Jaheira keeps using fists in battle

Aleque

Hi

Title says the most of it. I use Cleric Aggressive script for Jaheira and she has quarterstaff and sling equipped (and ammo). But she keeps changing to fists when in battle. So annoying.

Any fix for this, please?

sarevok57

i find the default scripts seem to be a little buggy at times so somewhere on this forum i made a huge script list of different scripts if you want to try those out instead:

https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/63928/improved-scripts-for-your-bg-bg2-playing-experience

Aleque

Thanks. However, I am still amazed that they made an entire "enhanced" edition of the game which doesn't fix these issues. I keep forcing her to use either sling or quarterstaff and she keeps changing to fist.

Grond0

@Aleque I don't understand how she's able to change. If you have staff and sling equipped then there are no spare weapon slots available for fists. Is she really unequipping weapons? If so that sounds like a bug to me, not the effect of a script.

JuliusBorisov

Yes, indeed, very odd. Can you please provide screenshots and a repro case?

Aleque

Here is a savegame (Auto-Save). Travel to the promenade, get attacked on the way and see how she handles it. Just enable A.I. and let them fight on their own. Try switching to either sling or staff on Jaheira and see how she keeps switching to fist; at least she does on my PC. Pretty weird indeed.

JuliusBorisov

I see now. Turns out when she's out of bullets in the stack she chooses to attack by fists and the game doesn't switch to the next stack of bullets. Observed in the 2.3 (retail build).

Will report on support.baldursgate.com after I investigate it further in the 2.5 beta (opt in the beta according to the instructions here - http://blog.beamdog.com/2017/12/the-25-update-beta-is-here.html)

Edit - the bug is now reported - https://support.baldursgate.com/issues/35977 Thank you!

Aleque

Any idea what to do meanwhile? I am considering to use sarevok57's script, although I would rather prefer to use already existing scripts.

JuliusBorisov

Meanwhile - make sure the stack of bullets she uses is always full and is selected (i.e. the paper doll shows a character equipped with a sling with a bullet). It'll be fine this way. Just replenish bullets after fights.

Grond0

@JuliusBorisov I think the issue is a bit different, i.e not to do with the bullet stacks but the way the scripts are functioning in relation to the fix done a while ago to allow shields to be put in the shield slot at the same time as a 2-handed weapon is equipped.

I virtually never use scripts myself, so don't have any real experience of them. However, I think what is happening is as follows:
- script considers the situation and determines what action the character should take.
- in this case the script sees enemies in close combat and therefore decides to switch to melee weapons.
- as the chosen script normally prioritizes ranged weapons, whether or not Jaheira starts with the staff equipped the script looks to change to a melee weapon.
- script sees a shield is equipped and therefore looks for a one-handed melee weapon. As none is available in the weapon slots it chooses fist.

If you change to a script that prioritizes melee weapons and start with staff equipped it will not change to fist.

@Aleque as a workaround if you don't want to muck around with changing scripts you could do one of the following:
- keep a single-handed weapon (such as a scimitar or club) equipped if you want to keep using a shield.
- don't equip a shield if using a 2-handed weapon (you don't get the shield bonuses in any case while a 2-handed weapon is selected).

Aleque

Well, I tried refilling my ammo slot, changing script and even unequipping my quarterstaff (so that I only have sling and shield). And the problem persists. Pretty frustrating battles so far.

That, and constantly "my weapon does nothing" in certain situations. I know the latter is off-topic, but still I felt like mentioning it. Those spammy voices makes me want to turn off my sound, which is shame, since many of the important lines are voiced. I wish I could turn off the voice volume (for instance when a character's bag is full), except for when there is an actual conversation.

I am digressing from the main topic here, but feel like I am battling and struggling through this game already in a sense, that I am not used to reading so much text on a PC screen. And I have to put up with these minor frustrations as well. I guess that is the price of playing an older game. Expectations have gotten higher throughout the years.

Grond0

Aleque said:

Well, I tried refilling my ammo slot, changing script and even unequipping my quarterstaff (so that I only have sling and shield). And the problem persists. Pretty frustrating battles so far.

You need to ensure that your script is not trying to change your selected weapon. For instance if you had a script that only ever used a ranged weapon then it would never change from a sling to fists. Most scripts though will change between melee and ranged weapons depending on the battle situation. If you've unequipped the staff and just have a sling then the melee weapon chosen will be fists.

To avoid selecting fists see the workarounds I suggested in my previous post. You should make sure that both weapon slots are always filled with a melee weapon and a ranged weapon. If you're using a 2-handed melee weapon then don't put anything in the shield slot.

Aleque

@Grond0 Thanks for being patient with me. I finally understand - and it does seem to work... so far Too bad, however, that I already put a point in "Sword" and Shield weapon style on Aerie.