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[v1.0] Mystic Fire: Arcane Paladin Kit

 TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
edited December 2018 in General Modding
The Mystic Fire is a component of The Artisan's Kitpack mod. Download it here:

Kit Description

MYSTIC FIRE: Knights of the Mystic Fire are paladins dedicated to the church of Mystra, goddess of magic. They are proficient in martial combat as well as arcane magic. Aside from traditional virtues of paladinhood, Mystic Fire Knights devote part of their lives in the discovery and study of ancient magic.

Advantages:
– +2 bonus to Lore per level.
– May cast two additional spells per level.
– +1 to Saving Throws vs. Spells. Gains an additional +1 at level 5 and every 5 levels gained thereafter.
– The Mystic Fire's spells are cast as though they were a cleric of the same level.
– May cast the following spells as priest spells:

Level 1: Magic Missile, Shocking Grasp* , Shield, Find Familiar
Level 2: Mirror Image, Web, Melf's Acid Arrow, Invisibility
Level 3: Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Haste, Minor Spell Deflection
Level 4: Greater Malison, Fire Shield (Red), Stoneskin, Secret Word

– May use 'Shatter Spell' ability once per day and an additional use every 6 levels thereafter.

SHATTER SPELL: Knights of the Mystic Fire are able to smite spellcasters and disrupt their defensive spells as well as their ability to cast magic. The next attack made by the Mystic Fire within two rounds will dispel the target's combat protections. Additionally, if the target fails a save vs. spells at -2, they suffer 100% spell failure for two rounds.

– May use 'Spellblade' ability once per day from 5th level onwards.

SPELLBLADE: The Mystic Fire Knight enchants their weapon for the next hour, giving it a +3 enchantment level and dealing 1d4 magic damage (+1d4 per five caster levels up to level 20) and reducing targets' magic resistance by 5% per hit for two turns. Enchantment bonus increases to +4 at 12th level and +5 at 18th level.

Disadvantages:

– -1 penalty to THAC0 modifier, with an additional -1 at 10th level and every 10 levels thereafter.
– May not learn the following High Level Abilities: Whirlwind Attack, Greater Whirlwind Attack, Power Attack, Critical Strike, Smite
– May not use Protection From Evil.
– May not Turn Undead.
– May not use Lay on Hands.

* The Mystic Fire's Shocking Grasp works differently from the mage's.

Shocking Grasp
(Alteration)

Level: 1
Range: Touch
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 1
Area of Effect: 1 creature
Saving Throw: None

This modified Shocking Grasp spell allows the Mystic Fire Knight to imbue a melee weapon instead of hand. When the Mystic Fire Knight touches a creature while this spell is in effect, an electrical charge will deal 1d8 points of damage plus 1 per level of the caster to the creature touched. In addition, the attack strikes as a +6 weapon. The Mystic Fire Knight only has one charge, and once an opponent has been touched, the spell's energies have been used. The Mystic Fire Knight has 1 round per level to touch the target creature.

High Level Abilities

Extra Level 1 Spell
Choosing this ability allows the Mystic Fire Knight to cast one additional Level 1 spell.

Extra Level 2 Spell
Choosing this ability allows the Mystic Fire Knight to cast one additional Level 2 spell.

Extra Level 3 Spell
Choosing this ability allows the Mystic Fire Knight to cast one additional Level 3 spell.

Extra Level 4 Spell
Choosing this ability allows the Mystic Fire Knight to cast one additional Level 4 spell.

Arcane Knowledge
An experienced Mystic Fire Knight develops more knowledge of arcane spells closer to that of an actual wizard, gaining +1 to all Saving Throws and the ability to cast Cone of Cold, Spell Immunity, Oracle and Sunfire once per day.

Arcane Knowledge II
An experienced Mystic Fire Knight develops more knowledge of arcane spells closer to that of an actual wizard, gaining -1 to casting time and the ability to cast Globe of Invulnerability, Improved Haste, Protection from Magical Weapons and Spell Turning once per day.

Arcane Knowledge III
An experienced Mystic Fire Knight develops more knowledge of arcane spells closer to that of an actual wizard, gaining +20% to spell duration and the ability to cast Limited Wish, Mordenkainen's Sword, Khelben's Warding Whip and Spell Turning once per day.
Post edited by TheArtisan on
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Comments

  • toolargtoolarg Member Posts: 179
    edited April 2016
    I agree with subtledoctor, the list of spells doesnt make much sense and find familiar is obviously there just for the extra HP.
    Aedan
  • kensaikensai Member Posts: 228
    No haste? Good.
    Remove Magic is unnecessary cause you have Dispel.
    Stoneskin is little OP. Maybe Minor Sequencer instead?
    Chromatic Orb is good, Minor Sequencer of Doom and Orb is great combo!
    Ithual
  • rkocourrkocour Member Posts: 34
    edited April 2016
    So weird bug, tried installing this, and weidu keeps referencing a mysticfire/setup.tra that it can't find. I don't know if this matters since the install continues, but if it does matter because weidu keeps referencing it in later installs after it, it probably needs to be cleaned up.
    Post edited by rkocour on
  • GoturalGotural Member Posts: 1,229
    I agree with the comments made about the spell selection but if you do remove Mirror Image/Stoneskin I would definitely suggest to give Hardiness back to this kit.

    A Fighter type character without damage resistances is likely to feel a bit too squishy in ToB against Dragons/Fire Giants and other big enemies.
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    I'll look over the .tra issue.

    As for the spell balance I'll look into that as well. Improved Haste can probably go - still not convinced about Stoneskin because of how late you get it.

    Remove Magic is useful when you don't want to kill your own buffs.

    Minor Sequencer did not work the last time I tried to implement it. I'll see what I can do.

    Contingency will definitely return as an HLA.

    I'm perfectly happy to remove Find Familiar if I had a clue of how to make Identify work as a priest spell.
  • ThorgaazThorgaaz Member Posts: 46
    Well to be honest I expected a Pala who throw Fireballs, enhance his Sword with Firemagic and maybe an Fireprotectionspell. Instead of turn undead he uses some kind of heat aura burning every enemy around him (of corse only a little not good for dmg but against trolls) or reducing Firedmg from enemys.
    As downside Scalemail and Metalweapons only. (wooden ones might burn)

    You know, doing that he would have one direction, one kit, one class. And these changes I listed up are already an very big change. Changing him into an more offensive but still melee mode. With Fire.

    Your Paladin all in all is a strong class, but loosing the THACO means he´s not a real good frontlinefighter anymore. You DO have the Fireweapon but if you cant hit with it it kinds of loosing its purpose. Plus I would extend its duration. 3 rounds are really short. Why not an hour but only once per Day?

    And to your spellist, yea seems way to random for me, and adding two skillevels per default on the Platecharacter seemes odd too. Yust think about it, his Shatterspell already gives the Inquisitor a hard Time. Making him additional an better caster as the Mage with an not too small selection of always lerned spells castable in Armor he seems an little too hardcore for me. Maybe okay with some Powergaming Dual/Multikits but way above an averange class.
  • FunkaveFunkave Member Posts: 31
    Hi, any development on this project? Are there similar kits? I would start a new game after years if a lore-friendly, balanced, arcane magic-wielding paladin kit would appear. Thanks!
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    @Funkave

    I have a lot going on a the moment. Not to say I won't come back to this though once I have the chance.
  • AchaeanAchaean Member Posts: 9
    edited December 2017
    This looks pretty interesting. Something like this would be interesting to represent the oft spoke of but ever elusive Shadow Druid.
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    Achaean said:

    This looks pretty interesting. Something like this would be interesting to represent the oft spoke of but ever elusive Shadow Druid.

    I'm not sure what this has to do with Shadow Druids. Also I haven't looked at this kit for eons. I can't tell you to expect an update any time soon.
  • AchaeanAchaean Member Posts: 9
    Well the kit itself has nothing to do with Shadow Druids; I was more referring to the concept of mixing arcane spells with a divine class beyond that of the mage/cleric combination for a darker potential. Just had me thinking is all. I expect nothing and I appreciate the effort you put into this even if it was eons ago. Have a pleasant day my friend!
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    Updated to v1.0.
    • Rebuilt the kit from the ground up.
  • SharGuidesMyHandSharGuidesMyHand Member Posts: 2,579

    So this kit has no weapon or armor restrictions? Dang...

    Is it usable in IWD:EE?
  • Fishmalk_1Fishmalk_1 Member Posts: 57
    Love the idea of this - a single class to the FMC what the bard is to the FMT, and I'm rolling this for my next trilogy playthrough.

    For giving feedback, it would help to know what your target point is for balance. Even amongst the paladin kits there is a large disparity between the iniquistor and the rest, with the trueclass pally far behind (which isn't unusual for trueclasses, but that is a bigger issue for some than for others), and paladins are far from the strongest characters.

    It is also a fairly impactful kit, with a lot of bonus abilities that are compensated for by shelving pretty much everything unique to the base class. What exactly do you want this kit to be, and what do you intend for each advantage/disadvantage to accomplish?

    A couple things stand out at first glance:
    1. I like the lore bonus as a flavor effect, and it should stay regardless of what else you do
    2. Making a different version of Shocking Grasp that is still called Shocking Grasp is annoying. If it has a different effect it should have a different name (and icon if possible)
    3. Lower THACO is better. A penalty to THACO would be +1, not -1
    4. Shatter Spell and Spellblade look really strong.
    5. Looking at it from someone looking to use it in BG1: the kit hinges very heavily on its spellcasting, which it doesn't get until level 9, at which point it gets big powerspikes from gaining new levels of spellcasting and then HLAs. Compared to other paladin kits, the mystic fire offers virtually nothing for all of BG1. How big of a problem this is or isn't is a matter of taste, but I would at least consider some smoothing out.
    6. On the HLAs: giving 12 spells as special abilities is extremely annoying. This is where I would start looking for things to cut, or have the HLA add the spells to their spellbook instead.
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277

    Making a different version of Shocking Grasp that is still called Shocking Grasp is annoying. If it has a different effect it should have a different name (and icon if possible)

    Probably will do... eventually.
    Lower THACO is better. A penalty to THACO would be +1, not -1

    Ehhhhh... semantics. The thing is it gets confusing when you see that all weapons also state "plus THAC0" as an advantage which is why I deliberately worded it that way. I think the word 'penalty' removes any ambiguity.
    Looking at it from someone looking to use it in BG1: the kit hinges very heavily on its spellcasting, which it doesn't get until level 9, at which point it gets big powerspikes from gaining new levels of spellcasting and then HLAs. Compared to other paladin kits, the mystic fire offers virtually nothing for all of BG1. How big of a problem this is or isn't is a matter of taste, but I would at least consider some smoothing out.

    This has been an issue I've thought about since designing the kit. The annoying thing is that there's no way to exclusively give the mystic fire early access to spells, which is what I wish I could do. I'll think of... something. Maybe a cantrip system of some sort e.g. a small selection of weaker early spells don't use spell slots.
    On the HLAs: giving 12 spells as special abilities is extremely annoying. This is where I would start looking for things to cut, or have the HLA add the spells to their spellbook instead.

    I originally had the HLA spells in the spellbook. In practice it bloated the 4th level spell selection (and putting them in lower spell levels caused massive opportunity cost issues) so I made them free spells, with the disadvantage of only being able to cast one of each. Note that the spells appear in under the Cast Spell selection instead of Special Abilities despite being innates.
  • greentoiletgreentoilet Member Posts: 15
    Hello AionZ I've run into a bit of an issue which I hope you might be able to clarify for me.

    fkhfh6ci0hwk.png

    Is there a prerequisite I'm not aware of? Only using ScS mod.
  • AmmarAmmar Member Posts: 1,295
    – -1 penalty to THAC0 modifier, with an additional -1 at 10th level and every 10 levels thereafter.

    Not an issue with vanilla XP cap, but you probably don't want to apply this at Level 30 and 40. Fighter class progression stops after level 20, so a Level 30 Mystic Fire Paladin would have a worse THAC0 than at Level 20.
  • southfla79southfla79 Member Posts: 214
    @greentoilet it's set to require extra level 4 spell HLA for Arcane Knowledge I. If that's how it's intended, I dunno.
  • jphiliplexjphiliplex Member Posts: 4
    Any one who can help and assist in installing this mod? do I just extract it in my steam account or something
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