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A new forum has been added for Icewind Dale II, discussing the rules of the games. Here are the current discussions:
Base Attack Bonusses
IWD uses 3E's Base Attack Bonus instead of the traditional 2nd Ed. THAC0 system. Base Attack Bonus operates in the following manner: each class has a progression rate. Fighters, rangers, paladins, and barbarians have the best rate, followed by monks, clerics, druids, bards, and rogues. Wizards and sorcerers have the slowest progression. As a character gains levels, their BAB increases. Their BAB is applied to their attack roll. When a character's BAB reaches +6, he or she gains an additional attack every round, at -5. Every +5 BAB after that, the character gains another additional attack at -5 beyond that.
E.g., Edward Raith has a +16 BAB. He gets one attack at +16, one attack at +11, one attack at +6, and one attack at +1. Spells that increase a character's number of attacks grant an additional attack at the highest BAB. Spells that increase attack bonus should not be confused with the derivation of BAB, which is done solely through class/level.
Multiclassed characters use the best BAB between their classes and levels.
Monks gain additional unarmed attacks at an increased rate. For monks, they gain an additional attack at +4 BAB, -3. This increases every +3 BAB after that. E.g., Kendel has a +10 BAB. He has four attacks at +10/+7/+4/+1.
Spell Disruption
When a caster takes an amount of damage over 0, there is a chance that the caster's spellcasting for the round will be disrupted. Use the following formula on each ROUND in which the character takes damage.
The spell disruption difficulty is defined in this manner:
* 10 + Spell Level - Caster Level/2 (round down) - Constitution /2 (round down) -5
spell disruption roll is defined in this manner
* Random 1-20.
If spell disruption roll >= spell disruption difficulty, the spell is cast successfully. Otherwise, YOU BLEW IT.
Concentration is what is being checked. The idea is that an 18th level mage is so accustomed to casting 1st level spells that maintaining concentration over such simple magic under pressure is not difficult.
Once casters get a total of +14 to Concentration (skill ranks + con bonus + whatever). Defensive casting eliminates all ability to disrupt spellcasters unless you have a readied action, which almost never happens.
It depends on the level of the spell being cast. However, a 1 never fails. If you're a 10th level mage (decent level, but not mind-blowing) you can have 13 ranks in Concentration and a 14 Con for a +15 to your roll. Casting a 1st level spell is automatic. Casting a 9th level spell would happen on a roll of 9 or more -- 55% of the time. Those are pretty good odds.
Use magic Deveice
Any character with a score above 0 in Use Magic Device may use the skill. Only thieves and bards are allowed to take points in it.
A character with points in Use Magic Device can use Scrolls and Wands that are normally not able to be used by their class. The items show up with a yellow tint that indicates they can only be used via use magic device. When these items are actively used, they trigger the skill resolution.
Skill is equal to the character's skill + 5([Charisma/2]-5)
Difficulty is equal to the level of the power being activated (specified in the spell/item) * 5.
Use_Magic_Device_Difficulty is equal to Skill - Difficulty.
Use_Magic_Device_Roll is a random 1-100.
If Use_Magic_Device_Roll <= Use_Magic_Device_Difficulty, the spell is cast successfully.
If Use_Magic_Device_Roll > Use_Magic_Device_Difficulty, the "charge"/item is used, but instead of its intended effect, the user takes 1d6 points of Magic Damage per level of the power being invoked.
Saving Throws
IWD2 uses 3E saving throws, which are categorized as follows:
* Fortitude -- Protects against physical attacks (poison, disease, death spells, etc.). Modified by Constitution.
* Reflex -- Protects against attacks that can be dodged (fireballs, lightning bolts, etc.). Modified by Dexterity.
* Will -- Protects against attacks that affect the mind (domination, hold person, etc.). Modified by Wisdom.
Generally, most classes have one or two good saving throw categories and one bad saving throw categories. A few classes, like the monk, have good saving throws across the board.
When a character attempts to roll a saving throw, a random number from 1-20 is generated. The character's saving throw bonus, and modifiers, are applied to that roll. If their sum is equal to or greater than the DC (difficulty check) of the attack, they successfully save. While some saving throw DCs are arbitrarily derived (a dragon's breath, for instance), most spells are derived using the following formula:
* Spell Level + Caster's Ability Bonus + 10 = Spell DC.
E.g., Marfain Vaer casts a fireball. She is a sorcerer with a 16 Charisma. Since fireball is a 3rd level spell, and her ability score modifier is +3, the DC of her spell is 16 (3 + 3 + 10 = 16).
Armor Class and Armor Type
IWD2 uses distinct armor types to arrive at a total armor class. These bonuses are defined as follows:
* Armor Bonus: bonuses granted by suits of armor or magical bracers.
* Shield Bonus: bonuses granted by shields.
* Deflection Bonus: bonuses granted by other magical devices.
* Dexterity Bonus: bonuses granted by a high dexterity.
* Miscellaneous Bonus: all other bonuses.
Excepting miscellaneous bonuses, only the highest bonus of any type is applied at any given time. E.g, Alender Kaan puts on a suit of leather armor that grants a +2 armor bonus. He also puts on some bracers that grant a +1 armor bonus and give him a bonus spell slot. The leather armor's higher armor bonus is the only bonus applied. Alender still gets the benefits from the bracer's bonus spell.
Armor class is added to 10 instead of subtracted. Generally, bonuses to armor class are the same as they were in 2nd Ed.
In IWD2, touch spells ignore armor bonuses. Thus, the caster only needs to overcome shield, deflection, dexterity, and miscellaneous bonuses to hit their target. E.g., Alender attacks a Zhentarim agent wearing a suit of chain armor, a small shield, and a ring of protection +1. Normally, the Zhent would have a 10 + 5 + 1 + 1 = 17 armor class. When Alender's shocking grasp spell homes in, he only has to hit a 10 + 1 + 1 = 12 armor class.
Bonusses can not be simply added. If you wore two rings of protection, or, for example, a ring of protection +1 and a cloak of protection +2, only the +2 deflection bonus from the cloak would apply.
Ability Scores
In IWD2, ability scores are initially generated using a point-buy system. All statistics start at 8 and the player has 30 points to distribute. Racial modifiers are applied to the initial scores, do not subtract from the point pool, and modify the minimum and maximum value of ability scores. E.g., an elf would start with a 10 Dexterity, 6 Constitution, and could get as high as a 20 Dexterity and as low as a 1 Constitution.
When possible, ability scores follow 3E bonus scaling. In almost all cases, the character gains a higher bonus for every 2 points above 10, a lower penalty for every 2 points under 11. E.g., a character with a 14 Strength would have +2 attack bonus, +2 to damage. A character with a 9 Dexterity would have -1 attack bonus (missile), -1 to armor class, and -1 to reflex saving throws.
Here are the things that ability scores modify:
Strength: Melee attack bonus, melee damage bonus, carry weight, bash doors
Dexterity: Missile attack bonus, armor class, reflex saving throws.
Constitution: Bonus hit points (not class-restricted), fortitude saving throws, caster concentration checks.
Intelligence: Starting weapon proficiencies, chance to learn spells, wizard bonus spells, dialogue options.
Wisdom: Will saving throws, priest, paladin, druid, ranger bonus spells.
Charisma: Store prices, dialogue options, bard and sorcerer bonus spells, turning undead, paladin saving throws.
Bonuses granted to ability scores do not stack. The highest available bonus is applied. E.g., a character is wearing a ring of strength that grants a +1 bonus. The party sorcerer casts a strength spell on the character, granting a +3 bonus. The target will only use the +3 bonus.
Weapon Specialization, Mastery, High Mastery, and Grand Mastery
IWD2 uses modified rules for weapon specialization, mastery, high mastery, and grand mastery (or **, ***, ****, and *****, respectively).
Weapon Specialization (**): Available to fighters at 1st level. Available to rangers, paladins, and barbarians at 3rd level. Character gains +1 attack bonus, +2 damage while using that weapon type.
Weapon Mastery (***): Available to fighters at 3rd level. Character gains +3 attack bonus (total), +3 to damage (total) while using that weapon type.
Weapon High Mastery (****): Available to fighters at 6th level. Character gains +3 attack bonus (total), +3 to damage (total), and an addition 5% chance to critically hit while using that weapon type.
Weapon Grand Mastery (*****): Available to fighters at 9th level. Character gains +3 attack bonus (total), +3 to damage (total), an addition 5% chance to critically hit (total), and a 10% chance to stun (Fort save vs. 20 DC, lasts one round) while using that weapon type.
NONE OF THESE SPECIALIZATION LEVELS GRANT ADDITIONAL ATTACKS.
If you are dual-wielding, you gain an additional attack with your off-hand at your highest BAB. Of course, modifiers can lower this amount, especially if you don't have any points in TWF. You never gain more than one attack per round with your off-hand.
Damage Reduction
IWD2 uses a close approximation of 3E damage reduction rules. This can be broken up into two categories: elemental damage resistance and weapon damage reduction.
Elemental damage resistance is represented by a point threshold. This amount of damage is subtracted from every elemental attack of that type directed at the character. E.g., Shikha Lilah has 15 Fire Resistance. She is hit with a fireball for 22 points of damage. She only takes 7 points of damage.
Weapon damage reduction is represented by two numbers, the former representing a physical damage threshold, the latter representing the enchantment level required to overcome that resistance. All WDR follows this pattern:
5/+1
10/+2
15/+3
20/+4
25/+5
10/+2 means that the first 10 points of damage from any physical attack are ignored unless the enchantment level of the weapon is +2 or better. E.g., Bastine and Pieter are fighting wights with 5/+1 WDR. Bastine's non-magical longsword strikes a beast for 8 points of damage. The creature only takes 3 points of damage. Pieter immediately follows up the attack with a +2 bolt from his crossbow. The attack only does 5 points of damage, but it ignores the wight's WDR.
Spells that cause physical damage always ignore WDR.
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Icewind Dale II, New Forum Added
