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

I'd like to suggest a little less over the top visual effect for certain spells in the game. Tortoise Shell and Abyssal Might surely could be toned down a bit (or a lot), but there is also Protection from Alignment (whatever happened to that nice subtle blue circle around the character? Now it makes you look like a christmas tree) and Magic Circle against Alignment, the latter of which is a top contender for ugliest, most intrusive VFX in a video game.

Magic Circle is really awfully bad. I'll beg if I have to.

Many spells were already toned down. Protection from Alignment is toned down from what it was, though could stand to be reduced further (current one is a blue circle around the player, but I hear Haven does a nice small blue ring around the waist instead).

Agreed on Magic Circle.

BGtSCC used to have that thin blue ring around the waist, which was quite nice, but then we got this more gaudily intrusive effect instead. Magic Circle could be just a thin circle marking the spell's radius instead of that huge space shuttle launching pad.

Abysssal Might was never toned down as far as I can remember, but Tortoise Shell probably has been a little. I think both could stand to be subtler though.

Tortoise Shell is also bugged in that it will "bleach" your characters skin and clothes at times. Other times, it will randomly be turned up to 11 and you will look like you have just been fighting Chewbacca on Mimban. Maybe toning it down further could also help with this, I don't know.

How about no

These Obsidian spell effects are really very badly done, Valefort, and some of us are very tired of their gaudy presence.

Could base the active spells on the Appraise right click menu option, forcing the person running the appraise of the creature to utilize their spellcraft ranks rather than rely on a lot of visual effect / SEFs. Not for all effects, just replace some. Scale should probably remain the same.

Aspect of Sorrow wrote: ↑Mon Jul 19, 2021 9:34 pm Could base the active spells on the Appraise right click menu option, forcing the person running the appraise of the creature to utilize their spellcraft ranks rather than rely on a lot of visual effect / SEFs. Not for all effects, just replace some. Scale should probably remain the same.

Sounds like a good use for lore arcana or spellcraft to me.

I don't think there's anything wrong with those vfx maybe if a majority wants it? But I don't think it's worth it.

I'm not a fan of super distinctive spell Vfx, but, those mentioned are not that intrusive or "wrong".
I agree that protection from alignment, magic circle and shield (cause it's quite same as prot. from alignment just smaller).

Speaking of abyssal might, it's evil spell and, i believe, evils spells should have visual manifestations, even small ones, for the sake of RP. When one taps from Abyss, there is never a free gift. With that spell, PC only pays with weird spotted drowish skintone.

Tortoise shell does exactly what is advertised: it "covers" pc skin and clothes in a shell. I believe it's based on this DnD spell: https://dndtools.net/spells/complete-di ... hell--753/

While we all like our PC appearance, let's also consider the fact that others should be able to see your PC has a full set of wards (especially appearance altering ones like shadowshield etc) on without asking us on active wards all the time. So, to my taste, even being less "visible", they should still be clearly distinguishable.

TBH, some of the spells could probably do with being hidden or less visible. That being said, I quite like the Mage Armor and Shield effects!

EasternCheesE wrote: ↑Tue Jul 20, 2021 1:45 amSpeaking of abyssal might, it's evil spell and, i believe, evils spells should have visual manifestations, even small ones, for the sake of RP. When one taps from Abyss, there is never a free gift. With that spell, PC only pays with weird spotted drowish skintone.

Going off-topic for a moment: I've always wondered, do sorcerers still use material components? You know, just curious...

DaloLorn wrote: ↑Tue Jul 20, 2021 2:32 amGoing off-topic for a moment: I've always wondered, do sorcerers still use material components? You know, just curious...

They do.

The players handbook clearly states that protection from evil creates a magical barrier around the subject and that it moves around with them. It is visible.

If you look at the spell descriptions, most of them will have a visual effect of some kind, it's just how it's supposed to be. Liking or not is really subjective and not a good reason to change it and I think they should be following the book as closely as possible.

I don't know which spells are invisible, other than invisibility.

And going off topic myself, the only casters that can cast without using material components are those with the feat Eschew Materials, which still doesn't work for expensive components unless they have some special ability for it. Spell like abilities never use material components though.

DaloLorn wrote: ↑Tue Jul 20, 2021 2:32 am TBH, some of the spells could probably do with being hidden or less visible. That being said, I quite like the Mage Armor and Shield effects!

EasternCheesE wrote: ↑Tue Jul 20, 2021 1:45 amSpeaking of abyssal might, it's evil spell and, i believe, evils spells should have visual manifestations, even small ones, for the sake of RP. When one taps from Abyss, there is never a free gift. With that spell, PC only pays with weird spotted drowish skintone.

Going off-topic for a moment: I've always wondered, do sorcerers still use material components? You know, just curious...

Well, i see the difference now (never payed much attention to it before). While they both are just circles around PC, protection from alignment is not static.
Maybe, could've use to be made static without spinning wheel animation. But, in general, both are among the most spottable Vfx and are fine to my taste.

Tortoise shell description literally says that your character gets overgrown by a thick carapace, lol. It's not meant to be invisible or even subtle. However, fixing its looks is simple, just cast camouflage/bark skin over it and you'll overwrite its vfx. I'll say bit more about PfA, however...

PfA has one of the worst spell visuals in my opinion. Not only it's tasteless and bad looking (it's basically a white 2d circle), it's also large and obtrusive, it's just not aesthetic and looks especially horrible on screenshots.

Haven was mentioned above and, indeed, there it looks way better! Take a look:




Also simple, but much more appealing and subtle. They used to have another vfx before and I loved it more, it was basically an even smaller circle that was smooth and had lesser saturation. Not that we should steal their vfx, I'm just trying to show the direction.

KOPOJIbPAKOB wrote: ↑Tue Jul 20, 2021 3:25 am Tortoise shell description literally says that your character gets overgrown by a thick carapace, lol. It's not meant to be invisible or even subtle. However, fixing its looks is simple, just cast camouflage/bark skin over it and you'll overwrite its vfx. I'll say bit more about PfA, however...

PfA has one of the worst spell visuals in my opinion. Not only it's tasteless and bad looking (it's basically a white 2d circle), it's also large and obtrusive, it's just not aesthetic and looks especially horrible on screenshots.

Haven was mentioned above and, indeed, there it looks way better! Take a look:

Also simple, but much more appealing and subtle. They used to have another vfx before and I loved it more, it was basically an even smaller circle that was smooth and had lesser saturation. Not that we should steal their vfx, I'm just trying to show the direction.

How many hula hoops is my character expected to do? Once he casts Haven's version of protection from alignment. Is there a Dex check that goes with it?