PBEM and Single Player Balance Mod v1.3: one of the last few major updates (Community)

v1.3 is the first of the v1.3x update: it significantly changes mobility over Water, altering the relative advantages of Swimming, Floating and Flying units, modifies the costs of strategic spells to make non-summon spellcasting more viable across the board, and pushes the cursor further in favour of production vs mind-control. These change massively impact the game. As usual, it also improves description of skills, abilities, etc. to improve player experience.

An Article by Hiliadan

Three broad areas are affected by this release:

• Boost to production & defense and further tweaks to Mind-control strategies (50% higher upkeep of Mind-controlled units, Lesser Charm and Lesser Convert for Bards and Evangelists). Several rounds of tweaks had already been implemented to deal with priority #4 of the community directions for balance, but after taking stock of the balance of production vs mind-control strategies reached in v1.29 and previous versions, more was needed.

Mind Controlled units now have +50% upkeep, nerfing mind-control strategies, while production and defense are boosted with cheaper Siege Workshops, Wooden Walls and access to racial defensive building after Builders' Hall

• Change to mobility: as announced in previous articles (v1.28 & v1.29), a major change is finally there, reducing the mobility of Swimming units on Water (except for Sea Creatures) and making life more difficult for Flying and Floating units (who basically won't regain health when starting their turn above Water). This weakens domineering Flying/Floating doomstacks or harassing strategies (see discussion on the forum).

Non-Sea Creature with Swimming now use 4 MP per hex to move over Water, while Flying and Floating units regenerate a lot less over Water, boosting Sea Creatures and reducing the overpowerness of high-mobility stacks

• Overhaul of casting, disjunction and upkeep costs in line with priority #5 of the direction for balance: strategies involving the casting of non-summon strategic spells will now be more viable and spellcasting may be more dynamic (rationale for the values on the forum).
  

v1.3 was actually released on the main branch of the balance mod in November 2020 but the article about it is written only now (as v1.31 is about to be released on the main branch, article to come soon!). The release happened about 7 months after v1.29 (against a goal of a release every 3.5 months).

v1.3 is a pretty massive update, even though it still does not include the Racial Governance overhaul in the works for quite some time now: this overhaul was delayed (at least to v1.33, or later) since it represents a very significant amount of work (help welcome on the forum!). This release is probably one of the last few major updates of the balance of the game. The next versions are likely to be more modest. The last three major topics to tackle are Racial Governance, AI and balance of the Shadow Realm expansion.

v1.31 will be a more minor update, bringing some polishing and moving Arch Druid and Theocrat's T3 to their 2nd class building, in line with other classes.

Full changelog of v1.3 (also available on the official changelog of the balance mod)

Bug correction
- Issues/bugs of the balance mod corrected:

• Domain of the Sun correctly states units and cities like Volcanic
• Clearing an Item Rack with Very Weak defenders sometimes give no reward. This is due to Item Racks getting +50% defenders due to Strong defenders settings but not getting +50% reward value for some unknown reasons. So the multiplier must be reverted back to 0.7 (from 0.47).
• "Convert" (actually Lesser Convert) skill for Theocrat Leaders now correctly displays the attack strength of 8 spirit instead display {{ResistValue} in the Leader’s unit panel when Produce Evangelist is not researched
• Solar Spire can no longer be produced in the Arcane Item Forge (the issue had been fixed earlier but had reappeared)
• Solid Chain of Coif of Heroes (Strong) is now correctly in the Strong item category for item rewards

- Incompatibilities fixed: Extended Settings - More Game and Map Setting Options - Huge and Gigantic map sizes are available and no longer replaced by Small Square Map and Medium Square Map

General
- True Resurrect costs 40 CP (was 50 CP)
- Wooden Walls cost 90 gold (was 100 gold)
- Siege Workshop costs 130 gold (was 150 gold)
- Builders have a new ability, Repair Wall: touch ability which heals 25 HP to a wall (unused by AI)
- Builder's Hall (was Siege Workshop) unlocks the racial defensive building (e.g. Filth Pit for Goblins)
- Item Rack's item reward rarity depends on the strength of the defenders:

• Very Weak & Weak Defenders: Common items
• Average: Strong items
• Strong and Very Strong: Epic items

(in modding terms, it's split it into 5 different adventure sets)
(was 1 reward set with all items available, and value of items linked to defenders' strength)
- Obsidian Armor of the Black Knight gives 40% Blight, Fire, Frost, Shock, Spirit Protection and +2 Defense (was 60% light, Fire, Frost, Shock, Spirit Protection and +3 Defense)
- Frost Wyvern Egg, Fire Wyvern Egg, Cursed Egg are Legendary (was Epic)
- Draconian Diet Dish is Legendary (was Mythical)
- Swimming now uses 4 MP/hex on the strategic map. Sea Creatures get Natural Swimming and still uses 3 MP/hex.
Sea Creatures never take attack of opportunity (like units using Sprint).
- Flying and Floating units get -12 HP regeneration per turn when starting their turn over water. This means they regenerate 0 HP even with Fast Healing (x1). This does not affect active healing (e.g. from Nourishing Meal). Cannot Regenerate units (Machines, Undeads) are excluded.
- Mind-controlled units cost more in upkeep:+50% gold / turn (was +25%)
- 14 descriptions and Tome of Wonders pages are updated to correct imprecise or incorrect descriptions. Full list.

Arch Druid
- One with the Elements: 50 CP to disjunct (was 60 CP to disjunct)
- Nature's Eyes: 70 CP to cast, 70 CP to disjunct (was 80 CP, 100 CP to disjunct)
- Thorn Hedge Walls: 60 CP to cast, 60 CP to disjunct (was 120 CP, 120 CP to disjunct)
- Fertile Domain: 40 CP to disjunct (was 50 CP to disjunct)
- Insect Plague: 20 upkeep, 50 CP to cast, 50 CP to disjunct (was 15 upkeep, 60 CP, 50 CP to disjunct)
- Poison Domain: 50 CP to cast, 50 CP to disjunct (100 CP, 110 CP to disjunct)
- Wild Growth: tier III, 220 RP, 40 CP to cast (was tier IV, 350 RP, 60 CP)
- The Wild Hunt: 80 upkeep, 450 CP to disjunct (was 64 upkeep, 500 CP to disjunct)

Overall, strategic spells are now easier to cast (Insect Plague at 50 CP instead of 60 CP) but disjunction is also cheaper and upkeep slightly higher, boosting non-summon spellcasting and beginning to address late game mana floods

Dreadnought
- Mana Fuel Cells: 20 CP to disjunct, 15 upkeep (was 40 CP to disjunct, 20 upkeep)
- Suppress Nature: 60 CP to cast, 60 CP to disjunct (was 100 CP, 120 CP to disjunct)
- The Great Mobilization: 100 upkeep, 450 CP to disjunct (was 80 upkeep, 500 CP to disjunct)
- Dragon Oil: 60 CP to cast, 60 CP to disjunct (was 120 CP, 120 CP to disjunct)

Rogue
- Bards have Lesser Charm (was Charm)
- Poison Mastery: 50 CP to disjunct (was 60 CP to disjunct)
- Treasure Raiding: 15 upkeep, 50 CP to cast, 50 CP to disjunct (was 10 upkeep, 60 CP, 60 CP to disjunct)
- Corpse Looting: 20 upkeep, 60 CP to disjunct (was 15 upkeep, 70 CP to disjunct)
- Incite Revolt: 60 CP to disjunct (was 80 CP to disjunct)
- Guild of Shadow Thieves: 60 CP to disjunct (was 70 CP to disjunct)
- Network of Scrying Eyes: 120 CP to cast, 120 CP to disjunct (was 150 CP, 170 CP to disjunct)
- Night Wish: 350 RP, 25 upkeep, 60 CP to cast, 60 CP to disjunct (was 400 RP, 5 upkeep, 100 CP, 110 CP to disjunct)
- Age of Deception: 100 upkeep, 450 CP to disjunct (was 80 upkeep, 500 CP to disjunct)

Sorcerer
- Mend Magical Being is once per battle for Apprentices (was 2 turn cooldown in the balance mod and once per battle in the official game)
- Glyphs of Warding: 40 CP to disjunct (was 50 CP to disjunct)
- Enchanted Walls: 60 CP to cast, 60 CP to disjunct (was 120 CP, 140 CP to disjunct)
- Summoner's Aura: 25 upkeep, 60 CP to cast, 60 CP to disjunct (was 15 upkeep, 100 CP, 110 CP to disjunct)
- Dome of Protection: 30 upkeep, 60 CP to cast, 60 CP to disjunct (was 20 upkeep, 100 CP, 120 CP to disjunct)
- Spell of Return: 80 CP to cast (was 100 CP)
- Age of Magic: 100 upkeep, 450 CP to disjunct (was 80 upkeep, 500 CP to disjunct)

Theocrat
- Evangelists have Lesser Convert (was Convert)
- Paid Absolution - 70 CP and 70 CP to disjunct (was 80 CP and 90 CP to disjunct)
- Prayer for the Hurt - 80 CP, 25 upkeep and 80 CP to disjunct (was 100 CP, 30 upkeep and 90 CP to disjunct)
- Beacon of Faith - 120 RP and 30 CP, 30 CP to disjunct (was 130 RP and 40 CP, 50 CP to disjunct)
- Sanctified Sites - 20 upkeep, 100 CP to disjunct (was 15 upkeep, 110 to disjunct)
- Armageddon - 100 upkeep, 440 CP to disjunct (was 80 upkeep, 550 CP to disjunct)
- Hallowed Domain - 80 CP, 80 CP to disjunct (was 80 CP, 90 to disjunct)

Warlord
- The Draft: 40 upkeep, 100 CP to cast, 100 CP to disjunct (was 30 upkeep, 120 CP, 130 CP to disjunct)
- Conqueror's Feast: 80 upkeep, 120 CP to disjunct (was 40 upkeep, 140 CP to disjunct)
- Hero Slaying: 20 upkeep, 80 CP to cast, 80 CP to disjunct (was 30 upkeep, 100 CP, 110 CP to disjunct)
- Global Assault: 100 upkeep, 440 CP to disjunct (was 80 upkeep, 600 CP, 500 CP to disjunct)
- Inspire Loyalty: 30 upkeep, 90 CP to cast, 90 CP to disjunct (was 20 upkeep, 100 CP, 110 CP to disjunct)

Earth
- Domain of Earth costs 160 RP and 40 CP (was 180 RP, 60CP)
- Earth Elemental has Regeneration (was Regrowth)
- Earth Elemental has 60% Fire and Frost Protection (was 100%)

Air
- Domain of Winter costs 160 RP and 40 CP (was 180 RP, 60CP)
- Arctic Empire costs 310 RP and 60 CP (was 350 RP, 80CP)

Fire
- Domain of the Sun costs 160 RP and 50 CP (was 180 RP, 70CP)
- Tropical Empire costs 310 RP and 60 CP (was 350 RP, 80CP)

Creation
- Domain of Life costs 160 RP and 40 CP (was 180 RP, 60CP)
- Temperate Empire costs 310 RP and 60 CP (was 350 RP, 80CP)

Destruction
- Domain of Corruption costs 160 RP and 40 CP (was 180 RP, 60CP)
- Blight Empire costs 310 RP and 60 CP (was 350 RP, 80CP)

Water
- Freeze Water: 25 CP to cast (was 40 CP)
- Drench the Land: 40 CP to cast (was 60 CP)

Wild Magic
- Warp Domain: 90 CP to cast (was 100 CP)

Shadowborn
- Seed of Distrust: 10 upkeep (was 5 upkeep)
- Embrace Darkness: 10 upkeep, 50 CP to cast, 50 CP to disjunct (was 5 upkeep, 60 CP, 120 CP to disjunct)
- Entwined by Shadows: 40 upkeep, 100 CP to disjunct (was 30 upkeep, 150 CP to disjunct)

Grey Guard
- Scales of Fortune: 10 upkeep, 50 CP to cast, 50 CP to disjunct (was 5 upkeep, 60 CP, 120 CP to disjunct)
- Shield of Dispassion: 40 upkeep, 100 CP to disjunct (was 20 upkeep, 150 CP to disjunct)

Keeper of Peace
- Rally of the Populace: 80 CP to disjunct (was 120 CP to disjunct)
- Keeper's Creed : 40 upkeep, 100 CP to disjunct (was 30 upkeep, 150 CP to disjunct)
- Spiritual Freedom: 10 upkeep, 50 CP to cast, 50 CP to disjunct (was 5 upkeep, 60 CP, 30 CP to disjunct)

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