AMIA ARCHIVE • View topic - Returning Players Thread (formerly: Just wondering)

DM-Edit: A thread for those returning players that need some questions answered or require DM help to fit characters into the server continuity.

As Amia has progressed a server, there are certain aspects about former characters that may no longer be applicable within the servers continuity. Some stories may have been retconned or some previous DM interactions changed, such as folk killing diety Avatars in the early days of the server. If you have questions regarding any of this or you are worried that you may be overplaying your character, either post here or send your local DM a PM.

Original Question wrote:

Just wondering if there is a graphic for a hand crossbow in all the new goodies which have been added since last I played Amia?

Not that I know of, but I sure wish there was. I'm playing a drow archer that uses an xbow myself.

Cheers mate.

Sorry, another question. Is it possible to place feats (obviously certain feats would be off limits, dev crit, epic dodge, lasting inspiration, etc ) on items using dc's and corresponding rp?

Yes, it is possible and has been approved before. But as you already figured yourself, it has to be somewhat reasonable. There are already a few items with feats on them IG too.

I saw people request feats like some skill focus and such already which got approved. I myself have a character with bracers which allow material weapon use which also was a DC request.

Cheers. There will most likely be a few more questions here as I familiarize myself again with the game and server after my long sabbatical.

Hehe sure... ask away!

What exactly is acceptable for a back story for one's new PC? Obviously one cannot be the King of Imuberrichandpowerfuldom. But where does the DM Team draw the line? Do I have to make a special request if I wish my PC to have a few NPC retainers, slaves, etc? Mind you these NPC's would not do anything mechanically. I would only be using them for rp flavour in the hopes of eventually gaining a few bottled companions once the DM Team has seen they are part of my PC's rp.

Any nobility styled rp such as that requires a request to be made before the character is created. We draw the line fairly close to the center of the heirarchy access simply because it wouldn't make sense to have 65 players playing nobles.

Quote:

Do I have to make a special request if I wish my PC to have a few NPC retainers, slaves, etc? Mind you these NPC's would not do anything mechanically

Unless you make a request, your NPC's are actually our NPC's.

Just to clarify, don't want to be nobility; however, I should have mentioned the pc I will be playing is a drow and in their society, as you most likely know, slaves are an integral part. Basically, I want to know if I can rp having a few slaves when my pc arrives in Edonil or whether my query needs a request? I don't want my pc to have any special treatment. I will post a quick write up in the request thread just to cover my butt.

Since you want them to be NPC or bottle companions, yeah that'd require a request. You could likely RP him having had slaves before coming to Amia without a request. if you want to bring them to Amia you need a request unless you find a few players who play them as PC and not NPC.

Your best bet is to do a write-up just to cover your butt, soriano. It gives us DM's a good idea of what's going on.

Being one of the "drow DMs", I don't mind a slave or two for a drow PC as it really only makes sense considering their society.... but, as always, I can't really answer the question in a hypothetical sense without all the details.

Thanks for the advice, everyone. Will write up a synopsis and post in the request forum.

Is it possible to cast GMW on ranged weapons in Amia nowadays? If not are there +5 crossbows in the module(don't tell me where if so)? I know a crossbow can be mythalled, but from what I remember the crystals are hard to come by and quite expensive, though I may be wrong in this.

I will begin by saying I have no techy knowledge whatsoever, so if this is a dumb question, I'm sorry. Is it possible to script an item, melee weapon, into thinking it is a ranged weapon so that GMW can be cast upon it? Hopefully that makes sense.

Yes. It requires a BoT page for GMW though.

soriano_ wrote:

Is it possible to cast GMW on ranged weapons in Amia nowadays?

If you have the BoT-page, then yes. It makes the ranged weapon +5 AB, +5 Mighty (at Caster Level 15). The +5 AB lets you penetrate e.g. Stoneskin, while the +5 Mighty lets you add up to +5 STR damage. This is quite similar to +5 Enhanced on a melee weapon. (Note, those don't stack, if you already have +AB or +Mighty on a weapon, only the higher will apply.)

Ts

Thanks guys.

What are the server rules on disarm? Is it allowed or frowned upon? Does the disarmed weapon return to the persons inventory and their quick slot empty or does the weapon just fall to the ground?

From what I've seen, it falls on the ground. So I would imagine it's at least frowned upon since the server does have a pesky tendency to crash every now and then.

You don't use it on PC's unless your playing an unarmed Monk. And then if you do disarm a PC you must give the weapon back.

Could you explain why it is only available to unarmed monks to use?

I thought I heard the weapon was placed in the owner's inventory? Or was I just wrong in that you actually take their weapon and it goes in your inventory?

Yeah, an unarmed disarm does't drop the weapon on the ground to be lost due to a crash.

Has it been scripted this way (for unarmed monk)?

soriano_ wrote:

Could you explain why it is only available to unarmed monks to use?

Lost weapons are a mighty shitty thing to happen to players, when a disarm is hit, it drops the weapon on the ground.

Its not only restricted to unarmed monks, its unarmed attacks in general, which effectively limits it to Shifters and Monks with regards to PvP. And its not scripted in anyway, vanilla nwn means Unarmed attacks automatically put the item into the attackers inventory.

Thanks for the explanation. I totally understand losing a weapon to a server crash is rubbish. Is it possible to get a custom script through dc's so that using a whip, which has disarm on it, does the same thing as unarmed strike? I have absolutely no techy knowledge, so forgive my question if it's seems silly.

Actually to be perfectly honest at this point in time I'd be more inclined to look at just dropping the weapon into the defenders inventory. Even opening up the inventory page and re-equipping the weapon is a huge tactical advantage to the attacker.

Stay tuned as I'm not sure its possible.

Also I'm hijacking your thread buddy and changing its name to the Returning Players Question thread.

Having Disarm drop into the defender's inventory is possible, but I'm not sure on the scripting. I just know I played on another server where disarmed weapons never swapped hands or landed on the ground.

I know its possible, we have a script in place with the fire giant royales, but from what I recall from earlier discussions was that it was script and server intensive.

MoshingChris wrote:

Actually to be perfectly honest at this point in time I'd be more inclined to look at just dropping the weapon into the defenders inventory. Even opening up the inventory page and re-equipping the weapon is a huge tactical advantage to the attacker.

Also I'm hijacking your thread buddy and changing its name to the Returning Players Question thread.

This is exactly what I was thinking, but it would also have to empty the defenders quick slot as well for it to be an advantage. Yes? No?

No worries, Mosh, renaming the thread and opening it up to everyone is a good idea.

Also what does "...script and server intensive..." mean for those of us who don't understand the techy side?

soriano_ wrote:

Also what does "...script and server intensive..." mean for those of us who don't understand the techy side?

Lag. Annoying, annoying lag.

Re: Disarm
1) Wouldn't a full inventory result in the same problem of dropping the weapon onto the ground?
2) Usually, the server doesn't crash (I hope). So why not have the disarm script work as normal, but log a copy of the dropped weapon somewhere. In the rare case something goes wrong, have a DM bring the weapon back.
3) The safest solution I can think of: Don't disarm the weapon at all. Instead, make it really bad for a few rounds with temporary penalties, which would represent almost losing hold of the weapon and being distracted by this. Flash a bright red message and play some sound effect, so that the player knows that he should switch weapons.
Potential temporary properties: AB/Dmg penalty -50, no damage (make it unusable as a weapon); a bit of arcane spell failure and a Conc penalty, to hurt Casters that just hold weapons for bonus stuff; a bit of pierc/bludge/slash vulnerabilities and an AC penalty to represent the advantage the attacker gained.
These effects still wouldn't be as severe as knockdown, imho, but it's a fun way to mess with people.

Of course, that's assuming you can somehow hook to/prevent the Disarm.

Regards
Ts

1) We don't condone packmules and cluttered inventories, in fact we have a policy of asking folk with to many items to clean their inventories and with the availablity of Boxes and Bags for ease of inventory maintenance lost weapons that occur due to inventory clutter is the sole fault of the one with the cluttered inventory.

2) That is just as intensive and far more complicated then installing a server wide script to deal with Disarm

3) Hardcoded effect I believe though I'm not 100 percent sure about that.

MoshingChris wrote:

1) We don't condone packmules and cluttered inventories, in fact we have a policy of asking folk with to many items to clean their inventories and with the availablity of Boxes and Bags for ease of inventory maintenance lost weapons that occur due to inventory clutter is the sole fault of the one with the cluttered inventory.

Full inventory != many items. Fewer bags are actually a sign of a well-managed inventory, imho. Besides, the inventory packing algorithm doesn't really provision for full-height items at all. So after picking up a few smaller items and using the quickaction bar to swap gear a bit, even a previously well-organized inventory with two entirely empty pages might not have a spot for a greatsword anymore. I guess sorting my inventory during PvP in case the opponent has Disarm and the server crashes is just what I want to focus on.

MoshingChris wrote:

2) That is just as intensive and far more complicated then installing a server wide script to deal with Disarm

Didn't know. But it would leave the entire Disarm feat and in particular the WYSIWYGiness of it intact, which seems like the cleanest solution.

MoshingChris wrote:

3) Hardcoded effect I believe though I'm not 100 percent sure about that.

It's hardcoded according to NWNwiki. But Terra's plugin (used for DevCrit) claims to be able to hook into Disarm as well.

Ts

Is it really a big enough problem to warrant that much scripting work at present?

Returning Players Thread (formerly: Just wondering)

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