Might and Guile - a tweak mod and kit pack focusing on warriors and rogues

Item & Weapon Overhaul ("IWO")

This component has two main effects. First, it removes "+1," "+2," etc. from item names, and standardizes the enchantment levels of weapons for purposes of which enemies they can hit:

• Generic +1 weapons become "Mastercraft" weapons, forged with unusual materials and skill that enable them to strike enemies who are immune to normal weapons.
• Generic +2 and +3 weapons become "Enchanted" weapons, with the enchantment level and stats of +2 weapons.
• All named weapons that were formerly from +1 to +4, become +3 weapons for purposes of what they can hit - though their bonuses and magical abilities remain unchanged.
• All upgraded weapons and originally +5/+6 weapons become +5 for purposes of what they can hit.

Second, this component makes small tweaks to the base characteristics of various items:

• BG/BG2 spears being of the 2-handed variety, they now do 1d8+1 damage (this is per PnP).
• Quarterstaves seem better suited to defensive parrying than many other weapons, so they get an inherent -1 AC bonus.
• Daggers get 1.5 base APR. (A thief with Rogue Rebalancing, dual-wielding daggers, should be a reasonable and interesting choice.)
• Axes do "slashing or crushing" damage.
• Short swords do "slashing or piercing" damage.
• Crossbow bolts do 2d4 damage.
• Arrows do 1d5 damage from shortbows; longbows/comp. Longbows have their base APR reduced to 3/2 but do an extra +2 damage.
• Sling bullets do blunt damage.
• Darts have 5/2 APR instead of 3.

This component will not install on IWDEE, as many of its effects are specific to the items found in BG/NG2.

Weapon Proficiency Overhaul ("WPO")

Please note, this component can only be installed on an EE or TobEx game.

This component can be considered a convenience tweak; it will give most classes substantially more proficiency points to spend. But it incentivizes spreading those points more widely instead of focusing on a single weapon (like the vanilla game), and your overall level of power at any given moment should roughly on par with an unmodded game. The aim is, with more points in more weapons, when you complete a quest and find a wonderful magical artifact, you can actually *use* it instead of tossing it into your pack to sell later.

First, this component groups certain proficiencies together:

• Two-handed swords and bastard swords are combined into a "greatswords" proficiency.
• Scimitars, katanas, and wakizashi are combined into a "curved swords" proficiency.
• Spears and halberds are combined into a "polearms" proficiency.
• Daggers and darts are combined into a "knives" proficiency.
• Long bows and short bows are combined into a "bows" proficiency.
• Clubs are truly universal, simple weapons: everyone can use them and everyone is proficient from level 1.
• Crossbows are usable by everyone except druids. But no one can reach Grand Mastery except Marksmen (see component 300 below).

Weapon use is slightly liberalized: all weapons are usable by clerics, but single-class clerics can only be proficient in traditional cleric weapons (the exception being kitted clerics' favored weapons.) Multiclass clerics primarily benefit from this: cleric/thieves can use thief weapons, and fighter/clerics can use any weapon.

Fighters start with 10 proficiency points and gain a new one every other level. But they cannot place more than one point in any weapon or style at first level; they cannot reach specialization (++) until 2nd level. Paladins, rangers, barbarians and rogues begin with 6 proficiency points, and gain a new one every 3 levels. Druids begin with 5 proficiency points, and gain a new one every 5 levels. Clerics begin with 5 proficiency points, and gain a new one every 6 levels. Wizards begin with 4 proficiency points, and can never move past their initial proficiencies (NB - dual-classing into a mage means no more weapon advancement at all!).

• Trueclass fighters and Kensai can attain Grandmastery (+++++) in any weapons they focus on.
• Wizard Slayers and paladins can attain High Mastery (++++) in any melee weapon, and Mastery (+++) in missile weapons.
• Berserkers, Barbarians, and Rangers can attain Mastery (+++) with most weapons, but see below.
• Thieves and bards can generally attain Mastery (+++) with one-handed weapons.
• Druids can attain Mastery (+++) with any weapons they can use.
• Clerics can attain specialization (++) with most weapons, but kitted clerics will gain Mastery (+++) with their deity's chosen weapon if you install the Divine Class Tweaks (see component #500 below).
• Multiclass fighter/mages can attain High Mastery (++++) in any weapon but the only available style is Single-Weapon Style.
• Fighter/clerics and Fighter/thieves can attain High Mastery (++++) in any weapon they can use.
• Mage/thieves and cleric/thieves can attain Mastery (+++) with any weapon they can use.
• Cleric/Mages can attain Specialization (++) with any weapon they can use.

Beyond that, weapons are classed into certain themes:
– Ranger weapons: longsword, shortsword, scimitar, dagger, axe, spear, staff, and bows.
– Barbarian weapons: axe, greatsword, club, spear, and mace.
– Swashbuckling weapons: longsword, shortsword, scimitar, and dagger.
– Stalker weapons: shortsword, dagger, and club.

Rangers can place 1 extra point (so, up to ++++) in ranger weapons. Berserkers, Barbarians, Barbarian Rangers, and Skalds can place 1 extra point (up to ++++) in barbarian weapons. Swashbucklers, Blades, and Scouts can place 1 extra point (up to ++++) in swashbuckling weapons but 1 fewer point (up to ++) in other weapons. Corsairs and Harriers can place 2 extra points (up to +++++) in swashbuckling weapons. Stalkers and Assassins can place 1 extra point (up to ++++) in stalker weapons but 1 fewer point (up to ++) in other weapons.

On EE games, this component also slightly rebalances fighting styles (values represent the total combined benefit):

This component also tweaks the thac0 tables: Rogues' thac0 is buffed, making it equal to clerics. Their progression is smoothed out, no more jumping by 2. Warriors are a bit better at level 1 (thac0 19) and a bit worse at level 20 (thac0 3), to offset the effects of the proficiency tweaks.

This component makes serious changes and it has been extremely hard to get various game mechanisms to work with it, especially dual-classing and NPCs. As a result, ALL NPCs you meet will be dropped to level 1, TOB-style, and start with selected base proficiencies. They will have the normal amount of XP however, so you can immediately level them up and direct their advancement. This method doesn't work well for dual-classed NPCs, so for Imoen, Anomen, and Nalia, they will receive a special "Proficiency Tome" that you can use to set their proficiencies correctly.

A new, experimental part of this component aims to fix a longstanding bug in the game: when you dual-class, your weapon proficiency advancement is supposed to be capped by your new class, not your old one. In BG you can start with a fighter, dual to thief, and get Grandmastery with longswords. Not more. Now, when you dual-class from one of the eight base warrior kits (Fighter, Wizard Slayer, Berserker, Kensai, Ranger, Archer, Beastmaster, or Stalker) you will be limited to Mastery (+++) in any future advancement.

Saving Throw Overhaul ("STO")

This component changes all spells such that the saving throws they offer target follow these guidelines:

• Direct magical effects like Charms and Illusions offer saves vs. Spells. This includes spells like Blindness and Confusion.
• Area effects that can be dodged (to some extent) offer saves vs. Breath Weapon. This includes spells like Fireball, Web, and Entangle.
• Necromantic effects and those that affect the subject's health offer saves vs. Poison/Death. This includes all Necromancy effects (including vampire Level Drain), fog spells like Cloudkill, and poisons.
• Spells that affect the subject's physical form offer saves vs. Petrification/Polymorph. This includes, or course, spells like Flesh to Stone and Polymorph Other.
• Saving throws vs. Rod/Staff/Wands will rarely be encountered.

Additionally, saving throw tables are made more sensible. Nothing earth-shaking: wizards save well against spells, priests save well against death, rogues save well against breath, etc.

Magic Resistance Overhaul ("MRO")

WARNING: This component makes very severe changes to the way the game works, and has not been extensively tested for its effects on game balance. It should be considered as 'beta' quality. Its purpose is to largely (but not completely) remove the probability-based "magic resistance" mechanic from the game. It makes the following changes:

• All creatures in the game, such as drow, dragons, skeleton warriors, etc., will have their MR set to zero. Instead, they will receive +3 bonuses to saving throws vs. Breath, Petrification, and Wands, and a +6 bonus to saving throws vs. Spells. (No bonus to saves vs. Death, to make necromancy magic a little stronger and more special.)
• Monks and Wizard Slayers will not get MR; instead, they will get a +1 bonus to all saving throws at level 1, and at every 4th level thereafter (5th, 9th, 13th, etc. up to 25th).
• Almost all items in the game that grant MR have been changed. Some, like the Amulet of Magic Resistance, have their MR converted into resistance to all elemental and magic damage. Others, like Carsomyr, instead get large bonuses to saving throws. Some are very different, like the Sword of Balduran which grants a movement rate bonus.
• It is still possible to get *some* MR, from the Hell Trials and the Machine of Lum the Mad. That's okay, 15% MR isn't game-breaking... it's only when it is stacked that it causes problems.
• Likewise, the "Magic Resistance" spell is left untouched, it can be used as another form of magic protection along with the likes of Spell Deflections and Globes of Invulnerability. Lower Resistance, Pierce Magic, and Pierce Shield are still effective against this spell, and SCS enemies will use them against you.

Revised Stat Bonuses

STR, DEX, and WIS bonuses are modified so that every point added above 13 (or so) results in a tangible benefit. E.g. for DEX, 13 gives -1 AC; 14 gives +1 missile thac0; 15 gives another -1 AC; etc.

• The 18/xx "exceptional" Strength doesn't work in BG like it does in PnP; ALL bonuses are supposed to go up that table in steps (including for non-warriors). BG makes it so that the 1-point jump from 18 to 19 is a bigger difference than the 5-point jump from 13 to 18. I fix that by, essentially, collapsing the 18/xx values to all be about the same. Bonuses are pushed downward, so there is now almost the same difference between 14 and 15 as there is between 18 and 19.


• Wisdom now grants an extra 1st-level priest spell at 13 and at 14; and extra 2nd-level spell at 15 and at 16; an extra 3rd-level spell at 17 and at 18; et cetera, up to 2 extra spells of every level at 25 WIS

• Constitution bonuses are folded into Component #210, Modified Hit Points, below.

Revised Hit Point Tables

This component takes some of the randomness out of hit point rolls. In the vanilla system, a warrior with 16 CON can actually get *fewer* hit points at level-up than a mage with 8 CON. That only leads to annoying reloads or constant moving of the difficulty bar to get max hp (which is just too cheaty, and perverts various game mechanics). With this component, there are still rolls, but the roll will always seem fair and should never cause you to feel you need to reload or go below Core difficulty.

• Wizard hit dice is now 1d3+1. The minimum roll is 2 at 12 CON and 3 at 14 CON, they get an extra hp at 16 and at 17, and some very slow regeneration at 18. Xan can get 2-4 hp per level, Edwin would get 5 hp every level, and a Charname with 17 CON would get 6 hp every level.


• Rogue and Priest hit dice is now 1d4+2. The minimum roll is 2 at 12 CON and 3 at 14 CON, they get an extra hp at 16 and at 17, and some very slow regeneration at 18. So at low CON you could get 3-6 hp per level, and at high CON you could get 7-8 per level.


• Warrior hit dice is now 1d6+3 (1d8+3 for barbarians). The minimum roll is 2 at 12 CON and 3 at 14 CON, they get an extra hp at 15, 16, 17, and 19, and some very slow regeneration at 18. So at low CON you would get 4-9 hp per level, at 17 CON you could get 9-12 per level, and a dwarf at 19 CON could get 10-13 per level.

Additionally, this smooths out the decline in added hp. Everyone stops getting hit dice after 9th level. Warriors get 4/level from 10 to 15, then 3/level from 16 to 25, and 2/level after that. Rogues and priests get 3/level from 10 to 15, 2/level from 16 to 25, and 1 per level after that. Wizards get 2/level from 10 to 15, and 1/level after that.

Revised XP Tables

XP advancement and thac0/spell/skill advancement are two ends of the same rope; you only need to pull on one end to get the desired effect, but for some reason the 2e rules pull both. I've streamlined it to a fast path and a slow path. Fighters, thieves, bards, and clerics are on the faster table; paladins, rangers, druids and wizards are on the slower table. (No more thieves with more hp than fighters with the same XP!) Advancement is a bit faster than vanilla in the middle levels, and then gets progressively slower at epic levels. You'll be at or near level 20 with 3 million XP, like in vanilla; but won't hit level 30 until 8 million XP. HLAs will be rarer with this component, so choose wisely!

This component also switches the druid spellcasting table to match the priest one (since the PnP druid XP and spell tables were only for Grand/Hierophant Druids who settle down in a grove and stop adventuring).

Revised Spellcasting Tables

For wizards and clerics this is a small change, giving them slightly more spells to cast in the early stages, and more low-level spells overall. For Rangers and Paladins this stretches out the table, giving more spells at low levels (starting at level 3), fewer spells at middle levels, and slightly more at high levels, with paladins eventually reaching level 5 spells. For bards, the changes are very slight until epic levels (20+), when bards get a few 7th and 8th levels spells.

Revised Movement Bonuses ("Quickstride")

Barbarians' and Monks' movement bonus is changed from a permanent characteristic to an at-will innate ability called Quickstride. Now if they want to walk more slowly to keep the group together, they can do so.

Rangers and Scouts (if installed, see component 420 below) get the Quickstride ability at 10th level.

Revised Berserker and Rage

Berserkers and Wizard Slayers are limited to Mastery (+++) in weapons. Berserkers are further limited to basic proficiency (+) in fighting styles. Berserk Rage and Barbarian Rage are merged, because 1) I don't know why there are two different kinds of Rage, and 2) vanilla Berserk Rage is more like a Mind Shield spell than an actual Rage. Rage now lasts for 30 seconds, provides a bonus 1 APR, increases STR and CON by 4, provides immunity to Charm/Hold/Stun/Confusion (but NOT level drain or Maze/Imprisonment), and penalizes AC by 2.

Revised Rangers

Rangers are limited to medium armor (splint or lighter).

Beastmasters gain the ability to wield daggers, axes, and spears, and may shapechange into wolf and werewolf forms.

Archers are switched to the Marksman schedule of bonuses and Called Shots (Trip, Pin, and Disarm)

ALL rangers can now backstab for x2 damage from stealth; Stalkers' backstab multiplier increases at higher levels.

The Stalker loses its special wizard spells (install the Mage Hunter kit instead, see component 350 below), and can cast fewer spells per day than normal rangers. However they can set traps like a thief, and can attain greater proficiency than other rangers with daggers and short swords.

Revised Kensai

At character creation, Kensai will begin with an innate spell ability that will let them choose a weapon (once only! careful!). Upon casting, they are changed to a sub-kit which can reach Grand Mastery (+++++) in that weapon, and can only be proficient (+) in others.

Kensai thac0/damage bonuses become just damage bonuses, because they have great thac0 anyway. Their AC bonuses get better over time like a Swashbuckler's. Finally, kensai get a 0.5 bonus to APR right from 1st level, drastically increasing their offensive capabilities. The trade-off for this is having to truly devote themselves completely and permanently to their chosen weapon: kensai cannot dual-class at all. If you're into playing a kensage or a kenthief, this component is not for you. But I think it allows kensai to truly shine as a kit on its own.

Finally, upon choosing a weapon focus, the Kensai will receive a weapon from the Candlekeep armory. In some instances (weaker weapons like staff, spear, dagger) it will be a +1 magical weapon.

Revised Monk Fists

Monk fists are are rebalanced to do less damage, but have higher APR. The fists also become toggleable, able to switch at will between doing fatigue damage as a normal unenchanted fist, and crushing and magical damage as an enchanted fist.

Revised Bard Kits

This component replaces the Blade's Offensive Spin ability with a special Weapon Display "bard song" called the Blade Dance. This impressive and complicated set of weapon maneuvers causes opponents to hesitate when attacking. The Blade receives a 2-point AC bonus and nearby enemies suffer from -2 thac0 and -1 damage penalties. At levels 13 and 20 these effects increase, and opponents must save vs. spells or become Panicked.

This component also improves the Skald's combat abilities, at the expense of reduced spellcasting.

Add the CORSAIR fighter kit

Add the MARKSMAN fighter kit

Add the ELVEN ARCHER ranger kit

Add the HALFLING SLINGER kit

Add the MAGE HUNTER ranger kit

Add the BARBARIAN RANGER kit

Add the SNIPER thief kit

Add the SCOUT thief kit, and revise the Swashbuckler

This component splits the Swashbuckler in two: the Scout is good at combat and gets traps but no backstab (like the old swashbuckler), and the new Swashbuckler is good at combat and can backstab (somewhat) but cannot set traps.

Add the JONGLEUR bard kit