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Clarifications about spell descriptions

I'm creating a mod that attempts to improve the descriptions of some spells, and I have some questions about some descriptions:
  1. What's the area of effect of Time stop and Farsight?
  2. Is Spirit fire party friendly?
  3. The descriptions of Blade Barrier and Globe of Blades say that "Any creature attempting to pass through the blade barrier suffers 10d10 points of damage" What's the meaning of “pass through the Blade Barrier”? Does it mean making a melee attack against the caster?
  4. Blindness: How does it affect the range of sight of the victim?

Comments

  • Grond0Grond0 Member Posts: 7,457
    2. No
    3. No - just being within melee range will trigger the effect (which is what makes the tactic of using these spells while under sanctuary so devastating).
    4. It's difficult to quantify exactly as it depends on what you're trying to do and the degree to which you micro-manage positioning. I think the best way of explaining it would be in relation to combat. A blinded enemy will normally be able to see you if you're attacking with a standard melee weapon (range 1), but not if you're attacking from maximum range with a 2-handed weapon (range 2). One complication is that some enemies even in the unmodded game are scripted to react to nearby opponents and this can allow them to move towards you if you get into even 2-handed weapon range (even though they can't actually see you until they move closer).
  • AlonsoAlonso Member Posts: 806
    kjeron wrote: »
    Current Area (Far Sight Range), 46' Radius (Far Sight Reveal)
    I don't understand. Does far sight have two areas of effect?
  • kjeronkjeron Member Posts: 2,368
    It can target any location in the current area, where it will reveal a 46' radius.
  • RaduzielRaduziel Member Posts: 4,714
    Wait, you can summon Blade Barrier/Globe of Blades under Sanctuary?

    Well, here comes another patching for DoF.
  • The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • gorgonzolagorgonzola Member Posts: 3,864
    @Raduziel
    a C/M can have blade barrier, globe of blades and the 2 fireshields active and be under sanctuary's invisibility for even more cheese :)
    go near an enemy mage protected by a single fire shield and wait that he fail the save against the barrier or globe then watch him die in a split second...
  • RaduzielRaduziel Member Posts: 4,714
    Ha ha ha, yeah it's some of the cheesiest of all cheeses.

    I have a distinct recollection of you making sure Blade Barrier cancels Sanctuary, back when you discussed how to make spells break Sanctuary. (I recently looked it up while uodating TnB.)

    That code only removes the "break sanctuary" flag from some spell - it doesn't add it to any other.

    And even if those spells already break Sanctuary, it would be a matter of inverting the casting sequence to have both spells active.

    Anyway, I'll get it covered.
  • AlonsoAlonso Member Posts: 806
    I've another one: Is Greater Command party friendly?
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,317
    Alonso wrote: »
    I've another one: Is Greater Command party friendly?

    Yes.
  • AlonsoAlonso Member Posts: 806
    And another one: The descriptions of (Minor) Spell Deflection, (Minor) Spell Turning, and Shield of the Archons say they protect against "innate spell-like abilities". What's the difference between abilities that are innate and abilities that aren't? And between abilities that are spell-like and abilities that aren't?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    edited June 2019
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
    Post edited by [Deleted User] on
  • AlonsoAlonso Member Posts: 806
    edited June 2019
    Another two:
    • The description of Slow Poison says "it greatly slows the effects of venom, actually neutralizing all but the most deadly poisons". What does it mean that it SLOWS the effects? If you're getting 1 point of poison damage per second, for example, does it reduce it to, say, 1 point every two seconds? Also, what are the most deadly poisons that it doesn't neutralize?
    • The description of Remove Curse says "Certain special curses may not be countered by this spell, or may be countered only by a caster of a certain level or more". What curses may only be countered by a caster of a certain level or more?
  • kjeronkjeron Member Posts: 2,368
    Slow Poison:
    BG1/2EE - Removes Intoxication and all Poisons.
    IWDEE - Removes Intoxication, sets frequency of specific* poisons to trigger once per 10 seconds.
    * Only affects Poisons if their param2=(2 or 3), and only if they are not applied through an external EFF file.

    Remove Curse: The Remove Curse effect doesn't have the ability to filter curse effects. It's main function is to unequip cursed items, but it will also remove all curse effects (curse effects are defined by using op283).
    In BG2EE, the Genie? with the Deck of Cards is the main source of non-item curses.
    In IWDEE (or if ported over to BG1/2EE), it won't remove the effects of the "Curse" priest spell, because it's not really a curse (it can be removed with a simple dispel magic). AFAIK, IWDEE does not by default have any curse spells, only cursed items.

    The description is just fluff copied straight from PnP.
  • AlonsoAlonso Member Posts: 806
    A few more:
    • Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting: The description says it affects "living creatures". Does it mean that undead are immune?
    • Aid: The description says "The recipient of this spell gains the benefits of a Bless spell (+1 to attack rolls and saving throws)". However, the description of Bless says nothing about saving throws. Instead it says that it gives +1 to damage rolls and morale. Which one is correct?
    • Animate Dead: The description says "The skeleton warrior remains animated until it is destroyed in combat, 8 hours pass, or it is turned". Does this mean that when it is turned it is automatically destroyed, that it cannot just flee for a few rounds?
  • AlonsoAlonso Member Posts: 806
    edited July 2019
    And yet some more:
    • Does Breathe Fireball bypass magic resistance? I've read somewhere that it does, but the description says nothing about it.
    • What's the type of damage dealt by Prismatic Spray and Melf's Minute Meteors? (Checking NI it looks like Melf's Minute Meteors deals piercing rather than missile damage, which seemd odd).
    • What does Moon Dog Howl do exactly? A quick look at NI suggests it does more that the description says, but I don't understand the stats. Same for Moon Dog Sight.
    Post edited by Alonso on
  • kjeronkjeron Member Posts: 2,368
    Yes
    Magic Damage ("Green" still does Poison damage)
    Piercing (+Fire)
    Moon dog Fear: Fear effect can be saved against (-2 vs spell). If the save is failed, it also deals 5 Magic Damage to evil creatures instantly and again after 1 and 2 rounds. Otherwise it works as stated.
    Moon dog Sight: Removes effects from the Illusion Spell School of L5 and below (not exactly "all forms of illusion and invisibility"). Detect evil and Detect Traps. The detect traps may not at all or only if there are enemies within range (since it targets them, not you).
  • kjeronkjeron Member Posts: 2,368
    More on Melf's Minute Meteors:
    "Missile" isn't a damage type in PnP. It's primary (only?) purpose in the Infinity Engine is to allow Armor Class specifically vs. ranged attacks. If the attack cannot be blocked/deflected similar to an arrow, then there isn't much reason for it to deal missile damage over piercing damage (or blunt or slashing, depending on the projectile).
  • AlonsoAlonso Member Posts: 806
    My understanding of spell and ability descriptions is that by default spells are dispellable and don't bypass magic resistance unless their descriptions say otherwise (I think I've read that in the forums). However, I've been checking quite a few spells with NI and it looks like that is not the case. Most of the spells I've checked don't follow that default and the original descriptions say nothing about it. This is what I've found so far out of 25 spells and abilities:
    • Spells that follow the "default": Dark Taint, Holy Power, Exaltation, Mirror Image, Protection From Normal Missiles, Stoneskin, Detect Evil, Protection From Evil, Remove Fear, Protection From Evil, 10' Radius, True Seeing.
    • Spells that don't follow the default but the description says nothing about it:
      • Bypass magic resistance: Hand of Murder, Blood Drain, Chaos of Battle, Absorb Health, Dispel Magic, Greater Sun, Flaming Fists, Animate Dead.
      • Not dispellable: Animal Rage, Divine Favor, Resist Fear, Barbarian Rage.
      • Bypass magic resistance and not dispellable: Called Shot, Kai.

    Is this correct? I'm still not very familiar with NI, so I'm not sure if I got it right.
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