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We seem to agree that Life wizards are far too vulnerable and perform poorly in the first 20-40 turns of the game, as they are the only ones not getting an overland summoning spell. (and have nothing to buff except their free starting swordsmen)
Hoping for ideas that can fix this problem.
March 22nd, 2017, 18:55
(This post was last modified: March 22nd, 2017, 18:56 by zitro1987.)
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I'd say focusing on holy armor, holy weapon, heroism on fighter's guild units would solve a problem.
If even earlier needs, the solution is quite simple: make guardian spirit a competent unit in terms of power to cost ratio by reducing their cost to about 50 and maybe eliminate the +1 resist to all.
*Give AI priority to this spell just as it were casting nagas or hell hounds.
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(March 22nd, 2017, 18:55)zitro1987 Wrote: If even earlier needs, the solution is quite simple: make guardian spirit a competent unit in terms of power to cost ratio by reducing their cost to about 50 and maybe eliminate the +1 resist to all.
*Give AI priority to this spell just as it were casting nagas or hell hounds.
I'll do that, if there is no better solution. It means mono-life AI has to actually pick it as the starting spell instead of something else though and that means giving up on another spell. I guess they can skip Just Cause? It doesn't do much in the ear...erm, no, the +10 fame ensures they get better heroes as soon as the possibility opens up. That shouldn't be delayed. Heroism is essential. Healing...is needed for buffed units to not die and it's the only combat spell for the realm in the 5 starting picks. Heavenly Light is a must have....sacrificing Endurance, I don't like that either. It should be ready along with Heroism as soon as heroes start to show up and Healing is also needed for the same reason.
This might be where removing the 6th starting spell actually hurts the AI - other realms don't need a 6th spell but Life certainly does.
(and this reminds me, the AI won't ever cast Holy Armor on their starting units anymore. They don't get the spell until turn 40+.)
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Change Guardian Spirit into something useful for the AI seems like the best solution. Maybe something like giving it a huge bonus when defending in an allied city with Heavenly Light, or even perhaps just a big bonus when defending.
March 22nd, 2017, 19:45
(This post was last modified: March 22nd, 2017, 19:46 by zitro1987.)
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interesting idea. If included, this is my idea of 'guardian spirit'
cost 50 / 1 upk
2 movement
7 melee / +3 to hit
6 armor
10 resistance
10 hit point
+1-2 additional melee or +1 to hit if defending in city ... or +5 extra hp exaltion style if defending in city
no resist to all (unless stationed in town?)
March 22nd, 2017, 20:00
(This post was last modified: March 22nd, 2017, 20:03 by Seravy.)
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(March 22nd, 2017, 19:45)zitro1987 Wrote: interesting idea. If included, this is my idea of 'guardian spirit'
cost 50 / 1 upk
2 movement
7 melee / +3 to hit
6 armor
10 resistance
10 hit point
+1-2 additional melee or +1 to hit if defending in city ... or +5 extra hp exaltion style if defending in city
no resist to all (unless stationed in town?)
Guardian Spirits are intercontinental units, so they won't be pulled into new settlements as garrison and will head towards the main action continent instead. So a bonus on city defense wouldn't do much for the AI, they should be able to threaten the human player if they attack the life wizard without having an acceptable force for war.
The current stats for 50 might work well without the extra ability. While their damage output is poor compared to most other common units, 6 armor is fairly decent. In larger numbers, they can be a threat.
Or maybe not...
Their total strategic value is 19 - compared to it, Hell Hounds are 39, Nagas are 39 (albeit they cost twice as much), Ghouls are 67 (Death should be better in the early game so this is ok), Bears are 72 and Sprites are...13. Wait, only 13? With the increased rating for the new ability? Is it buggy or what? Oh wait, the calculator tool doesn't have it yet. So Sprites are 90. Real tiny machines of doom, these now. They'll steal all the neutral cities on the map for the AI. Ofc, Nature is the best summoning realm so those numbers are fine, but the 19 for the spirit feels a little on the weak side? Being intercontinental is a nice feature though.
The starting spell pick is troubling me though. I don't think the AI should give up on any of the current 5.
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Would this give a higher strategic value?
cost 60 / 1 upk
2 movement
12 melee / +1 to hit
5 armor
9 resistance
15 hit point
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(March 22nd, 2017, 20:22)zitro1987 Wrote: Would this give a higher strategic value?
cost 60 / 1 upk
2 movement
12 melee / +1 to hit
5 armor
9 resistance
15 hit point
Yes, this one is worth 34. I rather keep the high armor, low-medium attack power direction though. Might even be overkill - it shouldn't be anywhere near Hell Hounds as this is noncorporeal and has resistance to all plus belong to a realm that has weaker summoning.
My version - only a minor change of +1 melee and armor :
50 cost, 1 upkeep
2 movement
8 melee, +3 to hit
7 armor
10 hit point
total rating is 25.
This makes it a fairly playable unit even for the human player - at 7 armor it's a good combo with Endurance and can do fine against weaker neutral cities, but still won't threaten wizards who can easily overcome this much armor with Fire Bolt, Star Fires, and Phantom Warriors/Psionic Blast. Death and Nature wizards might be in trouble though - this counters all of their early tricks fairly well despite them being "the" early game realms. If it doesn't work, 9 melee 6 armor might be almost identical but "safer" as it results in a 26 rating.
March 22nd, 2017, 21:01
(This post was last modified: March 22nd, 2017, 21:03 by Nelphine.)
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How good is the new sprite ability in strategic combat? That seems.. crazy high. (Then again, how good is immolation?) (I dislike the idea of making guardian spirit a proper combat summon, but that's because I'd much rather see life ai actually spam buffs more. Ah well. have them pour all their mana into gold, buy the fighters guild faster than other ai, buff halberdiers/slingers.)
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(March 22nd, 2017, 21:01)Nelphine Wrote: How good is the new sprite ability in strategic combat? That seems.. crazy high. (Then again, how good is immolation?) (I dislike the idea of making guardian spirit a proper combat summon, but that's because I'd much rather see life ai actually spam buffs more. Ah well. have them pour all their mana into gold, buy the fighters guild faster than other ai, buff halberdiers/slingers.)
It would still take too long - the first 2-3 settlers come before the FG.
90 is, let's see... about 5-10 basic, level 1 swordsmen. Or 2.5 Hell Hounds. Or two Air Elementals. (these totally suck in strategic combat, they have low stats with powerful abilities) Or one Phantom Beast. Or 2.5 Zombies. Or 2.5 Nagas. Or 3 Demons (another unit that sucks because it's used for abilities, not stats). Or 1.5 Night Stalkers. Or 1.5 Ghouls. Or 10 Skeletons. Or 1.5 Gargoyles (wow!). Or 1 Manticore at level 1.
Pretty good, but fair for the best summoning realm and a 80 mana creature. Unless the other side has units that are ability based with poor stats but that's not the fault of Sprites. If it's too high I can change it easily. The bonus scales by figures for the ability so if the unit is wounded, the rating drops.
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