Improving the Arena Death Match event

In reality the games I play don't Last much longer than 60+ turns. It's a rare game that Lasts beyond this, even in MP.

So the most I usually see this event is 2 or 3 times. At each stage in the game, that the trident is availiable there is always a reason for someone in my army to have that trident and experiance and possible ousting of someone out of the HoF.

It must just be my 'non SP' mentality as far as the event. While I enjoy them, I don't want the event to have such a dramatic impact on the game in multiple ways. It's enough for me that whoever wins gets unit enhancements as such.

Though it may be that you could upgrade the Trident as the tourny progresses. Have it gain a "On Hit" ability as the game progresses. I wouldn't mind the top end Trident having Life Drain. I'm sure someone would throw good units at the opportunity to have a Quickness, Lifedraining weapon especially late in the game.

[Saxon]

There is one more reward factor that has not been discussed. If you win, you deny the prize to your opponents. The value of this does depend on how you value the prize in the first place, but if you can stop one of your opponents getting an All Star and ensure you get it instead, it is value added.

Certain races are better suited to this than others. Jotun and Vanheim seem to make a mash out of me.

Does anyone know what happens if you use the bodyguard ring or if you have units on guard commander? It would be a bug if it allowed them in, but it might be worth checking.

[General Tacticus]

Originally posted by Saxon:
There is one more reward factor that has not been discussed. If you win, you deny the prize to your opponents.

They do a fine job denying it to each other : after all, only one in 16 win it

The value of this does depend on how you value the prize in the first place, but if you can stop one of your opponents getting an All Star and ensure you get it instead, it is value added.

Ah, but I can't !! Against impossible AIs, the only way I can see to win it would be to make a SC pretender of my own, spend a few turns decking him in good magic items, and anyway he won't get the special ability from the hall of fame, and he stands a good chance of losing...
Of course, in MP, the problem is different, since I am not up against rabid AIs recklessly sending their steroid-enhanced pretender

Certain races are better suited to this than others. Jotun and Vanheim seem to make a mash out of me.

Yes, on the rare occasion when a pretender does not win, a prophet from Jotunheim, Vanheim or Man is usually the winner

Does anyone know what happens if you use the bodyguard ring or if you have units on guard commander? It would be a bug if it allowed them in, but it might be worth checking.

It doesn't work...

[NTJedi]

Yes the trident and experience are nice... but certainly not worth risking the life of a good commander.

Hopefully gems and/or gold and/or one of the other suggestions listed previously will be added to the reward of the arena.

Think of the long term events of attending 5 death match arenas. Even if you win 3 times... it means that you had 2 good commanders die! Having a good commander die is not worth the price of that trident... something more needs to be added to the arena prize.

[mivayan]

I had fun in the arena with living ermor, a 3astral/2 death grand thaumaturg casting raise skeletins, later paralyze and soul slay as well. Won the arena a few times

I have no idea how well the arena works in multiplayer though.

[Norfleet]

Don't think of it as a deathmatch. Think of it as a free assassination attempt, where you can send any unit of your choice to attempt to assassinate a random enemy unit. You don't even need an assassin-capable unit, and your opponent doesn't get the benefit of any bodyguards. Against the AI, I don't see the deathmatch tournament as a place to get an unremovable trident or some experience and fame: I see it as a shot at assassinating some pretenders, prophets, and a few random nobodies.

[Norfleet]

I've been wondering....if both units in a deathmatch die, who wins? Does it end in a draw? Or does the next combatant fight the now-deceased "winner", winning by default when his opponent begins dead?