How would I go about linking a specific spell/skill to a book...

Make an item that is your spellbook. Copy one of the books Pariden gets. Instead of unlocking Air Apprentice, have it unlock Warlord Alpha's Book of Hexes.

Make a trait that has the name you used for the book. Basically you can copy Air Apprentice, but change the name and prereqs. Make sure it is not available for Soc customization.

Now add the spells you want. For their prereq, use the trait you just made.

So then you have a book that unlocks a trait that unlocks the spells. Your basic spellbook.

Would it be possible to have a spellbook that removes a trait from the user (author) then another unit can read it to learn said trait/skill/spell? That is, a champ could "lose" a skill by using the book - then another champ or sov can read the book to learn it?

to me, the answer of this question is relevant because now i will have an easy way to achieve something im working on.

Is it possible to build a book (like a unit) - which places ONE copy in the shop to purchase? If so, the same method could be used to build a ship or artifact, etc.

OK, uhm kinda new at this so bear with me. 

CoreItems.xml for the spellbook item.  create item with a new unlock..  easy enough, i think, lets call it "Hexes1"

and thats about as far as I got...  I assume CoreAbilities.xml is where I would put the trait?

and for adding the spell/ability (was a good idea i didn't think of that to add multiple to 1 book how would I do that?) to the trait I really have no clue.

Guess it wasn't quite as simple as just linking a spell or ability directly to a book to have it "teach it"   but the new traits would work I can just change the numbers for a quicker way to do it.  And if the multiple linking to 1 book/trait works that would be interesting ie binding Crush active and Bash passive to one book makes more sense (since they are blunt style skills).


So yeah a little more explanation would be greatly appreciated if you have the time seanw3!

Since you are adding new content, you don't have to have it in those files. Make a new file in the user directory. You can simply paste the stuff you took to that file and make everything there. 

Yes, CoreAbilities has all the traits in it. Find Air Apprentice and copy it to do what you want.

Now you are ready to make a spell. This part is a little more complicated. You will need to find the spell that is most like the one you want to create and copy it. The GameModifier tag is the function of the spell. Several other tags decide how and when the spell can be used. The prereq should be the trait internal name you created. Hexes1. Any spell you want to be unlocked by the book simply needs to have this prereq. And to complicate that, make sure the spell also has this tag: <AutoUnlock>1</AutoUnlock> That is what tells the spell to unlock for anyone with that trait.

If that isn't complicated enough, there is a second way to do it where the trait just unlocks the spell you want. If you are simply specifying spells that are already in the game, this is easier. Find the trait for FleshBoundTome. This one has a GameModifier called UnlockSpell. Simply use this with the name of the spell you want unlocked. I believe it will unlock it for the whole faction, unless you add a prereq to the spell itself.

Hey thanks for the help seanw3...  havnt quite yet figured out the book thing, guess I am missing something   but definitely made some progress during that I figured out how to make some additional character creation talents   so now I got some "class elements" that can be chosen on character creation for custom Sovs like a couple extra spells for one trait, a passive and active skill for another   was a fun experiment!

need to get back to figuring out the spell books.  I am thinking since I'm up to the custom talents that it must be a simple error with the item itself or something... 

i'll prob come across more questions as I mess around if ya dont mind me asking ya questions from time to time   cause now that I am actually learning how this works, it is incredible fun almost as much as the game itself lol.

I made a tutorial for this, but I am having some technical issues uploading it to the net. Look for it in my modding tutorial thread later today.

One of us... one of us... one of us...

If you haven't got it working, it helps if you post the XML you have so far. Preferably inside "quote" tags, not code tags.

kinda wanna stumble around first before flat out posting and asking...  learn more that way even if it was an ooops
new to this whole modding and xml thing... 

When you said "it is incredible fun almost as much as the game itself lol." I knew you were a "true" modder. Both me and seanw3 spend more time modding than we do playing the game.

Oh I gotcha    yeah I have to admit the past couple days I definately spent more time changing stuff, figuring out what does what, and over all causing the game to crash a lot   My programming skills are very old school..  80s early 90s lol but so far this xml is actually a far bit easier than the languages of ye olde times  

lots of questions but figuring out a lot as well   anyways i better head out and get a bite to eat lol. 

 EDIT: wow them smileys on this forum are obnoxious lol.

I was just about to compliment you on your smiley to sentence ratio.

LOL yeah...  guess i tend to use smilies a lot, guess im just a happy go lucky guy lol.

Anyways yeah I'm having a blast modding especially 20 mins of GRRRRR WHY!!! WORK!!! ARRRGGGHH!!!  then bingo it works like a charm and its all WOOOOHOOO!!!!  *dance around*  cept as i mention not familiar with the code at all so learning as i go which is ok back in the day was in college for old Green Screen programming   ok THAT was a nightmare compared to this