Call Lightning only strikes once

TiaxTheMighty

Are we really still having this problem in 2021? I'm running version 2.6.6.0 BGEE and I'm a level 8 druid and even standing around doing nothing... after casting call lightning on a group of 4-5 creatures a 2nd bolt never comes. Is this a bug that was reintroduced in a recent patch? Is it something I can fix by downloading a mod?

If anyone knows a fix for this, please let me know. It's making me lose interest in my druid playthrough.

Arvia

Is your game unmodded?

Also, sorry if I'm asking something obvious, but were the creatures all hostile?
At level 8 it should last 2 rounds and therefore strike twice, but the second bolt, unlike the first which can be cast on anyone, will only strike hostile creatures, so it won't work if you do a preemptive strike and they're still blue, for example.

TiaxTheMighty

Game is unmodded and all creatures were hostile

jmerry

Looking into the mechanics ... the multiple strikes are handled with projectiles Call_Lightning_Chain_N, where N is the intended number of strikes (1 to 4; the effect caps at level 18). And those projectiles don't have associated .PRO files. They have a number and a spot in MISSILE.IDS, but I couldn't tell you anything beyond that.

Basically, Call Lightning is really weirdly coded, and I have no idea how to tell if what's going on there even works. Except for experiments.

[Edit: OK, tested in ideal conditions - fresh ToB fighter/druid with normal weapon immunity from the +5 elven chain, pack of archer goblins. Druid level 13, three goblins die to one casting. It does work, at least.]

Bubb

It acts like a chained projectile, where every time the cycle repeats, it jumps to the nearest enemy relative to the previous target. The next enemy must be within the (default) visual range of the previous target and have a LOS.

The whole effect dissipates if it cannot jump. It will not hit the same target twice in a row, but it can jump back if it goes through a secondary creature.

See the following, where I've modded the strike to cycle faster and hit every creature type. Notice how it cycles the first time around, but stops after 2 strikes when I teleport the characters away:

A visual barrier can have a similar effect of ending the spell before all of the strikes hit, (say, if the only remaining enemy paths around a corner just before the next strike is supposed to go off).

TiaxTheMighty

It works in BG2EE. It isn't working in BGEE. Has anyone confirmed it's hitting multiple times in the first BG?

Also, isn't the area of the spell supposed to be really big? I'm surprised that teleporting them that short of a distance interferes with the secondary hits.

Edit: It says it has a 360 ft radius.

jmerry

Yes, it works in BGEE.

Tested with a level 7/8 fighter/druid, against a pair of hobgoblins. Version 2.6, Mac/GoG, no relevant mods. One cast, two kills.