They rolled initiative. Rattle 'em, boys! A random skeleton will come to your aid at the beginning of combat. Will yours be common or ultra rare? Brought to you by the wizard behind Valkrana's Spellbook.
Other user's assetsAll the assets in this file belong to the author, or are from free-to-use modder's resources
Upload permissionYou are not allowed to upload this file to other sites under any circumstances
Modification permissionYou must get permission from me before you are allowed to modify my files to improve it
Conversion permissionYou are not allowed to convert this file to work on other games under any circumstances
Asset use permissionYou must get permission from me before you are allowed to use any of the assets in this file
Asset use permission in mods/files that are being soldYou are not allowed to use assets from this file in any mods/files that are being sold, for money, on Steam Workshop or other platforms
Asset use permission in mods/files that earn donation pointsYou are not allowed to earn Donation Points for your mods if they use my assets
Author notes
This author has not provided any additional notes regarding file permissions
File credits
This author has not credited anyone else in this file
Yara and Gilded now drop their loot on the floor so it's dirty. Additional Gilded loot.
Added combat groups to skeletons and their summoners.
Version 1.10.03
Removed Animate Dead's ranged skeleton from Tier 1 skeleton pool.
Added !vsc_sweeper SE console command to clear all active skeletons.
Added short rest listener that clears skeletons on a short rest.
Version 1.10.02
Changed monk archetype attack to fix missing animation, and added stuff to make up for it.
Version 1.10.01
Decided to limit Yara to Skeletal Challenge.
Version 1.10.00
Adds Yara the Planar Bladesinger as a full-fledged mini-boss with a legendary action. When you first defeat her, you'll get her weapon. (Will only spawn for party levels 8 or higher.)
Adds the sorceror class archetype.
Removed "Valkrana's" prefix from class archetype skeletons' names.
Fixed mismatched UUIDs that caused a couple skeletons that should've remained unarmed to swipe a shortsword or two.
Fixed the Entombed Scribe's name entry.
Class archetype skeletons have been given subclass stuff.
Only one of any given class archetype will spawn per combat.
Version 1.09.00
Added the paladin, cleric, druid, warlock, bard, monk, and barbarian archetypes as custom skeletons, for a total of 25 custom skeletons.
Shifted to mod-custom templates and monster blocks for Larian skeletons in order to facilitate edits and fixes.
Fixed Giant Skeleton portrait.
Removed XP reward from skeletons.
Lowered gilded skeleton cold dmg.
Added support for the new Dread Marksman from Valkrana's Spellbook.
Version 1.08.00
Gilded Skeleton has been re-reanimated. Now has new mechanics, a legendary action, and rewards gold. Cold damage has been noticeably reduced, but should still be a significant concern.
Gilded Skeleton gets free javelins.
Maul skeleton is no longer muddy, because it was too tough to see. Now leaks poison.
Version 1.07.10
Accidentally left most skeletons commented out from testing (in non-Feat version).
Version 1.07.09
Added more strict bonus damage checks to prevent proccing cold damage on trailing or non-attack/spell damage.
Limited Edition Bone skeletons are now properly removed on death, and added support for multiple characters having a LEB.
Version 1.07.06
This mod's custom skeletons can now interact with doors and certain other game objects. Extends to mods that use this as a library, such as Valkrana's Skeleton Emporium.
Version 1.07.05
Can't reproduce them sticking around, but added a second pass to get rid of skeletons that leave combat. This time on CombatEnded.
Added IsCharacter() check for enemy list to filter out objects in Is_InCombat table.
Version 1.07.04
Brought base VSC skeleton character more in line with 5e skeleton. Stronger skeletons adjusted accordingly.
Added "STATUS_EASY:PLAYER_BONUSES_EASYMODE" so that ally skeletons have (or don't have) the correct difficulty boosts.
Minor code change to how tRealSkeletons is used.
Version 1.07.03
Applied bonus cold damage hit application restriction to the Gilded Skeleton.
Added two new rare skeletons: chromatic mirror image and explosive barrel.
Version 1.07.02
Fixed typo in Feat version.
Made bonus cold damage a bit more strict in hit application.
Version 1.07.01
Fixed some hiccups in new approach, including: no longer spawns another skeleton when reloading while in combat, no shortswords for all skeletons.
Fewer calls to modvars.
Moved base skeleton boosts outside of SkeletonRattler() in order to choose the values on a per-mod basis.
Version 1.07.0
Improved code and better prepared for use as a library for other mods.
Added !valkranaleb console command.
Version 1.06.03
Fixed missing Key value in the tables for modded skeletons specifically. Removed placebo nil fixes.
Version 1.06.02
charID should never be nil when SkeletonRattler() is called and yet... added nil check on the passed parameter variable.
Weaponless skeletons' shortswords have rusted because the base version looked like a toy.
Version 1.06.01
Skeletons should now be immune to their own tentacles.
Increase surface area of a couple surfaces.
Rare buffs made to re-apply when re-entering combat to better support Lesser Skeleton Crew's long-lasting Daves.
Version 1.06.0
Added 7 new custom skeleton variations to round out the smaller pool (and add to the main pool), for a total of 19 custom skeletons.
Moved to full name loc for all custom VSC skeletons to reduce overall prefix concatenation on the Lua side.
Version 1.05.02
Added unique weapon sets to all custom VSC skeletons to increase variety because variety is the bone meal of life.
Version 1.05.01
Missed updating mod skeleton soup kitchen guestbook for tiers.
Version 1.05
In trying to make it a bit more balanced at earlier levels: Levels 1 thru 3 now spawn from a pool of weaker skeletons picked from the larger pool. At level 4, the full pool is unlocked. SSR can always spawn.
Added another base skeleton variant.
Used skeletal kaleidoscope for better code.
Version 1.04.01
Changed code to look for any non-summon party member both for initial detection and enemy dowsing. This circumvents most issues that may arise from an MP host either not entering combat or entering combat late with creatures that weren't initally hostile to PCs.
Version 1.04.0
SSR skeleton now drops Valkrana's Limited Edition Bone, a very rare necromancy item.
Added Valkrana's Lesser Skeleton Crew and all the other underpinning for the above.
Added several new rare skeleton variations.
Loop better make better loop.
Version 1.03.04
SSR Skeleton: Fix to HP scaling (was using math.min instead of math.math), and Legendary Resistance now properly applies (above a certain level).
Version 1.03.03
Added a 10-second internal cooldown to skeleton spawning to prevent loops in the event of either unjust or well-earned skeleton hostility on behalf of Player A, B, C, or D. (Skeletons do the darnedest things.)
Version 1.03.02
Attached status to VSC passive to ward off DEEP DARK DUNGEON shadow curse.
Version 1.03.01
Attached status to VSC passive to ward off shadow curse.
Version 1.03.0
Used modvars to prevent data loss after closing the game. Fixes "Not Found" skeleton names and makes skeleton tracker persistent. Not retroactive.
Added one skeleton to the pool.
Version 1.02.02
Stupid missing quotation mark.
Version 1.02.01
Minor loc change.
Version 1.02.0
Most skeletons that spawn without a weapon will now be given a shortsword and a few throwable bones.
Changed prefix to a loc value for better translation support.
Added two more skeleton variations during the process of updating.
Added one buff to the random pool.
Version 1.01.0
Rewrote much of the code to pull skeletons into combat in the event that they spawn outside aggro range.
Added a few more skeleton skins.
The skeletal hero (spirit guardians) is much less likely to spawn.
Version 1.0.04
No more inline math concatenation.
Fixed erroneous extra d4 in Deadly Chill's bonus cold damage.
Removed floating skull from pool due to model sometimes being completely bonkers.
Version 1.0.03
Missed a spot in last update that would've resulted in no reward for ultra rare skeleton if below character level 4.
Version 1.0.02
Refactored boosts so that most either don't kick in or are lower before character level 4.
Version 1.0.01
Removed Tombstone Undead's gunslingers from the skeleton pool since they were changed to zombies.
Whether for fortune, fame, or femurs, you've thrown in your lot with the multiverse's most awkward necromancer, Valkrana. As one of her lieutenants, a random skeleton will join your side at the beginning of combat.
Before leaving, your new benefactor imparted these words of wisdom: "All skeletons are reanimated equal, but some are more equal than others."
50+ Common Skeletons — From Glow-in-the-Dark to Dave... 15+ Rare Variations — Area telekinesis, wild surges, haste... Super Rare Skeleton — Ready to face Yara the Planar Bladesinger, Valkrana's Final Apprentice? Super Super Rare Skeleton — Gilded fellow, tough as rocks, drops very rare Valkrana's Limited Edition Bone item...
This mod will spawn from a pool of 50+ random skeletons*. Some are better than others. Rarely, they'll appear with a unique buff. Rarely, you'll face down an echo of Valkrana's apprentice. Very, very rarely, a special gilded skeleton might spawn. The gilded skeleton will turn hostile after the fight, so prepare yourself for a mini-boss encounter. Yara only spawns with the Skeletal Challenge mod active. All skeletons receive a slight increase to HP and bonus cold damage relative to your character level, and are humanely disposed of at the end of combat. 10-second internal cooldown on activation. *Will spawn from a smaller pool of weaker skeletons until character level 4.
Requires Script Extender.
Feat Version Adds the Skeleton Crew feat as an alternative option, and attaches this mod's functionality to the feat instead. Only one skeleton will spawn per combat even if multiple characters have the feat. Will spawn two skeletons if this and the base version of the mod are active.
Valkrana's Limited Edition Bone Requires Valkrana's Spellbook for full functionality. Otherwise, Skeleport will appear as a non-functional question mark. More reliable loot options here.
Free Skeletons! The clerics don't want you to know this, but the skeletons in the graveyard are free. You can take them home. Just select the character who wants a skeleton, open Script Extender console, press enter, then type !valkranaleb and press enter again.
Notes If, by chance, a friendly skeleton doesn't disappear after combat, it should do so after a short or long rest. At any time, you can open Script Extender console and input the !vsc_sweeper command to clear all active skeletons, excluding those from the Limited Edition Bone.
Thanks to StarEMC2 for providing an easy reference for some of the custom skeleton skins; Muffin, Focus, and LaughingLeader for help with modvars; and as always, Norbyte and LaughingLeader for their contributions to BG3 modding.
Disclaimer: This mod avoids using NPC skeletons, but I have not tested the entire campaign for any unforeseen side effects.
Give Feedback
