Improved spell descriptions

Some spell and ability descriptions in the original game are incorrect or inaccurate. Some are incomplete. Some are unnecessarily wordy or repetitive. This mod attempts to fix these shortcomings.

GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS

• Added the stat “Party friendly” to some offensive spells. It can have the values Yes or No.
• Removed duplicated titles: The original spell descriptions include the name of the spell in the description. This duplication seems unnecessary, so I’ve removed it.
• Visual range: Casters cannot cast spells at points beyond their visual range. Since the visual range of every creature is 30, all the ranges higher than 30 are incorrect. To fix this, I’ve replaced all ranges 30 and above with “Visual range”.
• Saving throw: Added the kind of saving throw used (breath, death, etc.) and the bonuses or penalties applied.
• Added stats at the beginning of some abilities.
• Many stats corrected.
• Other minor improvements.

Removed wordiness

• Removed expressions like “also note that” and words like “effectively”, “completely”, or “automatically”.
• Replaced expressions like “When this spell is cast, it does x” with “This spell does x”.
• Moved information about the duration, area or saving throws to the stats summary, except when it’s too complex (like spells that have a saving throw for one effect but not for other) and removed duplicated information.
• Removed the line “Saving Throw: None” from spells that can’t have a saving throw, like helpful spells, summoning spells, etc.
• Removed the line “Area of Effect: Special” for summoning spells and other spells where it’s not helpful.
• Several other improvements.

Consistency
The original descriptions are inconsistent about saying whether a spell is dispellable and whether it bypasses magic resistance. Sometimes they say it, sometimes they don’t. For the sake of consistency, I’ve followed these two rules:

• Magic resistance: If a spell bypasses magic resistance, the description says so. If the description says nothing, it doesn’t bypass magic resistance.
• Dispelling: If a spell is not dispellable, its description says so. If the description says nothing, it is dispellable. I’ve made an exception when dispelling is the only way of getting rid of the effects of a spell, like in the case of Polymorph Other.

IMPROVEMENTS OF SPECIFIC DESCRIPTIONS
Corrections
The original descriptions of Non-detection, Protection From Fire (both the cleric and the wizard version), Protection From Cold, End Slayer Change, Immunity: Abjuration, Time stop and Slow poison are completely incorrect, so I’ve written a new description. For other spells I’ve made specific corrections:

• Mislead: The original descriptions says that the wizard is affected by Improved Invisibility. That’s incorrect, the invisibility of this spell is undispellable and can only be removed by killing his clone.
• Simulacrum: This spell is bugged. Until the bug is fixed, the description describes the behaviour of the bug.
• Breach: This spell is very difficult to describe. Hopefully my description is an improvement, but it still requires a thorough revision.
• Farsight: Added missing stats. Like Breach, this spell is quite difficult to describe. My current description is meant to be an improvement over the original but it still requires a thorough revision.
• Contingency: The original description says it cannot be an offensive spell because the target must be the caster. This is incorrect: Even using the caster as the target many offensive spells can be used, like Greater Malison or summoning spells.
• Implosion: The duration is 1 round, not 2.
• Enchanted Weapon: Clarified how it works for ranged weapons, which is ambiguous in the original description.
• Blur: Clarified, the original uses a confusing explanation that essentially means that the spell provides an AC bonus.
• Chaotic Commands: The original description is ambiguous and incomplete. The improved description attempts to be clear and comprehensive.
• Chant: The original description is ambiguous, inaccurate and incomplete. Since the effects of this spell are very complex, the improved description is still somehow inaccurate, but it’s meant to be a significant improvement over the original.
• Detect Invisibility: It reveals invisible creatures to everybody, not just the wizard.
• (Minor) Spell Deflection, (Minor) Spell Turning, and Shield of the Archons: They absorb all the spells directed at the caster, not just the offensive ones.
• Remove curse: It removes all curses, not just some.

Added missing information
For these spells I’ve added the information listed:

• Blade Barrier and Globe of Blades: Area of effect.
• Clairvoyance: It only works outdoors.
• Blindness: It reduces the visual range of the victim.
• Death spell: It doesn’t affect devas or planetars.
• Tenser’s Transformation: The caster loses his ability to cast spells.
• Emotion: Hopelessness: For gameplay purposes the creatures affected by this spell are sleeping.
• Spell Immunity: Added a description of Spell Immunity: Abjuration, which works quite differently than the other versions of this spell.
• Entangle: If there are no plants in the area of effect the spell creates them.
• Holy power: The maximum hit points are increased by 1 per level.
• Righteous Magic: The maximum hit points are increased by 1 per level.
• Minsc’s Berserk: The maximum hit points are increased by 1 per level. You lose control of him and he can attack your own party.
• Polymorph self: Added the information in this thread.

Removed incorrect information
In the descriptions of these spells I’ve removed the information listed because it is incorrect:

• Animal Summoning III: “Only animals within visual range of the caster at the time the spell is cast will come”.
• Immunity: x: “Grants the wizard protection from one spell school of his choice. After the spell is cast, the wizard must choose the school he wishes to be protected from”.
• Glyph of warding: “Prevents unauthorized or hostile creatures from passing, entering, or opening. It can be used to guard a small bridge, to ward an entry, or as a trap on a chest or box”.
• Monster summoning I, II and III: “These monster(s) appear within spell range and attack the caster's opponents”. Actually, they do whatever the caster tells them to do, which might or might not be attacking opponents.
• Fireball: The part about the flashing streak.

SPELL NAME CHANGES

• Protection From Evil, 10' Radius: The radius in the name is wrong, corrected to Protection From Evil, 15' Radius.
• Protection From Good, 10' Radius: The radius in the name is wrong, corrected to Protection From Good, 15' Radius.
• Neutralize Poison: Name changed to Neutralize Poison, Blindness and Deafness to reflect the actuall effects of the spell.