Bigby's Forceful Hand

[Guile]

Bigby's Forceful Hand (the level 6 bigby spell) currently does not function properly in DAS.

What happens in DAS:

1. Plays animation for Bigby's Interposing Hand (level 5 Bigby spell)

2. Target is "held in place" but otherwise unaffected (ie it can still attack, cast spells, do anything it wants outside of movement.)

What the spell should be doing:

1. Attempts to Bull Rush the target causing it to be knocked down for the duration of the spell if target fails the Bull rush check. Currently not happening in DAS, you don't get any prompt telling you a bull rush succeeded, failed or was even attempted.

2. Target that fails the check (and is knocked down) should be dazed for the duration of the spell (unless it's immune to mind effecting effects/spells ofc) and thus vulnerable to sneak attacks and similar effects (unless immune ofc.) This isn't happening in DAS either.

Unless I'm mistaken this doesn't appear to be an engine bug. Using a character with the same spell in a different module (I've tested it on NWN2 OC, MotB OC and a "trainer module" off the vault prior to posting this) the spell in question performs as per its description. I've tested it on multiple characters as well as an imported version of my DAS character.

Just a few other notes. I've tested the spell on multiple mobs at first chalking it off to maybe passed checks on the Bull rush attempt. After running around FNoC and casting it on a number of wolves however, the spell would only ever behave as described above. Again, no "Bull Rush failed/Succeeded" appears anywhere on the GUI either. Remember also this spell does not allow any save attempts, just a check against the initial Bull Rush. So once it has affected the target it should stay prone and dazed for the duration of the spell.

Just thought I'd let you know, rather not look forward to the possibility of deleveling my character over a malfunctioning spell, but will if I must. :/

Thanks.

WORKING AS INTENDED

[Alterity]

2. Target that fails the check (and is knocked down) should be dazed for the duration of the spell (unless it's immune to mind effecting effects/spells ofc) and thus vulnerable to sneak attacks and similar effects (unless immune ofc.) This isn't happening in DAS either.

On a side note being dazed does not grant sneak attacks (Or at least is not supposed to)

http://nwn2.wikia.com/wiki/Dazed
http://nwn2.wikia.com/wiki/Sneak_attack

[Guile]

WORKING AS INTENDED

That's fine but unless they changed the way the spell functions in the SoZ expansion (I downloaded the manual, read the wiki and trolled a couple of forums first with no mention of such) that means this was a DAS specific change presumably for balance sake.

That's all well and good and I can abide by that but there was no documentation to be found on the forums or an edit on the spell description stating that this would be the case as a warning to prospective users. To a Wizard this would be a near non-issue since they'd use it a couple of times, decide it's nothing more than a glorified entangle and proceed to forget the spell exists within the server's confine which is no trouble. However to sorcerer players, in which case my character in question happens to be, one is left with a dilemma at no fault of their own as I see it. I'm left with the choice of deleveling my character losing out on time or accept the fact that I've wasted a level 6 spell pick (an entire 33% of my allotment for that spell level.) Neither solution seems very palpable and could have easily been avoided with a post on the game world information portion of the forums stating certain under the hood changes with spells/mechanics and possibly the reasoning behind doing so (your game world your rules after all, I'd just like to be clear on what they are.)

To be honest this also completely changes how my previous levels' spell picks as well as a feat played out as I meticulously planned what spells to take at which levels including some hard trade offs with Forceful hand as the envisioned centerpiece of my level 6 AND 7 spell slots. Now my level 3, 4, 5, 6 and possibly 7 spells have to be reworked while a feat goes to waste as well.

I would go as far to say that with prior knowledge to this fact that I would have had an entirely different spell book and approach to my spell list. It looks like I'm going to end up choosing the standard "pow!/zap!/crunch!" Sorcerer spells everyone is running around with which is a shame. Are there any other spells that undergone such radical changes that we should be aware of? I'd rather know now and avoid any potential qq posts in the future.

All the best.