Spell files not in use

Alonso

I'm writing a mod that changes the descriptions of spells in BG2. It's a lot of editing because there are so many spells, but also because there seem to be many spell files which are repeated. Examples are cdstaf12.spl, OHBWI308.spl, SPCL722.spl, SPDR301.spl, SPIN579.spl, SPIN714.spl, SPWI002.spl, SPWI308.spl, SPWI399.spl and SPWI997.spl, all of which are copies of Lightning Bolt. I imagine that in all these sets of repeated files the game only uses one of the files. It would be very convenient to find out which one it uses because then I could ignore the rest, which would save me a lot of editing time. So how can I find out which files the game actually uses?

kjeron

SPWI308 - Wizard Spell - Needs description
SPDR301 - Druid Avenger Spell - Needs description
SPCL722 - Cleric Talos Ability - Needs description
SPWI002 - Trap Spell
SPWI399 - Unused? Really an odd Firestorm by effect, not Lightning Bolt.
SPWI997 - Unused? (Labeled Gorion Lightning from original BG1)
SPIN579 - Scripted Kobold Amplifier spell
SPIN714 - Celestial Fury Lightning Strike ability
OHBWI308 - Cornugon ability
cdstaf12 - Staff of Power ability

Raduziel

@Alonso

As a rule of thumb: SPWI[1-9], SPCL, SPDR and SPPR[1-7] are spells that the player may use somehow.

If you see something odd still (like SPWI308 x SPWI399) check spell.ids,

https://gibberlings3.github.io/iesdp/files/ids/bgee/spell.htm

As an example: 1101 CLERIC_BLESS

1 - cleric spell

101 - code of the spell

So Bless is SPPR101.

2 is used for everything else, apparently. But valid spells starts with WIZARD_(...) or CLERIC_(...)

There are some exceptions like class spells, innates, Avenger/Stalker spells but this logic covers a lot of ground.

This logic is not applied to mod-added spells as it depends on how the modder decided to add it.

[Deleted User]

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Alonso

Just my luck I was almost certain that some of the spells would have been left there by mistake and that would allow me to remove them and avoid the need to copy the description changes to each repeated spell. From what you've explained here, it looks like almost all the spells are in use, though. Oh, well, I'll just edit all the repeated descriptions one by one.

Thank you for your help anyway