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Introduction[]

This guide concerns the DOS versions of these games, more specifically the versions buyable from GoG and Steam. This includes all games in Forgotten Realms: The Archives - Collection Two except Unlimited Adventures. Transfer utilities are included with the Steam versions. The information is not guaranteed to be true for other versions, especially the ability to transfer between the Pools and Savage Frontier series. To avoid typing out full titles every time, each game is given a 3-letter abbreviation.

Abbreviations Used[]

General Instructions[]

Before moving on to the next game, load the desired save from the earlier one and remove characters from the party. This will create up to 3 files for each character:

  • Character File: All basic information about the character.
  • Effects File: Current magic effects on the character. This includes the bonuses of paladins, rangers, and non-human characters, and is needed for those to be kept after transfer.
  • Inventory File: The character's items. Some transfers will remove all items, making this irrelevant, but not all of them.

With a couple of exceptions, these files will be found in the cloud_saves\SAVE subfolder, and must be copied into that same subfolder for the next game. Note that there will be another SAVE folder outside of cloud_saves. The GOG versions essentially treat that one as read-only, and its contents will be overridden by the one in cloud_saves if the same files are in both. While it can be kept empty, it must still exist for saving and loading to work. If a needed subfolder is not there, it can be manually (re-)created. It is not actually necessary to finish any game before exporting.

Pool of Radiance[]

  • Character File: .CHA
  • Effects File: .SPC
  • Inventory File: .ITM (irrelevant for transfer)
  • Export: HIL, CAB

Notes[]

  • Characters can only be removed from the party at a training room.
  • This game has no SAVE folder. The needed files will be found in cloud_saves\POOLRAD instead.

Hillsfar[]

  • Character File: .HIL
  • Import: POR, CAB, GSF
  • Export: CAB

Notes[]

  • This game does not have a SAVE subfolder. Importable files can be placed in GOG's cloud_saves folder or directly in the Hillsfar folder.
  • Only character files are needed.
  • POR characters will keep any altered stats including extra CON from the Manual of Bodily Health.
  • GSF characters will be recognized as CAB characters.
  • CAB/GSF characters will have altered stats reverted to normal, but keep extra HP that resulted from wearing the Girdle of the Dwarves.
  • Paladins and rangers cannot be imported unless they have dualed into another class.
  • After exporting to CAB, bringing back an updated .GUY file allows guild quests to be repeated.

Curse of the Azure Bonds[]

  • Character File: .GUY
  • Effects File: .FX
  • Inventory File: .SWG
  • Import: POR, HIL, GSF
  • Export: HIL, SSB, GSF, TSF

POR Notes[]

  • No items will be transferred. Characters will start with 300 platinum each.
  • Stats outside of racial minimums and maximums are reverted to those values.
    • 18(00) strength on characters who can't normally have that will be retained.

POR Strength Bug[]

There is a bug in how the Strength attribute is transferred that causes unexpected behavior from any strength-altering items or spells in CAB. When casting a spell that improves Strength (or equipping an item that does so), strength is not improved as expected. Instead, it appears on the stats screen as if the character has been given the maximum strength for their race and gender; in reality, though, the Strength value used internally has wrapped back around to the lowest strength value of 3. Thus the character will only have a movement of 3 and extremely low damage dealt despite looking like they are as strong as possible.

For example, if you import a human male fighter with a strength of 18, you would expect that casting Enlarge on them would raise their strength to 20. Instead, the stats screen will show the fighter as having a strength of 100 (the max for human males), but under the hood the character actually has a strength of 3. Furthermore, this bug prevents the Strength stat from reverting to its original value even when the item is removed or the spell wears off; once their strength is set to the racial maximum, it cannot be lowered again without a save editor.

While some players have gotten around this by using a save editor, there is a simpler way. From the CAB main menu you can remove the character from your party and then re-add them as a CAB character instead of a POR one; after doing so the strength bug is resolved and they will be treated the same way as a character that was freshly created in CAB. Detailed steps are below.

  1. (Optional, but recommended): In Pool of Radiance, unequip everything from your character before beginning the transfer to prevent stat-boosting items from permanently boosting the character's stats in CAB.
  2. Export the characters from POR and import them into CAB.
  3. Create your party using this character and any others you want. These can either be other POR characters or ones created fresh in CAB .
  4. For safety, make a copy of your SAVE directory until you are certain that everything is working correctly (for Gog, this is in the cloud_saves directory).
  5. Once your party is set up, highlight the character you imported and choose "remove character from the party" from the main menu. Do not choose "Drop" or they will be gone forever!
  6. Choose "Add character" from the main menu.
  7. This is the important step to work around the bug: when prompted "add from where?", choose "Curse" instead of "Pool".
  8. Select the character you just removed from the party. Because the game now recognizes that character as one from CAB instead of one from POR, the strength bug goes away.
  9. That character now has their Strength bug resolved. Repeat the steps above for each character you imported from POR.
  10. Check that everything is working correctly by casting a strength-altering spell on each character, ensuring that their strength is raised to the correct value and not to the racial maximum; then rest at camp for several hours until the spell wears off, and ensure that the character's Strength has reverted to the correct base value. If you have any strength-altering items in your inventory you can use that for the test instead.

HIL Notes[]

  • HIL characters will keep any and all abnormal stats.
  • They will automatically be brought to the highest levels their experience will allow, but without a corresponding HP increase.
  • Non-human characters with .HIL and no other associated files will have .FX files created for them.
    • If the characters have associated POR files, that file will not be created. To retain their bonuses, either bring the .HIL file alone or recreate the character in CAB before importing.
  • A character with both a .HIL file and a .CHA or .GUY file will keep a non-default character icon and have their Hillsfar gold converted to platinum, rounded up to 300 if less than that.
    • If the character has a .GUY file, any remaining Hillsfar items will be converted. If the character has a .SWG file, these items will replace their CAB inventory.
      • The Rod of Blasting will become a Wand of Magic Missiles.
      • Knock Rings will become a single, non-cursed Ring of Vulnerability which seems to do nothing. This ring will sell for 100 gold per Knock Ring.
      • Potions of Healing will combine into a single item with the same number of uses.
  • Certain journal entries are only referenced with one of these characters in the party.

GSF Notes[]

  • GSF characters will be recognized as CURSE characters.
  • Black and dark gray colors on character icons will be switched.
  • GSF Items that don't exist in CAB will transfer but be renamed.
    • They will retain their basic functionality, but lose special effects.

Secret of the Silver Blades[]

  • Character File: .WHO
  • Effects File: .SFX
  • Inventory File: .STF
  • Import: CAB, GSF
  • Export: POD

Notes[]

  • Change the extension of the .FX files to .SFX to keep effects, though some might change:
    • Invisibility from Dust of Disappearance will change to Magically Highlighted for the same duration.
    • Paralysis Resistance will change to Paladin Heal Cooldown.
  • Characters will start with no items or money.
    • Stat alterations from equipped items will be retained even with the items removed.
  • Bestow Curse will be removed from magic-user spellbooks, but can be re-learned.
  • Some character icons may have their heads changed.
  • Black and dark gray colors on CAB character icons will be switched.
  • GSF characters will be recognized as CURSE characters.

Pools of Darkness[]

  • Character File: .PC
  • Effects File: .EFX
  • Inventory File: .THG
  • Import: SSB, TSF
  • Export: TSF

SSB Notes[]

  • SSB characters in POD's SAVE folders will not be found.
  • The Pools of Darkness folder should have a subfolder called SECRET. Copy SSB's cloud_saves\SAVE folder into that.
  • SSB characters can be imported individually or as an entire party from an A-J save.
  • The transfer is likely to alter some effects:
    • Item effects are not likely to be active until the items are re-equipped.
    • A character with 20+ constitution will have all effects, including class and racial bonuses, replaced with regeneration. This will end after one in-game-hour. The effects can be restored by making a save with those characters, recreating them outside of a save, then removing them from the party while they have no effects.
  • Some character icons may have their heads changed, particularly likely for short ones.
  • Strength above 18(00) without a girdle equipped will be brought back down to that.
  • CON raised by CAB's Girdle of the Dwarves will brought down by 1. This can cause a rather buggy change to the character's HP. The lowered CHA will remain.

TSF Notes[]

  • TSF characters will be recognized as POOLS characters.
  • TSF exclusive items will have their names changed. Weapons and armor retain functionality.

Gateway to the Savage Frontier[]

  • Character File: .GUY
  • Effects File: .FX
  • Inventory File: .SWG
  • Import: CAB
  • Export: TSF, HIL, CAB, SSB

Notes[]

  • CAB Characters will retain levels above the GSF caps.
    • 4th and 5th level spells still work.
  • Items from CAB not normally obtainable in GSF are functional.
    • Ioun Stone Pale Blue is renamed "Ioun Stone Scrawled Note" but has the same effect.
    • The Girdle of the Dwarves is renamed "Girdle of Dwarven" but has the same effects. It is safer to use on multi-class characters created in GSF.
  • Black and dark gray colors on character icons will be switched.

Treasures of the Savage Frontier[]

  • Character File: .PC
  • Effects File: .EFX
  • Inventory File: .THG
  • Import: GSF, CAB, POD
  • Export: POD

GSF/CAB Notes[]

  • GSF/CAB characters in POD's SAVE folders will not be found.
  • The Treasures of the Savage Frontier folder should have a subfolder called GATEWAY.
    • Copy files for individuals or A-J saves from GSF and/or CAB into the GATEWAY\SAVE folder.
      • Character and save files from either game will be recognized as GATEWAY. You can import characters separately or as a whole party from an A-J save.
  • Several items may be removed upon import.
    • This includes all stat-altering equipment except CAB's Girdle of Giant Strength.
      • The altered stats from having them equipped will remain even with the items gone.
  • Some character icons may have their heads changed, particularly likely for short ones.

POD Notes[]

  • POD characters will be recognized as TREASURES characters.
    • They will keep their levels up to 40, far above the TSF caps.
      • All spells, up to 9th level, still work.
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