Very simplified bonus system

[magian]

I know I am probably just flogging a dead horse here, but I haven't quite given up on my expired steed.

Siege negates city wall bonuses. Why can't fear simply negate morale and chaos (or perhaps 'awe' is more appropriate for the archon) negate leadership?

If we really need a -stack option, then I suggest introducing 'Curse' (a straight up -5 and an obvious counterpoint to bless).

This system would be easier for new players to digest, and easier to balance IMO.

[LPhillips]

It's something to consider. I'm not quite clear on the total system, but here are my two cents:

Fear negates morale and chaos negates leadership, is that it?
I think it's pretty clear. It's nice to have the hero abilities separate from the unit abilities, imo. Then allowing a general negate to categories of abilities also makes sense. It just needs to be clarified at some point for all players. The one thing that causes confusion for me is the system of representing the abilities. It's graphically pleasing, but somehow it isn't an accessible and easily viewable system. As everything since Beta2 is new to me, but I have a very good grasp of warlords mechanics, I think I'm in a good position to clarify that. The bonus system itself isn't confusing; it's the presentation of it which is confusing.

As for negates, maybe giving those units' abilities some thematic name and then allowing it to be used by other units would help make it more palatable and easily digested?

[magian]

Lphillips,

In the current system, fear and chaos are both negative stack effects. Fear 3 reduces the enemy stack by 3 strength, and so does chaos 3. Having a unit with fear 3 and a hero with chaos 3 in an army reduces enemy stack strength by 6. Only the dreadknight (and certain items) have chaos.

Negate aura cancels both fear and morale, and negate heroism cancels both leadership and chaos.

Siege acts like a negate, cancelling fortification bonuses.

The system I proposed seems far sleeker and simpler to me. The only thing that would be lost is the ability to stack negative bonuses (which is a balance issue anyway).