Did you know that any attack a thief makes while invisible will ignore the target's AC dexterity bonus?
To be exact, the attack must follow these rules:
1) Attacker must have a backstab multiplier of 2 or higher
2) Attacker must be STATE_INVISIBLE
3) Attacker's weapon must not be RANGED
In the following example:
- Attacking character THAC0 = 17
- Attacked character AC = 0, (dexterity contributing -4 bonus)
The thief's attack only requires a total roll of 13 to hit, even though a roll of 17 is required normally:
However, this mechanic isn't implemented properly...
If the attacked character has a *penalty* to AC due to dexterity, they will be harder to hit while being attacked under the above conditions.
In the following example:
- Attacking character THAC0 = 17
- Attacked character AC = 9, (dexterity contributing +5 penalty)
The thief's attack should only require a total roll of 8 to hit, though a roll of 13 is now required:
Maybe the attacker just doesn't believe it's possible to be that slow...
@Bubb: Another brilliant finding! It's still strange how many different things in the Infinity Engines went undocumented and forgotten for so many years.
Does the invisibility state apply to Improved Invisibility? That is, would a thief get the bonus for more than one attack under Improved Invisibility, or maybe just Mislead? Do Stalkers also get this benefit, since they have backstab multipliers?
Does the invisibility state apply to Improved Invisibility? That is, would a thief get the bonus for more than one attack under Improved Invisibility, or maybe just Mislead?
Improved Invisibility grants the bonus for the first attack only - once the thief can be seen by enemies the bonus no longer applies. The bonus does persist as long as Mislead is active, which makes the spell even more devastating I suppose...
Do Stalkers also get this benefit, since they have backstab multipliers?
In my install Stalkers don't have backstab multipliers, so they don't get the bonus. If they can backstab in your install then they should be getting the bonus.
Edit: I was thinking of Invisible Stalkers, not the Stalker kit... Stalkers do indeed get the bonus.
The Guard button (that thing nobody uses) has a gamebreakingly powerful bug for ranged fighters. If an archer Guards a party member who walks out of their range and gets attacked, the archer will automatically attack the enemy with their ranged weapon from their current point, regardless of distance or any walls in the way. You can shoot someone while standing on the opposite side of the map.
The Guard button (that thing nobody uses) has a gamebreakingly powerful bug for ranged fighters. If an archer Guards a party member who walks out of their range and gets attacked, the archer will automatically attack the enemy with their ranged weapon from their current point, regardless of distance or any walls in the way. You can shoot someone while standing on the opposite side of the map.
That explains things that have happened in my games.
The Guard button (that thing nobody uses) has a gamebreakingly powerful bug for ranged fighters. If an archer Guards a party member who walks out of their range and gets attacked, the archer will automatically attack the enemy with their ranged weapon from their current point, regardless of distance or any walls in the way. You can shoot someone while standing on the opposite side of the map.
So you're saying that there is a way to give longbows their historical range.
Just noticed the Dragon Disciple's Breath Weapon offers no saving throw.
So while its damage dice aren't all that impressive, it won't do reduced damage against enemies with high saves, so I'm thinking maybe it comes out looking pretty good when it counts?
Like we've all had that pesky dwarven fighter who just shrugs all our wily magics. Try breathing some fire at him next time and see how it works out.
Lorewise, Shamans can be in two places at once, kind of, a little bit. The Complete Divine's Shaman Description
Spirit Guide: All spirit shamans have a spirit guide, a personification of the spirit world. In some sense a spirit shaman and her guide are one being, both knowing and seeing and experiencing the same things. Unlike a familiar, a spirit guide is not a separate entity from a spirit shaman. She is the only one who can perceive or interact with her guide. It exists only inside her own mind and soul.
The spirit shaman’s spirit guide confers greater awareness of her surroundings, and grants her the Alertness feat. The spirit guide grants additional abilities at 5th and 10th level (see Follow the Guide and Guide Magic, below).
The exact form of the spirit guide is chosen by the spirit shaman at 1st level, usually for the qualities it represents, as shown above. The exact form of a spirit guide is purely personal preference, and confers no special advantages or disadvantages.
Just noticed the Dragon Disciple's Breath Weapon offers no saving throw.
So while its damage dice aren't all that impressive, it won't do reduced damage against enemies with high saves, so I'm thinking maybe it comes out looking pretty good when it counts?
Like we've all had that pesky dwarven fighter who just shrugs all our wily magics. Try breathing some fire at him next time and see how it works out.
Nobody knows why shadowdancers can shadowdance. They seem to have a sort of intuitive, weak connection to the shadow weave, much like a sorcerer, but whether it comes from a bloodline or exposure to some shadow element or what have you eludes every shadowcaster who has attempted to study them.
You could probably rewrite Neera's storyline to be about a shadowdancer with very little alteration.
In Pen and Paper shadowdancers can only Hide in Plain Sight if there's a shadow nearby, and it can't be their own shadow.
It's interesting that this wasn't implemented in Baldur's Gate, since there are already mechanics for shadows influencing stealth, so I imagine it's within the engine's capabilities.
The complete ranger's handbook says stalkers can only use weapons that are easy to conceal, and lists these as "blowgun, dagger, dart, knife, short sword, staff, and sling. Optional: garrote, rapier (walking stick), stiletto."
It also says that in addition to the standard racial enemy options, they can choose any specific thieves guild or assassins guild as their racial enemy.
Any time a stalker talks to somebody, they can run an intelligence check to discern their alignment and their honesty. I suppose in Baldur's Gate this could've been implemented as an innate Know Alignment, like how paladins have an innate Detect Evil, but that spell's useless anyway.
The complete ranger's handbook says stalkers can only use weapons that are easy to conceal, and lists these as "blowgun, dagger, dart, knife, short sword, staff, and sling. Optional: garrote, rapier (walking stick), stiletto."
It also says that in addition to the standard racial enemy options, they can choose any specific thieves guild or assassins guild as their racial enemy.
Any time a stalker talks to somebody, they can run an intelligence check to discern their alignment and their honesty. I suppose in Baldur's Gate this could've been implemented as an innate Know Alignment, like how paladins have an innate Detect Evil, but that spell's useless anyway.
It's funny how none of these weapon restrictions exist for stalkers meanwhile the beastmaster gets a quarterstaff, club, or non-thrown ranged weapon and that's it. Even though in 2E it actually is limited to.
"A Beastmaster is initially limited to weapons that he can make himself: axe (any), club, dagger, dart, javelin, knife, quarterstaff, sling, or spear."
And that is only for his initial proficiencies.
Also even then being restricted from getting proficiency in a weapon is not the same as not being able to use that weapon (for some ethical or ideological reason)
The complete ranger's handbook says stalkers can only use weapons that are easy to conceal, and lists these as "blowgun, dagger, dart, knife, short sword, staff, and sling. Optional: garrote, rapier (walking stick), stiletto."
It also says that in addition to the standard racial enemy options, they can choose any specific thieves guild or assassins guild as their racial enemy.
Any time a stalker talks to somebody, they can run an intelligence check to discern their alignment and their honesty. I suppose in Baldur's Gate this could've been implemented as an innate Know Alignment, like how paladins have an innate Detect Evil, but that spell's useless anyway.
It's funny how none of these weapon restrictions exist for stalkers meanwhile the beastmaster gets a quarterstaff, club, or non-thrown ranged weapon and that's it. Even though in 2E it actually is limited to.
"A Beastmaster is initially limited to weapons that he can make himself: axe (any), club, dagger, dart, javelin, knife, quarterstaff, sling, or spear."
And that is only for his initial proficiencies.
Also even then being restricted from getting proficiency in a weapon is not the same as not being able to use that weapon (for some ethical or ideological reason)
Beastmaster would be far more interesting if they expanded the familiars to include wolves, bears, eagles, owls, wolverines, or large cats. I don't think it would be too hard to implement that. They already have granted them a familiar, unfortunately it's really just an artificial HP boost and a Dragon (which makes absolutely no sense, at least let them choose from the neutral pool!).
The complete ranger's handbook says stalkers can only use weapons that are easy to conceal, and lists these as "blowgun, dagger, dart, knife, short sword, staff, and sling. Optional: garrote, rapier (walking stick), stiletto."
It also says that in addition to the standard racial enemy options, they can choose any specific thieves guild or assassins guild as their racial enemy.
Any time a stalker talks to somebody, they can run an intelligence check to discern their alignment and their honesty. I suppose in Baldur's Gate this could've been implemented as an innate Know Alignment, like how paladins have an innate Detect Evil, but that spell's useless anyway.
It's funny how none of these weapon restrictions exist for stalkers meanwhile the beastmaster gets a quarterstaff, club, or non-thrown ranged weapon and that's it. Even though in 2E it actually is limited to.
"A Beastmaster is initially limited to weapons that he can make himself: axe (any), club, dagger, dart, javelin, knife, quarterstaff, sling, or spear."
And that is only for his initial proficiencies.
Also even then being restricted from getting proficiency in a weapon is not the same as not being able to use that weapon (for some ethical or ideological reason)
Beastmaster would be far more interesting if they expanded the familiars to include wolves, bears, eagles, owls, wolverines, or large cats. I don't think it would be too hard to implement that. They already have granted them a familiar, unfortunately it's really just an artificial HP boost and a Dragon (which makes absolutely no sense, at least let them choose from the neutral pool!).
Ranger progression is weird in Baldur's Gate in a few ways.
You don't get tracking until epic levels. You don't get an animal companion until your stronghold, and even then it's only a Drizzt Type statuette that you can use to summon the animal companion periodically, not a constant presence.
I feel like these are both pretty basic and fundamental parts of the ranger experience to put off until such high levels.
The complete ranger's handbook says stalkers can only use weapons that are easy to conceal, and lists these as "blowgun, dagger, dart, knife, short sword, staff, and sling. Optional: garrote, rapier (walking stick), stiletto."
It also says that in addition to the standard racial enemy options, they can choose any specific thieves guild or assassins guild as their racial enemy.
Any time a stalker talks to somebody, they can run an intelligence check to discern their alignment and their honesty. I suppose in Baldur's Gate this could've been implemented as an innate Know Alignment, like how paladins have an innate Detect Evil, but that spell's useless anyway.
It's funny how none of these weapon restrictions exist for stalkers meanwhile the beastmaster gets a quarterstaff, club, or non-thrown ranged weapon and that's it. Even though in 2E it actually is limited to.
"A Beastmaster is initially limited to weapons that he can make himself: axe (any), club, dagger, dart, javelin, knife, quarterstaff, sling, or spear."
And that is only for his initial proficiencies.
Also even then being restricted from getting proficiency in a weapon is not the same as not being able to use that weapon (for some ethical or ideological reason)
Beastmaster would be far more interesting if they expanded the familiars to include wolves, bears, eagles, owls, wolverines, or large cats. I don't think it would be too hard to implement that. They already have granted them a familiar, unfortunately it's really just an artificial HP boost and a Dragon (which makes absolutely no sense, at least let them choose from the neutral pool!).
Ranger progression is weird in Baldur's Gate in a few ways.
You don't get tracking until epic levels. You don't get an animal companion until your stronghold, and even then it's only a Drizzt Type statuette that you can use to summon the animal companion periodically, not a constant presence.
I feel like these are both pretty basic and fundamental parts of the ranger experience to put off until such high levels.
Even Grizzly Adams had a bear companion and he certainly was no ranger!
Edit: I guess you can always RP that Wilson is your companion when you play a Ranger. That's a cool option that wasn't there before the EE...
The complete ranger's handbook says stalkers can only use weapons that are easy to conceal, and lists these as "blowgun, dagger, dart, knife, short sword, staff, and sling. Optional: garrote, rapier (walking stick), stiletto."
It also says that in addition to the standard racial enemy options, they can choose any specific thieves guild or assassins guild as their racial enemy.
Any time a stalker talks to somebody, they can run an intelligence check to discern their alignment and their honesty. I suppose in Baldur's Gate this could've been implemented as an innate Know Alignment, like how paladins have an innate Detect Evil, but that spell's useless anyway.
It's funny how none of these weapon restrictions exist for stalkers meanwhile the beastmaster gets a quarterstaff, club, or non-thrown ranged weapon and that's it. Even though in 2E it actually is limited to.
"A Beastmaster is initially limited to weapons that he can make himself: axe (any), club, dagger, dart, javelin, knife, quarterstaff, sling, or spear."
And that is only for his initial proficiencies.
Also even then being restricted from getting proficiency in a weapon is not the same as not being able to use that weapon (for some ethical or ideological reason)
Beastmaster would be far more interesting if they expanded the familiars to include wolves, bears, eagles, owls, wolverines, or large cats. I don't think it would be too hard to implement that. They already have granted them a familiar, unfortunately it's really just an artificial HP boost and a Dragon (which makes absolutely no sense, at least let them choose from the neutral pool!).
Ranger progression is weird in Baldur's Gate in a few ways.
You don't get tracking until epic levels. You don't get an animal companion until your stronghold, and even then it's only a Drizzt Type statuette that you can use to summon the animal companion periodically, not a constant presence.
I feel like these are both pretty basic and fundamental parts of the ranger experience to put off until such high levels.
Even Grizzly Adams had a bear companion and he certainly was no ranger!
Edit: I guess you can always RP that Wilson is your companion when you play a Ranger. That's a cool option that wasn't there before the EE...
To get Wilson, don't you have to group with both Rasaad and Neera? Needing to devote 3 party slots to your animal companion seems like a pretty big commitment. Especially since you would expect the animal companion to take 0 party slots.
The complete ranger's handbook says stalkers can only use weapons that are easy to conceal, and lists these as "blowgun, dagger, dart, knife, short sword, staff, and sling. Optional: garrote, rapier (walking stick), stiletto."
It also says that in addition to the standard racial enemy options, they can choose any specific thieves guild or assassins guild as their racial enemy.
Any time a stalker talks to somebody, they can run an intelligence check to discern their alignment and their honesty. I suppose in Baldur's Gate this could've been implemented as an innate Know Alignment, like how paladins have an innate Detect Evil, but that spell's useless anyway.
It's funny how none of these weapon restrictions exist for stalkers meanwhile the beastmaster gets a quarterstaff, club, or non-thrown ranged weapon and that's it. Even though in 2E it actually is limited to.
"A Beastmaster is initially limited to weapons that he can make himself: axe (any), club, dagger, dart, javelin, knife, quarterstaff, sling, or spear."
And that is only for his initial proficiencies.
Also even then being restricted from getting proficiency in a weapon is not the same as not being able to use that weapon (for some ethical or ideological reason)
Beastmaster would be far more interesting if they expanded the familiars to include wolves, bears, eagles, owls, wolverines, or large cats. I don't think it would be too hard to implement that. They already have granted them a familiar, unfortunately it's really just an artificial HP boost and a Dragon (which makes absolutely no sense, at least let them choose from the neutral pool!).
Ranger progression is weird in Baldur's Gate in a few ways.
You don't get tracking until epic levels. You don't get an animal companion until your stronghold, and even then it's only a Drizzt Type statuette that you can use to summon the animal companion periodically, not a constant presence.
I feel like these are both pretty basic and fundamental parts of the ranger experience to put off until such high levels.
Even Grizzly Adams had a bear companion and he certainly was no ranger!
Edit: I guess you can always RP that Wilson is your companion when you play a Ranger. That's a cool option that wasn't there before the EE...
To get Wilson, don't you have to group with both Rasaad and Neera? Needing to devote 3 party slots to your animal companion seems like a pretty big commitment. Especially since you would expect the animal companion to take 0 party slots.
I speed played to get him last time. You literally only need Neera in your party for 1 second and can drop her. You have to have Rasaad for a bit longer but you don't have to finish his quest before you get Wilson.
@Chronicler You don't need Neera in the party to get Wilson. You need Rasaad to get to the area where Wilson is, but I don't know if he is required for joining.
@Chronicler You don't need Neera in the party to get Wilson. You need Rasaad to get to the area where Wilson is, but I don't know if he is required for joining.
I think you neexd to have Neera in your party briefly to get into the hidden refuge.
@Chronicler You don't need Neera in the party to get Wilson. You need Rasaad to get to the area where Wilson is, but I don't know if he is required for joining.
I think you neexd to have Neera in your party briefly to get into the hidden refuge.
Yes, but I don't think the Hidden Refuge is a requirement to recruit Wilson. Only if you want to take him to see Zaviak.
@Chronicler You don't need Neera in the party to get Wilson. You need Rasaad to get to the area where Wilson is, but I don't know if he is required for joining.
I think you neexd to have Neera in your party briefly to get into the hidden refuge.
Yes, but I don't think the Hidden Refuge is a requirement to recruit Wilson. Only if you want to take him to see Zaviak.
You need to talk to Zaviak to open the questline. He's in the refuge. Last time the quest didn't open in my journal until I talked to him. That was a while ago though. Maybe things have changed in 2.5?
@Chronicler You don't need Neera in the party to get Wilson. You need Rasaad to get to the area where Wilson is, but I don't know if he is required for joining.
I think you neexd to have Neera in your party briefly to get into the hidden refuge.
Yes, but I don't think the Hidden Refuge is a requirement to recruit Wilson. Only if you want to take him to see Zaviak.
You need to talk to Zaviak to open the questline. He's in the refuge. Last time the quest didn't open in my journal until I talked to him. That was a while ago though. Maybe things have changed in 2.5?
You've never needed Neera's questline to get Wilson. There is an optional quest from Zaviak regarding him, but its actually possible to get Wilson just by gaining access to Rasaad's quest areas.
Specifically its the following steps
Travel to the Heretic Temple (you will need to have advanced Rasaad's quest line in order to get to it). On that map to the east of the temple you will come across a group of monks training against animals. Once that scene is finished there will be a bear left in a cage. Talk to it. Be friendly and offer to free him. Pay the 1000 gold that the guard offers to free the bear. Once the bear is free if you'd like you can kill the guard to get your money back (with no consequences from what I could tell). When you do return to the areas entrance Wilson will be there to greet you and will offer to join your group.
@Chronicler You don't need Neera in the party to get Wilson. You need Rasaad to get to the area where Wilson is, but I don't know if he is required for joining.
I think you neexd to have Neera in your party briefly to get into the hidden refuge.
Yes, but I don't think the Hidden Refuge is a requirement to recruit Wilson. Only if you want to take him to see Zaviak.
You need to talk to Zaviak to open the questline. He's in the refuge. Last time the quest didn't open in my journal until I talked to him. That was a while ago though. Maybe things have changed in 2.5?
That is a separate quest that involves Wilson, but is not required to recruit Wilson. As @elminster explains above.
Did you know that in Icewind Dale 2 on Heart of Fury mode, Iyachtu Xvim is a 63rd-level character? That actually seems a fitting level for the avatar of a god.
(In Icewind Dale 2's Heart of Fury mode, each enemy gets +12 level in each of their classes. Iyachtu Xvim is normally a level 8/18/1 fighter/wizard/cleric, so in Heart of Fury mode he's a level 20/30/13 fighter/wizard/cleric.)
There are some easy ways to tell a cursed scroll from a real protection scroll without wasting Identify spells on them, depending on what game you are in.
In BG2 it is pretty easy because the real protection scrolls have a lore requirement of 30 to identify, which is pretty low compared to the 85 lore requirement of a cursed scroll. So if you can't identify it, chances are it is cursed.
In BG1 it is a little harder since both types of scrolls require a lore of 85 to identify, but it is still fairly easy. All you have to do is attempt to use the scroll from a distance and cancel the use before the scroll activates. If your character attempts to move into melee range of the target, then the scroll is cursed. If the character can activate the scroll from a distance, then the scroll is genuine. There are only two exceptions to this rule. A genuine Scroll of Protection from Magic, instead of activating from a distance, will automatically target the user if it is genuine. Unfortunately it is not possible to tell the difference between a genuine Scroll of Protection from Fire and a Cursed Scroll of Summon Monster without Identifying. Incidentally, this method works in BG2 as well if you don't have someone with at least 30 lore, except that a genuine Scroll of Protection from Magic will now work from a distance like other genuine scrolls.
The complete ranger's handbook says stalkers can only use weapons that are easy to conceal, and lists these as "blowgun, dagger, dart, knife, short sword, staff, and sling. Optional: garrote, rapier (walking stick), stiletto."
It also says that in addition to the standard racial enemy options, they can choose any specific thieves guild or assassins guild as their racial enemy.
Any time a stalker talks to somebody, they can run an intelligence check to discern their alignment and their honesty. I suppose in Baldur's Gate this could've been implemented as an innate Know Alignment, like how paladins have an innate Detect Evil, but that spell's useless anyway.
It's funny how none of these weapon restrictions exist for stalkers meanwhile the beastmaster gets a quarterstaff, club, or non-thrown ranged weapon and that's it. Even though in 2E it actually is limited to.
"A Beastmaster is initially limited to weapons that he can make himself: axe (any), club, dagger, dart, javelin, knife, quarterstaff, sling, or spear."
And that is only for his initial proficiencies.
Also even then being restricted from getting proficiency in a weapon is not the same as not being able to use that weapon (for some ethical or ideological reason)
Beastmaster would be far more interesting if they expanded the familiars to include wolves, bears, eagles, owls, wolverines, or large cats. I don't think it would be too hard to implement that. They already have granted them a familiar, unfortunately it's really just an artificial HP boost and a Dragon (which makes absolutely no sense, at least let them choose from the neutral pool!).
Ranger progression is weird in Baldur's Gate in a few ways.
You don't get tracking until epic levels. You don't get an animal companion until your stronghold, and even then it's only a Drizzt Type statuette that you can use to summon the animal companion periodically, not a constant presence.
I feel like these are both pretty basic and fundamental parts of the ranger experience to put off until such high levels.
Even Grizzly Adams had a bear companion and he certainly was no ranger!
Edit: I guess you can always RP that Wilson is your companion when you play a Ranger. That's a cool option that wasn't there before the EE...
Is Grizzly Adams not a ranger? I'm reading up on him now and he sounds kind of like a ranger. What makes him different from a ranger?
The complete ranger's handbook says stalkers can only use weapons that are easy to conceal, and lists these as "blowgun, dagger, dart, knife, short sword, staff, and sling. Optional: garrote, rapier (walking stick), stiletto."
It also says that in addition to the standard racial enemy options, they can choose any specific thieves guild or assassins guild as their racial enemy.
Any time a stalker talks to somebody, they can run an intelligence check to discern their alignment and their honesty. I suppose in Baldur's Gate this could've been implemented as an innate Know Alignment, like how paladins have an innate Detect Evil, but that spell's useless anyway.
It's funny how none of these weapon restrictions exist for stalkers meanwhile the beastmaster gets a quarterstaff, club, or non-thrown ranged weapon and that's it. Even though in 2E it actually is limited to.
"A Beastmaster is initially limited to weapons that he can make himself: axe (any), club, dagger, dart, javelin, knife, quarterstaff, sling, or spear."
And that is only for his initial proficiencies.
Also even then being restricted from getting proficiency in a weapon is not the same as not being able to use that weapon (for some ethical or ideological reason)
Beastmaster would be far more interesting if they expanded the familiars to include wolves, bears, eagles, owls, wolverines, or large cats. I don't think it would be too hard to implement that. They already have granted them a familiar, unfortunately it's really just an artificial HP boost and a Dragon (which makes absolutely no sense, at least let them choose from the neutral pool!).
Ranger progression is weird in Baldur's Gate in a few ways.
You don't get tracking until epic levels. You don't get an animal companion until your stronghold, and even then it's only a Drizzt Type statuette that you can use to summon the animal companion periodically, not a constant presence.
I feel like these are both pretty basic and fundamental parts of the ranger experience to put off until such high levels.
Even Grizzly Adams had a bear companion and he certainly was no ranger!
Edit: I guess you can always RP that Wilson is your companion when you play a Ranger. That's a cool option that wasn't there before the EE...
Is Grizzly Adams not a ranger? I'm reading up on him now and he sounds kind of like a ranger. What makes him different from a ranger?
He was just an old, wisened, wilderness settler-type. At least in the TV show...
Comments
Maybe the attacker just doesn't believe it's possible to be that slow...
Does the invisibility state apply to Improved Invisibility? That is, would a thief get the bonus for more than one attack under Improved Invisibility, or maybe just Mislead? Do Stalkers also get this benefit, since they have backstab multipliers?
Improved Invisibility grants the bonus for the first attack only - once the thief can be seen by enemies the bonus no longer applies. The bonus does persist as long as Mislead is active, which makes the spell even more devastating I suppose...
In my install Stalkers don't have backstab multipliers, so they don't get the bonus. If they can backstab in your install then they should be getting the bonus.
Edit: I was thinking of Invisible Stalkers, not the Stalker kit... Stalkers do indeed get the bonus.
That explains things that have happened in my games.
So you're saying that there is a way to give longbows their historical range.
So while its damage dice aren't all that impressive, it won't do reduced damage against enemies with high saves, so I'm thinking maybe it comes out looking pretty good when it counts?
Like we've all had that pesky dwarven fighter who just shrugs all our wily magics. Try breathing some fire at him next time and see how it works out.
Also bypasses magic resistance.
You could probably rewrite Neera's storyline to be about a shadowdancer with very little alteration.
It's interesting that this wasn't implemented in Baldur's Gate, since there are already mechanics for shadows influencing stealth, so I imagine it's within the engine's capabilities.
It also says that in addition to the standard racial enemy options, they can choose any specific thieves guild or assassins guild as their racial enemy.
Any time a stalker talks to somebody, they can run an intelligence check to discern their alignment and their honesty. I suppose in Baldur's Gate this could've been implemented as an innate Know Alignment, like how paladins have an innate Detect Evil, but that spell's useless anyway.
It's funny how none of these weapon restrictions exist for stalkers meanwhile the beastmaster gets a quarterstaff, club, or non-thrown ranged weapon and that's it. Even though in 2E it actually is limited to.
"A Beastmaster is initially limited to weapons that he can make himself: axe (any), club, dagger, dart, javelin, knife, quarterstaff, sling, or spear."
And that is only for his initial proficiencies.
Also even then being restricted from getting proficiency in a weapon is not the same as not being able to use that weapon (for some ethical or ideological reason)
Beastmaster would be far more interesting if they expanded the familiars to include wolves, bears, eagles, owls, wolverines, or large cats. I don't think it would be too hard to implement that. They already have granted them a familiar, unfortunately it's really just an artificial HP boost and a Dragon (which makes absolutely no sense, at least let them choose from the neutral pool!).
Ranger progression is weird in Baldur's Gate in a few ways.
You don't get tracking until epic levels. You don't get an animal companion until your stronghold, and even then it's only a Drizzt Type statuette that you can use to summon the animal companion periodically, not a constant presence.
I feel like these are both pretty basic and fundamental parts of the ranger experience to put off until such high levels.
Even Grizzly Adams had a bear companion and he certainly was no ranger!
Edit: I guess you can always RP that Wilson is your companion when you play a Ranger. That's a cool option that wasn't there before the EE...
To get Wilson, don't you have to group with both Rasaad and Neera? Needing to devote 3 party slots to your animal companion seems like a pretty big commitment. Especially since you would expect the animal companion to take 0 party slots.
I speed played to get him last time. You literally only need Neera in your party for 1 second and can drop her. You have to have Rasaad for a bit longer but you don't have to finish his quest before you get Wilson.
I think you neexd to have Neera in your party briefly to get into the hidden refuge.
Yes, but I don't think the Hidden Refuge is a requirement to recruit Wilson. Only if you want to take him to see Zaviak.
You need to talk to Zaviak to open the questline. He's in the refuge. Last time the quest didn't open in my journal until I talked to him. That was a while ago though. Maybe things have changed in 2.5?
You've never needed Neera's questline to get Wilson. There is an optional quest from Zaviak regarding him, but its actually possible to get Wilson just by gaining access to Rasaad's quest areas.
Specifically its the following steps
Travel to the Heretic Temple (you will need to have advanced Rasaad's quest line in order to get to it). On that map to the east of the temple you will come across a group of monks training against animals. Once that scene is finished there will be a bear left in a cage. Talk to it. Be friendly and offer to free him. Pay the 1000 gold that the guard offers to free the bear. Once the bear is free if you'd like you can kill the guard to get your money back (with no consequences from what I could tell). When you do return to the areas entrance Wilson will be there to greet you and will offer to join your group.
That is a separate quest that involves Wilson, but is not required to recruit Wilson. As @elminster explains above.
(In Icewind Dale 2's Heart of Fury mode, each enemy gets +12 level in each of their classes. Iyachtu Xvim is normally a level 8/18/1 fighter/wizard/cleric, so in Heart of Fury mode he's a level 20/30/13 fighter/wizard/cleric.)
In BG2 it is pretty easy because the real protection scrolls have a lore requirement of 30 to identify, which is pretty low compared to the 85 lore requirement of a cursed scroll. So if you can't identify it, chances are it is cursed.
In BG1 it is a little harder since both types of scrolls require a lore of 85 to identify, but it is still fairly easy. All you have to do is attempt to use the scroll from a distance and cancel the use before the scroll activates. If your character attempts to move into melee range of the target, then the scroll is cursed. If the character can activate the scroll from a distance, then the scroll is genuine. There are only two exceptions to this rule. A genuine Scroll of Protection from Magic, instead of activating from a distance, will automatically target the user if it is genuine. Unfortunately it is not possible to tell the difference between a genuine Scroll of Protection from Fire and a Cursed Scroll of Summon Monster without Identifying. Incidentally, this method works in BG2 as well if you don't have someone with at least 30 lore, except that a genuine Scroll of Protection from Magic will now work from a distance like other genuine scrolls.
You can cast Clairvoyance indoors if you use a scroll of it.
Alas, Call Lighting has no scrolls. So I think you are stuck with only outdoors for it still.
Is Grizzly Adams not a ranger? I'm reading up on him now and he sounds kind of like a ranger. What makes him different from a ranger?
He was just an old, wisened, wilderness settler-type. At least in the TV show...