AMLA Brainstorming Thread

Tomsik · Post by **Tomsik** » January 24th, 2006, 7:16 pm

JW wrote:would be like adding an extra level!

100 xp is not that few.

Why not give them an extra trait for AMLA (I mean the strong, resilent, quick and intellegent)

What if unit advance too much times? And what with undeads?

And here are more ideas:
Cavalier: Strenght: +2 dmg, melee
Master at Arms: Fast Swings: +1 attack, melee
Iron Mauler: Strong Legs: +1 MP
Paladin: Endurance: +8 hp
Grand Knight: Steel Lance: +2 dmg, lance; Strenght: +1 dmg, sword
Lancer: Steel Lance: +2 dmg, lance
Mage of Light: Bless: +2 dmg, ranged
Great Mage: Fast Spell: +1 attack, ranged
Silver Mage: Fast Swings: +1 attack, melee
Royal Guard: Strengh: +2 dmg, melee
Halbardier: Endurance: +8 hp
Javelineer: Javelin Mastery: ranged marksman
Master Bowman: Sharp Arrows: +2 dmg, ranged

Ranger M · Post by **Ranger M** » January 24th, 2006, 9:21 pm

I see one major problem with alot of these, in the current advancement system in the [advancement] tag (which is what amla is a macro of if I am correct) you can specify the amount of times a specific advancement is possible(answer to Jose Luis's question), and the effects, and the xp required to level up again.

the problem is that many of these cannot be balanced so that they are all just as good as the next one, so a guy could get the most powerful one with the same xp required for the least powerful one, and only feel the effect when they try to level up again, this is ok with scenario heros (shown in a new order and invasion of arendia) but normal units can die, so you get the most powerful one, and do something incredibly useful, which causes the units death, so you got the huge bonus with no reprocussions. (the same applies if you finish the campaign or multiplayer scenario)

what I would suggest is a option like the description which brings up the amla screen and you can choose an advancement based on how many xp points you have (like buying the advancment)

Duke Guillermo · Post by **Duke Guillermo** » January 24th, 2006, 10:48 pm

To Ranger M:

The key would be in balancing these ideas so that there is no "best choice" at any level: each should be equal, but some might be better in particular circumstances ie. increasing forest movement on "The Elves Besieged" would be best, but not always.

Post by **Dave** » January 24th, 2006, 11:02 pm

Ranger M wrote:I see one major problem with alot of these, in the current advancement system in the [advancement] tag (which is what amla is a macro of if I am correct) you can specify the amount of times a specific advancement is possible(answer to Jose Luis's question), and the effects, and the xp required to level up again.

We are planning to make it so one can specify in WML that one needs one advancement first before they can access other advancements.

Ranger M · Post by **Ranger M** » January 24th, 2006, 11:10 pm

AAAh, clever.

Still doesn't solve my problem perfectly though.

JW · Post by JW » January 24th, 2006, 11:18 pm

It would be best, imo, if all advancements were balanced to the current AMLA, or, if the +3hp will be changed to say +5hp, then they should all be about = power to that. Hence, imo, +12hp as an option makes little sense, as it would never be chosen after the current AMLA advancement. Something like +1 damage to melee for mages would be closely equivalent to +3hp, I think. The problem with this is that it would severely limit the power of the AMLA options, so the base increase may need to be adjusted to something higher.

This is all just speculation as to whether or not AMLA will be relatively balanced, however. It could go a completely different direction, in which case my thoughts would be moot.

aelius · Post by **aelius** » January 25th, 2006, 2:26 am

I'll suggest that AMLAs that strengthen a unit's weaknesses are a bad thing (TM). They will only make the game's units more homogenous. Rather, I'd suggest that AMlAs should give units new tactical strengths. They are especially useful for short-branch units. For example:

Longbowman (not Master Bowman):
- Woodlore (gives ambush and +10% defence on woods)
- Quick Quiver (gives first-strike to ranged attack)

A Longbowman with ambush might be better (in some campaigns) than a Master Bowman. It would be an interesting choice for the player - go for the AMLA or advance to the level 3 unit?

Lancer:
- Horsemanship (gives skirmish)

Makes the line more tempting in the face of the Grand Knight and Paladin. A fast, skirmishing, deadly assassin of leaders.

- b.

jonadab · Post by **jonadab** » January 25th, 2006, 5:09 am

Darth Fool wrote:Some will probably be one time only AMLAs, others might be limited to 3 times, others to 100. It will depend on how unbalanced compared to other AMLA it will be.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Anyway, some ideas...

Any Unit:
Devotion to the Cause (add loyal trait, idempotent)
Battle Princess:
iron sceptre (+3 melee dmg, probably one time only)
bow mastery (+1 ranged dmg, probably repeatable at least 5 times)
Blood Bad:
unholy guile (add nightstalk ability, idempotent)
Cavalier:
practiced aim (crossbow gets marksman, idempotent)
Chocobone:
Unholy Speed (+1 MP)
Cockatrice:
Fangs (add a weak melee attack)
Tough (as usual)
Drake Blademaster:
Passionate Heat (+1 ranged dmg, probably repeatable about 3 times)
Duelist:
Evening Endurance (improved defense at night)
Dwarvish Berzerker:
Occasional Sanity (gain a non-berzerk melee as a second option, maybe 6-4)
Dwarvish Lord:
Breath Training (improved movement in water, probably should be idempotent)
Knalgan Pounding (+1 dmg on the hammer attack)
Elder Mage:
Wisdom (reduce XP requirement for future AMLAs)
Elvish Avenger:
Vengence (+1 dmg)
Faery Footwork (+1 MP)
Elvish Champion:
Charisma (gains leadership ability)
Elvish Outrider:
Faery Steed (change movement type to woodland_float)
Giant Spider:
Spinnerettes (+1 ranged dmg, repeatable perhaps 3-5 times)
Grand Knight:
Tireless (+1 MP)
Gryphon Master:
I'd actually like to see a level 3 unit here, maybe Gryphon Lord.
Iron Mauler:
Winter Experience (improved resistance to cold)
Lord:
Ability to recruit one additional unit type from the following list:
horseman, cavalryman, heavy infantry, spearman, bowman, mounted fighter,
sergeant, fencer, mage, fighter, noble fighter, peasant, wall guard
Merman Triton:
Pond-Jumping (improved movement on land)
Necrophage:
Feeding (attack gains drain)
Orcish Slayer:
Poison Blade (melee attack gains poison)
Guile (gains nightstalk)
Outlaw
Mace Mastery (+1 melee dmg, repeatable at least 3 times)
Paladin
Charisma (gain leadership ability)
Royal Guard
Sword Throwing (gain a one-shot ranged attack)
Sea Orc
Swordsmanship (+1 melee dmg)
Spectre
Haunting (gains teleport ability, but only at night (is that possible?))
Yeti:
persistent (make the melee attack berzerk)

Post by **Thrawn** » January 25th, 2006, 2:45 pm

My Ideas.(some already suggested)
Humans:Silver Mage--increase movement+1(really limited)
--cold attack (8-3 or such)
:Jav--nothing special
:Royal Guard--increase to resistances to melee weapons (players pick)
:Swordsman--same as jav.
--extra attack(limited)
:Duelist--extra attack
--gains ambush
--gains move+1(limited)
:General--extra level(for leadership bonus)
:Grand Knight--leadership
--improved defences
:Lancer--skirmisher ability
--move+1(limited)
:Paladin--regeneration

TBC

arno · Post by **arno** » January 25th, 2006, 3:15 pm

jonadab wrote: Spectre
Haunting (gains teleport ability, but only at night (is that possible?))

No. This option has been removed for mages I think. I find that teleportation has its place in Star Trek. It has no medieval style. Living after dying is enough.

toms · Post by **toms** » January 25th, 2006, 4:56 pm

My not completely serious ideas(

):

yeti: first strike
fire dragon: +1 strike at fire breath
giant spider: +1 strike for ranged or melee
chockatrice: 1-1stone for melee
cuttle fish: +2 damage for melee
sea serpent: charge(?)
dark spirit: 60 % resistance against blade (like spectre and nightgaunt)
watchtower: loyal
any ships: +1 movepoints
vampire lady: poison as addition to drain

I think you undersrtnd what I want to say.

And serious ideas for abilities:

The good heal-full thing(weak compared to those bonuses)

battle veteran: gives leadership
higher range: +1 level (useful for leadership units)

Vlys · Post by **Vlys** » January 26th, 2006, 4:08 am

Perhaps you could go through the discarded proposed abilities and/or traits and see if they can be applied here (many of these were considered OP, which might not matter as much.)

But that could also be too much work.

romnajin · Post by **romnajin** » January 26th, 2006, 5:59 am

arno wrote:
jonadab wrote: Spectre
Haunting (gains teleport ability, but only at night (is that possible?))
No. This option has been removed for mages I think. I find that teleportation has its place in Star Trek. It has no medieval style. Living after dying is enough.

Do you mean reserved for mages, or removed from mages?

hunterkillr · Post by **hunterkillr** » January 26th, 2006, 6:15 am

Is there a bonus xp for killing high-AMLA'd players. There should be, and if there is, how much is it per AMLA level or maybe the bonus xp depends on the bonus the AMLA gives.

Rune · Post by **Rune** » January 26th, 2006, 2:30 pm

I'd say 1 xp for each time the unit has AMLA'd would be appropriate.

Though I don't think this is an important feature, it would be nice to have.