Trait Idea: Perceptive

[Zachron]

It's un-KISS perhaps, but it's been done before, and in the mainline no less. (TRoW rather than making traits random in every scenario, makes traits random in most scenarios but gives a separate trait-set when in certain regions; for example, in the first few scenarios, all units have the trait combination of Strong and Resilient.)

Limiting the trait to just one unit would defeat the purpose of having it.

[zookeeper]

It's un-KISS perhaps, but it's been done before, and in the mainline no less. (TRoW rather than making traits random in every scenario, makes traits random in most scenarios but gives a separate trait-set when in certain regions; for example, in the first few scenarios, all units have the trait combination of Strong and Resilient.)

Uh...what?

[Zachron]

Every time I've ever played the Campaign, The Rise of Wesnoth, each human region has given my human recruits a different, narrow array of trait combinations, while non-human regions have given my new recruits the full array of trait combinations. Was it a glitch that every unit I recruited in the Haldric's homeland had the Strong,Resilient trait combination?

[DeathDealer]

That's interesting. I didn't find it worked like that for me (in TRoW). But what if the trait added 5% or so to chance to hit as well as the sight increase (if that's even possible). I mean strong/resilient/intelligent/healthy/dextrous traits have no innate penalties except for the fact that they could be a different trait. That's what would really hurt with perceptive being conditional, the fact that if it wasn't being useful all the time it could've been something else. I think a standard trait has to always have some basic application in any given scenario otherwise it'll just get in the way.

[Zachron]

Actually, Intelligent, Quick, and Dextrous, all reduce the unit's max HP by 5%. (That means every trait that doesn't increase a unit's max HP decreases it)

[DeathDealer]

Oh. I thought it was only quick. My bad.

[Wintermute]

Actually, Intelligent, Quick, and Dextrous, all reduce the unit's max HP by 5%. (That means every trait that doesn't increase a unit's max HP decreases it)

eh? Look again.

[Zachron]

Okay. Intelligent reduces max HP by 20% and quick reduces max HP by 5%. Dextrous doesn't decrease it. Still that leaves every Human trait (other than Loyal) either increasing max HP or decreasing it.

[Lord_Aether]

Intelligent only decreases max XP, effectively making it easier to level the unit. Doesn't affect HP at all...

[DeathDealer]

I didn't think that sounded right. I'm gonna take that "my bad" back on this one. Anyway. Some sort of bonus to hit perhaps? Some unit specific skills modify chance to hit already but don't just add % (I'm sure because they don't want them to but still...) And I suppose resistance is in the same neighborhood as dodging so you could up that instead of frustrating your attackers.

[Max]

couldn't perceptive be included as ability? this would solve some of the issues.
maybe if you would define perceptive as some kind of magical ability - so these units can sense things beyond their sight?

that doesn't sound too convincing, does it?

[DeathDealer]

A good thought though. Maybe perceptive units could also reveal nightstalking type abilities in action? A more specialized ability is definitely more of a unit specific type thing.

[Zachron]

But the idea of the ability wasn't for a 6th sense type trait, but for a trait that refers to a person or creature's mastery of his own 5 senses. The idea of seeing over things the unit is next to would be a matter of being better at making out what's on the other side of something than usual. It doesn't take a psychic to see someone standing on the other end of a canyon, just someone with good eyesight and the insight of what to look for. Making it an ability instead of a trait might be more reasonable, but the general concept is for it to represent the unit being adept at using its own senses to greater effect. It's not necessarily the unit seeing better, but it's the unit knowing better how to interpret the edges of the range. Therefore, I would not give the ability specifically to a "seer" type unit, but instead I'd give it to a "tracker" type unit.