Version 1.02 released

[jetigig]

On the other hand the Sorceress looks useless to me. I'll assume the knowall ability = Eye of KGB. Even with that potential it's hard to see why anyone would ever take her unless it's very late game and you are getting a L4/L5 hero offer and need to cross water with a stack / battle on water. The reason is that she offers no way to level up from a L1/L2 type hero because she contributes nothing in battles unless they are on water. So she needs another hero with her which means 1/2 XP progression. Maybe if she started with 14 UL and 20 movement she could be a ruin picker for XP.

KGB, I think you misread the Sorceress' "nowall" ability. It means that she is able to ignore walls, not "know all" about ruins.
I'm really liking the art on the Sorceress, but I agree with KGB that she seems pretty lackluster. I'm seeing her as being chosen only late game when her Levitate spell can be bought as soon as she is hired (that's the most intriguing part of her). Also, to take advantage of her Ethereal spell and her massive potential anti-air bonus, she needs to be on the front lines fairly often. That's just not realistic with her 20 battle (max 40). I think that what bothers me the most is that many of her abilities are personal, not stack-buffing.

[SnotlinG]

Yes, the Sorceress is intentional a bit on the weak side, as I was a bit worried the Levitate spell might be too powerful. We will evaluate her a bit and see how she plays, maybe we will boost her later on...



Ally code updated as per suggestions:

Code: Select all

                    // Limit type of ally and number of allies based on turn
                    if ($turn > 0 && $turn < 5)
                        {
                        $alliearray = array($batteringram, $minotaur, $yeti); 
                        shuffle($alliearray); 
                        $newally = $alliearray[0];                       
                        if ($maxnumberofallies > 1)
                            {
                            $maxnumberofallies = 1;   
                            }
                        }   
                       
                    if ($turn > 4 && $turn < 9)
                        {
                        $alliearray = array($wizard, $elemental, $ghost, $demon); 
                        shuffle($alliearray); 
                        $newally = $alliearray[0];                       
                        if ($maxnumberofallies > 2)
                            {
                            $maxnumberofallies = 2;   
                            }                       
                        }   
                    if ($turn > 8 && $turn < 13)
                        {
                        $alliearray = array($wizard, $elemental, $ghost, $demon, $medusa); 
                        shuffle($alliearray);
                        $newally = $alliearray[0];                       
                        if ($maxnumberofallies > 2)
                            {
                            $maxnumberofallies = 2;   
                            }                       
                        }   
                    if ($turn > 12 && $turn < 15)
                        {
                        $alliearray = array($wizard, $elemental, $ghost, $demon, $medusa, $archon); 
                        shuffle($alliearray);
                        $newally = $alliearray[0];                       
                        if ($maxnumberofallies > 3)
                            {
                            $maxnumberofallies = 3;   
                            }                       
                        }
                    if ($turn > 14 && $turn < 19)
                        {
                        $alliearray = array($wizard, $elemental, $ghost, $demon, $medusa, $archon, $devil, $greendragon, $reddragon); 
                        shuffle($alliearray);
                        $newally = $alliearray[0];                       
                        if ($maxnumberofallies > 3)
                            {
                            $maxnumberofallies = 3;   
                            }
                        // For RedDragon and Devil, we allow max 1 ally at this turn
                        if ($newally[1] == 28 || $newally[1] == 26)
                            {
                            if ($maxnumberofallies > 1)
                                {
                                $maxnumberofallies = 1;   
                                }                               
                            }                           
                        }
                    if ($turn > 18 && $turn < 23)
                        {
                        $alliearray = array($ghost, $demon, $medusa, $devil, $grandarchon, $greendragon, $reddragon); 
                        shuffle($alliearray);
                        $newally = $alliearray[0];                       
                        if ($maxnumberofallies > 3)
                            {
                            $maxnumberofallies = 3;   
                            }                       
                        } 
                    if ($turn > 22)
                        {
                        $alliearray = array($ghost, $demon, $medusa, $devil, $grandarchon, $greendragon, $reddragon); 
                        shuffle($alliearray);
                        $newally = $alliearray[0];                                             
                        }   

[KGB]

KGB, I think you misread the Sorceress' "nowall" ability. It means that she is able to ignore walls, not "know all" about ruins.

Does that mean she gives a group Sandworm effect to bypass the city wall bonus (attacking & defending)? If that's what it is, then that is one VERY powerful skill. If it's just being able to move through 'wall terrain' then it's seriously useless since most maps don't have that feature and any hero can fly over with an Eagle or better mount now.

Yes, the Sorceress is intentional a bit on the weak side, as I was a bit worried the Levitate spell might be too powerful. We will evaluate her a bit and see how she plays, maybe we will boost her later on...

It's an interesting idea. But given you charge a lot for it (8 move points per square) it's actually pretty weak since it would take 16 moves to go 2 squares. Or can you use it to move a stack of land armies on to a boat (cost 8 move) and then the boat can sail for 1 move rate with the land units, stop next to a coastal city and then the stack can attack the city since they are in 'land mode'. If that can be done it's VERY powerful indeed.

The answer to the above 2 questions will determine if she might have late game value or will need a boost of skills.

KGB

[jetigig]

Does that mean she gives a group Sandworm effect to bypass the city wall bonus (attacking & defending)? If that's what it is, then that is one VERY powerful skill. If it's just being able to move through 'wall terrain' then it's seriously useless since most maps don't have that feature and any hero can fly over with an Eagle or better mount now.

KGB

I think that the Sorceress' ignore walls ability is for herself, not the entire stack. If it is for the entire stack then Dwarf Engineer's wall-breaking is so much more inferior.

[KGB]

I think that the Sorceress' ignore walls ability is for herself, not the entire stack. If it is for the entire stack then Dwarf Engineer's wall-breaking is so much more inferior.

Not true since Ignore Walls means you are always helpless on defense. It's a double edged sword skill. I'd personally rather have the Dwarf Engineer skill since the walls would help me when defending *unless* I was making a suicide run.

KGB

[smursh]

I can't see taking sorceress till late in game and then only in very specific situations. Personal Anti air with high personal speed makes a good air defense unit but useless for anything else really. Levitate to help units along is nice but only if situation really needs it. In short much too limited in value so don't think will see much use.

[SnotlinG]

Sorceress nowall spell is the exact same as the sandworm units personal skill, i.e. it only affects the unit itself, its not stackable. And it is indeed a doubleedged sword

Dwarf Engineer cant move through "Walls", only Mountains and Hills.

Sorceress levitate gives groupmove through all terrain except lava, cost 8 and then 6. Levitating units cant jump on a ship in landform, so that tactic shouldnt work. However for crossing mountain-borders and rivers and cliff-edges with a stacked army it could be pretty effective.

As for leveling up, yes a Sorceress will have a hard time leveling up. She starts with waterwalk and UL 10, so should be possible to hunt some ruins. Starting Intelligence of 120 should help a little bit also.
But in the end, since she has a few special abilities I think it is better to start on the safe side, and then maybe boost her in a later version in case we find out she is useless

[Smedzlatko]

Thumbs up for the Dwarven Engineer. I am starting to like this hero. The siege bonus is pretty strong since you can get siege 8 on 2nd level and hills leadership is a nice bonus. Not sure if I would pick sorceress at any point. She seems to be very situational (and only in late game, as already explained by KGB).

Just found out two strange things (possibly bugs):
- My friend can only make one move with sorceress and then needs to reconnect to the game to make another. Seems quite annoying.
- My 2nd level Dwarven Engineer displays his siege bonus as 'NaN' (should be 8)

[SnotlinG]

Smedszlatko:
Dwarf Engineer display error fixed, thanks for reporting!

As for the Sorceress, sounds like something is wrong. If it continues to happen for your friend, please let me know when it is your turn, and I can test it out in your game if possible.

Thanks!

[Chazar]

I often take a Ranger just for the purpose of fast L2 Ruin Hunting, and to me it looked like the Sorceress could fill that role even faster (Move16, +3 per 5), at least for Water-based maps. However, 12+3*2=18 at Level 3, whereas the Sorceress 10+2*5=20 at Level 4 is decidedly worse. On the other hand, she can continue to reap L3 Ruins at Level 6, which the Ranger can only do if UL-Items were found or if an UL-Temple is at hand. Hm.

The "Ethereal"-spell and "Personal Anti Air" seem like a waste to me: the sorceress weak strength 20-40 don't allow her to be placed at the front line, so both skills can hardly be used, and I would guess that "Ethereal" hits more often on defense than on offence for her.

As for the dwarf, I am highly skeptical that allowing a fast hero with siege capabilities is a good idea. Siege is good, and its drawback has always been that it was slow to deploy?!