More caster HLAs

Messi

Since work has begun on BG2EE I thought I'd mention this. As the situation stands there are so few caster HLAs that you simply run out of them before finishing ToB, and have nothing to pick on level up. On my last BG2+ToB run this happened about half way through ToB so my casters gained plenty of levels with no HLAs. This isn't even an issue of having poor selection, it's simply that there aren't enough of them to have any kind of choise.

Melee don't have this problem since they can pick same abilities over and over again, but casters don't have a single ability you can pick multiple times.

Pecca

Interesting idea. You can edit 2DA file to give yourself extra spell slots repeatedly (and add extra spell slots of other spell levels).

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Lindeblom

From what I understand from reading other discussions, high level spell casters are already by far the most powerful characters of ToB. I can not for my life see why they need to be even more powerful.

bigdogchris

Kinda bugs me that casters cannot gain access to the scribe scroll, yet Thiefs can.

How about Bards and wizards only (UAI disregarded for wizards).

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Pecca

What could also be interesting is if specialist mages were offered more powerful versions of spells from their spell school, instead of general HLA spell selection. There is apparently enough unused 2DA files, so that each kit could have separate HLA selection.

Nifft

Pecca said:

What could also be interesting is if specialist mages were offered more powerful versions of spells from their spell school, instead of general HLA spell selection. There is apparently enough unused 2DA files, so that each kit could have separate HLA selection.

Specialists should gain specialist-only HLAs.

Diviners

• immunity to back-stab
  
• +2 to saves vs. illusions
  
• +20% detect traps (always on); can be chosen 4 times.
  

Abjurers

• +2 to caster level when casting an Abjuration spell; can be chosen 3 times
  
• Conditional Counterspell: Once per day, when you lose control of this character, a Dispel Magic is cast centered on this character.
  
• +1 to saves vs. spell, wand, and death; can be chosen twice.
  

Conjurers

• +10% on rolls to get multiple summons; can be chosen 3 times.
  
• Your summoned creatures gain immunity to death magic (death spell, death fog, and level drain).
  
• Your summoned creatures gain +2 hp per HD.
  
• Your summoned creatures gain -4 THAC0.
  

Invokers

• Enemies suffer a -1 penalty on rolls to save vs. your Invocation spells; can be chosen 3 times.
  
• You gain +10% resistance to fire, cold, and magical damage; can be chosen 3 times.
  

Enchanters

• +2 to Charisma.
  
• Enemies suffer a -1 penalty on rolls to save vs. your Enchantment spells; can be chosen 3 times.
  
• Your summoned creatures gain immunity to Charm and Confusion.
  
• When you cast Remove Magic, in addition to its usual effect, it also removes hostile Enchantment effects from allies (sleep, charm, hold, and confusion).
  

... and so on.

syllog

@Nifft
Those are actually really good suggestions. Balanced and thematic.
There is the general issue that Mages are already over powered, but from a thematic perspective I really like those choices.
I'd prefer them (and more spell casts) to the uber abilities (which are a bit too uber - and cut into 9th level spell slots making many interesting 9th level choices obsolete <--though I recommend the SCS mod that restricts mage's HLA to be used 1/day in exchange for making them independent abilities [which I'd like to think is a net decrease in power])