Spells on rest

[Mournas]

Or a maximum number of active buffs derived from INT/Concentration/Caster Level.

Magical buffs, like say - Mage Armor - Once cast you have no need to concentrate on it as it becomes a passive effect.

[Doubtful]

It's a fantasy make-believe game. If something needs to be justified ICly to cover an OOC issue then it's easy to find a way.

Anyway, after the ongoing bug fixing, balancing and tweaks we can take a look at some of the spells.

[Mournas]

It's a fantasy make-believe game. If something needs to be justified ICly to cover an OOC issue then it's easy to find a way.

Anyway, after the ongoing bug fixing, balancing and tweaks we can take a look at some of the spells.

Im unsure if my last post upset you (I know tone is hard to read in monotone script) I had no intentions of an attempt to flame anyone, so if I did upset, for that I am sorry.

I just feel that what you said is already a passive trait that takes place in the game through leveling up and Spell Progression, and High Caster Stat = More Bonus Spells.

[Doubtful]

Don't worry - It was meant with a kind of 'meh' shrug at the end. Not an aggressive response, I didn't take the initial response as a flame!

The trouble is that NWN2 encourages a vastly different style of mage-play when compared to PnP. When DMing paper stuff you don't encounter many (surviving) mage/cleric players who memorise entirely buff-based spell books to either turn themselves or a couple of party members into nigh on invincible killing machines, while invising the rest so they can just passivly soak up XP. In PnP you simply wouldn't allow that to happen (incidently I don't exactly smile on it if I catch people doing it IG).

The ultra-buff model we have at the moment introduces a lot of balancing issues. How do you balance an area so that a couple of normal fighters/mixed with 18-20ac and 12-18 AB can stand a chance when you might be getting buffed groups with 35-40+ac and 25-35+ AB with the same CR?

Limiting the number of buffs that can be cast on a character goes a little way to preventing the massive spread of stats that we currently have and allows us to create more balanced encounters. Giving casters something other to do than a 10 minute buff-sesh followed by a 40 minute crossbow plinking or invisible stroll while the buffmonsters go on the rampage.

With less buffed players we could tone down the strength of the spawns and hopefully actually make the mages other spells become useful - Imagine if a fireball or two was a dramatic way to clear a room, rather than an extravagant way to injure two or three small spawns, or the larger missile spells were used for more than just massive damage spam on a single boss target.

[The Butcher]

Imagine if a fireball or two was a dramatic way to clear a room, rather than an extravagant way to injure two or three small spawns, or the larger missile spells were used for more than just massive damage spam on a single boss target.

The most useful I have ever felt as a wizard is using firebrand and fireballs against frost giants, and the occasional invis or ethereal save on a PC that's about to die. It feels great.

[thaelis]

Offensive spells were balanced for PnP. They suck in NWN for two reasons.

Firstly, when you aim in PnP you never miss. If you want to hit a group of 6 enemies that are running at you then you will. In NWN you would be lucky to hit 2 of those 6.

Secondly, everything's HP is maximized in NWN, meaning you will need two normal fireballs to kill what takes one to kill in PnP.

In short, offensive spells are a lot less attractive than self-buffing, so its no wonder people rely on buffs. Instead of nerfing buffs, perhaps give offensive spells a small boost? Like attribute bonus (i.e. +5-6 for lowbies, +8-9 for high levels) to damage? That would help out low-level Mages more than high level ones, who are already doing ok in my opinion.

With the new rest system Mages seem to work best as invisible buff dispensers...which isn't what they're supposed to be!

[Dragor]

Offensive spells do not actually suck, the flaw with trying to use them is not that they are innefective for doing damage, the flaw is that the AI coded into the game is backward on dealing with PC's vs NPC's in combat, any time an NPC enemy see's a mage they will charge the mage whilst the guy with a sword is ignored until said mage is dead. This makes it really easy to die as a mage because the game designers have made it nearly impposible for the mage's party mates to keep him/her from getting squished.

The next thing is most of the spell slots are used for buffing that you can fit, for one because the npc's will squish the mage, and for 2 the encounters on this server WERE balanced for +4 enhancements being used on PC's (abilities/armor), not many ways here to achieve that outside of getting buffed.

If spellpower and gear power matched up a little more closely I think you would see more casters focusing on their steriotypical roles instead of buff machines, or if encounters were balanced throughout an encounter area in a progressive scale, i.e. balanced against +1 enhanced players, then +2 and so forth as you get deeper, it allows for a more interesting adventure as it needs to be thought out fairly well on when you bring out the buff spells, especially if you get no chance or few chances to rest, and also increases the usefullness and number needed of healing spells throughout a specific dungeon crawl.

What I think actually sucks is the crowd control spells they are not even remotely worthwhile casting on the NPC's you will be facing.

[Talleyman99]

I've played two buffing/offense casters, have had little trouble ever getting them leveled or staying alive. I never cast invis on myself and follow around a party. It's about knowing what spells to use and when to use them. I find AoE spells are good but you have to aim. What i do is trail behind the group let the others mix into the fight then select powerful targets that need the extra blasting to take down. Or Hit the guy thats going to kill someone. It's not all about the I toss a fireball and win. Use your head think tactically. It's not PnP your gonna have to think outside the box and rework your ideas sometimes.

[Rhifox]

Use your head think tactically.

Grease.

[Kitsunestume]

What I think actually sucks is the crowd control spells they are not even remotely worthwhile casting on the NPC's you will be facing.

Cloudkill is applicable against anything with a pulse*

*Druids, monks, and anyone with Deathward may be excluded at high enough levels

[Memnoch1962]

[QUOTE=Kitsunestume;136109]Cloudkill is applicable against anything with a pulse*

But that's Necromancy, thus illegal.

[roguethree]

Creating undead is illegal. Spells of the necromancy school are not illegal unless they do the aforementioned illegal thing.

[Cornuto]

Creating undead is illegal. Spells of the necromancy school are not illegal unless they do the aforementioned illegal thing.

^ This, you can cast false life to your heart's content.

[Memnoch1962]

Creating undead is illegal. Spells of the necromancy school are not illegal unless they do the aforementioned illegal thing.

I stand corrected.

[Vladadier]

[QUOTE=Dragor;136089]the game designers have made it nearly impposible for the mage's party mates to keep him/her from getting squished.


Every character has abilities listed under feats. One of which attempts to draw enemy fire. Another boost the AC of an ally by +2