Conceptual Balance Series (Mod)

[Zen]

The following is a Mod that deals with some of the Balance Issues you may be finding in Dominions 2 (as of 2.15).

This does not by any means say that this is a "perfect" Version of "absolute" balance. But it plays into the variability of strengths and 'niche usefulness' of certain aspects of play. It also has some thematic roots, though they are mostly applied after balance consideration. (Example: Nagas, from my imagination, classic literature, mythology, RPG (in general) are sneaky, or subterranean or in some way try to hide their true form in order to manipulate events/people/mysticality. So the Naga has been given Stealth because it is seen that Naga's are underpowered and don't have even a niche use.

Most of the reasoning of these changes is based off of MULTIPLAYER experience, as balance doesn't have an incredible impact on Single Player or Sandbox play. It has been long felt that the actual selection of pretenders is far less, for you could find or do better with another pretender what should be Pretender X's strength. You also were able to dismiss entire classes of Pretenders (Some Humans, Some Nagas, Some Dragons, some Immobiles) for being categorically unfeasible to use in a competitive strategy.

Note about Feedback: If you'd like to post your feedback, great. If you want to post your feedback in a manner that does not promote or follow a trend of discussion, don't. I will ignore your feedback totally unless you give /reasons/ for such. I will also ignore any feedback that is only based off of inexperience (you looked at the Readme and didn't even look at the full ramifications) or no experience. If you only want to rant or 'get your opinion in' please state it up front so I can ignore your comments for the sake of the mod and only take them as, just that, your opinion.

You can find the file as the attatchment, or here -> www.techno-mage.com/~zen/

For those Mod Install Challenged, follow the following Process:

Download the Zip
Extract all files in the .zip to your (mydominionsdirectorypath)/dominions2/mods
Start Dominions 2
Go to "Preferences"
Go to "Mod Preferences"
Click on "Conceptual Pretender Gods" so that it says Enabled
Create a New God

Note: Only games started with the Mod in place will have the changes of the Mod in effect.

Copy of READ ME:

These are the following changes to the Pretenders.

There are some things which are limited by the Modding Tools availiable for Illwinter. One of which is a redistricting of Pretenders, along with other statistical, auto-summoning, battle-summoning, certain unit modifications, global modifications and others. The Conceptual Balance series is my concept of Balance of the Game to allow *everything* to be a viable and game mechanical worthy choice not specifically for theme. While there is no "best" there are certain Pretenders with certain nations better suited to various strategies. With this in mind, here are the changes.

Weapons: Fire Breath +2 AOE
New Weapon: Wing Buffet

Pretenders
(Red, Blue, Green) Dragons +Wing Buffet, +5 Prot, +2 Prec, +2 Def
Dracolich +Recuperation, +Wing Buffet
Manticore +4 Prot, +2 Att, +2 Def, +Wing Buffet
Ghost King Basecost: 110, Pathcost: 30
Cyclops +25% Forge Bonus
Golden Naga +Mounted, +Body Slot, Dominon: 2
Naga +Mounted, +Body Slot, Dominion: 2, Stealth 0
Lord of the Gates +100 CR, +Fear, Basecost: 75, +Earth
Scorpion King +Mounted, +Body Slot
Shedu +Earth, +2 Def, -1 Enc, +Wing Buffet
(White, Black) Bull Pathcost: 60, -2 Enc
Lord of Fertility +Awe +1, +Nature
Lich +50 FR
Master Lich = Arch Lich +2 Death Gems, +Disease Cloud 6
Lich Queen +50 FR
Saurolich +50 FR
Void Lord -Head Slot
Son of the Sun (First Variety) +Fire
Son of the Sun (Second Variety) +Fire, Basecost: 75
Ancient Kraken +50 PR, +50 CR
***** Queen +Stealth 0
Mother of Lions +Stealth 0, +3 Def, +Bite, +Nature
Asynja +Glamour, +Stealth 25, Pathcost: 40
Daughter of the Land +Earth, Basecost: 75
Divine Glyph +Immortal, Basecost: 75
Medusa +4 HP
All-Father Pathcost: 50
Master Alchemist +Earth, -2 Enc, +2 Prec, +9 HP
Fountain of Blood +10 HP, Pathcost: 30
Oracle +10 HP, Pathcost: 30, +2 Astral Gems
Titan (Female) +Nature
Wyrm Basecost: 50
Earth Mother -1 Enc
Sacred Statue Basecost: 30, -Astral, Pathcost: 20
Monolith +2 Nature Gems
Lord of the Wild Basecost: 125
Colossal Head +Nature, +Blood
Prince of Death Pathcost: 70
Titan (Male) Basecost: 110, +Mapmove, +1 Att, +1 Def, +1 Prec, +Mountainsurvival
Father of Serpents: +3 Def, +2 Prec
Lord of the Desert Sun: +3 Def, +2 Prec
Phoenix +Fire
Jade Emperor -1 Enc, +2 Prec
Freak Lord +Nature, -2 Enc, +11 HP
Arch Mage Basecost: 20, -2 Enc, +11 HP
Crone = Hag Basecost: 0, +6 HP, +3 Prec, +Iron Crutch, -2 Enc, +Heal Troops
Great Sage Basecost: 25, +8 HP, -2 Enc
Frost Father Basecost: 45, +8 HP, -2 Enc
Master Druid Basecost: 45, +8 HP, -2 Enc
Great Enchantress +Ethereal, Basecost: 45, +7 HP, -2 Enc
Smoking Mirror +5 HP, -2 Enc
Arch Druid +11 HP, -2 Enc
Arch Mage (Water) +9 11 HP, -2 Enc
Seer of the Deeps +9 HP, -2 Enc, Basecost: 45, +Water, Dominion: 2
Great Warlock -2 Enc, +Fire, +Quarterstaff, Dominion: 2
Divine Emperor -2 Enc, Dominon: 3
Divine Serpent Pathcost: 30
Serpent King -2 Enc, Dominion: 3
Son of the Sea +Water, +Mapmove
Virtue +100 FR

[Cainehill]

Ooorah! That looks awesome, Zen! Now to get some MP games going using it. Thanks!

[Boron]

Wow .
What's the reasoning for giving a virtue 100% FR as well ?
This way you don't need any resistence stuff at all .

May i ask what happened to your new spell references as well ?

[archaeolept]

blitz tomorrow

[Zen]

Boron said:
Wow .
What's the reasoning for giving a virtue 100% FR as well ?
This way you don't need any resistence stuff at all .

Because of the choice of picking the Virtue in the Mod is not as straight forward as it might have been before.

[Yossar]

Just glanced at the list. So everyone is improved except Ghost King, Prince of Death, and Allfather who are nerfed? And a few others (Moloch at least) are untouched? Interesting.

[Zen]

If you want to count the nerfs, you might also want to include the missing head slot on the Void Lord.

Though of course, I always thought he just stuffed his facesucker in the top of all his helmets, looking like an octopus trying to get through a heating vent.

[Thufir]

I like what you've done to the human pretenders, I'm looking forward to trying them out! I suppose you've considered stripping the Moloch of his imps, and decided not to?

[Cainehill]

Yep, a number are seemingly untouched (Lady of Fortune, Carrion Dragon, etc). But it definately makes some of the "lesser" pretenders much more worth taking a look at, and makes the human pretenders a little less lame (they all have more HPs than a drowning kitten, for instance ).

Using this mod, I think you can hope to see more than the same ten pretenders in every game (even if you still see 33% VQs ). Nice.

[Pocus]

real good mod Zen, congratulations, I think its a step forward in godmaking for dominions .

I have a major problem though on the Blood Thorn that you modded to Blood 4 Nature 1 IIRC. If the purpose is to reduce its attractivness as a melee weapon, then you should lessen the damage, and not rise the cost. Because as it stands, you are making the life very difficult for blood nations just wanting the item for a second blood level boost. (In essence you forgot that the blood thorn has 2 usages)