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+-------------------+ Aurora Toolset Item Creation FAQ +------------------+
+-----------------------------+ Version 1.4 +-----------------------------+
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+-----------------------+ Written and Compiled by: +----------------------+
+-----------------------------+ David Zigler +----------------------------+
+----------------------------+ (DragonUser84) +----------------------------+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
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+----------+ Table of Contents +----------+
1. Version and Date Stuff
2. Important!
3. Purpose and Explanation of FAQ
4. Commonly Used Terms
5. Weapon and Armor Effects
6. Weapon-Exclusive Effects
7. Armor-Exclusive Effects
8. Weapon/Armor/Item Notes
9. Tips and Tricks
10. Frequently Asked Questions
11. Thanks and Legal Stuff
+----------+ Verson and Date Stuff +----------+
April 7, 2004: Added Spell Resistance
March 22, 2004: Clarified the Damage Bonus property.
March 9, 2004: Corrected some issues with the Sequencer stuff and the On Hit
Cast Spell property.
March 6, 2004: Added the "Cast Spell: Sequencer", "Cast Spell: Clear
Squencer", and "Bonus Spell Slot of Level" properties.
March 4, 2004: The "On Hit: Cast Spell" properties were too many to list in
this FAQ, so I removed that section.
March 3, 2004: Started adding "On Hit: Cast Spell" properties.
Feb. 10, 2004: Corrected major flaws with Damage Reduction, Improved Evasion,
and Enhancement. Also added Saving Throw Bonus and Saving Throw Bonus:
Specific.
Feb. 9, 2004: Submitted FAQ, fixed it, and sent it again.
Feb. 6, 2004: Took up making the FAQ again.
Sept. 25, 2003: Started on FAQ, wrote down some of the more confusing
properties.
+----------+ Important! +----------+
I really don't mind if you download and distribute this FAQ in it's unaltered
form, as long as you don't modify it to give yourself credit for writing it.
I'm passing this information away freely, so feel free to pass it on freely.
If you start making money off of it, give me half. (See, I'm not
unreasonable.)
+----------+ Commonly Used Terms +----------+
(Thanks to mastersam16 for the idea, and Noo Bee for mentioning that it's
buffing, not bluffing.)
Soak= Absorb
Resist= Ignore
Stack= Combine (Ex: "Will not stack" means "The highest number ONLY is
applied".)
ASF= Arcane Spell Failure (A major issue for Sorcerers without the
Still Spell feat.)
AC= Armor Class
Nuker= One who uses lots of DD spells
DD= Direct Damage. Spells that are DD don't have any status-affliction
properties, they just hurt the target.
Buffer= One who uses lots of Buffing Spells
Buffing Spells= These spells increase various values on your character.
They reduce damage, increase strength, increase your AC, etc.
+----------+ Purpose and Explanation of FAQ +----------+
The purpose of this FAQ is to explain what property does what when you're
making items through the Aurora Toolset, because the manual is rather
sketchy on the details of various enchantments. Knowing this, you can
create insanely powerful equipment with a small amount of effort and time.
Also, a number of the more self-explanatory features have unwritten rules
that come into play only when you're actually playing the game.
Please bear in mind that I'm making this FAQ while looking at the Toolset
with both Shadows of Undrentide (A.k.a. SoU) and Hordes of the Underdark
(A.k.a. HotU) installled and with the 1.61 patch installed. So, some of this
might be different that what you're looking at. (If you don't have the HotU
installed, then you WILL see some differences because HotU allows you to take
your character up to level 40 and has added more powerful enchantments to the
weapons and armor.)
I'll have a setup that looks like this: (Note: This will make more sense if
you've been tried to make your own items before.)
===== Item Property
Sub-Property: (If applicable, some Item Properties don't have a Sub-Property.
Will be referred to as Sub-Prop in explanations.)
Item Cost Parameter: (If applicable, some Item Properties don't have an Item
Cost Parameter either. Will be referred to as ICP in explanations.)
In game, looks like... (If it's different than what it looks like while
playing in the game than what the Toolset Shows.)
Really boring explanation. (This gets technical, so it helps if you've looked
over some of what you can do in the toolset.)
Really boring explation of catches. (A lot of things have ways around them, so
consider yourself forewarned when you've made your "perfect" setup and your
health is draining rapidly in the game.)
Well, I suppose that I should get started...
+----------+ Weapon and Armor Effects +----------+
What this property does is allow you to prepare/cast one extra spell per day
according to the Level in the ICP. However, I suggest that before you set
about making them, you take a careful look at your favorite spells and
whatever Metamagic feats you like to cast them with. And now for the best
part, these can be assigned to an item multiple times and they WILL stack!
Also, you can go past the usual 8-per-day spell limit. (For sorcerers, I don't
know about other spell-casting characters.) HOWEVER, if you can't even cast ONE
spell from a certain level, don't bother with Bonus Spell Slots. Also, the
changes may come into effect immediately, but you'll need to prepare your
spells/rest before you notice any changes. (If you unequip the item that grants
bonus spell slots after resting, it immediately removes those bonus spells that
you can cast, down to zero. Apparently, your character uses those bonus spells
last.)
This allows you to cast a number of buffing spells upon the item, depending on
what Sub-Prop you picked. The ICP determines how many times the object can
cast those spells. When activated with the stored spells, the item casts them
for you, all at once, saving your spell uses for more important ones. (Like,
using offensive spells to kill that ogre in your face.) NOTE: You CAN use
items that cast spells with this, as long as the buffing spell requires a
target.
===== Damage Reduction
Sub-Property: +1 to +20
Item Cost Parameter: Soak 5 Damage to Soak 50 Damage
The Sub-Prop merely determines what Enhancement value is needed in order
to cut through it. (Say, the Sub-Prop is +5, so you or your opponent will
need a weapon with a +5 Enhancement bonus to get past it without any
damage.) Meanwhile, the second value (Which will be displayed on the
right-hand list as Soak # Damage.) determines how much damage you'll take.
If you have an item Damage Reduction with Soak 5 Damage and you're attacked
by a weapon that normally would've dealt 10 damage, you instead take 5
damage. (However, if your attacker's weapon has a +1 Enhancement value,
you'll take the full 10.)
The Sub-Property determines what Enhancement value a weapon has to have in
Unlike Damage Resistance, Damage Reduction can be bypassed with weapon damage
bonuses and spells. (Natural damage from weapons and traps still applies
though.) (NOTE: I don't know if this is still true.) Also, any weapon with a
matching Enhancement of +whatever or greater can get through without
reduction. Huge amounts of damage can also get through. For example, say you
have Damage Reduction +20[Soak 10 Damage]. Now, if you get hit with a total
60 damage, then you'll take 50 points of damage.
(IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm not sure about this, so if anyone knows different,
please let me know.)
What this does is void the first amount of points from the ICP's numerical
value from the Sub-Prop. Say, you have an item equipped that has Damage
Resistance: Acid[Resist 10/-] and you get hit by an Acid trap for 15 points of
damage. The first 10 points of damage will be ignored and you'll only be hit
with 5 points of Acid damage. Unlike Damage Reduction, this CANNOT be
bypassed. Damage from spells, traps, damage bounses, everything, has to go
through this. Although it's more expensive overall to protect yourself from
everything this way, it's actually the better way to go rather than Damage
Reduction. (In my opinion, anyway.)
While a 100% Immunity Bonus is great, if you're not playing the HotU
expansion, you can't use it unless you enable your character to equip items
that their level can't support. (All 100% Immunity bonuses take the level
requirement up to level 21, impossible to achieve without the HotU Expansion,
unless you hack into the game's code. Of course, that's ILLEGAL and something
I'm highly discouraging.)
Now, I'm not going to tell you how to enable your characters to equip items
when they don't have a high enough level, because with HotU, you can use
these legally now. (Besides, you can find that info in the Codes and Cheats
section on GameFAQs.)
(NOTE: Red Dragon Disciples naturally get 100% Damage Immunity to Fire when
they get their tenth level as a Red Dragon Disciple.)
===== On Hit Cast Spell
Sub-Property: Every spell in the game except the Epic-Level spells and some
others.
Item Cost Parameter: Level 1 to 40
The On Hit Cast Spell property actually varies slighty between Armor and
Weapons. Weapons automatically cast the spell when they hit something, and
Armor automatically casts the spell when the wearer is hit. NOTE: Multiple
On Hit Cast Spell properties WILL NOT stack, the one closest to the top of
the list of properties will be the ONLY one that has an effect.
===== Improved Evasion
(Thanks to Noo Bee for the correction.)
In times where a failed reflex would give you damage, this property/feat
allows you to walk away after taking half damage.
===== Saving Throw Bonus
Sub-Property: Acid, Cold, Death, Disease, Divine, Electrical, Fear, Fire,
Mind Affecting, Negative Energy, Poison, Positive Energy, Sonic, and Universal
Item Cost Paramater: +1 to +20
While most of these are nice, I'd go for Universal more than the others
because it increases your chances of avoiding damage from EVERYTHING.
The ironic thing is that Saving Throw Bonus (With the exception of Universal.)
applies to LESS than what Saving Throw Bonus: Specific usually does.
===== Saving Throw Bonus: Specific
Sub-Property: Fortitude, Reflex, and Will.
Item Cost Paramater: +1 to +20
While there's not a whole lot that's really special about these, high Saving
Throw Bonuses can come in handy because you actually use them all the time.
You're attacked, Fortitude steps in. You spring a trap or certain spells get
cast on you, Reflex comes in. Something uses certain spells, (Notably
Illusion spells.) and you make a Will save to keep from falling for it.
The interesting thing is, if your Saving Throws are high enough, you can
actually negate the damage done from high-powered spells, deadly traps, and
that axe-wielding beserker that wants your head.
===== Spell Resistance
(Thanks to Shione and TigerClawDude.)
Sub-Property: 10, 12, 14... 32, 34, 36
This increases your natural Spell Resistance from regular spells, weapons and
armor with the On Hit Cast Spell property, and (probably) spell-like abilities
thrown at you by creatures. Now, higher is always better, but suppose that
you're facing a lvl 20 Sorcerer and you have a Spell Resistance of 30.
Depending on the die roll, there's a good chance that spell won't affect you,
because Caster Level + d20 + (any of the Spell Penetration feats) has to be
greater than your Spell Resistance. (I don't know if you get a die roll or
not.)
A note though, Spell Resistance DOES NOT STACK, the game just uses the highest
value you have and ignores the rest.
===== Damage Bonus
Sub-Property: Acid, Bludgeoning, Cold, Divine, Electrical, Fire, Magical,
Negative Energy, Piercing, Positive Energy, Slashing, and Sonic.
Item Cost Parameter: 1 to 2d4, 1 to 2d8, 1 to 2d10, 1 to 2d12, and 1 to 20
damage.
In game, looks like... Damage Bonus: (Type)[(2nd Type) Damage]
Now, this can be slightly confusing, as you can put multiple Sup-Props of
the same element on the weapon. However, THESE WILL NOT STACK! (The game
will use whichever property is the most expensive.) You can't slap on 20
points of a Fire damage bonus and the 2d12 to get only 20 to 24 points of
damage. Instead, you'll just do 20 points of damage all the time.
HOWEVER, you can add DIFFERENT Sub-Props (For example, Cold and Fire.) to the
same weapon and BOTH will have an effect. (For example, a weapon with Damage
Bonus: Cold[10 Damage] and Damage Bonus: Fire[10 Damage] will do ten points
of Cold and ten points of fire.)
===== Enhancement
(Thanks to Noo Bee for the correction.)
Item Cost Parameter: +1 to +20
The higher the number, the higher the level of Damage Reduction you can cut
through without penalty. Not only does it bypass Damage Reduction, +(ICP)
Enhancement gives +(ICP) to attack rolls and +(ICP) to damage rolls.
===== Extra Melee/Ranged Damage Type
Sub-Property: Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing.
While putting a damage type on a weapon that already has it does nothing,
putting a different type grants the weapon extra damage with a particular
attack type. Say you put Extra Melee Damage Type: Slashing on a dagger. Now,
the weapon will deal out slashing damage like it was naturally a slashing
weapon.
Normally, weapons with two damage types just have different animations and if
an enemy is immune or resistant to one type, you'll still do full damage with
a different type of attack. Most of the time, you won't even know it unless
you know that a monster has an Immunity or Resistance to a certain type of
physical damage and your weapon has an Extra Melee/Ranged Damage Type property
that they don't have any protection against.
===== Holy Avenger
(Taken directly from the HotU manual.)
This is among the most powerful weapons that a paladin can find. It has a +5
Enhancement Bonus, does 1d6 additional points of Holy Damage and every time it
hits an opponent it attempts to dispel their magical protections. Non-paladins
who wield a Holy Avenger, find that it only acts as a +2 weapon for them.
===== Keen
Doubles your chances of a critical hit. (When you have the Feat: "Improved
Critical", this effect is tripled.)
===== Massive Criticals
Item Cost Parameter: 1 to 2d4, 1 to 2d8, 1 to 2d10, 1 to 2d12, and 1 to 20
damage.
When you make a successful Critical Hit, this property adds that much more
damage to your attack as a bonus. (Works best with the Improved Critical
feat and the Keen property.)
The Mighty property allows you to add your strength to your damage when
attacking with ranged weapons. I don't know the ratios, but I'm assuming that
more is always better.
===== No Combat Damage
Whatever weapon has this, deals out absolutely NO damage or VERY little.
===== On Hit
Sub-Property: Ability Drain, Blindness, Confusion, Daze, Deafness, Disease,
Dispel Magic, Doom, Fear, Greater Dispelling, Hold, Knock, Lesser Dispelling,
Level Drain, Mordenkainen's Disjunction (Really powerful version of Dispel
Magic.), Poison, Silence, Slay Alignment, Slay Alignment Group, Slay Racial
Group, Sleep, Slow, Stun, Vorpal, and Wounding.
Item Cost Parameter: DC=14, 16, 18... to 26
All of the Sub-Props are pretty much self-explanatory except for Vorpal and
Wounding. When something is hit by a weapon with the Wounding Sub-Prop, then
the target continues to take damage, as if they were poisoned in a different
RPG.
"As for Vorpal, on a critical hit, the target makes a Fortitude save against
death. If failed, the target dies. Both immunity to death and immunity to
critical hits can prevent this."
(NOTE: Somebody told me about the Vorpal property sometime last year, and I
forgot their name. So, if you remember who you are, please step forward so I
can give you credit.)
===== Visual Effect
Sub-Property: Acid, Cold, Electrical, Evil, Fire, Holy, and Sonic
While the Visual Effect property doesn't really DO anything and costs nothing
to put on a weapon, it overrides all other visual effects from Damage Bonuses
and other Properties. So, if you put Damage Bonus: Acid[2d12 Damage] and
Damage Bonus: Fire[2d12 Damage] and you want the Fire visual effect, then you
put a Visual Effect: Fire on the weapon and the weapon won't show the Acid
visual effect, but will show the Fire visual effect. However, if you put in
two or more Visual Effects, then the one on the top of the list takes effect.
(Personally, I was hoping that they'd put this in a patch or the HotU
expansion becasue I was so disappointed when they didn't include it in SoU
and I said so on their message boards. Apparently, Bioware listened to my
request. So Bioware, thank you.)
(NOTE: This even overrides the Holy Avenger's visual effect.)
While having an unlimited amount of Ammunition is a GOOD thing, be forewarned
that you can't use ANY other type of ammunition with whatever ranged weapon
has this property. So, if you pack along some uber-powerful arrows that
you're created with a weapon that has this property, they're not going to see
much use.
+----------+ Armor-Exclusive Effects +----------+
NOTE: Only the appearance of the torso (Which this will be hidden if you
pick a robe.) determines what class the armor will be, as can be seen in a
nifty little box to the left of the Appearance box.
To melee players and those who don't deal with Arcane Spell Failure, no big
deal. To those that have to deal with Arcane Spell Failure and like to melee
as well, VERY big deal.
While the negative values decrease the percentage of Arcane Spell Failure,
the positive values increase it.
NOTE: Shields can have this property as well.
+----------+ Weapon/Armor/Item Notes +----------+
These will be straight out of the game so you can compare them side-by-side
instead of having to root through each item's properties one-by-one. Some
pieces of armor (For example Helmets, Cloaks, Bracers, Rings, etc.) have
different Armor Types. When it come to AC bonuses, items with the same Armor
Type (For example, Deflection.) won't stack and the game will go with just the
highest AC bonus. The only way you'll know, is when you equip the item in the
game.
NOTE: All weapons except those under Throwing have the Armor Type:
Deflection. (The Weapons under throwing can't have an AC Bonus, Damage
Resistance, or Damage Immunity property.)
===== Armor/Clothing
Armor Type: Armor
===== Helmets
Armor Type: Deflection
===== Shield
Armor Type: Shield
===== Belts
Armor Type: Deflection
===== Boots
Armor Type: Dodge
===== Bracers
Armor Type: Armor
===== Cloaks
Armor Type: Deflection
===== Gauntlets
Armor Type: Deflection
Damage Type: Bludgeoning
Gauntlets can be given damage bonuses and enhance the wearer's Unarmed
Strike.
===== Amulets
Armor Type: Natural
===== Rings
Armor Type: Deflection
Rings are the only item where you can equip two at the same time. (Not
including weapons.)
===== Ammunition
(Arrows, Bolts, and Bullets.)
These items can't have any Stat-Boosting Properties other than Damage-Dealing
bonuses and On Hit Cast Spell properties.
+----------+ Tips and Tricks +----------+
===== Cast Spell
Cast spell allows you to cast a spell, up to an unlimited number of times a
day, without worrying about interruption and ASF. This is useful for nukers
that like to throw out Fireball after Fireball or those that want to set up a
path full of Delayed Blast Fireballs between them and their enemy. Mind you,
that you can't use items that cast spells with the Scribe Scroll, Craft Wand,
or Brew Potion feats. And, you can't use Metamagic feats like Empower and
Maximize while casting the spell.
+----------+ Frequently Asked Questions +----------+
NOTE: I'm taking a wild stab at what people are going to ask, so (Dire)
Bear with me.
===== Question: Don't you know that by telling eveyone how to make their own
super-powerful weapons that the game will be cheapened for everyone?
===== Answer: (Starts laughing evilly.) Yeah, the game MIGHT get cheaper, but
what would happen if someone made a mod where all of the enemies had their
own uber-powerful items? Think about it for a while. (Attn: Mod-Makers!
Hint-hint!)
===== Question: Why do you put two spaces between your sentences?
===== Answer: Because I do, it's a habit.
===== Question: Hey! You stole my ASCII artwork!
===== Answer: I made that lousy stuff myself, are you SURE that you want to
claim it as yours?
===== Question: Hey, why can't I equip my items?
===== Answer: Your game may not be set to allow you to wield items
illegally. (You know, use stuff that your level isn't high enough to allow
you to use.) Be aware of the cost of your items, it takes a LOT of
properties to surpass level 40, and MUCH less to exceed level 20. Also, be
aware that if you do modify your game to allow you to wield illegal items
that you may be barred from certain servers. Also, other players may despise
you for your uber-powerful weapons of death and armor of invincibility.
===== Question: Can you teach me scripting?
===== Answer: Ha ha ha! Me, teach someone scripting! Ha ha ha! That's a
good one!
===== Question: gimme sum kewl uber g00dz so i cun pwnz yur azz!11!!1!!11!11!
===== Answer: (Pulls out Katana that does insane amounts of damage per hit.)
MAKE ME!
+----------+ Thanks and Other Stuff +----------+
Obviously, special thanks to the Bioware staff for making such a great game.
Also, extra thanks to CJayC for running and maintaining GameFAQs as well as
hosting this FAQ.
(Without them, there wouldn't any reason for me to write this FAQ in the first
place.)
Secondly, Thanks to those that helped with this FAQ. If you feel that you've
been left out, please contact me through the method below.
If you see a mistake, please contact me through the Neverwinter Nights: Hordes
of the Underdark message board on www.GameFAQs.com by creating a topic with
something like "ATTN: DragonUser84! You need to correct this!" Please do not
use l33tsp34k, as such posts MAY be read, but MAY NOT be understood. I'm not
to apt to give out my e-mail address, and I never check it anyway.
