The Qesicans (Development Stage: Art/Submission to the EE)

[Qes]

New Unit-line Proposal.

"Nameless Walkers" - Line name

Caste: Daikan

Purpose: If alone - Assasination, Subterfuge, spying, theft
If together/with army - guerrilla tactics,ambushing,surprize attacks

Shadow Walker --> Spirit Walker ---> Dream Walker --- >Void Walker

Unit extras:
Lack names
6 trait possibilities
"Strong"
"resilient"
"quick"
"intelligent"
"clairvoyant"
"dark-soul"

Trait dark-soul:
Alignment=Chaotic



Description:

Shadow Walkers- In the Daikan caste, a few select members are chosen for duties that lie well outside the normal pursuits of the Daikan. Recognizing that information about potential threats,and the need for agents and informants in all sectors of the world, brought the Daikan to seek investigating the spiritual path of self-anialation. The idea being that throught the destruction of the individual, one could protect the spirit of an entire people by fusing with it directly.
Individuals chosen for this life lose their names, their identities and eventually their very souls. Ritualistically blinded, they gain sight beyond normal sight. Able to see more than mortal eyes can, they function as the perfect clandestine agents for the Qesicans. Their spirit-sight allows them more information with less judgement which in turn gives them unique combat abilities."



Rough Stats:
Resistances would be something like:
magical (including arcane) -10%
physicals 10%



"Shadow Walker"
Level 1
30ish HP
30ish XP
Movement =6
6-3 - recurveblade melee (Blade) {Spirit-sight}

(Spirit sight = 50% to hit.)

Has Nightstalk (invisible at night)

"Spirit Walker"
level 2
33ish HP
35ish XP
Movement =6
8-3 recurveblade melee (blade) {Spirit-sight}
Resistance:
magicals -20%
physicals 20%

Has nightstalk, has daystalk (daylight version of nightstalk).
Still visable during dawn and dusk

"Dream Walker"
level3
35ish HP
40ish XP
Movement =6
12-3 spiritblade melee (arcane) {Spirit-sight}
Skirmisher
magicals -40%
physicals 40%

Has nightstalk, has daystalk (daylight version of nightstalk).
Still visable during dawn and dusk


"Void Walker"
level4
40ish HP
80ish XP
14-3 spiritblade melee (arcane) {Spirit-sight} {Backstab}
Skirmisher
magicals -80%
physicals 80%

Invisable at all times of day


_____________________________________________


If this was implemented, I would Eliminate "spiritual" as a trait.

I'd change the Monks from being able to get "spiritual" to "Light-soul" which would make them lawful.

The pebblemancer would instead get "Psychic"

Psyhcic:
+firststike to melee (unlike quickdraw, it'd not replace other specials)





Just a thought:
-Qes

[Velensk]

Any race lacking magical attacks is going to be in seriouse trouble if this thing lvls up. Daystalk does not make much sence to me thematicaly.

I think you could come up with something better.

[Qes]

Any race lacking magical attacks is going to be in seriouse trouble if this thing lvls up. Daystalk does not make much sence to me thematicaly.

I think you could come up with something better.

Well in my theme I think of them as actually being invisable warriors, all around. But i find it hard to justify invisability - complete invisabilty - for a level 1 unit.

Incremental invisability, starting with nighttime, made the most sense.
-Qes

And yes, they'd be trouble for non-elemental/arcane attacks, however, I can only think of one faction (besides the Qesicans themselves) who lack a level 1 with an elemental attack of some kind (or arcane). The dwarves. and of course their default counterparts the knalgans.

Aragwaithi - warlock
Northerners - orc Shaman, goblin archers
Loyalists - mage
elves - mage
outlaws - rogue mage
kalifa - archer
undead - dark adept, ghost
drakes - warrior, auger, glider, burner
chaos - demon, invoker

's all i can remember for now.
-Qes
steppe orcs - icewind herder

[Qes]

Descriptions:

Spirit Walker
"Those shadow walkers who learn to meld the image of their form not only with the night, but with the very spirits around them, obtain invisibility during the day light hours as well as night time. These "spiritwalkers" are only visible during the change in light, be it dawn or twilight, when there is that magic in the air enough to expose them."

Dream Walkers
"Spirit-walkers who learn to move among the dreams of their fellows and foes have greater flexibility than that of their brethren. Called 'Dream Walkers' they move unimpeded by the spirits and thoughts of others. And their blades take an unearthly hue and incorporeality to them."

Void Walkers
"Those whom have skimmed the surfaces of the spirit and mind and at last come to the very edge of anialation are able to walk the line between existance and non-existance. Their spirits fuse with the Qesican's united will, and become Void Walkers. They who reach this state, are capable of emerging from "nothingness" itself, deliver unimaginable pain to a Qesican foe, and return to the nothing from which they came."

[Gresnor]

I'm posting here because I would like to get feedback from Qes on a little faction I've been cooking up, and I get the impression if I give up on these little buggers, I shouldn't expect much help from their daddy with *my* little brainchild.

-Goals
+ to give the Qesicans a fighting chance of being accepted into the Extended Era

-This means
+ they must be "balanced" and scale well with all sizes of maps (premade balanced, or random), all income variables, all XP %'s, in comparison to the following factions:
>Knalgans
>Outlaws
>Dwarves
>Dark Elves
>Steppe Orcs
>Wood Elves
>Northerners
>Chaos
>Sidhe
>Loyalists
>Drakes
>Kalifa
>Undead
>Aragwaith

-What does "balanced" mean?
+ this is a very difficult question to answer, especially when everybody tells me, "hey, EE is not balanced". Here is my suggestion: make it a faction that is more similar than different to the above factions.
+ no single unit should be "too different" from an already existing unit

-A couple rough suggestions off the bat
+ there should not be any units that cost more than 24, or less than 6 gold
+ should be no fewer than 5 different units, no more than 10
+ should use the same traits as the other factions, or if new traits are introduced, they should either be limited to a SINGLE trait that is unique to your faction, or if multiple traits are introduced, should be made available to all other factions
+ limit the inclusion of special abilities your faction has access to, especially in your recruitment line, such as
> Poison
> First Strike
> Dread
> Magical Attacks, Marksman
> Slow
> Steadfast
> Heals, Cures
> Charge
> Skirmisher
> Elemental Attacks
> Regenerate
> Ambush
> Drain
> etc.
> Here is a for-instance: The Northerners' recruitment line only have access to poison, regen, and fire, that's it. In EE they have access to a Magical attack at level 2, but I'm less concerned with the higher level units than I am with the recruitables. The abilities and specials the faction has access to give it a certain flavor, ginger, with lemon-pepper sauce. (Sorry, I'm hungry, awaiting dinner time!)


More to come, later.

[Blarumyrran]

Here is my suggestion: make it a faction that is more similar than different to the above factions.
+ no single unit should be "too different" from an already existing unit

that is a recipe for a very boring era.

[Qes]

Here is my suggestion: make it a faction that is more similar than different to the above factions.
+ no single unit should be "too different" from an already existing unit

that is a recipe for a very boring era.

I gota say I agree.

The problem, Gres, is that when you limit the scope of what can be different, you quickly run low on "combinations" that offer a unique feel to each faction.

As "its been done"itus strikes hard and fast.

Making a flying hit-and-run faction would be silly, since the drakes already exist.
Making a day-time knights-and kings faction would be silly, since the loyalists already exist.

Making glass cannons would be silly, since the aragwaith already exist. Etc.


So, breaking convention, breaking the 'norms' offers a vareity of options and uniqueness to each faction, so that no one faction plays like another - for if they did, one of two similar would almost always be superflouous.

As such, each has to definately require a different "feel." I know many are loathe of the 'different for the sake of being different' but in some cases its necessary - like with flavor and variety.

If I can choose between apples, orange, lemons, limes, strawberries, cranberries, blueberries, and tomatoes.

And suddenly someone comes along with "sun-dried" tomatoes, well yes its different, but they're still bloody tomoatoes arnt they?

People gotta come in with "kiki" and "pineapple" and "mango". Otherwise its just repetition.

I do want the Qesicans in the EE, but while adhering to certain constraints might make it more likely to allow their entry - it would simultaniously beg the question "why add what we already got?"

Food for thinkin'
-Qes

[Gresnor]

Here are comparisons that we should be able to draw (loosely) between Qesican units and preexisting units.

Roundshield: Dwarvish Stalwart
Scout: Elvish Scout
Monk: Elvish Shaman/Saurian Augur
Freedman: Peasant
Ballista: Longbowman (a level 2 unit, closest I could find, simply because of their high high damage)

[Gresnor]

I thought that would be your position, Qes. I just gotta say that there are still a lot of combinations that are similar, but different enough, that haven't been tried yet. One combination will be my faction. Yes there are limits, yes it will eventually get to the point where everything is already there, but are we at that point now? Well, they are adding the Windsong in the next EE, so my guess would be no, we're not in that situation yet.

I'm not saying following those suggestions would make the faction "better" or "more fun", only what I stated, it would make them more likely to be added into EE. You told me that was what you wanted.

[Gresnor]

Here is my suggestion: make it a faction that is more similar than different to the above factions.
+ no single unit should be "too different" from an already existing unit

that is a recipe for a very boring era.

I take it, you think EE is already boring, Syntax?

No one said they had to be the same, for God's sakes, I just said more similar than they are different. It could be 51% similar, 49% different, and that would be enough.

[Qes]

that is a recipe for a very boring era.

I take it, you think EE is already boring, Syntax?

No one said they had to be the same, for God's sakes, I just said more similar than they are different. It could be 51% similar, 49% different, and that would be enough.

Hm, thats a good point (both of them) gres.
Lemme think on it.
-Qes

[Qes]

I need more opinions (from the community at large) about the new unit-line proposal and overall Qesican needs for entry into the Extended Era.

Need fuel for the fires of creativity people, please fetch me some tinder.
-Qes

[lu_zero]

Leave Qesicans as they are + the new unit, the stranges the better

[Temuchin Khan]

I need more opinions (from the community at large) about the new unit-line proposal and overall Qesican needs for entry into the Extended Era.

Need fuel for the fires of creativity people, please fetch me some tinder.
-Qes

Something too similar to the factions already in the EE would probably not be accepted. While there are no hard-and-fast rules, it is good to make sure that a new faction really is new. That is, while obeying the Wesnoth conventions, it should press the limits of what is possible within the framework provided by Wesnoth -- and unique art is not enough. The Steppe Orcs and the Windsong, for example, have units with entirely new abilities that never existed in Wesnoth before.

I don't know enough about the Qesicans to know whether they fit this criterion, but I thought I'd at least mention it as a pointer.

[Qes]

Updated

v.54

-pbl now mentions dependancy on "Extended Era" (I think)
-monk line made "lawful"
-Trait "spiritual" removed
-Trait "psychic" added: Add's first strike to melee attacks: Pebblemancer only
-Added trait "loyal" to Monk possibilities
- Added: Shadow Walker, Spirit Walker, Dream Walker, Void Walker units
-Added "Daystalk" ability - grants invisibility during daytime
-Added "Invisibile" ability - grants invisibility at all times
-added "spirit sight" ability - grants 50% chance to hit