Spellcaster Change Details:
The innate level of a spell is what will define a spell's effectiveness.
Components such as save, affected by SR, damage type, and targeting may adjust these numbers.
And also, I will be introducing a secondary condition beyond CL from which the baseline of arcane magic will scale further, spoken of later on.
The first two spell circles will have quicker scaling but also an effective level cap.
lv 1 12d4 max; d4 / CL capped at CL12 (30 avg)
lv 2 13d6 max; d6 / CL capped at CL13 (45.5 avg)
The rest will follow a more gradual scaling, but when cast by the player (not through weapons or items), the minimum damage dealt will be equivelant to if they had 20 CL.
lv 3 30d3 max; d3 / CL (60 avg)
lv 4 30d4 max; d4 / CL (75 avg)
lv 5 60d2 max; 2d2 / CL (90 avg)
lv 6 30d6 max; d6 / CL (105 avg)
lv 7 60d3 max; 2d3 / CL (120 avg)
lv 8 30d8 max; d8 / CL (135 avg)
lv 9 60d6 max; 2d6 / CL + (0.5 * CL) (225 avg)
Ninth circle's damage is so high because no metamagic can affect it, whereas even eighth circle can be empowered for a 50% boost.
Now, onto the secondary form of scaling!
In addition to the base damage of a spell based on CL, arcane spells may also be granted further bonuses dependant on how many levels of raw spellcaster classes you may have, as a way to make up for a pure wiz or sorc not having as much outside of casting as a cleric, shaman, or druid might. For example..
Wizard, Sorceror, ASoC, Palemaster, Demonologist, Mystic Theurge, Golem Master, and Red Wizard are examples of caster-focused, non-gish classes. Lich, Brachina, Rakshasa Sorcerer, Grey Slaad and Succubus are examples of applicable RPRCs.
For every three levels in an arcane caster-focused class, you get a bonus to the damages dealt by your spells. This bonus applies additional +1 CL worth of dice in that class. For example..
CL 30 Fireball would deal 30d3 damage base and before metamagic. For every 3 levels in one of those classes, you would gain 1 "CL" worth of extra damage dice from taking those pure mage levels, in fireball's case. So a Level 30 wizard would have 30d3 + 10d3 for a fireball.
What this does, is reward players who forego the usual gish options to play a more caster-heavy role, and allows for spells to be heavier-hitting for those builds who have little else to do. Vanilla NWN2's fireballs did 35 dmg on average, for reference, whereas a 30 Wizard would deal 80 before any metamagic.
Cleric Domain Changes
- Travel now grants haste at lv 3 instead of 5. Freedom of movement was removed to do this- the rest is unchanged.
- Fire domain now grants Burning Hands at 1, Fireball at 3, Firebrand instead of Wall of Fire at lv 5, and delayed blast fireball at lv 7
- Cold domain now grants Hypothermia at lv 3, Ice Storm at lv 4, and Polar Ray at lv 8
- Earth domain now grants Stoneskin at 4, Greater Stoneskin at 6, and earthquake at 9.
- Magic domain swapped mage armor for magic missile, Assay spell resistance was swapped for improved mage armor, Isaac's Lesser Missile Storm has been added at 4, and greater spell mantle has been added at 9. The feat granted is now Spellcasting Prodigy. Rest unchanged.
- Trickery domain gains mirror image at 3, loses confusion at 4, and gains hallucinatory terrain at 4, with the rest unchanged.
- Law domain is now mass aid at 1, hold monster at 5, mechanus cannon at lv 8, and Mass Hold Monster at 9.
- Death domain exchanges power word kill at 9 for wail of the banshee at 9.
- Fury Domain gets War Cry at 4 instead of Tenser's Transformation at 6. Tenser's has been removed from fury domain on account of it being so powerful that the vast majority of optimal cleric builds take it. Fury also gains Heroism at 2.
- Time Domain's haste now comes at lv 4 instead of 3.
- Protection Domain gains Greater Spell Mantle at 9, protection from spells was moved from 8 to 7, and etherealness was added to 8.
Darkness Domain has gained Mass Deafness/Blindness at 8 and blindsight at 1.
- Undeath Domain has lost Extra Turning and gained Corpse Crafter. It also gained Control Undead at 8 and negative energy burst at 4.
- Chaos domain's Confusion was moved from 5 to 3, and it gained prismatic spray at 6 and great thunderclap at level 7.
-Evil domain gained stygian ice storm at 7.
- Celestial and Diabolic domains have had their 7th level damaging spells buffed from: Lvl 7, 4d8 + CL saveless exotic damage to Lvl 7, d6 / CL saveless exotic damage.
- Arboreal Domain spells have also had their damage adjusted: Storm of Shards' damage is now 1d8 per CL; Ghaele Ray is now 1d4 per 2 CL, with evil outsiders taking 1d4 per CL instead; Vengeance Halo now deals 2d6 damage per level and has no CL cap.
- Entropy Domain's Entropic Bolt had its cap of CL20 removed. The feat is now on a 60s cooldown.
- Arboreal, Celestial, Demonic, Diabolic, Protection, and Death domains' feature abilities now function on 6 minute cooldowns.
- Wrath domain's feature ability now functions on a 1 minute cooldown.
- Strength Domain's feature ability now functions on a 8 minute cooldown.
- The Balance Domain's 9th level spell, Weighed in the Balance, has been reworked: True Neutral alignments are healed for 5*Caster Level; Edge alignments are damaged for 1d8 / CL; Corner Alignments are damaged for 1d12 / CL; Undead are healed (damaging) for 5* Caster Level; Damaging effects still have a will save for half.
- Knowledge domain always gave Skill Focus Lore as its bonus feat here, but now the TLK shows it.
- A lot of other domains from patches past have also had their TLK updated to reflect the changes away from vanilla NWN2.
Cleric Spell Changes
- All summon creature spell durations are now 60s / CL, except for summon creature 1, which remains 2m / CL. Gate is also included.
- Cure/Inflict spells have been buffed (Gadwin)
Cure/Inflict Light Wounds(1): Cures/Deals 1d8 damage +1/level (max +5). -> 2d8 + CL (max +5) (14 avg)
Cure/Inflict Moderate Wounds(2): Cures/Deals 2d8 damage +1/level (max +10) -> 4d8 + CL (max +10) (28 avg)
Cure/Inflict Serious Wounds(3): Cures/Deals the target of 3d8 damage +1/level -> 6d8 + CL (max +15) (42 avg)
Cure/Inflict Critical Wounds(4): Cures/Deals 4d8 damage +1/level -> 8d8 + CL (max +20) (56 avg)
Cure/Inflict Light Wounds, Mass(5): Cures/Deals 1d8 damage + 1/level for nearby allies. -> 4d8 + CL (48 avg)
Cure/Inflict Moderate Wounds, Mass(6): Cures/Deals 2d8 damage +1/level for many creatures. -> 8d8 + CL (66 avg)
Cure/Inflict Serious Wounds, Mass(7): Cures/Deals 3d8 damage +1/level for many creatures. -> 12d8 + CL (84 avg)
Cure/Inflict Critical Wounds, Mass(8): Cures/Deals 4d8 damage +1/level for many creatures. -> 16d8 + CL (102 avg)
- Searing Light's formula deals 30 dice of dmg max; d3 / CL to undead, d2 / CL to others, and 1 / CL to constructs.
- Call Lightning is now 30d3 max; d3 / CL
- Arc of Lightning is now 30d4 max; d4 / CL
- Hypothermia's damage is now 30d3 max; d3 / CL
- Flame Strike's damage is now 30d4 max; d4 / CL
- Inferno's damage is now 1 per CL. Its duration has been reduced from 6s / CL to a flat 4 rounds. It cannot be maximized or empowered or extended any longer.
- Call Lightning Storm is now 60d2 max; 2d2 / CL. Its +4 to DC has been removed.
- Crumble's damage is now uncapped to 1d6 per CL and the damage is now magical.
- Fire Storm's damage is now uncapped to 2d3 per CL.
- Bombardment's damage is now uncapped to 1d8 per CL.
- Earthquake's damage is now uncapped to 1d8 per CL.
- Sunbeam's damage is now uncapped to 1d6 per CL for undead and 1d3 / CL for others.
- Sunburst's damage is now uncapped to 1d8 per CL for undead and 1d4 / CL for others.
- Burst of Glacial Wrath's damage is now 2d6 per CL uncapped.
- Divine Power's duration has been buffed from 6s / CL to 60s / CL to ease buff juggling for clerics.
- Recitation's duration has been buffed from 6s / CL to 60s / CL when cast at CL13 and above to ease buff juggling for clerics, and now always grants +3 bonuses regardless of deity.
- In light of all of the divine spell buffs, Divine Favor has been changed to grant +3 damage only, not +3 EB.
- Living Undeath is now 1 minute base duration plus 6 seconds per caster level. Extend and Persist work with it.
Psionic Power Changes
- Cheat Fate gives +2 Dodge AC instead of +8. It retains its crit and death immunity.
- Danger Sense now grants +1/+2 AC instead of +2/+4, and retains its reflex saves and sneak immunity.
- Concealing Amorpha, Greater now grants 50% concealment instead of 40%.
- Force Screen now grants +5/+6 Shield AC instead of +4/+5.
- Energy Bolt gets a +5d6 boost instead of a +2d6 from augmentation, as well as another +1 DC.
- Energy Cone gets an extra +1 to the DC when augmenting.
- Energy Ball deals 8d6 instead of 7d6 base.
- Energy Current deals 14d6 instead of 9d6 base since it can't be twinned.
- Energy Wave's augmentation increases number of projectiles that can attack an enemy to 20
- Hail of Crystals deals 6d4 on impact instead of 5d4, and explodes for an additional 11d4 instead of 9d4.
- Breath of the Black Dragon deals 12d6 base instead of 11d6.
- Ultrablast does 18d6 base instead of 13d6.
- Force Beam's base damage is 10d6 instead of 7d6.
- Ectoplasmic Shambler's duration was changed to 6 seconds / level.
- Mass Impalement deals 99d6 instead of 120d6 to be more on par with hellball, and had its AoE lowered from Astronomic (24.3m / 80 ft) to Tremendous (12.19m / 40 ft) so that it doesn't instagib half the area map, party members included.
Arcane Spell Changes
NOTE THAT "PML" IS PURE MAGE LEVELS. 1/3 PML SCALING IS CALCULATED IN DAMAGE SCRIPTS AS (SPELL DAMAGE) + (PML/3 in dice).
- Magic missile has been reworked to have its delay between missiles cut down to 0.1s. There is a missile spawned for every CL capped at 12, and each missile now deals 1d3+1 damage each. There is an additional +1 damage bonus per missile gained at 26 PML.
- Lesser Orb of (Element) deals 1d4 damage every CL capped at 12 CL. Every 6 PML grants 1d3.
- Burning Hands deals 1d6 every CL capped at 12 CL because cones suck. Every 6 PML grants 1d2.
- Negative Energy Ray deals 1d4 negative damage every CL capped at 12 CL with no save. Every 6 PML grants 1d2.
- Melf's Acid Arrow deals 1d6 every CL capped at 13d6, and 2d6 on following rounds. Every 6 PML grants 1d2 to the base arrow as well as the DOT, and the DOT duration has been halved to 1 round every 6 CL.
- Combust deals 8d6 fire damage base. If the reflex save is failed, target takes an additional 5d6 damage, and again every round until they make the save. Every 10 PML grants +1 to the save DC.
- Fireburst deals 1d6 every CL capped at 13d6. Every 6 PML grants 1d2.
- Scorching Ray scales up to 3 rays at 11 CL, each ray doing 4d6. Every 3 PML adds 1 damage per ray.
- Gedlee's Electric Loop deals 1d6 every CL capped at 13d6. Every 6 PML grants 1d2.
- Flame Arrow was reverted to vanilla, but also spawns an extra arrow for every 6 PML.
- Mestil's Acid Breath deals 1d4 every CL because cones suck. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Fireball deals 1d3 every CL. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Lightning Bolt deals 1d4 every CL because lines suck. 1/3 PML scaling in effect at 1d4.
- Scintillating Sphere deals 1d3 every CL. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Vampiric Touch is a MTA that deals 1d3 every CL and gives a fourth of damage dealt back as temp HP. 1/3 PML scaling in effect, also affects temp HP gain.
- Negative Energy Burst deals 1d3 every CL and had its STR drain removed. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Orb of (Element) deals 1d4 (element) damage every CL. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Vitriolic sphere is now a fortitude save
- Ice Storm deals 1d4 Cold damage every CL. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Wall of Fire reverted to Vanilla, with the cap of 20 removed. 1/3 PML added to damage.
- Shout deals 1d4 sonic damage every CL. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Evard's Black Tentacles now have an AB of 30 and deal 1d6 + 1/3 CL damage on a successful hit. Every 5 PML adds +1 to the AB.
- Isaac's Lesser Missile Storm now targets one missile per enemy, with the missile doing 1d6 magic damage every 3 CL. Every 6 PML adds 1d6 more. Maximize notably functions as per vanilla.
- Arc of Lightning deals 1d4 / CL. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Cacophonic Burst deals 2d2 sonic damage every CL. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Firebrand deals 1d6 fire damage every CL. Every 4 PML, 1d6 is gained.
- Fireburst Greater deals 2d2 fire damage every CL. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Cone of Cold deals 2d2 cold damage every CL and is now a Fortitude Save. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Shroud of Flame deals 2d2 fire damage every 3 CL immediately, then another 2d2 per 3 CL every round it fails the save. Nearby creatures take 1d2 per 3 CL every round they fail their own save and the primary target remains aflame. The duration has been reduced from 6s / CL to 6s / 4 CL. 1/3 PML scaling for main target damage and AoE.
- Freezing Fog deals 1d2 cold damage for every 3 CL every round and has a duration of 1 round per CL. Every 9 PML gives another 1d2.
- Vitriolic Sphere deals 2d2 acid damage every CL and is now a Fortitude save. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Acid Fog deals 1d4 acid damage for every 3 CL every round and has a duration of 1 round per CL. Every 9 PML gives another 1d4.
- Chain Lightning is now 1d6 / CL electric damage, not reduced by jumping. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Isaac's Greater Missile Storm now targets one missile per enemy, and the missiles' base damage is calculated by (CL*2) / 3 in d6s. +1d6 every 6 PML.
- Disintegrate deals 1d8 magic damage per CL, and a successful save reduces its damage by half instead of to 5d6. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Extract Water Elemental deals 1d6 damage per CL. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Bigby's Forceful Hand now has a nerfed duration of 6 seconds, + 6 seconds for every 11 CL, and another 6 seconds for every 11 PML.
- Tenser's Transformation now gives 1/3 CL (rounded down) to AB instead of 1/2.
- The damage of Prismatic spray has been changed to 2d3 per CL for fire, acid, and electrical damages. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Delayed Blast Fireball deals 2d3 per CL. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Finger of Death does 2d3 negative damage per CL on a successful death save. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Stygian Ice Storm deals 1d6 cold damage per CL. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Great Thunderclap stuns and knockdowns for 4 rounds instead of 1 on the respective failed will and reflex saves.
- Bigby's Grasping Hand adds +1 to the grapple check vs AC for every 5 PML.
- Incendiary Cloud deals 1d6 fire damage for every 3 CL every round and has a duration of 1 round per CL. The save is now fortitude instead of reflex since ninja-flipping through a cloud of fire and coming out unscathed is silly. Every 9 PML gives another 1d6.
- Bigby's Clenched Fist deals 1d2 physical damage per CL per round if the attacks hit. The duration has been cut down to 4 rounds. The spell is no longer empowerable or extendable, and every 5 pure mage levels adds +1 to the accuracy check.
- Polar Ray deals 1d10 cold damage per CL. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Greater Shout deals 1d8 sonic damage per CL. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Horrid Wilting deals 1d8 magic damage per CL, and has been bugfixed to have long range as intended. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Mechanus Cannon has its damage measured in d6's, doing 1d6 per CL when cast by lawful alignments, d6 per CL cut in half by neutrals, and d6 per CL cut in half with a save for reflex by chaotics, and the spell can now be empowered by ASoCs. PML ONLY APPLIES FOR LAWFUL CASTERS, at 1/3 scaling.
- Bigby's Crushing Hand's check now gets +1 bonuses every 5 PML.
- Meteor Swarm: Creature deals d2 fire damage and 1 bludgeoning damage per CL per meteor to one creature, with surrounding creatures also taking CL in fire damage. The fire damage taken by both the main target and surrounding creatures also gains a bonus of (your CL / 7) per meteor. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Meteor Swarm: Location deals 1d6 fire damage per CL + 1/4 your flat CL to all creatures in the AoE. This application of meteor swarm hits twice with 2 seperate reflex saves. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Meteor Swarm: Self deals 2d6 fire damage per CL + half your flat CL to creatures in the AoE. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Burst of Glacial Wrath's ice damage is now 2d6 per CL + half your flat CL. 1/3 PML scaling in effect.
- Wail of the Banshee's Range is now Long instead of Short.
- Epic Vampiric Feast no longer has a shadow summon. It instead creates multiple shadows, one for each monster killed, that will fight alongside the caster (but not block other summons).
Bard Changes
- CURSE SONG reduces AC by -2 instead of -5. Save penalty increased from 3/2/2 to -5 -5 -5 to compensate and make offensive bard spells / teamplay with mages more useful.
- SONG / CHORUS OF HEROISM retains its 4/level temp hp and +4 to saves, and the +4 AB custom change has been converted to a 20% physical damage immunity bonus for the party.
- WAR CRY, the spell, will be changed so that it confers a +4 to damage and no AB boost. The duration has been upped from 6 seconds / CL to 12 seconds / CL.
- SONG / HYMN OF REQUIEM has been adjusted to do better in groups and worse against one target by having its per-target scaling removed entirely.
- SONG: "2x perform, scaled down to as low as 1/6th" changed to flat perform skill. This will make it less incredibly destructive for single targets and vastly more useful for AoE DPS. The average perform rank reached after buffs is ~40, so this will mean all enemies in the AoE receive that 40 damage instead of one getting hit for 80, one for 40, one for 20, and the rest for 10.
- HYMN: "2x perform, scaled down to as low as 1/6th" changed to always 0.5x perform. So if you have 40 perform, everyone in your party will be healed for a flat 20 every tick.