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"Free Action" Abilities

In PnP there abilities that are classified as free actions, they are usable at any point during a round. Is it possible to create an ability for BG2EE that functions in this way; that is, that it would be usable during the same round a different spell or ability is used.

I imagine it would be possible to apply aura cleansing before the use of this ability, but since the lowest duration possible for aura cleansing is one second, it would be possible for a player to cast unintended extra spells in this duration.

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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    edited October 2014
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  • AmeranthftwAmeranthftw Member Posts: 57
    Thanks for the insight!

    I think the idea of disabling the spellcasting button for the duration of the aura cleansing would be ideal since you aren't allowed to cast during the time that it's disabled anyway. The only issue with this is with abilities like Improved Alacrity, as they will have no way of keeping the spellcasting button from becoming disabled.

    You're right to say that many non-magical abilities should have been designed this way from the start, and rebalancing spellcasting based on this type of varied cooldowns would certainly be an interesting take on it. Definitely doable if you don't mind removing IA and decreased spellcasting time items, or finding some way around the around the aforementioned issue with those.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    edited October 2014
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    Post edited by [Deleted User] on
  • AmeranthftwAmeranthftw Member Posts: 57
    Let me know if you manage to get IA preventing the opcode, I'd love to see that working!
  • kjeronkjeron Member Posts: 2,368
    Not perfect, but does work:
    Put all abilities you want use-able as a free-action in a Select-Spell 2da, each with Type "3".
    Create a "List Free Actions" Ability, using opcode 214(Select Spell) targeting that .2da. This ability needs to use target type "7", Keep Spell, No Animation.

    - Ability Target Type 7 automatically ignores Alacrity and activates instantly when used in a spell. Using Type 3 in the 2da, the spell your selecting will also ignore alacrity and cast immediately but not "instantly", it will still have a cast time.

    If you want a Free Action to be both Immediate and Instantly Cast (usable while paused), give them Type "5" in the 2da.
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  • kjeronkjeron Member Posts: 2,368
    edited October 2014
    Using Type 7 ability target type enables any spell to be cast while paused.
    Using Type 5 in the 2da enables the selected spell to cast while paused.
    These both override casting speed and alacrity.

    They have nothing to do with nor require the Improved Alacrity / Increase spells per round effects/opcodes.

    If you need an example, look at Nahal's Reckless Dweomer.
    Copy it,
    change it to Innate,
    remove all the unusability flags,
    Change the Primary School to "None",
    Remove the Wild Magic Effect,
    and change the Select Spell Effect's method from "Known"(1) to "from 2da"(0), and change the resource to match.
  • AmeranthftwAmeranthftw Member Posts: 57
    Thanks for the information, Kjeron, I think I'll be able to do what I wanted with this!
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  • kjeronkjeron Member Posts: 2,368

    Wait, so NRD enables casting on a spell after it with waiting the rest of the round? That seems like a major bug.

    Yes. It's always been this way, so I don't think its a bug, or rather it was intentional due to a lack of any other option when it was first implemented. I'm not sure there is currently a better option right now either.


    (I'm still a bit confused by your use of the word "alacrity" - in context you seem to use it a shorthand for the '1 spell per round' rule...)

    Yes, I do mean it in that way, I've always thought of it by that term due to the Improved Alacrity HLA. Sorry that its confusing.


    In any event I'm still gonna try with aura cleansing, I'd really prefer not to introduce extra mouse clicks into this game... it's already kind of an RSI-inducing nightmare.

    This is sadly the "Not Perfect" aspect I was referring to.
  • AmeranthftwAmeranthftw Member Posts: 57
    I just changed the target on the spell I wanted to make a free action to "caster (keep spell, no animation)," (no extra clicks for a spell from a file necessary) and it made the skill usable immediately after using a different ability. Of course, abilities that follow the use of this skill are still subject to the 1 round cooldown (which I am fine with). So thank you Kjeron for the idea, this method worked out quite nicely.
  • GrimLefourbeGrimLefourbe Member Posts: 637
    edited August 2016
    I'm curious, is there any better way to do this these days?

    I want to have a free action that can be cast at someone but I haven't found how to do that because putting "caster(keep spell, no animation)" as a target doesn't let me put a target anywhere.
    Post edited by GrimLefourbe on
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