Baldur's Gate : The Sword Coast Chronicles : NWN2 Persistent World

So I have a question.


Is the race of the background feats really important?

I have an aasimar character that comes from Luskan. If I look at the background feat the only one I could take that give Illuskan language and has the planetouched race is Silver marches.

But when I look at the description, it states Tieflings.


The only aasimar background I find is in Mulhorand.

Does thst mean that I cannot take the background that give Illuskan on my toon?

abousalif wrote: ↑Thu Aug 12, 2021 3:54 pm So I have a question.


Is the race of the background feats really important?

I have an aasimar character that comes from Luskan. If I look at the background feat the only one I could take that give Illuskan language and has the planetouched race is Silver marches.

But when I look at the description, it states Tieflings.


The only aasimar background I find is in Mulhorand.

Does thst mean that I cannot take the background that give Illuskan on my toon?

No background feats are race locked (outside of a few very extreme cases like Evermeet). They list the most common subraces and ethnic groups that are found in that community, but that does not mean minorities don't exist. Aasimar are the most common planetouched in Mulhorand, and it is the region where most aasimar come from (as gods literally walk the earth there), but minorities of other planetouched would certainly exist there as well, and small numbers of aasimar can be found in regions other than Mulhorand.

There is nothing stopping you from taking the Luskan feat on an aasimar. You are just a member of a minority group.

Rhifox wrote: ↑Thu Aug 12, 2021 4:58 pm

abousalif wrote: ↑Thu Aug 12, 2021 3:54 pm So I have a question.


Is the race of the background feats really important?

I have an aasimar character that comes from Luskan. If I look at the background feat the only one I could take that give Illuskan language and has the planetouched race is Silver marches.

But when I look at the description, it states Tieflings.


The only aasimar background I find is in Mulhorand.

Does thst mean that I cannot take the background that give Illuskan on my toon?

No background feats are race locked (outside of a few very extreme cases like Evermeet). They list the most common subraces and ethnic groups that are found in that community, but that does not mean minorities don't exist. Aasimar are the most common planetouched in Mulhorand, and it is the region where most aasimar come from (as gods literally walk the earth there), but minorities of other planetouched would certainly exist there as well, and small numbers of aasimar can be found in regions other than Mulhorand.

There is nothing stopping you from taking the Luskan feat on an aasimar. You are just a member of a minority group.

Thank you for the quick answer

Steve wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 5:16 pm I noticed some weird non-additions when using Shifter Owlvear form and items with Universal Saves.

At the moment, when I shift to Owlbear using NO uni save gear, the CON mod of my toon goes up 1, so the Fortitude Save goes up 1.

When I shift using a +3 Necklace of Uni Saves, for a flash, the Character Sheet shows -3 Fort Saves on the amount, then after the shifting is complete, +3 is added to Fortitude, which is exactly the same amount pre-shift—meaning, the increased CON of the form is not applying (the total should have gone up by 1, like previously without the item).

If I add to the mix a +2 Uni Saves ring, and then shift to Owlbear, the same situation as previous happens, but now the new total is -2 Fortitude from what it should be.

This only seems to be applying to the Fortitude Save, and not the Reflex save (this seems to go up as it should).

So I tested this out a bit more, and there is a bug somewhere here with Fortitude saves when Shifter shaped, and Bonus Saves from Items.

For example:

Currently, my PC has 22 Fortitude. When Shifting to Owlbear with no Fortitude Saves bonus items equipped, the Fortitude becomes 24 because the Owlbear form grants +4 CON for 2 pts higher Fortitude. Normal functioning here.

If I add 1 Fortitude bonus Item, say a Scarab of Protection +3, and after shifting, my PC with base 22 Fortitude receives the +3 from the Amulet and the +2 from Owlbear for a new total of 27. Normal functioning here.

If I add an additional item, say a pair of boots with +3 Fortitude saves to the mix (making a per-shift total of 28 pts), after shifting, I see an actual REDUCTION of Fortitude save, down to now a 27 Fortitude (it should be Fortitude 30 after shifting, based on the first instance of 22 based + 3 CON (shift bonus) + 3 amulet + 3 boots). So the CON didn't add from Owlbear plus a -1, or...I don't know what.

If I add another additional Item, say a cloak of the mighty with +1 Fortitude saves, my pre-shift save is 22 + 3 amulet + 3 boots + 1 cloak = 29 Fort. After shifting ot Owlbear (+4 CON bump), the new total is 27 Fort. Same as previous try, meaning, not even the Fort +1 from the Cloak registers.

If I try the same deal with Werewolf, that when shifted actually REDUCES my toons CON from -1, the new total for Fortitude is 24 (that's a -5 Fort from pre-shift levels).

This doesn't seem right to me. Is there an explanation here? I understand that Fort should go up and down with CON, but somehow, multiple Save Items are having a bogus effect upon Fort Saves.

ALSO! Reflex and Will are adding up normally.

ALSO ALSO! I tried this a bit with the Polymorph spell. It also has a similar effect after polymorphing, a reduction of Fortitude, but by 2 less, so instead of losing -5 pts, I only see a loss of -3.

Is what I'm seeing here simply that because of this, what is written on Polymorphing mechanics wiki page:

Item properties merge with new shape. Only best slot merges.

...means that Items with Saves DO NOT STACK, only the "best" meaning highest value transfers...but only for Fortitude???

You only get the best for all properties, not just fortitude. Same for all skill bonuses and everything else that normally stack - in polymorph it doesn't stack.

Will be radiant shield added to the breach list?

Because otherwise i cannot imagine how a meleer could ever remove it from PC or NPc high lvl caster.

Whut ? What to do with all these equipment slots then

Is this true for all polymorth/shapechange/wildshape forms or just the shifter ?

JIŘÍ wrote: ↑Fri Aug 13, 2021 2:16 pm Will be radiant shield added to the breach list?

Because otherwise i cannot imagine how a meleer could ever remove it from PC or NPc high lvl caster.

It was added to the breach list, yes.

edited

Thx for checking this saving throw issue. I can confirm something is wrong with fortitude saves.

I equipped ring +2 univ saves and only get 1 fort saves in shifted form, while getting +2 reflex,will

First of all I love this PRC, especially the owlbear looks amazing.
I've a couple of suggestions concerning the balance in terms of druids vs wizard/sorcerer.

Currently druids are the superior choice because of Elephant hide and Wildshape legendary animal and having +1 AB progression.
As icing on the cake the wildshape legendary forms are superior compared to the shifter forms. If you for RP reason want to play a sorcerer or wizard shifter you're losing out + 4 AC +1 ab and legendary/elemental forms /flame weapon while gaining pretty much nothing.

Example: My legendary tiger form has 48 ab and 43 AC and 2-12-17 damage and the owlbear 41 ab and 42 AC 2-12-14 . Werewolf is a bit more offensive thus 44 ab and 2-12-12 with 41 AC.
Ogre is a story on it's own but has a lot less AC and needs 3 damage reduc feats to compete.

Here are some suggestions to balance it.

1: Allow mages their BAB to be counted as medium bab while shifted or even high so they are brought a bit closer to druids in terms of balance
2: Consider the option of allowing mages to use the elemental/legendary wildshapes as well if picked ((If not, disable the option as it is a bit of a trap atm))
3: Bring some of the shifter forms closer to the druid legendary form, increasing their str would help a bit along with an AC tweak.
4: The archer forms as said earlier are a bit weak, they could benefit from Hips/epic precision or many/rapid shot as core ability
5: Another way to balance druid vs mage a bit more is to lower the requirement for a mage to 3 levels, which allows more multi classing freedom.

Over all some fun ideas and not all fully related to shifter.

1: If we're getting a new pixie form, would it be possible to change the Coure familiar form to that as well? For some reason nwn2 decided to make pixies hideous looking creatures hah.

2: Could allow wizards to pick improved familiar as their extra feat as there isn't much else to go for.

Some tweaks aside, shifter is amazing and surprisingly bug free.
The team did a great job on making this PRC.

Calen wrote: ↑Sat Aug 14, 2021 6:32 am Here are some suggestions to balance it.

1: Allow mages their BAB to be counted as medium bab while shifted or even high so they are brought a bit closer to druids in terms of balance
2: Consider the option of allowing mages to use the elemental/legendary wildshapes as well if picked ((If not, disable the option as it is a bit of a trap atm))
3: Bring some of the shifter forms closer to the druid legendary form, increasing their str would help a bit along with an AC tweak.
4: The archer forms as said earlier are a bit weak, they could benefit from Hips/epic precision or many/rapid shot as core ability
5: Another way to balance druid vs mage a bit more is to lower the requirement for a mage to 3 levels, which allows more multi classing freedom.

Some possible answers:

1: You should be able to take Augment Form feat, yes? That works with Polymorph/Shapechange spells, so should be applied to Shifter (and if not, I don't see why matelener wouldn't add it).
2: If you take 20 Shifter levels, you should be able to unlock elemental/Legendary wildshapes...unless, this path is ONLY available if with Druid by having the base Druid Wild Shapes. It would be odd, considering Shifter is considered have a Wild Shape, that 20 Shifter itself wouldn't qualify. However, the biggest issue is getting that level 20 Shifter on lvl 28 of the build and the last Feat level. So the build would have to be Wizard 5 / Shifter 20 / X 5, with the last 2 X levels at 29 and 30. Could be rough without a 100% RCR...which is hours away from closing...for probably the next decade!!!!
3: If you made Shifter as powerful as Legendary animal, than pure(ish) Druids would have little reason to exist anymore.
4: The archers REALLY need to have the ability to apply the properties of arrows/missiles to their dmg. I hope matelener and QC are listening on this...
5: The mage/sorcerer path will never add to Wild Shape progression, so perhaps what would be better is that if one does the arcane Shifter path, that Augment Form is granted for free (but would still require Spell Focus: Transmutation). Or, grant Spell Focus: Transmutation for free at Shifter lvl X, and have the player choose for Augment Form.

I guess what I'm saying here is that the mage/Sorcerer should be a better polymorpher/shapechanger type of Shifter, than the Wild Shape type of Shifter. But at the moment, there is no added bonus for going mage path, that even remotely equals the Druid path!

1: Augmented form does not work, spell focus poly morph doesn't work , even if augmented form works you'll be having to use 2 feats for 1 ab.
2: You unlock the forms and can pick them, you just can't use them as they require wild shape
3: Pure druid has the ability to cast spells/buff and is superior to shifter in anyway. I do not think legendary animal form should have both superior bab/damage and AC compared to any shifter form.
4: Pretty sure they will get buffed, would love to shift into sneak pixie form haha.
5: That's what shifter is missing to be fair, an arcane path that just brings them on par with druids.

The biggest issue with druid vs mage is that if you buff shifter, you'll buff the druid as well.
Giving them an arcane path would indeed solve it.

Edit: Shame the RCR ends tomorrow, I think I'll have to go through some shifter builds to find the right one with wizard.
I'll prob settle for 5 wiz 5 fighter 20 shift with focus on unarmed strike since owlbear just looks fun.

Calen wrote: ↑Sat Aug 14, 2021 8:06 amEdit: Shame the RCR ends tomorrow, I think I'll have to go through some shifter builds to find the right one with wizard. I'll prob settle for 5 wiz 5 fighter 20 shift with focus on unarmed strike since owlbear just looks fun.

I would go for Wizard 6/Fighter 4, you get the same BAB, slightly better saves, same amount of feats, and few extra slots with buffs that last a bit longer. The -6 Hitpoints will not be felt anywhere.

And about Shifter, a Druid and Sorcerer/Wizard will have to buff up, and can be breached just as he can be dispelled. Shifter just shifts form, and then it can fight.

I'm not sure if it is a bug or just related to the server.
While in werewolf form I failed twice in a row a save vs a destruction spell sending me to good old Myrkul.
However in the log no saves are shown against destruction spell or the fact that I even died.
In order to die I had to roll a one.

I'll remake him with steadfast and see if I now will see the save against it.