Change default magic attack

[E-Rose]

Is there a way to change the default magic attack to Searer or Airshock? Prior to Mutagen this was easy to do, but both new titles seem to be missing this option.

Unsure if there's any way for this feedback to reach Jeff - and consider this for a patch or next rework?

 

The workaround is to bind attack spells to another shortcut, but still more cumbersome than allowing the option to chose a default attack.

[TriRodent]

I didn't know there 'was' a default attack spell...

 

I always use the keyboard to cast anything. 'U'se ability, then the letter of the spell (which constantly change as you learn new things...grrr), and mouse click on the target (or a number if its part of my party (healing for instance)).

 

You can set the quick use buttons down on the bottom for spells.  You could use the leftmost for your primary spell - shrug.

 

Hopefully I'm clueless and someone comes along with a real answer for you.

 

(I never use those quick use slots in the first place. Typing 'u' brings up a list of everything that would be in one of them anyway. A bunch of wasted screen space for me)

[TriRodent]

Oh, and support@spiderwebsoftware will get you to Jeff. I doubt that he'll do a patch for, in the grand scheme of things, a minor issue that really doesn't impact much.  But he probably has a GF3 folder for ideas when he gets to that remake.  You could ask him to incorporate a default option there.  It's probably a lot easier to get when it's planned from the very start.

[Aoslare]

tl;dr -- You can't, and there's probably a good reason for it.

 

There isn't a default attack spell so much as a default ranged attack.  If you have a missile weapon equipped, it's that.  If you don't, it's Firebolt.  I believe this is hardcoded with the Firebolt slot and can't be changed (short of editing the PC's creature definition, which is fraught and you'd need to do it before starting a game, unfortunately.)

 

However, I think there is a reason for this: normally when you cast a spell, you get a targeting interface customized for that spell.  When you use the default attack you skip that step - you just click on an enemy and it activates.  This works fine for single target spells like Firebolt or Searer, but it would be a problem for AoE spells like Airshock.  In the original Geneforge games, there were no actual targeted-AoE spells, therefore none required special targeting interfaces.  If you did somehow force Airshock into that slot, it would likely cause the game to do weird things.