*v1.0.0* ![#324bc8](https://placehold.co/15x15/f03c15/f03c15.png) **Stable**

# Magical Books Merchant in Baldur's Gate

This component replaces the northernmost "General Store" in southwest Baldur's Gate into a Book Shop - Torvael's Tomes (BG1116.ARE). This merchant sells very expensive books that permanently alter the user. This merchant can also buy the stat tomes found in BG1 and starts several book-related fetch quests that provide gold and an expanded selection of books for purchase.


## Reasoning For This Component

The generic "General Store" stores in Baldur's Gate are wasted space and potential. While it's realistic that a city would contain many mundane merchants, it's more fun to have additional interesting places to explore. Baldur's Gate runs (especially modded runs) tend to result in the playeer having heaps of gold later in the game. An expensive merchant provides an outlet for that gold (and an actual reason to keep acquiring it). The nature of the books (permanent modifications) also leans into the fact that EET runs keep going for a long time after leaving Baldur's Gate, making them a meaningful choice that carries over throughout a trilogy run.

I attempted to balance the nature of the books so that they provided drawbacks in proportion to their benefits. There are a few small 'freebies' that offer minor effects with no downsides (aside from the price tag), but the majority of books should hopefully require the player to make tradeoffs in how a character will be used and change their overall style of play. This means you won't need (or want) to buy every book, as some have conflicting benefits and some only make sense for specific classes.  I hope this also pushes players to experiment using the books on NPCs as opposed to just buffing CHARNAME (which is often the standard with the original stat tomes).

That being said, the books benefits and drawbacks are difficult to balance, and will likely change in the future based on feedback.


## Compatibility

This mod is incompatible with mods that alter the same General Store (BG1116.ARE) as it replaces that area entirely, so only one mod will win out.

## List Of Books In This Mod

All but three books are sold by the merchant Torvael. A subset of books is initially for sale, with the rest unlocking as you complete his fetch quests.

<details>
	<summary>The following books are present in this mod:</summary>

	Codex Arcana - Reflected Image (ZUBook01)
	> Experience: Reduced by 6,000
	> Gain Innate Ability: Reflect Image

	Codex Arcana - Spook (ZUBook02)
	> Experience: Reduced by 5,000
	> Gain Innate Ability: Spook

	Codex Arcana - Glitterdust (ZUBook03)
	> Experience: Reduced by 11,000
	> Gain Innate Ability: Glitterdust

	Codex Arcana - Luck (ZUBook04)
	> Experience: Reduced by 12,000
	> Gain Innate Ability: Luck

	Codex Divinae - Bless (ZUBook05)
	> Experience: Reduced by 6,000
	> Gain Innate Ability: Bless

	Codex Divinae - Aid (ZUBook06)
	> Experience: Reduced by 8,000
	> Gain Innate Ability: Aid

	Tome of Speed (ZUBook11)
	> Movement Speed: Increased by 1 permanently

	Tome of the Fairy's Foe (ZUBook12)
	> [Tome of the Fairy's Foe](THAC0: +2 vs. Fairies bonus)

	Tome of Worldly Knowledge (ZUBook13)
	> Lore: +6

	Tome of Eagle's Sight (ZUBook14)
	> Visual Range: +1

	Tome of Giant's Downfall (ZUBook15)
	> Damage: +2 vs. Giants

	Tome of Skilled Stabbing (ZUBook16)
	> Proficiency in Spears: Set to 2

	High Stakes Hexbook (ZUBook21)
	> Critical Hit Chance: +5%
	> Critical Miss Chance: +10%
	> THAC0: -1 penalty

	The Beating Hide (ZUBook22)
	> Maximum Hitpoints: +5
	> THAC0: -2 vs. Animals penalty
	> Damage: -2 vs. Animals penalty

	Measured Blows Manual (ZUBook23)
	> Damage: +1 with Melee Weapons
	> Attack Speed Factor: -5 penalty
	> Offhand THAC0: -1 penalty

	Longevity Ledger (ZUBook24)
	> Maximum Hitpoints: +5
	> Experience: Reduced by 12,000

	Chivalry's Burden (ZUBook25)
	> THAC0: +1 vs. Male Creatures bonus
	> Damage: +1 vs. Male Creatures
	> THAC0: -8 vs. Female Creatures penalty
	> Damage: -8 vs. Female Creatures

	The Piercing Shadow (ZUBook26)
	> Backstab Multiplier: +1
	> THAC0: +2 with Melee Weapons bonus
	> THAC0: -2 with Ranged Weapons penalty
	> Armor Class: -5 penalty
	> Open Locks: -20% penalty
	> Find Traps: -20% penalty
	> Pick Pockets: -20% penalty

	Fumbleflux Folio (ZUBook27)
	> Effective Wizard Casting Level: +1 bonus
	> Number of Level 1 Arcane Spells: +2 bonus
	> Number of Level 2 Arcane Spells: +2 bonus
	> Critical Miss Chance: +20% penalty
	> Luck: -2 penalty
	> Wild Magic Surge Outcome: -25 penalty

	Pyrophage Grimoire (ZUBook28)
	> Fire Resistance: +10%
	> Fire Damage: +25%
	> Cold Damage: -20%
	> Magic Damage: -10%
	> Maximum Hitpoints: -8

	The Point (ZUBook29)
	> Piercing Damage: +2
	> Piercing Armor Class: +2 bonus
	> Crushing Armor Class: -2 penalty
	> Missile Armor Class: -2 penalty
	> Slashing Armor Class: -2 penalty

	Canticle of Hollow Benedictions (ZUBook30)
	> Number of Level 1, 2, and 3 Divine Spells: +1
	> Saving Throws: -1 penalty
	> Damage vs Clerics: -4 penalty
	> Damage vs Paladins: -4 penalty
	> Damage vs Druids: -4 penalty

	Pyrovolt Tutor (ZUBook31)
	> Critical Hit Effect: 1 fire damage to target
	> Critical Miss Effect: 3 electric damage to self

	The Crimson Trance (ZUBook35)
	> On Damaged Effect: 4% chance to enter a Crimson Trance for 8 rounds
	> Crimson Trance Effects: Berserk (+2 Damage and +2 THAC0), +1 Save vs. Death, +1 Movement Speed, +1 Strength, and -3 AC
	> Critical Miss Effect: Ends any active Crimson Trance and prevents it from becomgin active for 4 rounds
	<details>
	  <summary>How to acquire:</summary>
			Added to store after a conversation option that is available to characters with 23 or higher Charisma upon completion of all three book fetch quests.
	</details>
	
	The Wayward Step (ZUBook36)
	> Save vs. Spells: +1
	> On Slaying An Enemy: Randomly teleport a short distance
	<details>
	  <summary>How to acquire:</summary>
			Added to store after a conversation option upon completion of all three book fetch quests.
	</details>

	Secret of Demonic Imposition (ZUBook)
	> Usable By: Good-Aligned Creatures
	> Constitution: +1 bonus
	> Attacks Per Round: +0.5 bonus
	> Fire Resistance: +30% bonus
	> Melee Critical Hit Chance: +10% bonus
	> THAC0 vs Good Creatures: +2 bonus
	> Damage vs Good Creatures: +2 bonus
	> Alignment: Changed to Chaotic Evil
	> Intelligence: -2 penalty
	> Wisdom: -2 penalty
	> Charisma: -5 penalty
	> Melee Critical Miss Penalty: +5% penalty
	> Ranged Critical Miss Penalty: +15% penalty
	> THAC0: -2 vs. Evil Creatures penalty
	> Damage: -2 vs. Evil Creatures penalty
	<details>
	  <summary>How to acquire:</summary>
		Can be stolen (or looted) from Torvael.
	</details>

</details>
