Final Alamaze Changes

[Ry Vor]

Thanks for the input thus far.  I am thinking of eliminating Locate Character spell/ability and Summon Death.  Thoughts?

I hate exploits but it is occasionally a consequence of a deep game and I wish players that have found them wouldn't hold on to them and instead act for the greater good.

[JonDoe]

I would say with the limitations on names for kingdoms removing locate character is a good idea.

I summon death is not so bad now that it is limited to one casting per group and many kingdoms have some kind of resistance to it. To tone it down further I would recommend making it possible to dispel it using a dispel magic. Currently it is not considered a combat spell so cannot be dispelled and that creates the abuse I believe. I like the spell and it adds something for people to worry about rather than just strait forward tornado type spells. Also maybe make it so summon death does not work on undead since there is already a destroy undead spell.

[Avantar]

I would get rid of Dome and Dispel Dome and instead give increasing defensive value to Ward. Also Meteor Strike should be a combat spell. Certain spells should be more effective against specific kingdoms and creature types. i.e. Command Tornado against flying troops. I think the speed spell should have the restriction on movement points removed.
I would also like to see kingdom specific spells that other kingdoms do not have access to such as the Illusionist being able to "change terrain" to counter terrain bonuses. Get really creative and diverse with the mages. Reduce their power and add more of them.

[IMPERIAL_TARK]

The Destroy Undead spell should work on "all" undead, not just Zombies, Skeletons, and Ghouls. It should definitely work on Phantom brigades.

Locate Character spell MUST go! Multiple exploit abuses.

I agree with JD that Summon Death has been sufficiently toned down.

While I don't think there should be a penalty when you send an emmy to the wrong location, there still should be a way to eliminate the exploit of sending out a gaggle of L1 agents to find Hidden capitals. Since it requires an L4 to find one using a 970 order, why not make it so that when an L3 or lower attempts to relocate to a PC at a hidden capital (that is not their own or an ally's) that they get the same message as when they attempt to relocate to a non-populated square and return to their originating location.

Instead of eliminating Dome and Dispel Dome spells add an Order #11 customization artifact that allows the possessing group to cast a single Dispel Dome but only at that group's current location. Perhaps add a couple of them as Unusual Sighting artifacts as well and perhaps a couple of kingdoms (e.g., Dwarves) that start with one in their possession on T0.

The current Valyrian Steel artifact should be upgraded to give a small 3% bonus to battle combat and Unusual Sightings and a 10% battle combat bonus if the enemy group contains even a single brigade of Undead.

The 725 and 715 move/search orders should allow more specificity in stopping at PC locations. You should be able to specify stopping for Towns, Villages, or Cities as well as Neutral, Human, and declared Enemy.

The 203/204 orders should allow for multiple hostages of the same kingdom to be traded/ransomed at the same time.

Allow Confederation, Confluence, Warlord, Team/Magic, and Titan games to start with the team already Allied on T0 (as an option in the Queue).

Create a "10 Turns of Peace" game option in the Queue where for Turns 1-10 you cannot issue a 150, 170, 171, 180 or 190 order except on Neutral or Human PCs. You cannot issue any 110 or 111 orders. You cannot issue any 320 or 330 orders except on Neutral or Human PCs. And you cannot issue any 930-965 orders except 950 and 963. There's probably a few others, but you get the gist. Game is then 50 turns long. Starting T11, all orders are legal again.

Every kingdom should have a handful of (new) spells that are unique to their kingdom and only they can cast.

Give Warlords innate True Seeing ability.

Let combat group leaders (Generals, Marshals, etc) have an order that works similar to #96 Kill Wizard. When issued they forfeit the combat % bonus to their group in combat but gain the ability (% chance) to slay an enemy leader/wizard as specified in the order. They can only do this if they possess a Magic Weapon; one order per weapon.

Let the Siege Engineering trait allow 2 turn Sieges on all PCs, not just Towns.

Give declared Allies a few bonuses to one another. Examples: a 10% Tricks of the Trade, may issue one 560 recruit order per group at an ally's Town/City, wizards can issue a 799/801 order when located at an ally's Town/City, may issue a 550 Train Troops order when at any ally's Town/City.

All living (non Undead) troops should automatically heal 3% Attrition (bodies heal naturally from eating/sleeping) each turn. Healing trait kingdoms get 6% each turn and 9% with 236 order. Dragon Phoenixes and Trolls should also get 6% per turn and 9% with 236 order.

Military Tradition trait should also allow one kingdom brigade to start at Veteran level on T0

Allow some of the #11 Customization items as additional #992 ESO awards. Include gaining a HP as an option (in non-Pagan games). Offer healing of all attrition in 1st group as an award. Offer ability to declare a 3rd Enemy for rest of game as an ESO award. Offer one random Veteran brigade in first group promoted to Elite as an award.

Seafaring Trait allows kingdom a special order that once per turn can Usurp one Village or Town (non-capital) PC in any sea that they have a fleet of 10+ ships of at least 11+ quality. Cannot also issue a 705 or 711 order in that sea on that turn except for Atlantians, they can do both.

New Concept: Iron-willed Bonus. If you are still in a game when it ends but you do NOT finish in the top 2 nor do you finish in the bottom 2 (so nobody tanks their game deliberately), you gain an Iron-Willed point credited to your account. When you have collected X number of Iron-Willed points you may trade them in for the certain prizes in future games (e.g., an extra #11 Customization in a game, an automatic 992 ESO success on T15 in a game, ability to declare where your capital starts on T0 in a game, no set-up fee for next game, ability to name/re-name a handful of characters/PCs of that kingdom for all future games, etc. (Rick could generate the list and how many Iron-Will points you need for each reward; the player then decides when to apply them).

[WARMASTER]

I would say with the limitations on names for kingdoms removing locate character is a good idea.  

I summon death is not so bad now that it is limited to one casting per group and many kingdoms have some kind of resistance to it.   To tone it down further I would recommend making it possible to dispel it using a dispel magic.  Currently it is not considered a combat spell so cannot be dispelled and that creates the abuse I believe.   I like the spell and it adds something for people to worry about rather than just strait forward tornado type spells.   Also maybe make it so summon death does not work on undead since there is already a destroy undead spell.

I agree with JonDoe here.

[WARMASTER]

The Destroy Undead spell should work on "all" undead, not just Zombies, Skeletons, and Ghouls.  It should definitely work on Phantom brigades.

Locate Character spell MUST go!  Multiple exploit abuses.

I agree with JD that Summon Death has been sufficiently toned down.

While I don't think there should be a penalty when you send an emmy to the wrong location, there still should be a way to eliminate the exploit of sending out a gaggle of L1 agents to find Hidden capitals.  Since it requires an L4 to find one using a 970 order, why not make it so that when an L3 or lower attempts to relocate to a PC at a hidden capital (that is not their own or an ally's) that they get the same message as when they attempt to relocate to a non-populated square and return to their originating location.

Instead of eliminating Dome and Dispel Dome spells add an Order #11 customization artifact that allows the possessing group to cast a single Dispel Dome but only at that group's current location.  Perhaps add a couple of them as Unusual Sighting artifacts as well and perhaps a couple of kingdoms (e.g., Dwarves) that start with one in their possession on T0.

The current Valyrian Steel artifact should be upgraded to give a small 3% bonus to battle combat and Unusual Sightings and a 10% battle combat bonus if the enemy group contains even a single brigade of Undead.

The 725 and 715 move/search orders should allow more specificity in stopping at PC locations.  You should be able to specify stopping for Towns, Villages, or Cities as well as Neutral, Human, and declared Enemy.

The 203/204 orders should allow for multiple hostages of the same kingdom to be traded/ransomed at the same time.

Allow Confederation, Confluence, Warlord, Team/Magic, and Titan games to start with the team already Allied on T0 (as an option in the Queue).

Create a "10 Turns of Peace" game option in the Queue where for Turns 1-10 you cannot issue a 150, 170, 171, 180 or 190 order except on Neutral or Human PCs.  You cannot issue any 110 or 111 orders.  You cannot issue any 320 or 330 orders except on Neutral or Human PCs.  And you cannot issue any 930-965 orders except 950 and 963.  There's probably a few others, but you get the gist.   Game is then 50 turns long.  Starting T11, all orders are legal again.

Every kingdom should have a handful of (new) spells that are unique to their kingdom and only they can cast.

Give Warlords innate True Seeing ability.

Let combat group leaders (Generals, Marshals, etc) have an order that works similar to #96 Kill Wizard.  When issued they forfeit the combat % bonus to their group in combat but gain the ability (% chance) to slay an enemy leader/wizard as specified in the order.  They can only do this if they possess a Magic Weapon; one order per weapon.

Let the Siege Engineering trait allow 2 turn Sieges on all PCs, not just Towns.

Give declared Allies a few bonuses to one another.  Examples:  a 10% Tricks of the Trade,  may issue one 560 recruit order per group at an ally's Town/City, wizards can issue a 799/801 order when located at an ally's Town/City, may issue a 550 Train Troops order when at any ally's Town/City.

All living (non Undead) troops should automatically heal 3% Attrition (bodies heal naturally from eating/sleeping) each turn.  Healing trait kingdoms get 6% each turn and 9% with 236 order.  Dragon Phoenixes and Trolls should also get 6% per turn and 9% with 236 order.

Military Tradition trait should also allow one kingdom brigade to start at Veteran level on T0

Allow some of the #11 Customization items as additional #992 ESO awards.  Include gaining a HP as an option (in non-Pagan games). Offer healing of all attrition in 1st group as an award.  Offer ability to declare a 3rd Enemy for rest of game as an ESO award.  Offer one random Veteran brigade in first group promoted to Elite as an award.

Seafaring Trait allows kingdom a special order that once per turn can Usurp one Village or Town (non-capital) PC in any sea that they have a fleet of 10+ ships of at least 11+ quality.  Cannot also issue a 705 or 711 order in that sea on that turn except for Atlantians, they can do both.

New Concept:  Iron-willed Bonus.  If you are still in a game when it ends but you do NOT finish in the top 2 nor do you finish in the bottom 2 (so nobody tanks their game deliberately), you gain an Iron-Willed point credited to your account.  When you have collected X number of Iron-Willed points you may trade them in for the certain prizes in future games (e.g., an extra #11 Customization in a game, an automatic 992 ESO success on T15 in a game, ability to declare where your capital starts on T0 in a game, no set-up fee for next game, ability to name/re-name a handful of characters/PCs of that kingdom for all future games, etc. (Rick could generate the list and how many Iron-Will points you need for each reward; the player then decides when to apply them).

All of these suggestions seem acceptable EXCEPT Warlords having True Seeing and "10 turns of peace."

"!0 turns of peace" is NOT a game I am interested in playing.

Warlords are not wizards! 25% bonus is already a HUGE ability.

[RELLGAR]

I agree with warmasters eval of Tarks suggestions except for lvl 1-3 agents moving to find hidden capitol. Instead add hidden capitols as a order 11 customization. Keep the kingdom traits. And or just program only lvl 1-3 agents to be treated as the old rule and suffer the penalties. In the early game you dont have the orders or cant take the influence decrease and cost of hiring all those agents, if it cost you in gold, orders and influence, then its not an exploit, its a strategic risk.

[unclemike]

One bad thing about eliminating the Locate Character/Group spell is how may one find an enemy agent? I use that spell to track down a discovered agent which can move up to 10 areas away. If this spell was removed from play, how can players hunt down foreign assassins and spies? High Priestesses can divine group locations to get around missing the wizard's Locate Group spell but should the same be done for figures? If so then what gain is there to eliminate the spell?

[Avantar]

One bad thing about eliminating the Locate Character/Group spell is how may one find an enemy agent? I use that spell to track down a discovered agent which can move up to 10 areas away. If this spell was removed from play, how can players hunt down foreign assassins and spies? High Priestesses can divine group locations to get around missing the wizard's Locate Group spell but should the same be done for figures? If so then what gain is there to eliminate the spell?

The only other realistic reason not to eliminate the spell would be to make it possible at the start of a game for the player to be able to name their own King, emissaries and agents. That way no one can take pot shots at locating a figure because  reused names in scenarios that provide an unfair advantage.

[Avantar]

How about giving a special order for the Underworld to recruit a brigade of goons from any town or city?