Crusader MoD

[PvK]

Comparing to Iron Faith, which I consider a reasonably-balanced nation with a similar style, I see this comparison (assuming the skills, abilities, costs, resources, and weapons of Crusader are brought into balance as I suggested before):

Iron Faith advantages:
* Better mage/priests with higher magic levels and random picks, and inquisition bonus.
* Better-equipped and cheaper heavy infantry.
* Units with seige bonuses.
* Spy.
* Units with construction bonus.
* Arbalests.
* Has better initial gem income.
* Can use undead pretenders (I assume Crusaders shouldn't have any).

Crusader advantages:
* Huge variety of elite troops and leaders.
* Almost all special troops and leaders are sacred.
* Has a unit which can heal other units.
* Has elite sacred fighter commanders for SC use.
* Has a Holy-5 priest (I think this is unique in Dom 2 - he can Smite without an artifact or being a prophet - this makes up for a lack of magic).
* Units have great morale (probably should also be weakened a bit) and standard-bearers.
* Has fire-immune units.
* Has units with built-in magic weapons and armor.
* Has strong fighting units with recuperation.

So again, I think Crusaders have plenty of good advantages, and may still be over-strong, even if you reduce everything back to normal ability levels. The main weakness is lack of magic flexibility, but they are strong enough that they should be able to conquer themselves some mages and other things they don't have to begin with.

PvK

[Cohen]

For pretenders, I have changed the Jotun unique ones, since if I change other pretender, also other nations have them.

Their National Heroes (only 2 however) are very good and skilled in magic ...

[Daynarr]

There is no need to change existing pretenders, you can make new ones and make them unique for your nation. It's quite simple really. There is avatar mod on Illwinter site that has lots of special pretenders, so you can use it to see how it's done.

Btw. nice effort! Just solve some balance issues (mentioned already) and you are all set.

[PvK]

15 MR is exposed to magic?

You seem to have some very strong views about balance in Dominions. The best Crusader national units are some of the best units in the game here, and are available from turn one. Consider if the player takes a rainbow mage with Crusaders. He has no need at all for an SC pretender, because he can hire one SC leader and a few near-SC units per turn (5-10 of which can be bodyguards for the RB mage). The RB can site search and make items to multiply the power of the holy knights.

If you want to de-emphasize magic against troops, making one nation which can simply hire the best units in the game (including comparing to late-game magic summons!) isn't an effective way to do it. That just creates one super-unbalanced nation.

What I'd suggest to accomplish that, would be to use High research cost and a low site frequency, and/or to make/use another mod that increases the power requirements and costs of the good and powerful spells. I was sort of thinking of doing one myself, not because I think it's necessary, but because I think it would be an interesting variation.

PvK

[ June 13, 2004, 00:22: Message edited by: PvK ]

[PvK]

The PD is currently a Swordsman (who aren't usually leaders) as the leader, and Foot Knights as the regular troops for PD < 20. To be in line with other PD, I would suggest Spearmen with a Landkomtur as leader. Maybe have Foot Knights as the troop type for PD 20+.

BTW, my force of about nine Crusader knights just wiped out a Soul Gate army of 150 or so without getting hurt at all. Fatigue on some guys got up to about 30. We did end up getting a lot of cursed units from SG pretender casting Anathema, though, so we may have to send some back for healing at some point...

PvK

[Cohen]

The real problem is the capitol only unit, that I've to wait for site modding, or to replace Jotun capitol only troops, but dunno if it works, how is coded the site.

I'll change PD, since footmen should be the PD, no knight troops.
Dunno if put Archer + (20+)Swordman
or Spearmen + (20+)Xbowmen

They are exposed to elemental magic.
High MR is due to resist against charm, and such things. They're fanatics religious, well suited for ermor fighting.

There should be some inquisitors too when it will become avaiable. (bishop and arch-bishop)

[PDF]

Cohen,
Site-specific units are hardcoded one to another : ie site X allow production of units Y and Z. You can recycle the Jotun sites if you use the units ID of the previously-Jotun capitol units.
Another good candidate is the Vale of Horses site : it's unique and normally produces the Horse Brothers units (relatively useless). Look at my Arco mod at IW to see how it's used for new capitol troops.
This good idea is from KO himself indeed Only drawback is that if your capitol is conquered the conqueror WILL be able to produce the troops , as the Vale site doesn't have the "capitol" flag

About the mod balance, I agree that most units are a little overpowered, with the leaders and Heroes totally off-balance. No human should have more than 15 hp or stats above 15 either.
But the idea is neat and I like it