Mana Towers - may change to be more equal?

[Blackmantle]

I also just found out that the -10% resistance enemy units is supposed to get isnt even being applied. The tower of alteration actually doesnt do anything.

Not true. It allows you to build the tower of mastery and thus win the game. So still worthwhile building here and there.
Sorry for stating the obvious. (But the way its displayed now, thats the more important part of it anyways. )

 

[MagisterCultuum]

For starters, I think all the towers should give some xp to new adepts.


I've really liked letting The Tower of Mastery give out Channeling 3 to arcane units in the city, which would let all your mages cast Archmage spells.



If it were a little harder to get mana, I'd suggest each tower provide 1 of each mana it requires.


If this was for FF, I'd suggest letting arcane units in the city with a tower get a promotion letting them specialize in one school of magic for extra effects, but make these mutually exclusive. That is harder to do in normal FF.

 

[orlanth]

I like the ones proposed by cabbagemeister (+1 duration to summoned elementals, increased effects of Alteration magics). Also, don't forget the Towers do require a different # of manas, so having them not be exactly equal in power isn't out of the question, especially if the hammer costs were tweaked.

Would it be possible to let a Tower gradually grant XP to adepts up to a certain cap, but only while they remain in its city? This would reward the advance planning required to reap the benefits of protracted arcane study, and create a meaningful tradeoff between spending time at The Academy or on the front lines.

 

[Psychic_Llamas]

how about allowing each tower unlock a unique promotion to arcane units. ie, if you build the Tower of Elements you unlock the 'elementalist' Promotion, which when combined with water fire air or earth spell promotions, allows more unique spells.

for example. i just built the Tower of Elements, and have an archmage with water 1 2 and 3 and air 1 2 and 3, and i promote him to elementalist. Because he has elementalist and Water 3, he can now cast a new spell:

Spoiler :

GEYSER:
Description- caster calls up the groundwater and causes a massive eruption of water, throwing units away and damaging them.
-Damage Spell
---iDamage- 10%
---iDamageLimit- 30%
---DamageType- Cold
-enemy stack is scattered randomly on the 9 squares over the geyser.

and also, because he is an elementalist and has Air 3, he can cast another unique spell:

Spoiler :

CLOUD WALKER:
Description – caster becomes one with the element of air, and moves his being with the winds.
Buff Spells
-AddPromotionType1- ‘Cloud Walker’ to caster (flying, +50% withdrawal, can only be attacked by units with flying)

another example: I just built the Tower of Alteration, and i unlock the "Alterationist" Promotion, which when combined with Life 3, nature 3, Enchantment 3 or Body 3 spell promotions the caster can use more unique spells. i have an archmage with Body 1 2 and 3 and Nature 1 2 and 3, and i promote him to Alterationist. because he has alterationist and Nature 3 he can cast a new spell:

Spoiler :

GIFTS OF THE EARTH
Description- caster summons forth the forces of nature
-Summon/buff Spell
has a chance to cast one of the following spells: (similar to wonder but restricted to only one of the following) summon x random animals, summon a Treent, Summon a Guardian Vines, Cast Entangle, turn a forest the caster is in into an ancient Forest, cast an area bloom (3x3 square area of new forest created), transform jungle the caster is in into Forest (3x3 square area of jungle turned into forest), area Vitalise (3x3 area of land upgraded as per vitalise spell, cast Iron-Wood Skin, caster decreased to 0 movement, only defensive, +2 defence strength untill after combat), Caster sacrificed to make an ancient forest on the tile, caster sacrificed to make a nature mana node on the tile, caster transformed into a permanent treent, loses casting ability, caster turned into a random animal, loses casting ability.)

and also, because he is an alterationist and has Body 3, he can cast another unique spell:

Spoiler :

UNNATURAL ENDURANCE
Description- caster infuses the bodies of units in his stack with unnatural strength and endurance.
-Buff spell
Add Promotion "Unnatural Endurance": +1 move, +1 strength, +20% heal rate. removes diseased, plagued and poisoned promotions.

 

[Jhoniten]

I like the idea about adding spells, based on your available mana and the type of tower you have. But I feel the towers should be harder to build. Require 2 of each mana, put some tag on them similar to units having to maintain religions. but only make them maintain one of each mana, lose all of any of the mana types, lose the tower. On the spells make them require you keep 2 mana of that type to get that benefit. These are end game type buildings, 5 buildings to win the game and you can simply use adepts to change the mana types so you can build them all? too easily done.

 

[Caradoc]

Seems to me that the essence of Alteration is some sort of transformation. The simplest possibility is providing free upgrades to units belonging to the owner. Another possibility is providing a promotion such as Flying. Or another version of Mutate/Wonder that gives a random beneficial promotion.

Tower of Elements could simply make Elementals stay around longer.

 

[Psychic_Llamas]

Tower of Elements and Elementalist Spells:

Spoiler :

Water: - a damage spell for an otherwise buff and summon only sphere.

Spoiler :

GEYSER:
Description- caster calls up the groundwater and causes a massive eruption of water, throwing units away and damaging them.
-Damage Spell
---iDamage- 10%
---iDamageLimit- 30%
---DamageType- Cold
-enemy stack is scattered randomly on the 9 squares over the geyser.

Earth: another damage spell for an otherwise buff and summon only sphere.

Spoiler :

EARTHQUAKE:
Description- the caster causes the convection currents in the mantle to reverse for a time cusing massive earthquakes. (5 x 5 squares in size centered on caster)
---iDamage- 20%
---iDamageLimit- 20%
---DamageType- physical
Damages all units (not caster), considered an act of war. does not affect flying units
iChangePopulation- -20%
10% chance to destroy improvements
5% chance to destroy a building in cities (friend and foe)
(uses graphics from ‘The Old Gods’ scenario)

Fire: - a Buffing spell for an otherwise destructive sphere

Spoiler :

IMMOLATION
Description-
Buff Spells
-AddPromotionType1 – ‘Immolation,’ to caster only. Immune to Fire, +2 Fire strength. (33% chance of transferring the ‘Ignited’ promotion to enemies in combat, (which damages the unit over time)) lasts 1 turn.

Air: a Buffing spell for a powerful offensive sphere.

Spoiler :

CLOUD WALKER:
Description – caster becomes one with the element of air, and moves his being with the winds.
Buff Spells
-AddPromotionType1- ‘Cloud Walker’ to caster (flying, +50% withdrawal, can only be attacked by units with flying)

Tower of Alteration and Alterationist Spells:

Spoiler :

Nature: - a spell that has random altering effects, fitting for unpredicatle nature, and alteration theme.

Spoiler :

GIFTS OF THE EARTH
Description- caster summons forth the forces of nature
-Summon/buff Spell
has a chance to cast one of the following spells: (similar to wonder but restricted to only one of the following) summon x random animals, summon a Treent, Summon a Guardian Vines, Cast Entangle, turn a forest the caster is in into an ancient Forest, cast an area bloom (3x3 square area of new forest created), transform jungle the caster is in into Forest (3x3 square area of jungle turned into forest), area Vitalise (3x3 area of land upgraded as per vitalise spell, cast Iron-Wood Skin, caster decreased to 0 movement, only defensive, +2 defence strength untill after combat), Caster sacrificed to make an ancient forest on the tile, caster sacrificed to make a nature mana node on the tile, caster transformed into a permanent treent, loses casting ability, caster turned into a random animal, loses casting ability.)

Life: a summon spell is needed for this sphere.

Spoiler :

GOLDEN SERVANT
Description- summons a 'Golden Servant' unit
CreateUnitType- Golden Servant (2 movement, 4 Holy strength, has the Life 1 and 2 promotion and medic 1 2 and 3, guardsman promotions. should be able to cast 'heal' like a priest. Permanent summon?)
iCreateUnitNum- 1

Body: another buff spell, to be used more for offence than anything.

Spoiler :

UNNATURAL ENDURANCE
Description- caster infuses the bodies of units in his stack with unnatural strength and endurance.
-Buff spell
Add Promotion "Unnatural Endurance": +1 move, +1 strength, +20% heal rate. removes diseased, plagued and poisoned promotions.

Enchantment: makes enchantments mana more benefitial and sticks to enchanters being the guys that stay at home and buff units.

Spoiler :

ENCHANTERS HALLS
CreateBuildingType- 'Enchanters Halls' grants +1 happyness from Enchantment Mana, +5% gold from Enchantment mana and grants any unit level 6 or higher to pass through the city 'Enchantment Mana Affinity' +1, but also -1 strength.

Tower of Necromancy and Necromancer Spells

Spoiler :

Death: yet another summon for the sphere, but this one is more strategic and sneaky than strong.

Spoiler :

SUMMON SPIRIT HORDE
Description- summons a 'Spirit Horde' unit
CreateUnitType- 'Spirit Horde', 0 strength, 1 movement, Invisible, Hidden Nationality summon. causes fear, may cast 'possess'. permanent summon, 1 per caster. 'Possess' acts like Dominate but with less resistance, but sacrifices the caster, and adds a 'possessed' promotion to the victim. a unit with the 'Possessed' Promotion may cast 'Release host' at a chance of killing the caster and the spell failing. if cast successfully 'Release host' returns the possessed unit to the original owner and creates the Spirit Host unit again.

Shadow: - another spell you can use to do some good ol' fassioned backstabbery with.

Spoiler :

PIT OF SHADES:
CreateImprovementType- ‘Pit of Shades'. Invisible improvement which spawns barbarian Mistforms (with 1 turn duration as normal). can only have one pit of shades per caster. pit of shades pillageable by any unit that can see invisible, or via revelation spell.

Entropy:

Spoiler :

SUMMON GREATER DEAMON
Description- summons a 'Greater Deamon' unit
CreateUnitType- 'Greater Deamon' strength 8, +2 entropy affinity, Cannibal, Deamon, scourge, Prophesy Mark promotions.

Chaos:

Spoiler :

not sure for one for chaos...

 

[Skitters]

My initial thought was that the Tower of Elements would provide a mana source that would fluctuate between the various elements (perhaps tied in with

For the tower of alteration you could have it so that any Adept built in the city be granted the level I spell in Body,Enchantment,Nature and Life for free.

Alternatively a new Level II spell is granted to Archmages: Enchant Wood - creates a premanent Treant on the tile (perhaps "Enchant" Wood is a little misleading - the intention is for a spell that is effectively using the teachings from all four fields to 'alter' one uncognizant lifeform into sentient being). Would perhaps need a limit to the number that could be created.

 

[marioflag]

About the Tower of Elements it could give access to 4 Permanent Ancient Elementals: Ancient Earth Elemental, Ancient Water Elemental, Ancient Fire Elemental, Ancient Air Elemental. They have +3 strength than normal elementals and affinity mana can be applied too.It is clearly cumulative with the other bonus Tower of Elements already gives.

 

[seZereth]

Perhaps one could consider the Tower of Elements affecting the damage caps of spells of those elements?

Perhaps Tower of Divination should have a cap at a number of research points (like a great person does), to reduce its power to be closer to the other towers?

@Marchwik-
The old Tower of Alteration was more effective (it worked through 0.24, to my recollection), so it wasn't too bad for armies of mostly mages and/or (offensive) priests, but I'd agree that it was never the best tower.

I think you underestimate the power of Skeletons or a Necromantic strategy, probably because you apparently aren't used to using large numbers of mages to summon hordes of undead to do your combat for you. Simply put, enough summons can take out nearly anything, and at a very small cost to you. Significant numbers of Death affinity units alone can make the Tower of Necromancy worthwhile.

yea, another death mana node is +1 strength for any death affinity creature, plus a free promotion on the way to summon those.

what about alowing adepts to upgrade to mages without level requirement (or build mages directly) with the respective tower? to show the increased magical abilities / studies?

 

[deadliver]

yea, another death mana node is +1 strength for any death affinity creature, plus a free promotion on the way to summon those.

what about alowing adepts to upgrade to mages without level requirement (or build mages directly) with the respective tower? to show the increased magical abilities / studies?

*message from the status qou demon*
Kael,

You keep him busy, I'll call security.
That would make these towers sick man!

 

[wicshade]

Tower of Elements

I think this should increase the affinity of elemental summons from +1 to +2 (but all lvl 3 summons should have their base strength weakened). I like to build 4 to 6 fire nodes if I am playing the clan, or water if I am playing lanun. As of now I think that this strategy should pay off a little more then having fir elementals with 10 to 12 base attack.

another idea is for this to spawn an event that would let the builder chose between receiving a staff of +1 fire,water,air,earth affinity.

Tower of Alteration:

Sometimes while playing a game I just need more lvl 3 mages, perhaps this building could allow a new national unit (max of 2) that has channeling 3.

 

[Valerarren]

Tower of alteration: (ideas)

1. arcane units built in the city get an extra promotion in each of the alteration speheres

2. each turn, it has a chance to randomly improves terrain (nature -- similar to genesis but one square at a time), only in the cities realm of influence. Perhaps also transmute resources? (randomly gold to copper/iron and back, sheep to horses, pigs to cows, etc.) Also, perhaps a chance to randomly create forests even in squares with buildings already. Or perhaps even a chance to turn forests to ancient forests? Raise hills? Perhaps it could also lower moutains? All this would only be in the area around city that the tower can work.

3. perhaps it has a 50% chance to completely heal all units in the city each turn? (regen + life?)

4. all units built in the city have a chance (20%?) to get: body 1, nature 1, enchantment 1, or life 1. And a very small chance to get body 2, nature 2, etc.(2%?)

 

[Marchwik]

I go back from work and what Am I see.Many post about change Tower powers.So it must be a serious problem also for others .

My proposition concentrate for huge boost for player..So I want to equal and compare other towers to Divination tower.

Of course good solution will increase cost of hammers to each Tower to 1000 hammers.

My proposition :

Tower of Alteration - start Golden Age (doubles turn longer) + Free Prophet (good great People give u another possibility to catch and build saint building in holy cities rest of religion)

Tower of Elements - free 4 Elementals Air,Fire,Water and Earth (+1 strenght) + Free Engineer (best great people engineer is a person who have possiblity to decrease power of elements due his work for society)

Tower of Necromancy - 10 skeletons (1 wraith? ) + 1 death Mana +1 entropy Mana +free Sage (increase boost from Ashen Veil holy city,especially with Science Academy)
BTW one more thing it will be great to put new image Tower of Mastery it is great building and need great graphics on map ,now they looks a little crappy,I hope that some graphic master made this for Your team Kael.

Ok Marchwik stop talking and back to FFH playing.

 

[LDiCesare]

Proposal for Tower of Elements:
Unlocks 4 promotions for all units of lvl 5+ (or only arcane or hero units) - +1 Affinity with fire/air/water/earth/
The same could work for tower of Alteration, and, actually, all towers. Each tower unlocks promotions to get +1 affinity with each of its elements.
That may be a bit strong, though, as it's actually +4 if you have the 4 elements (and enough xp).

 

[Jarlaxle135]

I always wanted the towers to provide a unit: the master of the tower. I figured building the tower would allow you to build this unit. Being the master of tower, the unit would start with all of the spells of spheres needed for the tower, but no access to any other spells. I also thought each master could have a unique item.

 

[Marchwik]

I always wanted the towers to provide a unit: the master of the tower. I figured building the tower would allow you to build this unit. Being the master of tower, the unit would start with all of the spells of spheres needed for the tower, but no access to any other spells. I also thought each master could have a unique item.

That is a really great idea Jarlaxle ,pretty and balanced
It will be great to see that units in action,but without promotion Hero (too much power)

When U build Tower of Elements You'll be able also to raise one of the Gods and win the game

 

[MagisterCultuum]

I always wanted the towers to provide a unit: the master of the tower. I figured building the tower would allow you to build this unit. Being the master of tower, the unit would start with all of the spells of spheres needed for the tower, but no access to any other spells. I also thought each master could have a unique item.

Where'd you get that idea, my modmod thread? I proposed this several months ago (well, with unique spells instead of equipment), and started implementing it in some unreleased versions. I'm too busy to work on it now, and my ideas have changed a bit anyway.

 

[xienwolf]

Add a fourth Tier of weapon upgrades. Towers provide a weapon upgrade which gives affinity for the base mana required for the tower Maybe a fifth tier so Mastery can upgrade you to affinity with all mana types


Could make the new affinities be rank 1 & 2 so that mages can gain these 2, but not others.

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

flaming swords and the like, uh? nice suggestion.