Wishlist: Proto-monsters and transformation over time

[AreaOfEffect]

Proto-monsters
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I would like to see a new monster command which would allow us to simulate the effects of cross breeding, summon animals, and reanimation. However, I see a way to make such a command much more flexible then just those spells.

The idea would be to take a starting monster, the first (or proto) monster in a series, and tag it so that, when recruited or summoned, it might manifest as a different monster instead. Now I know I'm not talking about just one command, but rather a string of similar tags, each one referencing a different monster. The commands could be called #alternatemon1, #alternatemon2, and so forth. It doesn't really matter to me what they're called. I would like to see there be an equal chance of each alternate monster appearing, including the proto-monster.

Limitations would of course need to be imposed on the command. Once a alternatemon command is executed, the game should ignore alternatemon commands on the alternate monster, or else it could lead to cyclical command execution. By all means, don't give us the ability to shoot ourselves in the foot.


Transformation over time
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I like the idea that some monsters are an investment and get better with time, or that a monster is a limited resource and should be used right away. I would like to see monsters either have a percent chance of transforming from month to month into another monster, or transform after a set number of turns.


The combination of both
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Combining my requests could lead to some interesting units. A simple one would be a mysterious egg that over time hatches and becomes a another unit. If that unit was a proto-monster then you can simulate the effects of a dud monster appearing, or the appearance of an exceptional, but rare, unit.

[HoneyBadger]

I suggested the "transforms over time" idea a while back, and it got shouted down rather forcefully Seems strange that it would, because creatures already get elderly over time, so why shouldn't one get better? Say, for instance, if you took the scales that make creatures start older/get older, faster, you might use this as an advantage for Aboleths, since you would be able to recruit regular Aboleths that would eventually transform into Mind Lords.

Ofcourse, they're an extreme example, since they've got lifespans in the tens of thousands of years, but what if there were some in-game effects that rapidly aged creatures? Say a spell or a special site. Something that was negative for most Nations, but that could be taken advantage of by a few.

And I like your egg idea. It's not the first time I've heard it, but I like the (I think new) idea that it would hatch into various different critters. I'd apply it to my Dragons, (lesser versions, ofcourse, that could get older over time) and stick it in as a high level Summons, with the chance that you'd just end up with a Drake/Wyvern/Couatl/Salamander, etc. Dud version would be a lizardman or a kobold

[Aezeal]

Hmm the idea's are nice. Of course you already have things to make troops more worthwhile. the experience which actually give advantages that are pretty decent for regular troops. For SC commanders that might not be very much though and those have heroic abilities. So I think that is somewhat covered. Everyone is expandable it is in dominions and while I know ppz get attached to their troops this might increase that while I think it might not be the actual idea (I mightbe wrong though)

Hey Honey try my dragons out

Ofcourse, they're an extreme example, since they've got lifespans in the tens of thousands of years, but what if there were some in-game effects that rapidly aged creatures? Say a spell or a special site. Something that was negative for most Nations, but that could be taken advantage of by a few.
--> this would be fun, but all creatures would need to gain something to see if this worked for them or not.. lots of work I think.
--> this actually would be VERY VERY nice for my dragon nation (read the description in my thread about it.. it would let them age from shape to shape brilliant

[AreaOfEffect]

The idea of maturity is just one possible use for the monthly transformation. I've already discussed the idea of a unit that degrades rather quickly. You could use it to simulate units that periodically cycle through different aspects. Set the percentage to 100% or the turn interval to 1 and you have a unit that changes every month. Put into a cycle and you have an interesting unit. Using the turn method you create a beast that gets stronger the closer it gets to the year it was born.

If we added a #dead tag to the wishlist we could make units who purposely self-destruct. Imagine a spell that conjures a slightly longer lasting army of illusions. Slowly the magic of the illusion fades. Pop! There goes another one. Instead of duds, how about complete failures. Currently the only way to auto-kill a unit is to make a land dwelling unit into a sea dweller and vice versa.

Edit: Someone also mentioned in the Hinnom thread that it would be nice if the cannibals had a chance to get stronger blood magic. I wouldn't mind this, but I'd imagine the population eating would dramatically increase as his taste for blood increases.

[Aezeal]

Or lessen since he'd eat some virgins needed for the spells which would probably fall under an action that makes them unsuitable for blood magic

I say cannibals need to get a 10% increase in needed slaves

[llamabeast]

Using #firstshape will cause a creature to change every month. In my forthcoming Endgame Summons mod, the Wendigo eats population and grows for its first 12 months, growing from human sized to Niefel sized. In the end it gets the berserk attribute because it can grow no more.

[Aezeal]

yeah you are right I actually encounterd that when testing with shapechanging with my dom3000 mod good you say it since it can really do some of the things requested here.. although it uses quite some unit numbers.if you use 12 the same form you could let it remain the same for a year and then go to a different form ..

[Alderanas]

if the aging were increased would there then be a way to slow down the process so that the creature would not die right after it was made awesome or am i miss-understanding this?

[Aezeal]

there is no reason it would die it just stays the last form

[llamabeast]

Indeed, it just stays in the same form.

One issue is that at the end of a battle the creature ages by a month as well. With the wendigo I just said it gorges on the corpses at the end of a battle and grows more quickly. But with other creatures (like a dragon's egg) that would make less sense. I think I worked out an ingenious way round this issue at one point. In fact I know I did, though I never tested it. If you'd definitely make use of it though, I could try to rustle up a prototype.