[quantum_mechani]

I appreciate the feedback, I hope other people also comment on these issues.

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-Gloves of the gladiator number of attacks increased: Was it really needed? I had some success with these in Vanilla.

I have yet to see them used in any Dom 3 game, vanilla or CB. In fact I was even contemplating perhaps they are not boosted enough. Thinking about it, I think their unpopularity probably has to do with the Eye Shield, for 10n a generally more all purpose SC counter, that also lets you wield another weapon like a frost brand.

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-Amphiptere a commander: I know they aren't worth much but flavor wise I don't understand why thy are commanders.

So you have a thematic objection to them being commanders? I don't see a huge issue with it, as they are not portrayed as particularly stupid creatures, why they should not be able to act independently (they still can't lead troops).

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-Cheaper titan pretenders: Not sure it was needed.

Well, the problem is when you compare them to base game pretenders like the prince of death. More encumbrance and lack of protection make them much less suited to early expanding, so baring a few of them with a bless niche they need something to set them apart. I suppose I could have gone the other way and nerfed the best vanilla pretenders even more instead, but people already complain about those nerfs. The other question is, by making titans cheaper, what pretenders are they making unusable compared to base game?

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-Phoenix turned into an early expansion machine. I think it's cheap for what it provides. I think someone who wants an early expansion machine should pick a great white bull and I'm not sure it's still worth buying even in CBM?

Well, first off, I think it's a hard argument that the great white bull is worse of an option in CB. 50 points cheaper, and more importantly for a trample pretender -1 enc and +2 reinvig. While it competes with the phoenix in CB, the base game equally costed PoD is far tougher competition.

But beyond that, I'm not sure the phoenix is that great an expanding machine. Most expanders pretenders can reliably take a province a turn from turn 2- the phoenix simply can't. And it also fares very poorly in pretender vs pretender fights.

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-independant commanders slightly more expensive: I don't like. Sure, national non mage commanders aren't recruited, but paying 10 or 20 more for an indie leader won't change that. I pay 60 in vanilla to get a knight commander on turn 2 if I can't have another indie commander, so making them cost 50 or 60 wouldn't change my priorities but upset me a lot. I don't think changing the price of indy commanders fixes the problem of not recruiting nationals, so it should be dropped or another solution found.

That's a reasonable point, the current change doesn't do much, more a statement than anything else.

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-staff of corrosion: I'm not sure it changes much to lower its level. When playing T'ien Ch'i, I often have mages cast acid bolts or rain. They can forge the staff, but since they often lead armies themselves, there's noone to give the staff to. If it cost less gems, I migth give it to an indie commander, but then between a commander + 1 mage-turn of forging + the gems and building a mage that can cast acid bolt, I don't really find it interesting. Of course, T'ien Ch'i acid-able mages are capital only so on a big map it may be different, but I'll generally prefer a mage over a commander + 1 mage-turn + a 15-gem-item. Right now I think the change makes Construction more interesting than Evocation, and I don't think it's needed.

I don't completely understand what you are saying, it doesn't change much to lower it's level, but it makes construction more interesting than evocation?

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-catoblepas: I liked them at 15, but if they aren't used much mayb ethey were too expensive.

Even if they were decent at 15, the lack of use suggest people need a prod to look at them.

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-eater of the dead: Do the changes make it more interesting to summon one considering it's always going to backfire and looks even worse when feral now?

All i can say is I never saw one summoned before the 1.5 changes, and now I've seen it summoned twice. By the time it goes rogue it's probably tart era, at which point there are a lot of thins to smack it down.

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-slime: ok it was mostly useless, but it was the only spell some water mages could cast and they would cast it. What does the change try to accomplish? Make water magic somewhat useful in combat at low Evocation? Why?

People are always complaining water is the weakest path. But more relevantly, if I see something that is nearly useless and can try and make it so people would take it into consideration, I try to do that.

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-blindness: Isn't 2 a bit early?

The eye shield is also research 2. Also, in dom2 Mackaka used to actually start with blindness and it wasn't even that amazing of a feature.

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-ligthning bolt: Why make it weaker?

Just trying to bring it in lie with the other bolts spells. It is so much better than the others base game it's ridiculous.

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-the kindly ones: when someone casts that and I have blood mages, I want to dispel it asap. It usually costs me 3 mages before I can dispel, whihc costs at least 30 gems. Having the spell cost only 30 means I should always cast it and cast it again every turn if an opponent of mine plays blood since we'll both lose 30 gems but he'll also lose 3 mages. So I think it's so cheap it's a no-brainer and should always be cast is possible, unless all global enchantment slots are used by or needed for other enchantments.

I'm not sure it's no-brainer, because it often comes after the caster's empire as well. In fact I once even had it kill the god that cast the global, dispelling itself.

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-call lesser horror: I don't like the change. It turns SB into horror nations from the get go. Maybe I should just try to use it, but I think horrors should be R'lyeh only, and I don't think it's thematic for Bogarus to be horror casters.

I hate to break it to you, but Bogarus uses horrors quite prolifically base game as well (just the send horror kind since the battle summon is so crappy). And, in fact, R'yleh has a horribly hard time using horrors in base game or CB.

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-Heavenly Fires: I spammed them at 10 mana. At 8 it seems too cheap.

That's a pretty minor tweak to think is greatly unbalanced. I don't think I have ever heard anyone complain demons of the heavenly fire are too good.

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-Celestial Soldiers: Half-cost is a bit exaggerated in my opinion. I agree 15 was a lot, but 10 would be nice without lowering that much.

Well, I'll leave that for others to comment on, but again i have not heard any other complaints they are too good.

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-Umbral: This just ruins EA Agartha imo. What do they have left to try to survive? Even the Barathrus Pact boost doesn't do much to change the situation. Lower gold prices for some troops don't mitigate their crappiness.

This does seem to be a widely unpopular change. I still think it's justified, but maybe I will look at undoing it. Do you think +1 gem cost would be more acceptable?

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-Zmey: If those flew correctly, the cost might not have to be changed? I don't understand why they move as if they didn't have flying. I'd rather increase their APs and increase the cost a bit, maybe not up to the initial 8.

I don't understand- they seem to fly just fine.

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-Oracle: Giving fortune teller may look thematic, but I don't think it has any effect except boosting an already strong choice.

That's true, but the fortune telling is virtually useless for their traditional imprisoned bless role, while in theory making alternative strategies more viable.

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-Titan female: Why does hse get a research bonus superior to that of a sage?

Mainly, because I think she needs it more (rainbows get a bunch of extra research from magic picks). Also, it doesn't seem a goddess of knowledge should necessarily be less good at research than an uppity human sage.

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-Lord of rebirth: Didn't need the boost in gems imo. He's a very good chassis for getting EN blesses and getting started in Death too, which complements well some nations he's available for.

I'll admit, he is not horrible without the gems for some nations. But that is purely due to happenstances that they lack those paths, I was hoping to make him more an option for other nations.

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-Grey knight: Does he need such a drastic gold decrease? I've not encountered enough to make heavy use of them, but I always wanted to build them. Probably just because I think they're cool.

Indeed, I think they are very cool myself, which is why I'd like to feel like finding them is a real benefit.

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-Tower guard and defender: Are Man LA so strong these need to be more expensive?

Not exactly, but they certainly make Man's other troops look bad. Keep in mind CB is not mostly about nation balance, it's about option balance. I could look again at making the other stuff cheaper instead, but keep in mind other people have complained about troops being arbitrarily cheaper in Cb (I like to keep to rules like spear = -1 gold). It's easier to increase cost for elite troops since it's vague exactly how how much bonus stats are worth gold wise.

Originally Posted by LDiCesare

-Adonim: Ashdod can expand with 1 Adon built every turn early on and progress exponentially with these guys, yet their cost remains 400? If Talmai Elders cost more, Adonim should also cost more.

That seems a reasonable change.

I am curious though, you said a few changes in CB unbalance things a lot, which of these do you think do that? Most seem like rather niche things (like national spells), thematic complaints, or even just additional change requests CB hasn't made.