Kikaimegami (daedra@kikaimegami.com) and Momaw (momaw@nhvt.net)
Version 1.0, 2007 April 06
Arcane Archery combines the skillsets of the mage and the archer. Launch magical attacks on your enemies using a toolbox of unique enchanted arrows. By using a bow to supply the ranged part of the spellcasting, arcane archers avoid much of the cost associated with using ranged magic; plus they add an unhealthy amount of physical damage as well as the spell.
Extract the archive to your "Oblivion\Data" directory, making sure that your decompression program is set to use the directory structure in the archive. On the Oblivion launcher window, click Data Files, and put a checkbox next to the arcanearchery.esp item.
Arcane Archery will start itself automatically the first time you load or create a new game. It may take up to 5 seconds for the plugin to activate. You will see a few message boxes asking about your character class. After that, it will take another few seconds before you receive a number of spells. Once you do, the plugin is ready to use.
To start launching magic-tipped arrows, select and cast one of the spells in your spell list. You will recieve 20 arrows of the selected type, that are automatically equipped. Pull out your favorite bow and start shooting!
The quality of arrow that appears when you use the spell is dependant on both your character level and your Mysticism skill. Somebody barely versed in Mysticism can only create an arrow that's roughly the physical equivalent of iron, while somebody very experienced can create arrows with extrordinary penetration.
When you hit a living (or undead if you want to be technical,) thing with an arcane arrow, you will see a small message that says "Arcane Archery added". Your magicka is drained, and the spell is delivered. If you hit something that isn't a valid target (like a rock), nothing happens. If you do not have enough magicka to cast the spell right now, or if you are silenced, there is only a brief flash of the spell collapsing.
The quality of the spell delivered is dependant on your Destruction skill. A hit with an arcane arrow will always cost the same amount of magicka to you, but the power of the delivered spell will go up at higher skill levels.
Be careful at higher skills levels, since arrows have a small area (5 feet at Master-level destruction). Unlike normal spells, you CAN be hit by your own magic if you are too close to the target!
Each succesful hit with an arcane arrow counts as a spell casting. When you have delivered enough hits, your Destruction skill will increase.
The types of arrows are:
Arcane Archery pushes Oblivion in ways that it was not really made to be pushed. Because of this, there are several oddities which will not hurt your gameplay, but may raise an eyebrow:
It is beyond the scope of this document to teach how to use the construction set, but for people who know their way around, here's the order of steps you need to follow to make all the parts mesh together. You can use your own names if you want, but your life will be easier if you continue the naming system already in place. We'll pretend that we're adding new arrows called "Arcane Arrows of Godslaying" (!). The internal name will be "Godslaying".
Create new spells, in 5 strength levels. These use whatever effects you want to actually be the end result, and are perfectly normal "touch" spells. So the Inferno arrows have fire damage, Lightning arrows have shock damage, etc. Use the format kikaiAA[type][number][name], like this:
kikaiAAGodslaying1Novice
kikaiAAGodslaying2Apprentice
kikaiAAGodslaying3Journeyman
kikaiAAGodslaying4Expert
kikaiAAGodslaying5Master
Open the script kikaiAAFrostScript, and copy the full text. In a text editor, search-and-replace all instances of Frost with Godslaying (there are six instances). Copy this altered version, and save it into a blank new script. Make sure to set the script type to Magic Effect.
Create a new enchantment, kikaiAAGodslayingEn. Its only effect is a Script Effect, which would be kikaiAAGodslaying. Set its area to zero, duration to 1. Do not add a Visual, it's unnecessary.
Create 5 new arrow objects (under Ammo). Once again, use numbers:
kikaiAAGodslaying1Arrow
kikaiAAGodslaying2Arrow
kikaiAAGodslaying3Arrow
kikaiAAGodslaying4Arrow
kikaiAAGodslaying5Arrow
The arrows should have the echantment kikaiAAGodslayingEn. The original arrows have increasing physical damage, which go as: 8, 10, 13, 16, 20. Assign whatever art resources you've got. Since arcane arrows are magical by nature, they all should Ignore Normal Weapons Resistence. Remember to set the Speed or your arrows will fly about two feet; default arrow speed is 1.
Open the script kikaiAAController. You'll need to add things in a few different places:
Open the script kikaiAAFrostSpellScript. Yes, you're almost done, hang in there. Copy, search-replace, save as new. 32 instances. Be sure to set the script type to Magic Effect.
Create a new spell, kikaiAAGodslayingSpell. The Script Effect Always Applies, and the spell can't be reflected or absorbed. Add a new effect to the spell: Script Effect, target self, duration 0. The script is kikaiAAGodslayingSpell, the School is Mysticism, and the effect is not hostile. Use whatever visual and name you want. Once you've added the effect, decide how much the spell should cost. The original arrow types cost 20 base magicka.
Open kikaiAAController again, and add a new line Player.AddSpell kikaiAAGodslayingSpell in the ### INIT section.
If you want to use these new arrows with a character who has already started using Arcane Archery, then you will want to "reboot" the script. Open the console and do: set kikaiAAController.init to 0.
Disabling the mod while a character is using it is "safe", in that nothing horrible will happen. The game will give an error message when you load the game, about missing data, but this is harmless and will only appear once. Due to the way the plugin works, a small amount of saved data will remain in your savegame. It cannot be removed, but it is also harmless. Once the mod is disabled, you can delete these files:
oblivion\data\ArcaneArchery.esp
oblivion\data\ArcaneArchery-readme.htm
oblivion\data\meshes\ArcaneArchery (entire directory)
oblivion\data\textures\ArcaneArchery (entire directory)
oblivion\data\textures\menus\icons\ArcaneArchery (entire directory)
If you have any bugs, glitches, or errors to report, or if you have any suggestions, please contact us! You can reach us via E-mail, Kikaimegami (daedra@kikaimegami.com) and Momaw (momaw@nhvt.net), or in the REL threads for the mod on Planet ElderScrolls or the official Elder Scrolls Forums.
The contents of this mod may not be used in part or in whole unless it is included in its entirety within a compilation-type mod. If you would like to include Arcane Archery in your compilation, please ask for permission first.