Ultima IX - Tidbits #26: Binding mechanics and Freeze spell experiments

Channel:

CastChaos

Subscribers:

468

Published on December 1, 2021 10:00:52 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDMa-K3bJa4

Game:

Ultima IX: Ascension (1999)

Duration: 8:22

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Here the observer can note several things about the binding, itself (plus some added details from off-camera experiments):
- The spellbinding mantra input is active even while conversations and accepts input
- Though I remember so that removing the scroll before giving the mantra made the binding fail, here in my GOG version I can place it anywhere and it still vanishes. In my other video I took it back into inventory while binding, but actually I found it can be done here before giving the mantra.
- You can bind an already known spell without side effects.
- You can place more scrolls and reagents but only one set will be bound.
- The input is active while you are close to the circle, but you need to face towards it for you to see. If you are on the edge and give the mantra, going farther before the spellbook shines simply cancels the binding. Going to other binding circle meanwhile and attempting a binding there doesn't cancel the previous one.

I tried to use it for somethng bigger, like binding a higher level spell or making it stronger via any glitch, etc., but nothing Greater Trick level result came in. So far. New things are found in each year even in very old games.

PLUS: Freeze spell experiments show that:
- You can use it on landmark objects, inventory items and sometimes at certain parts of slopes and other theoretically non-object parts of the terrain, not only on NPCs. Potential use is yet unknown to me, it doesn't even break a barrel. It doesn't douse fire.
- You can freeze ice hounds. I don't know if it hurts them, I kept casting it at them off-camera, but even after using up all my magic and refills, it still lived. The damage is small or it's immune. Just as I never killed a crab with afrost sword. Also, this is the first playthrough in which I can evade the frost hound freeze.
- You can freeze... yourself. But then the Avatar stays immobile and almost as unresponsive like he was dead. You can pull off weapons but can't put them back, spells don't work (serpent venom does), you can't move anymore even with fly cheat. So, for some reason it works different than the ice hound freeze. I will look into this more.

So, maybe there are some objects where freezing does something and maybe using it on some moving NPCs before a scene accomplishes something. Further work is needed.

BONUS 1:
You can cast charm on yourself. I could move all the same, but as soon as I would draw a weapon, the game crashes. A bit painful to play around, but it might hide more details.

BONUS 2:
I discovered that tree with face only one and half weeks ago, on an unusually nice Sunday. I don't know what's it about, I found no info. The tree is setup of at least 2 models instead of the usual one, but the face part is resistant to any magic, including freeze.

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