Possibilities of #onebattlespell
 

I just started thinking how I could use the new coming #onebattlespell command and it came to me. We have finally gotten a way to duplicate the "at the start of battle, summon some troops" like Ko-Onis and Oni Generals do. Just mod a 0-fatigue summoning spell and the commander that as #onebattlespell (I'm not 100% sure, but I think that you could set that spell as researchlevel 10 so that it's not researchable, only castable). When I started to bonder about this more closely, I realized how huge even this one implentation of #onebattlespell is. You can have:

More options in PD -> Yeah, you can only mod 2 different troops for levels 1-19 and 20+. But things are now bit better, since you could make the commander you get from 20 def to summon the third type at beginning of the battle. Not excatly perfect, but more options are always more options.

"Summoner" mages -> Weak in paths and research, but bring something fierce in battle.

"Epic Leader" -> Expensive commaders that summon a whole army (like 40 -50 infantry) at the start of battle. One man army indeed! This kind of "army" would differ this way from normal.

Advantages:
- No supply cost (if you don't want this to happen, you could probably give the commander huge gluttony to compensate for his "honor guard")
- If the commander survives the battle, the guys will still be there for the next battle

Disadvantages
- No scripting

This also could be the way to give the boost national commanders need. Sure, I could ferry my guys with regular indie commanders, but Lizard Lord comes into battle with his "Honor Guard" of 5 Slave Warriors, which are replenished from his personal slaves at the beginning of every battle.

Hmm. You could perhaps also use that trick to buff up a bit those "I'm semi-thuggable weak human hero, but look I have recuperate/sneak/ one 5 gem magic item at start!" things that you always send to front lines to die because they prevented you from getting the "12 magic levels" mage hero. What if Hildegard came with a retinue of 5 Black Knights? Not so wimpy anymore, is she?

Heh, a nation which had weak recruitables, but with wide retinue of commanders who summon a good number of troops to combat might be intresting. Oh, wait.. Sombre, I remember you complaining a bit about how your "Dogs of War" nation would have to bound by a honor system that the player doesn't give the mercenary troops to regular commanders and have merc commanders summoning all the time. Perhaps you could use this trick to have the merc commanders summon their troops in comabt directly?

Re: Possibilities of #onebattlespell
 

I dunno. I think alot of people would scream unbalance or too powerful I guess. Personally I think it looks interesting.

Re: Possibilities of #onebattlespell
 

Having troops summoned at the start of battle was the major use I thought of for it as well. I had an idea for a mod before that could really have done with having troops summoned at the start of battle, and my enthusiasm was considerably dampened when I found it couldn't be done. So this'll be really good.

Re: Possibilities of #onebattlespell
 

It might lead to unbalanced mods, but mods are usually less balanced anyway. I think the summoning possibilities of it are really cool. Maybe someone should even make a mod with only commanders, but all/most of them summon units.
(The one area where this sounds really troublesome is in assassinations, but since it's just a mod...)

Re: Possibilities of #onebattlespell
 

Balance!? #$%* balance, this is cool!

Only question I have is what spell you would mod to make a group of troops pop up that wouldn't mess with the base spell. I'm no spell modder, though - guess I have to wait for Sombre and Dr. P to comment.

I'd like to see a unit that immediately pops a Storm, Rain, Plague, or Darkness spell.

Re: Possibilities of #onebattlespell
 

Summons spells are rather east to make from scratch.

Re: Possibilities of #onebattlespell
 

These are both very useful balance ideas I've been thinking about since the #onebattlespell command was announced, but there is a catch. The problem is that these retinues do not make much sense in the context of flying and water breathing items.

Re: Possibilities of #onebattlespell
 

The retinue has them too. Given that blood slaves fly around with you, I just don't think it's worth worrying about.

I'm looking forward to onebattlespell as a means of balancing the titans, who I believe are generally somewhat underpowered.

This is my preliminary list. Suggestions welcome; obviously some of this is not going to be well balanced.

Titan,Starts battle by....
Father of Winters: Drop a foes-only freezing mist on 10% of the battlefield.
Drakaina: Terror on all enemies (MRN)
Son of the Sun: Blindness on 10% of enemies (MRN).
Titan(F): Boost attack skill and AP of all friendly units (this is the same effect as Unholy Power.)
Mother of Tuathas: Mirror Image on 50% of friendly units.
Lady of Springs/Mother of Rivers/Daughter of the Land: Water Power on all friendly units (even when not under water.)
Son of the Heavens/Daughter of the Dawn: Smite all hostile demons and undead.
Lord of Rebirth: Regeneration on 50% of friendly units.
Lord of the Sky/Titan(M)/Destroyer of Worlds: Hurls a lightning bolt at 10% of all hostile units.
Lord of War/Celestial General: Weapons of Sharpness on 50% of friendly units.
Asynja: Resist Magic on all friendly units.
Lady of Love/Nerid: Charm on 5% of hostile units, MRN.
Keeper of the Bridge: Stun on 10% of hostile units, MRN.
Nataraja: ? (does he need a boost?)
Jade Emperor: Hm... not sure
Lord of Plenty/Lady of Fortune: Luck on 50% of friendly units.
Deva: Blind on hostile demons and magic beings. MRN.
Colossal Fetish: Earthquake on 50% of hostile units.
Lord of the Gates: should have a lot more shades than that.
Forge Lord: Legions of Steel on all friendly units.
Lord of the Forest/Earth Mother/Lord of Fertility: Entangle on 50% of hostile units.
Father of Serpents: Mass Poison Immunity.
Ageless Olm: Encase 10% of enemies in ice.
Son of the Sea: Mass Water Shield... but only under water (need to check that this works.)
Old Man of the Sea: Mass Luck... but only under water (need to check that this works.)
Lord of the Waves: Earthquake on all enemies... but only under water (likewise).
Void Lord: Confusion on 20% of all enemies, MRN.
Lord of the Wild: Berserk somehow maybe? That might not be an advantage. Hmm....
Lord of the Summer Plague: Diseases all enemies, MRN.
Solar Disc: Blind 50% of enemies, MRN.

I'm sure I left some out.

Re: Possibilities of #onebattlespell
 

Dr. P: This would be... awesome. I'll brainstorm a bit too.

Re: Possibilities of #onebattlespell
 

I would also think you could use this to improve some of the less impressive summonable commanders.

Ivy Kings: Auto Mass Protection
Mound Fiends: Auto Protection of the Sepulcher (or simply AM)

I like the idea of 'human' heroes summoning up an honor guard. I would also like the following ideas for heroes with autobattlespells:

Caelian Archer Hero: Wind Guide
Caelian Storm General: Arrow Fend
Witch Hunter General (Marignon): Flaming Arrows
Orestes (Arco): Power of the Spheres? (Really nasty, I know)
Carmont (Marignon Cardinal): Either Cleansing Water or, to really hose the undead, Solar Brilliance.

The unique Amesha Spentae for Caelum would also be good candidates, imho. They aren't nationally summonable, and, while good, could use some autospellcasting.

A Pangaea or Man hero that casts Relief could be interesting.

Just a few thoughts.

Wyatt

Re: Possibilities of #onebattlespell
 

All of those are possibilities.

You should probably make custom spells and have them cast those - for example, the caelian archer hero could wind guide half of your army, or everyone within X spaces of him.

One of the things I wanted to suggest for CBM was to give all of the national commanders a radius X "command aura". This is a spell at the start of battle that provides either aim (wind guide), luck, haste, power (the thing that unholy power gives, which is AP and attack skill) or maybe even quickness to friendly units within a certain distance of the commander at the start of battle.

It would then be pretty easy to give a larger/better command aura to the non-spellcaster national heroes.

Re: Possibilities of #onebattlespell
 

" One of the things I wanted to suggest for CBM was to give all of the national commanders a radius X "command aura". This is a spell at the start of battle that provides either aim (wind guide), luck, haste, power (the thing that unholy power gives, which is AP and attack skill) or maybe even quickness to friendly units within a certain distance of the commander at the start of battle."

Sounds excellent! Ive always found that melee basic commanders just ferry people and dont lead them in fights, unlike real life. Some bonuses to small radius would make people use the commanders as commanders and not just ferries. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif Units which increase others' morale should be commander only btw.

The worst part about dominions fights are that they have nothing common with real historical battles. Well maybe cavarly used as flankers, but thats it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif Basically the morale and fight system doesnt make any sense. Atleast to me.

Re: Possibilities of #onebattlespell
 

Possibilities of #onebattlespell...are...endless, mesmerizing, amazing.

I was thinking of some kind of "command" "spells" for as of now lacklustre commanders, like those ulmish ones, which would give a minor boost to either attack, defence, AP or maybe even a minor reinvigoration. A "Be Precise!" spell for archery oriented commanders, which gives a +1 boost to precision units around them. And so on...