Balance Polishing Mod Release 1.0

[Elric Galad]

56 minutes ago, yorname said:

Ah I completely misunderstood you earlier... I adviced on a weaker weapon because I thought you were open to letting the caster keep it so that it's more consistent between caster and phantom. If that's not the case, should the phantom be allowed to keep it just because it already did, but the whole interaction is clearly unintended and counter-intuitive? I think it's important that it behaves the same way on caster and phantom if only for the reason of consistency.

Nope, it's good like this.

It can't be removed from phantom without changing the nature of the spell. Which I don't want to do. 

The named problem is solved and the issue is closed.

EDIT : yup, sorry if it's a bit rude, but I'll appreciate if you keep in mind the BPM objective : to be the closest possible from original game, even if it implies a few (non grambreaking) weirdness here and there. Deviating might improve some aspects, but I consider it as intresically bad (for the mod purpose of course). That's what the solution above tries to do and I'll appreciate a review about it.

Now I'm going to release the new BPM version soon, so I'll appreciate a few weeks pause before your next suggestion (It doesn't mean they are useless, pointing Concelhaut Draining Touch was right). Unless they are bugs of course.

Edited September 10 by Elric Galad

[Elric Galad]

Speaking about it, here is the new version :

Deadfire Balance Polishing Mod at Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Nexus - Mods and Community (nexusmods.com)

 

I have spent a bit too much time in recent weeks working on the mod, so I'll appreciate receiving a little less suggestion until mid october (maybe that's just me putting pressure on myself, and lacking self-discipline for priorities but still).

Of course, bugs are bugs, so this one you can tell.

And feel free to keep your suggestions in mind for later.

Edited September 10 by Elric Galad

[yorname]

On 9/9/2024 at 8:02 PM, yorname said:

I completely forgot about this one lol. Is it additive together with intellect bonus?

I had an effect of 30s base extended to 43.5s by INT on tooltip, and when applied to enchanter I got 46.5s, so I think this is additive.

[SenSx]

Hey Elric I have new suggestions !

Sorry just joking, thanks a lot for the update, and take some time to relax.

 

In fact I just wanted to highlight two bugs, or unwanted effects.

 

- Watcher ability "No Time for the Lost" : -10 secs Duration of hostile effects, +10 sec Duration of Beneficial Effects, does not seem to work with cipher spell "Borrowed Instinct" duration.

It should increase the duration time of the Beneficial effect on the cipher, and increase the hostile effect on the ennemy, but it does the complete opposite.

The beneficial effect duration is reduced, and so is the hostile one.

 

- Una vendor: this one, not sure if it is a bug:

She just does not show up in Neketaka  where she is supposed to at the end of the game.

The wiki says she will disappear if The Final Maneuver is active, which I find silly, as it means she basically becomes unavailable at the end of the game, since you don't always want to choose a side untill you finish everything in the game as it can have bad consequences.

Spoiler

(as loosing companions like Maia or Pallegina)

and end game is when you need Una's shop the most.

According to some people, she comes back once you choose a side, but I tried and she did not, even during the day at 12, or at dusk.

Maybe you need to go deeper into the final faction quest for her to come back, but I really don't want to go into that right now, and If it's not bug it's bad design to me, and makes no sense story or lore wise.

Spoiler

Unless it was made for a reason with assassinate the queen quest from Ruautai, to avoid Una to die ? Then again they should make her disapear only after you accept the The Final Maneuver quest and agree to kill the queen.

The quest does show up in the journal before you accept to kill the queen, but I think Una should not disappear before you accept to kill the queen from Hazanui Karū.

 

 

[Kvellen]

13 hours ago, SenSx said:

- Una vendor: this one, not sure if it is a bug:

She just does not show up in Neketaka  where she is supposed to at the end of the game.

The wiki says she will disappear if The Final Maneuver is active, which I find silly, as it means she basically becomes unavailable at the end of the game, since you don't always want to choose a side untill you finish everything in the game as it can have bad consequences.

and end game is when you need Una's shop the most.

According to some people, she comes back once you choose a side, but I tried and she did not, even during the day at 12, or at dusk.

Maybe you need to go deeper into the final faction quest for her to come back, but I really don't want to go into that right now, and If it's not bug it's bad design to me, and makes no sense story or lore wise.

I put together a script that'll fixes the issue. My guess is the designers for that area were just being over cautious. Most other NPCs in that area only get disabled when the quest is started proper.

Edited September 15 by Kvellen

[Kelstrom]

Hey guys, i dunno if its reported before, but i have a problem with Xoti's Holy Radiance skill. It shows to have 999 uses, but it can only be used 1 time in battle. The problem is when Xoti tries to do it automatically - first time is ok, but she tries second time in the same battle and get stuck on casting animation.

[SenSx]

9 hours ago, Kvellen said:

I put together a script that'll fixes the issue. My guess is the designers for that area were just being over cautious. Most other NPCs in that area only get disabled when the quest is started proper.

Thanks a lot Kvellen, it worked great Una is back, and it's retroactive.

[Elric Galad]

On 9/14/2024 at 12:39 PM, SenSx said:

Hey Elric I have new suggestions !

Sorry just joking, thanks a lot for the update, and take some time to relax.

 

In fact I just wanted to highlight two bugs, or unwanted effects.

 

- Watcher ability "No Time for the Lost" : -10 secs Duration of hostile effects, +10 sec Duration of Beneficial Effects, does not seem to work with cipher spell "Borrowed Instinct" duration.

It should increase the duration time of the Beneficial effect on the cipher, and increase the hostile effect on the ennemy, but it does the complete opposite.

The beneficial effect duration is reduced, and so is the hostile one.

Might be specific to Transferred effects. Quite a bit specific I guess.

On 9/14/2024 at 12:39 PM, SenSx said:

- Una vendor: this one, not sure if it is a bug:

She just does not show up in Neketaka  where she is supposed to at the end of the game.

The wiki says she will disappear if The Final Maneuver is active, which I find silly, as it means she basically becomes unavailable at the end of the game, since you don't always want to choose a side untill you finish everything in the game as it can have bad consequences.

  Reveal hidden contents

(as loosing companions like Maia or Pallegina)

and end game is when you need Una's shop the most.

According to some people, she comes back once you choose a side, but I tried and she did not, even during the day at 12, or at dusk.

Maybe you need to go deeper into the final faction quest for her to come back, but I really don't want to go into that right now, and If it's not bug it's bad design to me, and makes no sense story or lore wise.

  Reveal hidden contents

Unless it was made for a reason with assassinate the queen quest from Ruautai, to avoid Una to die ? Then again they should make her disapear only after you accept the The Final Maneuver quest and agree to kill the queen.

The quest does show up in the journal before you accept to kill the queen, but I think Una should not disappear before you accept to kill the queen from Hazanui Karū.

 

 

Well-known annoying stuff

On 9/15/2024 at 2:03 AM, Kvellen said:

I put together a script that'll fixes the issue. My guess is the designers for that area were just being over cautious. Most other NPCs in that area only get disabled when the quest is started proper.

Thanks !! I'll put it in next version (with credits) if you allow me. 

On 9/15/2024 at 11:18 AM, Kelstrom said:

Hey guys, i dunno if its reported before, but i have a problem with Xoti's Holy Radiance skill. It shows to have 999 uses, but it can only be used 1 time in battle.

It has a cooldown of 90s, so yeah, only 1 time in most battle.

On 9/15/2024 at 11:18 AM, Kelstrom said:

The problem is when Xoti tries to do it automatically - first time is ok, but she tries second time in the same battle and get stuck on casting animation.

I guess it is a side effect of the tweak. I think it would be hard to fix...

On 9/15/2024 at 11:23 AM, SenSx said:

Thanks a lot Kvellen, it worked great Una is back, and it's retroactive.

Thank you for testing !

[Kvellen]

17 minutes ago, Elric Galad said:

Thanks !! I'll put it in next version (with credits) if you allow me.

By all means!

[Elric Galad]

I'm considering making Flanking AR and Deflection debuff stackable with everything (I mean, if the parameter actually works, yet have to be tested)

Currently, it stacks if it comes from actual flanking.

It does not stack if it comes from Phantom Foes or PER afflictions (in vanilla, Persistent Distraction make it stacks since it is a passive source).

What is even more annoying is that if you get it from a debuff and you actually flank, the non stacking Flanking prevent the stacking Flanking to apply.

 

I might have to tweak Confounding Blind if this change is made, since the deflection debuff will stack with the flanking deflection debuff.

 

NB : @thelee speaking about Stag's Horn led to this idea  (Stag's Horn would be much better if stackable with flanking, so are Pike and Mace modals.

Edited September 24 by Elric Galad

[SenSx]

Hello,

I think I found another bug

 

This is the "spell resistance" passive ability from the tier 6 abilities.

If you learn it, I don't think the icon of this ability appear near the portraits at the bottom of the screen.

But if you respec, it will finally appear, even if you did not learn the ability AT ALL this time, it seems to stay forever locked on your character, the icon is displayed, and it appears on the character's sheet for whatever reason.

Resting does not fix the issue.

 

I just recruited Vatnir, and for some reason he also has the spell resistance passive ability from lvl 1 although it is not learned on the talent tree (it's tier 6 how could it be ?).

 

I don't know if this is a vanilla bug or from community patch or Balance Polishing mod.

 

 

Edited September 25 by SenSx

[Elric Galad]

1 hour ago, SenSx said:

Hello,

I think I found another bug

 

This is the "spell resistance" passive ability from the tier 6 abilities.

If you learn it, I don't think the icon of this ability appear near the portraits at the bottom of the screen.

But if you respec, it will finally appear, even if you did not learn the ability AT ALL this time, it seems to stay forever locked on your character, the icon is displayed, and it appears on the character's sheet for whatever reason.

Resting does not fix the issue.

 

I just recruited Vatnir, and for some reason he also has the spell resistance passive ability from lvl 1 although it is not learned on the talent tree (it's tier 6 how could it be ?).

 

I don't know if this is a vanilla bug or from community patch or Balance Polishing mod.

 

 

Is it a dispplay bug or is there an actual effect ?

 

BPM changed Spell resistance to provide immunity against FIRST spell (in addition to 10% resist), regenerated every 30s. Maybis the effect does not go if you respec (but wll be removed by first spell, and regeneration of the effect shouldn't happen anymore). 

I don't remember what I did but it would make sense if the passive part was not displayed on the portrait (useless info in combat) meanwhile the 1st spell immunity is (useful info in combat). 

 

Now maybe Vatnir gets it in his "normal" build which is instantly respec-ed if you choose the option to have companions buildable from lvl 1. Still, it could be enough of a transitory state to provide the "next spell immunity" that will go away forever on first spell. 

Edited September 25 by Elric Galad

[SenSx]

Yes ok I need to check in combat with Vatnir for exemple, if spells make it disappear.

My own friendfire spells did not work.

[Elric Galad]

On 9/25/2024 at 5:12 PM, SenSx said:

Yes ok I need to check in combat with Vatnir for exemple, if spells make it disappear.

My own friendfire spells did not work.

OK, found the cause. Totally BPM bug.

Current version of spell resistance cause complete spell immunity if you respec... and only mean to remove it is... to take the ability again.

I will address it for next version.

 

On 9/24/2024 at 10:38 AM, Elric Galad said:

I'm considering making Flanking AR and Deflection debuff stackable with everything (I mean, if the parameter actually works, yet have to be tested)

Nah, its doesn't work.

Edit : don't loose hope, I have a more complicated implementation idea, but which should work based on previous experiences. 

Edited September 30 by Elric Galad

[Bosmer]

Hi @Elric Galad! I haven't given up yet on getting Recall Agony to work with Soul Annihilation and Carnage.. so maybe you could briefly help me out here?  

I can't understand why abilities like Blood Ward and Old Siec are able to recognize Damage from DoTs but Recall Agony (unmodded) and Pain Link are not? (I'm using the Apotheosis Editor by @Noqn btw).

Blood Ward and Old Siec are working by "ApplyStatusEffectToSelfByDamageDealt" with the "StatusEffectType" "Health". 

Recall Agony is working by "ApplyStatusEffectToSelfByDamageRecieved" and Pain Link "ApplyStatusEffectToEnemyByDamageRecieved" with the "StatusEffectType" "Damage".

So is the problem that "Damage Recieved" cannot recognize Damage by DoTs (and thus SA / Carnage) but for some reason "Damage Dealt" can? Or is the problem about the difference in StatusEffectType?

[Elric Galad]

2 hours ago, Bosmer said:

Hi @Elric Galad! I haven't given up yet on getting Recall Agony to work with Soul Annihilation and Carnage.. so maybe you could briefly help me out here?  

I can't understand why abilities like Blood Ward and Old Siec are able to recognize Damage from DoTs but Recall Agony (unmodded) and Pain Link are not? (I'm using the Apotheosis Editor by @Noqn btw).

A man of culture

2 hours ago, Bosmer said:

Blood Ward and Old Siec are working by "ApplyStatusEffectToSelfByDamageDealt" with the "StatusEffectType" "Health". 

Recall Agony is working by "ApplyStatusEffectToSelfByDamageRecieved" and Pain Link "ApplyStatusEffectToEnemyByDamageRecieved" with the "StatusEffectType" "Damage".

So is the problem that "Damage Recieved" cannot recognize Damage by DoTs (and thus SA / Carnage) but for some reason "Damage Dealt" can? Or is the problem about the difference in StatusEffectType?

95% sur it is the former.

For some reasons it has been coded differently. And since it is hard coded, it is unlikely to be changed. 

[Bosmer]

Thanks a lot - then I agree that you reached the best possible solution already  

[Elric Galad]

Future BPM changes :

 

Spell Resistance bugfix:

 

Phantom Foes Flanked will be stacking, as for standard Flanked. This is both to give it an edge compared to PER Afflictions, and to give Deflection pure debuff (Divine Mark, Pike modal...)an ability to synegize with.

 

Arkemyr's Mercurial Madness. What it does :

Attack vs Will that Apply status for 30s : every 6s, one of the following statuses is applied without further roll (each one has 1 chance out of 6) :

- 6s Frenzied (Fit, Strong, +25% action speed, -10 deflection) with health bar hidden. The tooltip states 6s for these, but the Frenzy itself lasts for 6s and the other effects and child effect that will go away with it.
- 6s Color Changed (nothing else)
- 6s Confused
- 6s Terrified
- 6s Dominated
- 6s Petrified

What BPM file 1 will be doing : pure display, change make the former more obvious.

What BPM file 2 will be doing : change it to :

Attack vs Will that Apply status for 30s : every 6s, one of the following statuses is applied without further roll (each one has 1 chance out of 6) :
Cast time : 4.5s -> 3s
- 6s Stun
- 6s Disoriented
- 6s Confused
- 6s Terrified
- 6s Dominated
- 6s Petrified

 

Twin Stones :

Changed implementation so if the 2 stones connect at the same time on the same target, there will be 2 AoE (previously, the second AoE was not trigged).

Raised AoE damages to 20-34 base pierce damages. In total, twin stones is :

- 2x PEN 7 12-20 single target attack
- 2x PEN 9 20-34 AoE attack

In total, this is a bunch of damages, even if it is super hard to target (basically requires a friend to take some friendly damages).

Edited October 4 by Elric Galad

[Elric Galad]

New version is uploading, but I can't recall who gave me the script to reduce missing NPC in Serpent Crown (please claim to get your legit credit) :

Deadfire Balance Polishing Mod at Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Nexus - Mods and Community (nexusmods.com)

[Kvellen]

1 hour ago, Elric Galad said:

New version is uploading, but I can't recall who gave me the script to reduce missing NPC in Serpent Crown (please claim to get your legit credit) :

Deadfire Balance Polishing Mod at Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Nexus - Mods and Community (nexusmods.com)

That would be me!

The specifics of it are that it adds a modscript that'll activate under the specific conditions that the party are in Serpent's Crown, and Final Manuver is in the Player's journal but they haven't chosen to pursue the quest yet. Which then renable the 3 missing NPCs; Netehe, Nungata, and Una.

If Final Manuver is pursued the script won't fire on entering Serpent's Crown. Which leaves the npcs disabled as they should be during the events of the quest. Once the quest is concluded all 3 NPCs should be active without the need for the script.

[SenSx]

Thanks for the mod update Elric !

[SenSx]

I have noticed 2 issues, I don't know if those are bugs or not.

 

Kapana Taga: the tooltip says:"+0% damage for each engaged ennemy" (instead of 3% damage increase)

I don't know if it's just a tooltip error or also if damage bonus does not apply.

 

Sun and Moon: I don't notice fire and freeze damage in the tooltip.

 

I also have a question for this weapon: solar and lunar excellence give 5% chance to repeat burn or freeze attacks...does it work with spells as well or only combat attacks that deal burn or freeze damage ?

 

Thanks

Edited October 27 by SenSx

[yorname]

Can't believe I didn't see the change to SC druid's wildstrike all this time. It just feels right this way.

Corrode route seems to be really good at boss fights.

[somebody_else24]

hello @Elric Galad, I'm a longtime fan of the mod. Big fan of the changes and balancing you've done. Just had a question about which class between druid and priest (single class) you feel is more powerful and engaging after all your changes, or even which is more fun in your opinion? Particularly In terms of the druid summons I'm curious how strong the later level ones (fire stag, aspect of galawain) are with your changes and how they compare with other high level summons. 

If anyone else who has played with them using the balance patch wants to chime in with their opinion I would appreciate it too.

Edited Tuesday at 01:07 AM by somebody_else24
more questions

[yorname]

4 hours ago, somebody_else24 said:

hello @Elric Galad, I'm a longtime fan of the mod. Big fan of the changes and balancing you've done. Just had a question about which class between druid and priest (single class) you feel is more powerful and engaging after all your changes, or even which is more fun in your opinion? Particularly In terms of the druid summons I'm curious how strong the later level ones (fire stag, aspect of galawain) are with your changes and how they compare with other high level summons. 

If anyone else who has played with them using the balance patch wants to chime in with their opinion I would appreciate it too.

It's an cliche answer but still, they fill different roles.

Defensive and buffing:

For SC priest, SoT feels less game-breaking with BPM, so you can count Dire Blessing + Devotions for the Faithful + Salvation of Time as a "basic offensive buffing" set. Priest can easily counter MIG/PER/INT/RES afflictions. Minor Intercession is also much better than vanilla, so you have an actually usable "defensive dispel".

For SC druid, they can provide much more healing, easily counter CON afflictions, and make the party immune to DEX afflictions. Weather the Storm is even more useful than vanilla.

As you can see, they almost don't overlap at all. I personally think a priest is slightly more essential for a party, since with BPM chanters can also provide DEX affliction immunity, and also has good AOE healing.

Offensive:

Both are pretty much the same as vanilla. SC priest's good offensive spells are mostly in tier 7-9, while druid's are spread across all tiers. This is kind of important due to the Brilliant nerf. SC druid can now extend their shapeshift duration with crits,  it's very different from vanilla experience.

Summons:

I haven't tried many Incarnates, so can't speak for the priest. As for the druid, Ancient's tier-1 sporelings are very good in BPM. High level summons are also stronger, but just like vanilla, their offensive potential still can't match your characters, so would you spend a high tier slot (more precious due to Brilliant nerf) for one of those, or spend a tier-1 slot for 2 sporelings, which are almost as tanky individually and don't even underpenetrate very often? That's worth considering.

 

If you want to play a SC priest, build a party with many summons that you can control (e.g. not skeletons from Many Lives). Spark the Souls of the Righteous is simply a different spell with 10+ creatures.

For SC druid, I think ancient is the way to go, because only they have unique spells, except Tekehu of course. Cat form + Confounding Blind + Blade of the Endless Paths (from other party members) will allow you to stay in shapeshift forever, dealing weapon damage comparable to martial classes, while also being a full caster.