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NX4 Spell Components

Detailed below is the system we've engineered to institute the necessity for material spell components with in Neverwinter Nights 2. The concept is two-fold - as all Vanican spellcasters, (wizards, clerics, druids, rangers and paladins), will now require a spell focus to recover spells, (for example, spell books, ritual kits and holy symbols), and all spellcasters, (including the spontaneous magic users such as sorcerers, bards, favored souls, and spirit shaman), will need a consumable pouch of material components to invoke a magic spell.

Justification:

We feel the introduction of material components will improve gameplay in several important ways:

1): The inclusion of material spell components will bring Neverwinter Nights 2 closer to the Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 ruleset. In our opinion, bringing the video game closer to its pen and paper roots is almost always a desirable goal.

2): Spellbooks and material components were some of the chief balancing mechanisms used to restrain Arcane casters. Without a cost associated to casting spells, (and the vulnerability spell books), Vanican casters are "one nap away" from solving most any form of adversity. We believe adding material requirements will lessen the tendency of high level spellcasters to basically "throttle the heavens" at will. Scenario developers can also limit/target spell component pouches and spell foci, and in doing so, bring the magic user a bit closer to parity with other classes.

3): We believe adding a few elements of resource management will improve immersion in the game. Suddenly there is a gold or time cost associated with detecting all the traps in a caster's line of sight - or waving one's hands and opening every locked chest in a dungeon. Maybe that lowly invisibility spell will do the same job as going ethereal - at substantially less cost. Material components reward tactical gameplay - while encouraging players to become more familiar with the various spell effects and their most cost-effective application. This helps them become more intimate with the game universe.

4): We believe adding a cost to spells will enhance the value of non-spellcaster contributions. How much worth does a party rogue have when a caster can detect traps, make themselves immune to them, and then proceed to trigger them unharmed? Or when a magic user merely snaps their fingers to spring locked objects? Why bother with a fighter, when one can summon a hulking demon or towering elementals to tank the legendary beast of yore? Why, with proper spell selection, a magic user can even transform themselves into an engine of melee devastation - while still retaining ranged AoE damage and extreme puzzle solving utility. That changes when spells cost resources, as spellcasters are encouraged to intrude less upon their teammate's roles. This enhances the worth of a rogue's thief skills or a fighter's durability, since they can do these things for free.

5): Adding components and spell foci create an excuse for introducing a variety of non-combat enchanted items. For example, a mystic belt which summons a few pouches of spell components, (or a Boccob's Blessed Book for that matter), has no value in the previous chapters of Neverwinter Nights 2. There's little value in magical devices which don't kill creatures, solve puzzles or enhance a character's attributes. Now, with the addition of material spell components, we've added an entire category of highly desirable and utilitarian magical items. Part of creating an immersive game world is engineering difficulties for the player characters - and then creating wondrous and exciting ways for them to overcome the problems.

6): Material components create opportunities for dramatic tension. It opens the door to several new plot twists and unique combat situations. For example, now enemy rogues can swipe a component pouch, rendering whole levels of spell unusable in the heat of combat. Another possibility is the creation of low resource/scavenging scenarios, where the players have to carefully salvage and manage their scant belongings - saving powerful enchantments for exactly the right moment. And, just maybe, the genre-savvy evil warlord of ultimate doom might confiscate a wizard's tomes before he locks the party up in his dungeon - just to be safe.

7): We see the addition of material components as an opportunity to round out neglected character skills. For example, Survival has little use in the combat dominated world of Neverinwter Nights 2. However, when the ability can be used to scavenge food, drink and expensive spell components, it's suddenly worth considering - as opposed to simply tossing a few extra ranks in tumbling, healing, use magic device, or concentration.

Making Survival Count

Characters with high degrees of "Survival" can harvest resources points available in most zones. The areas are interactive, and they check survival skill via a dialog tree before allowing players to extract valuables. The resources points can contain spell components, food, drink, crafting materials and other useful objects - which can both save money and potentially lives if the party is dying of thirst. Each resource point can be harvested once per visit, and they reset when the players exit and re-enter the zone.

All natural environments, (non-city), will have a place where a druid or ranger's ritual kit can be assembled with a 20 difficulty survival check.

Required Material Components By Class:

Presented below are the required material components by spell casting class.

- Mages & Specialist Wizards: 1 Spellbook for each level to recover spells. 1 stack of consumable material components for each spell of each level.

- Clerics & Paladins: 1 Holy Symbol of proper alignment to recover spells. 1 stack of consumable material components for each spell of each level.

- Druids & Rangers: 1 Ritual Kit to recover spells. 1 stack of consumable material components for each spell of each level.

- Bards, Favored Souls, Spirit Shaman, Sorcerers: 1 stack of consumable material components for each spell of each level.

Some Examples of In-game Component Use:
(Below is a few examples of the material spell components and foci in use).
Rath, a Generalist Mage, has the following:
- 3 First Level Material Component Pouches
- 2 Fourth Level Material Component Pouches
- 1 Seventh Level Material Component Pouches
- A full set of spell books, levels 0-9

With this load-out, our hero can cast 3 first level spells, 2 fourth level spells and 1 seventh level spell before he's exhausted his supply of components. Since he has a full set of spellbooks he is free to rest and regain all of his daily spells, however, until he buys or scavenges for some material components, he won't be able to cast anything.

Rath continues his adventures, and, after re-supplying in town, he's carrying large stacks of spell components. However, in earlier in the day, he was briefly captured by an Ogre Magi, who took some of his spellbooks before fleeing.

With this load-out, Rath can cast his full repertoire of spells and still have ample components left for later. Before dark, a lich is encountered, and the battle is desperate - our hero uses up all of his 9th, 8th, 7th, 6th and three of his 5th level spells. Because the Ogre Magi swiped his 7th, 8th and 9th level spellbooks earlier, when he rests that night, Rath won't be able to recover his 7th, 8th, and 9th level spells. He will regain all of his missing 6th and 5th level spells however.

Mundane Material Spell Components and Foci

Below is a list of mundane spell components, holy symbols, ritual kits and spell books, commonly available in stores and shops throughout the realms.

Description:
"Spell components are the requirements any arcane or divine caster must fulfill to conjure magical effects. Some components are properly spoken invocations, chants or command words. Others are complex gestures, body movements or hand motions. Finally, some spells require material objects, which are often times consumed to invoke the power of a spell. The more powerful the spell, the more powerful the material components necessary to invoke it."

"These small pouches contain all of the necessary material components needed to cast the spells of the appropriate level. They are commonly sold by enterprising hedge-wizards throughout The Sword Coast, and characters with a high enough survival skill can harvest components in wilderness areas for free."

Description: "This large, leather-bound book serves as a wizard's spell reference. The tome has reinforced pewter corners and a lock securing it shut. The pages have been treated to resist water, rot and other hazards an adventuring wizard is likely to face. This particular spellbook is capable of holding more than one-hundred XXth level spells, with one spell transcribed on per page."

"Without their spellbooks, a mage or specialist wizard will be unable to recover their spells while resting. Each tome is is keyed to a specific spell level - i.e. without a first level spellbook, a wizard cannot recover their first level spells. Because of this vulnerability, most casters take great pains to safeguard their library."

Description:
"A holy symbol is a small medallion, icon or figurine which represents a deity's power and portfolio. They can be made of any solid material, from simple hardwoods to precious metals, with higher ranking members of the priesthood often owning expensive, ornate or even enchanted symbols."

"Clerics and Paladin's use their holy symbol to turn undead, promote their god and as part of the religious rites in which they replenish their spells. Without their icon, it becomes impossible for these classes to recover their magic when resting. "

Description:
"A ritual kit is a collection of various objects used by Druids and Rangers to prepare their magical spells for the day. Usually there are several small containers of pure water, a sickle, bones and various other natural charms and talisman which venerate the land or the perhaps deity the owner serves.

Without a ritual kit, Rangers and Druids are unable to restore their magic spells when resting. Characters with advanced Survival skills can scavenge a ritual kit from most wilderness areas.

Magical Material Spell Components and Foci

Below is a list of magical versions of the spell foci and component pouches. These wondrous items allow character to partially transcend the material components system, and are rewards for extremely difficult quests.

Description:
"These enchanted holy symbols enhance the power of any properly aligned cleric or paladin wielding them - improving their ability to heal wounds, influence followers, and repel undead creatures."

Description:
"This well-made tome is ten inches tall, eight inches wide, and one inch thick. It is waterproof, covered in dragon-hide, and boasts a stout mithral lock, hinges, and corner protectors. Despite its diminutive size, a wizard opening this spellbook will quickly discover it has over one thousand pages, each capable of holding a single spell of any level."

"These tomes are greatly prized by mages as traveling libraries, and most would count such an item among their most valued treasures. A wizard with such a book could discard all of their other spell tomes in favor of this one."

Description:
"This is a captured spellbook - what new and powerful magic dwells within its cover is impossible to imagine. You open the covers with great anticipation,

"Use the captured spellbook to generate several magical scrolls, which you may then scribe, sell, or use in combat. Once you've extracted the scrolls, the tome is in all respects a normal spellbook of its level."

Description:
"This astonishing pouch instantly produces any material spell component required by a caster. The value of this small bag to any magic user is indescribable - you'd best keep it well hidden, as the unscrupulous would certainly kill to possess such a treasure."

Description:
"This particular Ritual Kit must have belonged to a powerful Druid - perhaps the leader of a circle or a Hierophant. Its talisman and other implements seem especially potent, as they not only enhance the potency one's summons, but allow a caster to call forth a powerful elemental spirit to fight on their behalf."

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