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| Thread: Rimgrabbers Vision for HoMM 8, Factions Part 2 |  This thread is pages long: 1 2 · NEXT» |
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Rimgrabber
Promising
Famous Hero
Voice in Gelu's Head
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posted April 12, 2020 07:14 AM |
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Rimgrabbers Vision for HoMM 8, Factions Part 2
I just spent two hours on this and accidentally deleted the whole thing. End me.
Anyway, here's part 1 where you can see Haven, Academy, and Sylvan: http://heroescommunity.com/viewthread.php3?TID=45593
I'll be doing Asylum(Dark Elves), Dungeon, Inferno, and Necropolis in this thread. After that, I will start 1 last faction thread with the remaining ones: Stronghold, Fortress, Forge(mix between dwarf fortress and NWC Forge), Conflux(real conflux, not the rushed tragedy in H3), Sanctuary, Cove(Might combine these 2? Idk yet let me know what you think), Chasm and Hive(New factions!)I'm also not going to be describing the hero classes in depth until I get to the skill tree part of this project, as it's hard to explain the heroes without any kind of context.
Dungeon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VSCyHk3Usg
I imagine Dungeon would play like a mix between Academy and Stronghold. Like Academy, its heroes and unique buildings are very magically focused and their troops are strong but costly. Like Stronghold, they have a heavy emphasis on melee combat and while very few can go directly toe-to-toe with Dungeon's troops, they are very lacking on shooters and flyers.
Might Hero: Overlord
Magic Hero: Warlock
Misc Hero: Taskmaster
Basic Unit
Dire Rat
For millennium rats have dwelt in the darkest corners of civilization, and for millennium they have been hunted down as pests. But in the deep cave networks that the warlocks have made their kingdom, they are not killed but rather they are trained and bred for war. Consequently they have reached the proportions of a medium sized dog. While not the best warriors they are swift and highly intelligent, and these creatures use their keen sense of smell to detect land mines and any other hazards that may lie hidden on the battlefield. As pack hunters, separate stacks of rats can gang up on a single target, like wolves in H5.
Vermin(Upgrade)
Infamous as bringers of the plague, rats such as these have many tactical uses to the warlocks. The diseases they carry slightly lower the initiative and maximum damage of any living creature that ends their turn next to them. Similarly, the victims will spread the plague to their adjacent allies as well. The rats themselves are immune to poison damage.
R.O.U.S.(Upgrade)
Rodents of unusual size, or R.O.U.S., have fireproof fur, as they reside in fire swamps. Much more vicious than the average dire rat, R.O.U.S.’s have unlimited retaliations.
I’m sorry there’s only so many ways to make “big rat” a unique creature I ran out of ideas.
Core Units(Build 3)
Troglodyte
Small humanoid monsters with high endurance but only limited intelligence, the warlocks quickly learned Troglodytes make useful slaves and front line infantry. Troglodytes are immune to being blinded, as they lost their eyes many generations ago. Instead they hunt by sensing heat, revealing any nearby enemies that have become invisible through any means. They can dig underneath obstacles, even castle walls.
Rust Troglodyte(Upgrade)
Some Troglodytes have evolved specifically to eat the iron ore that their habitat is rich in. While not truly causing it to rust, these creatures' saliva breaks down all types of metal with ruthless efficiency, causing their attacks to lower the attack and defense of constructs, war machines, and creatures aligned with earth magic (zomoks, earth elementals, etc.)
Infernal Troglodyte(Upgrade)
Named for their brimstone-like skin, the attacks of Infernal Troglodytes deal a small amount of additional fire damage, dependent on their hero’s spellpower. They are immune to fire magic and resistant to earth magic, but vulnerable to water magic.
Cockatrice
A horrific creature appearing to be a mixture of a rooster and a serpent, the Cockatrice is one of the more bizarre monsters native to Dungeon. Unlike their cousins, the larger and more dangerous basilisks, a Cockatrice cannot turn creatures to stone. They can, however, temporarily stun their victims from time to time, delaying their actions.
Harrowing Cockatrice(Upgrade)
Legend has it that meeting the gaze of a Cockatrice will result in instant death. This is only partly true, however weaker creatures are vulnerable to such a fate. A Harrowing Cockatrice’s attack will kill the top unit in a stack (elite and below only.)
Soulfire Cockatrice(Upgrade)
Through much experimentation, the warlocks have learned to use the powers of the Cockatrice to punish spellcasters who dare to oppose them. When an enemy unit attempts to cast a spell, they take magical damage depending on the level of the spell, the number of casters, and the number of Soulfire Cockatrices. The damage is the same element as the spell being cast. If there are no enemy spellcasters, the enemy Hero’s spells cost more mana.
Gnoll
These half-man half-hyena hybrids have earned, perhaps rightly, a reputation of cowardice. Rather than retaliate, a Gnoll will flee from its assailant. That’s not to say that they aren’t useful soldiers, however, as they will leave behind a beartrap that if stepped on has a chance to damage and halt any enemy walker that steps on it. This, along with their above average damage and initiative, makes them useful nonetheless.
Gnoll Skirmisher(Upgrade)
Gnoll Skirmishers wield wicked spiked flails in battle that are capable of crippling their targets, reducing their speed. They are braver than regular Gnolls, as they will retaliate before retreating.
Gnoll Sharpshooter(Upgrade)
While they only deal half damage with their bows, Gnoll “Sharpshooters” are one of the few ranged creatures available to Dungeon. They retain their ability to deal full melee damage.
Centaur
Serving as light cavalry for the Dungeon army, Centaurs are dangerous even with their fairly primitive spears and wooden shields, partly because no force, magical or physical, can lower their speed.
Centaur Captain(Upgrade)
Armed with proper weapons and even some armor, Centaur captains have increased stats across the board, and their charisma raises the morale of adjacent units.
Centaur Marauder(Upgrade)
The heavier Centaur Marauders don’t have the same initiative as the faster captains, but their attack is higher and their retaliation does 1.5x the damage of their normal attack.
Elite Units(Build 2)
Medusa
Medusae are the more malevolent cousins of the naga. Like them, they have the torso of a human and body of a snake. Unlike nagas however, their “hair” is actually a swarm of snakes. Their melee attacks can turn a target to stone, but their skill with a bow is what makes them nearly indispensable to the armies of Dungeon.
Medusa Queen(Upgrade)
Medusa Queens can be identified by their gold and silver scales where a lesser Medusa would have a muddy green or brown color. Medusa Queens have much more ammunition and decently higher stats than their counterparts.
Medusa Sorceress(Upgrade)
Some Medusae opt to exchange their bows for staves and spend years learning the arcane arts. Medusa Sorceresses’ ranged attacks aren’t nearly as powerful as Queens, but they more than make up for it by attaching debuff spells to their shots. A Medusa Sorceress’s attacks will inflict weakness, slow, curse, or even vulnerability on its target.
Minotaur
When thinking of the world’s greatest warriors, one of the first to come to mind will surely be the Minotaurs. Wielding their massive battle axes with ease and surprising grace, they are able to keep their enemies just distant enough to avoid retaliation while still dealing heavy damage. These beastmen revel in the glory of battle and always have positive morale.
Minotaur Guard(Upgrade)
Minotaurs are among the most sought after bodyguards in the world for obvious reasons. Their battleaxes are long enough that a skilled Minotaur Guard can retaliate preemptively against most targets.
Minotaur Berserker(Upgrade)
The bloodlust inherent in the Minotaur’s being is never more apparent than in the Minotaur Berserkers. Swapping their greataxe for two smaller ones, they sacrifice their retaliation avoidance, gaining the ability to strike twice instead. Their attack is also significantly increased at the cost of a slight defense debuff.
Mimic
While most creatures of the Dungeons are alien and bizarre, perhaps none are more so than the shape shifting Mimics. Typically resembling a large treasure chest with arms, legs, and a mouth, mimics are able to alter their body to “steal” the activated abilities of the last creature they killed. This includes the power to fly and/or cast spells.
Boggart(Upgrade)
Boggarts delight in terrifying their victims, having a chance to send their target fleeing in fear when attacking.
Lurker(Upgrade)
Given their abilities, it is unsurprising that Mimics are masters of ambush tactics. These “lurkers” are able to blend in remarkably well with their environment, so much so that enemy troops can’t tell the difference between them and normal battlefield obstacles. Should any unfortunate souls come within range of the Lurker’s attack, they will be struck by a powerful bite that ignores their defense.
Exceptional Units(Build 1)
Illithid
Little is known about the mysterious Illithids, because few outside of Dungeon have encountered them and survived. It is known that they are capable of teleportation, and their psionic attacks hit every enemy adjacent to them. Fast and powerful, the Illithids also have a 25% resistance to hostile magic.
Ulitharid(Upgrade)
A more highly evolved form of Illithids, Ulitharids’ psionic attacks have a chance to afflict the targets with confusion, preventing them from retaliating or shooting for several turns. They have a total immunity to hostile magic, and are faster than their weaker brethren.
Mind Flayer(Upgrade)
“Mind Flayer” is the nickname given to Illithids due to their insatiable hunger for intelligent brains. In the setting of war, this is immensely useful for neutralizing spell casters. Spellcasting heroes have their spellpower reduced by the mere presence of Mind Flayers, and they can heal and even resurrect their comrades by feeding off the mana of spellcasting units.
Manticore
Similar in many ways to Asylum’s Chimera, however, a Manticore is actually a naturally occuring creature. While perhaps not as powerful as some other creatures like the Minotaur, Manticores possess a cruel venom that enables them to temporarily paralyze their victims. While in this state a victim is unable to move, attack, or retaliate, and they are extremely vulnerable to any kind of damage.
Scorpicore(Upgrade)
The venom of the Scorpicore is more powerful than a Manticore’s. It not only paralyzes its target, but lingers after the victim is freed, reducing their speed and damaging them every turn.
Lamassu(Upgrade)
The Lamassu are holy creatures that the warlocks have corrupted for their own evil purposes. Once their powers were able to cure any kind of disease, but now their powers have been corrupted to dispel blessings from their targets, and render them immune to friendly magic.
Evil Eye
There is a debate among scientists as to the origins of the mind and consciousness. While none know for certain, Evil Eyes are creatures of pure mana, and in many ways they embody the primal drive for power that appears, to some extent, in any sentient creature. This lends credit to the idea that sentience is magical in origin. They are hyper-intelligent as one would expect due to the fact that their bodies resemble large brains, and they are driven by a lust for power and sense of malice unrivaled in any natural creature. They do have a ranged attack, although it can only be used once per battle before they must engage in melee combat using their tentacles. Evil Eyes are able to convert a portion of the damage they deal into mana for their hero, and they have unlimited retaliations.
Beholder(Upgrade)
As creatures literally composed of magic, it isn’t difficult to imagine that along with their intelligence Beholders are formidable spellcasters. They are highly skilled with destructive magic of any element, although their chaotic nature means which particular spells they cast is anyone’s guess.
Watcher(Upgrade)
Watchers have the sharpest vision of any known creature in the universe. They increase your hero’s scouting range, can tell you what skills/spells will be learned from shrines and witch huts, and they will teach their hero any spell cast by an enemy in combat, provided they have the proficiency to cast it.
Champion Units(Build 1)
Cyclopes
Giant, brutal, and mindless, the Cyclopes are one of the most feared monsters of the Dungeons. Their massive clubs can crush bones even through armor, giving the victims of their attacks a defense penalty. Cyclopes are nearly impervious to pain, meaning that they can keep fighting for a time even after sustaining mortal injuries.
I decided to move the Cyclopes to Dungeon instead of Stronghold for 2 reasons:
The Cyclopes is a cave dwelling Greek monster which is the entire theme of Dungeon in the classic games, and
I don’t like Stronghold as a faction so I’ve decided to take it in an interesting new direction. It will probably be my 2nd least conservative lineup after Conflux.
Untamed Cyclopes(Upgrade)
Savage as all Cyclopes are, an UntamedCyclopes is shockingly agile for its size, and not only is it significantly faster than its brethren, it can attack enemies in an arc shaped area in front of it, hitting multiple creatures at once.
Eldritch Cyclopes(Upgrade)
Twisted and tortured by the Warlocks' cruel experiments, Eldritch Cyclopes are living embodiments of rage. Their magically altered anatomy means than any army crossing paths with it will have their luck lowered, and that those that meet its gaze will feel the terror and pain they felt. A single stack cannot attack an Eldritch Cyclopes more than once in a row as a result.
Black Dragon
Of all the dragons that appear throughout legends and history, none inspire as much awe as the classic Black Dragon. Their total immunity to magic is legendary, so much so that the Wizards constructed Titans specifically to kill them. Black Dragons have learned to hate Titans and will always inflict max damage on them. With the highest stats of any unupgraded/non-neutral creature in the game, and the ability to hit two targets at once with their fiery breath, the Black Dragon is a creature to be feared.
Shadow Dragon(Upgrade)
While the base Black Dragon requires very little improvement, Shadow Dragons have even higher stats, and their fire breath is replaced with the paradoxical-sounding icy cold shadow fire. This allows them to bypass an enemies fire resistance, for shadow fire deals either fire or darkness damage, whichever the target is more vulnerable to. If the target is equally vulnerable to both, the dragon’s attack will be whichever element your hero has the most bonuses with. All things being equal, the target will take fire damage.
Obsidian Dragon(Upgrade)
Named for the glossy shine of their glass-like scales, the Obsidian Dragon is not immune to all magic like it’s counterparts, rather, it is as susceptible as any creature to elemental attacks, but is constantly protected by a magic mirror spell. This reflects 50% of the damage the Obsidian Dragon takes from hostile spells onto a random enemy unit.
Asylum
Lore:
When the Elves of Irollan and Dark Elves of Ygg-Chall first reunited, everyone optimistically, and naively, believed that this would be the end of the "Dark Ones" and the Elven people would, at last, be reunited under one nation. Alas, it was not meant to be so. When the werewolves first started terrorizing the Elves, many of them became infected, but never turned into werewolves themselves. However, those infected instead became insane and, in some cases, cannibalistic. Eventually, these Elves were purged from the Sylvan Alliance and sent into the wilderness to die. As luck would have it for these Elves, the Faceless had also survived the End Wars, and once again they offered to take these wayward people under their wings. After the death of Malassa and the other Dragon Gods of Ashan, the Faceless themselves became much more chaotic, dangerous, and unpredictable. I imagine Asylum's native terrain being similar to Blackreach in Skyrim. I expect this faction to cause a lot of Heroes 7 PTSD so it probably won't be very popular, but I did my best to make this faction cool and not over the top, despite it being pretty Ashan-y.
Town Theme
Might Hero: Acrobat
Magic Hero: Sorcerer[/fonn]
Misc Hero: Trickster
Basic Unit
Gnome
Gnomes are an underground-dwelling race, similar in many ways to Leprechauns and Gremlins. What sets them apart is their ability to cast illusion cantrips. Their illusory skills let them remain shrouded twice as long as other Asylum units.
Gnome Duelist(Upgrade)
Gnome Duelists are extremely proficient with duel-wielding daggers. They have a chance to attack the same target twice and are much faster than less trained Gnomes.
Svirfneblin(Upgrade)
In Aklo, the Dark Elven corruption of the Elvish language Monlin, Svirfneblin roughly translates to "the unseeable ones." Svirfneblin are Gnomes who have taken their skill with illusion magic to the next level, allowing them to teleport across the battlefield, and their ability to conjure up terrifying images can stun their target, delaying its turn.
Core Units(Build 3)
Assassin
Assassins represent the quintessential Dark Elf: sociopathic, yet charming, individuals that crave violence and chaos. Assassins have the ability to flank enemy troops for a 25% damage boost, and enemies cannot retaliate attacks from directly behind them.
Shade(Upgrade)
Shades enjoy nothing more than watching as their victims writhe in pain as poison courses throughout their veins and the light leaves their eyes. A Shade's attack deals poison damage equal to 150% of the initial attack over a period of 3 turns.
Stalker(Upgrade)
Stalkers are highly obsessive people that will not rest until their target lies dead at their feet. A Stalker has perfected the Assassin's backstabbing abilities; if a Stalker is still enshrouded when it attacks its foe, the attack does 3 times normal damage.
Cave Spider
When I ask you to picture the gloom which the Dark Elves call their home, spiders are probably one of the first things you think of. These deadly creatures are so common that after much disastrous trial and error they were able to tame them. Spiders are able to climb over castle walls, making them valuable for sieges.
Jumping Spider(Upgrade)
While most spiders are ambush predators, spinning their webs and await their prey, some are more active hunters. These spiders can almost glide across the battlefield to find their prey, similar to the Horned Grunts in H5 and the Kappa in H6.
Black Widow(Upgrade)
Named after their venomous cousins, the giant Black Widow spiders that the Drow use as mounts are masters at weaving their webs at high speeds. The Black widow can weave a web between 2 obstacles given enough time, ensnaring their foes. Creatures trapped like this have lowered attack, defense, and speed, and lose their retaliation.
Gloom Moth
Anyone who has been outside during the night is no stranger to the sight of a moth flailing about after getting trapped inside of a lamp. Even these rather large and aggressive species that reside in the underground realm of the Dark Elves are attracted to light, and they can(but don't have to) move 3 spaces towards any spell cast.
Blood Moth(Upgrade)
Some moths have evolved to use their needle-like proboscis to drain the blood from their enemies. The Dark Elves will often use them to execute prisoners.
Firebrand Moth(Upgrade)
Named for their bright orange wings, Firebrand Moths have powder on their skin that makes a target feel as though they are on aflame. This increases their vulnerability to both fire and water magic, and lowers their attack.
Puppet
Controlled from the shadows by the Faceless, Puppets can only be described as unsettling. Made of a material unknown to the other races, Puppets are similar to Academy's Golems, except more offense-oriented. They are immune to light and dark magic, and have a 20% resistance to other spells. This becomes a total immunity to magic when there are also Faceless in the Hero's army.
Soulless(Upgrade)
Soulless were named not for their own lack of souls, as that trait is not unique among poppets, but instead their ability to drain the souls from others. Soulless prevent enemy spellcasters from using their magic when they're adjacent, and for every 20 Soulless the enemy hero loses 1 mana per turn.
Marionette(Upgrade)
More agile than normal Puppets, Marionettes' movements are haunting and unsettling, yet strangely beautiful. Enemies have a chance to be distracted, and any attack that they were in range of has a chance to redirect to them.
Elite Units(Build 2)
Dark Raider
Every army needs some kind of cavalry, and the Drow are no exception. Mounted atop vicious raptors, the Dark Elves have learned to utilize their pack hunting instincts. Dark Raiders will attack any enemy an ally is targeting as long as it's within reach, like in H5.
Grim Raider(Upgrade)
The raptor's colorful plumage(not pictured) creates a startling and distracting display for enemy troops. Their attacks have a chance to stun their targets and lower their attack. This creature takes 10% less damage from ranged attacks.
Doom Raider(Upgrade)
Typically, Elves, including Dark Elves, will opt for lighter, more elegant weapons like bows or daggers that allow them to properly utilize their natural agility. While mounted on raptors, however, some opt to trade in their lances for a brutal great ax. After gaining momentum from charging, they can ignore a portion of their target's defense.
Cultist
While Dark Elf society is largely anarchic, Cultists are often held up as figures worthy of respect, as they are the only ones allowed to communicate directly with the revered Faceless. Using their dark powers, they're able to launch bolts of electricity from their hands at a range and are able to cast basic dark magic spells.
Matriarch(Upgrade)
Nearly as respected as the Faceless themselves, Matriarchs are even more powerful than Cultists. A Matriarch has no melee penalty and their whips are imbued with curses that will afflict their victims. Their mana is doubled when a Faceless is present in battle.
Ringmaster(Upgrade)
The epitome of Madness, Ringmaster wield chaos with a skill that rivals some demons. Indeed, there are rumors that the Ringmasters serve even darker lords than their counterparts. Skilled with both dark and destructive magic, Ringmasters are dangerous to almost anyone. They also know the secrets of how to tame Chimeras, giving them a boost in initiative and attack when they are together on the battlefield.
Maw
Horrific monsters of unknown origin, the Maw exists only to consume any living flesh it crosses paths with. It is unknown why they do not target Dark Elves, although many suspect that the creatures were created as biological weapons by Sorcerers. It is nearly impossible to overwhelm, as it can strike up to 3 enemies at once, and never fails to retaliate. Thankfully, these creatures are rather fragile and can be dispatched quickly by landing the first blow.
Screamer(Upgrade)
While a normal Maw does emit some sound from its many mouths, it's usually just stuttering and slobbering sounds. As if these monsters couldn't get even more horrifying, some of them for unknown reasons have learned to be constantly shrieking from every mouth. The defense of all adjacent enemies close enough to hear their piercing screams have a harder time standing their ground and their defense is lowered. If the creature in question had "defended" its previous turn, the defense bonus from doing so is also negated. Noone could hope to retaliate against such a creature.
Ravenous Maw(Upgrade)
While a Maw's brain is only capable of coordinating its mouths in a very limited manner, Ravenous Maws have a much more advanced nervous system that allows them to strike up to 6 enemies at once. Be warned that they can regenerate by feeding on the corpses of the fallen.
Exceptional Units(Build 1)
Leszi
Leszi are dark forest spirits that appear in Elven folklore. They are rumored to feed on naughty children, who they lure into the forest with a dark aura of drowsiness. Amazingly, the Drow discovered that deep in the Gloom live similar creatures. The Leszi's aura of drowsiness lowers the initiative of any foe within 2 spaces of them. They are faster than one would expect, and the fungal nature of their bodies enables them to slowly regenerate their health.
Lost Boy(Upgrade)
Some believe not that the Leszi eat children, but use them to "sculpt" into more of their kind. These "Lost Boys" childlike appearance is haunting behold, and yet strangely comforting. Their aura of drowsiness causes enemies to let their guard down and make them feel at peace. Some creatures(Basic, Core, Small Elite) trapped in the aura may fall asleep and be incapacitated for several turns, or until attacked. While they are in this state, they lose half of their defense and cannot retaliate.
Boogeyman(Upgrade)
The Boogeymen are the creatures that go "bump" in the night, the creatures that hide in your closet and under your bed. Like Gnomes, they are superbly stealthy and remain enshrouded for twice as long as most troops. The Boogeymen become invisible when hiding behind obstacles, and will immediately pounce on any enemy units to come within their reach.
Nightmare
 I know it's purple I'm sorry it's the only one that I found find that would justify it being in this faction instead of Inferno.
Just as Unicorns protect their forests and glades from unwelcome intruders, woe be it to the man who encounters a Nightmare while in the Gloom. These horse-like spirits instill a sense of horror and impending doom in any fool that crosses them. Enemy creatures adjacent to the Nightmare have their morale lowered by 3 for 3 turns, and their attacks have a chance to send enemies running then and there, like in H5.
Nightterror(Upgrade)
Distinguished from regular Nightmares by their bright red eyes and horn similar to that of a unicorn, Nightterrors are more terrifying than any Dragon or Giant could even be. Their soulfire paradoxically burns icy cold, incinerating anything that loses its turn due to morale. Additionally, a Nightterror's damage increases reverse proportionally to the target's morale.
Thestral(Upgrade)
With wings blacker than the night sky, Thestrals are the ultimate omen of death. They always kill at least 1 creature when attacking, and their fear-related abilities are more potent even than a normal Nightmare's.
Drider
Of all the sickening abominations to inhabit the Gloom, perhaps the most bizarre are the Driders. How they came to be is unknown, as they are a mix between Drow and spiders. One thing is for sure, with a spider's agility and a Dark Elf's skill with daggers, to encounter one is almost certain death. An attack by a Drider will leave its target weakened, cursed to deal minimum damage.
Drider Queen(Upgrade)
Preferred pets of the Faceless, the Drider Queen is a creature so horrible many refuse to acknowledge their existence. A Drider Queen's attacks turn everything they touch toxic green and electric purple, as well as adding copious amounts of useless and hindering spikes because they "look cool." I know this ability might not be what you, the fans who pay money for this game, want, but trust me the lore demands that Namtarus Drider Queens have this ability.
...Idk their attack's poison the target or something.
Drider Sorceress(Upgrade)
The Drider Sorceress is capable of not just swift and brutal slashing, but of medium level destruction spells, like fireball and chain lightning.
Champion Units(Build 1)
Faceless
Once they were the lore keepers and guardians of knowledge, but in this world, the Faceless have become demigods of chaos and ruin. They always deal maximum damage to Archangels, and against all enemies they strike and return without fear of retaliation. A Faceless is healed by hostile dark magic, making them useful for fighting Necromancers and Warlocks.
Faceless Puppeteer(Upgrade)
If you perceive them at all, it is a fleeting shadow out of the corner of your eye. Faceless Puppeteers are able to use the shadows themselves to ensnare an enemy's mind, taking control of it until the Faceless is attacked. The Faceless cannot move while doing this, but they will disappear and flee if attacked.
Faceless Assassin(Upgrade)
While Dark Elf assassins are feared all throughout the world, no Dark Elf could ever hope to match the Faceless Assassin. Able to use the very shadows themselves as blades, the Faceless can attack any enemy hiding behind an obstacle for double damage from anywhere on the battlefield. They can also use regular flanking attacks like assassins can.
Chimera
There is no greater testament to the power of a mad Sorcerer than the creation of the Chimera. A horrid mix of lion, goat, and dragon, these monsters harness their constant rage in battle. Their attack is raised every time an enemy stack dies, and they can breathe fire after a least 1 is dead.
Elemental Chimera(Upgrade)
Infused with destructive magic, an Elemental Chimera takes the madness 1 step further. Their attacks have a chance to freeze, stun, burn, or poison their target, and in the event they're slain, they explode in a massive vortex of fire, ice, and lightning, damage and leaving a status effect on any foe within 2 spaces.
Chaos Chimera(Upgrade)
Created by making deals with demons, the Chaos Chimera is able to drain the lifeforce of its victims and convert it into spellpower for their hero, making them a favorite creature for the Sorcerers.
Anyway that's Asylum. I'm so sorry. Real Dungeon is next.
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Alon
Known Hero
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posted April 12, 2020 09:07 PM |
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Edited by Alon at 21:44, 12 Apr 2020.
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Rimgrabber said:
I just spent two hours on this and accidentally deleted the whole thing. End me.
If you make big posts and you're worried that hitting the back button will delete things, write them in Word or Writer or GDocs and copy-paste or link?
EDIT: more to the point of the post, this is a lot of detail about the Asylum and its creatures but not a lot that tells me what the town really is. There's an emerging picture of the Asylum from the creature descriptions that it's a stealth-oriented town, but I don't see anything more systematic than that.
For an example of what I'm looking for, here are plausible descriptions of factions:
"Necropolis: horror from which you can run but not hide. A lot of units are slow and the town is weak in ranged units, but if the army catches you, the zombies can plague your units, and in a siege, zombies can climb walls while the ghosts and vampires can fly over them."
"Stronghold: society based on high-violence steppe nomads. The population isn't high so be careful not to waste your units, but instead you can use raiding tactics, including special attack-and-retreat powers. Siegecraft is on the weak side until you can get trolls with battering rams to assail city gates, but if you can harass any enemy hero who tries to venture out of the city to claim resource nodes, you can have overwhelming economic power."
"Dungeon: hierarchical society in which the weak obey the strong. The dragons are powerful and expensive, so be sure not to get them killed. But low-tier units like trogodytes and lizardpeople are disposable and exist to be cannon fodder to higher-tier units."
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Rimgrabber
Promising
Famous Hero
Voice in Gelu's Head
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posted April 12, 2020 11:06 PM |
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whoops forgot to reserve a spot for Inferno and Necropolis. Reserved.
As to what Asylum really is, I picture it as a barely functioning society that's only held together by a fanatical reverence for the Faceless. The creatures here are the stuff from nightmares and ghost stories.
If you mean more gameplay-wise, I imagine for it to play similarly to Ashan Dungeon, since its sort of a branch off of that. Lots of fast glass canons with various status tricks up their sleeves to make up for the lack of defense, lots of creatures that can't be retaliated against, lots of passive debuffs, etc. Also, high powered destruction and dark casting from the Sorcerers.
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Alon
Known Hero
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posted April 13, 2020 12:18 AM |
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Edited by Alon at 00:22, 13 Apr 2020.
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So the Asylum plays best when the player can use fast, no-enemy retaliation units with first mover advantage, teleporting svirfneblin behind walls and such? And then the way to play against the Asylum is to have very tanky units, since tankier units reduce the first-strike advantage? This presumably means that all factions should have some DPS vs. tank choice in the middle tiers...
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Rimgrabber
Promising
Famous Hero
Voice in Gelu's Head
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posted April 13, 2020 12:45 AM |
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Of the stuff I've made so far, at least, they do! Haven has the choice between Sentinels(Bulk) Archers (Range) Dogs(DPS) and Squire(Support) in their core units, or the choice between Champions(DPS) Crsaders(Bulk) or Griffins(A bit of both) in their exceptional tier, for example.
Or Academy, where they make the choice between Gargoyles(fast bulky support) Dervish(DPS) or Baku(Bulky with Specials).
Sylvan generally plays fairly similar to Asylum, but even they have their Unicorns, their Treants, etc.
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Alon
Known Hero
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posted April 13, 2020 03:20 AM |
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So, gargoyles would be a good counter to the fast-but-glassy Asylum units. But then, in an Asylum vs. Academy matchup, what Asylum units are good against the gargoyle?
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Rimgrabber
Promising
Famous Hero
Voice in Gelu's Head
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posted April 13, 2020 04:29 AM |
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Gargoyles are mainly fast bulky utility units for harassing and blocking casters/shooters and eating up retaliations. To this extent, they can perform well against most Asylum units. Their damage isn't all that high though, so anything slightly bulkier in the lineup like the leszi with its regeneration. Chimeras would be able to deal with the gargoyles fairly easily because of their already high and ever-increasing attack stat, plus they're champion units so they won't die easily to a low damage elite unit like the Gargoyle. Doom Raiders could also be a strong choice in some situations due to their cavalry charge.
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Alon
Known Hero
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posted April 13, 2020 06:07 AM |
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Do you have exact stats? It's hard work and Bob Fitch is a god among men for having been able to do it for Starcraft, but it's easier in a TBS than an RTS. The way I think of it is, for every faction and every unit, the faction should have units that counter that unit and also units that the unit is strong against. And then there's the fun (or not) of unit compositions...
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Rimgrabber
Promising
Famous Hero
Voice in Gelu's Head
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posted April 13, 2020 07:17 PM |
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I don't have exact stats, no. This is just a thing I do for fun and I don't really enjoy crunching numbers.
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Rimgrabber
Promising
Famous Hero
Voice in Gelu's Head
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posted May 06, 2020 08:40 AM |
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Dungeon is up.
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Alon
Known Hero
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posted May 06, 2020 09:36 AM |
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Thoughts about dungeon:
1. I like the atmosphere.
2. Illithids are under WotC copyright (though mimics aren't, they're in the SRD, which is why Rusty & Co. can keep publishing).
3. I feel a bit weird about the centaur, like maybe it fits in a sylvan or barbarian town better?
4. Shouldn't the dragons be in charge, with how powerful they are? I like the concept of this town as dragon-dominated to the point of making the lower-tier units cannon fodder for dragons...
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Rimgrabber
Promising
Famous Hero
Voice in Gelu's Head
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posted May 16, 2020 12:04 AM |
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Alon said:
Thoughts about dungeon:
1. I like the atmosphere.
2. Illithids are under WotC copyright (though mimics aren't, they're in the SRD, which is why Rusty & Co. can keep publishing).
3. I feel a bit weird about the centaur, like maybe it fits in a sylvan or barbarian town better?
4. Shouldn't the dragons be in charge, with how powerful they are? I like the concept of this town as dragon-dominated to the point of making the lower-tier units cannon fodder for dragons...
1. Thanks! 
2. So are Beholders, I believe. H3 had trouble with this as I recall. If my proposals were ever used to make an actual game (pfff I wish) Illithids could be used as a blueprint for an original creature. In fact, I would include more original creatures in my line ups if it weren't for the fact that there'd be no art for them.
3. I had that hesitation too. Centaurs were actually a Warlock unit in the first 2 games, but I understand that Dungeon has evolved probably more than any other faction since then. I was originally going to put centaurs in Stronghold, yes, but I decided I wanted to combine Stronghold with my own concept of a Chasm faction (think the wildlings in GoT) where centaurs wouldn't really fit. I think centaurs could definitely work in Dungeon though, although I couldn't really find any art for the depiction I wanted.
4. That's definitely something that I agree should at least be implied. I like to imagine the internal politics of this faction as a massive struggle for domination between the intelligent races who use the unintelligent or even non-sentient creatures as pawns. I imagine that the Dragons and the Warlocks are at the top of this power structure, always walking the delicate line of trying to increase their power over each other without risking the collapse of their delicate social structure that enables them to be in power over the other creatures in the first place.
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Alon
Known Hero
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posted May 16, 2020 02:00 AM |
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Re 4:
This suggests what the campaign for this faction should be: you play a young dragon who needs to fight constant internal power struggles while also proving yourself in battle against other factions.
If the campaign involves progress up the tech tree, like how early campaign missions in 1990s RTSes only give you access to basic units, then the story especially fits. Maybe you're a dragon who is elbowed out by more powerful dragons, so you go to wilderness with only basic units to fight enemies like the Stronghold or the Necropolis and maybe terrorize some Castle settlements. As the orcs/necromancers/knights fight back you're forced to innovate, so you get access to more units and upgrades. You beat them back, and now that you're more powerful you go back home to beat back the dragons that pushed you away, taking control of a region and gaining access to all or almost all of the tech tree.
Now with more power, you keep expanding, fighting off armies of other factions. But you still don't have secure power at home, so some of the missions involve fighting other Dungeon armies even late in the campaign - maybe even the second to last mission is the ultimate struggle for Dungeon power, before the last mission in which you defeat some other faction that you haven't fought much yet (say, Academy).
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weilan
Known Hero
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posted May 16, 2020 10:35 AM |
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Edited by weilan at 10:36, 16 May 2020.
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Great work and suggestions, I admire your enthusiasm, but I think it will fall on deaf ears in the end. If there is ever a HoMM8, it's going to be the same copy-paste trash like the previous titles since Ubisnow took control of the franchise.
If my opinion matters, there should not be any more HoMM or M&M games, because Ubisnow only makes them into garbage. They even tried to cash in on HoMM3 by releasing an HD Edition, only because they know how bad their newer installments are. That's what most companies are doing everywhere else too, like Blizzard remastering SC and WC3, now rumors going they are going to remaster D2 as well. Microsoft giving the same treatment to AoE1 and AoE2... why? Because AoE3 or AoM never really established themselves so even if they are working on AoE4, there is no guarantee that it will be the success they want it to.
Same goes for HoMM - the old games 2, 3 and 5 are still the most popular and Ubisnow tried two times to copy-paste HoMM5, but they never succeeded. They already have Ass-Ass-in's Greed raking them tons of cash so they should just focus on their Ass-Ass-ins and let the Might and Magic franchise go to some developer that will cherish it more and make actual decent games out of it.
I'm actually more excited about Songs of Conquest recreating the feeling of HoMM2 and HoMM3 into a brand new game and being way more fun. For one thing, the 3D graphics in HoMM games since Ubisnow got them has been something really unappealing and I can't get over it, even HoMM5, despite how good it is, I still can't play it. And I love nice, shiny graphics, just when 2D graphics outclass 3D graphics, I can't lie to myself.
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FirePaladin
Legendary Hero
DoR Modder
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posted May 16, 2020 10:40 AM |
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They didn't really try to copy-paste H5. They said they wanted to "innovate" and such after H5, and not the company is entirely at fault for that, but the several people put in charge with managing the HoMM series.
I've nothing against 3D, as long as it's executed perfectly (King's Bounty is one of the few such games and has almost the same battles as H3 and looks insanely awesome in 3D, but not what you can call realistic; just google the game if you don't know what I'm saying, you won't regret it, and maybe add "battle" after writing the game's name in search; oh, and I mean the recent ones from 2008-2015, made by Russians). H6 at least had somewhat more than decent landscapes, regarding 3D, and the creatures were actually good-looking for 2012. And 4 years later the creatures look worse graphically.
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Enshackling time itself, heralds of the Ancients among their heat-depleted land.... Who could they be, who could rally the beings of the East and the North and control the mortals' fate?
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weilan
Known Hero
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posted May 26, 2020 02:39 PM |
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I think King's Bounty are OK games, but the reason I don't play them and never will (I tried, didn't enjoy them) is because the whole games are just what HoMM3 campaigns were.
The reason I've been playing HoMM3 for the past 21 years as my longest played game is because of Map Editor and Random Map Generator.
King's Bounty is a game you play once, you learn the story, you learn how to beat enemies effectively and there is no reason to come back. The reason I keep coming back to HoMM3 is because every random map I generate is a completely new and unique experience. It just never gets old.
This is something the other games could not recreate for me. I tried playing HoMM2, 4, 5 and 6, but I cannot get into them, HoMM2 just feels different and I can't get into the limitations and rules, HoMM4 is unfinished, and 5 and 6, partly for being 3D, don't look and feel like HoMM games to me, I just can't get excited about playing them.
Songs of Conquest, on the other hand seems like the closest thing to HoMM3 that we will ever get in terms of replay value and I've been cautiously optimistic about it.
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FirePaladin
Legendary Hero
DoR Modder
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posted May 26, 2020 02:59 PM |
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Tbh, I played King's Bounty ~4+ times all games due to completing the game with different classes, troops, difficulty, and most importantly, no-loss runs. After all, it wasn't meant to be like H3, except for the fights. But I understand you're not into RPG-like games.
Btw, what I meant with my former post was the battles in King's Bounty; take a look at them and their creatures. They do look very consistent and original and have their own style, unlike H5. Plus, they aren't either too cartoonish, nor realistic.
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Enshackling time itself, heralds of the Ancients among their heat-depleted land.... Who could they be, who could rally the beings of the East and the North and control the mortals' fate?
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FirePaladin
Legendary Hero
DoR Modder
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posted May 26, 2020 04:15 PM |
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@weilan
You double posted, btw. I mean, nothing against you, I just wanted to remind you of it, in case you've done it by accident, which is most possible, on this forum. 
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Enshackling time itself, heralds of the Ancients among their heat-depleted land.... Who could they be, who could rally the beings of the East and the North and control the mortals' fate?
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Rimgrabber
Promising
Famous Hero
Voice in Gelu's Head
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posted May 26, 2020 06:01 PM |
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Maaaaaan I WISH they had tried to copy-paste heroes 5 instead of trying to "modernize" it. H5 is arguably the greatest PC game ever made IMO. I've been meaning to try the King's Bounty games but I've never really understood what they are exactly I'll probably watch some gameplay videos. Songs of Conquest looks AMAZINGGGG I just signed up for the closed alpha thank you for mentioning it I'd never heard of it before.
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FirePaladin
Legendary Hero
DoR Modder
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posted May 26, 2020 06:12 PM |
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King's Bounty: RPG with battles. Basically, adventure map is top-bottom view of your hero, in real time. Battles are almost the same as H3, but a step above.
There are 4 games in the newer series. The best are the first 2 (the Legend and Armored Princess, AP should be bought with Crossworlds and played in Orcs on the March), after the fans' opinion, the 3rd is good only with expansion (Warriors of the North + Ice and Fire) and the 4th (the Dark Side) is... just don't, if you aren't a fan of KB. It's pretty bad.
I should mention that the first 2 were made by a different team than the last 2. Also, they're all on sale on Steam (75%?).
Songs of Conquest does look promising indeed.
True, with the H5 thing. It was a good start, with bad follow-up
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Enshackling time itself, heralds of the Ancients among their heat-depleted land.... Who could they be, who could rally the beings of the East and the North and control the mortals' fate?
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