[MOD for BG2EE/EET] WeissMod Tweaks - Pay gold to rest, keep gold between BGs, time stop nerf
BG_Weiss
Member Posts: 5
Want a reason to stop resting before every fight? Bored of "resource management" in a CRPG series that throws gold at you? This mod is for you.
What it does: Every time you rest, the game will take some gold from you. If you don't have enough gold, you'll keep your gold but take a -6 luck fatigue penalty. Gold taken scales as the campaign progresses, based on either time elapsed or aggregate rests (or both, if you so choose).
Players get a few options on install. Time-based scaling will increase the gold costs every 20 days of in-game time. There is also a 4-hour "beauty sleep" option to somewhat even out the time spent resting vs. traveling. Rest-based scaling will increase the gold costs every 4-6 rests. This primary component of the mod is balanced for a full trilogy playthrough (with or without SoD). I'd assume it works on original copies, but I've only tested playing EE.
In addition to the two scaling options, you can also double or halve the gold taken for each choice. Mix and match if you like, or split the difference by paying half costs for both time-scaling and rest-scaling.
There are a couple of optional components related to Siege of Dragonspear. Basically, they let you keep your gold/equipment from BG1->SoD and from SoD->BG2. Keeping your gear from BG1->BG2 already exists with EET Tweaks, so I recommend that module if that's your plan. You can install my SoD components separate from the "pay gold to rest" components.
As of v1.2, these are the current costs:
# Days # Rests GOLD COST
0 0 50
20 4 500
40 8 1000
60 12 1500
80 16 2000
100 20 3000
120 24 4500
140 28 6000
160 34 7500
180 40 9000
200 44 11000
220 48 13000
240 52 15000
260 56 17500
280 60 20000
300+ 64+ 25000
My background/testing: I've played BG1+BG2 about 5 times each and SoD twice. I'm in the middle of a campaign testing this mod with SCS on Hardcore difficulty. I'm up to the Underdark. I say this because while I may need to tweak the values a bit more, I'm confident players can get through the game as is.
This is also my first mod. I've tested it only with a full EET install, but it works as expected and (un)installs fine. That said, I take no blame for borking your save. Will also work on just BG2(EE), but the gold scaling will be off since it'll start at BG1 levels.
Nerf Time Stop
An optional component separate from those above. This changes Time Stop to the following effects: The caster may cast spells without casting time like Improved Alacrity for 3 rounds. They also will gain 2 attacks per round, a +4 THAC0 bonus, and a +4 AC bonus.
Reason: Time Stop is the worst spell in the game, offering no counterplay other than "kill the wizard". I don't find it fun to use against the AI, and I don't find it fun standing around while the AI casts spells either. Hence, the nerf. I've tried to keep the spirit of it alive. It will work with SCS, but it obviously nerfs HLA spellcasting. SCS casters will no longer use Improved Alacrity after Time Stop.
There are a few more details in the readme, but the above covers what most folks will care about.
You can download it here - https://github.com/BG-Weiss/WeissMod-Tweaks. Use this thread for any questions/feedback.
What it does: Every time you rest, the game will take some gold from you. If you don't have enough gold, you'll keep your gold but take a -6 luck fatigue penalty. Gold taken scales as the campaign progresses, based on either time elapsed or aggregate rests (or both, if you so choose).
Players get a few options on install. Time-based scaling will increase the gold costs every 20 days of in-game time. There is also a 4-hour "beauty sleep" option to somewhat even out the time spent resting vs. traveling. Rest-based scaling will increase the gold costs every 4-6 rests. This primary component of the mod is balanced for a full trilogy playthrough (with or without SoD). I'd assume it works on original copies, but I've only tested playing EE.
In addition to the two scaling options, you can also double or halve the gold taken for each choice. Mix and match if you like, or split the difference by paying half costs for both time-scaling and rest-scaling.
There are a couple of optional components related to Siege of Dragonspear. Basically, they let you keep your gold/equipment from BG1->SoD and from SoD->BG2. Keeping your gear from BG1->BG2 already exists with EET Tweaks, so I recommend that module if that's your plan. You can install my SoD components separate from the "pay gold to rest" components.
As of v1.2, these are the current costs:
# Days # Rests GOLD COST
0 0 50
20 4 500
40 8 1000
60 12 1500
80 16 2000
100 20 3000
120 24 4500
140 28 6000
160 34 7500
180 40 9000
200 44 11000
220 48 13000
240 52 15000
260 56 17500
280 60 20000
300+ 64+ 25000
My background/testing: I've played BG1+BG2 about 5 times each and SoD twice. I'm in the middle of a campaign testing this mod with SCS on Hardcore difficulty. I'm up to the Underdark. I say this because while I may need to tweak the values a bit more, I'm confident players can get through the game as is.
This is also my first mod. I've tested it only with a full EET install, but it works as expected and (un)installs fine. That said, I take no blame for borking your save. Will also work on just BG2(EE), but the gold scaling will be off since it'll start at BG1 levels.
Nerf Time Stop
An optional component separate from those above. This changes Time Stop to the following effects: The caster may cast spells without casting time like Improved Alacrity for 3 rounds. They also will gain 2 attacks per round, a +4 THAC0 bonus, and a +4 AC bonus.
Reason: Time Stop is the worst spell in the game, offering no counterplay other than "kill the wizard". I don't find it fun to use against the AI, and I don't find it fun standing around while the AI casts spells either. Hence, the nerf. I've tried to keep the spirit of it alive. It will work with SCS, but it obviously nerfs HLA spellcasting. SCS casters will no longer use Improved Alacrity after Time Stop.
There are a few more details in the readme, but the above covers what most folks will care about.
You can download it here - https://github.com/BG-Weiss/WeissMod-Tweaks. Use this thread for any questions/feedback.
Post edited by BG_Weiss on
0
Comments
I modified the files so all of the in-game text is now handled through .tra files, to allow for translations.
I added a new component: Time Stop Nerf. I hate this spell in the base game. It's unfun to use and unfun for casters to use against me (yay, I get to watch the computer play the game instead of me). I may look for a more unique change later. For now these are the new effects: the caster may cast spells without casting time like Improved Alacrity for 3 rounds. They also will gain 2 attacks per round, a +4 THAC0 bonus, and a +4 AC bonus.
Small name change from WeissMod to WeissMod Tweaks. Since I apparently will change a few things outside of the mod's original scope, the tweaks part seemed fitting. I left the main name of WeissMod just for consistency and compatibility install/uninstall reasons.
Am I right?
If so IMHO it would become the most broken OP spell in the game, why: you can get a TS scroll in the Underdark and buy a second one from the Ribald special shop, a PI or simulacrum clone can use scrolls from the quick slots without consuming them (if the last patches doesn't disable it, my game is not updated as I dislike some of the last changes), a mage with Improved Alacrity, RoV and AoP can cast so fast that the TS freezing effect is not really needed, every spell of 4 or less casting time is instantaneous and you can kill even Draconis in no time lowering his MR, then stepping back 2 steps to give to the spells projectiles time to reach him then casting a barrage of MM, MMA and Skull traps before he has time to react or go invisible again.
This makes every mage capable of casting lev.7 spells and further more the ones that have reached lev 8 as they can cast the Simulacrum clone and then the PI one (if EE has not nerfed it) capable to win most of the battles by himself.
I personally almost never use vanilla TS as i find that is not really needed with IA, RoV and AoP, but I appreciate the some enemy uses it as it adds challenge, you have to disrupt him or survive the TS, and the enemy AI is not prepared to use your modified TS, it will assume that the vanilla one is used.
To cast PI lev 14 is required and it is only 1.5M xp for a single class, that is easy and fast to reach if starting from the SoD level cap, 1/3 of the road is already done, then go to the Underdark early and basically you have broken the game reaching a power comparable to a ToB mage while being mid way SoA and running a full party.
By comparison there is no Improved Alacrity scroll in the game, to earn the right to use it you have to get all the 3M xp needed and it will use one of your precious lev 9 slots, while with the modified TS even a high level mage can use the quick slot from PI trick so gets 1 more lev9 cast and longer alacrity effect.
I understand that it is your first mod and I don't want to criticize, every modder for me is doing a GREAT work for the community even if I like some mods and dislike others, my purpose is only to let you know how much that component can be abused if you are not aware of it.
Thanks. That's awesome feedback. The 3 rounds is a typo (also in the description). It lasts 2 rounds, exactly like Improved Alacrity. But the rest of your points stand.
I'd like a more elegant solution at some point the future. I never use TS either, and ultimately, that's the biggest point of this change. As you've pointed out, it's not great balance if the player plans to use it for themselves. I went with this kinda quick and dirty approach because I didn't want to cause a conflict with SCS, and using this version of Time Stop when SCS calls for it still seems beneficial to the caster. I just wanted it out of the game and figured I'd add it to this mod in case anyone else felt similarly. I find TS's interruption in combat tiresome, especially in the rare case(s) when two enemy mages cast it.