once agin just for the records:
madgod released CF v4.15 and added the option to fumble the game mechanics even more :p with the <<Classes Tab: "XP Group">>
I have come to hate doing stuff like that. You are willingly destroying any suspension of disbelief and demoting the game to a set of rules to find your way through. Simply said, I like Bela too much to kill him for some ring.
As an old school p&p DM/player i agree 100%, some of my parties come from Bane, i only knew about the ring from working with CF.
Might add it in his regular vendor inventory though.
To prevent the exploit, i would also remove the ring, but never put it into a shop inventory, because it wouldnt stay unique,
instead offer it either during NPC interaction,
e.g. with "add phrase to known item phrases dbs" and prevent repetive deal with "fact contitional jump" command
or place the rings 3d model as dynamic object on the shops exhibition table etc with an invisible DO box conneted to a message trigger
which list the objects properties like in inventory screen,
or the invisible box sets a loc_var and triggers the trader-NPC script, loc_var conditional jumps to the question "wanny buy the xxx?"
(dont forget to restet the loc_var in all possible bocks!)
btw prevent exploit, if "my" Bela is given the diamond ring, his script will check whether the party comes from W6
AFAIK no NPC is critical for the plot and you could slaughter everyone and still be able to finish it. Not sure, never tried to break it this way.
I did some "kill all runs", think the first because of a trynnie patrol that wont let me pass, then too many umpanis simply went on my nerves,
and i never liked when the freedom of action for my parties is restricted,
so i invented the "lure them enemies to the *cannot be fought with* guys" tactics as reaction on dodds
and improved it with "summon elemental & make hostile" later :D
It's more of a psychology thing for me. Consuming somewhat limited supplies is less plausible for training purposes, compared to just using a bit of your SP pool that's going to fill up again soon. Stocking up with mana items is conscious effort, while SP regen gives you cost free training on the go. And it's no big deal regarding balance, you still need mana items for more exhausting battles.
Wouldn't consider camping a proper way to obtain stuff either. We should account for regular gameplay in the first place.
I dont consume the mana stones, always use 2 charges and sell/buy to reload,
usually end up with ~ 12, but had runs with >20 in the end, as you already may have suspected these were mainly runs through Dodds
To wait for restocking of whatever items you think you really need for your tasks(if time is irrelevant like in the Wiz8 "job")
is probably exactly what you would do in RL.
btw you can make the mana stones "non vanish" by simply assigning any resistance modifier (negative modifiers dont appear in the item description!
)
).
