Some thoughts about dispel types. I don't say they are right nor that they should be implemented like that. This is just how I envision it. People may disagree with me and/or it may be infeasible to implement this way.
Here is most fine graned dispel types by dispel targets. Not all of the are even in original game.
I embrace the original game decision not to have single unit single enchantment dispeller. It is too small grained and cumbersome. Same thought about single enchantment in area.
Original also combines 1b+3a and 2b+4a in a single spell. As already pointed out on this forum this need to be divided as the too wide targeted spells type range makes it is impossible to assign good cost and strength value to this type of dispeller.
There is no mass global dispeller for obvious reason: too expensive and probably not meaningful as some global enchantments are not harmful to player.
On top of this I believe the game like that should promote a "everything can be dispelled" paradigm. Any player can obtain and use a dispeller for particular enchantment.
Summarizing the above, I think this may be a concise dispel game system.
Attainable to everyone (Arcane realm)
Seravy, has already made steps toward separating dispellers for area effect and unit enchantments which, I believe a right way to go. However, I didn't understand if he left a slot for dispelling area enchantments in combat. If not then probably that need to be covered. Otherwise we face undisplellable spell phenomena.
Now to the cost/strength part.
Single unit dispel
First of all I could not find any indication in helps how dispelling unit enchantments is different overland versus in combat if at all. Say Iron Skin cost 200 overland and 40 in combat. Which one of these costs will be taken into account when calculating dispel chance? Does it make difference if this enchantment was cast overland or in combat?
Nevertheless, since single unit dispel can affect multiple unit enchantments its strength should be about 3 times less the cost (give or take) to make it effective only against 3 or more enchantments per unit. Same scale as in Fireball comparing to Fire Bolt.
Overland and combat parameters depends on the answer on the question in the first sentence in this paragraph. If dispel chance is the same then both versions use the same parameters for cost and strength. Otherwise, they should be adjusted accordingly.
Multi unit in area dispel
Using same rationale as above its strength should be about 6 times less the cost (give or take) to make it effective only when you find total of 6 or more enchantments on units in square. Of course, nobody prohibit to use single or multi version of it even against single unit with single enchantment if you are really willing to do it regardless of mana.
Multi enchantments in area dispel
Same rationale here. You need to lower the strength of dispel to the factor of how many enchantments in area this dispel should start to be effective against. And here we see significant difference between overland and combat versions. In overland case dispelling a single malicious spell from own city is a common case. It should be at least somehow effective. Whereas in combat you usually want to remove bunch of enemy enchantments including those already placed on the square overland. I'd suggest to use factor 1 overland (strength = cost) and factor 2 (strength = cost / 2) in combat. However, since these values are quite close, it does not harm much to just make them equal for simplicity sake.
Single global enchantment dispel
In this case original Disjunction costs pretty fair. I'd leave it as 1:1 strength to cost ratio to give me opportunity to cast more during the game rather than 2:3 as in current CoM but this is minor.
Here is most fine graned dispel types by dispel targets. Not all of the are even in original game.
- Single unit enchantment overland and its mass versions: 1a) all enchantments of a single unit and 1b) all enchantment of all units in a square
- Single unit enchantment in combat and its mass versions: 2a) all enchantments of a single unit and 2b) all enchantments of all units in a square
- Single area enchantment overland and its mass version: 3a) all enchantment in a square
- Single area enchantment in combat and its mass version: 4a) all enchantment in a square
- Single global enchantment and its mass version: 5a) all global spells
I embrace the original game decision not to have single unit single enchantment dispeller. It is too small grained and cumbersome. Same thought about single enchantment in area.
Original also combines 1b+3a and 2b+4a in a single spell. As already pointed out on this forum this need to be divided as the too wide targeted spells type range makes it is impossible to assign good cost and strength value to this type of dispeller.
There is no mass global dispeller for obvious reason: too expensive and probably not meaningful as some global enchantments are not harmful to player.
On top of this I believe the game like that should promote a "everything can be dispelled" paradigm. Any player can obtain and use a dispeller for particular enchantment.
Summarizing the above, I think this may be a concise dispel game system.
Attainable to everyone (Arcane realm)
- All enchantments of a single unit overland and in combat
- All enchantments in a single area overland and in combat
- Single global enchantment
- All enchantments of all units overland and in combat.
Seravy, has already made steps toward separating dispellers for area effect and unit enchantments which, I believe a right way to go. However, I didn't understand if he left a slot for dispelling area enchantments in combat. If not then probably that need to be covered. Otherwise we face undisplellable spell phenomena.
Now to the cost/strength part.
Single unit dispel
First of all I could not find any indication in helps how dispelling unit enchantments is different overland versus in combat if at all. Say Iron Skin cost 200 overland and 40 in combat. Which one of these costs will be taken into account when calculating dispel chance? Does it make difference if this enchantment was cast overland or in combat?
Nevertheless, since single unit dispel can affect multiple unit enchantments its strength should be about 3 times less the cost (give or take) to make it effective only against 3 or more enchantments per unit. Same scale as in Fireball comparing to Fire Bolt.
Overland and combat parameters depends on the answer on the question in the first sentence in this paragraph. If dispel chance is the same then both versions use the same parameters for cost and strength. Otherwise, they should be adjusted accordingly.
Multi unit in area dispel
Using same rationale as above its strength should be about 6 times less the cost (give or take) to make it effective only when you find total of 6 or more enchantments on units in square. Of course, nobody prohibit to use single or multi version of it even against single unit with single enchantment if you are really willing to do it regardless of mana.
Multi enchantments in area dispel
Same rationale here. You need to lower the strength of dispel to the factor of how many enchantments in area this dispel should start to be effective against. And here we see significant difference between overland and combat versions. In overland case dispelling a single malicious spell from own city is a common case. It should be at least somehow effective. Whereas in combat you usually want to remove bunch of enemy enchantments including those already placed on the square overland. I'd suggest to use factor 1 overland (strength = cost) and factor 2 (strength = cost / 2) in combat. However, since these values are quite close, it does not harm much to just make them equal for simplicity sake.
Single global enchantment dispel
In this case original Disjunction costs pretty fair. I'd leave it as 1:1 strength to cost ratio to give me opportunity to cast more during the game rather than 2:3 as in current CoM but this is minor.
