Nation - Pythium Wild Magic (LA)
I've mostly completed the unit creation, but I havn't even started doing the graphics, so for now units using existing sprites that are close.
Editied, the version I uploaded before had the heros as recruitable, for testing.
As magic left the world the theurgs of Pythium felt their power waning. To stop this, they gathered the full force of their communion and breached the astral plane, attempting to tap unlimited magic power. The power could not be controlled, and they unleashed a cataclysm that destroyed most of Pythium. Now wind magic surges course through the land, changing the inhabitants, imbuing them with magic. Over time, the population recovered and a new order emerged. The majority of the people have magic talents, and while most aren't strong enough to cast spells, those that can rise rapidly in status. Those willing to risk life, limb, and their soul can attempt to harness the wild magic, gaining great power. Now, a new god has found its way through the tear, attempting to gain dominion over this world.
Strengths: excellent human troops, access to all magic paths, immortal summons
Weaknesses: poor priests, no sacred troops, poor research, magic almost entirely random, summons require paths that are difficult to get with nationals
The idea behind this nation is that Pythium followed ermor's path, resulting in a cataclym. This has brought uncontrolled magic into the world, embuing the survivors with magic power. They have very versitile mages, able to cast many different spells, but they have poor research, meaning they are slow to gain them.
However, since the only guarentied magic path is s1, recruiting mages is like gambling, eventually you'll be able to cast everything, but in the mean time you can set a research goal only to find you don't have any mages who can cast the spell you want.
National troops are versitile and powerful, but require a mix to remian effective. Each one has an available counter, so troops placement becomes very important.
Starting Site The Tear, 5 pearls, recruit warped and savant
Troops:
Warrior of earth: 13g, 37 res, high defense, protection, reinvirgoration (once it works), mapmove 2, very poor attack
The Warriors of Earth are one of the four elemental warrior societies. Attuned to Earth and carrying massive shields, they are reinvigorated by contact with the earth. This allows them to march further then other heavy infantry and fight longer in battle. Like all Pythians attuned to magic, they are resistant to magic.
Warrior of Fire: 15g 16 res, high attack, moral, ap, magic armor piercing weapons, poor defense, no shield
The Warriors of Fire are one of the four elemental warrior societies. Attuned to fire and wielding daggers, they use there powers to coat their blades in flame. These blades can cut through armor and harm ethereal beings. Like all Pythians attuned to magic, they are resistant to magic.
Warrior of Water: 10g 2 res, high defense, amphibian, immune to poison, no armor
The Warriors of Water are one of the four elemental warrior societies. Attuned to water, they can breathe underwater and control the flow of liquids inside their body, making them immune to poison. Like all Pythians attuned to magic, they are resistant to magic.
Warrior of Air: 12g 3 res, high range and precision, only uses short bows
"The Warriors of Wind are one of the four elemental warrior societies. Attuned to air magic and wielding bows, they use their powers to make their arrows fly more accurately and further then other archers. Like all Pythians attuned to magic, they are resistant to magic.
militia: basic militia with lower morall, provincial defense
People who lack magic power make up the bottom rung of society. Often conscripted into armies, they fight neither hard, nor well.
slinger: normal slinger, provincial defense
Warped: 3og 3 res, high attack, hp, damange, magic weapon, capital only, low defense, low protection, magic being, never heals
Not all alterations are beneficial. The warped are humans altered by the wild magic into mindless beasts. They wield great clubs imbued with magic by the uncontrolled magic raging through there bodies. Possessing great strength, they charge blindly into battle, not bothering to defend themselves. The Alterations hinder healing, and they will not heal outside a lab. They cannot control the magic inside their own bodies, and are very vulnerable to spells.
Commanders:
Hidden: 60g 4 res, spy, glamor
Some Pythians have the ability to alter their appearance with illusions. They are trained as scouts and spies, and sent to cause chaos among Pythium's enemies. Like all Pythians attuned to magic, they are resistant to magic.
Gifted: 180g 23 res, high stats, high hp, excellent leader, 100% fawesdn, -2 research
With the destruction of the old nobility in the cataclysm, a new order has risen. The gifted are the exception members of society who have risen to become the new rulers. With both magic and martial talent, they are trained by the remnants of the emerald guard. Like the warriors, they are attuned to one type of magic, though their skill is less then that of the Savants. Their martial focus reduces their researching ability. Like all Pythians attuned to magic, they have higher magic resistance then normal humans.
Theurg: 180g 1 res, s1h1, poor stats, starts old
When the cataclysm of the Tear destroyed the communion of Pythium, most of the theurgs died with it. A few apprentices who had not yet fully joined the communion survived. Now their descendents try to keep the ways of old Pythium alive. They are feared by the common people, who blame them for their role in the destruction. Now they are just a few old men, dreaming of the communions of old.
Chaos Mage: 200g 1 res, 85/80/75/70/65 fawesdn, crappy stats, young, -5 research, starts injured (this forced holy as well)
Anyone with enough daring can attempt to become a chaos mage. By attempting to control the wild magic surges that flow though the land, one can gain great power without the lifetime of study. Doing so risks life and limb, as well as the attention of the horrors on the other side of the Tear. Opening themselves up to wild magic makes it harder to resist other magic. The magic gained this way is unpredictable, some become mighty mages, and some gain no magic at all. Since they gain their power without studying, chaos mages are very poor researchers.
Savant: 110g 1 res, 2 linked full random (I wanted everyting but blood, but you can't do restricted linked randoms), capital only, -2 research
Among people living near the tear, magic power is more common. Like the warriors, savants are attuned to one magic type. Instead of manifesting as small abilities, these talents develop into full spell casting abilities at a young age. Savants can be attuned to any type of magic, and are skilled mages. Because their magic skills are innate, rather then learned, they are poor researchers. Like all magically attuned Pythians, they are resistant to magic.
Pretenders:
Ether King: 100 points, s2d1, dom 2, 20 new paths, 35 hp, 16 attack, def, stregnth, ethereal, dom summons Ether Warriors, scale hauberk, half helmet, moon lance
The Ether King is an Ether Lord that has gained dominion over many clans. The Tear has weakened the seals on the astral gates, allowing the king to enter this world. Now he seeks dominion over the world, to throw open the gates and lead his people back from exile.
Horror: 150 points, no magic, dom 1, 80 new paths, 25 hp, 14 str, 18 prot, att, def, map move 4, flying, fear +8, ethereal, amphibian, causes unrest, 2 life drain and 2 astral claw attacks (essentually -2 to most of a normal horrors stats)
Horrors are astral being that feed on fear and despair. This horror has made its way through the tear to take up permanent residence in this world, to feed continuously. Leaving its home permanently has weakened it compared to the horrors that only visit occasionally, but it is still a force to be reckoned with.
Heroes:
Lord of Chaos: 10 100% faewsdn, young, average stats
From a very young age the lord of chaos showed great magic aptitude. At first he was thought to be a savant, but he soon showed talent in many types of magic. When he attempted the wild magic ritual he gained a control of the surges at a level previously unheard of. This has transformed him into one of the most powerful mages who ever lived.
Last Arch Theurg: a3w1s4, old
The last Arch Theurg was always fascinated by the theurgs of old. He would search through the ruins of the Cathedral of the Spheres, hoping to rediscover their secrets. Eventually, he dug up a few old texts on arcane magic. By studying them, he has matched the arcane powers of the Arch Theurgs, although he still lacks their priestly powers. His search has alienated him from the population at large, who still fear the power of the Theurgs for their role in the cataclysm.
Multiheroes:
Chaos Master: 5 100% faewsdn, old, +3 research
Not everyone is temped by the easy path to power. A few mages are willing to study the wild surges, to learn to control them safely. After a lifetime of study, they can attempt to control the surges, gaining the power of the Chaos Mages safely. Because of their studious nature, Chaos Masters are good researchers.
Sentient Warped: high hp, above average stats, magic weapon, very high magic leadership
Occasionally people are warped by the magic of the tear, yet manage to retain their sanity. While they still aren't trusted to lead normal men, they are allowed to lead armies of the Warped, herding their mindless brethren into battle. Unlike the mindless warped, they think about their own safely, instead of merely harming others, though they still have great difficulty resisting hostile magic.
summons: (all are immortal, magic beings, ethereal, have 0 prot, with high magic resistance)
Astral Flare: s2f2 5 pearls, conj 3, weak fireshield, heat flying, 5 hp, amphibian, eyeloss, soul leach attack (an, life draining, magic resistance negates, think of it as astral fire, the flames feeds on what is burned)
A flare of astral magic, summoned through the tear. It can fly to its targets, and burn them with astral flames, feeding on the flames produced. It radiates heats, and can burn underwater. Any creature foolish enough to attack it risks both flame and blindness. Like all astral beings, if destroyed it can find its way back through the tear.
Atral Mind: s5 30 pearls, conj 5, s2 20%f 20%w 20%e 20%a 50%s 20%d 20%n 20%b, map move 1, stealthy, 1 hp, no slots, +20 research (primarily researchers, 1/2 can teleport, and make excellent astral duelers)
A collective of minds lost on the astral plane, drawn back through the tear. The collective is a skilled astral mage, and often knows other paths as well. It is also an excellent researcher. The minds are now pure thought, and maintain there existence in this world though force and will and concentration. If this concentration is broken, the collective is broken and must reform at the tear.
Astral Mirror: s5w3 40 pearls, conj 6, s2w2 50%s 50%w, immobile, 7 hp, horror mark shield, blood vengence +2, fear, ampibian, 100% cold res, chill (1/2 can teleport, must teleport to move)
Summoned through the tear, this mirror reflects the cold light of the astral plane. Anyone who peers into it risks being seen by the horrors reflected it its depths, and any who attempt to harm it will have their attacks reflected back on them. Like all astral beings, if destroyed the mirror can find its way back into this world through the tear.
Atral Pyre: s5f3, 80 pearls, conj 8, s2f2 50%f 50%f 50%s, immobile, 35 hp, high heat, high fireshield, amphibian, can summon atral flares, attackers are blinded, 3 soul leach attacks (1/4 can cast fire storm, 1/2 can teleport, 1/8 can do both, must teleport to move)
A font of pure astral flames, an astral pyre has been summoned through the tear. While it cannot move without magic, it is still formidable, able to burn anything with astral fires, feeding on the flames produced. It radiates heats, and can burn underwater. Any creature foolish enough to attack it risks both flame and blindness. Like all astral beings, if destroyed it can find its way back through the tear.
Lurker: s7b4, 100 pearls, conj 9, no magic, flying, stealth +5, assisin, immune to fire cold shock poison, very high magic resistance, high encumbrence, causes unrest, astral claw consume soul attacks (consume soul damage is death, and life drains, magic resistane negates)
Lurkers are relatives of Horrors and live on the astral plane, lying in wait for unfortunate mages. A consumer of souls, this lurker has been lured into this world through the Tear with the promise of a feast. Inhabiting the body of its last victim, it now hunts the enemies of the new god. If it can't find mages to eat, it will chose victims from the general population, spreading fear wherever it lurks. If destroyed, it will make its way back into this world through the tear, inhabiting a new victim, as long as the tear remains open. Lurkers are almost impervious to magic, mages unlucky enough to meet one rarely live to tell of it.
Notes on balance:
1)I suspect that the hidden's stealth is too high, 20 is the normal spy, plus another 25 from glamor makes them very hard to detect, though they can be found
2) while chaos masters appear very strong, from my testing about half of them have little or no battle field uses, and 1/3 of more end up being redudent backup (for example, the first fire/death combo is useful for skulls of fire, but any future ones don't do much unless they get d2 or more, to cast banefine)
3) The mirror does ok against low magic resistance chaff, but its low hp makes it fragile, and it folds quickly to anyting with decent mr and a magic weapon
4) The lurker is a beast, but it costs as much as a wish and requires a path combinition that the nationals can't get, you need to eithor empower in blood, or add blood to your pretender. Its not strong enough to be a SC without gear, and any gear is lost when it dies. Additionally, its high encumbrence and protection of 0 requires eithor high reinvigoration or its life draining attack, so it will struggle against lifeless armies, especially if they have decent mr.
I would appreciate anyone else's thoughts on balance.
Last edited by Edi; August 27th, 2008 at 01:55 PM..
Reason: Prefix
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. I might have done it wrong, though, or it might be a feature of bonus weapons.
Linear Mode
