[Bug] Poison Weapon State Lasts for >4 Rounds (vs. 1)

syllog

Described Behavior:
The Poison Weapon ability (Assassin & Blackguard) causes all hits in the "next round" to poison the struck character.

Actual Behavior:
The Poison Weapon ability causes all hits in the *next 4+ rounds* to poison the struck character.




Tested Using:
An assassin->mage dual; used spells to count rounds - lasts a little over 4 rounds.
Non-quantitatively confirmed with multiple assassin (pure) and blackguard characters.

Version:
This was true for up-to-date versions of both BG:EE & BG2:EE. (v1.20)
(BG2:EE is an unmodded install, BG:EE has SCS.)

Tresset

I personally think it makes much more sense for this ability to last the 5 rounds that it does last instead of a flimsy single round. I isn't like the poison does 5 damage per second like wyvern poison or anything. It lasted 5 rounds in vBG2 as well so I don't think that anything other than the description should be changed.

syllog

@Tresset
No strong opinion here on whether the description or mechanics should be changed - but one of them should.

I do think that Poison Weapon is among the most powerful abilities in the game:
- flat (min.) 12 damage added to every attack
- bypasses stoneskin and some other weapon immunities
- cumulative chance (with each hit) of disrupting spell casting for 6 rounds. (b/c of poison damage tick)

Good with just a single back stab against casters, but when combined with high apr (darts, speed bow, polymorphed form, melf's minute meteors) + some form of haste it is monstrously damaging. In BGI you're talking 24-60 damage each round of attck; while bypassing immunities and disrupting spell casting. And this scales well to BGII with improved haste.

Regardless, I'm merely noting that the description and mechanics don't match up.

Mathsorcerer

Easily corrected by changing the durations of the melee hit effect (248) and ranged hit effect (249) on spcl423 from 30 to 6; of course, lowering the duration of the Poison Weapon ability itself (not the duration of the poison, which already correctly states "4 rounds") may be offset by raising the Poison Weapon ability use to once per day per level. I already have my assassin kit set this way--assassins are opponents to be feared (or, at least, they should be).

CrevsDaak

It is an awesome cheese, try using it with Arrows of Detonation, so you deal AoE poison damage.
And you shouldn't report this, they'll fix this and one of my favorite exploits will be gone (again).

syllog

@Mathsorcerer
That's very nice from a gameplay balance perspective.
It allows many an assassin to distribute uses of ability throughout a day while reducing exploitability by utilizing the once-per-turn spell/ability use on the poison weapon ability. (This cuts down on attack+spell+poison, invisibility+poison every round, etc.)

I think I'm going to copy that approach - though with an additional use every 2 levels, instead of each level.
(I also like, thematically, having one round to attack -- it gives an apropos sense of premeditation to the assassin's attack.

EDIT: Proll'y doesn't bare mentioning: but for whomever else try's to implement this - you probably want to cut down the duration of display portrait icon as well.
EDIT2: Moding the files will also, I assume, mess up an assassin's abilities (and hence AI) in the game (I know SCS uses assassins). So adding a new ability is probably wiser atm.

@CrevsDaak
I did not think of that one. That's great!

Mathsorcerer

I typically try to go for balance. If the players want this-and-such super-mega-amazing ability then they need to be prepared for their opponents to have it, as well; this usually forces players to accept a more modest approach. I apply this to items, as well--yes, having the Sword of Overkill is really great but first you have to take it out of the cold, dead hands of the foe who will be using it against you.