Warlock Fixes for 1.34

Summary:

List of the fixes.

page 1 of 41234next »

Warlock Fixes for 1.32.3

Kaedrin 05 Jun 2008 13:34

This is a list of the fixes I'm going to try and get finished by this weekend.

1. Caster Level should be warlock level, not half.
2. ESL is the highest of 1, the Essence, and the Shape (detailed below)
3. Save DC for EB/Invocations is 10 + ESL + Cha Mod
4. Deflection should not block EBs
5. Spell Mantle/Globe checks should be against ESL (if possible to fix)
6. Spell Penetration feats should work when determining Caster Level for beating SR
7. Eldritch Doom should be a self-centered 20' AE that only affects hostiles.
8. Point Blank Shot should add +1 to the touch hit roll and +1 damage to the blast within 30 feet.
9. Touch attacks spells should NOT get the enhance bonus of the equipped weapon.
10. Concentration check for invocation/EB interruption should be Damage Suffered + ESL (if possible to fix)
11. Epic warlock blasts (10d6+) are bypassing SR incorrectly
12. Spell entries for invocations should be marked as Somatic.

• Draining Blast: 2nd
• Eldritch Spear: 2nd
• Frightful Blast: 2nd
• Hideous Blow: 1st
• Beshadowed Blast: 4th
• Bewitching Blast: 4th
• Brimstone Blast: 3rd
• Eldritch Chain: 4th
• Eldritch Cone: 5th
• Noxious Blast: 6th
• Vitriolic Blast: 6th
• Binding Blast: 7th
• Eldritch Doom: 8th
• Utterdark Blast: 8th
• Hindering Blast: 4th
• Hellrime Blast: 4th

The concentration damage bug (if I understand it correctly) adds the warlocks level to the damage taken making it hard to concentrate as you level up. I'll probably be fixing this with a +Concentration skill bonus equal to warlock level to compensate until OEI fixes it.

The spell mantle/globe issue is a much more difficult issue to fix. We can't fix it on the outside because the globe/mantle part is handled in the resist spell function hidden in the engine. My choices are:

A) have the EB bypass globes and mantles completely until OEI fixes the issue.
B) to compare the ESL to the globe/mantle and run the normal function (just to decrement the globe/mantle) if the ESL is not higher than what the globe/mantle handles. This isn't much better than what is currently available (since it will decrement the globe/mantle by a much smaller number).

I've also read that NWN2 uses the blast shape for the ESL if a shape is used and the essence if not. So a Vitriolic Spear is level 2 while a Vitriolic Blast (no shape) is level 6. I'll test this to make sure. If so, then Option B isn't that bad except in uncommon cases (low level shapes with high level essences).

Re: Warlock Fixes for 1.32.3

nicethugbert 05 Jun 2008 20:45

No Spellcasting Prodigy added to DC? That'll bork toons if it's not in. There is no way to undo that choice short of starting a new toon. Re-levels are one thing but new toons tend to be a pain to manage so avoided.

Last edited on 05 Jun 2008 20:48 by nicethugbert Show more

Re: Warlock Fixes for 1.32.3

Kaedrin 05 Jun 2008 21:15

I'm not sure Warlocks are even getting the +1 DC from Prodigy now until I do a lot of tests. Warlocks are not supposed to get the +1 (and I don't think normal casters are either, I remember it being bonus spells only but I may be wrong). Warlocks never have and never will get bonus invocations from Prodigy so why would anyone take it?

What Warlock has feats to burn on Spellcasting Prodigy instead of Luck of Heroes? The loss of 1 DC borks a toon? Really? I'll think about it.

Re: Warlock Fixes for 1.32.3

Yume-kun 05 Jun 2008 22:10

From the ingame description:

"For the purpose of determining bonus spells and the saving throw DC's of spells you cast, treat your primary spellcasting score …"

But agree, +1DC vs. +1 AC/saving throws, that's a no-brainer choice for Warlock.

And the bork comment - maybe or some build vs. build mod or setting, but for general gameplay … doubtful.
(Although the burning of a feat slot is probably a bigger hit than missing out on the bonus slot/+1DC)

Re: Warlock Fixes for 1.32.3

Kaedrin 05 Jun 2008 22:22

*nods* Invocations and Eldritch Blasts are "spell-like abilities" though and not actual spells. It's why a LOT of feats don't work with them in PnP and why you can't qualify for many prcs (caster level only, not spell level). Prodigy doesn't specifically have a FAQ response on it if I remember right so it's a judgement call.

Re: Warlock Fixes for 1.32.3

Yume-kun 05 Jun 2008 22:33

Hrm. An interesting problem.

Unfortunately I can't locate the feat in my limited PnP books selection - but given how the feat reads, looks, feels (and quacks) I'd say it's meant for spellcasters, and since the invocations of a Warlock are spell-like abilities and not spells (there's a Feat in Races of Faerun (Spell-Like Ability Focus, page 168) to specifically boost spell-like abilities, but it's designed to apply to a single ability at a time) I'd gingerly say a Warlock has nothing to gain from Prodigy.

Re: Warlock Fixes for 1.32.3

Kaedrin 05 Jun 2008 23:19

Warlock DC currently grants a ESL equal to the dice of the blast (greater than 9 becomes unresistable as though epic).
Warlock DC currently does account for spellcasting prodigy.

I have to redo my creature with a spell-based SR instead of item-based so I can actually test the spell pen and such. Caster level is actually being returned as the full value so far but that's not inside the ResistMagic script. I need to find my how-to for turning on combat-debugging as well so I can see the rolls (if they show them).

Re: Warlock Fixes for 1.32.3

Anonymous (68.44.208.x) 06 Jun 2008 02:14

Thank the gods! Finnally the warlocks get some love. And here I thought that I'd have to wait ~ 4 months for you to get to your warlock improvements(at 1.43!). Happy Day! :)

I'm just glad that someone will do something about current warlock invocation options/feats/bugs. Obsidian obviously doesn't spent much time devoted to them. And anyone else (Dubby , Draco) who creates a mod for warlocks seems to vanish into the ether.

Re: Warlock Fixes for 1.32.3

Kaedrin 06 Jun 2008 02:39

It will be 1.43 before I do the new invocations and feats but I'll have the fixes and a viable PrC soon.

Re: Warlock Fixes for 1.32.3

nicethugbert 06 Jun 2008 22:27

I'd say that Warlocks have a lot to gain from Spellcasting Prodigy considering that:
1) Spellcasting Prodigy does add 1 to invocation DCs.
2) People are taking this feat for their Warlocks.
3) DCs are increased incrementally so progress can only be made as such.
4) Warlocks have fewer ways to increase their DCs than other casters, only two. (Maybe 3? +3 at epic levels?)
5) Warlocks are offensive "casters" and depend on their DCs like any other offensive spellcaster.
6) Specializing and maximizing is the key to success in many NWN2 environments.
7) Warlocks are not feat starved. There simply are not many compelling pre-epic feat choices for them besides shield proficiency, weapon focus ranged touch, improved crit ranged touch, improved expertise, blind fight, spellcasting prodigy, luck of heros.

A further problem with "it's only 1 point so it doesn't matter" is that many important functions in the game increment by 1 point. So, "it's only 1 point so it doesn't matter" writes off a large chunk of the game via slippery slope. It's an impoverishing point of view, not a creative one.

I have not seen any analysis that indicates that +1 AC/Saves is better than +1 DC to a "caster". And, if your opponents are taking Luck of Heros, then as a "caster", you should nullify it with Spellcasting Prodigy as your spells are your first line of defense, not just the buffs, but your offense to ala Patton, especially if it's only one of two ways to increase your DCs and you suffer from MAD and your DCs compete with your damage.

OK, let's have Spell-like Ability Focus. Or we can save "ourselves" the work, and the borkage of current toons, and just leave Spellcasting Prodigy as is, as NWN2 Spellcasting Prodigy = D&D Spellcasting Prodigy + D&D Spell-like Ability Focus. It wouldn't surprise me if The Devs thought much the same when they made this feat. My argument is even stronger if Spellcasting Prodigy is a custom feat, not that it wasn't already strong.

page 1 of 41234next »