I've been busier than expected with work lately, and will likely stay busy for a while, but am still trying to find the time to put the final touches on the modmod for another release soon.
I'd really like to use the Murkdweller (dementia skin) as my Stygian Guard art, but have wasted too much time trying in vain to figure out some way to animate it. Could someone (such as
@BossDaddy ) manage to rig it?
I keep changing my mind on what would be best for the Mithril Golem. I'm thinking that if I change the hero from the Runes of Kilmorph to the Ringgivers that it is not so importan that it can move though peaks, so the fact that pretty much every option looks terrible standing at a really weird angle on peaks is less important. I'm leaning towards a reskin of the Juggernaunt clockwork soldier from Orbis, but still think that Jyggylag (perhaps made a bit closer to dwarven proportions) would be better if we could get its posture right on ordinary hills.
I decided to eliminate the Enchant Spellstaff and Enchant Spellstaves (Greater) spells, replacing them with a Craft Artifact and Craft Artifacts (Greater) spell which would create create random pieces of equipment based on the mana types you have available.
Spellstaves would still be possible, but only if you have an effective supply of Metamagic mana. You could also end up with Timor Masks (with mind), Jade Torques (with Nature), Shields of Balance (with Force), Deasil Charm (with Sun), etc.
I'm thinking I'll have at least one piece of equipment associated with each mana type, including new options like the Ice Sickle (with ice; grants cold strength and cold rsistance, but may make the unit slow), Aquamarine Amulet (with water, grants cold resistance and amphibious), Lode Pick (with earth, grants lightning resistance and lets unit move through peaks), Bloody Axe (with body, may grant burning blood), Blessed Bells (with only Enchantment, may randomly grant blessed), etc.
I considered letting the greater version of the spell make world unit equipment, but I think it could be game breaker to introduce some of them, so I think I'd just make it produce 3 of the same item at once or produce the items faster (I think a 1 turn delay is the most to let a Djinn use the spell).
With all the gods represented in the game I'm thinking it may be too much to let clerics get random affinity for multiple spheres. I might need to dial it back to just the patron spheres.
I've been playing around lately with giving demons the ability to possess units, sacrificing the demon and granting the host their promotions. It fits the lore well for the Ashen Veil, as its founder discovered the way to gain power by offering oneself up as a host for demons. I'm not sure if I'll keep it though, largely because I cannot think of a good way to implement a mechanic where the demonic abilities could be lost after an exorcism.
I'm really irritated how permanent summons start immobilized and the xml limits it to one per caster. I'd really rather those limits be controlled by separate tags. It is making Guardian vines a lot less useful.
I'm thinking of possibly making a major change to Druids. Canonically they are priests of Sucellus, which would seem to imply they shouldbe tied to the Unblemished now. I'm thinking the Vitalize spell I currently give to the Druidic promotion might make a better Nature III or Nature IV spell, if improved further with a wider range etc.
