ALFA and traps, arrows and ?

[Veilan]

Hi guys,

Arrows:
I understand archery is busted because arrows cannot get past damage reduction and perhaps one or two other things. Is this a DnD thing or NWN2 thing?

If it's NWN2 bug, is there anything that can be done to fix it or is it a hardcoded fault?

It's an NWN 2 fault. We simply can't get proper +1 arrows in the vanilla engine. Standards isn't happy with this, and we've enquired with TA, but he's of yet not replied whether a technical fix may be possible. My guess is he simply has far too much on his plate.

In the meantime, you're stuck with getting a +1 bow if you're a dedicated archer, which is something you might want to do anyway. A +1 bow fully confers its enchantment bonus on ammunition like it is supposed to, and also beats DR/magical.

Also note that DR/magical is far less common in 3.5 than it used to be in 3rd. Just how likely are you to encounter a homunculus in ALFA?

Traps:
What's the reason we dont have them in game for PCs to use? Is it a policy or bug thing? Can non-damage traps be recoverable/purchased? (ie those things that trap a person for some time while the rogue escapes rather than 'reflex save or die traps')

The "instant" laying traps of the CRPG NWN 2 are simply too powerful, and don't even have a semblance in cost or effort to PnP, where laying traps of power comparable to the NWN 2 traps is the sole domain of evil dungeon overlords. It costs a lot of ressources, both in time and treasure.

Thus, traps are actually encounters in PnP.

Cheers,

[Dorn]

keep up veilan, the OP was made over a year ago!

i tacked a point onto the bottom about non-instant but PC carryable and settable (without a DM) traps conditional on them being :
a) weak ones often to 'hold up' opponents
b) take a reaonable amount of time to set (eg several RL minutes so they couldn't be set in melee...but could be set as part of a plan to draw opponents etc)

i totally agree the 'vanilla' ones that could be set straight away were stupid

[AcadiusLost]

Just a note- we have Tanglefoot bags available presently, which are canon "instant hold up your opponent" type devices.

I'm still not opposed to opening some way to handle setting very simple snares/spikes to represent traditional hunting traps, though it'd be a fair bit of work and somewhat debatable which skill to tie them to... since Survival is already effectively "monster radar" already, I'm hesitant to tack another highly useful feature on to it.

[Curmudgeon]

keep up veilan, the OP was made over a year ago!

i tacked a point onto the bottom about non-instant but PC carryable and settable (without a DM) traps conditional on them being :
a) weak ones often to 'hold up' opponents
b) take a reaonable amount of time to set (eg several RL minutes so they couldn't be set in melee...but could be set as part of a plan to draw opponents etc)

i totally agree the 'vanilla' ones that could be set straight away were stupid

Glyph of Warding

Abjuration
Level: Clr 3 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: Touch Target or Area: Object touched or up to 5 sq. ft./level
Duration: Permanent until discharged (D)
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: No (object) and Yes; see text

This powerful inscription harms those who enter, pass, or open the warded area or object. A glyph of warding can guard a bridge or passage, ward a portal, trap a chest or box, and so on.

Blast Glyph: A blast glyph deals 1d8 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum 5d8) to the intruder and to all within 5 feet of him or her. This damage is acid, cold, fire, electricity, or sonic (caster’s choice, made at time of casting). Each creature affected can attempt a Reflex save to take half damage. Spell resistance applies against this effect

Glyph of Warding
Class/Level: Cleric 3
Innate Level: 3
School: Abjuration
Descriptor(s): Sonic
Component(s): Verbal, Somatic
Range: Short
Area of Effect / Target: Large
Duration: 60 seconds / 2 levels
Save: Reflex 1/2
Spell Resistance: Yes
Installation: Neverwinter Nights 2 (Base)
You create a small, magical zone that can detect the passage of enemy creatures. When the field is activated, it explodes, dealing 1d8 points of sonic damage per two caster levels to all creatures within the area of effect (to a maximum of 5d8). After being triggered, the glyph dissipates.

If the NWN2 spell could be modified to better emulate the PnP version, would that serve?

[AcadiusLost]

The PnP "permanent until discharged" version requires spending 100 gp of diamond dust each casting, and allows some quite strategic conditional triggering logic... not really easily transferable to NWN2, at least as a standard castable spell.

In NWN1 days I played the normal castable version as a "temporary/lesser" version of the spell, while the more PnP method of Glyphs required significant toolsetting/scripting/persistency handling (I set these up for a player faction area on old NWN1 shadowdale once).

[Ithildur]

Also note that DR/magical is far less common in 3.5 than it used to be in 3rd. Just how likely are you to encounter a homunculus in ALFA?

Actually... you might be surprised. *sidelong glance at Jayde and Mirabai*

[t-ice]

Within the confines of a single event, paying 100gp to set up that "fall back to" glyph should be easily done with the DM. Complete with complex trigger logic.

That said, a fighting retreat strategy already easily borders on abuse, especially in cramped quarters. The AI is just that stupid. Retreat, especially coupled to funnel points such as doors, can pretty much reduce any encounter to a string of single creatures. Still, when there's a DM to manage to hostiles, strategies like such, perhaps coupled with traps, have great fun potential. Though I'm ambivalent on whether the potential is greater to cause the DM gray hair over trying to herd the unit of supposedly-cunning opponents to meet such tactics.

One should keep in mind that if the party spends an hour preparing "fall back to" traps for the encounter behind the next door, the creatures of that encounter should realistically be expected to take note, and ambush/encircle etc. in turn. Used right, though, all this can drive home the point of different strategies for different enemies. A shamble of zombies should be met differently than a crack squad of Banites.

[dirsa]

Also note that DR/magical is far less common in 3.5 than it used to be in 3rd. Just how likely are you to encounter a homunculus in ALFA?

above statement may not be entirely accurate... not sure about this homonculus fella, bet your garden variety werewolf in alfa laughs at magical weapons and still absorbs 10 damage...

[Veilan]

above statement may not be entirely accurate... not sure about this homonculus fella, bet your garden variety werewolf in alfa laughs at magical weapons and still absorbs 10 damage...

Indeed, because werewolves have DR/silver. So you need a silver weapon to beat them, magic weapons don't do shyte.

DR in 3.5 works a little differently than in 3.0 .

DR doesn't work against the type listed after it, but it does work against everything else (apart from energy attacks).

So, a werewolf is actually an example how DR/magic is rare.

[Mirabai]

Also note that DR/magical is far less common in 3.5 than it used to be in 3rd. Just how likely are you to encounter a homunculus in ALFA?

Actually... you might be surprised. *sidelong glance at Jayde and Mirabai*

Try to keep Ithildur's meta out of Aglaril's guesses, eh? And remember the creature palette I'm working with in nwn2 is way more limited than it was in nwn1....unless you want me to take more precious DM time getting in the toolset every time I need a critter for an encounter where there isn't even any fighting involved. Gotta work with what we have and let our imaginations and flavor text do the rest.

[danielmn]

Also note that DR/magical is far less common in 3.5 than it used to be in 3rd. Just how likely are you to encounter a homunculus in ALFA?

Actually... you might be surprised. *sidelong glance at Jayde and Mirabai*

Try to keep Ithildur's meta out of Aglaril's guesses, eh? And remember the creature palette I'm working with in nwn2 is way more limited than it was in nwn1....unless you want me to take more precious DM time getting in the toolset every time I need a critter for an encounter where there isn't even any fighting involved. Gotta work with what we have and let our imaginations and flavor text do the rest.

Could that be construed as a DM request for more monster creatures to be added to the pallete?

*cuts eyes at Dorn*

[Mirabai]

Could that be construed as a DM request for more monster creatures to be added to the pallete?

*cuts eyes at Dorn*

more variety would be great. and what would be EVEN BETTER is if they spawned non-flocking.

[Dorn]

[AcadiusLost]

what would be EVEN BETTER is if they spawned non-flocking.

Might be do-able... mobs from spawn points set to flock by default, but ones from the DM creator defauling to flocking-disabled... I'll add it to my "see if it's easily accomplished" list.

[Mirabai]

what would be EVEN BETTER is if they spawned non-flocking.

Might be do-able... mobs from spawn points set to flock by default, but ones from the DM creator defauling to flocking-disabled... I'll add it to my "see if it's easily accomplished" list.

I would kiss you.

Or bake you cookies. (rather not have an angry Lou at my doorstep! )