spell failure for 1 round
Spell Immunity – only one School at a time is allowed
-LEVEL 6-
Carrion Summons - changed to Summon Shadow; 1-4 shadows are conjured
Chain Lightning - damage 1d6/level to primary target half damage to following targets
Conjure Fire/Air/Earth Elemental - elementals don't turn hostile; improved creatures
Death Fog - changed to Acid Fog; doesn't automatically kill summons; movement reduced to 50% (no save); new cloud color
Invisible Stalker – improved creature
Mislead – clone lasts only 6 rounds (previously overpowered); +4 bonus to AC granted from Improved Invisibility (previously missing); improved invisibility lasts 1 round/level
-LEVEL 7-
Cacofiend–summon a Death Knight; now a Necromantic spell
Khelben's Warding Whip - removes 4 protections instead of 3
Mantle - protects from +3 weapons or lower
Mordenkainen's Sword - corrected sword's statistics
Prismatic Spray - effects are slightly changed
Sphere of Chaos - causes wild surges instead of random effects
Summon Djinni - corrected Djinni's statistics; new spells
Summon Efreeti - corrected Efreeti's statistics; new spells
-LEVEL 8-
Improved Mantle - protects from +4 weapons or lower
Protection from Energy - resistances+75% (now cumulative with items but not with itself); duration 2 rounds/level
Summon Fiend–Glabrezu are more powerful now (corrected the animation)
Power Word, Blind - creatures with less than 6 Hit Dice are blinded permanently; affects only a single target
-LEVEL 9-
Black Blade of Disaster - improved
Bigby's Clenched Fist- general improvements
Energy Drain - greater range; drains 2-4 levels
Gate - Pit Fiend are much more powerful (corrected the animation)
Meteor Swarm - damage 24d6 with no save; no duration
Wail of the Banshee - area of effects 50'
Spellstrike–now has a 10’ radius area of effect
4) Cure Sleep Fix
This fix allow creatures afflicted by Sleep to awaken if hit, and creatures afflicted by Greater Command to make a save each round to awaken. It shouldn’t be optional, and most of you won’t find any problem at all installing it but being an .exe patching it may give problems due to different localizations, patches, nocd cracks, etc. If it gives you an error message don’t install it, it’s not really a big problem, you just won’t have the two mentioned features. Contact me if you have any problem.
VI Acknowledgements
Firstly, many thanks to Gibberlings Three, and especially Cam, for hosting!
Huge thanks of course to Westley Weimer, who created an astonishingly flexible and powerful mod editor for IE games, and to the bigg for his modifications to that editor. Many thanks also to the creators of the Infinity Engine Structure Description Project, which clarified what the hell was going on several dozen times; and to Jon Hauglid, for Near Infinity.
I'm also very grateful to anyone whohas beta-tested the mod and/or provided much useful feedback, especially to Mike1072, who’s help has been essential to this project.
And last but not least, thanks to Marv for creating ADPack from which all my work started…
Tools Used in Creation
WeiDU by Wes Weimer
Near Infinity by Jon Olav Hauglid
IESDP maintained by igi
VII Version History
V1:
- First public release