Mod: New Nation: Sylvania (Elves, son! - Update v1.1)

[zepath]

Teraswaerto, glad you're enjoying it! I will be boosting the damage for all Aspect Archers except for the Springs in v1.1.

Shovah32, the pricing is a little odd it's true. I intended the Sorceresses to be used for battlefield magic, summons, and forging, but to be much less useful for research. They're fiery and short-tempered mistresses who channel raw magic rather than lock themselves away in towers to study and experiment. So, they have a research penalty and in v1.1 will be able to get up to six paths of magic with new random tables (level 1 Nature base, 100% chance of a level 2 Elemental, 75% chance of 1 additional Elemental, 25% chance of 1 add. Nature, and 5% chance of level 1 Death). The Loremasters are the opposite. They are obsessed with knowledge, cataloging, and study. Thus, they have a research bonus, but are not very effective as utility mages. In v1.1 they will have a 25% chance of coming out with level 3 (instead of 2) Astral.

Hopefully the v1.1 changes (almost all of them positive) will satisfy! I should be able to release it tomorrow or shortly thereafter.

[Shovah32]

If your keeping the loremasters the same cost i would give them a 50% chacne rather than 25. Also with hte added bonus randoms sorceresses should be fine.

[zepath]

FYI, Sylvania has been updated to v1.1 to address some of the suggestions made here. Enjoy!

[zepath]

Play-tested Sylvania some today in a game with all LA nations (including the other two I've created) and found that the Loremasters (w/ no Magic scale boost) are capable of pumping out some serious research. I surpassed all other nations and was heading into an increasing lead by the end of the first two years. This agrees with the "fluff" in that the elves have a secret library thousands of years old in which to study, but might end up being the key to a middle or late-game upset since they have decent access (level 3 poss.) to at least six paths of magic.

If anyone else is giving this nation a try, what are your impressions?

[Frostmourne27]

unless your test game was MP, note that humans will allways come out on top in research. I can take a drain 2, imprissonned pretender and still come out ahead of most computer nations. Other than that, its a cool nation, although the spring archers seem quite a bit better than the others. (which all cost the same)

[zepath]

Frostmourne27, well, I've been embarassed by AI nations in the research field before... and the difference (exceeding every other LA nation plus two other mod nations) was quite sharp when pumping out Loremasters, esp. with air mages making research boosting items for them. It doesn't seem to unbalance Sylvania, as I know the same could be done with other nations, but research is definitely a strong suit here. Anyway, I too have found no limit to the uses for Spring Aspect Archers. I may end up nerfing their damage to 0 as the ability to entangle en masse is simply brutal against heavy opponents.

[Shovah32]

Especially when used in combination with blade dancers.