I´ve just played Black pits a little, but it seems, that spears are doing 1d10, same as two handed sword, while halberds are doing whooping 2d5. WAD?
Also I have finaly persuaded myself to test the component, that reduces your STR if you wield one handed weapons and came up with mixed results.
-its very good nerf to dual wielding, also feels logical -its sad nerf to already weak sword and board style, but it does make sense -however it feels totaly weird if you are wearing single weapon, most notably bastard sword, but realy any weapon that can classified as "one and half handed".
The weapon with most destructive power in BG arsenal is hands down the two handed sword (followed probably by flail). More so, swords are generaly the best weapon to both parry and overcome your opponents parry (something not covered by the system at all).
Two handed spear is weapon designed to stop opposing charges, best used in formation. It´s reach is good to fight cavalry or in DnD case larger monsters, while it´s clearly a burden if an opponent manages to get into close range.
In single combat a spearman would beat a swordsman only if a) he kills him with initial attack due to superior reach or b) he has superior mobility(and space to utilize said mobility), allowing him to kite the opponent. In other cases sword simply tramples spear.
What I am getting at - currently spear is equivalent to two-handed sword, except it gets better damage type. With Item revisions spear gets range of 3, making spears the hands down best weapon in game by far. I ve ran a game with spear wielding Kivan- attacking from second row -and I can confirm it is indeed very powerful and fun strategy.
Halberds actualy evolved to make spearmen infantry more versatile, particulary when fighting other infantry. Halberd was better than spears againts sword and shield and it was actualy direct counter to opposing two handed spears. It was still useful when fighting cavalry but not as good at stopping charges, which actualy led to halberd´s decline and it´s replacement by pike.
So the proposed solution: 2 handed sword should stay at top damage wise, at least by 2 points.
Spear should definitly do more than 1d6. Maybe 1d8, plus don´t be shy to do what IR did and upgrade their range to 3 ( or maybe even 4? not sure how would that look). The range realy makes the difference. Standing behind kagain/summons/web range is definitly strong.
Halberds - more damage than spears, something like 2d4, 1 less range than spears and slashing damage type.
How can I remove the extra spell slots due to your INT score? I don't like that SCS mages have these slots empty......
Before installation, you can just delete it comment out that section of the revised stats .tpa file in /scales_of_balance/components/. It's clearly marked.
I got an error. Debug file attached.
EDIT: attached to this post you'll also find the modified 200_SBO_revised_stats.tpa file (i.e., you can see the section I commented out)
Single weapon could give more attacks and increased thaco. Completely giving up any defense to focus on attacking.
Going with the idea of using TWS for parrying. You could make the offhand ac bonus only work with small/light weapons. I'm thinking short sword, dagger, and wakizashi would be small/light enough for parrying. I can see lonsword and ninja-to working for main hand without penalty, being designed for one hand anyway. Bastard swords would be too heavy, and katana, eh, it could go either way. A decent quality blade in real life can be light enough to one hand, but that doesn't work too great balance wise.
I'm not sure why there should be a penalty for one large weapon. If SWS can have a bonus for one handing, why TWS give a penalty. If I'm understanding your idea, the offhand is being used simply for parrying. I don't see how that would impact the mainhand, which is being used only for offense. On the other hand if the penalty is needed on a balance standpoint, then I can see that.
That being said, I don't really have an eye for balance. These just feel right to flavor wise and with the little I know of real world weapon fighting. Its also of course, your mod and none of these look bad or unusable.
Very true, but remember that styes weren't originally available in BG1. I think a little bit easier beginning would result regardless with access to styles off the bat.
The APR reducing aura would be great. It would more or less simulate a "tank"function by limiting the enemy DPR. Isn't the problem with knockbacks, stuns, etc that they allow saves and that that means it's obsolete at higher levels?
Can you code shield prof to take character level into account? If yes; that could be an automatic upgrade at higher levels when shield prof lags. Say specialized in shield prof and character level , uh, 15? - shield prof improves.
Question - do you still conside revamping the proficiency system (i mean more weapon collapse and expanding styles to 3 pips).
If not i would go like this
TWS - (collapsed due to wall of text)
Definitly add some AC bonus - many duelists actualy parried with offhand dagger, especially in the rapier era. On the other hand dual-wielding bigger weapons was pretty rare and it required natural ambidexterity, years long practice or preferably both. I would propose to let any character effectively dual-wield daggers at level 1, while dual-wielding two bastard swords should be only feasible if you are something like lvl 15 Kensai.
I would propose to divide weapons into more categories when it concerns dual-wielding. I.e. like this:
No penalty - Daggers Small penalty (-1) - Small swords, Clubs, ninja-to Large penalty (-2) - Long swords, Maces, Scimitars, Warhammers Huge penalty (-4) - Bastard swords, Katanas
The penalties would stack on main hand (which is the best weapon with more apr), but only offhand penalty would go on offhand. Progression would be like this:
So in example with ** in TWS you could wield two daggers, with whooping +4 thac0 to mainhand dagger and no penalty to the offhand. Or you could wield two long swords with no thac0 change for the mainhand and -2 penalty to the offhand. Dual wielding Katana and ninja-to would mean -1 penalty to both hands. And dual wielding bastard swords would be -4 penalty to both hands.
Sword and shield - I would simply give it huge AC. Heck maybe even make the AC scale with level. AC is never overpowered as swarms of weaker enemies will still crit you and the strongest enemies will simply dont care your AC is capped. Other possibilities are bonuses to saving throws (mostly breath, death) - the shield should provide some cover vs fireball and i guess blocking finger of death with shield should be better than eating it naked. The idea is, that if you realy want "tank" character you should not choose if you give it shield or Defender of Easthaven - you should grab both. The -apr aura on anyone who dares to hit the shieldbeare sounds neat.
Comments
I´ve just played Black pits a little, but it seems, that spears are doing 1d10, same as two handed sword, while halberds are doing whooping 2d5. WAD?
Also I have finaly persuaded myself to test the component, that reduces your STR if you wield one handed weapons and came up with mixed results.
-its very good nerf to dual wielding, also feels logical
-its sad nerf to already weak sword and board style, but it does make sense
-however it feels totaly weird if you are wearing single weapon, most notably bastard sword, but realy any weapon that can classified as "one and half handed".
The good crazy dnd weapon balance. Well.
The weapon with most destructive power in BG arsenal is hands down the two handed sword (followed probably by flail). More so, swords are generaly the best weapon to both parry and overcome your opponents parry (something not covered by the system at all).
Two handed spear is weapon designed to stop opposing charges, best used in formation. It´s reach is good to fight cavalry or in DnD case larger monsters, while it´s clearly a burden if an opponent manages to get into close range.
In single combat a spearman would beat a swordsman only if a) he kills him with initial attack due to superior reach or b) he has superior mobility(and space to utilize said mobility), allowing him to kite the opponent. In other cases sword simply tramples spear.
What I am getting at - currently spear is equivalent to two-handed sword, except it gets better damage type. With Item revisions spear gets range of 3, making spears the hands down best weapon in game by far. I ve ran a game with spear wielding Kivan- attacking from second row -and I can confirm it is indeed very powerful and fun strategy.
Halberds actualy evolved to make spearmen infantry more versatile, particulary when fighting other infantry. Halberd was better than spears againts sword and shield and it was actualy direct counter to opposing two handed spears. It was still useful when fighting cavalry but not as good at stopping charges, which actualy led to halberd´s decline and it´s replacement by pike.
So the proposed solution:
2 handed sword should stay at top damage wise, at least by 2 points.
Spear should definitly do more than 1d6. Maybe 1d8, plus don´t be shy to do what IR did and upgrade their range to 3 ( or maybe even 4? not sure how would that look). The range realy makes the difference. Standing behind kagain/summons/web range is definitly strong.
Halberds - more damage than spears, something like 2d4, 1 less range than spears and slashing damage type.
EDIT: attached to this post you'll also find the modified 200_SBO_revised_stats.tpa file (i.e., you can see the section I commented out)
Going with the idea of using TWS for parrying. You could make the offhand ac bonus only work with small/light weapons. I'm thinking short sword, dagger, and wakizashi would be small/light enough for parrying. I can see lonsword and ninja-to working for main hand without penalty, being designed for one hand anyway. Bastard swords would be too heavy, and katana, eh, it could go either way. A decent quality blade in real life can be light enough to one hand, but that doesn't work too great balance wise.
I like these sets the most:
Two-hand Weapon:
(+): +1 thac0, +1 damage
(++): +5% crit chance
Sword & Shield:
(+): +1 thac0, +2 missile AC
(++): shield bash
Single-Weapon:
(+): +1 thac0
(++): +.5 APR
Dual-Wielding:
(+): +2 melee AC, off-hand chance to crit
(++): +1 off-hand APR
That being said, I don't really have an eye for balance. These just feel right to flavor wise and with the little I know of real world weapon fighting. Its also of course, your mod and none of these look bad or unusable.
Shield could focus on defense. Not really granting extra damage. extra ac and the shield bash could be an interrupt with a stun or knockdown effect.
Dual wield could be the between style. The extra effects and attack of a second weapon. and 1 a ac bonus using the offhand to parry.
This is a generalization of course and the bonuses are just examples for sake of argument.
If not i would go like this
TWS - (collapsed due to wall of text)
I would propose to divide weapons into more categories when it concerns dual-wielding. I.e. like this:
No penalty - Daggers
Small penalty (-1) - Small swords, Clubs, ninja-to
Large penalty (-2) - Long swords, Maces, Scimitars, Warhammers
Huge penalty (-4) - Bastard swords, Katanas
The penalties would stack on main hand (which is the best weapon with more apr), but only offhand penalty would go on offhand. Progression would be like this:
0 pips - Crit only offhand, 0thac0 mainhand
1 pip - Crit only offhand, +2thac0 mainhand, +2 AC (not missiles)
2 pips - regulard offhand attack, +4 thac0 mainhand, +2 AC(not missiles)*
So in example with ** in TWS you could wield two daggers, with whooping +4 thac0 to mainhand dagger and no penalty to the offhand. Or you could wield two long swords with no thac0 change for the mainhand and -2 penalty to the offhand. Dual wielding Katana and ninja-to would mean -1 penalty to both hands. And dual wielding bastard swords would be -4 penalty to both hands.
Two handed weapon-
1 pip - +1 damage, +5% crit chance
2 pips - +2 damage, +1thac0, +10% crit chance*
Single weapon -
1 pip - +1 thac0, +5% crit chance
2 pips - +2 thac0, +1/2 APR, +5% crit chance*
Sword and shield -
I would simply give it huge AC. Heck maybe even make the AC scale with level. AC is never overpowered as swarms of weaker enemies will still crit you and the strongest enemies will simply dont care your AC is capped. Other possibilities are bonuses to saving throws (mostly breath, death) - the shield should provide some cover vs fireball and i guess blocking finger of death with shield should be better than eating it naked. The idea is, that if you realy want "tank" character you should not choose if you give it shield or Defender of Easthaven - you should grab both. The -apr aura on anyone who dares to hit the shieldbeare sounds neat.
1 pip +1thac0, +2AC
2 pips +1thac0,+4AC, shield bash or aura*
* the 2 pips are always the sum of both bonuses