What an interesting thread.
I'm going to create a mod for my Dominions group's next game that addresses some balance problems.
Most significantly forging cost reducing items will be removed. The Forge of the Ancients will lose the discount effect and quite likely be moved to a lvl 9 construction. Price halved to 40 earth gems.
Gem generating items will be modified for other purpose or removed.
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The reason for the above is that the gem economy is at least as important as the gold economy and control of resources. The forging cost reductions and especially the damnable Forge of the Ancients really messes up that part of the game. I want the cost of a Staff of Elemental Mastery to be the full 50 gems.
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The other thing that will be fixed is werewolves. The general setting material in Dominions (since the original) has skin shifters dropping their weapons and using claws and fangs in close combat. For some odd reason though, a commander werewolf has access to all equipment slots.
That is just a minor problem, but the case of the Jotun Giant Werewolf is an atrocity. The Skratti that can turn into a werewolf is an utterly unbalanced commander. The wolf form has way too many perks and immunities, and for some insane reason it's stronger than a male titan or Dragon. >.<
Our current game has slightly turned into a farce because of these recruitable fromt the start SC monsters who can cast quicken self from early on, and get luck and etherealness cast on them by the cheap recruit anywhere hags.
Here's an early game example:
