I have decided to take care of one of the main civ revamps planned on the middle term for AoE: our beloved purple arcanists of doom, the Sheaim. But before I start coding anything, I need to have a clear idea of all the new features I'm giving them. And I need your help for that.
I already have a certain number of ideas and features, either mine or picked from existing plans. Some of them are still mere drafts and most need to be developed, completed and balanced. Please comment this stuff, any suggestion or remark is welcome!
I already have a certain number of ideas and features, either mine or picked from existing plans. Some of them are still mere drafts and most need to be developed, completed and balanced. Please comment this stuff, any suggestion or remark is welcome!
Spoiler Happiness overhaul :
This is the big new feature to be introduced in the module, yet its implementation remains unclear. As a reminder, the Sheaim society is known to be anarcho-libertarian, their people are allowed to go into the worst depravities (link to some lore). Hence, the happiness system as we know it does not make much sense for them, yet they need to have something to prevent their cities from growing forever.
Here is my proposal: unhappy citizens do not refuse to work, however each of them reduces the city production by 10% and add 1 unhealth (to illustrate that anarchy and depravity affect the citizens' productivity and their health). Hence, it can still be profitable to have 1-2 unhappy citizens if they work productive tiles or specialists, especially in small cities. Luxury resources will not provide happiness (they could only increase decadence and unrest), but they will give other small bonuses (for example culture, commerce, science), most of them linked to UB.
There will be two main ways to counter unhappiness:
- the "Way of the tyrant": fight unrest with repression, gaining various effects to reduce unhappiness through military buildings, garrisoned units and rituals. Side effects: (positive) better military production; (negative) lower culture and GP output, slower city growth.
- the "Way of freedom": don't fight unrest, but turn it to your benefit through buildings and rituals. May reduce the negative effect of unhappy citizens (-5% production instead of -10%), give them additional bonuses (commerce, culture, science). Side effects: (positive) culture and GP boost; (negative) unhealth, lower military production, some military features blocked.
The base idea is to enforce two opposite gamestyles, which you can switch or even mix to some extent. For example, some military and cultural UBs will be mutually exclusive. I'm thinking about linking some of the features of both ways to civics: nationhood for tyranny, pacifism (or maybe religion) for freedom. The way of freedom should make the Sheaim able to aim at the culture victory: after all, their free society attract many immigrants, especially artists.
Here is my proposal: unhappy citizens do not refuse to work, however each of them reduces the city production by 10% and add 1 unhealth (to illustrate that anarchy and depravity affect the citizens' productivity and their health). Hence, it can still be profitable to have 1-2 unhappy citizens if they work productive tiles or specialists, especially in small cities. Luxury resources will not provide happiness (they could only increase decadence and unrest), but they will give other small bonuses (for example culture, commerce, science), most of them linked to UB.
There will be two main ways to counter unhappiness:
- the "Way of the tyrant": fight unrest with repression, gaining various effects to reduce unhappiness through military buildings, garrisoned units and rituals. Side effects: (positive) better military production; (negative) lower culture and GP output, slower city growth.
- the "Way of freedom": don't fight unrest, but turn it to your benefit through buildings and rituals. May reduce the negative effect of unhappy citizens (-5% production instead of -10%), give them additional bonuses (commerce, culture, science). Side effects: (positive) culture and GP boost; (negative) unhealth, lower military production, some military features blocked.
The base idea is to enforce two opposite gamestyles, which you can switch or even mix to some extent. For example, some military and cultural UBs will be mutually exclusive. I'm thinking about linking some of the features of both ways to civics: nationhood for tyranny, pacifism (or maybe religion) for freedom. The way of freedom should make the Sheaim able to aim at the culture victory: after all, their free society attract many immigrants, especially artists.
Spoiler Changes to the arcane line :
Summoned units will get a minor affinity:
- death: strength (+5% / mana)
- chaos: collateral damage
- shadow: first strikes
- entropy: passes a debuff to enemies in combat
- dimensional: withdrawal (5% / mana)
- metamagic: increases duration of summons (+1 turn / mana; I may remove the Summoned trait to Os-Gabella and Tebryn)
- fire: the unit explodes on death like a Pyre Zombie (without collateral)
The palace will not provide three necromancy mana types anymore, so that the tower of necromancy is harder to get (for example force instead of chaos mana).
- death: strength (+5% / mana)
- chaos: collateral damage
- shadow: first strikes
- entropy: passes a debuff to enemies in combat
- dimensional: withdrawal (5% / mana)
- metamagic: increases duration of summons (+1 turn / mana; I may remove the Summoned trait to Os-Gabella and Tebryn)
- fire: the unit explodes on death like a Pyre Zombie (without collateral)
The palace will not provide three necromancy mana types anymore, so that the tower of necromancy is harder to get (for example force instead of chaos mana).
Spoiler Unit tweaks :
- Duskbringer: it is currently too strong as it can safely spawn a skeleton per turn while remaining behind. Its skeleton summon will last 2 turns instead of one; as a compensation, its defensive strength will be increased (1/2 to 1/3, maybe even 2/3).
- Pyre zombie: it has already known a nerf, making it much less lethal (its explosion on death does not deal collateral anymore). I might reintroduce this collateral when it defends. Besides, Ignite Pyre will create temporary unhappiness, just like the Calabim Feast spell; and I consider limiting it to one pyre per turn and per city.
- War chariot and crossbowman are made unavailable since new tier 4 units are introduced. The champion, phalanx and berserker remain blocked.
- Pyre zombie: it has already known a nerf, making it much less lethal (its explosion on death does not deal collateral anymore). I might reintroduce this collateral when it defends. Besides, Ignite Pyre will create temporary unhappiness, just like the Calabim Feast spell; and I consider limiting it to one pyre per turn and per city.
- War chariot and crossbowman are made unavailable since new tier 4 units are introduced. The champion, phalanx and berserker remain blocked.
Spoiler Planar gates :
I don't like the current balance of the planar gate. It is underwhelming in early game (you get only a couple of Sauron's eyes and chaos marauders until you unlock tier 3 techs and buildings), and becomes overwhelming in late game if you achieve to bring the AC up (you get so many free units that you don't know what to do with them anymore; as for me, I send my manticores chasing Acheron and the Leviathan). I will think about a more balanced algorithm for spawn chances, notably including a global unit limitation in addition to the limitation per gate; just some math to do.
As for the units spawned, I will certainly remove manticores and minotaurs and bring a few new unit types instead (a demonic beastmaster, maybe a disciple).
As for the units spawned, I will certainly remove manticores and minotaurs and bring a few new unit types instead (a demonic beastmaster, maybe a disciple).
Spoiler New units :
- New pikeline: defensive melee units. Based on this and this parts of the lore. Sisters of Galveholm (tier 2, 3/5 strength), Queen's Daughters (tier 3, 5/7), Chosen Daughters (tier 4, 10/13, national unit). Can use all weapon upgrades, +50% against mounted and beast units. The tier 4 and maybe the tier 3 unit will receive a city defense bonus and require the palace to be built. It would be nice if they had a unique ability, I will think about it.
- New UU for the immortal, a warrior-mage, must be upgraded from a level 6+ mage (so a parallel line to the archmage). 8 strength, channeling 2 (or maybe even channeling 3), immortal. Lore-wise, the unit achieves immortality thanks to a gift a Nemed's blood.
- New UU for the immortal, a warrior-mage, must be upgraded from a level 6+ mage (so a parallel line to the archmage). 8 strength, channeling 2 (or maybe even channeling 3), immortal. Lore-wise, the unit achieves immortality thanks to a gift a Nemed's blood.
Spoiler the Emrys guild :
Founded in Galveholm at knowledge of the ether. Gives unhappiness, science, a free promotion to arcane units built in the city (faster XP gain, small strength bonus to the unit and its summons, some new promotions and spells can be learned). Sheaim will occasionally receive free arcane units from foreign civs following the Emrys.
Spoiler Long-term leader development plans :
- a Queen's daughter, hopeful and culture-oriented (optimized for the "way of freedom").
- Malchavic, AC-oriented.
- Emerge Tebryn, arcane-oriented.
- Malchavic, AC-oriented.
- Emerge Tebryn, arcane-oriented.
Spoiler World spell and rituals :
- Worldbreak will be replaced, it is too underwhelming. There might be different world spells for the two branches. The tyrannic one might transform some terrain to Hell and spawn demons (a demonic version of the Illian rituals). The cultural one might temporarily remove the negative effects of unhappiness and boost culture and GP.
- New rituals will be added, notably to affect the happiness mechanic. Other rituals may apply buffs to allies and debuffs to enemies in range, or create arcane items. The UB for alchemy lab boosts ritual production.
- New rituals will be added, notably to affect the happiness mechanic. Other rituals may apply buffs to allies and debuffs to enemies in range, or create arcane items. The UB for alchemy lab boosts ritual production.