Chosen of Cyric encounter
by aVENGER



Table of Contents




Component summary

This component will add a challenging encounter with a hostile party belonging to the Chosen of Cyric (a fanatical order of Cyric's most devoted followers) to the game. The encounter takes place in Chapter 6, after the final confrontation with Bodhi. It can be resolved through diplomacy, insight, intimidation or combat depending on your preference and your character's abilities. The combat portion of the encounter is balanced for a six-person party with an experience range of 2,950,000 to 4,000,000 XP. Defeating the Chosen of Cyric in direct combat yields several magic items which are most suitable for Thieves and Bards.

In order to trigger the encounter you have to be in the Graveyard District (AR0800) and you must have defeated Bodhi. The encounter will start when the party attempts to leave the area. However, if you have already visited the graveyard district in your current game, prior to installing this component, the Chosen of Cyric encounter will not occur until you start a new game. Should you wish to delay or avoid the encounter completely, you can temporarily lower the game difficulty to the "Novice" level before leaving Bodhi's crypt. Note, however, that it is possible to resolve the encounter peacefully, via dialogue. On the other hand, since the battle with the Chosen of Cyric can be quite difficult, your game will be saved in the "Final Save" slot right before the combat starts.



Resovling the encounter peacefully

Note: This section contains spoilers. Read it only if you have trouble defeating the Chosen of Cyric party and need help


General hints

Upon starting the encounter you will be prompted to parley with Venduris (the leader of the Chosen of Cyric) before engaging in combat with his party. Depending on your main character's alignment, race, class, attribute scores, experience level and the total number of characters in the party you might be able to resolve the encounter in several ways. Mental attributes (Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma) as well as Lore will play a great role in determining your dialogue options. Characters whose mental attributes are below 5 will be unable to even speak with Venduris, as he will merely mock them and promptly engage in combat. Note that only the protagonist can talk to Venduris although some party members may occasionally interject.


Examining your tactical options

After the initial dialogue screen you will need a score of at least 12 in one of your mental attributes in order to successfuly convince Venduris to parley with you. If you succeed, you will be presented with several choices. The first one is to stall Venduris for a moment and examine your tactical options. On the following dialogue screen you will get several options varying on your race and class.

[Infravision]

Characters with Infravision will get a chance to precisely examine the opposing group and learn a few things from their features. To get this option, your protagonist must either belong to one of the races who posses innate infravision (all except Humans and Halflings) or he must wear an item which grants him this ability (i.e. a Ring of Infravision).

[Focus Eyesight]

Characters who do not posses Infravision can still try to examine their opponents but they will have far less information at their disposal as the encounter takes place during a dark, rainy night and some intricate details simply can not be spotted with normal sight in such conditions.

[Detect Evil Intent]

Paladin protagonists can focus their senses in order to determine the intensity of the evil aura which surrounds various members of the opposing party. This knowledge might help you discern their motives and tactics a bit better.

[Find Traps]

A character whose Find Traps skill exceeds 90 can use it to spot the snares which the Chosen of Cyric have set near the city gates. He will also be able to precisely determine the type of the traps as well as their exact location.

[Detect Slope]

A Dwarf or a Gnome protagonist can use this racial senses to spot the irregularities in the terrain near the city gates. He will notice that something is buried in the ground but will not be able to determine the precise nature of this object. Note: the Find Traps dialogue option supersedes Detect Slope in cases where both are viable.

[Tracking]

A Ranger or a Bounty Hunter protagonist may use his tracking expertise to interpret the footprints and other marks that his opponents have made on the muddy ground.

[Arcane Lore]

An arcane spellcaster (a Mage, Sorcerer or Bard) can attempt to decipher the mysterious runes inscribed on the ground (which are actually warding glyphs).


Persuasion

After browsing through the main dialogue options, good aligned characters with sufficient charisma and a high reputation may attempt to persuade Venduris that they do not desire the power of Bhaal and/or Cyric. Paladins of extraordinary reputation will have an easier time here. The maximum check for the Charisma value in this dialogue is 18 while the maximum reputation check is 20.


Insight

Characters of high intelligence and wisdom can attempt to show Venduris the error of his ways through a meaningful debate. A high Lore value can help here as well. The maximum checks for both Inteligance and Wisdom scores are 18 while the maximum Lore value check is 75.


Intimidation

This dialogue option can branch out into several directions. Characters with more experience than Venduris' party (more than 2,950,000  XP ) can convince him that a potential battle would be equally deadly to both parties and thus force him into a retreat. Even if your XP range is slightly below this value you may still be able to Bluff Venduris into fleeing if your Charisma score is at least 18. Furthermore, all characters except Paladins may choose to show Venduris the true extent of their Bhaalspawn heritage and transform into the Slayer in hopes of daunting him. This tactic will always work and as the Chosen of Cyric were not expecting to face the very avatar of Bhaal, they will attempt to run away. However, while in Slayer form you can give in to your Bhaalspawn instincts, focus your anger and rip your enemies apart in a bloody frenzy before they can manage to escape. Beware of Reputation and Alignment consequences if you chose this option. Ranger protagonists who consciously choose to commit an evil act in this manner will be stripped of their rangerhood.



Resolving the encounter through combat

Note: This section contains spoilers. Read it only if you have trouble defeating the Chosen of Cyric party and need help.


General combat hints

The members of the Chosen of Cyric party act as regular player characters and only use abilities and tactics that are actually available to PCs of the respective class, race and level. They have no extra immunities, resistances or abilities. The only exception to this rule is Venduris, the leader of the Chosen of Cyric party. Due to his background and special training, Venduris can Detect Illusions better and more often than normal thieves of his level. However, this is the only extra advantage that he has, for all other purposes Venduris acts as a regular Assassin. The other two thief members of the CoC (Zaeron and Bodak) will use the regular Detect Illusion skill if they suspect that the party members have became invisible. Furthermore, if they leave the party's line of sight they will attempt to hide in shadows and sneak back. Note that the Detect Illusion and Hide actions both require proper skill checks, which ensures that the opponents play fair and behave exactly like PC thieves. This also means that they may occasionally fail while attempting to carry out these activities. Furthermore, spellcasting opponents which are introduced by this component never use forced casting, non-disruptable spells or any similarly cheesy tactics. In addition, when enemy mages employ spell sequencers and contingencies, they are bound by the same limitations that are presented to the player's party. This means that a mage opponent (depending on his level) may have at most one Minor Sequencer, one regular Sequencer, one Spell Trigger, one regular Contingency and one Chain Contingency at his disposal. It also means that enemy spellcasters can only trigger their Contingencies under the conditions which are available to the player i.e. "When Hit", "See Enemy", "Hit Points at 50%", "Hit Points at 25%", "Hit Points at 10%", "Helpless" and "Poisoned". It should also be noted that even the spells which opponents cast from scrolls (i.e. Zaeron's Maze and Selina's Power Word: Kill) can be disrupted through damage and are subject to spell failure. In short, the CoC opponents play fair and do not cheat in any way.

In combat, you can expect the Chosen of Cyric to employ some cleaver teamwork oriented tactics. For example, the sorceress may cast Power Word: Stun on party members with the lowest hit points and subsequently haste her allies. In the meantime, the melee characters might drink Potions of Invisibility and move in for a backstab, the ranged character may pepper the enemy spellcasters with Arrows of Biting and Dispelling while the cleric could cast Unholy Blight on any good aligned party members and attempt to cure his allies of any afflictions should that become necessary. In general, the Chosen of Cyric characters follow the same rules as regular PCs, therefore they will only employ tactics which are also available to the player's party. Note that any seemingly special powers (i.e. Selina's ability to simultaneously cast Stoneskin and Minor Globe of Invulnerability) that the Chosen of Cyric characters posses come solely from their equipment. Unlike most other opponents in the game, the Chosen of Cyric are equipped like a regular adventuring party of their level and have powerful magical items at their disposal. If you manage to defeat them in combat, you will have unrestricted access to these items. There is no "undroppable" equipment in this encounter, so what you see is what you get.


Difficulty level scaling

All members of the Chosen of Cyric party will adjust their spell, item and ability usage according to the game difficulty level which can be set in the Gameplay subsection of the Options menu. These adjustments are reflected as follows:


Starting the battle

When you enter combat you will notice that, for a change, the opposing party had some time to prepare for the encounter while your party started with their protections dispelled due to the effects of the magical wards. The Chosen of Cyric opponents use various potions and spells in their two-round preparation sequence so it would be wise to start the battle by targeting them with Dispel/Remove Magic first. This should be followed by a True Seeing spell since most of the Chosen of Cyric party members regularly use Potions of Invisibility and employ various illusion spells. Furthermore, note that all members of the Chosen of Cyric party start the battle under the effects of Mass Invisibility (and therefore cannot be directly targeted by spells) because Venduris uses his Ring of Concealment right before the combat starts. This hinderance can easily be bypassed by having one of your party members cast a divination spell such as Detect Invisibility, Invisibility Purge or True Seeing.

Casting Protection from Magical Weapons may not be the best way to keep your spellcasters safe as Zaeron has a Wand of Spell Striking that he will employ whenever it becomes necessary. Furthermore, Venduris, Zaeron, Grok and Bodak all have a non-magical weapon at the ready (i.e. Venduris carries a mundane shortsword in his secondary quickslot) and they will use it if they notice that an opponent is unaffected by magical weapons. Stoneskin and Ironskin can help, though Bodak will attempt to target characters protected by those spells with Arrows of Dispelling. It might be useful to cast a few area-effect spells such as Fireball, Skull Trap, Horrid Wilting or Holy Smite as you don't need to specifically target your opponents and can therefore ignore their invisibility. If you have access to the Maze spell now would be a good time to make use of it. Bodak and Grok are both preferable targets, since they are not especially bright (Intelligence < 12) so a Maze spell can remove them from combat for quite a few rounds. Be careful not to cast Maze on Grok while he is enraged since his Barbarian Rage ability makes him immune to it. Power Word: Blind is another very useful spell as it can affect multiple targets with a single casting and effectively take them out of the battle. However, note that Kerith may try to remove the blindness with his Cure Disease and Neutralize Poison spells.

Next, you may want to summon some allies for help and concentrate your efforts on one opponent at a time. Kerith may be the easiest to defeat since he has no noteble melee protections so you may want to concentrate on him first. Be sure to eliminate Selina and Zaeron soon afterwards as their spells can hinder you greatly. Bodak is another preferable target as he only wields ranged weapons and is not very skilled in melee combat. Venduris is simply too quick and elusive to catch and Grok has a lot of hit points, so perhaps it would be wisest to leave them for the end. Note that all characters have at least five Potions of Invisibility and Extra Healing. They will try to employ these items in order to run away and heal in safety in case they become badly wounded. You can prevent this, to an extent, by casting Power Word: Stun when their hit points drop below 90 and then quickly finish them off. Beware that Venduris has set five traps before the start of the battle. These traps are located in the northern part of the map (near the gates) where the Chosen of Cyric characters occasionally retreat. As for their nature, they are the same traps which can be set by a regular level 23 Assassin PC when using the standard thief "Set Snare" ability. Finally, remember to keep your party moving at all times because stationary targets are very easy prey, especially for Venduris.


Dealing with: Venduris - level 23 Neutral Evil Human Assassin (group leader)
STR 14, DEX 18, CON 16, INT 15 WIS 12, CHA 16, HP 106

Venduris is an Assassin, so his backstab can be very deadly, especially due to the fact that he always attempts to pick out the most vulnerable target (unconscious/stunned opponents, mages, characters with high AC... etc). Note that he also makes use of his Poison Weapon ability every once in a while. Furthermore, he has plenty of invisibility potions and will use them regularly in an attempt to run away and heal if wounded. Venduris' also wears a Ring of Concealment which makes him immune to True Sight and similar divination spells. To make him visible, try casting Dispel/Remove Magic or Glitterdust in his general direction. Also, note that Venduris' Ring of Concealment does not protect him from the Detect Illusion thief skill or the special ability of Jan Jansen's Spectroscopes. Once Venduris becomes visible, you could attempt to disable him with a Greater Command, Chaos, Domination or a Power Word: Stun spell. Casting Power Word: Blind on Venduris can be very useful as well, because he will be unable to see and thus unable to backstab any targets that are not in his immediate vicinity. However, since he uses a Potion of Magic Protection in his preparation sequence, Venduris enters the battle with 50% Magic Resistance, though a Remove/Dispel magic can easily remedy that. Venduris' biggest advantage is probably his enhanced Detect Illusions ability which he will employ every five rounds or whenever he suspects and invisible opponent or an illusion is nearby. In either case, he cannot employ this ability more than once per round. Venduris' enhanced Detect Illusions ability will reveal hidden or invisible characters and dispel most illusions in his line of sight. Venduris also wields a powerful short sword - the Silent Death which always poisons his victim and can also cause silence should the target fail its save vs. breath. The sword also has a 4% chance to sever a vital extremity of its target which will instantly reduce the victim's hit points by 20%.

Note: if the "Thief kit revisions" component is installed, Venduris will receive the revised Assassin traits (Poison Weapon, Poison Expertise and Death Attack). However, he will only use Death Attack on the "Core Rules" difficulty setting or higher.


Dealing with: Selina Shadowstorm - level 17 Chaotic Neutral Human Sorceress
STR 10, DEX 17, CON 16, INT 15 WIS 13, CHA 17, HP 67

At the beginning of the battle, Selina is encased in a Minor Globe of Invulnerability (which you might want to dispel that before attempting to target her with low level spells) and under the effects of the Potion of Freedom which she drank during the battle preparation cutscene. As soon as she spots an opponent her Chain Contingency will trigger and cast Protection from Magical Weapons, Improved Haste and Spell Turning on her. Also, beware of her initial Spell Sequencer which contains the Greater Malison, Slow and Chaos spells. Once the combat starts, you'll probably notice that Selina's specialty are Power Word spells which she attempts to cast on the most susceptible targets. For example, if one of your characters drops below 90 hit points she will attempt to cast Power Word: Stun on him, and if a character drops below 60 hit points she might even use a Power Word: Kill scroll on him (though she only has three of those). Selina will also attempt to temporarily disable your spellcasters with Power Word: Silence, so memorizing the Vocalize spell before the battle might come in handy. If engaged in melee Selina might use a Spell Trigger which contains Improved Invisibility, Stoneskin and Protection from Magical Weapons. Should an opponent persist to physically attack her, she will try to flee while occasionally recasting Protection From Magical Weapons, Stoneskin and Mirror Image. If left to her own devices, Selina might cast Improved Haste on Bodak or Grok, target your party members with Horrid Wilting or attempt a Ray of Enfeeblement on your fighters. If she spots a large group of summoned creatures or a Nishruu, Selina will attempt to use a scroll of Death Spell. If she runs out of spells she will attack the most susceptible enemy with poisoned darts. To quickly disable her spellcasting ability try using Power Word: Silence on her. Note however, that she knows the Vocalize spell, so this might only be a temporary solution. Since Selina has only 67 hit points she is also fairly susceptible to Power Word: Stun. Furthermore, casting Power Word: Blind on her might also be useful as she won't be able to properly target most of her spells while blinded.


Dealing with: Zaeron T'ane - level 11/12/14 Chaotic Neutral Half-Elf Fighter/Mage/Thief
STR 14, DEX 18, CON 15, INT 17 WIS 10, CHA 14, HP 74

As Zaeron proves, the fighter/mage/thief multi-class can be a very dangerous combination when outfitted with the proper spells. At the start of the battle, Zaeron will use a Spell Trigger which contains Mislead, Minor Globe of Invulnerability and Minor Spell Deflection. Note that he will immediately command his illusionary clone to run away in an attempt to distract you. The real danger however comes from his backstabs, which occur on every hit while he is under the effects of the Mislead spell. In his right hand Zaeron wields the Spell Diver, a shortsword that can occasionally inflict a spell failure penalty on his victims. In his left hand he holds the Salamander's Tongue, a dagger which grants him Non-Detection and deals additional fire damage. In melee, Zaeron will primarily attempt to attack any spellcasters he sees. Occasionally, he may cast a few defensive and protective spells such as Protection from Magical Weapons, Stoneskin and Mirror Image on himself. He also has a Wand of Paralyzation and a Wand of Spell Striking which he will employ on every suitable opportunity.  Furthermore, Zaeron also possess three scrolls of the Maze spell which he will attempt to use on your best warriors and spellcasters. To prevent your party members from becoming mazed protect them with the Chaotic Commands spell or use the Barbarian/Berserker Rage abilities. Note that Zaeron's hit points are fairly low (he starts with 74 hp) so a well placed Power Word: Stun can take him out of action for a while.


Dealing with: Grok - level 19 Chaotic Evil Half-Orc Barbarian
STR 19, DEX 18, CON 19, INT 10 WIS 8, CHA 9, HP 183

This half-orc barbarian wields two powerful weapons - the Stromcharged Axe and the Holdfast longsword, both of which have a small chance to paralyze their targets for a short while. Most of the time, Grok will try to attack the weakest and the least protected characters in your party. He wears the Abishai Hide armor which, when combined with his innate barbarian resistances, gives him 35% resistance against all types of physical damage. Since he is also wearing a Golden Girdle and wielding Holdfast, it would probably be best to avoid using slashing weapons against him. As Grok uses a Potion of Magic Shielding in his preparation sequence, he will automatically make all of his saving throws during the next 3 turns, but a Remove/Dispel magic can easily remedy that. After the battle begins, he will use an Oil of Speed to increase the frequency of his attacks or quaff another Potion of Magic Shielding if the effects of the first one are dispelled. Should his hit points drop below 50% he will use an Invisibility Potion and run away to heal with his Potions of Superior Healing. Since he is a high level Barbarian, Grok may also use his Rage ability up to five times per day. Note: be especially wary if Selina manages to cast Improved Haste on Grok as he becomes very dangerous when his number of attacks per round doubles.


Dealing with: Bodak Hangthorn - level 13/16 Chaotic Evil Halfling Fighter/Thief
STR 16, DEX 19, CON 17, INT 12 WIS 9, CHA 11, HP 112

This halfling acts as the ranged support of the Chosen of Cyric party. He wields the Blindstrike Bow which, as the name implies, can occasionally blind his targets for a short time. Bodak can fire arrows of Acid, Biting and Dispelling, depending on the situation. For example, this means the he will attempt to hit mages who are under the effects of the Stoneskin spell with Arrows of Dispelling (in order to remove their protections) followed by Arrows of Biting (in order to poison them) thereby effectively disabling their spellcasting. In general, Bodak will strive to remove any beneficial spells from his opponents, with Stoneskin, Improved Haste and True Sight being the top priorities. Should his target cast Protection From Magical Weapons, Bodak will switch to his mundane Poisoned Daggers and attack with them instead. Also, if Selina, Zaeron or Kerith get hit by a dispellable effect which causes spellcasting failure (i.e. the Miscast Magic spell) they will request help and Bodak will fire an Arrow of Dispelling at them in order to get rid of the harmful effect. Likewise, if one of his allies becomes charmed or feebleminded Bodak will try to hit him with an Arrow of Dispelling in an attempt to remove the effect. If an enemy comes too close to him Bodak will attempt to flee, often using his Potions of Invisibility until he gains a safe distance for ranged attacks. Furthermore, he will use the special ability of the Rogue's Cowl (an item that he is wearing) whenever it is appropriate (this cowl can simultaneously cast Mirror Image and Blur on the wearer). Note: be especially wary if Selina manages to cast Improved Haste on Bodak as he becomes very dangerous when his number of attacks per round doubles.


Dealing with: Kerith the Bleak - level 21 Chaotic Evil Human Priest of Cyric
STR 15, DEX 15, CON 16, INT 12 WIS 17, CHA 13, HP 96

In general, Kerith provides healing and support for the Chosen of Cyric group. As a priority, he will try to cure his allies of afflictions such as fear, blindness, deafness, feeblemind, poison and paralyzation. However, when the opportunity presents itself, he will try to attack his enemies with offensive spells such as Flame Strike and Harm. Also, if he notices any good aligned characters he will try to cast Unholy Blight and Unholy Word on them. If a Cloudkill (or a similar vaporous spell) is cast he will attempt to counter it with a Zone of Sweet Air. Under most circumstances, Kerith will try to avoid direct engagement in melee combat, and in case his hit points drop significantly, he will attempt to cast Sanctuary in order to heal safely. Note that Kerith casts Magic Resistance and Holy Power during his preparation sequence and since he is also carrying some missile deflecting gear, it might be best to attack him at close range.



Escaping the wards

After you defeat the Chosen of Cyric party in combat you will notice that you are still trapped inside the city gates area since the wards that Venduris and Selina have set continue to block your path. To escape, you must retrieve the arcane scroll from Venduris' corpse and use it to the best of your ability. Characters with magical aptitude can try to decipher the symbols through various means and, in term, find the Command Phrase which can safely nullify the wards and allow the party to escape.

Characters who lack the understanding of arcane writings may attempt to simply tear the scroll apart, which will cause the imminent release of the energies stored inside it. Be warned, this method is quite dangerous, and the magical backslash from the released energies can hurt or even kill some of your party members. This damage can be somewhat reduced by lowering the game difficulty in the Options menu or by casting Protection From Magic Energy on your characters before destroying the scroll. Also, any party members who are skilled in the arcane arts (i.e. Edwin, Imoen, Nalia...) will warn you through interjections and provide you with the proper Command Phrase should you opt to simply destroy the scroll.



New items which can be obtained from this encounter

If you manage to successfully defeat the Chosen of Cyric party in combat, you can loot all of the equipment that they carry. On the other hand, completing the encounter peacefully will not grant you any items, however, you will receive more XP.  Some of these items were imported from Icewind Dale 1 (sometimes with a few modifications) while others are completely unique. Here's the complete list of all equipment which the Chosen of Cyric party possesses:


Amulets/Rings

Barrier Amulet

This powerful amulet was crafted by the enchanter Celemon of Calimport in 727 DR.  He crafted ten such amulets on commission before jealous rivals killed him and attempted to duplicate the procedure.  His colleagues were not as talented as Celemon, and destroyed their laboratory and themselves when a mishap occurred.  The formula was destroyed as well.  This particular amulet was owned by the elven warrior-mage Pelan Rainwind.  It was lost when he was killed by giants in the Spine of the World somewhere around 840 DR.

STATISTICS:

Special Abilities:
    Simultaneously casts Stoneskin and Minor Globe of Invulnerability 3x/day

Usable By:
  Mage


Geminus

Ring of Wizardry: 'Geminus'

Long ago, a grand wizard from Amn was rumored to have defied Mystra's limitations on the magical arts.  Legends spoke of this wizard being able to cast spells without the limitation of memorization.  In the end it was found that his powers stemmed from the several magical rings that he had made for himself.  His proclaimed "everlasting memory" was a hoax, though his rings continue to be one of the most sought after items in the Realms.

STATISTICS:

Equipped Abilities:
    Doubles the amount of 1st and 2nd level spells a mage can memorize

Only usable by:
  Mage


Venduris' Ring of Concealment

This item was originally taken from an over ambitious Thayvian illusionist who somehow managed to cross Cyric's plans. When Venduris was sent to remove the mage he also picked up this invisibility ring from his personal treasury. The assassin rarely felt the need to employ it as he was highly skilled in the art of stealth, but the ring proved useful on a few rare occasions when he had to capture his victims alive and drag them back to his master's temple for interrogation or torture without being exposed to magical detection.

STATISTICS:

Equipped Abilities:
    Wearer is unaffected by Detect Invisibility, Invisibility Purge, True Seeing and similar divination spells

Special Abilities:   
    Casts Mass Invisibility 1x/day

Only Usable By:
 Thief
 Mage
 Bard


Boots/Cloaks

Boots of the Fox

These gaudy red and green boots were worn by the rogue Elpham of Perrywine.  Elpham was a pickpocket of exceptional talent who pressed his luck by taunting his victims shortly after taking their loot.  After being caught twice, Elpham invested his money in having these boots made.  Of course, Elpham came to an untimely end when he picked the pocket of the notoriously ill-tempered Red Wizard of Thay, Xain Morobdel.  Elpham stole a pouch full of gems off of Xain's waist and danced off into the crowd shouting, "Why don't you try to chase me back to the Priador, baldy?  Ha ha!"  Xain, quietly fuming, promptly summoned four invisible stalkers and commanded them to, "Kill the idiot in the red and green boots."

STATISTICS:

Equipped Abilities:
    +1 bonus to AC
    Increases movement rate

Weight:  4


Shadowed Boots

Upon closer inspection of these boots, the fabric seems to be made of some odd, incorporeal material.  Wearing these boots causes the user to take on an almost shadowed or ghostly appearance. Additionally, sound becomes eerily muffled as if heard from a distance.

STATISTICS:

Equipped Abilities:
    +1 bonus to AC
    +10% to Move Silently
    +15% to Hide In Shadows

Weight: 5
Only usable by:
 Thief


Venduris' Shadowcloak

Magical probing reveals that this dark cloak was initially woven together from the ectoplasmic essence of a Shadow and the silk of a Phase Spider. It was then further enchanted by priests of Cyric to grant his most devoted followers both protection and discretion. While the cloak is worn the wearer's thoughts can not be ascertained by magical means. Furthermore, due to the special nature of its fabric, the cloak also enhances the ability to blend into the shadows and makes vital spots impossible to discern, effectively protecting the wearer from any backstab assaults.

STATISTICS:

Equipped Abilities:
    +1 bonus to AC
    +1 bonus to all saving throws
    +50% to Hide in Shadows
    Immunity to backstab
    Wearer's alignment is undetectable

Weight:  1
Usable by:
  Thieves


Ioun Stones/Cowls/Hoods/Helmets

Blessed Leafcrown

Rillifane Rallathil is the protector of the woodlands and guardian of the harmony of nature. The Leaflord is often likened by his priests to a giant ethereal oak tree, so huge that its roots mingle with the roots of every other plant in the Realms, that stands at the heart of Arvandor, the High Forest of Olympus. The great tree draws into itself all the ebb and flow of seasons and lives within the woodlands of the green elves. At the same time, it defends and sustains those lands against disease, predation, and assaults of all kinds. On special occasions, Rillifane's high priests show their respect to The Leaflord by weaving oaken leaves into the shape of laurel crowns which are subsequently blessed and treated with protective enchantments. These ceremonial crowns rarely leave the elven lands, mainly because their magic is closely attuned to the very souls of the Fair Folk. Only a renegade or an exile would dare to take such a sacred item out of the elven community.

STATISTICS:

Equipped Abilities:
    Bless
    Immunity to Disease and Poison

Armor Class Bonus: 1
Weight: 0

Only Usable By:
  Elves
  Half-Elves
  Non-evil alignments


Dead Man's Face

These ancient helms were once common among the Reghedmen barbarians who came to what is now known as Icewind Dale.  The design of the armor is relatively simple: a plain iron helm with a hinged faceplate.  Once the basic construction of the helm had been finished, craftsmen would tool the image of a dead warrior onto the faceplate.  The name of the warrior and a one word description of his death were carved into the forehead of the mask.  The helm was then left in the dead warrior's funeral pyre.  The priests believed that the mask would hide the dead man's fear of the afterlife when he was judged by Tempos.  After a month had passed, the helms of particularly valiant warriors were recovered by the priests.  Over the next few years, the priests praised the valiant warriors by name in their daily rituals.  According to legend, if Tempos found the warrior to be truly valiant, the helm would gain the power to make the wearer immune to fear.  This particular helm bears the ancient name "Siglef" and the word "Axe".

STATISTICS:

Equipped Abilities:
    Immunity to Fear and Panic
    -2 Charisma

Armor Class Bonus:  1
Special: Protects Against Critical Hits
Weight:  3
Not Usable By:
 Mage
 Bard
 Thief


Rogue's Cowl

This dark brown cowl is meant to be worn on the head and over the shoulders as a broad hood.  It was crafted by the gnomish thief and illusionist Brein Chestnut.  Brein used the cowl on his own adventures for several years before his childhood sweetheart convinced him to settle down.  He gave the cowl to his nephew, Chirchet, who in turn sold the item for a large stretch of farmland.

STATISTICS:

Equipped Abilities:
    +1 bonus to AC
    +15% to Hide In Shadows

Special Abilities:
    Simultaneously casts Blur and Mirror Image 3x/day

Weight:  1
Usable By:
 Thief
 Bard


Sune's Laurel of Favor

This wreath of laurel leaves and roses was a gift from the church of Sune to the priestesses of Hanali Celanil at the Hand of the Seldarine.  The representatives of the human goddess of love and beauty were well received and the high priestess of Hanali Celanil wore the laurel whenever humans were visiting the Hand.  The orcs discarded the laurel as useless trash when they sacked the priests' tower.

STATISTICS:

Equipped Abilities:
    +1 Charisma

Armor Class Bonus:  1
Special: Protects Against Critical Hits
Weight:  1
Not Usable By:
  Evil characters


Venduris' Luckstone

Originally stolen from the nymphs of Stormshire, this Ioun Stone has malcontently served Venduris for the past ten years. The essence of luck contained within it was abused by the evil assassin for guiding his hands towards the weakpoints of his foes and thus ensuring the maximum lethality of his attacks. Once beautiful to behold, resembling a radiant rainbow-patterned jewel, the Luckstone's magic eventually started to fade as it became corrupted under the influence of its new owner. The darkness that now resides within it stands as a reminder of Venduris' vile deeds.

STATISTICS:

Equipped Abilities:
    +3 Luck

Armor Class Bonus: None
Special: Protects Against Critical Hits
Weight: 0
Requires: 10 Wisdom
Only Usable By:
 Evil or Neutral Characters
 Thief
 Mage
 Bard


Armors

Abishai Hide

There is great mystery surrounding this armor and no one is certain how or where it came into existence. What is known is that the leather was cut from the hide of an abishai, although it is impossible to tell what color the abishai had since the armor is tinted in deep black. In addition, it has an unusual, very light, vinegary smell. Those who wear this armor are bestowed with slight resistance to physical damage and the ability to regenerate wounds. It is unclear whether these properties come from the leather itself or an enchantment placed upon the armor.

STATISTICS:

Equipped Abilities:
    +15% resistance to slashing, piercing, crushing and missile damage
    Wearer regenerates 1 hit point every 6 seconds

Armor Class: 4
Weight: 15
Not Usable By:
  Mage
  Paladin


Drow Chain Mail

Drow chain mail is a finely-crafted, satiny black metal mesh that does not encumber its wearer in the least. It is similar, but not identical to, the magical elven chain mail. It is typically fashioned only into tunics, as drow elves share their forest-bound cousins' preference for armor that adequately protects without being overly weighty or restrictive. The exceptional lightness of this armor allows it to be worn by thieves and fighter/mages with few restrictions. Furthermore, drow chain mail grants a small bonus to magic resistance and slightly reduces the casting time of all spells while worn.

Unlike most drow equipment, this particular drow chain mail was not crafted using Adamantine since it was designed for scouts who regularly travel to the surface. Therefore, it will not decay when exposed to direct sunlight but it doesn't provide as much protection as regular drow armor.

STATISTICS:

Equipped Abilities:
    +5% Magic Resistance
    Improves spellcasting speed by 1

Armor Class: 4
Weight: 7
Requires: 5 Strength
Not Usable By:
 Druid
 Mage


Axes

Stormcharged Axe

This superbly crafted axe holds an enchantment of unusual origin. Immediately after it was forged the axe was brought on top of a high mountain peak where dwarven priests waited for a great storm to gather. The weapon was placed on an iron pedestal and soon afterward struck by a bolt of lightning. Because of the pre placed enchantment it absorbed some of the bolt's properties. The axe was later given to a high ranking dwarven officer to aid him in the ensuing battle between the orcish hordes and the dwarves of Dorn's Deep. The attack came as a complete surprise to the dwarves when one morning a scout arrived and told that the largest orcish army he had ever seen was only hours away. With little time to prepare, the dwarven warriors were overrun and the orcs began to pour into Dorn's Deep. The dwarves were forced to retreat into the depths of the citadel but key passages were collapsed to cover their movements and buy them time. Even in such dire conditions, this allowed the dwarves to control when and where they would fight. Every battle cost the orcs dearly as the dwarves fought on their terms, but they were still being driven farther and farther back into Wyrm's Tooth Glacier. Eventually, due to their superior numbers, the orcs managed to breach the dwarven defenses and plunder their homes.

STATISTICS:

Equipped Abilities:
    +20% to electrical resistance

Combat Abilities:
    10% chance on each hit that the target becomes stunned for 1 round

THAC0: +3
Damage:  1D8 +3, +1d3 electrical
Damage type:  Slashing
Weight: 5
Speed Factor: 4
Proficiency Type: Axe
Type:  1-handed
Not Usable By:
 Druid
 Cleric
 Mage
 Thief


Daggers

The Salamander's Tongue

A wicked-looking dagger with a dark history, the Salamander's Tongue is prized both for its use as a weapon and its hidden magical powers.  The blade appears to be an exotic looking dagger with a kris-like wavy blade ending in two small points.  A small portion of a slimy, bright red living salamander's tongue is somehow embedded in the heart of the blade, near the grip.  It pulses and writhes randomly without intervention from the owner. 

The exact origins of the blade are unknown, but it is believed that the first owner of the weapon was a respected and feared gnomish thief and assassin from Westgate named Turlam Shallowhill.  Turlam was killed in a fight with a rival, a halfling called Deder Seven Fingers.  Deder kept the weapon as a trophy, not knowing its powers until after it was stolen by an underling, a fellow halfling named Kreshinal Blackhound.  Kreshinal fled to Selgaunt with the dagger for five years, relying on its powers to hide him from divination.  Kreshinal lost the dagger in a botched gambling scam, and was killed by Deder's agents within the month.  Deder attempted to reclaim the dagger from the Sembian criminals who had captured it.  He succeeded at routing the thieves and reclaiming his dagger, but he focused so much attention on the blade that he didn't notice that the Sembian criminals had employed a priest of Mask to infiltrate and break down his interests in Westgate.  The ensuing war between the Westgate and Selgaunt factions ended when the priest of Mask, Pieter the Feeble, made the two sides so paranoid that they ate themselves away from the inside.  Pieter grabbed the dagger when he had the opportunity and escaped to Hillsfar, confident that the unorganized demihuman supporters of the late Deder Seven Fingers wouldn't follow him to a place so hostile to their kind.

In yet another scam, Pieter sold the blade to a Mulmaster Hawk while luring other potential buyers to an auction in Hillsfar.  Pieter and his associates murdered the buyers at the fake auction and made off with the cash, hiding under the cover of an Amulet of Non-Detection.  The Mulmaster Hawk who purchased the blade was supposedly killed by priestesses of Umberlee who were angry at the assassin's refusal to pay tribute to the Bitch Queen.  Years of factional fighting between the Umberlants are believed to have transported the blade as much as three thousand miles away from its humble beginnings in Sembia.  The whereabouts of Pieter the Feeble and his goons are currently unknown.

STATISTICS:

Equipped Abilities:
    +10% Fire Resistance
    +3 to saves vs. poison
    Wielder is under the effects of Non-Detection

Combat Abilities:
    50% chance of dealing +1D2 points of fire damage
    30% chance of dealing +2D2 points of fire damage
    15% chance of dealing +3D2 points of fire damage
     5% chance of dealing +4D2 points of fire damage

THAC0: +3 bonus
Damage:  1D4 +3
Damage type:  Piercing
Weight: 1
Speed Factor: 0
Proficiency Type: Daggers
Type:  1-handed
Not Usable By:
 Cleric


Short Swords

Silent Death

This sword once belonged to Venduris, a cunning assassin in service of Cyric - the reigning God of Murder. When the rogue was initially accepted into the order of Cyric's Chosen he received a small, plain looking blade as a welcoming gift. Though the sword held only minor enchantments back then, its power and sharpness seemed to grow with each kill Venduris made in the name of his new master. The assassin preferred to fulfill these tasks swiftly and silently, so his victims were almost never aware of their nearing demise. However, on certain occasions when a foe had particularly angered the Prince of Lies, Venduris would apply a deadly venom to his blade before striking. The victim would then start choking, rendered unable to speak or cry for help, while Cyric laughed in glee as the mute face of his adversary twisted from the pain and agony caused by the subsequent poison effects which eventually led to a slow, tormented death.

This sword pulsates with a dim, greenish glow and emanates a powerful evil aura. The tip and edges of the blade are extremely sharp and constantly coated with a layer of magical poison which makes it very difficult to use the sword without harming oneself. Only rogues of exceptional skill and cunning may attempt to wield this weapon.

STATISTICS:

Combat Abilities:
    The target suffers 4 points of poison damage (1 per second)
    The target must make a save vs. breath or become silenced for 4 rounds
    4% chance that the sword will pierce a vital body part and instantly reduce the target's hit points by 20%

THAC0:  +4 bonus
Damage:  1D6 +4
Damage type:  piercing
Weight: 1
Speed Factor: 0
Proficiency Type: Short Sword
Type:  1-handed
Requires: 15 Dexterity and 15 Intelligence
Usable By:
 Evil and Neutral Aligned Thieves


Spell Diver

The spellsword Naradon of Thesk was known for his ability to quickly and efficiently defeat enemy mages even when outnumbered.  He earned this reputation with the help of three items: Potions of Speed, Boots of Speed, and his trusted short sword, Spell Diver.  Unlike many other magical weapons, Spell Diver does not have a dark, murderous history.  Naradon retired from adventuring when he was thirty-two.  His fondness for Potions of Speed caught up with him when he died of old age four years later.  His only heir had no desires to be an adventurer.  He sold the weapon to a known cat burglar a few years after his father's death.  The sword can be recognized by the kingfisher stamped into the ricasso.

STATISTICS:

Equipped Abilities:
    +1 to Save vs. Spells
    +5% Magic Resistance

Combat Abilities:
    Each hit causes the target to suffer a cumulative 10% chance of spell failure during the following 3 rounds

THAC0:  +3 bonus
Damage:  1D6+3
Damage type:  Piercing
Weight:  1
Speed Factor:  0
Proficiency Type: Short Sword
Type:  1-handed
Not Usable By:
 Druid
 Cleric
 Mage


Long Swords

Hold Fast

A Zhentarim battle mage crafted this blade hoping it would help him prevail in melee combat when he was challenged to a duel. The powerful sword was supposed to deflect most incoming blows and incapacitate his enemy at the same time. Unfortunately, the mage lacked any real skill with the weapon and was easily defeated by his opponent.


STATISTICS:

Equipped Abilities:
    +3 bonus to AC vs. slashing weapons

Combat Abilities:
    10% chance of casting Hold Monster on each hit

THAC0:  +3 bonus
Damage:  1D8 +3
Damage type:  Slashing
Weight: 2
Speed Factor: 2
Proficiency Type: Long Sword
Type:  1-handed
Not Usable By:
 Druid
 Cleric
 Mage


Short Bows

Blindstrike Bow

This composite short bow radiates with strong, necromatic enchantments which are commonly used by Yuan-Ti priests. The shaft of the bow resembles two snakes, each trying to swallow an eyeball carved at the grip. Along both sides of the shaft the phrase "May the greatness of Sseth blind the unworthy!" is inscribed. The bow was primarily used by Yuan-Ti sentries to prevent unwary trespassers from discovering the location of a secret temple which was hidden deep inside Ashendale forest. For some reason Beholders and their kin seem to be highly vulnerable to any arrows fired from this bow.

STATISTICS:

Combat Abilities:
    20% of all hits blind the target for 3 rounds (save vs. spells negates, Beholders save with a -5 penalty)

THAC0: +3 bonus (+5 vs. Beholders)
Damage: +4 bonus (+6 vs. Beholders)
Weight: 1
Speed Factor: 3
Proficiency Type: Short Bow
Type: 2-handed
Requires: 16 Strength
Not Usable By:
 Druid
 Cleric
 Mage



Console options

Certain aspects of this component can be configured using the CLUA Console. The following variable can be modified in this manner:
Note: the aforementioned variable is set to 0 by default.



Compatibility



Known Issues



Version changes

4.48 - February 18, 2012
4.46 - September 18, 2011
4.45 - August 13, 2011
4.40 - February 19, 2011
4.38 - October 25, 2010
4.37 - May 25, 2010
4.36 - May 20, 2010
4.35 - May 8, 2010
4.34 - March 16, 2010
4.33 - January 29, 2010
4.32 - December 12, 2009
4.31 - October 24, 2009
4.30 - October 2, 2009
4.22 - September 7, 2009
4.21 - August 8, 2009
4.20 - July 18, 2009
4.11 - May 10, 2009
4.10 - April 21, 2009
4.04 - March 2, 2009
4.03 - January 26, 2009
4.02 - December 23, 2008
4.01 - November 21, 2008
4.00 - November 1, 2008
  • Venduris' Luckstone has been slightly revised
  • Activating the special abilities of Rogue's Cowl, Venduris' Ring of Concealment and the Barrier Amulet will no longer trigger a reaction from the Cowled Wizards in case the spellcasting license wasn't acquired
  • The potion selection of the Chosen of Cyric characters has been additionally diversified
  • A few pathfinding issues in Grok's AI script have been addressed
  • Made some minor code optimizations
  • Standardized version numbers of all components
1.92 - August 25, 2008
1.91 - June 9, 2008
1.90 - March 23, 2008
1.82 - December 23, 2007
1.81 - October 28, 2007
1.80 - October 4, 2007
1.71 - August 6, 2007
1.70 - July 26, 2007
1.61 - July 1, 2007
1.60 - June 25, 2007
1.50 - May 12, 2007
1.01 - November 28, 2003
1.00 - October 31, 2003
0.50 through 0.68 - January 8, 2003 to November 23, 2003



Contact

web site: http://www.spellholdstudios.net/ie/rr
forum: http://www.shsforums.net/forum/79-rogue-rebalancing/