Zechnophobe
Strategy Lich
So, I've been thinking a lot about how the spell system and tech tree are working, currently somewhat at odds with each other.
Things to consider for this:
1) The summoning trait gives +2 turns to summons.
2) The arcane trait increases the rate of units gain XP.
3) Palaces provide some mana for each civ, and differently for each.
4) Not all mana has static benefits.
A few more things involving these 4 basic truths:
Summoning trait has no effect until you achieve two criteria. Firstly, you must have Sorcery to get use of this trait. This is because there are no level 1 summoning spells. Secondly, you must have an arcane unit with Channelling two. For the same reason as above. Most times this will be a mage, an adept that has accrued 10 xp some way or another, and been upgraded.
In regards to 1) and 2) taken as a whole. What is the value of having summoned units last more than one turn? Answer is that they persist, and a single summoner can juggle more than one summon each. However, consider if you will, the difference between having one summoner with three summons each, vs three summoners with one unit each. Very little change, besides a slightly greater turn to turn cost of upkeep. Also consider that the arcane trait will produce mages much much faster than the summoner trait, and is useful as soon as you have a single arcane unit, likely with knowledge of the Aether.
A potential pattern could emerge here, wherein Arcane traited civs have a lot of weaker casters, while summoner trait civs have a few much stronger ones, however this pattern is not supported by the current model, because Arcane units advance both faster to the level of Mage (And higher) and in so doing, also pick up more upgrades. Further more, A summoner picking up more upgrades will have his advantage pertain to fewer of them, mainly because duplicate summon spells aren't generally useful. The arcane unit will have his advantage (XP and overcoming resistence) be consistently effective.
In regards to 3) and 4). The mana types a faction starts with do, to a certain extent, define them, or act as a part of that definition. The method for this definition comes from whatever static effects the mana provides, and the spells available to adepts when you first build them. However, the limit of this, in regards to arcane units, varies wildly based on the exact mana you have. Many have little to zero effect at the adept level. For these you generally need Sorcery Level magic for any additional definition.
But if you have Sorcery, you already have the option of getting other types of mana!
In fact, you have the option of getting Any other mana besides what you start with, meaning that the value of the starting mana as a defining charateristic is sharply curtailed by the smoothing effect that occurs previously to Sorcery on the tech tree. That is, when you choose which prerequisite of Sorcery to research, you can always choose the mana type you like the best.
Another final point to add to the discussion portion of this, is the Bulbing of Great Scientists. Currently, to bulb to Sorcery, or use a bulb to help you get sorcery, you must first get each of Alteration, Divination, Necromancy and Elementalism. Rather useless, given only the ToM victory condition generally has you wanting all 4 of these.
Conclusions:
I believe first and foremost that all of these taken together point at Summoner as being a significantly worse trait than Arcane. This may be considered 'ok', because of the three summoners, one is also Arcane, and another is in a faction that has a lot of other perks to it.
Secondly, the faction definition we are hoping for via starting mana is majorly lacking, the most in the mana that provides little or no static benefit. (Spirit, for example, but not Enchantment.) In fact, very few starting mana's give a noticeable boost to anything. Enchantment, Life, and Law are about the only ones. There are then a few others with truly great first level spells (Enchant weapon, which is an overlap, and perhaps Inspiration and Spring).
So, based on these conclusions, I have One major suggestion:
Sorcery requires Knowledge of the Ether to research.
Alteration, Necromancy, Divination and Elementalism require Sorcery.
Arcane Lore requires one of "Alteration, Necromancy, Divination and Elementalism."
This decreases the total cost of Sorcery by about 20%, and puts it before the techs that would otherwise give a person access to any given level 2 spell. (Note I'm not saying ALL level 2 spells, since that would require a significant number of mana nodes). I am also not suggesting changing the exact cost of Sorcery. Let it remain expensive as it is, but now you can get it one tech earlier, and not quite as far up the tech tree.
This accomplishes:
A) The summoning trait becomes relevant slightly earlier during a game, as Sorcery isn't as far off.
B) The starting mana of a civ will remain exclusive for a longer duration both in absolute turns from start of game, but also compared to the things you are able to achieve with it.
C) The Bulb order will now require you to attempt to 'reach' for Sorcery via sage specialists, making a sage based economy (Where you generate a large number of sages via elder council/great library more viable).
D) This makes the collection of mana for static effects a more tech intensive goal. Divination to turn all your nodes into -5% maintenance isn't something you 'do on a lark'. It now requires a large amount of tech to do.
E) World improvements that grant mana become much more impressive. Same with Holy Cities, especially those from early game Religions.
Things to consider for this:
1) The summoning trait gives +2 turns to summons.
2) The arcane trait increases the rate of units gain XP.
3) Palaces provide some mana for each civ, and differently for each.
4) Not all mana has static benefits.
A few more things involving these 4 basic truths:
Summoning trait has no effect until you achieve two criteria. Firstly, you must have Sorcery to get use of this trait. This is because there are no level 1 summoning spells. Secondly, you must have an arcane unit with Channelling two. For the same reason as above. Most times this will be a mage, an adept that has accrued 10 xp some way or another, and been upgraded.
In regards to 1) and 2) taken as a whole. What is the value of having summoned units last more than one turn? Answer is that they persist, and a single summoner can juggle more than one summon each. However, consider if you will, the difference between having one summoner with three summons each, vs three summoners with one unit each. Very little change, besides a slightly greater turn to turn cost of upkeep. Also consider that the arcane trait will produce mages much much faster than the summoner trait, and is useful as soon as you have a single arcane unit, likely with knowledge of the Aether.
A potential pattern could emerge here, wherein Arcane traited civs have a lot of weaker casters, while summoner trait civs have a few much stronger ones, however this pattern is not supported by the current model, because Arcane units advance both faster to the level of Mage (And higher) and in so doing, also pick up more upgrades. Further more, A summoner picking up more upgrades will have his advantage pertain to fewer of them, mainly because duplicate summon spells aren't generally useful. The arcane unit will have his advantage (XP and overcoming resistence) be consistently effective.
In regards to 3) and 4). The mana types a faction starts with do, to a certain extent, define them, or act as a part of that definition. The method for this definition comes from whatever static effects the mana provides, and the spells available to adepts when you first build them. However, the limit of this, in regards to arcane units, varies wildly based on the exact mana you have. Many have little to zero effect at the adept level. For these you generally need Sorcery Level magic for any additional definition.
But if you have Sorcery, you already have the option of getting other types of mana!
In fact, you have the option of getting Any other mana besides what you start with, meaning that the value of the starting mana as a defining charateristic is sharply curtailed by the smoothing effect that occurs previously to Sorcery on the tech tree. That is, when you choose which prerequisite of Sorcery to research, you can always choose the mana type you like the best.
Another final point to add to the discussion portion of this, is the Bulbing of Great Scientists. Currently, to bulb to Sorcery, or use a bulb to help you get sorcery, you must first get each of Alteration, Divination, Necromancy and Elementalism. Rather useless, given only the ToM victory condition generally has you wanting all 4 of these.
Conclusions:
I believe first and foremost that all of these taken together point at Summoner as being a significantly worse trait than Arcane. This may be considered 'ok', because of the three summoners, one is also Arcane, and another is in a faction that has a lot of other perks to it.
Secondly, the faction definition we are hoping for via starting mana is majorly lacking, the most in the mana that provides little or no static benefit. (Spirit, for example, but not Enchantment.) In fact, very few starting mana's give a noticeable boost to anything. Enchantment, Life, and Law are about the only ones. There are then a few others with truly great first level spells (Enchant weapon, which is an overlap, and perhaps Inspiration and Spring).
So, based on these conclusions, I have One major suggestion:
Sorcery requires Knowledge of the Ether to research.
Alteration, Necromancy, Divination and Elementalism require Sorcery.
Arcane Lore requires one of "Alteration, Necromancy, Divination and Elementalism."
This decreases the total cost of Sorcery by about 20%, and puts it before the techs that would otherwise give a person access to any given level 2 spell. (Note I'm not saying ALL level 2 spells, since that would require a significant number of mana nodes). I am also not suggesting changing the exact cost of Sorcery. Let it remain expensive as it is, but now you can get it one tech earlier, and not quite as far up the tech tree.
This accomplishes:
A) The summoning trait becomes relevant slightly earlier during a game, as Sorcery isn't as far off.
B) The starting mana of a civ will remain exclusive for a longer duration both in absolute turns from start of game, but also compared to the things you are able to achieve with it.
C) The Bulb order will now require you to attempt to 'reach' for Sorcery via sage specialists, making a sage based economy (Where you generate a large number of sages via elder council/great library more viable).
D) This makes the collection of mana for static effects a more tech intensive goal. Divination to turn all your nodes into -5% maintenance isn't something you 'do on a lark'. It now requires a large amount of tech to do.
E) World improvements that grant mana become much more impressive. Same with Holy Cities, especially those from early game Religions.
from reagents or something. Its just that there is at least one tech between every T2 and T3 unit, going directly from one to the other might be a bit overpowered.
