[MOD] Golem Construction for Spellcasters

argent77

Golem Construction for Spellcasters
A mod for BG:EE (with or without SoD), BG2:EE, EET (Enhanced Edition Trilogy) and IWD:EE.

Download latest release from GitHub (25 MB)

Download mirror (SHS) (25 MB)

Readme

You can encounter a great number of golems of various types throughout the game. They are strong, resistant, and utterly loyal to their master. Unfortunately they are mostly hostile towards you.

This mod makes an attempt to change it. It scatters a number of tomes across Faerûn containing the secret knowledge of how to construct golems. Reading these books allows you to build golems by yourself, provided you have enough experience, and all the required materials at hand. Only characters knowledgeable in the arcane arts are able to understand the complex theories behind the golem construction.

Golems can exist for a virtually unlimited time, or until destroyed. They can travel with the party all over the world and follow the commands of their master unconditionally.

The main component of the mod installs the "Manual of Golem Building" which comes in six volumes and can be found all over Faerûn. Each tome teaches you to build a different type of golem.

There are also rumors about a "Secret Manual of Golem Building" which teaches you to construct various exotic golem types.

Optional Tweaks include:

1. Replace original Golem Manual: Replaces the now obsolete original Golem Manual with items related to this mod.
2. Improve enemy spellcaster AI: Enemy mages and priests attempt to use more effective spells against golems.
3. Golems for enemy spellcasters: Enemy mages may be accompanied by one or more golem servants.
4. Greater variety of enemy golem types: Enemy golems will come in greater variety. Some fights may become more difficult because of it.
5. Fighter Stronghold golems may continue to serve you: One or more golems that survived the siege may serve you if you accept de'Arnise Keep as your stronghold.
6. Make golems vulnerable to specific spell effects: A number of spells can (positively or negatively) affect golems of certain golem types.
7. Reduce weapon immunities and resistances for constructed golems: Nerfs constructed golems, so that more opponents have a realistic chance to defeat them.
8. Identify all mod items: Identifies all items that are installed by this mod, which includes Golem Building Manuals as well as a number of special ingredients for building perfect golem variants.
9. Add "Teleport" ability to golems: Adds the "Teleport" ability to all of your golem followers. It allows golems to jump to a party member in visual range instantly, but can only be used when no enemies are in sight.

Golem types taught by the Manuals of Golem Building:

1. Flesh Golems in lesser, regular, greater and perfect variants.


2. Clay Golems in lesser, regular, greater and perfect variants.


3. Stone Golems in lesser, regular, greater and perfect variants.


4. Iron Golems in lesser, regular, greater and perfect variants.


5. Mithral Golems in lesser, regular, greater and perfect variants.


6. Adamantite Golems in lesser, regular, greater and perfect variants.

Golem types taught by the Secret Manuals of Golem Building:

Golems that can be commissioned during the BG1 part of the game:

The construction of golems takes time and has to be done in places with the right equipment. Golem may follow simple commands. You can instruct them to follow each of your command obediently, attack opponents by their own or guard a certain position passively or actively.

More details about the golems, the requirements to build them, their stats, traits and abilities can be found in the mod's readme.

Important: Games must be patched to v2.0 or higher to install this mod.

Ulb

Congratulations on the release, looks like a great mod!

argent77

Thank you.

It was a lot of fun to implement all the stuff by using the new functionality from patch 2.0 of the game engine. These golems are also more versatile as the standard golem variants that are working for the enemy (although I plan to change that soon).

Arthas

Question: which version is the best golem we can make in SoD?

argent77

It mainly depends on your spellcaster level. You will probably be able to build regular flesh golems and lesser clay or stone golems if you're a bard or mage. A transmuter may also be able to build regular clay or stone golems eventually, which are much more powerful.

There is also an exotic golem type you can build, but it's difficult to rate as its power or resilience is derived mainly from its attack type and resistances.

stewelement

Ah! Thank you so much for making this! I had made something similar years ago (a golem NPC you had to put together) and I lost it all when my hard drive crashed. This looks great, and just in time for me to start a new game. Thank you so much!!!

argent77

New version: Golem Construction for Spellcasters v2.0

Changes in v2.0:
- Added several tweak components (see first post for more information)
- Fixed missing immunities for adamantite golems
- Made mod fully EET-aware

stewelement

Spoilery question - will I miss any components if I skip Chateau Irenicus via Dungeon Be Gone?

argent77

Yes, you will.

If you start a new game you'll miss a golem manual and a number of ingredients, including one that can be used to build a perfect golem. (You'll also miss a note that provides a vague hint about a location suitable for constructing golems.)

If you imported your character from SoD you will also miss a number of items you might have in your inventory, including all of your tomes. Ingredients and tomes are scattered all over both levels of Chateau Irenicus.

stewelement

Ok, it makes perfect sense that there would be materials in his lair.
Am I understanding correctly when I say that I'm penalized by importing from SoD (by losing items previously found in SoD) ? Can all items be found in a single game or are they spread between campaigns?

argent77

No, you're not penalized.

You'll have the chance to port over a number of items from SoD if they are in your inventory. Otherwise the game will fall back to default items. Additionally the mod will attempt to place any tome found in your inventory into Irenicus' library.

You can find all items from SoD in BG2 as well. However, you can only find a single instance of each tome for exotic golems. So if you found such a tome in SoD already, then you'll not find another one in BG2.

stewelement

Ok, thank you for the responses. I will go back through the first dungeon and pick up what I missed. Is there anything to be concerned about when updating to the latest version?

argent77

Nothing I can think of. Have fun with the mod!

stewelement

Thank you again. Looking forward to it!

Arthas

make an optional plugin to let us get the tomes inside irenicus's dungeon even if we use Dungeon be gone, please.

stewelement

Argent, I ran the dungeon, and found three components and some scribbled notes, but no manual. I've probably missed something glaringly obvious, but I scoured both levels in a new game, and don't really want to do CI for the bazillionth time. Perhaps you could add a spoiler document to the mod readmes?

argent77

Arthas said:

make an optional plugin to let us get the tomes inside irenicus's dungeon even if we use Dungeon be gone, please.

You're not missing something exceptionally valuable if you skip the starting dungeon. The tome (and ingredients) found there can also be found or purchased outside of Chateau Irenicus.

stewelement said:

Argent, I ran the dungeon, and found three components and some scribbled notes, but no manual.

The tome should be in the same shelf where you found the scribbled note. It's been placed there by script, however. It's possible that another mod interfered with the area script or container in some way.

Just to make sure the script block has been executed at all:

Did you find an ingredient (most likely Body Parts) in a crate in the room with the many glass tubes (where you had to fight two mephits)?
Did you find an artifact (most likely a Deep Bloodstone Gem) in the drawer next to the bed in Ellesime's room?

stewelement

This is what I've found so far:

I found a pile of bones, some clay, and a bag of..something (it was shiny), as well as the scribbled notes. The artifact was not in Ellesime's room, but I believe the notes were. I did not find body parts either. Does the script have any random assignment based on item tiers?

Also, should Ribald have an apparatus or other item to purchase? The scribbled notes mention him, but I don't see anything of note in his shop inventory. I did manage to find the Maggot Golem tome in Mekrath's sewer hideout and some more components under the Copper Coronet, and in Rayic's dock home.

argent77

It sounds like you found all the stuff that has been added statically. Can you open the file AR0602.BCS in Near Infinity (or decompile with WeiDU) and search for the line "Global("TakeImportItems","AR0602",0)". Does the script block containing this condition include any of the following lines?

ActionOverride("Shelf17",TakeItemListPartyNum("A7!IMPT1",1))
ActionOverride("Crate2",TakeItemListPartyNum("A7!IMPT2",1))
ActionOverride("Shelf6",TakeItemListPartyNum("A7!IMPT3",4))
ActionOverride("Drawer1",TakeItemListPartyNum("A7!IMPT4",1))

The relevant information from the scribbled note is that the Planar Sphere in the Slums may be suitable for constructing golems. Everything else is just flavor text. I could obscure the merchant's name to make it clearer.

stewelement

Thanks, I'll check the area file when I get home this evening and let you know what I find. Don't adjust anything yet, I quite like finding things organically, I just want to be sure my install isn't hosed.

stewelement

Here is the relevant code from my AR0602.BCS. I just re-installed the 2.0 version and compared to what I had with 1.0, and they are the same:

IF
	Global("TakeImportItems","AR0602",0)
THEN
	RESPONSE #100
		SetGlobal("TakeImportItems","AR0602",1)
		StartCutSceneEx("BDSODIMP",TRUE)
		SetGlobal("Chapter","GLOBAL",1)
		ActionOverride("Malaaq",MoveBetweenAreas("AR0601",[345.591],SE))
		ActionOverride("Table3",TakeItemListPartyNum("IMPORT02",1))
		SmallWait(4)
		TakePartyGold(2147483647)
		ActionOverride(Player1,DestroyAllEquipment())
		ActionOverride(Player2,DestroyAllEquipment())
		ActionOverride(Player3,DestroyAllEquipment())
		ActionOverride(Player4,DestroyAllEquipment())
		ActionOverride(Player5,DestroyAllEquipment())
		ActionOverride(Player6,DestroyAllEquipment())
		CreateCreature("CSJON",[3210.3304],NE) // Mage
		ActionOverride(Player1,PlayDead(165))
		Wait(1)
		FadeFromColor([30.0],0)
		StartCutScene("NewGame")
END

stewelement

Additionally I thought it is worth mentioning that I see code that adds the golem abilities further into in the ar0602.bcs file.

argent77

Interesting. This script block looks differently compared to my own version. The golem ability code is unrelated to this issue and is required because abilities added by script or effect are discarded when importing characters from SoD.

I'll add the imports in a more compatible way in the next release.

stewelement

Are there other items added by scripts in other areas, or is CI a unique circumstance?

argent77

There are a few other items. But CI is unique as the mod attempts to expand an existing script block. Every other instance (with one exception) has been added as separate script blocks which is a much more modding-friendly approach.

stewelement

Ok. I plan to tackle the sphere this weekend, hoping to really dig into the mod.

stewelement

Haven't made it into the sphere yet but I was able to create my own lesser golem. Really enjoying it so far, thank you again for creating this. A couple more spoilery questions for you:

Are components a limited resource? My golem has been smashed a few times and I have no more stone to create a new one (thanks SCS). I peeked at the mod files and saw there is a merchant, so I assume I'll run into him someplace (maybe the Underdark?)

Can more than one mage in my party learn to build golems? I only have one that meets level requirements so far, but it appears that there is not a restriction on party members learning to build them.

Do the lesser golems 'shimmer' for you? I assume this is a result of shrinking the original animation files.

argent77

It sounds like you found an alternate golem building location instead.

Yes, resources are scarce. Some can be looted as random drops (especially materials for flesh or bone golems). If you're lucky you can also loot some clay, stone or iron from defeated enemy golems.

For merchants in SoA try Jerlia the Ore Merchant at Waukeen's Promenade. You can also try the Svirvneblin merchant in the Underdark and Lady Yuth (sp?) in Ribald's Store (or that Red Wizard merchant if you're doing Neera's quest). Most stuff can be found in containers or by killing monsters though.

The merchant you saw in the mod files is only available rather late in ToB, but provides many resources and other stuff for building golems.

I haven't played this mod with tactic mods yet. From my own experience golems are mostly effective against magic users or supernatural beings that rely on magical or innate abilities. Especially lesser golem variants should avoid physical combat with fighters because of their low HP.

All of your mages, sorcerers and bards can learn how to build golems. Since specialist mages and bards have different level requirements or advance faster in levels it might be advantageous to let them use the golem manuals instead.

The resized golem animations may "jitter" a bit. That's because their center point is either rounded up or down for each animation frame. There is nothing I can do to prevent it short of creating new animations from scratch. It's especially noticeable with the miniature flesh/clay/stone golem animation. You'll also notice it a bit later with a certain visual effect that is attached to perfect golems which has been resized for the bigger golem types.

argent77

New version: Golem Construction for Spellcasters v2.1

Changes in v2.1:

• SoD: Removed golems in front of Dragonspear Castle from the "Greater variety of enemy golem types" tweak because of scripting issues. They were initially hostile and could have turned everyone hostile if you were forced to attack them.
• Made item import script in SoA more compatible
• Minor textual fixes

I've put together a small mod which fixes the golem issue in front of Castle Dragonspear, in case you can't or don't want to re-install the tweak component "Greater variety of enemy golem types" of the Golem Construction mod. Important: It must be installed before you enter the Dragonspear Castle exterior map for the first time to see any effect.

Download: SoDGolemFix.zip

GrimLefourbe

I can't build golems in imnesval, the animation plays out and I get control of the golem but I lose it again after a few seconds.

Is there a limit to the number of golems active at a time ?

argent77

Yes, there is a limit of how many golems may follow your party at the same time. However, the construction dialog should cancel the process if the limit has been reached.

But your issue of losing control over the golems has most likely another cause. There is an EET-specific bug which is only triggered if you started the game with SoD or earlier. Because of a missing condition it causes each golem to be reset into an unresponsive state even in the BG2 part of the game. I have already fixed it locally for the next release.

Fixing it manually is difficult. I have attached a small mod that you can use to fix the issue on your system. It only affects newly built golems though. Existing golems which don't respond anymore can only be fixed manually with EE Keeper or NI. I can try to fix them if you upload your save, but it's probably easier to simply destroy them and create new ones.