TOTAL PARTY KILL - Permadeath Mod for BG2:EE / EET

Version: 1.0 Author: Aaron - violet-vector.com Requires: BG2:EE or Enhanced Edition Trilogy (EET) WeiDU: Yes

What This Mod Does

Changes the fundamental death rules of Baldur's Gate:

Standard BG rule: Protagonist dies = instant game over, regardless of party state.

New rules:

• If the protagonist dies but any party member is still alive, the game continues. The protagonist is automatically raised with 1 HP. Your party can then properly resurrect them.
• If ALL party members die (true Total Party Kill), the game over triggers AND all save files for that character are permanently deleted.

There is no undo. There is no reload. Your character is gone.

Important: Save Scoping

The mod only deletes saves belonging to the current character. Other characters/playthroughs in the same save directory are safe. It matches save folder names against the protagonist's name.

Quick saves and auto saves are also deleted (they belong to the active game session).

Installation

1. Download and extract to your BG2:EE game directory
2. Run setup-permadeath.exe (or weidu setup-permadeath.tp2)
3. Select component 0: "Total Party Kill Permadeath"
4. Start a new game or load an existing save

Compatibility

Compatible With:

• BG2:EE (v2.6+)
• EET (Enhanced Edition Trilogy)
• SCS (Sword Coast Stratagems) - works fine, enemies are just smarter about killing you
• Ascension - works fine
• Most NPC mods - no conflicts expected
• Tweaks Anthology - no conflicts

Potential Issues:

• Protagonist death in cutscenes: The Infinity Engine may trigger game over from scripted protagonist deaths before our hook can fire. This is a known engine limitation. Most cutscene deaths are unavoidable story events anyway.
• Chunked/disintegrated protagonist: If the protagonist is chunked (reduced to -10 HP by massive damage) or disintegrated, the auto-raise may fail because there is no body to resurrect. In this case, the standard game over fires. This is intentional -- if you get chunked, that's a real death.
• Petrification: A petrified protagonist is NOT dead. The game continues. Party members can use Stone to Flesh to restore them.
• Maze/Imprisonment: These are NOT death. The effects wear off or can be dispelled.
• Difficulty settings: This mod does not interact with difficulty. Play on whatever difficulty you want. The permadeath applies regardless.

Not Compatible With:

• Other protagonist-death mods (e.g., "Protagonist Can Die" mods) - they modify the same engine behavior. Use one or the other, not both.
• Mods that modify baldur.bcs extensively - potential script block conflicts. Install TPK late in your install order.

Install Order

Install this mod after most other mods but before EET End (if using EET).

Recommended position:

[... other mods ...]
SCS (Sword Coast Stratagems)
Total Party Kill        <-- here
EET End                 <-- always last

How It Works (Technical)

The mod has two parts:

1. Lua UI Override (m_aa_prma.lua): Hooks into the engine's death handler (worldScreen.OnDeath). When the protagonist hits 0 HP, it checks if any other party member is alive. If yes, it suppresses the game over and casts Raise Dead on the protagonist. If no (true TPK), it deletes the character's saves and lets the game over proceed.

2. BCS Script (aa_perma.baf): Appended to baldur.bcs as a backup detection layer. Monitors party state every game tick.

Save deletion targets: %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Baldur's Gate II - Enhanced Edition\save\ and mpsave\. Only folders matching the character name (plus quick/auto saves) are deleted.

Warnings

• This mod will permanently delete your save files. That is its entire purpose.
• Back up your saves before installing if you want a safety net (though that defeats the point).
• Do not alt-tab during a TPK -- the save deletion runs as a system command and may not complete if the game is force-closed.
• Cloud saves: If you use Steam Cloud Sync for saves, deleted saves may re-download from the cloud. Disable cloud sync for BG2:EE if you want true permadeath.
• This mod is not recommended for a first playthrough. It is designed for experienced players who want a high-stakes challenge.

Uninstallation

Run setup-permadeath.exe and select "Uninstall." This removes all mod components. It does not restore previously deleted saves (obviously).

FAQ

Q: Can I back up my saves and restore them after a TPK? A: Technically yes. But you'd be cheating against yourself. The mod trusts you to play honestly.

Q: What if my game crashes during a hard fight? Does that count as a TPK? A: No. The save deletion only triggers through the in-game death handler. A crash bypasses all of it. Your saves are safe from crashes.

Q: Does this work with multiplayer? A: Untested. The mpsave directory is included in the wipe, but multiplayer death mechanics are different. Use at your own risk.

Q: I'm playing with Stormbringer/a cursed weapon that can damage allies. Will friendly fire cause a TPK? A: Only if it actually kills every party member. Stormbringer's friendly fire in the Elric mod is non-lethal (minimum 1 HP). But other sources of friendly fire (wild surges, bouncing lightning bolts, etc.) absolutely can cause a TPK if you're unlucky.