[Mod Request] Assassin Feature Pack

[Cyrus_Blackfeather]

Hello all, 

 

This is a request for a mod that adds a few features to the Assassin subclass for Rogue that, I hope, will add to it without completely breaking the game. 

 

What I'd like (Please, tell me what you think of each and their effect on the game. Would it make things too trivial?)

 

A reduction in cost of 1 Guile for invisibility abilities (Smoke Veil, Shadowing Beyond, Vanishing Strike, etc.) to a minimum of 1 Guile. Eg: Smoke Veil becomes 1 Guile, Shadowing Beyond/Shadow Step become 2 Guile. This allows for Assassinate to be used during combat with much more regularity, brings Rogue's two earliest invisibility powers in line with Trickster's spells in terms of Guile cost, and helps Assassin to become a little more active while still requiring choices to be made regarding resource management. 

 

Poison scaling. Essentially, returning Alchemy's old functionality to the Assassin class as a feature, regarding poisons at least. Poisons are an essential part of an Assassin's toolkit. I'm not 100% on this one, because everyone seems to be saying that poisons are still fine, they're just not game-breakingly overpowered anymore. If doing this would seriously overturn the game's balance, I'm okay with not having it. 

Edited July 24, 2018 by Cyrus_Blackfeather

[Cyrus_Blackfeather]

What I'm hoping for is someone to do the coding for this for me, since I lack a lot of confidence in doing this sort of stuff myself. However, if anyone could just walk me through the process here (Tell me what to do, where to go to change things, etc, and how to set up the override folder and such) I'd appreciate it. At least for the Guile cost changes, and maybe adding a notation about them in the Assassin subclass description. I'm not crazy about the poison buff, as it's honestly unnecessary. 

Edited July 25, 2018 by Cyrus_Blackfeather

[fxluk]

Hi,

 

Unfortunately Spirit Successor:

https://spiritualsuccessor.net

is not working with abilities anymore Changing cost of abilities would be very easy.

 

Without it, you would have to go through your abilities.gamesbundle file.

If you do not want to mess much with separate mods for things, it is easiest to change it directly in abilities.gamesbundle file.

Con of such way is that, when there is an update which reverts your changes, you have to do it again.

 

So, open abilities.gamesbundle preferable in Notepad++ and search for the smoke_veil. After you find it, look for "UsageValue":2. Change it to 1 and it is done.

 

I also messed a bit with Assasins, I created one small mod that reverts backstab multiplier to 150% (100% at the moment)

https://www.nexusmods.com/pillarsofeternity2/mods/77

 

I also raised stealth speed (unfortunately for whole team, not only my assassin) because for me when playing on POTD + DD, it is very hard to actually land a hit from stealth.

You can find info on how to do it here:

https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/103839-need-help-stealth-speed-multiplier/

 

I would like to do some more changes to assassins, but I lack time and skills to do it

Edited July 25, 2018 by fxluk

[Armakoir]

I have an interest in working on the Assassin (and other Rogue subclasses). But I think we can be more creative and have more fun with the changes than just decreasing guile costs or buffing poisons. I think Assassin could use some abilities that make them feel different than a standard rogue (which doesn't feel like the case right now).

 

One thing I would like to see for Rogues (possibly for the Assassin) is an offensive movement ability (ie, a charge).

 

Or perhaps the Assassin automatically triggers Invisibility when s/he kills a target.

 

Perhaps the Assassin has an ability that automatically creates Poisons in quickslots upon resting.

 

Perhaps Assassins always do some kind of poison damage based upon their alchemy ability.

 

Perhaps we flip the Assassin sneak attack bonus (instead of requiring flanking, it requires being further away from party members).

 

I also keep picturing a Garrote ability... it could function like a DoT that does increasing damage until it is resisted then the ability stops, all the while the Assassin and target are immobilized (there has to be some kind of animation that could suffice here).

[Cyrus_Blackfeather]

I have an interest in working on the Assassin (and other Rogue subclasses). But I think we can be more creative and have more fun with the changes than just decreasing guile costs or buffing poisons. I think Assassin could use some abilities that make them feel different than a standard rogue (which doesn't feel like the case right now).

 

One thing I would like to see for Rogues (possibly for the Assassin) is an offensive movement ability (ie, a charge).

 

Or perhaps the Assassin automatically triggers Invisibility when s/he kills a target.

 

Perhaps the Assassin has an ability that automatically creates Poisons in quickslots upon resting.

 

Perhaps Assassins always do some kind of poison damage based upon their alchemy ability.

 

Perhaps we flip the Assassin sneak attack bonus (instead of requiring flanking, it requires being further away from party members).

 

I also keep picturing a Garrote ability... it could function like a DoT that does increasing damage until it is resisted then the ability stops, all the while the Assassin and target are immobilized (there has to be some kind of animation that could suffice here).

 

An offensive Charge ability would be cool. I also like the idea of a Corrode lash that scales with Alchemy, or with level - the Assassin's weapons are always prepped for poison (Even the bullets... somehow). 

 

The ability that creates poisons in Quickslots is another cool idea - maybe an upgrade to Deep Pockets. 

 

In another thread, I've asked about how to make it so that Full Attacks don't break Stealth for Assassinate/Backstab procs, but no one seems very clear on how to do that.

 

There actually is a Garrote ability in the game. It's the Lay on Hands for the Steel Garrote, and you get it as a per-rest ability with a pair of gloves. So there's probably an animation in there somewhere that could be used. Of course then you get into the weird logic error of how you can strangle something that doesn't have a neck (Like an ooze) or that has a neck much bigger around than you can grasp (Like a dragon). And of course, "Neck resistance" isn't something that the game checks.

 

You do bring up a good point that Assassin doesn't feel distinct from the other Rogue subclasses in how it plays. Assassinate is good, but all it really does is emphasize going invisible with skills or potions, getting a free hit in, and then doing it again. Their disadvantage isn't even really that well explained or implemented. They take more damage because... they're more fragile. 

 

I'd love to follow your progress into making Assassin feel more distinct from the other Rogues, and lend whatever support I can. 

[Armakoir]

Hey Cyrus,

 

I'm working on these changes for the Assassin, let me know what you think.

 

 

Sneak Attack is removed and replaced with Surprise Attack (from my Swiftblade mod) .

 

The Assassin also gains Guile from killing stuff or from stuff dying around him. I'm considering attaching this added Guile to Surprise Attack (ie killing something during the SA duration will grant the Assassin Guile). Also while killing with Backstab (but this may be harder to implement).

 

The Assassin gains a Garrote ability different than the one in game. Instead, this Garrote will inflict minimal damage while testing all four defenses (deflection, will, fort, reflex). If the Assassin can hit or crit against each one, then the target dies outright. Only works against Kith and, if successful, grants invisibility.

 

I've also tweaking the active abilities of the base Rogue tree, including reducing some Guile costs and moving some of the abilities to different PLs.

[peardox]

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