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Created by
Jasperre, last updated on Nov 07, 2020
4 minute read
There are 5 main difficulty settings (4 available in singleplayer), although modules may add their own twists. See Game Options for how these are configured.
These only affect singleplayer difficulty, or if hosting a game yourself. Servers set the difficulty when you join them. Of course the server needs to set a relevant value in it's settings.tml file.
The default difficulty is Easy. It is recommended for more experienced players to play on D&D Hardcore Rules which allows critical hits and attacks of opportunity.
Just PCs?
What are PCs? In regards to the game engine it is likely any henchmen of the PCs are affected as if they were PCs, while anything else is an NPC. Certainly that is how the scripted changes to effects in nw_i0_spells.nss work.
Very Easy
Note "Very Easy" is listed in the dialog.tlk file but not in game, and is GAME_DIFFICUTLY_VERY_EASY but only available as a server difficulty or changable in DM mode. It likely provides a quick way to have a deathless "story mode" time in the module. Note the spelling mistakes and "not quite right" sentences in the below table are directly from the dialog.tlk file.
Difficulty Settings
| Difficulty Level | PvP | Critical Hits | Attacks of Opportunity | PC damage | NPC Damage | Death | Sleep | Domination and Charm | Hold, Paralyze and Stun | Confusion | Fear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very Easy | Single Player: No PvP (Fireballs and other area effect spells will not harm party members) Multi Player: As per server setting | No critical hits on PCs | No attacks of opportunity on players using ranged weapons No attacks of opportunity on players using potions | PC does a minimum of 100% of damage | NPC does a maximum 25% of damage | Players cannot die | Sleep effectss on players last for a short duration | Domination and Charm effects will daze a player | Hold, Paralyze and Stun effects will daze a player | Confusion effects will daze a player | Fears effects will cause a -2 penalty to hit |
| Easy | Single Player: No PvP (Fireballs and other area effect spells will not harm party members) Multi Player: As per server setting | No critical hits on PCs | No attacks of opportunity on players using ranged weapons No attacks of opportunity on players using potions | PC does a minimum of 50% of damage | NPC does a maximum 50% of damage | Players can die | Sleep effects on players last for a short duration | Domination and Charm effects on players cause daze | Hold, Paralyze and Stun effects will daze a player | Confusion effects on players function normally | Fears effects will cause a -4 penalty to hit |
| Normal | Single Player: No PvP (Fireballs and other area effect spells will not harm party members) Multi Player: As per server setting | No critical hits on PCs | No attacks of opportunity on players using ranged weapons No attacks of opportunity on players using potions | PC damages normally | NPC damages normally | Players can die | Sleep effects on players last for a short duration | Domination and Charm effects on players cause daze | Hold, Paralyze and Stun effects on players last for a short duration | Confusion effects on players function normally | Fears effects on players function normally |
| D&D Hardcore Rules | Single Player: Full PvP (Fireballs and other area effect spells will hurt party members) Multi Player: As per server setting | Critical hits on PCs | Attacks of opportunity on players using ranged weapons Attacks of opportunity on players using potions | PC damages normally | NPC damages normally | Players can die | Sleep effects on players function normally | Domination and Charm effects on players cause daze | Hold, Paralyze and Stun effects on players function normally | Confusion effects on players function normally | Fears effects on players function normally |
| Very Difficult | Single Player: Full PvP (Fireballs and other area effect spells will hurt party members) Multi Player: As per server setting | Critical hits on PCs | Attacks of opportunity on players using ranged weapons Attacks of opportunity on players using potions | PC damages normally | NPC's do 200% damage | Players can die | Sleep effects on players function normally | Domination and Charm effects on players cause daze | Hold, Paralyze and Stun effects on players function normally | Confusion effects on players function normally | Fears effects on players function normally |
Scripted Versus Engine Changes
Note some of the above effects are not due to engine changes but are from script changes.
Engine Changes
- PvP - Overrides the PvP settings in the module if on Easy and Normal. Hardcore and Very Difficult respect the modules area PvP settings.
- Critical Hits - Hardcoded for all engine functions returning a critical (eg; TouchAttackRanged) and the engine combat system
- Attacks of Opportunity - Alters Attacks of Opportunity firing
- PC Damage - Changes how the EffectDamage function and basic combat damage applies
- NPC Damage - Changes how the EffectDamage function and basic combat damage applies
- Death - Changes if the player can die, ie go below 1 HP. PCs set to not die are effectively immortal as per the SetImmortal
Scripted Changes
- Sleep - see nw_i0_spells.nss
- Domination and Charm - See nw_i0_spells.nss GetScaledEffect
- Note that Domination and Charm act oddly if applied to a PC or henchmen - usually by not applying at all - which is why they are scripted to be different. Obviously there are no "On Hit: Dominate" effects on weapons so it's only scripts (spells) that apply this.
- Hold, Paralyze and Stun - See nw_i0_spells.nss GetScaledEffect
- Confusion - No changes made, but would be a scripted change
- Fear - See nw_i0_spells.nss GetScaledEffect although it is bugged since EffectAttackDecrease should use a positive number.