Hero Mages

https://www.heromages.com/battleSimulator/BattleSimulator.swf

In an effort to more effectively balance the game play of Hero Mages, I’ve created this handy tool that allows you to simulate mock battles between the game’s characters.

Instructions:
1.  Select Heroes from the two combo boxes to populate the unit data cards on the left and right side OR type in your own unit name and tweak the unit’s attributes and abilities accordingly. 

2.  Click [Fight] to have the computer run 10,000 battle simulations between the units and report average wins and damage.

3.  You can set the unit presets between v1.2.1 (current game rules) and the tentatively titled future release v1.5 to see how I’ve already started rebalancing many of the units.

4.  Report your findings here in this forum post so the community can discuss and debate new ideas.

Things to Keep In Mind:

• This tool is intended for veteran Hero Mages players with good knowledge of the game’s combat system and various unit abilities.  It is recommended players familiarize themselves with the game characters and rules found on this website before interpreting the results of the Battle Simulator.


• The Battle Simulator v1.0 only supports 1vs1 battles between two units.  As such, any statistical results are meant to serve as a guide only.  Various other factors including unit combination, position, map layout, and spells will vastly affect the outcome of battle.  Take this Simulator for what it is- a tool- not a definitive reference of the most powerful or weakest units.


• The Battle Simulator factors in several unit abilities directly related to combat (such as inspire, combat healing, damage bonus, etc.).  The simulator assumes that units will use their fixed special abilities each turn if applicable (for instance, the Paladin will heal herself each turn if she is wounded, the Bard will always inspire herself).


• Experiment with Valor abilities by adjusting the units’ stats accordingly.  For example, a fully powered Fighter Mage would have 7 Strength and 18 Defense.  A fully powered Summoner might have 5 Strength (her own 2 plus 3 of her minion) and heal 3 life each turn (sacrifice ability).


• Have some fun creating your own custom units and test how well they fare in battle!


• The Psionist is intentionally not included in this release.  Presently, her Mind Control ability will guarantee her 100% victory outcome in any battle with non-range capable units.  This ability is being reassessed for the next release of Hero Mages.  You may try to approximate her combat effectiveness by adjusting unit defenses to 14 (to account for psychic attack) and giving her various levels of preemptive strikes.

Attributes and Abilities Explained:

• Strength: The number of twenty sided dice this unit rolls when attacking.
• Defense: The amount a dice result must equal or beat to cause a unit damage.
• Life: The amount of damage a unit can sustain before they are defeated.
• Precision Bonus: In v1.2.1, the amount added to each dice result.  In v1.5, the precision bonus is only added to dice with a result of 11 or more (Represents Bard’s Inspire ability).
• Preemptive Strike: The number of times this unit gets to attack before its opponent.  The actual number of preemptive strikes is the difference between both units.  So, if Unit A has 3 preemptive strikes and Unit B has 1 preemptive strike, unit A will attack twice before unit B attacks.  Afterwards, units alternate attacking each turn as normal.  If both units have an equal amount of preemptive strikes, the simulator alternates who attacks first each round.  This ability is meant to factor in the advantage of a ranged attack or a charge ability (which in many game situations would naturally give this unit opportunities to attack first before the opponent can react).  As such, consider this ability as having a great deal of flexibility.
• Heals Each Turn: The amount of lost life this unit recovers each turn.
• Damage Bonus: If at least one of this unit’s dice equals or beats opponent’s Defense, the victim loses this much additional life.  However, total damage cannot exceed the strength of the attacker.
• Exact Damage: If any of this units attack dice equal or beat the opponent’s Defense, the victim loses exactly this amount of life (regardless of the number of hits or damage bonus).
• Bleed Damage: If at least one of this unit’s dice equals or beats opponent’s Defense, the victim loses this much life at the end of their next turn.
• Counter Attack: If this unit is attacked and the attack misses, this unit immediately attacks its attacker.
• Eviscerate: If this unit’s opponent is reduced to 1 remaining life, that opponent is automatically defeated.
• Finishing Shot: If this unit’s opponent is reduced to 1 remaining life, they suffer an additional 3 dice attack.
• Attacks Twice: This unit will attack twice each turn.

My findings so far from the battle simulator:

At 15+ Def. a Point of Def is worth more than HP in survivability.
At 13- Def. a Point of HP is worth more than Def in survivability.
At 14, they are about even.

I noticed that you said in 1.5 the precision will be changed? If so Im fine with that change, I was going to suggest dropping it to 3 otherwise, because it is equivalent to a permanent cripple ability. And seemed too powerful.

Also, a suggestion i have, take all the units at their 1.2.1 stats, Add 1 Hp to them all, than add the changes you have in 1.5.  This will ensure a more "survival" game, with still decent offense since it seems majority of units are losing defense. (and we all know how fast I am at spiking units, and with the defense changes...)

(I.E. Reducing the Sami to 15 def with 5 hp (along with reaver now) makes them too easy to snipe at a distance through spells and rogue. 16 def for 5 worked fine. or 15 for 6 life (as stated 1 life is less of a bonus at that def. than 1 more def.), but not 15, 5. {Especially since the sami seems to drop to 2 STR, making his attacks only hitting aprox. every third turn on units that matter, if he lives.})

Edit1: I just read you are re-evaluating the Psionist's mind control. Depending how much you change it, you may have to give her something in exchange. That is the only real ability she has, and especially in 1.5 when all units def. but just a few will be 14 or less. Meaning, her "rogue" attack that costs 1 card, is less useful than a free rogue attack, and with her defense and offense being horrible as it is, she will become a unit never to see the light of day.

I was also thinking, maybe instead of the FM's passive 10 valor ability be +1 to whatever enhancement is on the target, make it so if an enhancement is on the target they get +1 attack (per enhancement) on them.

-This would mean that the dragon fury and armor cards wont give that extra armor, along with giving the shield card a possible offensive property.
-And this will make the cripple card from being so devistating with 1 more armor reduced no longer on it. (The +1 attack would leave at end of turn anyways, so you wouldnt have to worry about the opponent to use the +1 attack if the unit survives, unless it is a reaver.)

Edit2: Also interesting idea's thought before and discussed with some people is:

-Link all 3 units, currently the game is very much based on a the hero. In a duel 19/20 times the person to kill opposing Hero first wins. (Ex. If hero dies both guardians get +2 STR, +2 DEF, and +2 life {Undispellable}, and may move 6/7? spaces) This will discourage some Hero-zerking (Using everything, even your hero into open to make sure your opponent's hero die in 1 turn) as the guardians could become powerful enough to even the scores.
(Or you could give them +X/+X/+X where X is the number of opposing heros alive in the game, and they can only get this ability while their hero is dead and an opposing hero isn't.)

-I liked an idea you posted while back. I think you should merge unsummon and dispell together and give it 0 mana cost and have 2 in the deck. I find myself throwing unsummons away too often (not always though). And with a 2nd dispell, it will make the shield card not as a good idea to trust the risk of putting a hero in the open.

-Maybe give the heros another ability around 25/30 valor (All heros have same ability)
{Revive}: 2 Discards and Lose all your mana you have left for the turn. (Revive last guardian to die on an adjacent square with 1 life and a shield spell on them.)  Something along those lines.

-Reduce demonic lash to a +1 damage spell, not +2, as it is already too incredibly powerful for only 1 mana, especially with the reduction of defenses.

-Also the samurai, an idea change, unless you are very partial to the +damage he can do, you can change his Strength to 4 and his passive to:

{Weapon Finesse}: Passive: If the first attack of this unit's doesn't hit. The samurai gets +2 Precision and can attack again.

(basically, this means the samurai gets to attack a second time if he didn't do any damage on the first attack, also giving him +2 precision on the hit also, to help a bit.)

are you going to adjust this to the new settings ?

Good call out, help!  Yes, we will.