Of Gnomish Barbarians

[Hstaphath_XC]

I've been experimenting with different ways to twink a NWN Barbarian Gnome.

I wanted to do something... unusual, but the lackluster results I'm getting may show there is a very darn good reason there aren't many Gnomish Barbarians running around.

In the interim, I'm sticking with my half-Elven Bard.

[StumpTX_XC]

Bards are cool, especially now that they added curse song. Bard fighter is good too.

[Hstaphath_XC]

Bards are cool, especially now that they added curse song. Bard fighter is good too.

I don't have either of the expansion packs yet. Both are on the way soon, though.

What does the curse song do?

Heck, I haven't finished playing though all the mods I've downloaded for just the original NWN. In fact, I'm playing through the Penultima ones right now.

As a Bard, my favorite item I've picked up in my journeys, so far, is an autographed harp signed by the legendary master of strings "Edward von Halen."

Oh, sure, all it does is cast 2 charm person spells a day and I'm already lugging around a wide selection of harps as it is, but the autograph is what makes it a TRUE collector's item.

[StumpTX_XC]

It's just the reverse of the bard song. It takes enemies down on attack, saves, etc. Just reverse the bard song and do it on them so now you really get twice the effect. Your bard song strengthens your party and the curse song weakens the enemy.

[StumpTX_XC]

What would be a good quest idea for a Bard? Can you think of something we could put into the mod?

Did you get the expanion packs yet? We are also using the CEP hak that Bioware is pushing heavily. It's on our ftp site. We're gonna have it up and running with regular updates as we continue to add more to it. It will be a select few who have access during this phase. If tempted, become a part of the development team. We have a lot of good ideas and would really like to have your input on this.

Over 200 areas so far. Lot's of scripting still to do.

[Hstaphath_XC]

What would be a good quest idea for a Bard? Can you think of something we could put into the mod?

You're kidding, right? The ultimate quest of ANY Bard is to defeat the evil wizard Mangar the Dark and free the good town of Skara Brae from the curse of Eternal Winter!

Ahem... seriously, I can think of several good quests and story plots for Bards.

1. Reclaim a legendary lost instrument of power (one that possibly has to be reassembled) to release someone important or even an entire town from some sort of curse.

2. Have a Bard become "cursed" for being good with a band of groupies that follow him/her around as pathetic respawning uncontrollable henchmen that are constantly getting in his/her way and spouting an unending stream of mindless groupie talk until he/she can find another Bard to lose a music duel to so that the goupies will follow him/her instead.

3. Quest for a long lost holy poem to set to music that will bring a nature goddess back from an evil banishment in order to save an Elven wood. This quest might as well require a certain type of music instrument to use as well.

4. If male, have a barmaid/groupie you slept with once while drunk leave you with a baby that will "curse" you by being stuck carried in your offhand (you would not be able to use a shield or second weapon and would receive a attack/defend penalty for having to protect the baby) until you find a way to track her down again.

I can go on if this is the kind of thing you are looking for.

Did you get the expanion packs yet?

Not yet, and Frey said he mailed them to me awhile ago now. Time to pester him again, I guess, but I just feel really guilty for bothering him about it.

... If tempted, become a part of the development team. We have a lot of good ideas and would really like to have your input on this. Over 200 areas so far. Lot's of scripting still to do.

I'm certainly up for helping out with the writing, background, and plot. Just let me know what I need to do!

[Hstaphath_XC]

I'm also trying out a Dwarven Paladin/Bard while playing through the Pools of Radiance and Curse of the Azure Bonds mods for NWN.

Since I'm dealing with the level 20 limit still, how many of those levels should be Paladin and how many should be Bard for maximum effect?

LOL, I was considering being having him be a Paladin/Thief instead, but that just doesn't seem right for some reason...

[StumpTX_XC]

I think the key to multiclassing is the basic stats (Str, Dex, Con, Wis, Int, Cha).

For example, Cleric/Wizard doesn't make much sense because clerics use Wis for DC's and number of spells they can memorize. However, clerics also use charisma for certain feats like divine power and turn undead. If you wanted a cleric that could do some arcane magic as well, you would be better off going cleric sorcerer since sorcerers use Cha for their spell DC's and number of spells they can memorize.

Another logical combo would be rogue/wizard. The 2 most important stats for a rogue are Dex and Int. A wizard's most important stat is Int.

Of course there are other considerations as well such as available feats and access to newer classes like red dragon disciple, pale master, etc. I just think that if you want a really good character, the first thing to consider is are you going to have to have high numbers in 4 different attributes or can you focus on just 1 or 2 and get them way up there.

[Hstaphath_XC]

I think the key to multiclassing is the basic stats (Str, Dex, Con, Wis, Int, Cha)...

EXACTLY why I thought a Paladin/Bard would be a good multiclass since they both have a Cha focus.

Unfortunately, for it to work due to alignment requirements, it would have to involve a "fallen" Paladin becoming a Bard or perhaps a chaotic Bard "called" to being a lawful Paladin by a Deity.

Lots of good story material possibilities to work with to explain such a character, though!

Is there a DebugMode command to change a character's alignment, btw?

[StumpTX_XC]

There are alignment changes hardcoded in the game but I'm not sure exactly how they work. I know you can script that in and I also think that attacking chcracters of the same faction makes you more evil. I am certain that if a player attacks an NPC commoner or defender, their alignment shifts towards evil, but I don't know of other such changes that would occur without scripting them in. I have also have this utility that ravenstar uploaded to our ftp site called lilac soul script generator and it can generate scripts for changing alignments as well.

[Hstaphath_XC]

For the Paladin/Bard to work, the player has to have a way to change between being Chaotic (or Neutral) and Lawful.

Having a Paladin run around chopping up NPCs will just turn him from a Lawful Good Paladin into a Lawful Evil Paladin, right?

I'm hypothesizing, however, that a Paladin that keeps taking things that don't belong to him/her on an OC with implemented alignment penalties/bonuses will eventually lose their Lawful alignment and be able to become a Bard.

[StumpTX_XC]

I believe you are correct, but I'm pretty sure changes in the first part of a PC alignment could be scripted. If you read through enough of my notes, you will see that I have factored alignments into interraction with dieties and even gaining access to them. If your PC is your alignment, I have suggested that the level gazillion baddies that block access to the diety will be friendly to that PC. An evil PC trying to get to a good diety, however, would have the fight of their life on their hands.

[Hstaphath_XC]

Sure, but reading through your notes, I got the impression you would be focusing on good/neutral/evil when doing alignment checks and requirements and, hence, alignment rewards rather than chaotic/neutral/lawful.

Which certainly makes sense since checking by chaotic/neutral/lawful would have a serious impact on which character classes are able to be in which guild.

For example, if a guild/church has a lawful alignment check, then no Bards will be able to be in that guild/church. Likewise, no Paladins will be able to be in the chaotic or neutral guilds/churches. However, Bards and Paladins can certainly be any of the good/neutral/evil alignments (I believe this is true for all other PC classes?).

[StumpTX_XC]

Guilds will be able to set up membership tests, celebrations for new members or any other requirements all on their own. The Council will ultimately determine if any changes are required. This thing will be dynamic and the players will have a hand at steering it through the power of the Council of Elders and the Grand Council.