Post by kalbaern on Jun 12, 2009 10:07:23 GMT -5
I thought I'd take a few minutes and post on some of the mechanics involved in the background when making certain skill checks in NWN. There's been alot of discussions of late and many stem from a lack of comprehension on how the systems work.
Passive (default) mode
Trap detection radius: 5ft
Trap detection rate: 6 seconds (every round)
Trap detection roll: d20
Spot/Listen roll: d10
Active (Detect) mode
Trap detection radius: 10ft
Trap detection rate: 3 seconds (twice per round)
Trap detection roll: d20
Spot/Listen roll: d20
Stealth checks
Player detects stealth: 5 times per second ***
Player rolls for hide/move silently/spot/listen: 6 seconds
NPC detects stealth: 4 seconds
NPC rolls for hide/move silently/spot/listen: 6 seconds
***That's right ... players detect stealth 5 times a second or 30 times in a round. If Player A is sneaking up on Player B, then once both are within perception range of each other they both roll their skill checks. This is where it gets tricky.
- Each player involved rolls their skill checks at the start of each round.
- The checks VS are then calculated 5 times per second and recompared.
- What NWN does is stores the value from the rolls when the checks are made each round, then it adds bonuses or penalties to either party 5 times per second to see if the outcome has changed. IE ... on player begins combat or the distance between each other has changed.
In general, a "sneak" recieves bonuses based on how far they are from the "spotter" and what if anything is blocking the line of sight. (placeables, creatures, etc...) The "spotter" gains a bonus if standing still and/or active detect mode and during night time a spotter recieves a bonus if the target is illuminated wheter from a torch, ring, weapon, etc..
Heres some of the actual plus/minus modifiers to each:
Listen/Move Silently:
* Automatically cannot detect silenced creatures (Though you may spot them instead)
* Can only detect invisible (or when you're blind) creatures within the max attack range.
* Cannot hear sanctuaried creatures
* If there is something between you and the target (including creatures) there's a modifier of +5 DC for every 40cm of thickness in outdoor areas
* In indoor areas, if the LOS is blocked and the target is within 4 tiles (dfs search) there's a modifier of +2 DC
* Area listen check modifiers (some areas here grant a bonus or penalty to these checks ... IE an area that is very quiet may grant a bonus to listen and a noisy tavern a minus to it)
* +10 DC if you are in combat
* +5 DC if the target is standing still
* -5 DC if you are standing still
* +1 DC for every 3 meters of distance to the target
* Relative size modifiers (Tiny: +8, Small: +4, Medium: 0, Large: -4, Huge: -8)
* Favoured enemy bonuses (That's right, if you get bonuses against a certain race they apply to the skill checks VS them.)
Spot/Hide In Shadows:
* Automatically cannot detect invisible creatures (Though you may hear them instead)
* Automatically cannot detect anything while blinded
* Area spot check modifiers
* During Night, if you do not have a light on you (including weapon lights and darkvision) there is a +5 DC modifier
* During Night, if the target has a light on them, there is a -10 DC modifier
* For stealthed players only, there is a +5 DC if they are in the back arc
* +10 DC if you are in combat
* +5 DC if the target is standing still
* -5 DC if you are standing still
* Relative size modifiers (Tiny: +8, Small: +4, Medium: 0, Large: -4, Huge: -8)
* Favoured enemy bonuses
***So ... Player A is sneaking up on Player B still. After they both make their rolls, the above bonuses and penalties are applied 5 times per second. So when Player A moves towards B, B's chances of spotting them constantly improve. If A is sneaking away from B they decrease.
Soooo .. if you a paranoid Mage of at least 5th level here ...
Clairaudience / Clairvoyance: Duration is tripled to 3 rounds per caster level. Now increases Spot and Listen checks by 5+1 per caster level. (hopefully it makes this a spell worthy of actual use now)
Passive (default) mode
Trap detection radius: 5ft
Trap detection rate: 6 seconds (every round)
Trap detection roll: d20
Spot/Listen roll: d10
Active (Detect) mode
Trap detection radius: 10ft
Trap detection rate: 3 seconds (twice per round)
Trap detection roll: d20
Spot/Listen roll: d20
Stealth checks
Player detects stealth: 5 times per second ***
Player rolls for hide/move silently/spot/listen: 6 seconds
NPC detects stealth: 4 seconds
NPC rolls for hide/move silently/spot/listen: 6 seconds
***That's right ... players detect stealth 5 times a second or 30 times in a round. If Player A is sneaking up on Player B, then once both are within perception range of each other they both roll their skill checks. This is where it gets tricky.
- Each player involved rolls their skill checks at the start of each round.
- The checks VS are then calculated 5 times per second and recompared.
- What NWN does is stores the value from the rolls when the checks are made each round, then it adds bonuses or penalties to either party 5 times per second to see if the outcome has changed. IE ... on player begins combat or the distance between each other has changed.
In general, a "sneak" recieves bonuses based on how far they are from the "spotter" and what if anything is blocking the line of sight. (placeables, creatures, etc...) The "spotter" gains a bonus if standing still and/or active detect mode and during night time a spotter recieves a bonus if the target is illuminated wheter from a torch, ring, weapon, etc..
Heres some of the actual plus/minus modifiers to each:
Listen/Move Silently:
* Automatically cannot detect silenced creatures (Though you may spot them instead)
* Can only detect invisible (or when you're blind) creatures within the max attack range.
* Cannot hear sanctuaried creatures
* If there is something between you and the target (including creatures) there's a modifier of +5 DC for every 40cm of thickness in outdoor areas
* In indoor areas, if the LOS is blocked and the target is within 4 tiles (dfs search) there's a modifier of +2 DC
* Area listen check modifiers (some areas here grant a bonus or penalty to these checks ... IE an area that is very quiet may grant a bonus to listen and a noisy tavern a minus to it)
* +10 DC if you are in combat
* +5 DC if the target is standing still
* -5 DC if you are standing still
* +1 DC for every 3 meters of distance to the target
* Relative size modifiers (Tiny: +8, Small: +4, Medium: 0, Large: -4, Huge: -8)
* Favoured enemy bonuses (That's right, if you get bonuses against a certain race they apply to the skill checks VS them.)
Spot/Hide In Shadows:
* Automatically cannot detect invisible creatures (Though you may hear them instead)
* Automatically cannot detect anything while blinded
* Area spot check modifiers
* During Night, if you do not have a light on you (including weapon lights and darkvision) there is a +5 DC modifier
* During Night, if the target has a light on them, there is a -10 DC modifier
* For stealthed players only, there is a +5 DC if they are in the back arc
* +10 DC if you are in combat
* +5 DC if the target is standing still
* -5 DC if you are standing still
* Relative size modifiers (Tiny: +8, Small: +4, Medium: 0, Large: -4, Huge: -8)
* Favoured enemy bonuses
***So ... Player A is sneaking up on Player B still. After they both make their rolls, the above bonuses and penalties are applied 5 times per second. So when Player A moves towards B, B's chances of spotting them constantly improve. If A is sneaking away from B they decrease.
Soooo .. if you a paranoid Mage of at least 5th level here ...
Clairaudience / Clairvoyance: Duration is tripled to 3 rounds per caster level. Now increases Spot and Listen checks by 5+1 per caster level. (hopefully it makes this a spell worthy of actual use now)