fire blasting mephit after death

caruga

Current behaviour: Was just doing a quick playthrough of the 1st chapter of BG2 and ran into this issue: after a fire mephit dies during mid-spell its spell still hangs around above its corpse burning the party member it was targetting. It may be true of other spells as well.

Expected behaviour: spell dissapears with death.

lansounet

I think that's caused by this effect (same as Aganazar's Scorcher) being of a projectile nature, once it's launched well, it's launched and continues its course.
Compare it to say Khelben'd Warding Whip, should the effect stop if the caster dies during first round? I would say no, the "magical whip" has been summoned and its effect will linger for the duration of the spell. In the case you mention, the mephit has summoned a trail of flames to burn everything between its position and the target for x rounds (Not sure about the duration) so it remains even after its death.
That's how I see it anyway.

caruga

I think that's caused by this effect (same as Aganazar's Scorcher) being of a projectile nature, once it's launched well, it's launched and continues its course.
Compare it to say Khelben'd Warding Whip, should the effect stop if the caster dies during first round? I would say no, the "magical whip" has been summoned and its effect will linger for the duration of the spell. In the case you mention, the mephit has summoned a trail of flames to burn everything between its position and the target for x rounds (Not sure about the duration) so it remains even after its death.
That's how I see it anyway.

A projectile has a source and a creature's breath (or a breath spell) has a continual source that needs continual renewal. If the source is dead then so should the spell be. It's not like a single arrow that launches and is then independent; it's the equivilent of a continual barrage of arrows.

lansounet

I was talking in game's engine terms about the projectile bit. And using the same terminology as you, it's a spell conjured forth from the weave, not a breath. Breath attacks would be the fan-shaped aoe attacks.

caruga

I was talking in game's engine terms about the projectile bit.

I'm not sure why, though. The fact that the engine perhaps was limited and could only handle it as a spell of that nature is no reason for the error to persist, or to say, as you seem to, that it isn't an error at all.

lansounet

I was comparing it to Scorcher spell, but I've checked some things and now I agree with you in this case where a mephit shoots a flame jet then it should end when the creature dies. Or eventually leave a blazing trail that would not follow the target but I don't know how feasible that is.
I think they just copied scorcher into an innate for that creature, in pnp it should be instant damage.

caruga

I was comparing it to Scorcher spell, but I've checked some things and now I agree with you in this case where a mephit shoots a flame jet then it should end when the creature dies.

Maybe you should change your disagree to an agree, then. :P