I want to throw it out there that the FighterMage and bard are too powerful. Why?
- FM's unstunnable ability negates the effectiveness of 3 spells: iceshards, blizzard, sleep. These 3 spells are easily the most powerful in the game, as they allow melee units to close in on a stunned mage. so by shrugging off a stun, the FM is way more mobile, and takes 6-12 less free dice than any other spell caster
- FM can negate most cover on current map sizes. the flash ability, available so early, means that there is no benefit to strategic placement of your own mage. one card, any card, still puts the mage at risk of a flash/disintegrate, flash/stun, etc. this means that your own"safe" squares are reduced significantly, and the FM's "attack range squares" include almost the entire board. Further, in the end game, melee units can never close the distance on a FM. At least other mages have a turn while they are sprinted, there is a slim chance for melee units to still win. In a game where position is EVERYTHING, flash is way too powerful.
- FM gets 2 extra melee rolls and an extra 2 armour? even buffed other mages can't match this feat. plus, this is available without any valor needed. it's like an extra 2 free abilities vs any other mage.
- FM's dragon fury is similar. the sorceress's 15 valor ability gets an extra 1 damage (if a spell hits!) which is equivalent to, say, a half a demonic lash spell, or half a touch of death spell. Dragon Fury is equivalent to 3 archons might spells, and 3 armour of aegis spells. (9 mana benefit, with the only trade off being non-permanence). Most other abilities of spellasters have a 1 mana benefit. even the wizard, which is the next most powerful, only gains 2 mana benefit for their 15 valor ability.
- FM's augment ability is the only ability I'd say is fair. BUT, when combined with the others here, it means way too many die are needed to damage/kill a FM. only 10 valor and 1 mana (armour of aegis) are needed to make the FM a better melee unit than any specialist guardian. The other mages have to work soooo hard to defend, the FM so little.
Overall, I'd say the FM has more attacking power AND more defensive power than any other mage. There are too many cards that benefit a FM, and only 4 that can be used to defend against it (dispel, imprison, shield, barricade) all of these only defend for 1 turn. Being impossible to stun, there are no 2 turn offensive combos that can be used to kill it. He can move too far, buff himself too much, and combine too well with other units, such as the bard.
On the bard, he also is too powerful for a guardian. he effectively acts a a spellcaster, being able to cast multiple archons mights with 1 card, the equivalent of heaps of mana in team games. he is also able to buff at any distance. the nearest equivalent is the warrior, who must be close, can only buff defensively, and who's defensive buff can be dispelled, hexed or sundered. the bards offensive buffs have no such drawback. the bard has all the benefits of the psi, plus extra armour and melee. he is a spellcaster and guardian in one.
Suggestions:
- get rid of the FM's unstun. reduce his armour or attack by 2
- reduce bards armour or attack by 1 and make the inspire buff only add 2 or 3 to each dice
- FM's unstunnable ability negates the effectiveness of 3 spells: iceshards, blizzard, sleep. These 3 spells are easily the most powerful in the game, as they allow melee units to close in on a stunned mage. so by shrugging off a stun, the FM is way more mobile, and takes 6-12 less free dice than any other spell caster
- FM can negate most cover on current map sizes. the flash ability, available so early, means that there is no benefit to strategic placement of your own mage. one card, any card, still puts the mage at risk of a flash/disintegrate, flash/stun, etc. this means that your own"safe" squares are reduced significantly, and the FM's "attack range squares" include almost the entire board. Further, in the end game, melee units can never close the distance on a FM. At least other mages have a turn while they are sprinted, there is a slim chance for melee units to still win. In a game where position is EVERYTHING, flash is way too powerful.
- FM gets 2 extra melee rolls and an extra 2 armour? even buffed other mages can't match this feat. plus, this is available without any valor needed. it's like an extra 2 free abilities vs any other mage.
- FM's dragon fury is similar. the sorceress's 15 valor ability gets an extra 1 damage (if a spell hits!) which is equivalent to, say, a half a demonic lash spell, or half a touch of death spell. Dragon Fury is equivalent to 3 archons might spells, and 3 armour of aegis spells. (9 mana benefit, with the only trade off being non-permanence). Most other abilities of spellasters have a 1 mana benefit. even the wizard, which is the next most powerful, only gains 2 mana benefit for their 15 valor ability.
- FM's augment ability is the only ability I'd say is fair. BUT, when combined with the others here, it means way too many die are needed to damage/kill a FM. only 10 valor and 1 mana (armour of aegis) are needed to make the FM a better melee unit than any specialist guardian. The other mages have to work soooo hard to defend, the FM so little.
Overall, I'd say the FM has more attacking power AND more defensive power than any other mage. There are too many cards that benefit a FM, and only 4 that can be used to defend against it (dispel, imprison, shield, barricade) all of these only defend for 1 turn. Being impossible to stun, there are no 2 turn offensive combos that can be used to kill it. He can move too far, buff himself too much, and combine too well with other units, such as the bard.
On the bard, he also is too powerful for a guardian. he effectively acts a a spellcaster, being able to cast multiple archons mights with 1 card, the equivalent of heaps of mana in team games. he is also able to buff at any distance. the nearest equivalent is the warrior, who must be close, can only buff defensively, and who's defensive buff can be dispelled, hexed or sundered. the bards offensive buffs have no such drawback. the bard has all the benefits of the psi, plus extra armour and melee. he is a spellcaster and guardian in one.
Suggestions:
- get rid of the FM's unstun. reduce his armour or attack by 2
- reduce bards armour or attack by 1 and make the inspire buff only add 2 or 3 to each dice