Description:

Flame Atronachs are turned into powerful, bloodthirsty killers with fiery longswords, suitable for high-level characters. That's enough to describe this mod. If you want to know details, then just keep reading...


What this mod exactly does:

* Creates separate type of Flame Atronach designed for wielding a sword. It uses Xivilai animations and has an updated mesh and skeleton (the skeleton came from "Playable and NPC Creatures" mod by TheTalkieToaster). Since it's a separate type and it does NOT replace the original type of Flame Atronach (the one that fights only with fists and mostly relies on spells), it remains purely compatible with any mod that does not change directly the Flame Atronachs encountered in-game (in other words, if my mod does not change some particular Flame Atronach, then it will remain intact). There's also a scepter-wielding, mage-type version whose only purpose of life is to turn your bones to ash by tossing hundreds of fireballs at you (only as a modders' resource though, unless you're using OOO);

* Changes vanilla Flame Atronachs to be using this type: it affects regular ones (enemies) and summoned ones. With optional files, it also changes some other possible Flame Atronachs, like the ones from OOO or Frostcrag Spire;

* Equips affected Flame Atronachs with brand new fiery sword that can be looted. However, you can only acquire it in non-flaming version and with Luck-dependent chance of finding better quality ones (there's an optional plugin to make them flaming, though);

* Makes affected Flame Atronachs glowing appropriately to their flames (uses system from "Shining Creatures" mod);

* Adjusts affected Flame Atronachs' stats to turn them into challenging opponents suitable for high-level characters. You'd better invest in fire-resisting equipment if you have a low-level character;

* Does a bunch of additional script fixes and workarounds to possibly adjust affected Flame Atronachs to the new animations and general concept.

Flame Atronachs will now act like bloodthirsty killers, as I mentioned at the top. Once they spot you, they will shoot themselves at you like rockets, tossing fireballs at you with their swords. Once engaged into close combat, they will start mercilessly slashing you with their swords and they will not stop until you will be turned into charred remains.

They can't be disarmed, and they can heal themselves and use Fire Shield spell for additional protection; what is even worse, they are not only immune to fire, but they will be even HEALED when attacked with anything fire-related. This means that if you're using Reflect Spell effect, then they can actually heal themselves by hitting you! And don't even think about trying to push them into lava - they are able to walk over every kind of liquid, and furthermore, standing in the lava will heal them too! Standing in the water does not damage them at the moment - maybe some additional OBSE-related feature will make it possible, but currently I can't even find any proper functions for that.

When knocked down, Flame Atronachs will be temporarily freezed in place. When killed, they will turn into charred statues - if you will activate them at that point, it will give you Fire Salts and their fiery sword (of Luck-dependent quality, but only a flameless one - there's an optional plugin to make them flaming, though), and they will disappear (so they will not clutter your surroundings after their death). Keep in mind that if you will go too far from them without activating their bodies, they will disappear anyway!

There is also a mage version, that wields a scepter and instead of running at you, she will toss hundreds of fireballs at you; she's a really nasty one, because she can suddenly paralyze you if engaged into close combat and then run away, completely healing herself. You will need fire-resisting apparel, some good strategy and/or frost-based weapons/spells in order to get rid of her! She is, however, impossible to encounter without OOO - my mod offers her mostly as a modders' resource.

The file contains optional plugins to affect Flame Atronachs from some popular mods.

See readme for a complete information.

DOWNLOAD HERE:

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=37239

This sounds pretty cool! What I'm wondering:

In what ways does this conflict with Shining Creatures? If it supersedes it for Flame Atronachs that's great, but since Shining Creatures covers other creatures, will keeping it activated cause chaos with the Flame Atronachs?

And to clarify, if I'm playing vanilla with no balance changes, what will be spawning for me at lower levels when Flame Atronachs usually spawn? Will they be noticeably more difficult than other creatures or balanced similarly to the original Flame Atronachs? And after that point will I see more of them than usual as I level up or will they spawn with the same diminished frequency? Or can you just give a rundown on how they spawn compared to vanilla? Have you thought about making a version that only has them as high level Super Flame Atronachs?

Sorry for so many questions, this really sounds like something I'd like to use but I just want all the details, heh

EDIT: And whoops I haven't checked out the readme, sorry if any of this is already answered. And the adorable Flame Atronach is awesome haha

Nice! I liked your fix for the persistent light issue - I'll be sure to include it when we next update Shining Creatures. On that point though, Arkgnt and I are co-authors of the shining creatures mod, and I wrote the scripts for it. I don't want to be nitpicky, but could you put my contribution down in the credits too please? Thank you.

@Palidoo - I'm pretty sure it will be compatible with Shining Creatures, Zu used it in the correct way as a resource (ie, renaming everything), as I've seen a few of the scripts.

I believe that if my mod and the Shining Creatures affect the same Flame Atronachs, then my mod will overwrite the change made to them - but all other creatures should remain affected by Shining Creatures.


Well, my mod changes only the Flame Atronachs themselves, and it completely doesn't touch the leveled lists, meaning that they appear in same frequency as they did in vanilla (or OOO, if you're using it). And since my Flame Atronach turned out to be quite powerful, you'd better start being careful after reaching level 7 when exploring Oblivion gates and the like. Of course, you can always turn off my mod and load it only after reaching high enough level. You should turn off only the one with "_Vanilla" at the end - that way you don't even loose any of the swords you might have collected. Clever, eh?

EDIT:

Of course, sorry for this little mistake, I'll fix it right away.

Thank you very much - I'm flattered that you used Shining Creatures to start off with!

Thanks for answering so quickly (and your English is perfect as far as I can tell!). In my current game I'm a high enough level that I shouldn't have to worry. I imagine at level 7 they're pretty tough but you didn't make them totally overwhelming, that would kind of ruin things, heh. I don't use FCOM or its constituent overhauls but this is totally the kind of thing I'd want to include in my current game, where I'm trying to diversify the creatures without changing the balance. A tougher Flame Atronach (with badass flaming sword!) is a welcome change, they always feel like pushovers to me no matter what level.

Have you thought about doing the other Atronachs? I can picture a mod that splits them all off as their own high-level spawns, so you face regular ones early on and beefed up versions when you're at a higher level.

Anyway thanks for your great work getting this into the game!

Well, I was generally thinking about some other possible creatures that could be equipped with fitting weapons, but I don't promise anything, as it depends mostly on does I'll be able to find some fitting, weapon-based animations for them. Because basically, it's all about moving vanilla animations from one creatures to others and seeing what happens. I can already exclude the Storm Atronach - first, he has totally unique animations impossible to replace. Second, I just can imagine him wielding a weapon... and he's already quite unique anyway. About Frost Atronach... I will check.

Seems cool and it's nice that The Filthy Spaniard's method of making creature shine turns up in other mods. We hoped it might when we released Shining Creatures. (Also thanks for the fix - it will be implemented in the next release of SC as said). I fought Lady of Embers (OOO) just the other day and these sword-wielding and shining ones would complement her huge Flame Atronachs guards very nicely I think.