Re: Noob questions!
 

I think the arena is a really neat part of the game. But, of course, I always have suggestions:)

The Champion's Trident is sweet. Really nice. But not nice enough, for me, to compensate for the loss of a second hand slot on a combat unit (I would only want the Champion's Trident on a mage). The fact that it is cursed makes it interesting... but, combined with the fact that it takes up 2 slots... not great. If it was 1-handed, or had a couple extra bonuses (reinvigoration, armor-piercing), then I might consider sending valuable units to fight in the arena, but as it stands I don't want to get a valuable unit (except a combat mage) stuck with it.

Then there's the matter of the physical location of the arena. Shouldn't owning it net you some advantage? I mean, since it DOES exist in the real world, the magic and heat scales should certainly affect it... even if it exempted from Dominion strength. Of course, for all I know, maybe these already affect arena combat.

Next up: Arena Squad Deathmatch, in which you send a leaderless group of normal units of total combined size <= 20. And no routing is allowed!

-Cherry

Re: Noob questions!
 

LOL on the Arena deathtrap idea! I'd not thought of that one! I think I'll try it in my current game since the enemy Pretender is competing. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

Re: Noob questions!
 

Arena DM! Whoa another nice idea there, Saber! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

Re: Noob questions!
 

The Arena is, in fact, present in Dom II as a site. It adds some amount of income per turn to the owner of its home province. I'm not sure but I think the dominion of the province defines the nature of the battlefield as well.

Home court advantage, anyone?

Re: Noob questions!
 

I rarely enter a death match as I simply don't see the Trident as desireable. For a mage it's not worth risking death, and more usefull weapons are forgeable for melee commanders (e.g. I would generally prefer a Wraith Sword).

If it were one handed (e.g. as used by Retiarius Gladiators), life draining, armor negating, or simply not cursed I'd consider using it.

Re: Noob questions!
 

AFAIK Champions Trident quickens your commander so he can do 2 actions in 1 turn. That’s VERY handy for both mages and fighters.

[ October 07, 2003, 23:30: Message edited by: Daynarr ]

Re: Noob questions!
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Yep. That's why I like in on a mage, so he doesn't have to cast quickness or wear boots of quickness... which are not available to a lot of races. But I find there are much better setups for fighters. And even on a mage, 2 arm slots gone means 2 magic power enhancing items he can't wear.

Re: Noob questions!
 

As far as the arena goes, I've always felt that if all my enemies want to get together and fight among themselves then I'm happy to stand aside and let them. Also happy to cringe when an AI sends someone like Brangwen the Blind into the meat grinder...

Re: Noob questions!
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Yes, I realize this. It simply isn't enough to make it worth it, even with out the inherent risk of trying to get it. Quickness is quite nice, but it's also easy to get in other ways.

I can see that very early in the game it might be a boon to expansion -- but very early in the game the risk is proportionally much greater.

Re: Noob questions!
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Even more fun: take disorder 3 and misfortune 3. You will now be able to see your empire crumble without the intervention of nasty enemies. You can do it all by yourself. There are more bad events than good ones so if you like diversity I recommend this approach. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">nice idea, you are really wicked! I propose a challenge : take a nation, put the scales at disorder 3, sloth 3, death 3, luck -3, drain 3, and add some 2-3 impossible AI. The one which Last the longuer will have his name praised in the forum http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Ermor & maritime nations excluded ?