Bate's Bounty Hunters

There are protos for 3 different bounty hunters (human, half-elf and dwarf) but the random encounter table only uses 2 (human and half-elf).

I've never killed Bates so I've never met the bounty hunters in game. The evidence I have points towards there not being any dwarven bounty hunters in game but I would like someone to confirm this.

Also, is it only ever just one hunter at a time that you meet?
Are they woefully underpowered?
I've scaled the Malochean Hand and orc bandit encounters. Do the bounty hunters require scaling too?

 

The BH does definetly need some scaling. They suck more than the other random-encounter bastards. And no, I've never encountered any dwarf BH either. I don't think they exist at all, actually (other than in the WorldEd).

 

I think scaling in the orc bandit case sounds bad. Unless you only scale it one way, so that it is still possible to meet the level 50 orc bandit when just leaving Shrouded Hills, but almost impossible to meet a level 5 group when you're level 50. I mean, why would the big bad orcs not attack an weak traveller?

In the case of the Molochean hand and Bates Bounty Hunters, scaling works better. None of the organisations would pay a level 50 hunter to hunt down a level 5 character, and a level 5 hunter wouldn't dare attacking a big party of level 50 characters.

 

Hate to burst your bubble, Wolfsbane, but I can truthfully claim to have met a dwarf bounty hunter. ONE dwarf bounty hunter.

I was on my way back from Ashbury, and ran into him. Solo Dwarf vs. six people armed to the teeth and a dog. Not a good match. Five seconds start to finish.

Yeah, they definately need boosted.

 

I've met a half-ogre BH. In Stillwater, if I remember correctly. He attacked us, many people at the Tavern were outraged and started attacking him as well.

 

Interesting. If it happened in a town then it was pre-scripted. The other bounty hunters are based on protos whereas the ones in towns are individually created, which explains why there is no ogre bounty hunter proto.

Ah but they will. That's why there needs to be options to avoid combat. So if a level 5 character runs up against hard orcs then he just has to fork over the 200 gold.

As for the dwarf bounty hunter in random encounters: Were the dwarves definitely in random encounters which took place in the wilderness?

 

Perfect! I was afraid you'd make the scaling retarded, like the one I hear is in Oblivion where every monster scales after your level, so if you're level one you encounter level one enemys, and when you're level fifty, those enemies are level fifty too.

 

Will that scaling coincide with their skills? Suppose you are level 25, you encounter a level 25 half-orc who's got the normal status for their race and no dodge or melee. You're obviously superior if you've invested some points in those skills.

 

Hey, Bunny:

That half-ogre in Stillwater, you are certain it was one of Bates' Bounty Hunters?

 

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: To a certain extent. Melee ranks make a huge difference so I don't want to overuse them. e.g. bands of orcs running about who can fight better than the melee master.
Tech enemies will gain gun skills and other enemies will gain melee and dodge skills but only up to about the half way point. I think beyond halfway should be reserved for important plot point enemies.

Anyone going to bite for my previous question?
"As for the dwarf bounty hunter in random encounters: Were the dwarves definitely in random encounters which took place in the wilderness?"

 

Make the bounty-hunters travel in groups of at least three or more, 'cause else they're too easy to kill. I mean, even with scaling and stuff.
And about that fella in Stillwater; he's a troublemaker-NPC. In some cases, he's with the Molochean Hand. In some, he's with Bates.
If you're a friend of the Molochean Hand and haven't provoked Bates, then he'll be the usual "I'm gonna pound yer face" NPC-type. There are always a few of them in each and every human town.

 

Yes.

 

I'm glad I have my own secretary. How much do I owe you, Wolfsie?

 

Thanks for bringing those lines together. I finally got my answer.

 

Bounty Hunters......why do the words Boba Fett NPC MOD pop into my head...

 

Not Boba Fett - think cowboy.

Eeeehhaaaaa!

 

Having a Boba-Fett type NPC would be awesome in Arcanum. Of course, I'm an old school Star Wars fan.

 

You owe me nothing bunny. You've been nice to me ever since I came here, and you deserve a decent secretary for your goodieness.

 

Goodieness ???