Hero Mages

Hero Mages Community Boards => Game Balance => Topic started by: diesbudt on October 25, 2010, 02:22:35 AM MT

Title: Future Game changes
Post by: diesbudt on October 25, 2010, 02:22:35 AM MT
Change ideas

You may have seen these in other threads too.

1a) Bard's inspire = +4 --> +3

1b) Since last big update it dropped most units deg 1 point, the +4 has become incredibly more powerful. A +3 would keep this balanced.

2a) Bard's Other spell = +1 to all visible friendly units --> +1 to all friendly Guardians and summons.

2b) With the change idea I have for the summoner, a bard + summoner wouldn't change much for her, also this way the bard can stay behind a wall and buff other guardians that need it. But also to help reduce the power of FM just a little bit, without a direct change, he isn't effected by it. Also this will deter the other mages from getting into melee range more just a very little bit. Helping characterize the mages for the roles they are built for.

3a) FM unstun ability = Cannot be stunned ---> Cannot be stunned by destruction or manipulation spells.

3b) This leaves just 2 iron golem spells in the game that can stun the FM, slightly weakening that talent AND buffing the summoner slightly in 1 go.

4a) Sorc's lightning = 0 cards and a diagonal direction ---> 1 card, and hits both diagonal directions (left and right of sorc, or down and up of sorc, or up-left and down-right diagonal of sorc)

4b) This change would be an awesome change, forcing a free lightning a sorc can do every turn from a huge distance to a 1 card (like a summoners skele cost) but also add that it will attack the opposite direction, so if she is being surrounded, she could manuever to make this attack do damage to more units than before. Or force your opponent to be more careful in positioning.

5a) Teleport = Teleport to select tile --> Teleport to select LoS tile.

5b) This would prevent any first and maybe second turn teleport assaults allowing the game to open up a bit first, given each player a chance, no matter how good ones hand is, and will make the game have more strategy. (Can hero A get into a spot so next turn when he teleports he can move 5 to get to the mage?)

6a) Imprision = 2 mana --> 1 mana

6b) This change would help give heroes a bit cheaper way to get defense in as unless a wizard a player wastes a full turn of "points = 2 mana + 1 cards" to just play defense.

7a) Summoner abilities:
--a) Army of darkness - a summoner may have unlimited summons and they each have +1 def
--b) Keep same
--c) Keep same
--d) *NEW - (2-card) Soul Link - Summon a black fountain on a surrounding tile. It has 2 hp. Anytime a summon that isn't the flesh golem gets hit (as long as this is active) this box loses 1 hp instead of the targeted summon taking damage.

Black fountain's stats - (0 str, 9 def, 2 life)
Ability 1 - Inanimated object - this unit cannot move, attack, or be affected by augumentation, restoration, or manipulation spells. This unit can be passed through by other units (allowing players to walk through it, but cannot land on it)
Ability 2 - This unit takes 1 damage instead of a summon taking damage as long as this unit is active.

7b) This change would help make the summoner's summons be more resilient so that the easy to kill skeles dont die so quickly. Also since the box can be attacked, if it isn't in a safe position it wouldn't be hard to kill. Also, the change to remove the +1 attack, is so they are more resilient instead, and also +1 def from the start will help that cause to. This will make the summoner on of the more defensive heros, especially since she got the short stick of dropping to 12 def from 13.

A.I. changes I noticed could be used:

1. While the computer's mage is dead, the rogue should check for a Finish shot before an attack (since it doesn't have to card control with a dead mage)  It was fun standing my summoner in the open with just its rogue left and summoning skeletons and each turn he would shoot the skeleton, when it would be better to finish shot the skele, and shoot something else (unless finish shot fails, in which case the) rogue would attack the skele again.

2. The computer units always go for the weakest unit for the most part, instead it should do something like attack weakest unit, unless a mage is available to attack that has 4- health. (trying to finish off the most useful unit)  **Maybe this would be better for hard+ mode.

3. Their paladins play way too defensive. They need to attack some too, not just sit back and heal/unstun for the most part.

4. Maybe add in some way the computer can attack itself in a stun that it cant dispell, as long as it is a weak unit and the mage is decent health.

5. The protecting a mage when they dont need it via warrior... thats getting annoying as it seems so useless of them...

---- This is just a continuation list of change ideas that I have thought for a while that would benefit the game.
Title: Re: Future Game changes
Post by: the stoat on October 25, 2010, 11:30:28 PM MT
I will second all motions, with the following exceptions:

3a) I will still lobby for relentless to be recognised as the most powerful ability of the game, by a looong way.

6a) Imprison is a great offensive card too, and should remain at 2 mana.

There you go Ross, more programming for you  ;D
Title: Re: Future Game changes
Post by: ZaWolf on October 26, 2010, 11:15:14 AM MT
3a -- not sure if that's enough.  Maybe if imprison worked on FM?

4b -- wouldn't be able to select the distance the lightning bolt goes.. you would hit two of your units diagonally right just to hit one of their units diagonally left.  OR you would have to select the distance in all four directions-- takes up a lot of your precious time for such a basic spell.

5a -- But then teleporting becomes a rare occassion and essentially ends up staying in your hand forever.  I agree it would make it more strategic.  But it also weakens teleport (a 2 mana card) and limits its strategic use from being a common combo to being a rare occasion.

6a -- Imprison is > sleep.  Sleep is 1 mana.  Imprison should also equal 2 mana??  ehh... no.  It does all sleep does (but can't be blessed or attacked away), plus it allows you to block paths / LOS.


I agree with the rest.


P.S.  Computer uses shield as soon as it gets it-- regardless of if it needs it.  Shields hero and then hides hero where it couldn't possibly be attacked...  kind of stupid, since shield is for the times you have to expose yourself.
Title: Re: Future Game changes
Post by: diesbudt on October 26, 2010, 12:42:02 PM MT
Thanks for the info on the A.I. shield wolf.

Also 3a. Imprision is usable on FM. You cannot flash out of it since the imprision itself blocks LoS to flash out of it (You can however teleport out of it, or dispell it off yourself.)  [IF the FM can currently flash out of the imprision thats a bug, and isn't intended]

3aa. Stoat you can lobby as hard as you want. Im just saying in my experience, in the "facts" I have undercovered playing this game, and many of the great players we don't see much anymore, have always talked about how weak the FM is compared to range heroes. I will agree relentless is the best ability in the game BUT, the rest of his abilities are outshined by a larger margin by the wizard and sorc at least. You can see my #1 mage is a FM.  150+ duel wins. And only 10-20 of them ever used relentless. (The way I won so many back then was I used FM for his offensive power and blitzed using the psionist once a hero showed their face, never needing to worry about stun removal, because even as Ross can testify, back then I won on my second or 3rd turn every time. Never because of the unstunability, never because of flash, never because of DF, but because sami + psi was an amazing combo and I knew how to use it well.)

4a. Yea I see your point on the lightning, I didn't think that one all the way through obviously.

5a. Teleport would still be used, since you could teleport + move, all you would have to do is get into a spot to LoS a spot close to their mage. The change I want intends to reduce quick teleport strikes that can be unfair. Also teleport still becomes a great getting away spell.
Title: Re: Future Game changes
Post by: FrontaLobotomy on October 27, 2010, 12:27:50 AM MT
guess Ill start with
3a. perhaps involving a roll in it. for example, if fm would be stunned it instead gets a roll against Fms current defence +2(or whatever, a set value, say 17). 

with fury  it hits 19, and with an armor aug, its a nattie only. dispell or sunder, with or without a hex, depending, the best you could get would be 12 roll to stun, and regularly a 16. The fighters stun ability is not at all an issue with me, I rarely use them.

4a. maybe drop a dice, free 2 dice. This ability doesnt bother me either, and again i rarely play a sorc. 

5a. I like the intent to add a little more strategy to tele devestations, and making a first/second turn tele attack a bit riskier.  Im not sure this is the answer, but I cant think of anything better.

6a. Are you out of your mind! the last thing i want is free wizard imprisons!  As is, it is a bit bulky for other classes, and has its moments, sometimes a cheaper sleep is ok, others, u need the added los control. All in all, i think its fine the way it is.

7a. my favorite mage. and she needs help. gotta say, im not wild about the fountain idea. at least as is.
I suggest, a bit of a reworking, much like dies suggested,
1.army of darkness = can have 3 summons in play at once, all summons get+1 def
2.summon skellie=summon skellie in surrounding spot, summoned  skellies have "bloom" (+1 hp)  army of darkness allows 5 summons in play.
3.sacrifice as is.
4. skeleton mastery, all summoned skellies get +1 attack, player can use the ability "summon skellie" twice a turn, 2nd skeleton costs an additional card.  Army allows unlimited summons.

1. giving all summons a boost off the start, but limiting the attack power.
2. Just a thought, substitute attack then, and have the "bloom" effect happen at 4. The bonus applying only to summoned skeletons.
3. with the natrually low defence, 6 hp is not that hard to do. gives her a bit of longevity, but definitely not hard to overcome.
4. again keeping the bonus to summoned skeletons. also keeping the 5 skeleton limit. After valor has been reached, summoning 2 skeletons a turn for 3 cards, but not allowing a spamming of the juiced skellies.

My suggestion as a whole, probably isnt ideal either, But she seems to me to need more help than the FM. I could be wrong though.


On the subject of AI, the shield issue has been brought up before as well as the protect abilities overuse. Along with computer mino never sprinting (Ive yet to see it anyway).

On the money with the pally. He is extra cautious when alone, and sometimes will move away from an enemy to heal, without attacking first. Movement management seems to lack in the AI a bit, (a tiny problem, considering the work into it, and version)
they block themselves a bit, and dont always attack before moving(see example with pally).

thats all i got for now

Cheers
   FL

Title: Re: Future Game changes
Post by: ZaWolf on October 27, 2010, 11:51:18 AM MT
The summoner allowed to summon as many skeletons as it wants in one turn-- and through out the game?

Now you're looking at a massively overpowered summoner.

I mean.  7 cards = 7 skeletons.. then every turn +3 more skeletons?

With that many skeletons you could block all tiles near summoner, and even block a whole section from LoS

It would look like this...

                  |-------
-----------|Sk|
Su Sk Sk Sk|
Sk Sk Sk Sk|
---------------


And summoner would just move skelies out three spaces, then summon 3 more.  Each turn, until they conquer the map.

I think Diesbudt's idea was much more reasonable and interesting too.
Title: Re: Future Game changes
Post by: diesbudt on October 27, 2010, 12:58:25 PM MT
The reason I like my idea for the summoner is because it takes 1 damage everytime a summon gets hit. Not just 1 damage for 1 damage.

So if they hit a skeleton for 6, the skeleton would take 0  and the fountain would take 1.

This way, the summons as a whole have 2 extra lives shared. And with it being able to be attacked and cost 2 cards it isn't overbearing.

Giving skeletons bloom wouldn't be bad, but that wouldn't fix the issue of them being easily killlable.
Title: Re: Future Game changes
Post by: FrontaLobotomy on October 27, 2010, 09:35:44 PM MT
@ Za.

Really...
No, max of 5 skellies at a time, like it is now. u could summon 2 skeletons a turn, first skellie as is, 2nd cost double, using 3 cards total. first skellie at 5 valor, ability to summon 2nd, at 15.other summs still unlimited.

That said, just an idea.  Perhaps it would be considered OP. But If either Idea becomes implemented; either being 2 skellies a turn, or a more focused buff for the skellies, I would be happy^^.

@ dies, aha, I misunderstood first time through, thought a 1 for 1 damage.  

Still, shouldnt the skellies be easy to kill, maybe not this easy, but still I do like the idea of the fountain a bit more now. Allow a single one in play at a time? Per player of course.

@ in general

Again, I dont mind the FM unstunnability (<------Spell check says that is not a word, and i disagree), but there seems to be some discomfort with it generally.  
But no comment on the roll for stun?

Title: Re: Future Game changes
Post by: ZaWolf on October 28, 2010, 10:41:44 AM MT
I think if fountain takes 3 damage... the fountain should take 2 damage and the summon takes 1 damage.  Otherwise it's too powerful.

I figured the fountain would be great for summoner cause it would keep iron golem, or fire ele alive.  Which can do quite the damage. 

But to make it so fountain absorbs all of the shot with none spilling over to summon.. seems like it makes him too strong.

Still like the suggestion, just with spill damage instead.
Title: Re: Future Game changes
Post by: DrFred on January 20, 2011, 08:50:37 PM MT
How about making attacks different and defenders to be able to deal damage too? Magic the gathering style.I know this will have to change the whole design but it would be strategically more interesting and it could be an extra option and not a permanent feature. If this is done, the health regeneration after every turn should be implemented. That would make spells more strategic and the game would last longer.
Title: Re: Future Game changes
Post by: FrontaLobotomy on February 13, 2011, 03:34:47 PM MT
everyone is a soulreaver?