magic modding question

[Aezeal]

Can you:

1. Make it so a nation cannot use the regular spells
2. Make it so a nation gets a different research curve than other nations

I would like this because IMHO a dwarf race should not have magic. I'm thinking of modding that dwarf thing here on the forum. The plan would to make a number of spells holy/earth

the race would then only need to research earth and shouldn't get ANY other spells. of course.. with regular research you'd get all your spells quite fast so I'd want every level to take about 4 times as long. (So this race would be fully researched the same time others would have researched 4 different groups till level 9)

The dwarves would then become a fanatical religous race (high level priests) which would get sacred gunners (yes magic guns, I really liked why the other mod didn't want to use guns but I like the idea of being fanatical it combines good with not trading/telling etc about the magic involved in crafting the guns.)

[Wauthan]

As far as I know you can't remove spells or modify research
for one specific nation. But is it really needed? Just don't
give the nation any spellcasters (save priests) or gem income
at all. That way only the pretender and independent mages are
available.

If the player still wants to use spells it's still a possibility,
though a bit more difficult then usual, while it lets you
focus on making a nonmagic nation viable in lategame.
I assume variations of #domsummon might be useful to
simulate new units being constructed rather then summoned.

[DrPraetorious]

1. No. The engine internals do support what you describe (notice that LA Ermor does not get the regular priest spells) but this isn't accessible to modders, and is probably hard coded somehow.

2. Not directly, but you can give them national spells, partway up the research tree, that provide a research bonus.

So, a nation could have lousy researchers and then a spell at Const 5 which enables them to build superior researchers.

I think it violates the spirit of the game to prevent the dwarven pretender from casting death spells if he has death magic, myself, anyway.

[Aezeal]

the dwarven pretender would have to be scales and/or SC

I see another way.

Wauthan has the right idea

If I give the nation no magicians, they can't construct labs, so no indep mages either (unless they get a lab through event)

Then the pretender remains, can I remove all standard pretenders from a race and let them only choose from a few new ones (a few new ones with no magic paths and new magic path cost 5000000000)

I'd just have to make a whole lot of holy spells

DAMN you can't research holy spells so you'd start with them all.. which can't ever be balanced

hmm or... they get research.. so they can research and then .., damn I'm stuck can you make earth spells which require no earth level or gems to cast?

[Wauthan]

You know, it would be a lot easier to give advice and ideas if
you mentioned what effects you're going for.

A 'tiered' summoning of units, without spellcasting, is pretty
easy. One expensive unit has #domsummon of the first tier unit.
That unit has #domsummon of the next tier unit and so on...
This forces the player to keep the 'chain of summoning' intact while
still making the nation grow increasingly more powerful as dominion
spreads. So in effect you've got a research system based on praying
priests, though it's a bit clunky.

Attack spells can be simulated with either ranged weapons,
which uses ammo, or #onbattlespell using custom spells.

[Edratman2]

I think it can be done, although I don't know how to get around indy mages.

Set the nation's only pretender with earth and set the price for all other paths so high that you cannot afford to take a single one. Then all you would have is whatever you put on the nationals and the pretender with earth. It wouldn't be too bad if the pretender did have access to a little earth magic.

As for speed, I do not know if the command "#researchscale" affects only your nation or everyone. I've never used it but I am sure someone can advise.

Another alternative to Wauthan's fine tiered suggestion is to put your summons at level 8 (for example) in different schools of magic.

[chrispedersen]

You can research holy spells - example... quickroots.

Or you could give them a negative path or research bonus... making casting or research harder.