New unit

[smursh]

I don't know that I would use a unit like this much. I really prefer offense to defense.

However, if you did want a unit like this the movement should be slower since all that building equipment is heavy. Defense of 3 is right for a 4 gold upkeap(similar to crusader, but only good on defense with city walls vs. always on) Cost in the 400-450 range would also be right.

[Negern]

I don't know that I would use a unit like this much. I really prefer offense to defense.

However, if you did want a unit like this the movement should be slower since all that building equipment is heavy. Defense of 3 is right for a 4 gold upkeap(similar to crusader, but only good on defense with city walls vs. always on) Cost in the 400-450 range would also be right.

Nah, I guess you are right. It would probably not come in use very often. But about the bonus - the thing that makes it good is that it's stackable with other bonuses. A crusader gives no bonus in a pegasi or dragon stack, a mason does (if it's inside a city! ) And about the 16 steps - he only carries his skills as a mason, not the bricks.
Perhaps they could be decreased to 13-14 if adding 2 fear when attacking cities. It'd make it a decent unit defending and attacking cities, and not so very specialized.

[LPhillips]

Unless sieges are altered significantly, the last thing we need is a powerful specialized defense unit -especially a cheap and quickly-produced one.

Interesting, but gamebreaking.