Patch 1.2: Mages, Elaboration, Questions and Game Design

Mathmick

I only just got the chance to look at the recent patch notes for 1.2. Of course there are all the nice changes that came through. Content, character updates, class balance, bug fixes and of course all that good stuff. However, one change was hidden away that caught my attention:

"Mages are now correctly limited by their Intelligence when determining the highest-level spells they can write into their spellbooks"

This is a very curious change that could have massive implications for BG2 post-SoA, so I would like to ask a few questions:

First, the patch note as listed above provides no detail of the change on its own. It states that this is a change to "correctness" but there's no documentation in the manuals that support this claim. My question is: What are the details of this change?

Second, I am quite interested in game design, and the change itself is interesting. As I said, this has (potentially) huge implications for casters post SoA, depending on the numbers. My questions are:

-What has been targeted for this change (gameplay-wise)?
-What other changes were considered here and why select this change over these other changes?

Eudaemonium

Basically, the spell level you can scribe is determined by INT (this is just to scribe, not to cast, so potions of genius are the order of the day). You now need 18 int to scribe level 9 scrolls, for example.

elminster

Mathmick said:

This is a very curious change that could have massive implications for BG2 post-SoA, so I would like to ask a few questions:

First, the patch note as listed above provides no detail of the change on its own. It states that this is a change to "correctness" but there's no documentation in the manuals that support this claim. My question is: What are the details of this change?

Second, I am quite interested in game design, and the change itself is interesting. As I said, this has (potentially) huge implications for casters post SoA, depending on the numbers. My questions are:

-What has been targeted for this change (gameplay-wise)?
-What other changes were considered here and why select this change over these other changes?

I really don't think it has massive implications for BG2EE. For NPC's with lower than 18 intelligence you have basically have unlimited access to potions of Mind Focussing and Potions of Genius. Provided you have the coin for them.

Basically there is a file in the game called INTMOD.2DA. You can check it out here.

http://gemrb.org/iesdp/files/2da/2da_tob/intmod.htm

This file was present in ToB but the "Max Spell Level" part of it never worked. All this change does is fix it so that it does.

It only affects your ability to learn spells from scrolls, so HLA's are unaffected. Likewise the sorcerer (since he/she doesn't learn from scrolls) is unaffected. Since every NPC has at least 16 intelligence the only spells that are affected (at least for NPC's) are level 9 spells.

Dee

Intelligence - Maximum Spell Level
9 - Level 4
10/11 - Level 5
12/13 - Level 6
14/15 - Level 7
16/17 - Level 8
18+ - Level 9

Felspawn

its about time, honestly before. when you could play on Normal (not core rules) as a mage and have INT mean absolutely NOTHING to your character was ridiculous

Corvino

Of the mages currently in BG2:EE:
Edwin has Int 18
Aerie has Int 16
All others have Int 17

So, every mage apart from Aerie should be able to scribe level 9 spells without temporary buffs as long as you use the Machine of Lum the Mad to give them a bonus point of Int.

Thrasymachus

elminster said:

Likewise the sorcerer (since he/she doesn't learn from scrolls) is unaffected.

That's too bad IMO. Sorcerers' intelligence should mean something (aside from helping a little bit with identifying magic items).

ChildofBhaal599

it seems like it won't do much when all you have to do is drink a potion and scribe, then cast without the required spell level. it would be interesting if we need to keep using the potions in order to cast even after they are scribed, or get the int to 18 with machine of lum the mad.

Schneidend

Thrasymachus said:

That's too bad IMO. Sorcerers' intelligence should mean something (aside from helping a little bit with identifying magic items).

No, a Sorcerer's intelligence should mean nothing. Their spellcasting is entirely inherent. They essentially persuade magic to do their bidding through extraordinary belief in the self and their ability to do so. If anything, Charisma should do something for them.