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Remove the Find Familiar spell from BG:EE, or rebalance the summons

MungriMungri Member Posts: 1,645
edited November 2012 in Archive (Feature Requests)
These screenshots should say it all:

image

image

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Its as broken as the Totemic Druid's summons were. If you pick Lawful Evil alignment you basically have a free wizard slayer in your pocket.

I'm normally against nerfs and changing overpowered things, but the thing is about this that find familiar was never meant to be available in vanilla BG1. Just having a single mage use polymorph self is already an incredibly OP cheesy tactic that I've used to easily solo most of both BG1 + 2, and now I found out I can carry a polymorphing imp in my pocket.

Comments

  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    I've been pushing for an overhaul to the Find Familiar spell for about eight months now. It's a little more complicated than just changing the .cre file, though, so it might take some time.
  • HexHammerHexHammer Member Posts: 288
    Overall EE might be good, but this Familiar Terminator and removing the original cutscenes just gives a bit bitter taste.
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,317
    edited November 2012
    So can you confirm that it is like this as well in BGEE (I only say that because your screenshots are from either BGT or Tutu from the look of them)? I'm assuming it is the case that BGEE is the same given aosaw's comments.
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    It is; they didn't change the familiar .cre files because there wasn't enough time to change them in the way that they wanted. There may also have been some contractual limitations; I don't remember.
  • Space_hamsterSpace_hamster Member Posts: 950
    edited November 2012
    I'm astonished. How does this NOT break the game?


    ---
    Seriously, I'm making a mental list of stuff I'm NOT going to do so the game isn't gimped for me:

    - not play werewolf - too over powered
    - not cast find familiar --- too powerful
    - what about some of the BG spells? I can think of many that may be over powered. Even Wizard eye and many of the animal summons.
    - some of the special ability for the kits seem way over powered as well --- though this may balance out by playing at a higher difficulty level.
  • MungriMungri Member Posts: 1,645
    edited November 2012
    I just tried it in BGEE, and it is actually nerfed.

    - Polymorphed forms dont gain free haste
    - Sword spider replaced with a crappy regular spider that doesnt poison
    - Mustard jelly still available, and can kill Firebead Elvenhair.

    Its still worth playing a LE mage though just for the extra jelly, but unfortunately it seems like the spider form was severely nerfed which will make my soloing much more harder.
  • Space_hamsterSpace_hamster Member Posts: 950
    Hmmm interesting find.
  • MungriMungri Member Posts: 1,645
    Ok for the purpose of my main character and not the familiar, how do I get my sword spider / original polymorph self back?
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    I could be mistaken, but I believe they operate as different spells now. I can't confirm that until I learn the spell, though. :)
  • MungriMungri Member Posts: 1,645
    Oh ok, im still only a level 4 swashbuckler, dual classing at level 6.
  • bigdogchrisbigdogchris Member Posts: 1,336
    I have a related question.

    Why is Find Familiar only allowed to be used by the protagonist?
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    I believe the original balance reason was that it would be too potent to have, say, six familiars in your party.

    That said, it wouldn't be that bad if it were just limited to "one per party", rather than "only the protagonist".
  • bigdogchrisbigdogchris Member Posts: 1,336
    edited November 2012
    I only want them for the extra HP, so they stay in my backpack.

    I understand that, though a group with all mages would have it's own challenges.
  • MungriMungri Member Posts: 1,645
    Good god, a 6 LE mage party with summon limits removed ..... 6x sword spider imps, 6x Simulacrum, 12x Spider spawn, 12x Polymorphed mages ... o.O
  • bigdogchrisbigdogchris Member Posts: 1,336
    Mungri said:

    Good god, a 6 LE mage party with summon limits removed ..... 6x sword spider imps, 6x Simulacrum, 12x Spider spawn, 12x Polymorphed mages ... o.O

    I suppose the developers have to look out for that type of thing. I don't play that way (whatever is absolutely most powerful combination), so it's not a concern for me.

  • MortiannaMortianna Member Posts: 1,356
    @Mungri I think this is an issue of external vs. internal control. Instead of requesting that the game developers place more limitations on everyone's game playing possibilities, why not just impose limitations on yourself by not using the Imp familiar as a death-machine. Is it less fun if the limits to game play are self-imposed? If so, how can you play PnP, where the rules exist to the extent that you apply them?
  • MungriMungri Member Posts: 1,645
    The familiar is already nerfed though it seems.
  • RaphielDrakeRaphielDrake Member Posts: 41
    Slightly annoyed about the familiar. I did an import into a new game with a mage character who had a familiar in his inventory, I let it out of my backpack and... nothing. So now I've got extra hit points with no strings attached. I mean I could use it as an exploit to gain infinite hp fairly easily. I don't want to, I haven't and I can't summon another familar for fear of gaining an outrageously unfair advantage in BG2.
    Fuck familiars, seriously. They seriously screw with new playthroughs using the same character.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,675
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  • RaphielDrakeRaphielDrake Member Posts: 41
    edited February 2013
    Bhaaldog said:


    Oh the connotations...

    I am now slightly concerned that my post may have left mental images of inappropriate behaviour involving myself and a small, rather worried looking pseudo dragon.
    It was certainly not my intention to spread this mental image and would ask all of you to now stop picturing it.
    No really, stop it. Thank you.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,675
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • RaphielDrakeRaphielDrake Member Posts: 41
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=_ZfrLTD1PZ0
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    edited February 2013
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
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