Enabling Rare and Unique Charms

Enabling Rare and Unique Charms

Description: by Phatose

Categories: Tutorials (1.08)



NOTE : With the release of patch v1.09, this tutorial no longer works
due to the removal of several columns in the itemtypes.txt file.

For this tutorial, you will need the following: mpq2k, Excel (or an
equivalent tab delimited text editor), and an appropriate editor for
strings.tbl if you wish to add new uniques.

You first step in allowing higher grade charms to drop is to
extract the needed files from patch_d2.mpq. You will need
itemtypes.txt. If you wish to add rare charms, you'll also need
rareprefix.txt and raresuffix.txt. For unique's, you'll need
uniqueitems.txt, and string.tbl if you wish to add new uniques. You can
extract these with MPQView if you have a file list for the patch, or
you can use mpq2k from the command line. Exact instruction in using
either of these programs are available from the programs readme.txts.

After you have gotten the files you'll need, you first move is
to open up itemtypes.txt in Excel. Across the type are the column
names, down the left side are the item types. You'll need to go down to
where the 3 charms types are listed, small, medium and large charm.
These are below 'Expansion'. The row with itemtype charm above
'Expansion' is irrelevant. In those three rows (85, 86, and 87) scroll
over to the column labeled 'Mods' (column H). Change the 0's in these
three spots to 1. Then save itemtypes.txt.

If you want to allow rare charms to drop, you'll now need to
edit rareprefix.txt. Open in in Excel. The first column are the
prefixes used in naming rares. Choose a couple of prefixes that you
would like to be available as first names of rare charms. Columns C
through H list what types of items those prefixes are available to. In
the rows you have chosen, add char in a free space in those columns,
immediately following the last current entry. Save rareprefix.txt, and
open raresuffix.txt, and repeat this process for that file.

If you wish to allow unique charms to drop, you need to either
alter existing uniques to charms, or create new unique charms in
uniqueitems.txt. The details of adding in new uniques goes beyond the
scope of this tutorial, so we'll just edit an existing entry. Open
uniqueitems.txt in excel. We'll change the Gnasher into a unique grand
charm, as it is the first entry. Go to the row labeled 'The Gnasher'.
Scroll to column H, Code. We'll change this to cm3, the item code for a
grand charm. Column I does not seem to have any effect, but you should
change it to Grand Charm for reference. If you're familiar with
uniqueitems.txt, change the other columns to create exactly the Unique
you want, though for now, we'll just leave the rest they way it is.
Adding in new uniques goes beyond the scope of this tutorial, as I've
said, but if you choose to, remember that entries are case sensitive,
and 'The one ring' and 'The One ring' would be treated as different
values. For now, save uniqueitems.txt.

The modification neccessary are now done. Repack the modded
files into patch_d2.mpq with mpq2k, then either use the run LoD using
-direct, or create the .bin files you'll need with -txt and back the
new .bins. (The exact method for -txt is covered in ThresholdRPG's
tutorial for working with patch 1.08). Run LoD, and go kill things.
Eventually, you're newly avaiable rare or unique charms will drop.
There are ways to speed up this process by modding treasureclassex.txt
or cubemain.txt, but neither will be covered in this tutorial.

An additional note - while the modifications to itemtypes.txt
will allow charms to be used in sets, it is not recommended. Sets only
gain bonuses when the individual items are actually equipped, and
charms cannot be equipped. While it is possible to modify charms so
they can be equipped, or create a new type of charm that can be worn,
it is not recommended for inexperienced modders.

This explains how to allow unique/rare charms to drop. Do be
careful with these though. They can very easily become imbalancing in
quantities, as I can attest to. Rare charms add up quickly, and can be
a major thorn to game balance. But if balance isn't your thing....go to
it.

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