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About this mod
Adds an assortment of nonlethal means of incapacitating opponents. (Not the card game!)
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- French
- Changelogs
Hello! This is Maleficus' Blackjack, a mod inspired by the Oldrim mod, Blackjack - A Thief Weapon. Whilst this mod is inspired by the Oldrim mod, this is not a port; this is a unique mod that I have created from scratch with my own spin on it. It is entirely of my design and all assets (except the weapon mesh and textures, which were kindly provided by NordWarUA's free-to-use assets) are my own.
FAQ and Technical Description
-So, what does this mod do?
If anybody has played the Thief games, or used the aforementioned Oldrim mod, you may be familiar with the concept of the Blackjack: the Blackjack is a club that will render people unconscious nonlethally. This mod also adds in a few more tools for nonlethal incapacitation.
-Is this compatible with Book of Shadows?
Yes. I find this mod compliments Book of Shadows rather well in my testing. There is a bit of overlap between the functionality of takedowns with the aforelinked mod and the Blackjack, but my mod has a bit more to it, such as the poison and the spell.
-Esl-flagged?
Yes.
-You said you created your own spin on the concept. What did you do different?
I have expanded the means of nonlethal takedowns. Included in this mod, there are three ways you can nonlethally incapacitate someone through unconsciousness, all of which are of varying degree of accessibility, ease of use, and duration:
1. The first way to nonlethally incapacitate someone is by using the Blackjack. The Blackjack can be crafted at any forge with 1 firewood and 1 iron ingot, making it the easiest of the three to obtain. To use it, sneak up behind someone and bonk them! This method is the most difficult to utilize, as it requires you to not only successfully execute a sneak attack from behind, but to do so within melee range of the target. This method also has the longest-lasting unconscious effect, rendering victims unconscious for 5 minutes. You can also wake up your victims prematurely if you would like (this is free to do) by interacting with their unconscious body and selecting the "wake up" option instead of the "loot" or "cancel" option. Note that hitting someone under the effect of the Blackjack will wake them up. This does not apply to the other effects, because those are chemical-based and magical. Takes a bit more to wake someone up from those.
2. The second method is through a new poison called "Knockout Agent." Knockout Agent can only be purchased from Thieves Guild fences. The creation of this agent is a trade secret among the fences, so you will not be able to find it in regular apothecary shops, nor will you be able to make it yourself, making it the second-most difficult means to acquire. Due to the Thieves Guild's preference for nonlethal means, fences are willing to sell these poisons to any member of the Thieves Guild at a pretty high price. To use this Knockout Agent, simply apply it to any weapon, and any hit from that weapon will render your victim unconscious for 60 seconds. You do not need to be undetected for this method to work, making it rank second in ease of use and duration. To prematurely wake up your victim from this poison, you will need a potion of cure poison in your inventory, which will be consumed by the victim in order to wake them. Perks that allow multiple uses for poisons are applied to this poison too, allowing you to utilize each of these poisons you buy multiple times if you have one such perk.
3. The third method is a new spell called "Rend Consciousness." This Expert level Illusion spell can be purchased from anyone who sells Expert level Illusion spells for the highest price of the three, making it the hardest to acquire; however, it is the easiest to use, provided you have the skill for it: just cast the spell on anyone, with no need of being undetected, though the caster would do well to hide themselves... Casting a spell to render someone unconscious will get them in trouble if the act is witnessed. The spell only lasts 20 seconds (but if you use a mod like Ordinator, which I suggest doing, the duration will scale based on your Illusion skill, as is shown in the screenshot of the spell tome), and it comes with a high magicka cost and longer charge time (one-handed cast, but ritual-level charge time), such is the price for being able to knock someone out on a whim at the expense of some magicka. You can freely dispel the effect from your victim when you interact with them, thus waking them up, by selecting the "dispel effect" option. Note that for this spell to be available for purchase, you will need the skill to purchase Expert level Illusion spells.
-Why would I bother with the sneak attack option when the other options don't require you to be undetected?
That is a matter of personal preference. Each method has its pros and cons to balance them out, use your preference or even a combination of any of your preferences, circumstantially.
-What is the benefit to nonlethal takedowns over killing your targets?
There are a few: firstly, you can use these methods during Thieves Guild jobs, including Fishing jobs (in which you can take the item from the unconscious victim), without failing them. Secondly, it's good for roleplaying someone who doesn't like killing people. Thirdly, it's a unique playstyle which is quite fun. I could go on, use your imagination. :)
-What can and can't be rendered unconscious?
Anything that is not immune to paralysis can be rendered unconscious. So, people, wolves, draugr, etc. However, you can't knock out dragons, mammoths, dragon priests, etc.
-I just bonked someone, got the sneak attack message, but they did not fall unconscious, and they're quite angry! What happened?
They detected you quickly enough for the effect to not take hold of them. This can happen if the victim is looking in your general direction or occasionally if your sneak level is quite low if it was, in fact, a clean hit from behind. I like it that way: a novice thief won't always deliver the perfect knockout with a single hit, so use it with caution! There are risks to it, just as there are risks to stabbing someone. The better you get at it, the more reliable it becomes. Someone who is fairly good at being sneaky can quite easily pull this off without ever being detected.
-Will I get a bounty for bonking people?
Only if you are detected by the victim or any witnesses. The Blackjack, much like a dagger, is considered a "silent" weapon, though, so this factor relies on line of sight or your footsteps, not the bonk itself.
-Will the Blackjack ever run out of enchantment charge, and can I disenchant it?
No and no :)
-Will I need a patch for the leveled lists that contain the new spell and poison?
No, these are added to the lists via script after the game is initialized, making it compatible to everything due to not altering any vanilla records.
-I checked the fence, and I didn't find any Knockout Agent. Where is it?
It's not a guaranteed find in their inventory. Check back from time to time :)
Thank you, Sand Gentleman, for featuring my mod in your awesome video showcase! :)
CREDITS
Maleficus (me): putting the mod together and writing the code
NordwarUA: generously providing the free-to-use assets for the Blackjack's mesh and textures as well as granting permissions to utilize Donation Points on this mod page. This particular asset is from Realistic Armor. Check it out, if you would like; I quite like that mod, myself.
Sand Gentleman: for the awesome mod showcase and kind words! :)
FAQ and Technical Description
-So, what does this mod do?
If anybody has played the Thief games, or used the aforementioned Oldrim mod, you may be familiar with the concept of the Blackjack: the Blackjack is a club that will render people unconscious nonlethally. This mod also adds in a few more tools for nonlethal incapacitation.
-Is this compatible with Book of Shadows?
Yes. I find this mod compliments Book of Shadows rather well in my testing. There is a bit of overlap between the functionality of takedowns with the aforelinked mod and the Blackjack, but my mod has a bit more to it, such as the poison and the spell.
-Esl-flagged?
Yes.
-You said you created your own spin on the concept. What did you do different?
I have expanded the means of nonlethal takedowns. Included in this mod, there are three ways you can nonlethally incapacitate someone through unconsciousness, all of which are of varying degree of accessibility, ease of use, and duration:
1. The first way to nonlethally incapacitate someone is by using the Blackjack. The Blackjack can be crafted at any forge with 1 firewood and 1 iron ingot, making it the easiest of the three to obtain. To use it, sneak up behind someone and bonk them! This method is the most difficult to utilize, as it requires you to not only successfully execute a sneak attack from behind, but to do so within melee range of the target. This method also has the longest-lasting unconscious effect, rendering victims unconscious for 5 minutes. You can also wake up your victims prematurely if you would like (this is free to do) by interacting with their unconscious body and selecting the "wake up" option instead of the "loot" or "cancel" option. Note that hitting someone under the effect of the Blackjack will wake them up. This does not apply to the other effects, because those are chemical-based and magical. Takes a bit more to wake someone up from those.
2. The second method is through a new poison called "Knockout Agent." Knockout Agent can only be purchased from Thieves Guild fences. The creation of this agent is a trade secret among the fences, so you will not be able to find it in regular apothecary shops, nor will you be able to make it yourself, making it the second-most difficult means to acquire. Due to the Thieves Guild's preference for nonlethal means, fences are willing to sell these poisons to any member of the Thieves Guild at a pretty high price. To use this Knockout Agent, simply apply it to any weapon, and any hit from that weapon will render your victim unconscious for 60 seconds. You do not need to be undetected for this method to work, making it rank second in ease of use and duration. To prematurely wake up your victim from this poison, you will need a potion of cure poison in your inventory, which will be consumed by the victim in order to wake them. Perks that allow multiple uses for poisons are applied to this poison too, allowing you to utilize each of these poisons you buy multiple times if you have one such perk.
3. The third method is a new spell called "Rend Consciousness." This Expert level Illusion spell can be purchased from anyone who sells Expert level Illusion spells for the highest price of the three, making it the hardest to acquire; however, it is the easiest to use, provided you have the skill for it: just cast the spell on anyone, with no need of being undetected, though the caster would do well to hide themselves... Casting a spell to render someone unconscious will get them in trouble if the act is witnessed. The spell only lasts 20 seconds (but if you use a mod like Ordinator, which I suggest doing, the duration will scale based on your Illusion skill, as is shown in the screenshot of the spell tome), and it comes with a high magicka cost and longer charge time (one-handed cast, but ritual-level charge time), such is the price for being able to knock someone out on a whim at the expense of some magicka. You can freely dispel the effect from your victim when you interact with them, thus waking them up, by selecting the "dispel effect" option. Note that for this spell to be available for purchase, you will need the skill to purchase Expert level Illusion spells.
-Why would I bother with the sneak attack option when the other options don't require you to be undetected?
That is a matter of personal preference. Each method has its pros and cons to balance them out, use your preference or even a combination of any of your preferences, circumstantially.
-What is the benefit to nonlethal takedowns over killing your targets?
There are a few: firstly, you can use these methods during Thieves Guild jobs, including Fishing jobs (in which you can take the item from the unconscious victim), without failing them. Secondly, it's good for roleplaying someone who doesn't like killing people. Thirdly, it's a unique playstyle which is quite fun. I could go on, use your imagination. :)
-What can and can't be rendered unconscious?
Anything that is not immune to paralysis can be rendered unconscious. So, people, wolves, draugr, etc. However, you can't knock out dragons, mammoths, dragon priests, etc.
-I just bonked someone, got the sneak attack message, but they did not fall unconscious, and they're quite angry! What happened?
They detected you quickly enough for the effect to not take hold of them. This can happen if the victim is looking in your general direction or occasionally if your sneak level is quite low if it was, in fact, a clean hit from behind. I like it that way: a novice thief won't always deliver the perfect knockout with a single hit, so use it with caution! There are risks to it, just as there are risks to stabbing someone. The better you get at it, the more reliable it becomes. Someone who is fairly good at being sneaky can quite easily pull this off without ever being detected.
-Will I get a bounty for bonking people?
Only if you are detected by the victim or any witnesses. The Blackjack, much like a dagger, is considered a "silent" weapon, though, so this factor relies on line of sight or your footsteps, not the bonk itself.
-Will the Blackjack ever run out of enchantment charge, and can I disenchant it?
No and no :)
-Will I need a patch for the leveled lists that contain the new spell and poison?
No, these are added to the lists via script after the game is initialized, making it compatible to everything due to not altering any vanilla records.
-I checked the fence, and I didn't find any Knockout Agent. Where is it?
It's not a guaranteed find in their inventory. Check back from time to time :)
Thank you, Sand Gentleman, for featuring my mod in your awesome video showcase! :)
CREDITS
Maleficus (me): putting the mod together and writing the code
NordwarUA: generously providing the free-to-use assets for the Blackjack's mesh and textures as well as granting permissions to utilize Donation Points on this mod page. This particular asset is from Realistic Armor. Check it out, if you would like; I quite like that mod, myself.
Sand Gentleman: for the awesome mod showcase and kind words! :)