My collection of crazy ideas

[it-ogo]

I believe that producing ideas for FFH is a kind of art like chess etudes and that ideas have their own estetic value independently of if they will be implemented or not. So, here is my art gallery. However it is not an abstractionism: everything is supposed to be implementable and non-gamebreaking.

Make your galleries! Do not let Eternity devour your inspiration!

Amurites

Idea: Let ALL their units be real arcane with full perspectives. No more adepts, mages, conjurers, summoners and archmages. But any unit when gained level 2 if Knowledge of ether is researched can take sourcery 1 promotion (so1) and start gaining XP with time. Then with next levels it can take either Arcane or Summoning promo and/or mana spheres promo. On the level 5 it can take so2 (if has so1), on the level 9 - so3 (with no limitation of number). No mages guilds, no free promos with more then 1 mana. But still keep Govannon.
Reason: I feel their gameplay is not enough bright.
Effect: Amurites magics become more slow (no instant mages) but potentially very strong. Maybe balancing will be needed.

Balseraphs

Idea (started from the idea of Black Whole): Each Balseraph living non-national non-world living military unit has a 10% chance to start with mime promotion. Any unit with this promotion after the battle if survived turns into exact copy of its adversary keeping only mime promotion and health percentage.
Reason: funny and flavorful.
Comment: I thought much about this. It should not be overpowered but can provide a vast number of minor tactical and even strategical surprises. It should be perfect for the feeling of insanity.

Bannor

Idea: Add new property to Bannor palace: each time an enemy unit tries entering the unprotected Bannor capital if the population is more then 1, a warrior is generated in a city for -1 population.
Reason: Only flavor. Let them be real fanatics. Bannor capital can not be captured.

Calabim

Idea: Add to vampirism promo slow losing XP with time.
Reason: Hunger. Balancing.

Clan of Embers

Idea: Barbarian units spawn on the territory of states who are in peace with barbarians as like if it was non-observed wilderness. MagisterCultuum adds: Barb trait civs' units lines of sight shouldn't prevent barb spawning either, while the civ is still at peace with the barbs.

Reason: I miss wild barbarians in mid- and end-game.

Doviello

Idea: Tundra tiles need only 1 population per 2 tiles to work for Doviello.
Reason: They need a boost and some specific tundra affinity. Though I suspect it is not enough.

Elohim

Idea: Unique tile improvement - great wall. Enemy must attack this tile 3 times without lose of health, after that wall is broken and enemy can enter the tile.
Reason: Some protection from commando units. Having Tasunke as overland neighbour is horrible.

Grigori

Idea: Adventurers are renamed to great adventurers. Grigori gain new specialist: adventurer. Adventurer produce 3 culture, -3 commerce and great adventurer points per turn, also two unhappiness and 1XP for newly built living military units in a city. Provided by brewery and Grigory tavern.
Reason: Flavor. Not all adventurers are really heroes.

Hippus

Idea: Horselord promotion grants 5% horse affinity to withdrawal chance instead of fixed +10%.
Reason: Flavor and reason for more horses. The more fresh horses the easier retreat.

Infernals

Idea: Hyborem gains a spell "Erebus boiling". When casted all tiles within 2 tiles of Hyborem are raised: hills turn into peaks, flat tiles into hills, water into flat tiles. Units which were on hills die, cities on hills are razed. Hyborem loses 99% of health. Casted only when in full health.
Reason: Infernals usually have problems with lifespace so let them turn seas into land. Let Hyborem be more horrible: noone can hide from Hell in his city on the hill. And let some occasional victims draw him into wars.

Ljosalfar

Idea: One should be able to cast Bloom over elven improvements.
Reason: Otherwise player is obliged to boring micromanagement.

Luchuirp

Idea: Any golem can be stored in a city: for instant price golem gains movement 0, loses each turn 3% of health (but not below 1%), can not be repared and healed while stored but does not need a fee. At any time it can be turned on again.
Reason: Make gameplay more specific. Flavor.
Effect: Luchuirp will be able to have a giant stored army for no regular fee but need some time to revive it.
Ways of balancing: pay more to store, decrease golem healing rate. Variant by Kol.7: No health lose but +50% upkeep for active golems.

Malakim

Idea: (After Sanitation?) Malakim workers are able to build oasis on desert tile. No Vitalize casting on oasis possible.
Reason: Malakim need good improvement for desert tile. Nomad promotion itself is not enough good reason to keep deserts in fat cross when they can get rid of them.

Mercurians

Idea: Whenever Basium enters or passes a tile Sanctify is casted automatically.
Reason: Flavor. Will be nice to observe his invasion into Hell terrain territories.

 

[vorshlumpf]

Some neat ideas here.

Amurite: Let ALL their units be real arcane with full perspectives.

I like the idea, but my concern here is that there is no seperation between magic and combat experience in FfH. If I played the Amurites (with this mechanic), every unit would take the Sorcery promotion, even if I never intended to give them magical abilities. They would collect XP for just sitting around.

Not that I dislike free XP

Bannor Let them be real fanatics. Bannor capital can not be captured.

Very nice.

Calabim Idea: Add to vampirism promo slow losing XP with time.

Makes sense - adds good flavour.

Clan of Embers Barbarian units spawn on the territory of states who are in peace with barbarians as like if it was non-observed wilderness.

Yes! Most definitely. And, Barbarian units should be able to move through BARB trait civs (assuming that hasn't been fixed yet).

Doviello Idea: Tundra tiles need only 1 population per 2 tiles to work for Doviello.

Yes, something like this would be nice.

Hippus Idea: Horselord promotion grants 5% horse affinity to withdrawal chance.

Very nice idea to promote resource-hoarding

Ljosalfar Idea: One should be able to cast Bloom over elven improvements.
Reason: Otherwise player is obliged to boring micromanagement.

Whole-heartedly agree.

Luchuirp Idea: Any golem can be stored in a city

Very neat.

 

[Bringa]

Luchuirp could be VERY overpowered in a big game. The only thing they need to maintain is a sufficient number of adepts who can cast repair, since the spell is applied to all units in a stack with no upper limit. So let's say 6 or 7 adepts could instantly repair a monster stack of 100 golems taken out of storage. If they find some way to counter this, I really like the idea.

Grigori makes sense too and would allow for adventurers to be a viable strategy late-game. (there may need to be a wonder that gives unlimited adventurers in one city or sth for it to work late LATE game on a big map). I'm not sure if the stats of the adventurer person make sense, though--one unhappiness is a big disadvantage.

 

[Ekolite]

Love the Lurchip idea, a little concerned though that if their Golems had been in storage for a long period of time they will have 1% HP when their woken up, AFAIK if there are lots of them in that condition adepts etc would take longer to repair them all to full health, by then it might be too late.

The idea is great though. While the golems are active they require a lot of maintainence, while in storage they don't really so maybe they shouldn't lose HP over time. Maybe instead, Lurchip would pay 50% extra upkeep for active Golems?

 

[Demus]

giving hippus an unlimited supply of 100% withdrawal troops seems a bit overpowered to me (with flanking 3 they get +50%, horselord is +10%, base +25%, with 2 additional horse res besides the one in your capital you'd hit 100)

 

[JDexter]

The Calabim and Clan ideas are verrrrrry good!
Ljosalfar and Mercurian would be good, too. The other ones are mostly cool.

 

[it-ogo]

If I played the Amurites (with this mechanic), every unit would take the Sorcery promotion, even if I never intended to give them magical abilities. They would collect XP for just sitting around.

Sure it needs balancing. That may be according to DREWid no metal weapon promo. But I feel that is too much...

Yes! Most definitely. And, Barbarian units should be able to move through BARB trait civs (assuming that hasn't been fixed yet).

Sure.

Luchuirp could be VERY overpowered in a big game.

That is true. Must think. Maybe make Repair not for stack, but for unit?
No! Let us make a non-repairable percent: probability of crash when tried to revive.

Grigori makes sense too and would allow for adventurers to be a viable strategy late-game. (there may need to be a wonder that gives unlimited adventurers in one city or sth for it to work late LATE game on a big map). I'm not sure if the stats of the adventurer person make sense, though--one unhappiness is a big disadvantage.

Two unhappiness. There is a problem with 1XP for unit per specialist. It is very strong so penalty is very strong also. I do not think one can successfully balance unlimited adventurers especially with Grigori world spell.

Maybe instead, Lurchip would pay 50% extra upkeep for active Golems?

May be it will balance... This will make Luchuirp tend towards long peace and blitzkrieg. Even more individuality and less micromanagement - I like it! But that will make them too vulnerable in early long wars, e.g. against raging barbarians.

giving hippus an unlimited supply of 100% withdrawal troops seems a bit overpowered to me (with flanking 3 they get +50%, horselord is +10%, base +25%, with 2 additional horse res besides the one in your capital you'd hit 100)

I know about this problem. But 1) I assume that +10% from horselord is removed, remains only affinity. 2) XP spent to flanking 3 is really much. I do not think it is completely overpowered. Only on big map with great number of horses - but that is specific situation.

The Calabim and Clan ideas are verrrrrry good!
Ljosalfar and Mercurian would be good, too. The other ones are mostly cool.

Great! I will collect votes for some pressure on the team.

 

[Nikis-Knight]

Not that I dislike free XP

Weren't you the one wanting easy battles to give 0 xp?

 

[hossam]

calabim have been nerfed enough firstly feast can only be used once per turn, aristocracy only provides plus 1 food instead of two( yes i do realize that this isnt only for the calabim but still) and altough im bit sure id be willing to bet that the calabim are going to loose earth mana to shadow mana at their palace so you can say goodbye resources just showing up.

 

[vorshlumpf]

Weren't you the one wanting easy battles to give 0 xp?

My heart and my head constantly battle one-another

 

[MagisterCultuum]

Amurites

I'm not really a fan of this implementation. I prefer what I just suggested in the "Amurites - a little plain?" thread:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=6251789&postcount=19

Balseraphs

I'm not sure its possible. Also, while I would certainly have liked a Mine UU with these abilities implemented, it doesn't seem like such a great idea for something to be randomly applied to every unit.

Bannor

I don't think this should be limited to the capital. I would rather it apply to all their cities, but randomly, not every time. It might also be better as an effect of a new building or wonder instead of a civ specific mechanic. (and the Bannor capital certainly was captured; they capital was Braduk, now "the Burning." I don't see them being much more fanatical about defending their current capital than defending any of their their cities--which is to say, still quite fanatical)

Calabim

Possibly, but only if their feast ability is made to give even more xp than it does now, and if either "feast" or "feed" can prevent this for several turns. ALso, I think this shouldn't apply while they are in one of their own cities (maybe just those with Governor's Manors?), since presumably there would many sources of food there. Also, I think there are some units (bloodpets) that would be willing to give up a little blood at a time to keep their masters strong.

However, the Civilopedia entry for Alexis says that vampires don't have to feed often, since one life taken can prolong theirs by 10 or 20 years, so I'm not sure a hunger mechanic makes sense. Also, the Calabim are already getting a new weakness to sun spells.

Clan of Embers

Good idea. (No barbarian city spawning there though.) Since I think barbs aren't supposed to spawn on tiles visible to other civs, this shouldn't be limited to just within their territory. Barb trait civs' units lines of sight shouldn't prevent barb spawning either, while the civ is still at peace with the barbs.

Doviello

I'd rather see something like free xp per tundra or ice tile in their city radii, and having their units have some cold resistance and/or combat boni for those terrains.

Elohim

Probably impossible to implement, and it really doesn't fir the monk's theme that well. I think the new fort system may take care of the raiding problem.

Grigori

Hippus

I would like it, but it would require a major change to the way Affinity works that would be difficult to implement. Kael isn't willing to make affinity more complicated than it currently is, since there are still some bugs with it that he hasn't figured out yet. Your welcome to try to get him to add new types off affinity, but I don't think you will be any more effective than I've been.

Infernals

Ljosalfar

Yeah, and in Ljosalfar cities too.

Luchuirp

It sounds interesting, but in general I'm, not sure I see the point. I would rather see more ability to specialize golems for specific tasks, by implementing "retrofit" spells that remove give them the promotions granted by the various UBs (they need more promotion granting UBs too) and removing those that don't fit so well (light and heavy, for instance)

Malakim


Mercurians

I assume you mean he auto-castes sanctify not life (that's a sphere, not a spell). Sounds good, but I don't usually see him personally invade so I'm not sure how big of a change it would really be.

 

[it-ogo]

calabim have been nerfed enough firstly feast can only be used once per turn, aristocracy only provides plus 1 food instead of two( yes i do realize that this isnt only for the calabim but still) and altough im bit sure id be willing to bet that the calabim are going to loose earth mana to shadow mana at their palace so you can say goodbye resources just showing up.

Yeah, some tweaks in upcoming version may change much.

Amurites

Balseraphs

I'm not sure its possible.

Why? What can be more simple then copy a unit? It shoud be more simple then most of entries here.

Bannor

I don't think this should be limited to the capital...

I did consider all of that. One can keep it in mind.

Calabim

Possibly, but only if their feast ability is made to give even more xp than it does now, and if either "feast" or "feed" can prevent this for several turns. ALso, I think this shouldn't apply while they are in one of their own cities (maybe just those with Governor's Manors?), since presumably there would many sources of food there. Also, I think there are some units (bloodpets) that would be willing to give up a little blood at a time to keep their masters strong.

The another Idea is to press Calabim waging the war. As they are evil.

May be really stop losing XP when they are in stack with living units, but for each vampire in a stack random living non-vamp unit get -10% health.

However, the Civilopedia entry for Alexis says that vampires don't have to feed often, since one life taken can prolong theirs by 10 or 20 years, so I'm not sure a hunger mechanic makes sense.

Are you eating only when it becomes absolutely necessary?

Clan of Embers

Good idea. (No barbarian city spawning there though.)

Of cause. Units only.

Barb trait civs' units lines of sight shouldn't prevent barb spawning either, while the civ is still at peace with the barbs.

Exactly. Will add.

Doviello

I'd rather see something like free xp per tundra or ice tile in their city radii, and having their units have some cold resistance and/or combat boni for those terrains.

I feel now they need more economical and expansion bonuses then military.

Hippus

I would like it, but it would require a major change to the way Affinity works that would be difficult to implement.

Kael told that affinity is appliable to any kind of resource. I do not know if it is difficult to apply it to withdrawal chance. In any case as I told it is more art then plan.

Ljosalfar

Yeah, and in Ljosalfar cities too.

Elven cities. Right. It will give additional defence bonus and more treants for the spell.

Mercurians

I assume you mean he auto-castes sanctify not life (that's a sphere, not a spell). Sounds good, but I don't usually see him personally invade so I'm not sure how big of a change it would really be.

Right. Sanctify.
I did make this invasion myself a couple of times. And have seen him walking Hell terrain even more often.

 

[Calavente]

that was a nice collection of crazy ideas !!

most are really fun !!
they would make a good mod-mod after shadow is released + debugged

Magister : Barduk the burning was not captured. it was a cultural flip : bhall fell, and changed almost all the pop toward evil, orcs and demons
the bannor are survivors that resisted the change, fled and where protected.
IMO, they would defend their new capital more thoroughly than any other city, as the sign they survived the fall of Bhall.

 

[Farmer Bobathan]

i like the people defending the bannor capital but the effect should be the same as drafting (the standard infantry unit is built not just a warrior) just it happens automaticaly.

 

[it-ogo]

they would make a good mod-mod after shadow is released + debugged

No, mod-mod should be of something one. And as I know myself if I'll finally get into programming my plans will grow much faster then my abilities.

i like the people defending the bannor capital but the effect should be the same as drafting (the standard infantry unit is built not just a warrior) just it happens automaticaly.

Why not:
1) Draft is very powerful. Unlimited draft, even automatic looks overpowered. Especially as these drafted units arise non-injured by the previous magic bombardment many times per turn.
2) I consider that Torrolerial can not be captured: population goes to 1 and then city with pop 1 is necessarily razed by enemy enter. But in case of draft stronger units need more then 1 pop, so there may be a problem of going to 1 pop by draft.

 

[Sarisin]

Right. Sanctify.
I did make this invasion myself a couple of times. And have seen him walking Hell terrain even more often.

I love this idea for the Mercurians!

My main strategy with them is to get Basium up above 100 XP with promotions and have a couple of strong Angels join his troop along with a Priest unit (usually Confessor) and then send them out to destroy Evil civs, especially with AV. You might as well do this as the game will automatically declare war for you anyway.

I was also including an Adept with Sanctify in the gang, but your idea would eliminate this. Thankfully, because those Adepts are easily picked off by Assassins and other units with Marksman.

Great idea!

 

[Calavente]

I didn't said you should make a mod-mod but that it would make a good mod-mod... meaning the idea are good and I like them not that they mey ever exist somewhere... sadly..

 

[the_fish]

@ it-ogo

Nice Of course, some of your ideas are insane (Amurites, Balseraphs, Infernals), but some of the others seem balanced and flavourful

The Ljosalfar/Svartalfar blooming over elven improvements is a no-brainer (if it's feasible).

The Clan/Diovello barb spawning seems balanced too - it makes them annoying neighbours even if you're at peace with them. Maybe combine this with some way of converting said (non-unique) barbs in your territory for a supply of free units?

The Bannor idea is also quite cool, but I'd prefer it to be represented by a higher chance of city revolt for all of their cities. Mechanically, your way may be better though.

The Luchuirp idea is interesting, and so is MagisterCultuum's. How about combining the two: Golems gain the ability to switch 'mode' in the same way as ships have different crew settings, based on the buildings(workshops?) you have in that city. For example, you could have a 'Storage Workshop' which grants the deactivated-no-upkeep-sleep mode, 'Gridline Workshop' which grants a city-defender mode, 'Velox Workshop' which increases speed and lowers strength etc... Also a 'mode' which repairs the golem (when in a city) would be good too, and stops you relying on adepts except in the field.

 

[Nikis-Knight]

I think the Calabim bit might be cool. Not -1 XP per turn, but like the reverse of an adept, so that after 10 turns or so you lose the equivalent of one feast. Then a player wouldn't gift to every unit that was eligible, but save it for an elite few, 1-3 per city.

Although it might not have much of an effect, assuming you feast several turns in a row and spend all the XP at once; no matter how much XP you lose you won't lose promotions.

 

[Calavente]

as you said the_fish but with 2 provisio :
-changing golem mode should block the golem for 1 turn at least
-reduce the golems health by 50% ... (time to do the change + loss of units due to malfunction)
because if you can change them at will in any city they may become overly powerful. l(like getting them from storage to veloce in 1 city, then sending them to the needed city and then changing them back to gridmode, all in 1 turn.

with my proposal it would need 2turns AND leave the golem with 25% health ..thus not so overpowered to have storage. (storage give -1 promo, no upkeep)

then add another change : 'repair' (from dwarve enchant adept) should only repair up to 50 health at a time.
thus a golem damaged to 40% health will need 1 'repair' to go to 90% then another one.

but working these change as the 'crew' promo is a nice idea !!