Clueless,
I agree with you about spells. I don’t want kingdoms to feel generic either. That said, the first pass with the new spell lists did expand access, and I’m genuinely curious to see how they play out. I’m looking for player feedback as we test.
Your point about the Revelations spell is fair. It’s currently one of the strongest information spells in the game. In a single turn, it gives a complete rundown of a kingdom, including all of its agents (which can then be killed or captured), emissaries, troops, and population centers across multiple regions. Most importantly, it can reveal hidden capitals, which are otherwise very difficult to locate.
I actually considered removing it because it has very little counterplay. However, I decided to keep it and make it available to everyone instead. The main reason is that it’s limited to one cast per kingdom. This restriction makes it much more practical for mage kingdoms, who can reach the required casting level earlier and more reliably. For most non-mage kingdoms, even if they have access to the spell, it’s usually too late or too difficult to use effectively. That said, the lack of meaningful counterplay is still something I’m not entirely comfortable with.
As for the other spells, they generally follow a similar pattern. Right now, I can’t easily change the total number of spells or rewrite combat descriptions based on which kingdom casts them. I’d eventually like to have more flavorful versions. For example, Wall of Fire for some kingdoms, Wall of Thorns for Druids and Elves, Sandstorm for Nomads, and Ice or Water effects for Cimmerians or Atlanteans. That level of customization isn’t possible yet, but it’s something I’m planning for the Alamaze Rebirth system, where players will be able to create and theme their own spells more easily.
For now, kingdoms do have access to more spells overall, but non-mage kingdoms generally receive them later. The delay is roughly one tier per step down from the original casting tier. For example, if a high-tier mage kingdom gets a spell at level 3, the next tier down typically gets it at level 4, then level 5, and so on. It’s not an exact rule across every spell, but it’s a fairly consistent pattern.
Mages also get access to the strongest monsters in the game quickly, so while they come online slower, they’re not weak by any means.
One small change I’m considering is increasing the cost of the +15k starting defense option in kingdom customization, possibly to 20k or 30k. That would be an optional pick for players who want the extra protection.
Honestly, spells will likely need further adjustments, but I won’t know the right balance without player input. I’ve already put myself into a few games both to test things and to observe how they play. You have good ideas, so if you haven’t already, I’d encourage you to jump into a couple of games with a strong mage kingdom and share your findings.
Thanks again for the feedback.
Brek
(06-27-2026, 01:08 AM)JohnnyUtah Wrote: For me, revelation is the main counter to hidden PC's. Are you really going to recon every location in Darkover to find a hidden popcenter?
If you get rid of revelation then you should get rid of hidden popcenters. Also, devout kingdoms should be able to sacrifice a priestess for a revelation.
And I would like to be able to stack legendary castles so they aren't trivial to take. Each additional legendary castle build would add +100k defense.
What do you mean by the statement below? Give me some more details.
"And I would like to be able to stack legendary castles so they aren't trivial to take. Each additional legendary castle build would add +100k defense."
Buddy/Ignore List
