Spell Sequencer and Malison

Glidderdust

I've been trying to use Malison with some other spell combos in a sequencer. Every time I cast it, malison is always the last spell to be cast no matter what order I put it in. It would be a lot more helpful if the enemies had -4 to saving throws before Emotion or Confusion hit them. Three skull traps, flame arrows, or any other combination of the two spells seem to fire off in order.

I never really used sequencers before so I'm not sure if this has been common knowledge or not.

Sharguild

All have the same casting time (4) so that's not the issue.
Perhaps try sequencing it in a Spell Trigger, with two level fives putting it in the front (Chaos and Feeble Mind maybe?) and see if it still comes out last? That at least might ident it's unique to Malison.
edit - only diff I know between those 3 level 4 spells is duration. Confusion and Emotion last 2 rds +1 rnd per level. Malison lasts for TWO rds per level, so lasts longer. Might affect the sequence, just a hunch.

Xiaolin

Greater malison spell has a projectile, so it is the spell animation that is probably slower than the other spells? You have to list other spells you are using that could have a faster spell animation

Sharguild

Hi Xiaolin, he did list the two he hopes to use it with. Whether or not they are faster is in fact the debate.
I also have keen interest in this since idrc if this happened in vanilla. The spells selected to go with it are excellent. Are Emotion and/or Confusion projectile as well? I don't have nearinfinity so no idea personally.

TheArtisan

Yes, it's probably a projectile speed issue. Projectiles in the engine have weird interactions with sequencers since all they do is instant-cast all stored spells at the same time. So for example I store a sequencer with Flame Arrow, Flesh to Stone and a Power Word, the PW would always hit first, then the Flame Arrow, then Flesh to Stone. There's no way around it, unfortunately, unless you mod the spell to use a faster projectile. My advice is just use Malison on its own and follow up with a sequencer.

lunar

You can edit Greater Malison to use a non-projectile area effect (the one slow spell uses) via dltcep.

jackjack

lunar said:

You can edit Greater Malison to use a non-projectile area effect (the one slow spell uses) via dltcep.

Care to elaborate? I know only a bit of how to use dltcep. This issue has always driven me nuts.

lunar

@jackjack‌

Simple stuff, really. Open up the slow spell, look for its projectile. Note the number. Open up the Greater Malison, and change its projectile to slow's projectile number. Save the spell. It should work. I am at work now, and can give a more detailed workaround when I am home.

Slow spell has a more instantenous projectile effect, although it is NOT insta-instaneous. Still should work better than chaos's and emotion's slowly advancing sparkling magic effect.

Glidderdust

Artemius_I said:

Yes, it's probably a projectile speed issue. Projectiles in the engine have weird interactions with sequencers since all they do is instant-cast all stored spells at the same time. So for example I store a sequencer with Flame Arrow, Flesh to Stone and a Power Word, the PW would always hit first, then the Flame Arrow, then Flesh to Stone. There's no way around it, unfortunately, unless you mod the spell to use a faster projectile. My advice is just use Malison on its own and follow up with a sequencer.

This is pretty much what I've come to believe. I googled my situation and came across a similar thread from a few years ago. Guess it's still working the same way.

I know with a wild mage in an old game, I used crowd control spells more than anything and malison would always hit last. Now with my sorcerer, I was using skull trap and flame arrow but malison always hit after the damage was calculated. I tried every order I could with flame arrow, skull trap, and malison. Skull trap and flame arrow worked fine, malison always effected enemies last.

BelgarathMTH

Does this problem mean you can't use invisibility in a sequencer? I seem to remember trying it once, and having the invisibility get cancelled by the other spells in the sequencer, no matter where you put it in the order.

Glidderdust

I haven't tried defensive spells in a sequencer. I know blur and mirror image work fine in minor sequencer but I never used invisibility.