Monster/Puzzle/Item Thread

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AuthorTopic: Monster/Puzzle/Item Thread
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #25
Making it possible to poison weapons would be difficult. I could imagine that it could be done in a limited way (make an ability to trade one item for an identical one that has ability 72, poison), but not like Exile, really.

Also, there's no state for when a weapon is used, so making it injure the user would be tricky (although I guess you could do this extremely indirectly -- put something in basicnpc for your scenario, although it would be quite rough).

You can't target a square in Avernum (although it'd be really nice if you could), so unfortunately, all items will need to target visible monsters. Making grenades that create Cloud of Blades or other fields is definitely possible, though.

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Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
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Profile Homepage #26
Here's an idea- have those "grenades" where the distance north and east of the party is determined by two "numeric input" values, with maximum values ranging from -20 to 20. The number of spaces you'd miss by would be something like:

dist_x = (aim_x + char_loc_x(thrower));
if(dist_x < 0)
dist_x = (aim_x * -1);
dist_y = (aim_y + char_loc_y(thrower));
if(dist_y < 0)
dist_y = (aim_y * -1);
deviate_max = (dist_x + dist_y) - (2 * thrown);
if(deviate_max > 0){
deviate_x = get_ran(1,0,deviate_max);
if(get_ran(1,0,1) == 1)
deviate_x = (deviate_x * -1);
hit_x = (aim_x + deviate_x + char_loc_x(thrower));
deviate_y = get_ran(1,0,deviate_max);
if(get_ran(1,0,1) == 1)
deviate_y = (deviate_y * -1);
hit_y = (aim_y + deviate_y + char_loc_y(thrower));
}
else{
hit_x = aim_x;
hit_y = aim_y;
}
burst_x = (hit_x - blast_radius);
while(burst_x <= (hit_x + blast_radius)){
burst_y = (hit_y - blast_radius);
while(burst_y <= (hit_y + blast_radius)){
[This is where you do whatever you want- place fields, do damage, whatever.]
burst_y = (burst_y + 1);
}
burst_x = (burst_x + 1);
}
So a character with 10 in thrown weapons would always hit the target, a character with 5 thrown would be able to hit a target 10 spaces away without randomization, etc.

EDIT: bjlhct2, your "Titan Sword" can't work. 100-300 damage requires damage per level of 1-3, which is worthless. To have it be 1-8/level, it would have to be 100-800 damage base, which is completely broken. What was so wrong with Maximilian anyway?

[ Thursday, March 10, 2005 12:59: Message edited by: Solomon Strokes ]

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Posts: 6936 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Cartographer
Member # 995
Profile #27
can't ye set the base to, say, 80-160, then set the adder to "1-1 per level" giving a gross 100-180 for non-cheatz0r parties with a strong melee char, or a 180-260 for character editor abusers?

I mean, I think he meant base of 100-300 anyway. even a steel longsword becomes 100-800 for abusers of the character editor, no?

--

by the way, I'm intrigued by yer workaround for "can't target squares"... what do the lines above yer sample code look like? (the bits where ye get the input)

[ Thursday, March 10, 2005 13:42: Message edited by: silver harloe ]
Posts: 206 | Registered: Thursday, April 18 2002 07:00
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Profile Homepage #28
http://p080.ezboard.com/fthelyceumfrm39.showMessage?topicID=23.topic

The text box would say something to the extent of "How many spaces north of you do you want to lob the grenade? Use negative numbers to aim south of you." or something along those lines.

Oh yeah... Weapon base damage is (bonus + 1) x (bonus x damage per level). So if your bonus is 79 (giving you a minimum of 80 damage) and your damage per level is 1-1, your weapon does 80-80 damage + 1-1 damage/level. If your weapon does 100-300 damage per level, it has a bonus of 99 and a damage per level of 1-3.

Now a POSSIBLE workaround for this would be to take away somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 strength, melee weapons and blademaster skills, adding something like +500% to hit. This would make the weapon hit ~95% of the time and make sure that no additional melee levels are added, allowing you to make something that does 100-800 without having the party do an extra 200. But meanwhile, the character's maximum weight would fall back to 130 pounds.

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Posts: 6936 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Agent
Member # 2210
Profile #29
A cursed weapon. Healing sword-- whenever you hit a creature it casts a level 50 heal on them at power 4. 1-1 damage +1 point damage per level. +5 first aid. It still makes the creature or NPC angry though. This would effectively cut out the character as a melee fighter but could be advantageous for a larger party.

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Wasting your time and mine looking for a good laugh.

Star Bright, Star Light, Oh I Wish I May, I Wish Might, Wish For One Star Tonight.
Posts: 1084 | Registered: Thursday, November 7 2002 08:00
...b10010b...
Member # 869
Profile Homepage #30
Once again, there is no way to call a script whenever a weapon hits a creature.

(Also keep in mind that there's no way for a PC to attack another PC, which would limit the usefulness of such a weapon even if it were possible in the first place.)

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The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure!
Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00
Apprentice
Member # 5048
Profile #31
Item: Bow: Giant Bow of Transformation: 30 bonus (31-90 dmg), 1-3 dmg/lvl, +10 to Bows, +10 to Sharpshooter, -5 to strength, -35% resistance to all damage.

The grenades are interesting, but players would find them annoying.

Items: Stones of Summoning: usable once a day.

Yellow Stone of Summoning (Amber graphic) - summons 1 Vengeful Shade, slows user.

Green Stone of Summoning (Emerald graphic) - summons 1 Spirit, dumbfounds and slows user.

Red Stone of Summoning (Ruby graphic) - summons 1 Demon, slows and paralyzes user.

[ Sunday, March 13, 2005 12:05: Message edited by: bjlhct2 ]
Posts: 33 | Registered: Sunday, October 3 2004 07:00
Shock Trooper
Member # 4445
Profile #32
On the subject of items for useless skills...

Scrivener's Revenge: A letter-opener looking melee weapon which does damage based on arcane lore (or rune reading, if possible - that's even more useless) and adds a few melee levels (because learned types hardly ever have strength or blademaster). I think a melee weapon for the more magic-oriented skills would make for some interesting tactics, because spell casters would all of a sudden be able to do damage in melee, but would still be weak enough to be in constant danger of getting slaughtered. This is as opposed to missile weapons such as Morog's scepter, which give your mage something to do when the situation doesn't merit using spell points, but don't really change what it tactically can and can't do.

t Thuryl - I haven't tried it, but it could be possible to give the item a special class, and then modify basicNPC to see if the item was equipped to who_hit_me(). Of course, this would only work with, like, a bracelet or something, because if it's a sword and it triggers part of a creature script when you do any kind of damage, that would just be kind of odd. So, if you wanted to make some sort of Bracelet of Wreathing your Attacks in Fire, or a Bracelet of Poisoned Weaponry/Magic/Any Kind of Damaging Item, it could be possible, it would just only work in your scenario. It would work better if there were some creature script call like what_kind_of_damage_did_it_do_to_me(), but I don't think there is.

[ Saturday, March 12, 2005 17:15: Message edited by: PoD person ]
Posts: 293 | Registered: Saturday, May 29 2004 07:00
Warrior
Member # 5531
Profile #33
What if you had people teleport into the room as enemy reinforcements for every turn you take in enemy castles and every 5 turns in town mode. Also ambushes from things hiding under furniture.

Also this could also be the beginning of a scenario if you didn't read this already. You are in Blank Town. Blank is at blank place. He gives you the mission to sobotage the mint. You either can do it or report it to the authorities.

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Trouser Snake.
Mustakrakish.

Infiltrators? No. Agents? YES!!
Posts: 79 | Registered: Monday, February 21 2005 08:00
Apprentice
Member # 5048
Profile #34
Item: Demonic Boots: 0 encumbrance, blocks 1-3 + 4 dmg, +3 Strength, +3 Mage Spells, +2 AP, +1 Dread Curse. Cursed.
Posts: 33 | Registered: Sunday, October 3 2004 07:00
BANNED
Member # 4
Profile Homepage #35
bjlhct2, that's pretty powerful... At worst, +1 dread curse takes away -15% to hit and makes you 10% more likely to be hit. The +2 to AP, +2 damage levels (which does an average of +13.5 damage on Maximilian!) and extra 2 levels of spells more than balance this out.

Eh. It's not bad for high-level parties, I suppose.

PS- PoD person, did you get the Illusory Spear from Canopy? It does damage based off of intelligence, and has high elemental attacks.

[ Sunday, March 13, 2005 17:18: Message edited by: Solomon Strokes ]

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Posts: 6936 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
...b10010b...
Member # 869
Profile Homepage #36
quote:
Originally written by Solomon Strokes:

bjlhct2, that's pretty powerful... At worst, +1 dread curse takes away -15% to hit and makes you 10% more likely to be hit.
Make that -25% to hit: 1 point of Dexterity lost, 1 point of Melee/Pole Weapons lost, 1 point of Blademaster lost, 1 point of Gymnastics lost, 1 point of Defence lost potentially causing an increase in effective encumbrance. Likewise, it makes you up to 15% more likely to be hit, due to loss of Dexterity, Defence and Gymnastics.

There's also a net *loss* of up to 1 damage level against some opponents (even accounting for the Strength bonus) due to lost Strength, Melee/Pole Weapons, Blademaster and Anatomy. (Even against non-humanoids, any fighter with Blademaster will only break even in terms of damage.)

Factor in all the minor penalties from loss of other stats too, and personally I'd be very reluctant to wear them, especially since they can't easily be removed.

[ Sunday, March 13, 2005 18:00: Message edited by: Thuryl ]

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The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure!
Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00
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Oh yeah- I forgot about the potential -21% to fire, -21% to cold, -26% to magic, -20% to mental, -15% to poison, and -5% to acid...

I'd rather just take the Slippers of Speed that are in abundance and a pair of the Miracle Boots.

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Posts: 6936 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Shaper
Member # 247
Profile Homepage #38
All the ideas for weapons that require say potion making mage lore etc, are really cool. It would be nice to have my mage and priest wield a weapon capable of actually doing meaningful damage without training in the normal warrior attributes.

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The Knight Between Posts.
Posts: 2395 | Registered: Friday, November 2 2001 08:00
Apprentice
Member # 5048
Profile #39
The Boots are balanced for the right levels.

Thrown Missile (no ammo): Ancient Vahnatai Device (box graphic): 2-6 dmg + 1-5 dmg per rune reading and 2 dex, +20 magic dmg.

Helm of Knowledge: Iron Helm with +2 Arcane Lore, +2 Nature Lore, +2 Potion Making, +12 First Aid. Cursed.

How about some interesting monsters and puzzles, not just items, anyone?

[ Sunday, March 13, 2005 21:53: Message edited by: bjlhct2 ]
Posts: 33 | Registered: Sunday, October 3 2004 07:00
Agent
Member # 2210
Profile #40
This is from an idea I am thinking about (insect invasion) I am not a designer but it is stuck in my head. I probably won't do it but...-- A more advanced version of the Friendly Spiders and Roaches.

Blademaster bug-- intelligent roach -- wields four swords-- thin lightweight rapiers. Put a hat on it, cloak, and boots and you have a funny looking critter.

Librarian Roach-- multicolored cockroach. It has painted its shell with different designs. Resides in the ruins of a library-- collects books. Give it glasses and a staff.

Armored Friendly spider-- Wears chitrach chitin.

Alchemist Spider

Bug Breeder Spider-- trains
Null Gnats, Guardian Gnats, Eating Gnats.

Trading Spider

Enemies

Venomous chitrach

Giant Warrior Ant
Giant Worker Ant
Queen Ant

Aranea slave master-- directs and trains captured bugs and humanoids.

Aranea slaver

Giant stag beetle

Bombardier beetle

Giant Scorpion

Spider Golem

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Wasting your time and mine looking for a good laugh.

Star Bright, Star Light, Oh I Wish I May, I Wish Might, Wish For One Star Tonight.
Posts: 1084 | Registered: Thursday, November 7 2002 08:00
Infiltrator
Member # 148
Profile #41
I haven't tried this yet, but I was thinking of a switched ability monster. There is a command to change innate monster abilities. How about, invisiblity switched with paralysis? Every turn it it turn invisible, and when it goes to attack, the invisibility drop and the monster has paralysis.

I have to see if this would work though.

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My ego is bigger than yours.
Posts: 480 | Registered: Thursday, October 11 2001 07:00
Apprentice
Member # 5048
Profile #42
Item: Vorpal Sword: two handed sword, 30 lbs, 7-60 dmg + 1-10/lvl, -3 Strength, -3 Melee weapons, +3 Lethal Blow, +30 magic damage. I figure you get it in a special encounter outside, where it says "When you touch this giant sword, it flickers. It seems to be trying to draw energy directly from your lifeforce. Wrapping some leather around the hilt, you stick it in a nearby tree. The sword starts glowing brightly, and then, the tree splits in two in an explosion of purple flame! You decide to keep the sword."

Undead are hard to kill, but they never seem to come back. They should, sometimes.

Monster: Ember-Eye Zombie: Same as Flaming Zombie from dwtd, but its death triggers a script that waits 2 turns, then checks every turn to see if the space it died on is empty. If it is, it spawns a Burning Bones (same as dwtd) in that spot and ends. Adds a bit of strategy - you can stand on it to keep it down, if you're willing to hang around in the residual flames.

Archmages are supposed to be egomaniacs (right?) but they never seem to have the right "If I'm going to die, then you will too" attitude when they die. So -
Monster: Archmage (miniboss type) - wizard with 1000 HP, immune to magic, on death, brings up a dialog box and summons a Haakai where the guy dies.

[ Monday, March 14, 2005 11:54: Message edited by: bjlhct2 ]
Posts: 33 | Registered: Sunday, October 3 2004 07:00
Agent
Member # 2210
Profile #43
werecreatures and dopplegangers. I believe it is possible to switch monsters from one type to another type.

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Wasting your time and mine looking for a good laugh.

Star Bright, Star Light, Oh I Wish I May, I Wish Might, Wish For One Star Tonight.
Posts: 1084 | Registered: Thursday, November 7 2002 08:00
Apprentice
Member # 5048
Profile #44
Item: Possessed Rapier: 6-25 dmg + 1-5/lvl. +1 Melee Weapons, +1 Assassination, +1 Parry, +1 Riposte.

[ Monday, March 14, 2005 15:57: Message edited by: bjlhct2 ]
Posts: 33 | Registered: Sunday, October 3 2004 07:00
Shock Trooper
Member # 4445
Profile #45
Creature: Brain Beast

Has no physical attack (or is not made to use it with the script). Very weak against melee. Can haste/bless allies (induce them to a frenzy). Against enemies with low intelligence, will charm/confuse/paralyze. Against enemies with high intelligence, will drain spell points and do damage according to the number drained (a la Jutsuhi from Canopy), and possibly dumbfound. Will obviously be used with a few bruisers.

Creature: As yet unnamed (Life-Force Sucker).

Doesn't have a physical attack (that it uses). Instead, when it moves into a space adjacent to a character, said character gets forcecaged. The creature then proceeds to drain life from its prey until it gets damaged (by one of the other party members), when it will run away for a little while. Should always attack in groups one smaller than the party. If a singleton is involved, it will break free from the beast's clutches every 2 turns or so.

[ Monday, March 14, 2005 14:14: Message edited by: PoD person ]
Posts: 293 | Registered: Saturday, May 29 2004 07:00
Apprentice
Member # 5048
Profile #46
Pant options seem sadly limited.

Item: Pants: Crude Greaves: blocks 1-4 dmg.

Item: Pants: Iron Greaves: blocks 1-4+2 dmg.

Item: Pants: Steel Greaves: blocks 1-4+4 dmg.

Item: Pants: Tights: blocks 1-1 dmg, +1 Gymnastics.

Item: Pants: Superman Boxer Shorts: blocks 1-1 dmg, +6 Hardiness, +2 Luck, -15% resistance: Mental Effects.

[ Tuesday, March 15, 2005 11:28: Message edited by: bjlhct2 ]
Posts: 33 | Registered: Sunday, October 3 2004 07:00
...b10010b...
Member # 869
Profile Homepage #47
quote:
Originally written by bjlhct2:

Item: Possessed Rapier: 6-25 dmg + 1-5/lvl. +1 Melee Weapons, +1 Assassination, +1 Anatomy, +1 Parry, +1 Riposte.
Can't have more than 4 abilities on an item.

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The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure!
Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00
For Carnage, Apply Within
Member # 95
Profile #48
Realistically, greaves ought to encumber the wearer. They makes your legs pretty heavy.

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The Empire Always Loses: More fun than a kick in the shins!
Posts: 567 | Registered: Friday, October 5 2001 07:00
...b10010b...
Member # 869
Profile Homepage #49
Considering that pants only have a relatively small chance of protecting from damage, encumbrance would make them pretty useless.

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The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure!
Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00

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