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[Brekk]

Strongwill,

I have to admit I giggled a little when you put down harder encounters

[Strongwill]

Strongwill,

I have to admit I giggled a little when you put down harder encounters

Lol me too… I’m just trying to convinced myself to leave them alone..

[davekuyk]

I'd like the ESO reward numbers to be adjusted if possible.

Right now we have:

1 Kingdom-named brigade (not RD/GI, see B2)
1 General
1 20,000 gold
1 Point of Influence
1 Level 4 Agent
1 Baron
1 Adept
2 Red Dragon or Giant brigade
2 Marshal
2 Level 7 Agent
2 Duke
2 Power-1 Wizard
3 Demon Prince (Demon Prince kingdom only)
3 Consul (Ancient Ones kingdom only)
3 Power-2 Wizard

Operating under the assumption that we can only change these numbers and not add or remove any options:

*All kingdoms' brigades, GI and RD included, cost one point
*Increase gold from 20,000 to 30,000
*Increase the agent level for the two-point, from 7 to 9

Rationale:

Currently, the best options are gaining wizards and adepts. Everything else pales in comparison. I'd like to see a good case made for the other options. I also feel that making GI and RD brigades cost two is unfair. Yes, these brigades are the best, but are they worth double NO or SA troops?

If we can add additional options that opens the door for lots of discussion. If that is possible at this time, I have lots of ideas.

[Brekk]

Thank keep them coming, my lack of response have nothing to do with the ideas, life has just been very crazy lately!

[Lord Garth]

I'd like the ESO reward numbers to be adjusted if possible.

Right now we have:

1 Kingdom-named brigade (not RD/GI, see B2)
1 General
1 20,000 gold
1 Point of Influence
1 Level 4 Agent
1 Baron
1 Adept
2 Red Dragon or Giant brigade
2 Marshal
2 Level 7 Agent
2 Duke
2 Power-1 Wizard
3 Demon Prince (Demon Prince kingdom only)
3 Consul (Ancient Ones kingdom only)
3 Power-2 Wizard

Operating under the assumption that we can only change these numbers and not add or remove any options:

*All kingdoms' brigades, GI and RD included, cost one point
*Increase gold from 20,000 to 30,000
*Increase the agent level for the two-point, from 7 to 9

Rationale:

Currently, the best options are gaining wizards and adepts. Everything else pales in comparison. I'd like to see a good case made for the other options. I also feel that making GI and RD brigades cost two is unfair. Yes, these brigades are the best, but are they worth double NO or SA troops?

If we can add additional options that opens the door for lots of discussion. If that is possible at this time, I have lots of ideas.

I would love to be able to buy a 5th group (or 6th in some cases) via ESO or Customization for kingdoms that don't have it.

Obviously the option would not be available to the Tyrant

---

I'll comment on the bottom three kingdoms in reverse order according to my ratings:

Atlanteans

IMHO, this kingdom should be retired until it can be properly reimagined or repurposed for a more-water focused map. Barring that, I believe this kingdom could be reworked to be somewhat more viable and also unique.

Water-based devout and political kingdom is the angle that could be explored.

To do this:

• Add the Dynasty trait (prince + influence)
  
• Add Devout trait
  
• Remove Healing trait (minor but out of place)
  
• Add Order trait
  

This puts them among the top political kingdoms.

They would remain at tier 4 magic.

When I look at the AT setup on the webpage and compare it to when I played the AT lat year, I see the spell lists do not match up. I am going to go with the spell list from my game.

AT wizards do not get the Fear spell; this alone potentially impacts them in every combat, PC and group, as Fear is one of the foundational spells. Without that, they don't get a Fear effect until Crack the Sky at p-9. 

I would give them Fear at p-2.

The other magic change is to allow them to Summon Water Elementals, perhaps at p-4, which is early, but fits the kingdom.

The companions are interesting in that the ones they have: Rohirrim, Hill Giant, and Centaurs, don't really make much sense. Unfortunately, the game doesn't offer many good options. There are no "Drowned" companions or "Deep Spawn", for example.

My suggestions:

• Remove all current companions
  
• Add Zealots (as they are now a Devout kingdom)
  
• Add War Machines (fitting for a kingdom based around order and feudalism)
  
• Add Trolls (yep, Trolls)
  

Why Trolls? They are a stand-in for "Sea Giants" or some such, which we don't have. I believe breaking the rule and allowing a non-evil kingdom to have access to Trolls is interesting and somewhat thematic. 

At the end of the day, we end up with a military that is below average in group-to-group battles but above average in PC battles.


Black Dragons

I have commented on them before: https://alamaze.net/forum/thread-16874-page-2.html; with some small changes, I'll paste what I have there here:

First, re-imagine them:

Once the arcane elite and noble ruling caste of dragonkind, the Black Dragons wielded immense magical power and governed through wisdom, mysticism, and ancient law. Their dominion ended millennia ago when the Red Dragons—warriors and enforcers—rose in rebellion, casting down their former masters in a brutal coup.

Forced into exile, the Black Dragons vanished into hidden realms, nursing their wounds and preserving their arcane traditions in secret. Now, cloaked in shadow and fire, they return from the long dark with one purpose: to reclaim their ancestral supremacy and reforge the world in their image.

Given this, look at re-schooling their traits:

• Dynasty (fits the "nobles in exile" theme)
  
• Secretive (exiled away, biding their time)
  
• Forethoughts (being in exile gives one time to think and plan)
  
• Foreknowledge (the dragons have their secrets - give them three artifact names)
  
• Spy Network (operating in the shadows)
  

Keeping:

• Evil (they are still evil)
  
• Magic Resistance Death
  
• Magic Resistance Sleep
  
• Rich
  
  
• Acuity
  

Removing:

• Ruthless (they are evil but lawful)
  
• Trackers (largely redundant with flying) 
  

Magic

• Change the kingdom to be a tier 2 magic kingdom (was 4)
  
• Early spells: Cold Darkness, Infuriate Populace, Summon Death, and Summon Specters (was only Cold Darkness)
  

Military

• Add Rocs to diversify the recruitment pool
  
• Allow them (and the Red) to recruit up to ten Wyvern
  
• Allow them to Summon Specters (flying undead)
  
• Retool the reinforcement schedule to be more in line with other balanced kingdoms: 2,2,1,2,2,1 (same as DA)
  
• Lower kingdom troop defense from "Good" to "Above Average" to reflect that they are not the warriors the Red are
  

Faerie Folk

I have some thoughts here: https://alamaze.net/forum/thread-16883-page-2.html

I'll summarize the changes that fit into what Brek describes as feasible.

Add the Acuity trait. This is thematic, as flying creatures should be less likely to be captured and troops are unlikely to be surprised.

Increase movement rate to a base of four in the plains and forest.

Focus the kingdom on flying creatures.

Remove the following summons:

• Minotaurs
  
• Iron Golems
  
• Ents
  
• Centaurs
  
• All other non-flying summoned creatures
  

Keep:

• Manticores
  
• Gargoyles
  

Add:

• Cockatrices
  

The Chimera troop in my game seemed underpowered, to the point that I didn't feel it was worth ordering its replacement once it was killed. This shouldn't be the case. I have some thoughts in the thread I linked, but for starters, I'd like the troop's offense and defense to be improved.

As a Flying kingdom, Faerie Folk characters should have a range of nine, just as the dragons.

I didn't mention this in the thread, but it fits the theme to allow the kingdom to get the Invisible spells earlier.


I may do the next three kingdoms (AM, PI, and EL), if I can find the time.

My Two Cents:

I like tweaking the AT. I think it needs something.

I like overhauling the BL. I've said as much elsewhere. It's a bad kingdom.

However, I don't think the FF need changes at the moment. I played it and thought it was a pretty good kingdom.

Lastly, Dave's ideas made me think of an old submission I posted here on the Forums of a new kingdom with Vampires. Now I can't find it. Were they erased? Does anyone know where old posts go?


Lord Garth
Bad at Search Engines