January 2017 Choosing Changes

[Jumpingfist]

I think it would be better to scale the chance to kill a leader the same way an artifacts scales the chance of death. To flat out give a point bonus after numbers are calculated is to strong.

It would seem the way proposed a warlord in an army group would die 60.005% of the time when facing a brigade size group. And that is on a second roll already made to kill the leader from the battle itself.

Instead still give another roll per weapon artifact in the group but limit each to killing a maximum of only 1 wizard or leader. But scale so if the leader had a 20% chance to die from the battle, it would now have a 32% chance from a superior/quest artifact on the second roll.

This way other factors already in play help keep your heroes alive still and it does not just become a who has the biggest stick game.

[Ry Vor]

I think it easier on the players to make an update for all items at the end of the month.  Then it is clear when everything is in place, and players in current games get the month to adjust.

There are a number of items that got deferred, beyond the Halflings getting Ents (but I do hope players give the Halflings a shot).  My little wish is separating Influence (political power) as currently in Alamaze into two parts, the other being Rulership (governance and so # of orders available).  In this way a sprawling kingdom like the Tyrant can gain additional orders without making their emissaries more powerful, and also ups the strategy of which order to use with your Ruler.

I'm still considering which two kingdoms to replace the Red and Black Dragon in Maelstrom and will need to huddle with Mike on how we can make dragons and giants individual characters within the existing framework.

[Ry Vor]

Made several to many changes.  Rather than just post the changes, I recommend you review anew.  I took most recommendations experienced players posted to heart: I think you'll see many of them implemented in some form and all were considered. 

Again, the point of these updates is to do some course correction and further kingdom balancing, to adjust some spells and spell lists, and clarify what weapon artifacts do.  If after these are in place, we will have succeeded when most players can say all 24 kingdoms are about equally attractive and all can succeed under a skilled player.

I'd ask the players that posted on this thread before to comment on this final version (subject to any unforeseen coding issues), along with any other players who wish to voice their opinion and hopefully all are looking forward to seeing these changes in place and possibly revamping your The Choosing perspective and strategy.

Proposed Changes to The Choosing for January, 2017
To be Effective January 31, 2017
Setup Changes:
o   Amazons gain a Veteran Amazon brigade to 1AM;
o   Lizardmen gain a P2 and a Saurus Veteran brigade to 1LI;
o   Rangers gain Charisma trait, and a Veteran Zamoran brigade in 1RA;
o   Wizard capitals gain an additional 3k defense;
o   Dwarven defense build bonus consumes no food and increases 4k defense for 10k gold invested;
o   Cimmerians start with 1 additional brigade in 1 CI as Veteran.
o   Black Dragons start with +5k to capital defense and gold, and 2 additional Fore Knowledge artifacts (random, but re-roll if in water area).
o   Sacred Order starts with a veteran Northmen brigade with its 1SA.
o   Lizardmen also gain a P1 wizard in LI2.
o   Atlantians gain an Atlantian veteran brigade in 1AT.
o   Both starting Halfling villages are hidden.
o   Halflings gain a new companion type: Ents.

Trait Changes:
·        Devout Kingdoms can have their fanatics train two levels higher than their agents
·        Non-Magical kingdoms retain the same cost per power level of research and spell lists, but the maximum power assured moves from 2 to 3.  Currently this only affects the Dwarves.
·        The Halflings move from Magically Disadvantaged to Sub-standard.  This reflects that some Halfling wizards have joined from a more magical race, not the magic of Halflings themselves.  Halflings retain their earlier than trait spells (so those obtained a power level earlier than sub-standard).
·        Black Dragon gains Rich trait.
·        Military Tradition kingdoms gain a 5th group.
o   5AM = Valkyries
o   5DA = Spears of the Steppes
o   5RA = The Iron Born
o   5SA = Knights of Avalon

Rule Changes:
·        Magic Research cost goes up after Power 5.  So normal Research Costs through P5, but then at P6 and above, cost is (base + powerx1k) x Power.  So a Magic Supremacy kingdom going to P6, would pay (7 +6) x 6 = 78k gold, instead of the current $42k.
·        Wizards may only summon a brigade in the wild (not at PC’s).  Does not apply to Instant Summon Phantoms or to accumulating Zombies.
·        Summoned troops will have upkeep representing ng magical materials consumed to sustain the summoning).
Upkeep for Summoned brigades:
·        Type:                                   Gold                      Food
·        Minotaurs                          2000                     2000
·        Wights                                1000                       500
·        Ghouls                                   700                       500
·        Zombies                                300                       300
·        Rock Golems                     2000                       500
·        Skeletons                              300                        -
·        Specters                              1000                       500
 
 
Combat Changes:
·        Barrage only against PC’s (not groups) and at 150% long range (instead of 200%) and remain 150% short range missile phases.
·        Successful Flank tactic increases the group’s charge values by 175% instead of 200%.
 
Spell Effect Changes:
·        Combat Density spell effect against divisions+ reduced:
o   vs. Divisions becomes 125%
o   vs. Armies becomes 150%
o   vs. Army Groups becomes 200%
·        These spells don’t stack.  One spell per group per target:
o   All battle damage spells (Lightning – Meteor Storm)
o   Dire Wolf
o   Summon Death
o   Fear
o   Valor
o   Shield
·        Does not apply to Dispel, Familiars, etc.  Is for spells that affect combat.  As well as the previously mentioned.
·        Increase the benefit of HP Heal and spell Heal by 50%.  Trait Healing remains as is.  Revise setup/spell list to reflect new values.
·        Meteor Strike is now 4000 destruction plus 3000 (instead of 2000) per power level over 5.  So a P7 destroys permanently 10,000 defense instead of 8000.

Spell List Changes:  Various revisions to the required power level for spells, such that some that are unattainable now become a possibility for the less magical kingdoms.  o   Heal is available to all kingdoms one power level earlier
o   Teleport Patrol and Invisible Patrol has been added
o   Teleport Army Group has been reduced 1 level for Magic Supremacy and Mastery kingdoms
o   The reduction to the casting wizard’s group strength in effected phases by Wind Storm and Flash Flood are reduced by 50% (so a 50% reduction to caster group – not target – becomes a 25% reduction).
o   Dispel Dome of Invulnerability will drop in required power 1 level and 2 power levels for Devout kingdoms via special ability (AM, LI, NO, SA).  Add that to the “spells gained earlier” section to the dossiers of Devout Kingdoms.
o   Lich has been increased in power for kingdoms gaining it at power 7 to power 8 with the exception of the Necromancer.
o   Summon Skeletons changed to summon one skeleton brigade per two power levels of wizard, so a Power 6 wizard casting the spell would summon 3 skeleton brigades, subject to the max of 10 skeleton brigades per group.  The casting level and availability of the spell to kingdoms has changed.
o   Summon Phantoms is changed from one brigade for each 2 power levels of casting wizard to one brigade plus one brigade per 2 power levels.  So a Power 5 wizard would now summon 1 + 2 =3 brigades instead of the 2 brigades as previously.
o   Several summon undead spells have been removed from kingdoms that would never or should never summon undead.
o   #97 Crack the Sky – High level spell that does Fear, Chaos and Tornado.  (previously was Lightning Strike instead of Tornado).
 
Artifact Clarification/Changes:
·        Fine weapon artifact increases group attack damage by 10% similar to a Valor spell to max 5k. 
·        Excellent weapon artifact increases group attack damage by 20% to max 10k, Superior weapon artifact increases group damage 30% to max 15k.
·        Fine weapon has a chance to kill one enemy leader or wizard, chosen at random and subject to traits, protection, etc., of 120%  of the base chance from battle (a 20% chance of death in battle generates a 2nd roll for survival of 20% x 120% or 24%. which is an additional roll to normal leader / death chances.  Should generate the text result of the artifact attack whether successful (“X was killed by Y wielding the (artifact name) Sword of Alvinatar”, or “X survived an attack by Y who had the Sword of Alvinatar”.)
·        As per above, Excellent weapons have a 140%, Superior weapons a 160% increase in chance of killing a randomly selected character of the enemy in a 2nd roll for survival, over the initial roll for surviving battle 
·        Weapons also reduce the chance of their wielder (not all characters) being killed by the related % (not points).   (The inverse of the chance of slaying an opponent.)  So facing a 20% chance of death, a leader with a Fine weapon has a 16% chance, an Excellent wielder has a 12% chance, a Superior weapon reduces chance of its leader dying by 60%, so net 8% in this example.
·        Armor artifacts reduce death chance of the possessing leader (not all leaders) by 50% for Fine, 70% for Excellent, 90% for Superior.

Text Changes:
·        Change “Grand Marshal” to “Field Marshal”.  Grand Marshal is somebody who runs a parade.  I don’t know how it got in Alamaze.
·        Delete the turn 0 political events on the diplomacy, HP, exploratory, etc, that are now covered in the regular rules.
·        Ensure the Heroic trait applies to fanatics as well as agents and add “and fanatics” to the trait description.
·        Create Pre-battle magic phase text results for spells in effect before battle begins.
·        In a PC battle, display the group as in group vs. group battles (leaders, wizards, brigade composition, morale, etc.)

[Jumpingfist]

Looks good. Thanks for the additional modification.

I really like the text letting us know our weapons are doing there thing.
I also notice no change to dome yet it is harder to get and easier to dispell. Seems like a good fix without directly changing the spell.

[unclemike]

You forgot to include the new Invisible Patrol spell.

Also, about the Dire Wolf Familiar spell: The above mentions that it doesn't stack but that is only with another wizard casting the same spell (so only one Dire Wolf Familiar spell may be cast for the group). The Dire Wolf effects will stack with intrinsic Dire Wolf (if any) and also stack with agents guarding the group.

[Ry Vor]

You forgot to include the new Invisible Patrol spell.

Also, about the Dire Wolf Familiar spell: The above mentions that it doesn't stack but that is only with another wizard casting the same spell (so only one Dire Wolf Familiar spell may be cast for the group). The Dire Wolf effects will stack with intrinsic Dire Wolf (if any) and also stack with agents guarding the group.

Yes, there is a new Invisible Patrol spell, as well as the Telport Patrol.  I edited the above for that.

There should be only one Dire Wolf Familiar, whether intrinsic or cast.  An order to cast the Dire Wolf should check to see if there is already an Intrinsic Dire Wolf and give warning in order checker and the spell will fail if so when the spell resolves.  A Dire Wolf does stack with an agent on counter espionage, but not with another Dire Wolf.

[Acererak]

Seems very well considered and laid out. Well done!

[Atuan]

I am confused. These changes were going to be effective Jan 31st. Now are taking place Jan 13th. How are kingdoms going to handle the food and income cost of these changes on this short notice. This is drastically impact games in progress without time to make proper adjustments.

[VballMichael]

I am confused.  These changes were going to be effective Jan 31st.  Now are taking place Jan 13th.  How are kingdoms going to handle the food and income cost of these changes on this short notice.  This is drastically impact games in progress without time to make proper adjustments.

Was just thinking the same thing. I have at least two positions with LOTS of summoned magical troops with no upkeep. I am prepared to support them on 1/31 as advertised. I am not prepared to support them this week in a bad season. Please make the changes when you said you were going to - 1/31. Thank you.

[unclemike]

I can move the upkeep for summoned troops to be released a week later on Jan 20 but after discussing the situation with Ry Vor, the entire update cannot be done all at once. It has to be split up in piecemeal fashion as I mentioned earlier in this thread. Some items may be moved up in schedule since Ry Vor simplified some of the complexity of the tasks but the grouping and timing of what is included in each release should be fairly close to the original listing. I'll try to meet my estimates that I posted back on Jan 3 which should have given enough of an advanced notice for the upcoming changes  (http://kingdomsofarcania.net/forum/showt...1#pid43621). Let me know if there are any other issues but I won't be able to delay certain items if they are dependent upon other areas of the code.