Hello.
"Monster Mutators" is some effect applied to monster in game. Generally this term used in GD in challenge areas, and mutator is just some effect (you can think about like prefix or affix) applied to monster or player. Generally same things exist in TQ/Tartarus, called by enemy / player buffs (and done as passive skills).
"Minor" or "Personal" Monster Mutator - is similar concept, but it is not related to challenge areas at all. There is about to give any monster some minor bonuses randomly. For self, I'm mostly interested to play with health modifiers to mimic HD rolls.
So, what is possible to use to implement this? If you familiar with BG internals, your answer should be immediate - RING! (Because in BG non-droppable rings are often used to give monsters right capabilities / resist / etc.)
So:
1. I'm generated 30 amulets each with steppy health modifier progression: from -50% health modifier up-to +85% health modifier.
2. Generated loot table with this items.
3. Assign this loot table to monster's equipment slot (Neck) for every monster. (Surely this is done programmatically.) (100% chance to equip)
Result: every monster in game has different HP even if you face multiple same monsters (same level / same record).
On top of basic item parameters surely there is possible to add prefix/affix and roll it from own tables with additional mutators you like.
Technical notes:
1. Items has no mesh, so they invisible. (May be have sense define "empty" mesh instead, because I believe engine complain about missed mesh in internal logs.)
2. Items can't be normally picked up, so this is doesn't changes normal play behavior. [cannotPickUp=true]
3. I'm use "Neck" slot in monsters because it is absolutely not used in game (it even doesn't defined in templates). In fact, monsters has Neck slot. Use it if you need.
4. In TQAE there is only single monster (Toxeus) who has chance to equip 2 rings simultaneously. So, actually, there is possible add another mutator item for monsters without drawbacks. [I believe game don't allow equip items where chance to equip is 0 under any case. Many monsters has item table for Finger2 but 0 chance to equip, however, I'm doesn't know if this chance can be adjusted, and think what there is "copy paste"]
5. Base item properties get "jitted" (randomized), looks like by 20% (e.g. +80% health modifier actually rolls between: +64..96%, while +10% HP rolls only in 8..12 range). And this may work... not like expected (because we already "roll" a +80% modifier base item, but may get much smaller value. This becomes especially important if you want create non-equally weighted loot table -> there is just will no have any sense in the end).
To counter this: instead of base item properties, there is possible to use affixes (so need 1 item and 30 affixes). [For LootRandomizers there is possible to adjust jitter's power]. Surely you still can create more base items with properties which you want roll, and on top of this always apply affix (health in my case).
6. Never use / equip > -100% health for monsters or player. Especially for player, otherwise it will immediate die. Ressurect and immediately die.
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I'm prepared sample modification (custom map), so if some one want, it can try how it work in action.
* there is -50%..+85% health modifiers: this numbers most likely good for me, but i'm doesn't sure what they are good in general for standard game. Surely, they can be adjusted.
You can download from mega.nz:
Normal Version: Archive
Glacie Atlas 0.1-1.7z is version which will not allow pickup "monster mutator" items, so you never will see what stats game rolled.
Development:
Glacie Atlas 0.1-1-development.7z - same as above, but makes this items pickable by player, so you can see which actual stats item have and useful for testing (this items are of Broken quality, doesn't need to say what there is not intended to equip them).
