did you mean to reduce the average number

[Edratman]

I too thought I was getting less gems now, but simply ascribed it to the normal variations of the game. I've only played two new games since the patch so I didn't catch on until this thread.

I like magic. I like gems. I only play SP and I like to forge everything I can get and cast every spell I can. No such thing as too many gems for me. I spend enough energy working with the constraints of the gold and gem budgets.

I have a question. If I add magic sites in a map edit, do they count against the percentage of magic sites in the setup or are they not counted in site allocation and therefore considered extra?

[Micah]

Blood slave availability has been tied to site frequency ever since version 3.00.

Maybe so, but 0 site frequency gave me about half the blood slaves that max sites gave me, so the setting has a drastically lower effect on blood income than on gems.

[Saxon]

HB,

Your proposal would also make the rainbow pretender much more valuable. They would just stroll around identifying sites and would never have to search. They would move twice as fast and thus have many more free turns. We don’t see a lot of complaints about overpowered rainbow mages, so this is not a bad thing.

However, it would also make high bless pretenders more valuable as well, and they do already provide a great deal to the nation. Throw in the combat pretenders who are high in a particular path and we start to see some balance issues. It would shift things from scales to magic paths.

For example, a D9 pretender for LE Ermor. In the early stages, he uses his fear to chase off indys, meaning fast expansion. However, he is simultaneously searching each province, ensuring a fast start to death gems, which Ermor desperately needs. Then later in the game he can case Utterdark or whatever high level global he needs. The total package is a bit too much.

[DrPraetorious]

A unit special ability that automagically searched each province (maybe at half strength?) a unit walked through *would* be interesting, and ought to be able to be stuffed into the existing engine somewhere.

You could give all those rainbow pretenders this power and they'd instantly become about twice as good for their official job in life.

[Edratman]

DrPraetorious said:
A unit special ability that automagically searched each province (maybe at half strength?) a unit walked through *would* be interesting, and ought to be able to be stuffed into the existing engine somewhere.

You could give all those rainbow pretenders this power and they'd instantly become about twice as good for their official job in life.

I like this idea as a new hero category. Should be easy, or at least it was easy for me to type in.

[RamsHead]

DrPraetorious said:
A unit special ability that automagically searched each province (maybe at half strength?) a unit walked through *would* be interesting, and ought to be able to be stuffed into the existing engine somewhere.

You could give all those rainbow pretenders this power and they'd instantly become about twice as good for their official job in life.

I like this idea a lot. You do not currently see rainbow pretenders used often.

[Saxon]

Edi,

You are better at the game than me! I think this has a real influence on gem use. Also, I just don’t play that much, so when I get a chance to cast a new spell or summon a new creature, I do it, just to see what happens. BC (before child) I played more. I also drank more, went out more and had more friends. On the plus side, I now have more dirty diapers…

Edratman,

I am with you, more magic! Especially diaper cleaning magic.

[Meglobob]

I always play SP games with 75% magic sites, I love a magical rich world. I still never have enough gems... Also I do not empower mages usually unless I am desperate. Nature gem shortage is always a particular problem.

Having said that I have'nt really noticed much of difference. I have a tendancy to be lazy in SP and cast Arcashic Record to find my gems.

I can't see it giving too much a advantage to blood, it takes alot of micro to get 100 - 300 blood slaves and ties down alot of mages.

I think its a very minor problem overall.

[Edi]

Saxon said:
Edi,

You are better at the game than me! I think this has a real influence on gem use. Also, I just don’t play that much, so when I get a chance to cast a new spell or summon a new creature, I do it, just to see what happens.

Hardly. I know more about the game from an encyclopedia perspective, but in a multislayer game I'd be likely to get squashed flat. Since I mostly play SP, I like having bit more of a challenge, which is why I prefer hard research and sites at 30 or 35.

I need to figure out how to have time enough to start an MP game and then the new to intermediate players can get to play "Whack the sage". The veteran crew would have me for breakfast before moving in on each other for lunch.

[Velusion]

As someone who enjoys the aspect of army/troop tactics I welcome the lower gem income.