Vampire Queen mod

[Wendigo]

Lol, what have I started...

Ok, my take:

The imbalance from the VQ comes in my opinion from the fact that she's as good (or even better, if you invest in some magic) as the non-humanoid pretenders for early expansion, while being also as good (or better, depending on investment) as the humanoid ones for end-game purposes...no other pretender has such flexibility.

This is due IMO mostly to
1) the combination of Immortality +etherealness +regeneration +life leech,
2) the full item slots.

These are the points that should be addressed in the re-balancing IMO.

However, the Queen is far from invulnerable in the end game. I have yet to face a critter in this game that could not be killed.

The design in particular that Graeme is talking about is well fitted for dealing with troops, but will go down easily vs any SC designed as a duelist.

A cadre of death &/or astral mages should also be able to finish her easily, if protected by an apropiate meat shield.

[Catquiet]

Originally posted by Wendigo:
Lol, what have I started...

Ok, my take:

The imbalance from the VQ comes in my opinion from the fact that she's as good (or even better, if you invest in some magic) as the non-humanoid pretenders for early expansion, while being also as good (or better, depending on investment) as the humanoid ones for end-game purposes...no other pretender has such flexibility.

This is due IMO mostly to
1) the combination of Immortality +etherealness +regeneration +life leech,
2) the full item slots.

These are the points that should be addressed in the re-balancing IMO.

Well, my second Version of the VQ mod takes care of the full item slots. Test it out and see if you like it.

[Graeme Dice]

Originally posted by Wendigo:
A cadre of death &/or astral mages should also be able to finish her easily, if protected by an apropiate meat shield.

Death mages could, astral mages definetly couldn't. In positive dominion, with both a skullcap and an AMA she will have a MR in the 30's.

[Kel]

I think it is appropriate to say that the VQ isn't totally invincible, as no units are.

However, while we can compare her to other near-invincible SC's and we can point out the few, specific counter-measures, she is still immortal, on top of all the rest. So yes, if you are playing the right race or have an SC designed to defeat her and you have researched the specific paths or created all the right items, you can *maybe* beat her in a given encounter.

Your victory forces her to re-spawn. As I see it, that's just an extra ability, a free "Returning"

- Kel

[HotNifeThruButr]

Originally posted by Graeme Dice:

quote:

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Originally posted by SelfishGene:
What do people consider to be a 'typical' SC Vampire Queen build?

Try one with Death 3, water 2, earth 2, air 4, fire 2. This is barely affordable for a couple of the living nations, and definetly available for the undead ermor themes. Research alteration 3, enchantment 1. Have her cast quickness, mirror image, mistform, breath of winter, ironskin. Send her out against a few different independent provinces to get an idea of how she speeds up expansion.

Later on, research up to alteration 7, construction 6, and give her some new items and toys to play with. I suggest something like:
Sword of swiftness, charcoal shield, starshine skullcap or spirit helmet, elemental armor, quickness boots, luck pendant, antimagic amulet.
Have her cast soul vortex, breath of winter, mistform, mirror image, phoenix pyre. Throw her at anything that comes into your dominion and watch the carnage.

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Doesn't that make the problem spawn from killer dominions? They have enough points to make an incredible SC where most living nations don't.

[Vicious Love]

I suppose in addition to making the VQ vulnerable to fire and possibly removing an item slot or two, we could just increase her path cost. The IC rationale for the present cost seems to be that mortals are naturally more versatile than monsters, as they have no natural, exclusive affinity for a particular path. It seems to me the VQ is much more a creature of death and Ze Bludd than she is a human.
Complicating things a bit, I don't suppose we could have the VQ consume 1/2/3 blood slaves per round and, if these are unavailable, suffer a local Dominion loss/temporary Path loss/temporary stat loss/whatever? This probably won't solve the problem at hand, but it might add a bit of flavah.

[Wendigo]

[quote]Originally posted by Graeme Dice:

Death mages could, astral mages definetly couldn't. In positive dominion, with both a skullcap and an AMA she will have a MR in the 30's.

MR of 30 or not, 30x Solar rays with damage boosted by Light of the N Star will take care of her.