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+-------------------+ Aurora Toolset Item Creation FAQ +------------------+
+-----------------------------+ Version 1.4 +-----------------------------+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+-----------------------+ Written and Compiled by: +----------------------+
+-----------------------------+ David Zigler +----------------------------+
+----------------------------+ (DragonUser84) +----------------------------+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+



+----------+ Table of Contents +----------+

1. Version and Date Stuff

2. Important!

3. Purpose and Explanation of FAQ

4. Commonly Used Terms

5. Weapon and Armor Effects

6. Weapon-Exclusive Effects

7. Armor-Exclusive Effects

8. Weapon/Armor/Item Notes

9. Tips and Tricks

10. Frequently Asked Questions

11. Thanks and Legal Stuff



+----------+ Verson and Date Stuff +----------+

April 7, 2004: Added Spell Resistance
March 22, 2004: Clarified the Damage Bonus property.
March 9, 2004: Corrected some issues with the Sequencer stuff and the On Hit
Cast Spell property.
March 6, 2004: Added the "Cast Spell: Sequencer", "Cast Spell: Clear
Squencer", and "Bonus Spell Slot of Level" properties.
March 4, 2004: The "On Hit: Cast Spell" properties were too many to list in
this FAQ, so I removed that section.
March 3, 2004: Started adding "On Hit: Cast Spell" properties.
Feb. 10, 2004: Corrected major flaws with Damage Reduction, Improved Evasion,
and Enhancement. Also added Saving Throw Bonus and Saving Throw Bonus:
Specific.
Feb. 9, 2004: Submitted FAQ, fixed it, and sent it again.
Feb. 6, 2004: Took up making the FAQ again.
Sept. 25, 2003: Started on FAQ, wrote down some of the more confusing
properties.



+----------+ Important! +----------+
I really don't mind if you download and distribute this FAQ in it's unaltered
form, as long as you don't modify it to give yourself credit for writing it.
I'm passing this information away freely, so feel free to pass it on freely.
If you start making money off of it, give me half. (See, I'm not
unreasonable.)



+----------+ Commonly Used Terms +----------+
(Thanks to mastersam16 for the idea, and Noo Bee for mentioning that it's
buffing, not bluffing.)
Soak= Absorb
Resist= Ignore
Stack= Combine (Ex: "Will not stack" means "The highest number ONLY is
applied".)
ASF= Arcane Spell Failure (A major issue for Sorcerers without the
Still Spell feat.)
AC= Armor Class
Nuker= One who uses lots of DD spells
DD= Direct Damage. Spells that are DD don't have any status-affliction
properties, they just hurt the target.
Buffer= One who uses lots of Buffing Spells
Buffing Spells= These spells increase various values on your character.
They reduce damage, increase strength, increase your AC, etc.



+----------+ Purpose and Explanation of FAQ +----------+

The purpose of this FAQ is to explain what property does what when you're
making items through the Aurora Toolset, because the manual is rather
sketchy on the details of various enchantments. Knowing this, you can
create insanely powerful equipment with a small amount of effort and time.
Also, a number of the more self-explanatory features have unwritten rules
that come into play only when you're actually playing the game.
Please bear in mind that I'm making this FAQ while looking at the Toolset
with both Shadows of Undrentide (A.k.a. SoU) and Hordes of the Underdark
(A.k.a. HotU) installled and with the 1.61 patch installed. So, some of this
might be different that what you're looking at. (If you don't have the HotU
installed, then you WILL see some differences because HotU allows you to take
your character up to level 40 and has added more powerful enchantments to the
weapons and armor.)
I'll have a setup that looks like this: (Note: This will make more sense if
you've been tried to make your own items before.)


===== Item Property
Sub-Property: (If applicable, some Item Properties don't have a Sub-Property.
Will be referred to as Sub-Prop in explanations.)
Item Cost Parameter: (If applicable, some Item Properties don't have an Item
Cost Parameter either. Will be referred to as ICP in explanations.)
In game, looks like... (If it's different than what it looks like while
playing in the game than what the Toolset Shows.)

Really boring explanation. (This gets technical, so it helps if you've looked
over some of what you can do in the toolset.)
Really boring explation of catches. (A lot of things have ways around them, so
consider yourself forewarned when you've made your "perfect" setup and your
health is draining rapidly in the game.)


Well, I suppose that I should get started...



+----------+ Weapon and Armor Effects +----------+


===== Bonus Spell Slot of Level
Sub-Property: Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Sorcerer, Wizard
Item Cost Parameter: Level 0 (Cantrips) to Level 9

What this property does is allow you to prepare/cast one extra spell per day
according to the Level in the ICP. However, I suggest that before you set
about making them, you take a careful look at your favorite spells and
whatever Metamagic feats you like to cast them with. And now for the best
part, these can be assigned to an item multiple times and they WILL stack!
Also, you can go past the usual 8-per-day spell limit. (For sorcerers, I don't
know about other spell-casting characters.) HOWEVER, if you can't even cast ONE
spell from a certain level, don't bother with Bonus Spell Slots. Also, the
changes may come into effect immediately, but you'll need to prepare your
spells/rest before you notice any changes. (If you unequip the item that grants
bonus spell slots after resting, it immediately removes those bonus spells that
you can cast, down to zero. Apparently, your character uses those bonus spells
last.)


===== Cast Spell: Clear Sequencer
Item Cost Parameter: (Standard spell ICP.)

This clears out the stored spells on your item's Sequencer property.


===== Cast Spell: Sequencer (1 Spell), (2 Spells), and (3 Spells)
Item Cost Parameter: (Standard spell ICP.)

This allows you to cast a number of buffing spells upon the item, depending on
what Sub-Prop you picked. The ICP determines how many times the object can
cast those spells. When activated with the stored spells, the item casts them
for you, all at once, saving your spell uses for more important ones. (Like,
using offensive spells to kill that ogre in your face.) NOTE: You CAN use
items that cast spells with this, as long as the buffing spell requires a
target.


===== Damage Reduction
Sub-Property: +1 to +20
Item Cost Parameter: Soak 5 Damage to Soak 50 Damage

The Sub-Prop merely determines what Enhancement value is needed in order
to cut through it. (Say, the Sub-Prop is +5, so you or your opponent will
need a weapon with a +5 Enhancement bonus to get past it without any
damage.) Meanwhile, the second value (Which will be displayed on the
right-hand list as Soak # Damage.) determines how much damage you'll take.
If you have an item Damage Reduction with Soak 5 Damage and you're attacked
by a weapon that normally would've dealt 10 damage, you instead take 5
damage. (However, if your attacker's weapon has a +1 Enhancement value,
you'll take the full 10.)
The Sub-Property determines what Enhancement value a weapon has to have in
Unlike Damage Resistance, Damage Reduction can be bypassed with weapon damage
bonuses and spells. (Natural damage from weapons and traps still applies
though.) (NOTE: I don't know if this is still true.) Also, any weapon with a
matching Enhancement of +whatever or greater can get through without
reduction. Huge amounts of damage can also get through. For example, say you
have Damage Reduction +20[Soak 10 Damage]. Now, if you get hit with a total
60 damage, then you'll take 50 points of damage.
(IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm not sure about this, so if anyone knows different,
please let me know.)


===== Damage Resistance
Sub-Property: Acid, Bludgeoning, Cold, Divine, Electrical, Fire, Magical,
Negative Energy, Piercing, Positive Energy, Slashing, and Sonic.
Item Cost Parameter: 5, 10, 15, 20... 50/-

What this does is void the first amount of points from the ICP's numerical
value from the Sub-Prop. Say, you have an item equipped that has Damage
Resistance: Acid[Resist 10/-] and you get hit by an Acid trap for 15 points of
damage. The first 10 points of damage will be ignored and you'll only be hit
with 5 points of Acid damage. Unlike Damage Reduction, this CANNOT be
bypassed. Damage from spells, traps, damage bounses, everything, has to go
through this. Although it's more expensive overall to protect yourself from
everything this way, it's actually the better way to go rather than Damage
Reduction. (In my opinion, anyway.)


===== Immunity: Damage Type
Sub-Property: Acid, Bludgeoning, Cold, Divine, Electrical, Fire, Magical,
Negative Energy, Piercing, Positive Energy, Slashing, and Sonic.
Item Cost Parameter: 5%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 90%, or 100% Immunity Bonus.

While a 100% Immunity Bonus is great, if you're not playing the HotU
expansion, you can't use it unless you enable your character to equip items
that their level can't support. (All 100% Immunity bonuses take the level
requirement up to level 21, impossible to achieve without the HotU Expansion,
unless you hack into the game's code. Of course, that's ILLEGAL and something
I'm highly discouraging.)
Now, I'm not going to tell you how to enable your characters to equip items
when they don't have a high enough level, because with HotU, you can use
these legally now. (Besides, you can find that info in the Codes and Cheats
section on GameFAQs.)
(NOTE: Red Dragon Disciples naturally get 100% Damage Immunity to Fire when
they get their tenth level as a Red Dragon Disciple.)


===== On Hit Cast Spell
Sub-Property: Every spell in the game except the Epic-Level spells and some
others.
Item Cost Parameter: Level 1 to 40

The On Hit Cast Spell property actually varies slighty between Armor and
Weapons. Weapons automatically cast the spell when they hit something, and
Armor automatically casts the spell when the wearer is hit. NOTE: Multiple
On Hit Cast Spell properties WILL NOT stack, the one closest to the top of
the list of properties will be the ONLY one that has an effect.


===== Improved Evasion
(Thanks to Noo Bee for the correction.)

In times where a failed reflex would give you damage, this property/feat
allows you to walk away after taking half damage.


===== Saving Throw Bonus
Sub-Property: Acid, Cold, Death, Disease, Divine, Electrical, Fear, Fire,
Mind Affecting, Negative Energy, Poison, Positive Energy, Sonic, and Universal
Item Cost Paramater: +1 to +20