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About this mod
Changing Umbral Shroud to Once per Combat 1 turn (or 2 turns with optional file) full unbreakable Greater Invisibility under obscured conditions to match Gloom Stalker "dark ambusher" theme. No resources cost, at will.
- Requirements
- Permissions and credits
Now, first of all, I wanted to make Umbral Shroud works just like 5e RAW (so invisibility in full darkness) because Gloom Stalker is my favourite subclass in 5e. I even manged to get that working (apart from it being auto toggable) like in 5e, however then I realized after playing with it that it just doesn't work/won't make sense in BG3 with how the game is designed.
This is becasue illumination/darkness in this game is absolutely basic and pretty much ignored vs 5e rules and even in Underdark in most circumstances you will have Light Obscured condition at best as everywhere there is some illumination (not to mention spells/fire effects etc. having mechanical source of illumination). In dungeons/underground/cellars with all light sources turn off, you often will only see Lightly Obscured. Even in Underdark everybody are using torches and light sources for some reason, despite all races there having Darkvision... Darkvision also has very little impact in this game. Overall if I wanted to make it as 5e RAW (darkness), it would have to only work under Heavy Obscured condition, which means pretty much never in this game. There are places where it would work (like parts of Act 2 are Heavy Obscured) but that would be it since we can't even force night conditions in this game.
On the other hand, if I made it work constantly under Lightly Obscured, it would be beyond OP as you would be be invisibile most of the game apart from very bright sunlight places. So in the end I decided that it just won't make sense either way.
So instead after hours of testing I decided to make my version of it that is still strong, thematic and enchances Gloomstalker ambusher theme while being balanced (if such word even exists in 5e... probably not). So with this mod Umbral Shroud is:
1. You need to be Obscured (light or heavy) to use it
2. It's OncePerCombat ability, otherwise no resources/cooldown
3. It costs no action to use
4. It makes you fully invisible for 1 turn. Nothing you do will break it so attack away with advantage!
5. It auto turns off if you step into "Clear" area so stick into shadows, Stalker!
6. Added under "Optional Files" a version that makes you invisibile for 2 turns if you think 1 turn is too weak/short.
This makes it so that you can still use it on turn 1 without losing any actions to get advantage and maximize your DPS with Ambusher (I also recommend my mod where you can get second Ambusher attack with Action Surge like you should in 5e) on your turn 1. It works well with sneaking as you can open from stealth with advantage attack to Surprise, and then on your turn turn invisibile to secure rest of your shots.
I think this plays well with who Gloomstalker should be and to maximize what he does best: 1st turn Nova and you can use it also as means to retreat/hide in middle of encounter if you had other means to secure your first 1-2 turns (like Risky Ring, Greater Invisibility, Blindness etc.) so it will remain as good tool in your pocket for further turns where suddenly you could have lost your other source of advantage.
I tested it out today and I really like how it works. It great as both offensive and defensive tool on demand. It's not as strong as 5e version (especially in right cirumstances like dungeons/underdark), but Table Top 5e plays with illumination/darkness/darkvision much better and it's way way better than current useless thing we got from Larian homebrew. And here you have pretty much Greater Invisibility on demand for 1 or 2 turns from level 3 without resources so it's still very strong and I think mostly on pair with 5e.
Even in exploration mod you can still use it to great effect to sneak in plain sight. Just turn on Turn Based Mode, use your Umbral Shroud and you have full turn (or two) of invisibility, enough to sneak past enemies. In exploration mode it will refresh constantly as it's not combat.
So, I hope you will enjoy stalking with this one!
I recommend to pair it up with my other mod "Action Surge gives second Dread Ambusher attack for Gloom Stalker": https://www.nexusmods.com/baldursgate3/mods/1295 to get you closer to proper Gloom Stalker 5e experience.
Installation:
Installation via BG3ModManager:
1. Download .rar of my mods
2. Upack it to get .PAK file
3. Copy .pak file to C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\Mods
4. Start BG3MM
5. Click "Refresh" button
6. Pull my mod from left side of BG3 MM window ("Inactive") to right side ("Active") and place it to your mods order.
7. Click "Save Load Order To File" button in BG3MM
8. Hit "Export Order to Game" button in BG3MM
9. Start game from BG3MM.
This is becasue illumination/darkness in this game is absolutely basic and pretty much ignored vs 5e rules and even in Underdark in most circumstances you will have Light Obscured condition at best as everywhere there is some illumination (not to mention spells/fire effects etc. having mechanical source of illumination). In dungeons/underground/cellars with all light sources turn off, you often will only see Lightly Obscured. Even in Underdark everybody are using torches and light sources for some reason, despite all races there having Darkvision... Darkvision also has very little impact in this game. Overall if I wanted to make it as 5e RAW (darkness), it would have to only work under Heavy Obscured condition, which means pretty much never in this game. There are places where it would work (like parts of Act 2 are Heavy Obscured) but that would be it since we can't even force night conditions in this game.
On the other hand, if I made it work constantly under Lightly Obscured, it would be beyond OP as you would be be invisibile most of the game apart from very bright sunlight places. So in the end I decided that it just won't make sense either way.
So instead after hours of testing I decided to make my version of it that is still strong, thematic and enchances Gloomstalker ambusher theme while being balanced (if such word even exists in 5e... probably not). So with this mod Umbral Shroud is:
1. You need to be Obscured (light or heavy) to use it
2. It's OncePerCombat ability, otherwise no resources/cooldown
3. It costs no action to use
4. It makes you fully invisible for 1 turn. Nothing you do will break it so attack away with advantage!
5. It auto turns off if you step into "Clear" area so stick into shadows, Stalker!
6. Added under "Optional Files" a version that makes you invisibile for 2 turns if you think 1 turn is too weak/short.
This makes it so that you can still use it on turn 1 without losing any actions to get advantage and maximize your DPS with Ambusher (I also recommend my mod where you can get second Ambusher attack with Action Surge like you should in 5e) on your turn 1. It works well with sneaking as you can open from stealth with advantage attack to Surprise, and then on your turn turn invisibile to secure rest of your shots.
I think this plays well with who Gloomstalker should be and to maximize what he does best: 1st turn Nova and you can use it also as means to retreat/hide in middle of encounter if you had other means to secure your first 1-2 turns (like Risky Ring, Greater Invisibility, Blindness etc.) so it will remain as good tool in your pocket for further turns where suddenly you could have lost your other source of advantage.
I tested it out today and I really like how it works. It great as both offensive and defensive tool on demand. It's not as strong as 5e version (especially in right cirumstances like dungeons/underdark), but Table Top 5e plays with illumination/darkness/darkvision much better and it's way way better than current useless thing we got from Larian homebrew. And here you have pretty much Greater Invisibility on demand for 1 or 2 turns from level 3 without resources so it's still very strong and I think mostly on pair with 5e.
Even in exploration mod you can still use it to great effect to sneak in plain sight. Just turn on Turn Based Mode, use your Umbral Shroud and you have full turn (or two) of invisibility, enough to sneak past enemies. In exploration mode it will refresh constantly as it's not combat.
So, I hope you will enjoy stalking with this one!
I recommend to pair it up with my other mod "Action Surge gives second Dread Ambusher attack for Gloom Stalker": https://www.nexusmods.com/baldursgate3/mods/1295 to get you closer to proper Gloom Stalker 5e experience.
Installation:
Installation via BG3ModManager:
1. Download .rar of my mods
2. Upack it to get .PAK file
3. Copy .pak file to C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\Mods
4. Start BG3MM
5. Click "Refresh" button
6. Pull my mod from left side of BG3 MM window ("Inactive") to right side ("Active") and place it to your mods order.
7. Click "Save Load Order To File" button in BG3MM
8. Hit "Export Order to Game" button in BG3MM
9. Start game from BG3MM.