Suggestions for future versions of IA Options

[rbeverjr]

I'll be making several suggestions (or at least bringing ideas) to the appreciated, great IA game developers. Even if you don't like my idea, maybe it will spark one of your own. Critto can let me know when he's no longer interested in hearing these ideas from me.

My first idea has to do with weapon proficiencies. Simply put you get more proficiency slots as you spend more time with weapons. Dual classes would get slots according to whatever class they are currently.
Maximum weapon proficiency slots per weapon type:
1 for wizards and sorcerers;
2 for clerics, druids, thieves, ranger-cleric mc, thief-cleric mc, and bards;
3 for caster-melee types (rangers, paladins, multi-class caster-fighters);
5 for straight melee classes (all fighters and barbarians).
Wizards/sorcerers can’t have combat styles, but all others can. APR increases are not limited to warriors. Kits can’t increase the number of proficiency slots, except in very rare cases. For instance, rangers in more modern DnD versions can specialize in the use of 2 weapons or in archery. Consequently, it makes sense to me that a ranger specialized in archery can have 5 slots in bows.

This post has been edited by rbeverjr: Feb 22 2019, 12:20 AM

[rbeverjr]

This is a suggestion thread, and many of my suggestions will be de-nerfs. With that in mind, I'd like to go over some of the ways the game can be made harder - which IA generally uses and does a good job at already. Pointedly, if you de-nerf some component, you can still maintain a consistent level of difficulty by making the game harder in other ways.

The easiest way to make BG2 hard is to slow the leveling. I've played with XP limiters in the regular game, and they can make a big difference. IA already has its own special leveling tables, but these could be adjusted if desired for more difficulty.

Another way is to limit gear. Gear includes all magical items, as well as spells, wands, and such (which is the gear of the arcane caster). IA did great by making wands cast spells, instead of breaking the rules of spell casting. Personally, I don't think you should be able to interrupt a wand (just like you can't interrupt a scroll), but a wand should not let you target the invisible. Now, when I say spells, I generally mean some spells should either be deleted or updated to the modern DnD equivalent. Project Image is an example - IA deleted it. I do not mean that you can't buy a scroll of Improved Haste in the City of Coin, Athkatla, or anything like that. I can see some L9 spells (may, perhaps, may) be difficult to find, but nothing less in this city. I think IA once again generally did well in this area. To prove the value of gear, just imagine trying to beat the game without IA forged items (I think thetruth either tried or did this in an earlier version)!

Of course, another way to increase the danger is with the opposition. You can increase the number of monsters and/or the difficulty of monsters. You can make them come in waves (no resting(, You can set up the terrain to be advantageous for the monsters. I'll have something to say about how the monsters are made tougher later. Personally, I think more anti-player teams (maybe even using the kits that we can use) would be interesting.

Then there is class (and kit) balance. Balance in DnD is challenging to achieve. This game has struggled with that for many years. Frankly, I think the regular game has better class balance than IA. I see this as a particular area that this great game can be improved.