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[Request] Make Detect Illusions useful at one point of the game.

I would like to see the "Detect Illusions" skill useful. Maybe certain gaming attempts could reveal small, but amazing hidden areas? Or... rotating isometric view of the current one upon one and only one re-entering.
Iecerint

Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,675
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • bbearbbear Member Posts: 1,180
    unlike know alignment and detect evil (except that one instance in a particular stronghold)
    Kozaro
  • smeagolheartsmeagolheart Member Posts: 7,963
    Kozaro said:

    I would like to see the "Detect Illusions" skill useful. Maybe certain gaming attempts could reveal small, but amazing hidden areas? Or... rotating isometric view of the current one upon one and only one re-entering.

    Detect illusions is awesome, at high levels it can be an active dispel invisibility or mirror image etc

  • KozaroKozaro Member Posts: 71
    edited April 2013
    I'm still not sure if BG1 was designed to profit from that ability, but according to your words it could be more useful I imagined it had been.
  • smeagolheartsmeagolheart Member Posts: 7,963
    edited April 2013
    @Kozaro
    From Chris Lee's Thief Guide
    -=-=-=-
    Detect Illusions - Perhaps the most overlooked ability in Baldur's
    Gate II. This acts as a True Sight that your thief can activate by
    selecting "Find Traps" as a modal action. If you're going to use
    this, you probably want to go all the way as fast as you can, since
    generally you want to dispel illusions as fast as possible.

    In some respects, a high level Detect Illusions is even better
    than True Sight, since it doesn't wipe out your own illusions and
    since you essentially have an infinite use of it.

    So what are illusions? The really annoying spells, fortunately for
    a high level Detect Illusions: Mirror Image, (Improved) Invisibility
    (which also includes Shadow Door, Invisibility 10' Radius, etc.),
    Mislead (yes!), Simulacrum (woah!), Project Image (holy cow!), and
    Blur.


    The only problem is that it takes a while to "activate" after
    selecting "Find Traps." Fortunately, this doesn't really
    translate into anything but a shorter casting cost of a True Sight.
    -=-=-

    It seems to take a round to activate after you turn it on to me, which is similar to how true sight works by dispelling every round. (round being 6 seconds).
    Kozaro
  • Copastetic1985Copastetic1985 Member Posts: 277
    If you're an Assassin or another Thief kit with low points to distribute per level, Detect Illusions is an attractive first or second choice. My Assassin 6/Mage 9 had 100 in Detect Illusions and I think 40 in Move Silently. Gave him the Boots of Stealth as well to boost it up a little more. He had no problems skulking around in the shadows, and dispelling enemy Mages' illusions ( Mirror Image, Shadow Door, Invisibility etc. ).

    Keep in mind, if you attack an enemy first, you can then let your Thief auto-attack AND use Detect Traps ( Illusions ) at the same time.
  • KozaroKozaro Member Posts: 71
    edited April 2013
    I think that the Quadrople Thief combo: Charname, Imoen, Monatron, Safana
    shouldn't be that bad at all.

    Every thief specializing in a different skill, but the one thing they'll have in common is superior stealth. For the pupurposes of BG1 playthrough Assasin 5-6/Warrior (in order to get 3x Backstab multiplier) should be a decent option. I have noticed that multiclassing to a fighter enables to allocate **** in one weapon which is superior to **/** at the character generation.

    Assassin with weapon dripping in poison dualed for the grandmastery in it aided by 3 more backstabbers could result in lethal pre-emptive strikes - supported by Xzar and some decent archer hiding beneath the fog of war. Foes trying to chase over retreating thieves should make a perfect target for spells and arrows.

    Keep in mind, if you attack an enemy first, you can then let your Thief auto-attack AND use Detect Traps ( Illusions ) at the same time.

    Another dirty move to exploit... Will keep that in mind.

    Nevertheless, and according to the topic, Illusions could exist even outside of the field of battle. Which is a good point to consider.

    PS. It would also be great if cloth colors of thieves would impact their Hide in Shadow ability. Just flavour bonus (like+2%) for black robes, and -x% if wearing yellow or red ones.
    Post edited by Kozaro on
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,675
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • KozaroKozaro Member Posts: 71
    Then you should get this bonus anyway.
    As a reminder surfaces that absorb most of the radiation appear dark because of low amount of light particles bouncing from them. Since the Hiding in Shadows focuses on deceiving one's eye it's easier to manage that task trying not to emit any light as well as not to reflect it.

    Creatures which perception's based on smell could easily sniff out the danger. And creatures affected by Blindness should be exposed to any backstab if their adversary is just sneaky enough.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,675
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • Copastetic1985Copastetic1985 Member Posts: 277
    @Kozaro

    If you're running a PC Assassin, try Assassin 6/Mage 9. Poison Weapon ( x2 per day ) with Melf's Minute Meteors is just beautiful.
  • KozaroKozaro Member Posts: 71
    edited April 2013
    This skill that isn't called Camouflage but Hiding in Shadows which alludes that it mainly focuses on blending in darkness.

    @Copastetic1985
    Damn. Poison weapon affects ranged weaponry! Praise the Talona!
    Wouldn't be ***** Crossbow (Light Crossbow of Speed) proficiency even more deadly... (?)
  • EudaemoniumEudaemonium Member Posts: 3,199
    Kozaro said:

    This skill that isn't called Camouflage but Hiding in Shadows which alludes that it mainly focuses on blending in darkness.

    @Copastetic1985
    Damn. Poison weapon affects ranged weaponry! Praise the Talona!
    Wouldn't be ***** Crossbow (Light Crossbow of Speed) proficiency even more deadly... (?)

    This is one of the reasons Dorn is so good (except he can only get ++ in Crossbow, but you get what I mean.
    [Deleted User]
  • Copastetic1985Copastetic1985 Member Posts: 277
    edited April 2013
    Yeah, Dorn may only get ** in Crossbows, but with Light Crossbow of Speed, you can spread that poison around pretty easily with his APR. Throw in a few buffs to better his THAC0.

    I fudged-up and put his two extra ** in Longbows and gave him the Composite+1. Didn't even think about LCoS until, well...just now.

    And @Kozaro, I'm guessing it would be, along with more damage as well. I just like MMM's better. Not to mention all the other fancy things Mages get ( Stoneskin, Sequencer, Glitterdust, Shadow Door etc ). Now that there's Elven Chain in EE, it only gave me more of a reason to make an A6/M9.
  • EudaemoniumEudaemonium Member Posts: 3,199
    I only thought of LCoS because Dorn automatically gets Crossbow profs if recruited later. Otherwise I probably would have given him Longbow, like you did.
    [Deleted User]
  • Copastetic1985Copastetic1985 Member Posts: 277
    @Eudaemonium

    Maybe I should have waited a level or two. I try to get my NPCs as early as possible. I didn't know where his point would go if I had waited a few more levels.

    Speaking of points. Ack! I had to SK Shar-Teel. Whoever decided to give that woman 1 Longsword, 1 Dagger, 1 Crossbow ( I think it was Crossbow ) and 2 in Two Weapon Fighting at level 4, should be fired.
    Kozaro
  • EudaemoniumEudaemonium Member Posts: 3,199
    I know! It should at least be 2 longsword, 1 dagger, 2 TWF. I guess she wanted to be jack-of-all.
    [Deleted User]
  • ajwzajwz Member Posts: 4,122
    Ignoring the fact dettect illusions dispels all sorts of nasty mage protections, it is also very useful in the circus tent in bg2, where it makes the illusory werewolfs disappear, which I think is the sort of thing OP was requesting.
  • bbearbbear Member Posts: 1,180

    @Kozaro
    From Chris Lee's Thief Guide
    -=-=-=-
    Detect Illusions - Perhaps the most overlooked ability in Baldur's
    Gate II. This acts as a True Sight that your thief can activate by
    selecting "Find Traps" as a modal action. If you're going to use
    this, you probably want to go all the way as fast as you can, since
    generally you want to dispel illusions as fast as possible.

    In some respects, a high level Detect Illusions is even better
    than True Sight, since it doesn't wipe out your own illusions and
    since you essentially have an infinite use of it.

    So what are illusions? The really annoying spells, fortunately for
    a high level Detect Illusions: Mirror Image, (Improved) Invisibility
    (which also includes Shadow Door, Invisibility 10' Radius, etc.),
    Mislead (yes!), Simulacrum (woah!), Project Image (holy cow!), and
    Blur.


    The only problem is that it takes a while to "activate" after
    selecting "Find Traps." Fortunately, this doesn't really
    translate into anything but a shorter casting cost of a True Sight.
    -=-=-

    It seems to take a round to activate after you turn it on to me, which is similar to how true sight works by dispelling every round. (round being 6 seconds).

    I'm pretty sure Detect Illusion cant destroy simulacrum. The clone is not an image, it's a physical being. Also, True Sight doesnt wipe out own or friendly party illusions. Oracle does that.
  • KozaroKozaro Member Posts: 71
    edited April 2013
    ajwz said:

    it is also very useful in the circus tent in bg2, where it makes the illusory werewolfs disappear, which I think is the sort of thing OP was requesting.

    Sure. This skill could also enable noticing concealed content in someone's writings... Encrypted by using magical ink.
    Eudaemonium
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