Just want to introduce people to my new mod, Scales of Balance (or SoB for short).
DOWNLOAD:
Get the mod here:
https://github.com/subtledoctor/Scales_of_Balance/releases/tag/3.12
Click "download source code (zip)"
README:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/86011511/README-SoB.html
DISCUSSION:
Go here to discuss and to make sure you get the most up-to-date version:
http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/33657/scales-of-balance-post-hac-kits-and-tweaks/p1
What is this?
This started out as my own personal set of tweaks that I did on top of a fully modded game. It includes some basic mechanical tweaks (e.g. modified stat bonuses and an overhaul of the proficiency system), some cosmetic changes (e.g. FR-themed paladin kit names, and magic items that don't break immersion by putting '+2's and '+5's in your face), and more than 25 new kits.
This is all about improving gameplay.
I love mods that bring the game closer to PnP, like Rogue Rebalancing and aTweaks. But BG is a single-player computer game. If tweaking a rule makes this specific game more fun, then it's a good tweak, PnP be damned. Consider this mod as a collection of 'house rules' specific to the BG campaign. Every choice has been made with an eye to the particular gameplay mechanics of BG2 and the EEs.
I try to make this as compatible as possible with other mods.
Notwithstanding the above paragraphs, this mod is 100% compatible with RR and aTweaks. This is meant to be applied alongside those mods - not instead of them.
Everything is completely optional.
You can use as many or as few of the mod components as you like. None of them rely on each other, there is no 'core' component. Use what you like, ignore what you don't.
A general idea of what the mod contains:
1) Basic game tweaks. These components modify the following:
- reducing the number of +'s in in-game item descriptions, and standardizing item enchantment into normal, 'mastercraft,' 'enchanted' (+2), named weapons (+3), and artifacts (+5)
- slightly improved stat bonuses, saving throw tables, HP tables, XP tables, and spell tables
- an overhaul of the weapon proficiency system
- minor tweaks and rebalancing for vanilla warriors, rogues, and divine classes
- revised kensai kit that actually specializes in one weapon class, like the description says
- major revisions to druid shapeshifting
- wizards class changes, including at-will cantrips, innate metamagic, and tweaks to the spell battle system
- an overhaul of the game's Magic Resistance mechanic (where by "overhaul" I mean "elimination")
2) New kits, all balanced against the vanilla game and based on solid, lore-friendly ADnD 2E/Forgotten Realms sources:
- 2 new fighter kits - Corsair and Marksman
- 4 new ranger kits - Slinger, Harrier, Mage Hunter, and Barbarian Ranger
- 7 new cleric kits - clerics devoted to Selune, Sune, Tymora, Leira, Shar, Malar, and Baervan Wildwanderer
- 2 new thief kits - Scout and Sniper
- 5 new bard kits - Jongleur, Gallant, Loremaster, Meistersinger, and Loresinger of Milil
- 2 new druid kits - Purifier and Elementalist (plus, the vanilla BG2 "Forest Druid" becomes available in IWDEE)
- multiclass kits (!) - Bladesinger, Spellfilcher, Wizard Slayer and Spellbender, and multiclass clerics of Mielikki, Solonor Thelandira, Mystra, Mask, Tempus, Clangeddin, Arvoreen, and Brandobaris
3) NPC modifications. These components allow you to apply some of the new kits, or some original kits, to various NPCs. (I basically made this for EE players who can't use the excellent Level1NPCs mod.)
A note on installation:
- Install SoB after item mods, after kit-adding mods, and after most tweak mods. It should be installed before Refinements (except the druid components, which should be saved for after Refinements) and before SCS.
It works with TOB, TuTu, BGT, BG:EE, BG2:EE, and IWD:EE. Enjoy.