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Saved from death at level 1 via damage resistance?

RedWizardRedWizard Member Posts: 242
edited March 2018 in Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition
Huh so I'm replaying BG1EE at core rules without story mode and I noticed that twice Xzar has been saved from death at level 1 by being left at 1 HP and resisting the leftover damage that would have killed him (bandit arrow hit him for 6, he was left with 1 HP and resisted 2 as he has a max of 4). What's weird is that it doesn't seem to happen every time that would result in death, Kagain had no problem dying to 2 kobolds that got lucky hits before (one of which dealt 10 damage... on a non critical, thanks for the balance SCS)
Is this an EE change? Besides that I only have SCS installed.

Comments

  • joluvjoluv Member Posts: 2,137
    This behavior is described in the Exploits, Tricks, and Nonstandard Tactics thread:
    Level 1 characters cannot die in one hit unless they have 14 HP or higher. Level 1 characters who only have 1 HP therefore cannot die from damage, as the game cannot reduce their HP to any fraction of the total.

    This isn't fully reliable, however, and occasionally a level 1 character will die after taking repeated hits.
    I don't know whether or not it's new for EE.
  • KuronaKurona Member Posts: 881
    This is original BG1 behavior. Pre-ToSC even.
  • RedWizardRedWizard Member Posts: 242
    Huh, interesting.
    I have vivid memories of dying to that wolf on the second map, or Tarnesh's magic missiles.
    I suppose just like joluv said it's not 100% reliable and repeated hits will still kill you.
  • KuronaKurona Member Posts: 881
    Magic Missiles is made out of several projectiles so you'll only survive one, unless you quaff a potion between hits.

    If you're curious there's an old thread with a few tests: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/833874.
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 6,006
    its a game engine design

    what happens is, if you have a maximum HP value of ( 12 i believe ) or lower and are at full health, it is impossible to kill you in one hit ( in fact, if your HP value is 1/1, you are immortal to damage )

    this was no doubt an intentional design way back in the day, to make it so that if new players made low HP characters, then they wouldnt be getting instant game over screens from enemies instagibbing low level characters
  • Grond0Grond0 Member Posts: 7,460
    The original game was bugged, such that damage that exactly equalled your HPs would kill you. If for example you had 13 HPs, damage of 13 HPs would kill you, though if the damage rolled was 14 or more you would be left with 1 HP.

    That bug was only identified quite recently and still exists in the current retail game. I think it should be fixed in the next full release.
  • lunarlunar Member Posts: 3,460
    edited June 2018
    Also, elemental arrows are killer as they do two seperate damages. A fire arrow from kobold commando will do ranged arrow damage and that damage can't kill a lvl 1 character at full hp, BUT the accompanying damage will.

    It is also the same for area effect spells that allows a save. Those spells are coded to hit twice, with the second hit being blocked by saving throw. If a 4 hp mage is hit by a lvl 10 fireball, the first hit of 5d6 will do 3 damage as to allow no-one shot kill on full hp lvl1 char rule. If the mage saves he will survive, since the second 5d6 is avoided. If save is failed he will take the full second 5d6 hit and since he had 1 hp left, will be charred/chunked beyond resurrection most probably.
  • kjeronkjeron Member Posts: 2,368
    lunar said:

    It is also the same for area effect spells that allows a save. Those spells are coded to hit twice, with the second hit being blocked by saving throw. If a 4 hp mage is hit by a lvl 10 fireball, the first hit of 5d6 will do 3 damage as to allow no-one shot kill on full hp lvl1 char rule. If the mage saves he will survive, since the second 5d6 is avoided. If save is failed he will take the full second 5d6 hit and since he had 1 hp left, will be charred/chunked beyond resurrection most probably.

    Most (all?) of them have now been adjusted to use the "Save for Half" flag, so they only deal damage once.
  • RaduzielRaduziel Member Posts: 4,714
    kjeron said:


    Most (all?) of them have now been adjusted to use the "Save for Half" flag, so they only deal damage once.

    Wait, since when this exists?

  • kjeronkjeron Member Posts: 2,368
    The mechanic was added in either v1.3 or v1.4 IWDEE, but most of the spells were not updated until v2.5.
  • RaduzielRaduziel Member Posts: 4,714
    kjeron said:

    The mechanic was added in either v1.3 or v1.4 IWDEE, but most of the spells were not updated until v2.5.

    Guess I'll need to make a revision in a lot of kits I made.

    Thanks!
  • lroumenlroumen Member Posts: 2,538
    It's effectively the same though. I can only think of this cannot die at level 1 scenario where the behaviour is different but not unexpected.
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