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Amazon Kit for Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

	by Han Badalamenti
	han32777@hotmail.com
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The Throne of Bhaal expansion is compatible but not required.

This is my first mod ever and as far as I know, there aren't any major bugs. If any appears, please drop me a line at the e-mail that's below the title.


HOW TO INSTALL/UNINSTALL
('cause there's always a small chance that this is your very first mod):

Unzip everything into your main BG2 folder. Double-click "Amazon-SETUP.exe" and follow the instructions on the prompt screen.

Make sure the game isn't running or you will get an error message. After installing, run the game. Now, every time you try to create a character, Amazon will be among your choices when you pick the Fighter class.

To uninstall, run "Amazon-SETUP.exe" again and you will be given an uninstalling option. Same if you need to reinstall it for some reason.


CONTENTS
This mod will install a new playable Fighter kit, the Amazon. If you want to know what it's all about before installing it, here's the description you'll get at the Character Creation screen:

NOTE: to be able to use this kit, you have to be either a Human, Half-Elf or Half-Orc.

	AMAZON: Amazons are women warriors in a male-dominated world. Their civilization might have been created by a deity who likes women warriors; or they might have been women who rebelled from male dominations and decided to rule themselves; or they might simply have been matriarchal societies from long before recorded history. They have a very strong spirit and fight more gracefully and less brutally than the usual warrior.

Advantages:
-  Maximum Dexterity: 19
-  They move at 2 points faster than the usual character.
-  Due to her very focused training, an amazon gains 2 slots of proficiency on Two Handed Weapon Style.
-  Charm Animal once per day
-  Every 5 levels she gains the ability to use Strong Spirit once per day. This ability lasts 5 rounds and gives the following bonuses (cummulative, according to level):
4th level:  -2 to AC and THACO
8th level:  immunity to charm and domination
12th level:  immunity to fear
16th level:  immunity to hold and stun
20th level:  immunity to maze and imprisonment

Disadvantages:
-  Maximum Strength: 17
-  An amazon can only specialize (and further) in Long Bow, Spear and Axe.
-  An amazon cannot wear any metal armor.


AMAZON PORTRAIT:
The installer will also place a portrait you could use in your custom portraits folder. It's based on a photo of Keira Knightley and as soon as I find out who's the photographer I'll update this file.


A NOTE ON GENDER (and a few other ones):
Though it's pretty obvious that there couldn't be male amazons, there is no effective way to stop the player from doing that when creating a character. So, even though you could make a male amazon, you probably should not! Of course, in the end it's all about having fun, so if you get off by playing The Only Male Amazon To Walk The Planes Who By The Way, Grew Up In A Damn Library, be my guest.

I don't really think this will be a popular kit. It's actually meant to be part of my upcoming NPC mod. However, maybe amazons are your thing, so here's your chance! The rules were (very) loosely based on the amazon kit described in The Complete Fighter's Handbook.


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
Thanks to all the people who take the time to write and post tutorials (as well as answer to all posts from noobs like me) in sites like pocketplane.net, gibberlings3.net, chosenofmystra.net, spellholdstudios.net and sorcerers.net.

I also heard WeiDU was put up by this guy called Wesley Weimer. I don't think he'll ever read this, but hey man, you kick ass. 


DISCLAIMER (This is all obvious but should probably not be missing):
- This content is not developed, supported or endorsed by Bioware or Interplay/Black Isle. 
- You are welcome to distribute this mod (and the portrait it comes with) in any way you feel like, but please, give credit where it's due. Everybody hates leechers.


VERSION HISTORY:
V 0.5 BETA (May 2006): first release.






