Mod: Black Tome of Alisophocus / Blessing Hot Fix

[DrPraetorious]

CLARIFICATION:
The archive includes MULTIPLE MODS:

BlackTome.dm -> This is *only* the blessing hotfix. It includes a *description* of what the other mods do, as well as acknowledgements and headers. The name of the file is an unfortunate historical thing; originally I had not intended to offer this fix by itself.

BlackTome_E.dm -> This contains new spells for *early era* nations, only. IT DOES NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE.

BlackTome_M.dm
BlackTome_L.dm -> Will contain new spells for the other two eras, when they are ready.

BlackTome_Test.dm -> Includes all of the spells in a test form where EA Arco can cast them for free, so that you can see what they all do. DO NOT USE IT FOR A REAL GAME.

The first batch of new national spells are done - ready for use by the following EA nations:
Marverni
Abyssia
Tir
Ermor
Ulm
T'ien Ch'i

There are also some non-national spells for blood/death and an earth/death spell provided by Amos (mostly included for the *****in' artwork.)

I've done some testing but it's far from exhaustive - I'd love feedback. As far as I can tell all of these spells *work*. The graphics could use an upgrade.

The Ermor and Abyssia spells are just stuff I think is cool. The marverni and ulm spells have a game-balance goal in mind - making Marverni survivable in the early game. They're also dripping with celtic bull****.

I gave a bunch of them to Tir, but I'm a little bit worried that they're too powerful for what is not, in fact, a weak position.

The Abyssian spells are also somewhat worrying in terms of strength.

If anyone wishes to contribute spells, spell ideas or artwork, let me know.

Brainstorming on new spells, or on balance considerations for adding new spells, can be included in the thread.

I hope to have the middle era spells ready by next weekend.

Enjoy,
TNDP

[Maltrease]

I would love to see "investment" spells.

-Raise growth dominion in provence
-Add X number of people or % of people.
-Add a gold mine
-Multi turn provence spell (like domes) that magnify resources or income.

[DrPraetorious]

I've been thinking along similar lines. I don't see any effect numbers that outright change population, income or resources, or that add sites - but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

Effect 10034 - random event - seems like the most promising, as you'd think you could generate the various beneficial events with it.

I'm busy testing other stuff, but if you want to try the following spell:

#addspell
#name "Event Test"
#descr "Event Test"
#effect 10042
#spec 268435456
#school 0
#researchlevel 0
#fatiguecost 0
#path 0 4
#pathlevel 0 1
#damage 11
#end

Try changing the damage value and see what events you get.

You may need to change the value in #spec back to 0. I'm not sure what it does.
Raging Hearts, Wolven Winter, Black Death and Blight have #spec 268435456

Baleful Star, Hurricane, Volcanic Eruption, Rain of Toads, Locust Swarms and Tidal Wave have #spec 0 (or #spec 8388608, which just lets it work underwater.)

Anyway, I'll test this myself eventually but there's some combat spell stuff I'm still trying to figure out.

[Jack_Trowell]

Is it possible to mod a site-searching spell for holy sites ? (maybe it would have to use astral gems, and require a le vel 2 or 3 priest (at worst your prophet))

[DrPraetorious]

It should be. I'm still experimenting with site-finding spells.

[DrPraetorious]

*bump*. New version.

[Maltrease]

Cool spells! They sound fun!

[Wauthan]

I really like the concept of this mod. Your choice of national spells is interesting and your descriptions are well written. I'm glad to see someone take on the spells in the game.

Personally I feel that Contact Fungus is a brilliant spell, the mystical powers of the mighty fungi have been long overlooked, but personally I felt that it had a better fit in LA Agartha.

If I dare to add a request it would be for one or two combat blood spells that don't rely on blood slaves. The sly human player can easily wield the full power of blood magic but the AI could use a little "nudge".

[DrPraetorious]

On blood spells - I agree with you for the AI, but I don't want to add something that breaks the game for players. Which position do you think needs it the most?

When I do national spells for blood positions I can certainly make some of them blood-based and fatigue < 100.

Agartha can certainly get fungus spells - and definitely needs more nationals. I'm trying to bias them towards MA, though - which is a weak position, relative to LA and EA.

[Wauthan]

Hmmm... Positions? As in levels? Then I would argue that level 4, 6 and 8 could use an extra spell.

Blood/Fire and Blood/Astral is well represented and should not be boosted further.

Blood/Water and Blood/Earth are on par with few but solid summoning spells.

Blood/Nature got the craptastic Crossbreeding and Dark Vines spells. Blood/Death is suprisingly lacking any "Ultimate unholy power" spell considering the combination of dark magic. Blood/Air has only the somewhat suspect Storm Demons.

My suggestion is thus to add a weak Blood/Nature plant, fungus or transformation combat spell at level 4 (Feeblemind effect?).

An area effect Blood/Air combat spell at level 6 (random teleportation of a group of enemies?).

A powerful Blood/Death combat spell at level 8. I have no idea what would be appropriate though. Possibly a combination of several lowlevel effects into one mighty "rips your intestines out and strangles you with them" type of spell. Kills one target and scares the living daylights out of everyone around it perhaps? Or turns a group of enemies into allied low tier undead?