Reasons not to go for the Altar?

[xendelaar]

I for one like making the Tower of Mastery apply the Channeling III promotion to units in the city.

Really?! I didn't know that! Every week I learn something new and interesting on the forum! I'm sure going to do the mastery thing! It's a lot of work though. Too bad I didn't uncheck the mastery victory conditions in my current game... But I'll just pretend like I didn't win the game. I think conquest is the only way to win.
With the altar and tower completed in my unit production city, I will be unstoppable!! (of course by then, my victory is assured at least a couple of hundred turns already (on marathon speed), but that doesn't matter).
Thanks for the tip!

 

[MagisterCultuum]

I think you misunderstand me. The Tower of Mastery has no such effect in vanilla FfH. That is my main suggestion for how to improve the Tower of Mastery, and is something that has long been a part of my personal modmod. (I don't recall whether any of the other modmods copied that change or not.)

 

[xendelaar]

That's a good suggestion! I totally misunderstood your post indeed. My bad..

 

[Aline]

Channeling 3 for everyone is a bit op i think, you might aswell win the game. ^^

 

[MagisterCultuum]

Well, by default the wonder is supposed to make you win the game automatically, so it is not that over the top.

Giving only channeling 3 and not channeling 2 means that you still have to upgrade adepts to mages (or wizards) to gain access to the top tier spells. You'll also have to spend xp on the top tier promotions, as only arcane units with channeling III in their unit xml defines get level 3 spell spheres for free based on the mana you control at the time they are created.

 

[xendelaar]

of course you normally win the game when you complete the final tower. It's also the case for the altar, but when the victory condition is turned off I think the altar is still a nice addition for my unit production city. All priests specialists produce one more hammer and I get two more XP for my priests.. creating instant level 5 priests, which are 2 xp away from becoming a level 6 priests... which is important when you're playing with the sidar civilization.
A bonus for the Final Tower would also be a nice perk!

 

[tribble]

Yes, one can construct all levels of the Altar with the victory unchecked. One can also construct the Tower of Mastery with that condition unchecked also, which is an argument for the Tower providing benefits. Golden Age + Meta Mana?

you already need meta mana to get the tower of mastery in almost any case.

 

[BvBPL]

The near necessity of metamagic for the tower doesn’t make it an invalid reward though.