i want to add to this discussion that in smaller games (which i tend to play only (6-8 players)) the hammer-micro doesnt feel burdensome for me at all. It means about 6-10 hammers to manage, and for me in these cases the raise in complexity and planning required (makes game more interesting for me) overweights the cost (moving the hammers back and forth between mages) (there are other costs too).
However removing the hammers not only lessens micro but makes items more expensive, i would really like to test it to see how it changes the game, as i like to use low-level summons, and perhaps it will make using them more optimal.
one aspect i like in this change (and in the SDR one) is that i dont have to wait until constr4 (SDR or earth boots or having enough hammers) to forge some items for my commanders and still play near optimal.
And one more: there is a kind of argument versus banning the hammers (the hammer-banner
): that people will use the same amount of gems for items, meaning removing the hammers will lessen the number of gems spent on not-forging. It is the same argument used against raising the cost of tartarians. And this type of argument can be used versus raising the price of gas, saying "people will buy gas into their cars anyway, so they will have less money for food". I'm not saying that its a false statement, but I'm sceptical.
The SDR change will affect nations with noncapital bloodhunters much less then the other blood nations, because the SDR could be viewed as a forgeable bloodhunter (with about a little more than 1 level in B). It will weaken all blood nations without doubt and will make low level blood spells more used, because it was seen an optimal way in most cases to not start hunting until SDRs and constr 4, and by this time the research tipically can jump thru the first couple levels in the blood tree.
All in all i personally like both of the hammer and the SDR change.
I'm not sure integrating the edm AND changing it a bit to fit your taste (u said u dont like easy magic diversity) was a good idea (it may not be only your taste tho). Regarding the changes: lessening the magic diversity of the new monsters strengthens the tartarians in their status (as they have diversity). It might turn out to be an excellent idea tho, im looking forward of the test results.
Thanks for the bold changes QM and updating the mod. I'm very curious of its effect on the game.