New Faction *IDEA*: Scholarly Magicians

[Silver Sun]

Hey people!
I have some new ideas for mage-type characters, which could possibly be placed in their very own faction with some human units, or added into a human-raced faction.
If anyone's interested I can post the nasty written work here, all that great unit stuff, but as for the images for these units most will be mainly based on the White Mage sprites but with some makeovers. I'm not sure of how well I can do editing the mages, but I most certainly can try. In total there are 15 (fifteen) units I have planned out, and even written out some stuff about what they might look like.
Any encouragement and help is appreciated, thx people.
~Silver Sun

[Troy]

hmm, it is a good idea, if you stick with it.

[TL]

This could be cool. A faction heavily based on magic would be interesting and unique compared to more ordinary factions.

[Legowarrior]

I think that would be awesome. As for units, how about Golems and elementals. I was thinking about a side with unit magical units that get huge bonuses when next to a wizard unit of some sort to boost them.

[Silver Sun]

Legowarrior, I can't really draw something from scratch, but golems and elementals are a cool idea. I was thinking moreover, human units, human magic-based characters. I have all of their written stuff drawn out. These are the names:
Healer, Scholar, Dark White Mage, White Mage, Red Mage, Black Mage, Time Mage, Oracle, White Wizard, Dark White Wizard, Necromancer, Sorcerer, Conjurer, Warlock, and Astrologist.
Those look fine
I'll post more soon.

EDIT:Oh yes, the magical-boosting is incorporated into these mages. I'll tell how later.

[Silver Sun]

Eek! A double post!
Here is the Scholar and the Healer, correspondingly level 1 units.

Healer
Usage: healer
Advanceto: White Mage, Dark White Mage, Red Mage
Health: 23
Experience: 40
Cost: 18 gold
Movement: 5
Abilities: Spell, Cure 1
Alignment: Neutral
Melee: Staff 4-2, impact
Range: Magic Missile 5-3, impact, Spell
Description: Among humans are healers, low-level spellcasters that have learnt magical recovering skills. These helpful curers restore a slight amount of hitpoints every turn to nearby allies, making them quite useful in situations where a village may not be reached. Healers are armorless, and wield only a wooden staff, making them inadept melee fighters.


Scholar
Usage: archer
Advanceto: Red Mage, Black Mage, Time Mage
Health: 25
Experience: 50
Cost: 21 gold
Movement: 5
Abilities: N/A
Alignment: Neutral
Melee: Staff 5-2, impact
Range: Magic Missile 7-3, impact, Spell
Description: Many masterful magicians take their first steps as scholars. These beginning mages learn everything from large books and ledgers to journals, and thus have a wide variety of paths to choose. Though they are entitled to reading scholarly books, these human mages do receive training with a beginner's magical rod, yet are still armorless and not the greatest at physical combat.

SPELL_CURE_1: Character heals up to 3 hp per adjacent ally. Poison is not cured.
SPELL: This magical attack always has a 75% chance to hit.

I personally would like a ranking system among the amount of hitpoints that can be healed. Cure 1 restores 3, Cure 2 restores 6 and poison, Cure 3 restores 9 and poison. Simple!

Comments, Questions???

EDIT:Ugh, I hate editing! I have a question, what do you people think of my avatar (the witch-looking girl), as that was basically taken from a white mage and topped off with a hat and edited with some nice hair to replace what was the hood. It's similar to what most of the units will look like, minus the fact that the colors will change and some will remain with a hood.
EDIT:Check healer stats.

[TL]

Final Fantasy much?

I personally would like a ranking system among the amount of hitpoints that can be healed. Cure 1 restores 3, Cure 2 restores 6 and poison, Cure 3 restores 9 and poison. Simple!

Well, go for it. It's your faction, you can set up their abilities however you want.

Personally I would recommend it from a balancing standpoint, the healer as you posted it could stand to get nerfed a little bit. It looks fairly powerful compared to default era L1 healers (shaman/augur), although the cost difference will probably mostly account for this. But it's also probably a bit too close in power to the scholar, considering it's cheaper and also heals.

Actually it might be a good idea to tweak the healer a bit to get some more differences between healer/scholar anyhow, whether you go with heals +3 or heals +4.

[Silver Sun]

Well, instead of Final Fantasy I suppose I could use Cure, Cura, Curaga instead?

Thanks, TL! I've modified things.

Okay! I tried something with the healer, I think it looks better. What do you think? Check the stats, I edited melee and ranged, but decreased cost...

EDIT:While you're at it, here are some more units! These are all level 2 units that advance from the above.


White Mage
Usage: healer
Advanceto: Oracle, White Wizard
Health: 35
Experience: 175
Cost: 40 gold (?)
Movement: 5
Abilities: Spell, Cure 2; Spell, Wall
Alignment: Neutral
Melee: Staff 4-2, impact
Range: Holy 13-2, arcane, Spell****
Description: Those of the white magi are healers that have honed their healing skills and delved into the deep mysteries of white magic. Guided by masters or spellbooks, more often both, they have even developed a special spell that shields allies from damage. A fearsome spell to be cast, holy, inflicts great damage, and often sends and enemy running. They lack in physical combat due to their frailty.

Dark Mage
Usage: healer
Advanceto: Necromancer, Dark Wizard
Health: 40
Experience: 150
Cost: 35 gold (?)
Movement: 5
Abilities: Spell, Cure
Alignment: Chaotic
Melee: Staff 5-2, impact
Range: Dark Holy 14-2, cold, Spell****
Description: Chaos among humans is inevitable. This proves true among chaotic healers which deal more damage over healing allies, against their righteous path as of the clergy. These aggressive mages are dark white mages, their holy spell stained black with blood and dark hoods sealing their faces under shadow. Despite their change in path, they have still remained with a curing spell, and nearly mastered it to their most possible extent.

Red Mage
Usage: mixed fighter
Advanceto: Sorcerer, Conjurer
Health: 43
Experience: 150
Cost: 40 gold (?)
Movement: 5
Abilities: Spell, Cure
Alignment: Neutral
Melee: Rapier 4-4, pierce
Range: Fire Missile 7-3, fire, Spell
Description: Scholars may master etiquette combat with a rapier blade, and also become acquainted with fire missile spells and even curing spells. They are often titled red mages for their wide variety of skills, and reddish fireballs. These mages can equal an average opponent in melee and ranged warfare, and are noted for good evasion at certain times.

Black Mage
Usage: archer
Advanceto: Conjurer, Warlock
Health: 41
Experience: 140
Cost: 35 gold (?)
Movement: 5
Abilities: N/A
Alignment: Neutral
Melee: Staff 6-2, impact
Range: Fire Missile 8-4, fire, Spell
Range: Ice Missile 8-4, cold, Spell
Description: There is a wide variety of magical paths, even among humans, but black magic is perhaps the most straightforward. Black mages wield fire and ice magic, often to be cast in damaging forms, and are not to be taken lightly as their magic can be devastating. Their main focus is research and harmful magic, thus leaving little time for physical drilling with their staff.

Time Mage
Usage: archer
Advanceto: Warlock, Astrologist
Health: 40
Experience: 140
Cost: 30 gold (?)
Movement: 5
Abilities: N/A
Alignment: Neutral
Melee: Time Staff 5-2, impact, slows
Range: Slow 4-4, impact, slows, Spell
Description: Perhaps one of the rare types of magic, simple yet complex time magic works to hinder an enemy in combat. Time mages of this skill can work wonders with space to slow an enemy or even change the lapse of a meteor and unleash it on a foe, when fully reaching their potential. They are physically frail, and unable to inflict any major damage.

SPELL, WALL: Always activated, provides additional defense from all forms of attacks when adjacent to this character. Doesn't apply to allies with already-high defense. YES, this works.
****:The holy and dark holy spells are a concern. Do they seem to powerful? I find them alright, since they even do less than the white mages 8-4 lightbeam attack...

Comments, Questions?

EDIT:Check some character stats.

[kcits]

i would play the mages... i tend to like mages... do you have images yet?

[Silver Sun]

I'm glad you like mages, but these aren't nearly finished...
If I had a whole day, I could probably do all the images. But I haven't started those as I've been slightly busy... sigh...
But yay! At least they look interesting.
Oh and these are only the level 1 and 2 characters, I have level 3 to post soon.

[TL]

Dark Holy doesn't seem to represent a balance problem. The undead faction Dark Sorcerers have a 13-2 magic cold attack and they upgrade from a less expensive unit, plus have more HP and a slightly better melee attack. Looks about on the money to me, balancewise.

Holy on the other hand might be something of an issue, since white mages are getting a 14-2 magic attack plus healing and the wall ability. Mainline Wesnoth features the Mage -> White Mage/Red Mage upgrade split, where the White Mage's holy attack is just as good as the red mage's fire attack even though the Wesnoth WM also gets curing. But that's balanced out by giving Red Mages substantially better melee attacks and HP. The Dark White Mage (name could use some work there...) gets what is arguably a slightly better attack type and 1 extra hitpoint, while the White Mage is gaining healing and protective powers and still getting an attack that's just as powerful.

Red Mage looks pretty powerful too. 7-4 is just as much total damage potential as 14-2, plus he's getting a much better melee attack and a boost in HP (while still remaining fairly frail, which is a nice touch).

Black Mages are just getting hosed though. A level 2 unit with attacks that do only 8-2 tops means will be passably good against enemies which are massively vulnerable to fire or cold but horribly weak for a level 2 unit the rest of the time. The fact that it's an optional upgrade path is good since scholars aren't forced into such a crappy upgrade, but it would be very rare for anyone to voluntarily choose a black mage. Even if they're fighting drakes, a time mage for example would do just as much total damage to a drake warrior with their impact attack (which drakes resist) as a black mage would with their cold spell (which drakes are hugely vulnerable to).

Although the time mage is just plain overpowered, so that's not saying much. Having a plain 7-4 magical impact ranged attack and a weak melee staff with slows would be pretty powerful but possibly manageable. But a magical slowing attack is very powerful all by itself, especially with 4 strikes behind it, and it does very decent damage for a level 2 mage unit on top of that. I think if you wanted to keep the slowing melee attack and the magical slowing ranged you would probably be better off making it say... 2-4 magical impact slows, and make him a dedicated specialist.



Are you planning on having the whole faction level up from just the healer and scholar? It appears that all the other types you mentioned are going to be level 3 units. Might make things a tad boring in multiplayer or at the start of a campaign.

[Hyunjae]

I think the guy in the post above covered pretty much everything... but you really need some real, non-uber (red mage) melee units... like a mage summoning like a walking corpse or something (not the walking corpse of course ) you'd get slaughtered by things like fencers because even their crossbows hitting can be a big deal

And... why dark holy, why not just evil?

[Silver Sun]

Okay! I edited some of the character stats that were suggested to be overpowered or underpowered. Shocking, really. The black mage post was accidental, though shouldn't be 8-2, lol.
So, how do they look?
And yes, healers and scholars are the only 2 starting units. They have a wide variety of advance-tos, though. And possibly you could add other units into a faction with it, that are human.
And I'm not too interested in melee. If someone wants a melee unit, go with the red mage. Or white mage, which will have a melee attack later on that's more advanced (hopefully not overpowered).
And there'll be summoning units later on.
Name change of Dark White Mage to just Dark Mage, manageable enough.
EDIT:Check my second-to-last post! Above ^

[Weeksy]

Perhaps this academy of mages could have a small, militia style of unit, to be used more as a tank than a damage dealer, with weak attacks, no tree branching, and a max level of 2?

Academy guard
HP 35/35
XP 28
MP 5/5 (dwarf resists, smallfoot move/defense)
level 1
neutral
6-3 spear
melee--pierce
8-1 shield bash
melee--impact
slows

[Silver Sun]

I've pondered the idea of a melee unit that'd prove to be a good shield. Of course I never posted anything on it since I'm just posting my mages, but yes, I'd probably incorporate one. Perhaps swordsman sprite -> advance to a royal guard sprite. Swords instead of spears though. And they could have some type of ranged attack, slightly magical maybe.

EDIT:Eek, I think melee was slightly above-average. I changed the melee on some characters.
EDIT:Now the finale, the time before I start making images (maybe). Here are the level 3 units...


White Wizard
Usage: healer
Advanceto: N/A
Health: 44
Experience: 100
Cost: 80 gold (?)
Movement: 5
Abilities: Spell, Cure 3; Spell, Wall
Alignment: Lawful
Melee: Light Blade 7-3, arcane
Range: Holy 14-3, arcane, Spell
Description: Once only simple healers, white wizards have mastered the arts of restoration, and may still produce protective barriers around nearby allies. They have also learnt a bit of sword artistry, and enchanted it to a magical one to remain true to their skill. White wizards indeed are masters, producing devastating holy magic attacks, and supporting allies in the midst of combat.

Dark Wizard
Usage: healer
Advanceto: N/A
Health: 48
Experience: 100
Cost: 80 gold (?)
Movement: 5
Abilities: Spell, Cure; Spell, Dark Wall
Alignment: Chaotic
Melee: Quarterstaff 6-3, impact
Range: Dark Holy 15-3, cold, Spell
Description: Among a darker path, dark wizards have twisted the ways of white magic, producing bloodied rays of light and inevitable destruction with dark holy spells. They have also created a somewhat negative barrier which decreases enemy defenses slightly in their wake. Those of this order are often looked down upon, but are powerful nonetheless, and are very effective.

Oracle
Usage: mixed fighter
Advanceto: N/A
Health: 54
Experience: 100
Cost: 70 gold (?)
Movement: 5
Abilities: Spell, Cure
Alignment: Neutral
Melee: Quarterstaff 8-2, impact
Range: Icy Wind 11-4, cold, Spell
Range: Invite 1-1, arcane, Charm****
Description: Oracles are peaceful white magicians among humans which seek to promote peace, understanding and justice among everyone and everything. They are very secretive and little is known about how they discover secrets and mend problems, and their special skill which can sway the minds of others to their side is skill itself.
****possibly a campaign unit. Charm requires a scenario.

Necromancer
Usage: mixed fighter
Advanceto: N/A
Health: 58
Experience: 100
Cost: 60 gold (?)
Movement: 5
Abilities: N/A
Alignment: Chaotic
Melee: Quarterstaff 8-2, impact
Range: Resurrect Missile 10-4, cold, Spell, Resurrect {plague}
Description: The art of necromancy breaks several laws of the world, reanimating a dead corpse and placing it to fight for the caster. Necromancers, masters of this dark magic, wield it wisely as the dead are always plentiful to fuel such an energy among a raging battlefield. In a way, as they once did, they preserve life in a very unnatural form.

Sorcerer
Usage: mixed fighter
Advanceto: N/A
Health: 57
Experience: 100
Cost: 70 gold (?)
Movement: 5
Abilities: Spell, Cure
Alignment: Neutral
Melee: Rapier 5-5, pierce
Range: Fire Wave 11-3, fire, Spell
Description: The most elegant and most enduring magicians would be the sorcerers and sorceresses. These evasive and quick magi are skilled with the piercing rapier in melee, and grand fire wave missile spells at longer distances. Sorcerers are rather a must, as they can lead a magical army at the frontlines themselves.

Conjurer
Usage: archer
Advanceto: N/A
Health: 46
Experience: 100
Cost: 70 gold (?)
Movement: 5
Abilities: N/A
Alignment: Neutral
Melee: Staff 7-2, impact
Range: Fire Blast 17-3, fire, Spell
Range: Ice Blast 17-3, cold, Spell
Description: Magical power and effectiveness often come at the cost of a bit less endurance and physical strength. Conjurers can be labeled so, as they are the most gifted of black mages and can defeat a foe with great ease, yet are often easily beaten themselves. They are so tied into their art that defeating them in melee is really no great task, but their magic should not be taken as lightly.

Warlock
Usage: archer
Advanceto: N/A
Health: 55
Experience: 100
Cost: 60 gold (?)
Movement: 5
Abilities: N/A
Alignment: Neutral
Melee: Staff 7-3, impact
Range: Fire Wave 12-4, fire, Spell
Range: Ice Wave 12-4, cold, Spell
Description: Warlocks are simply true-to-their-skill black mages that have honed their magical skills and improved their power. They have researched and studied immensely, able to conjure very powerful entities of magic. These are perhaps the most clear definition of a true mage, skilled well and balanced well.

Astrologist
Usage: archer
Advanceto: N/A
Health: 50
Experience: 100
Cost: 60 gold (?)
Movement: 5
Abilities: Spell, Teleport
Alignment: Neutral
Melee: Time Staff 6-3, impact, slows
Range: Slow 2 5-5, impact, Spell, slows
Range: Meteor 25-1, impact, Spell
Description: Time mages who come to the point of which they can slow time tremendously are among the astrologists. These well-skilled time alterers can link one place with another, and teleport among them as they choose. In addition, they can fabricate a devastating meteor and unleash it on a foe, nearly instantly killing them. Astrologists study extensively, and, like their mage counterparts, are not suited to physical combat.

SPELL, DARK WALL:This spell decreases all nearby enemy's defenses to everything in general, decreasing any resistances.

Oh, wow! That's a lot to go through. I can bet I will get a million comments and questions!

Comments, Questions?