Re: Black Tome of Alisophocus / Blessing Hot Fix
 

Position = nation, sorry.

Unfortunately, although spells like what you describe are *possible*, they are not currently *modable* because we can't do secondary effects - so, a spell that kills a bunch of people and then summons undead isn't possible.

I think Dark Vines is a great spell. Maybe not on a par with Summon Ice Devil, but still very effective, especially for Jotunheim. You can set ten Gygjas to spam that spell and really bring on the pain.

Blood/death is definitely a short suit that needs more spells. Vampires are just dreadful.

I was thinking of bringing over the combat summons I already wrote up for Padmassa and making them universally available. Most of them are blood/death.

I'll add some blood/nature spells to Pangaea and some nature/death or nature/astral spells to Agartha with the fungus theme. Feeblemind is a good idea.

Re: Black Tome of Alisophocus / Blessing Hot Fix
 

Dark Vines with Jotunheim? Hmmm... That might be the only combination I haven't tried yet so I readily confess that I might have missjudged Dark Vines. They just didn't seem on par with other available bloodsummons.

I sort of assumed that my suggestions were unfeasible. I simply couldn't come up with appropriate spelleffects so I tried to obfuscate my answer with wishful thinking. Hopefully with time more options will open up for inspired modders. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Black Tome of Alisophocus / Blessing Hot Fix
 

Is an elemental battle summon that doesn't require gems really balanced? I thought the gem costs were added after dominions1 because they were considered abusable

Re: Black Tome of Alisophocus / Blessing Hot Fix
 

Such a spell would almost certainly be unbalancing if you gave it to *everyone* - although see below.

In this context, you have to consider the nation(s) that get it, and the research level where it arrives. Is it unbalancing for Marverni to be able to conjure elementals off of a NNA caster, which it doesn't get? If the best thing you can get out of your God - or a powerful, expensive independent caster like an Enchantress - is a lesser air elemental every turn, I'm not impressed.

I'd been planning to give the same spell to Man - for the specific purpose of making the (not, frankly, very useful) Mother of Avalon a little fiercer. It might be ungamebalancing, though - Man is not exactly a weak position!

Peronally, I think they went somewhat overboard nerfing the elemental summons. I never cast them. Same story with elemental horde - it costs so much fatigue that a mid-level death caster can only zap it once - if he instead spams a lower level undead summoning spell, he gets the same number of undead without spending any gems.

But playtest it a bit and if you think it's unbalancing let me know. These spells are intended to improve game balance as well as to be thematic, if they don't improve game balance there are plenty of spells I could add instead.

Very Obscure Bug
 

Okay - I'm encountering problems with spells that run effect 23 on all friendly, sacred magic beings (these spells would be given to ME Agartha.)

The spell that gives Soul Vortex works fine.

The spell that gives Mossbody, or Regrowth, or both, does not. It doesn't do anything, it can be cast multiple times per turn, and it triggers unusual AI behavior.

When I can get these bugs worked out (or when I give up and change what the spells do, which is likely) I'll have a new version of the mod to post.

Re: Very Obscure Bug
 

Boy do I feel stupid.

I had all of these great spells and then the second test versions stopped working. I thought it was because my pretender was casting them (no), I thought it was something odd about effect 23 (no), I thought it was the nation restriction (no).

If you REPEAT the spell specification block (i.e. if you define #researchlevel, #school, etc. once, and then define them all again) you appear to get the desired result (the second block of definitions takes effect) - and, you seem to preserve the damage, effect info. etc if you look at the description.

HOWEVER, if you try to *cast* such a spell, it completely doesn't work.

This is a bit of a pain for testing because I can't just paste in a new definition for level. etc, I have to comment the old one out by hand.

Now that I know the problem I expect to have a new version of this mod out by this weekend.

Here are the spells I\'m working on
 

Hopefully I'll have another release ready this weekend, but I'd like feedback, as well as suggestions or requests:

<font class="small">Code:</font><hr /><pre>
-- Spell Paths Fat Nations School Effects
-- Shadow Baiting BDDD 500 all Bld 4 (Combat) Summon. Summons shadow beasts at edges of the battle.
-- Banner of the Heliophagi BBDDDD 2500 all Bld 6 Remote Independent Summon. Sends an army of shadows to attack a distant province.
-- Call Tartarian Smith EEEDDDD 4000 all Conj 9 Summons an undead smith, EEEE, forgebonus 30.

-- (Angels) various * add Ermor E Conj * Since Ermor is clearly the same religion as Marignon/Pythium, they should get the angels too.
-- Call Ophan AASSSS 5000 Ermor E, Pyth., Marig. * Conj 7 Summons an angel - A3S3H3. Is a wheel with many eyes. Bad slots, but an ethereal trampler.
-- Call Hashmal SSSSS 6000 Ermor E, Pyth., Marig. * Conj 9 Summons an angel - E3S3H3. Another winged guy. Hashmal are excellent generals.
-- Call Exousi FFFSSSSS 4400 Ermor E, Pyth., Marig. * Conj 8 Summons an angel - F3N3S3H3. A cloud of fire that leaves verdant footsteps. Large research bonus.
-- Call Cherub SSSS 3000 Ermor E, Pyth., Marig. * Conj 9 Summons an angel - H3. An awesome combatant chassis; no magic, but stays crunchy in milk.
-- note: E Ermor versions have H as a secondary path in addition/instead, so you cast them off of your Augur-prophet only.

-- Staff of Alder NNA 50 Marv., Man *, Eiru * Conj 4 (Combat) Air Elemental
-- Awaken Tree NNN 3500 Marv. Conj 4 Summons a rowan tree, immobile, spreads dominion, HHNNNNSS+1 random.
-- Awaken Stone EEE 3500 Marv. Conj 4 Summons a menhir, immobile, spreads dominion, HHEEEESS+1 random.
-- Staff of Yew NH 200 Marv. Ench 0 (Combat) All sacred units on both sides must resist magic or die.
-- Staff of Holly NEE 50 Marv., Man *, Eiru * Ench 2 (Combat) AoE strength, long range
-- Staff of Oak NEE 50 Marv., Man *, Eiru * Ench 2 (Combat) AoE damage. Triple to demons and undead
-- Staff of Cedar NNA 50 Marv., Man *, Eiru * Ench 3 (Combat) AoE shock resist, long range
-- Staff of Wormwood NSS 50 Marv., Man *, Eiru * Ench 5 (Combat) AoE paralysis on magic beings
-- The Black Cauldron DDDDDWW 12000 Marv., Man M, Eiru * Ench 7 Global. Replaces Soulgate - makes cauldron born.
-- Red Caps BB 1200 Marv., Man *, Eiru * Bld 3 Summons 3 Red Caps. Very fast sidh Warriors, demons with pikes who go berserk and cause fear.
-- Cauldron of Blood BBBBEE 3500 Marv. Bld 5 Summon a mad druid, BBESNHH + 2.1 randoms, 50% insanity.
-- Cauldron of Blood BBBBEE 3500 Man M Bld 5 Summon a blood witch, BBNNA + 2.1 randoms, 50% insanity.
-- Cauldron of Blood BBBBEE 3500 Man L Bld 5 Summon a dark magister, BBEAS + 2.1 randoms, 50% insanity.
-- Cauldron of Blood BBBBEE 3500 Eiru * Bld 5 Summons an unseelie lord, BBNAHH + 2.1 randoms, 50% insanity, is a demon.

-- Lodestone EH 20 Agartha M Alt 1 (Combat) Friendly sacred magB units gain increased movement rate, trample and charged body. Template.
-- Lodestone EH 20 Agartha L Alt 1 (Combat) Friendly sacred undead units gain increased movement rate, trample and charged body. Template.
-- Open Lifewell EEDDDDD 300 Agartha M Alt 6 (Combat) Friendly sacred magB units all gain soul vortexes. Battlefield.
-- Open Lifewell EEDDDDD 300 Agartha L Alt 6 (Combat) Friendly sacred undead units all gain soul vortexes. Battlefield.
-- Call Fungus NNNNSS 200 Agartha M Conj 5 (Combat) Friendly sacred magB units gain mossbody, regrowth. Battlefield.
-- Contact Fungus NNNNSS 200 Ermor ML, C'tis L, Agartha L Conj 5 (Combat) Friendly sacred undead gain mossbody, regrowth. Battlefield.
-- Burning Standard FDDD 3000 Ermor L Conj 5 Summon. Immobile F2D1H3, with domsummon for burning legionaires.
-- Doomed Standard SDDD 3000 Ermor L Conj 5 Summon. Immobile S2D1H3, with domsummon for doomed legionaires.
-- Drowned Standard WDDD 3000 Ermor L Conj 5 Summon. Immobile W2D1H3, with domsummon for drowned legionaires.
-- Standard of Betrayal ADDD 3000 Ermor L Conj 5 Summon. Immobile A2D1H3, with domsummon for betrayed legionaires.
-- Lost Standard EDDD 3000 Ermor L Conj 5 Summon. Immobile E2D1H3, with domsummon for lost legionaires.
-- Eternal Knights SSSSSDD 2100 Ermor * Conj 6 7 Ethereal Eternal Knights.

-- Sparks EF 100 Ulm * Const 1 (Combat) 15 effects + 5/level of earth magic. Long range, poor precision. 15 points of fire damage (not armor piercing).
-- Purified Lance EE 100 Ulm * Const 3 (Combat) Attack spell. Pre 100, 30 points of holy damage, range 50.
-- Prognostication Engine EEE 1500 Ulm * Const 5 Summons a prognostication engine - immobile, drain immune, inanimate, mindless, research bonus, prevents bad events, SS.
-- Shrapmetal EEE 200 Ulm * Const 7 (Combat) Five-round large clouds with long range inflict 15 points of physical damage.
-- Word of Steel E 100 Ulm * Thau 3 (Combat) Does sizable, armor-negating damage to all magB under a template. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.
-- Implaccable EE 100 Ulm * Thau 4 (Combat) Large templat haste (not quickness!) and fear-causing.
-- Bane Metal EEEE 200 Ulm * Thau 6 (Combat) Large template. Enemy sacred units are crippled and fettered. MRN.
-- Iron Rage EE 100 Ulm * Thau 7 (Combat) Drives the entire battlefield - BOTH SIDES - berserk. MRNE.
-- Break the Will ESS 400 Ulm * Thau 8 (Combat) Feebleminds the entire enemy army. MRN.

-- Children of Catharsis FFFSS 1000 Abyssia * Conj 4 Symmons 3 jinn, who are unarmored but are flying, ethreal, glamour and sacred.
-- Annointed of Catharsis FFFFSS 2500 Abyssia * Conj 6 Summons an annointed of catharsis, as above with FFFSS and 0.1 randoms from FSAE.
-- Quicken Burning Ones FFFEE 1200 Abyssia ML Conj 4 Summons 3 actual burning ones.
-- Annointed of Rhuax FFFFEE 3200 Abyssia ML Conj 6 Summons an annointed of anthrax.
-- Children of Anthrax FFFDD 1500 Abyssia * Conj 4 Summons 3 ifrit, wearing bronze armor, with bane fire shields and etherealness.
-- Annointed of Anthrax FFFFDD 4000 Abyssia * Conj 6 Summons an annointed of anthrax, as above with FFFDD and 0.1 randoms from FSDB.
-- False Quickening BBFFF 2500 Abyssia ML Blood 4 Summons 5 false burning ones.
-- Demonbreed BBBSS 4500 Abyssia EL Blood 6 Summons a demonbred.

-- Contact Wakyambi NNNDD 2500 Machaka Conj 5 Summons 8 wakyambi, jungle elves. They have glamour and dark vision and are sacred.
-- Call Drider DDDDNN 3000 Machaka Conj 6 Summons 5 driders. Driders are the spirits of wakyambi punished by becoming spider-ghosts. Undead with dark-vision and glamour.
-- Wakyambi Shaman NNNNDD 4500 Machaka Conj 7 Summons a wakyambi shaman, AANNDDHH + 1.1 randoms from ANDS. Glamour and dark vision.

</pre><hr />

Re: Here are the spells I\'m working on
 

Very nice list. Especially Ulm has very nice spells. Although "Break the Will" is Thaum 8 it seems awfully powerful, since it will affect every enemy mage at once. As soon as you get an astral random smith or alchemists you can use it via Power of the Spheres or Starshine Skullcaps (then even instantly).

I think Ermor M and L should get that Fallen Angel spell, if they don't have it already? Also, personally I'd expect that calling angels requires some holy levels, but maybe that's just me...

Re: Here are the spells I\'m working on
 

Sounds very nice although i agree that break the will may be a bit strong. Maybe make MR negate easily?

Re: Here are the spells I\'m working on
 

Way cool. I'm going to try the Maverni stuff out now http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif