Is it worth adding an option to Temple+ config to remove Scather and Fragarach? Maybe replace them with something else that may introduce a new strategy. For example the reward .py could be edited/overwritten to provide a +1 sword and the prince could have it removed and have to work with his dagger. Or some other method. In Temple+ options there are options for various things. All these things can be self-regulated...so maybe this is not as trivial of a discussion as it might seem.
I have plans to rework them. I could maybe get to that sooner rather than later. Based on the original module, I was thinking that the game would keep track of who attacked you since your last turn, and allow an automatic hit against them (if you meet the requirements, of course). But you don't get any extra attacks/AoOs. Maybe something else to do with power attacking, which obviously wasn't a factor in 1E. I forget what else is on the vanilla ones. Are they Holy+Anarchic? Maybe tone that down with something more custom. Although anarchic probably doesn't pull a lot of weight in ToEE. BTW, there's also a Dungeon magazine writeup for these sort of swords. There they're +3 keen swords that do bonus 2d6+2 on a critical, and let you do the AoO thing (when damaged by a weapon; no balor aura stuff), but capped by your normal AoOs. No auto-hits instead. I guess I could implement something like that, too, but I think that's less similar to the original. I guess my question is, would something like this make them reasonable enough that you wouldn't feel bad about playing with them? Then it isn't necessary to completely remove them from the game.
"Is it worth adding an option to Temple+ config to remove Scather and Fragarach? Maybe replace them with something else that may introduce a new strategy." Excellent Idea, I think that a guaranteed hit, with certain alignments at least, breaks the very basic principle of D&D. But by the time you get that as a reward a +1 Sword would be to weak I suggest something like a +3 Sword with extra fire or cold dammage ( like the sword Frost Brand you get in he fire temple). I would also like to see a +3 Keen Falchion. That would make a critical hit from roll 15-20.
Is it worth it? It's certainly worth playing the game without using the answering swords, but is it necessary to go to the effort of coding this? Wake Thrommel, use the map option to leave for the burned-out farm immediately, and tell Thrommel you don't want a reward. No in-game effect of either Fragarach or Scather, job done. Other nerfs are tricky: losing the AoOs or limiting the total number of attacks per round still leaves a pretty overpowered weapon if it still auto-hits, and if it doesn't auto-hit, it's kind of lost its USP. Perhaps some sort of specificity to its awesomeness (Demonbane, for an extra +2 to hit and +2d6 damage vs demons, on top of +4 holy, might be thematically consistent?).
Agree. There are probably more worthy aspects of the game to be still improved. Like opposing archers turns are a complete waste of time after the moathouse. An option for all opposing archers having respectiv skills (precise shot, etc) would be cool. That would make them to something that they should Rp be: Hard to reach pain in the necks
Full installation guide here: https://www.gog.com/forum/temple_of...installation_guide_co8_portraits_temple/page1 Temple+ mod here: https://www.moddb.com/mods/temple1 Keep in mind the changes are too many. The Temple+ Configuration panel will give you enough information to see the core changes.
