PvP Ettiquette

[Cheatcake]

Though, skin spells should definately keep their visuals

The simplest of questions: why?

[Morphadite2]

FYI:

I do not know if this works in PWs, but in the OC, if you cast stoneskin/barkskin/etc., and you take off your armor, then put it back on, the visual effect goes away.
You wizardy types might need to cast your spells in the outhouse, though. I surely don't want to see the literal version of 'twigs -n- berries' when you cast barkskin out in the open and then disrobe.

[Sathayorn]

FYI:

I do not know if this works in PWs, but in the OC, if you cast stoneskin/barkskin/etc., and you take off your armor, then put it back on, the visual effect goes away.
You wizardy types might need to cast your spells in the outhouse, though. I surely don't want to see the literal version of 'twigs -n- berries' when you cast barkskin out in the open and then disrobe.

Look two posts up, I just mentioned this.

Any area of your body unchanged seems to keep the skin. The face for example.

Though this seems to be off topic, its not, because its dealing with pvp metagaming, which is not good PVP Ettiquette.

Cheatcake, the reason I think skin spells should keep their visual is because they are very very easy to notice, though very few others are, or should be.

Its strange how nwn 1 finally fixed examining CR and Effects, but they put it right back in with nwn2 and havent patched it out yet. Find a lot of really badass characters who'll pick a fight with anyone... Inspect you and obey your every command. Because of challenge ratings, I find I rarely inspect people to read their descriptions, because I simply hate knowing if they're higher or lower level than myself. Proper PVP ettiquette will never be seen I would assume, because no one wants to lose. Even if I dont stand a chance I don't want to lose... All it really takes is one good knockdown by a strong fighter and the caster is dead, because invisibility is broken, and no one will respect that in pvp either, just automatically assuming they made their listen checks. On the other hand it may be argued that casters should not really have all their spells all the time, because resting really should take longer than 5 seconds.

So really, all anyone can do is not be cheap and hope others follow.

[Mikara]

As requested, here is the link to the override files on nwn2 vault that will remove most of the annoying spell visual effects:

http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view...s.Detail&id=18

Here is the list of spells effected:

Barkskin
Stoneskin
Greater Stoneskin
Spiderskin

BallEffects:
Entropic Shield
Mage Armor
Protection From Alignment
Protection From Arrows
Protection From Energy
Shield

You can choose one group or both.

[Anauroch]

Doing away with viewable spell effects that should not be viewable is a must in the long run imo.

I'd also like the Challenge rating as well as the indicators as to what immunities and buffs a character has on in the description removed.

[Cheatcake]

Cheatcake, the reason I think skin spells should keep their visual is because they are very very easy to notice, though very few others are, or should be.

Uh "very very easy to notice" how exactly? All those spells do is harden your skin. They don't change the color of your skin, they don't cover your body with stone or bark, and they definatelly don't turn your skin into bark or stone. How do you "very very easily notice" someone has a skin just magically hardened just from looking at it?

[Zoberraz]

On implementation.

The "your skin turns harder" excuse does not work for me. If you do magic it should look magical. Not to mention the spells Barkskin and Stoneskin are probably named so due to cosmetic factors.

[Cheatcake]

Check the spells on books or the SRD if you like "Your skin turns harder" isn't an excuse, it's what the spells say Or, for exemple, do you grow a beak when you get Eagle's Splendor, big round eyes when you get Owl's Wisdom, whiskers when you get Cat's Grace, horns when you get Bull's Strength, eight legs when you get Spider Climb, a lawyer in front of you when you cast Shield of Law... pick any of them. Spell names != spell visual effects. The description of what the spell does is all that matters

[Wargrave]

i think this idea is great, i'm all for the removal of cheesie spell effects. Can this be enforced serverside tho, to ensure a level playing field i wonder. Poll time perhaps?

[Ethereal Edge]

I'm pretty sure scripting can remove spell effects, it could in Neverwinter Nights I.

[Cheatcake]

Yup, it's a tedious and long work since you have to mess with each spell script individually, but it's as easy as deleting/commenting a couple lines in each

[Zoberraz]

Apples and Oranges, Cheatcake. Those are because they are enhancement bonuses. Enhancement improve the inherent properties of a character or object without altering their appearance.

Barkskin toughens a creature’s skin.

Barkskin gives a bonus which quantifies as natural armor. Animals have natural armor due to their thick hides. Plant-based creatures have natural armor due to their thick barked surface. If you follow the spell description, skin doesn't just toughen and not look different either - the skin under my feet is not like the skin of the palm of my hands.

The warded creature gains resistance to blows, cuts, stabs, and slashes.

Stoneskin provides damage reduction, which can have either magical connotation, or be tied to sheer solidity. Since the damage type required to breach through is adamantite and not something like cold iron, silver or good/axiomatic/evil/etc... that means it is tied to a material property.

Finally, both Barkskin and Stoneskin are Transmutation spells too.

[Cheatcake]

Sorry, but you're just trying to twist the spells when they don't say a single word about what you want Transmutation = makes skin thougher. Simple. Easy. Straight to the point. It makes your skin as though as bark... if someone tries to slash you they will find it harder to cut thru. It makes your skin as resistent as stone... if someone hits you they will feel the weapon bounce back like if they hit a boulder. No different appearance

PS: Bull's Strength and the others are transmutations too ::

[Ethereal Edge]

Nowhere in the spell is there any note of the effect on visual appearance changes. Suffice to say, it's the dungeon master's call.

[Ethereal Edge]

Transmutation

Transmutation spells change the properties of some creature, thing, or condition.

No note of visual changes if you're changing the properties. Again, it's really the call of the dungeon master usually. The staff will need to come to a conclusion about what will be visible and not.