***************Druidic Sorcerer / Mystic Theurge Kit Instructions (version 1.6)***************

Changes from pervious version:

No significant gameplay changes.  Versions 1.0 and 1.1 had serious bugs that prevented proper use of the kit.  1.2a is, in actuality,
a much closer approximation to a true 1.0.

Even better, v1.4 or better uses the new ADD_PROJECTILE action to be universally compatible with all ProjectL.IDS files. (Often
modded by many a mod.)

Version v1.5 makes the painful script overwrites which hose all the NPC scripts as an optional component. I recommend you
don't install that component. Unless Tatmaster comes back and asks it to be removed. (Remember, I just packaged the kit, I
didn't write it!)

v1.6 removes some leftover files that reduces the package size by a few mb. Additionally, the new function of weidu that
restores a SetString action to it's original state upon uninstalling, is utilized. Thus the "restore" component is no longer needed.

v1.7 Has an auto-check for TDD kits filling up the druid selection screen. The DSKit will now "make room" for itself before
installing. Compatible with all incarnations of TDD including the various BP mods.

**Installation**

hlidskialf of TeamBG has very generously packaged my kit in the much more MOD-friendly WEIDU format, so here are
updated installation instructions.

This modification requires Throne of Bhall.  I highly recommend installing the latest patch, in addition to implementing the
dialogue and game fixes found at Baldurdash: http://www.baldurdash.org/.  Of course, do this before you install the kit.

To install, copy the files that were extracted into the "TOB_Druidic_Sorcerer_Kit_Weidu_v1.2" directory into your BG2
directory.  Then, execute the file, "Setup-DruidicSorcererKit.exe."

I originally intended to extend the Sorcerer's maximum XP to 8,250,000, but that idea was scrapped because it would interfere
with the many people out there that already have the XP Cap remover installed.  Having an XP cap of 8,250,000 allows the
Druidic Sorcerer to obtain all 15 HLAs, rather than just 14.  If you are ambitious enough and plan on obtaining enough
experience to reach level 32 (almost 10,000,000!) and don't have the XP cap installed, then just copy the file, "XPCAP.2da",
into your override directory.

**Important Notes**

This version of the kit should support new character creation in TOB.

Character creation with the Druidic Sorcerer extends beyond the initial menu screens.  When starting a new character, you will
notice that, upon waking in Irenicus' dungeon, your character will be at level 0.  At this point, you should simply level up and
continue to choose your weapon proficiencies and spells.  Once that has been done, character creation is truly finished.

**About the Kit**

I highly recommend that you read through the file, "Druidic_Sorcerer_Kit_Description.doc", as it will give you a complete
understanding of all the changes introduced in this kit.  Really, please give it a good look.  It has colorful pictures.

The kit is designed to offer a uniquely powerful magic-user player class.  It combines certain abilities of the druid and the sorcerer
and hopefully produces an interesting outcome.  It is not intended to be the equivalent of other classes.  The Druidic Sorcerer is
undeniably the most powerful class that you can play, but you will have to work for that power.  I did my best to give this kit
an interesting play experience while preventing it from becoming ridiculously powerful.  In later versions, it is likely that I will
continue to tweak it for balance.

**Kit notes**

This kit is selectable under the Druid tab on character creation, and you must be a human or a half-elf to select it.

Within the game engine itself, it is actually a modification of the sorcerer.  The original sorcerer class itself is completely intact
and functions exactly the same.  The only difference is the class description, which reflects that of the kit.  Otherwise, it is
identical to the original (remember, you can always choose at any time to keep the original Sorcerer kit description, thanks to
Hlid's WEIDU'ing.)

All Sorcerers will also see the new high-level ability chart when reaching the appropriate level, but they will only be able to select
their normal abilities.  Eat that, regular sorcerer!

In order to give the kit new weapon permissions, it was necessary to change the way weapon permissions worked for a number
of mage classes.  As a result, some mages may be able to equip items that they normally shouldn't, but those items will be
dropped almost immediately, thereby restricting use to the appropriate classes in a slightly different fashion.

Sorcerer and mage spell learning tables were also changed a little to better reflect the rules and provide for logical level
advancement.  Mages now may cast 5 level 9 spells upon reaching level 25.  Sorcerers may learn 5 level 9 spells upon reaching
level 31.

The kit will allow the player to obtain a mage stronghold, but not a druid stronghold.  In the future, I may become ambitious
and design a completely new stronghold for the Druidic Sorcerer, but for now the mage stronghold will have to do.

The most powerful high-level spells (named Quintessence Magic) are not for slower computers.  I designed the spells,
particularly the offensive spells, to have a level of visual spleandor to match their descriptions.  Even on my computer, the first
casting (before all elements have been loaded into memory), is not a completely smooth experience (but it is not bad at all.)
To give you an idea of the complexity involved, one of the spells, Fiery Cataclysm, is actually a combined interaction between
19 spells files, not including any of the projectile or animation files that it uses.  As far as I can tell, no spell in TOB/BGII used
more than 2 linked spells files, and those that used 2 did so for non-visual reasons.  It is possible that the spells, Torrential
Cacophony or Fiery Cataclysm, may crash your game.  I have tested the spells pretty extensively, but I can not account for all
scenarios in the game.  I do not anticipate any problems, however.

For those that might want to level up the character quickly in order to check out the new HLAs, keep in mind that the
advancement system that I created works best when one advances a single level at a time.  In order to get the most powerful
abilities, you will have to "advance" more than once (don't max out your xp immediately when your are cheating.)

**Final words**

This kit is the summation of countless hours of toil.  I have worked on it long enough to probably play through BG2 (or at least
good portion of it), which is an extremely long time for a single kit.  It all started out as a simple idea that ballooned into a
project that involved 700+ individual files that I had to modify or create myself.  This is my first big IE editing project and it will
probably be my last, but it has been a great journey along the way.  I often think that this is way too much time to spend on
such a thing, but I am pretty proud of the results of my labour and I hope that you will find the kit an entertaining diversion.

Special thanks again to hlidskialf for translating my kit into a format that is truly sharable with the rest of the IE community.
For the near future at least, we'll continue to work on improving this kit to make it bug free and uniformly excellent.

Enjoy,

Constant Gaw
constant_gaw@hotmail.com
6/23/03

Help forum at: http://forums.forgottenwars.net/index.php?s=483ae7e6e34f897b616e5389742eb0bc&showforum=127
