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Avernum 6 Spellcasting Bug


Garryl

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Hello. I recently got the Avernum series through the humble indie bundle sale. I found a rather serious bug in the Mac version of Avernum 6 (I have not tested the Windows version). By pressing the number keys (1-4 to select party members) while the Mage Spells, Priest Spells, or Battle Disciplines window is open, you can cause some oddities to occur.

 

To replicate this bug, open one of the aforementioned menus and use the keyboard to select another party member. The content of the menu will switch to that of the newly-selected character. Out of combat, this isn't much of an issue (all it does it let you cast out of combat mage spells from a character who would normally be wearing too-bulky armor). In combat, the effects are rather more interesting and depend on the spell of discipline you select. For ease of typing, I will refer to the character whose turn in combat it is as the active character (AC) and the character you select with the number keys as the selected character (SC).

- Untargeted summoning spell or area spell (ex: Summon Beast, Slow, War Blessing): The open menu closes and the SC will cast the chosen spell. This appears to use the SC's statistics in all ways (Spellpower, Magical Efficiency, etc.). Mana will be subtracted as normal from the SC (not the AC). However, the AC's AP is unaffected, and the bug can be repeated indefinitely. If the SC's turn comes later in the round, it loses AP just like it has cast the spell normally on its turn (possibly skipping its turn when it comes up if this drops them to 0 AP), but the SC lacking AP does not affect its ability to cast spells on the AC's turn through this bug. For example, repeated use of this bug with Divine Retribution can kill Melanchion (or any other creature not immune to magic) inside a single turn.

- Untargeted battle discipline (ex: Shield Breaker, Bladeshield): If the SC has no fatigue, it will use the chosen battle discipline and gain appropriate fatigue. If the SC has any fatigue, the Battle Discipline menu will close, but the discipline will not be used.

- Friendly single-target spell (ex: Minor Heal, Curing): The open menu closes and targeting commences just like using the spell normally. Selecting a target by clicking on the game area does nothing and cancels the spell selection. Selecting a target by clicking on party member portraits or using the number keys causes the SC to cast the spell on that target, just like with untargeted summoning or area spells.

- Targeted area spell (ex: Icy Rain, Arcane Blow): The open menu closes and targeting commences as normal for the area spell. When a location is selected, the AC will play its default attack animation (melee or ranged, depending on which is currently selected) and be docked AP as if making an attack. However, no actual attack will occur. The SC will not lose mana or AP, and no effects of the selected spell appear to occur.

- Single-target attack spell (ex: Smite, Control Foe): The open menu closes and targeting commences as normal for the attack spell. When a target is selected, the AC will play its default attack animation (melee or ranged, depending on which is currently selected) and be docked AP as if making an attack. The AC will actually perform some sort of attack, the likes of which seems to be based on the last attack that character used, although I am far from certain (for example, if the AC last attacked by casting Disrupt Undead, the Disrupt Undead sound will play and the pseud-attack will deal disruption damage, regardless of the attack spell selected to employ this bug; if the AC last attacked using a weapon, the sound of a weapon attack will play and the damage type will be as the last weapon used, even if it is no longer equipped). The range of the pseudo-attack is that of an attack spell, regardless of what it seems to be emulating (even melee attacks can be done at range this way). However, the amount of damage does not correlate to the AC's last attack. The SC will not lose mana or AP, and no effects of the selected spell appear to occur.

 

I have not tested what happens when using this bug to select a character who cannot act (ex: Dazed), is under AI control (ex: Control Foe or Terror), or is dead. I have not tested single-target attack spells extensively, and some of the information above regarding its effects may be inaccurate. There is a lot more I would like to check regarding single-target attack spells, including, but not limited to:

- Whether special weapon effects (ex: Jinx Blade, Oozing Blade) apply with the pseudo-attack.

- How dual-wielding, having two attacks in one, interacts.

- How the damage is determined.

- Whether reactive effects (ex: Spineshield) can be triggered by the pseudo-attack.

- Whether ammunition is used when a thrown weapon is equipped while making a pseuo-attack.

- Whether selecting Lightning Spray, which is targeted yet affects up to 3 targets instead of 1, influences the pseudo-attack.

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