|
| Thread: Introducing: Burrow | |
|
blizzardboy
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Nerf Herder
|
posted September 18, 2008 08:00 AM |
|
|
Introducing: Burrow
After many miles of traveling, you're feet are sore, you're back is aching, you're neck stiff from tilting your head away from the blazing setting sun. You sit down to rest, letting the twilight breeze cool the sweat from you as you watch a herd of wild llamas graze on the grassy hillside. The sound and motion of a small earthquake shakes you from your peace, and a shadow quickly sweeps over you, briefly blotting out the sun as you clumsily tumble to your feet. You shield your eyes as though the shadow were brighter than the sun. You're muscles are taut as your mind races with conjured images of whatever horror has come upon you. Finally, you summon the courage to open you're eyes, and before you towers a horrible worm protruding from the ground, it's body the circumference of an ancient oak, with a rough, thick, purple carapace. Acid oozes down it's body, and one stray drop lands on your brown traveling tunic, burning a hole through it and causing a red mark on your skin. The creature's body whips around in the breeze in every direction with a seemingly supernatural speed for a creature of it's massive bulk. You back up from it's awful presence, and finally turn into a full run over the next hill. As you reach the crest, you stop, eyes peering down on the civilization suddenly before you. A hive of wooden doors go into the earth among the hills before you, and on the hills themselves chimney's rise from the ground into the air. Large dome-shaped buildings stand on the flattened tops of many hills, with what look like luminescent gems glowing from the tips of them, brightening the landscape as it slowly falls into darkness...
Burrow
Alignment: Neutral
"Roll the dice"
Associated colors: Black and tan.
Worship: Gnomes are fickle worshipers, sometimes worshiping the famed Earth Dragon because of her connection with the earth, and sometimes worshiping the primordial dragon of Chaos, Urgash. Either way, worship is rarely taken very seriously.
Core philosophy: Life isn't fair, so don't play fair. Survival proceeds honor.
Country/kingdom: The Igliciak Burrows, "the rogue burrows"
Capital: None.
Key Symbols: The Mandible, the Hidden Gem.
Distrustful of the pompous ways of wizards and knights, bored by the serene and unchanging ways of the elves, and viewing the scheming evil forces as distasteful and foul, the gnomes of the hills have remained largely with their own kind. Gnomes are masters of gemcrafting, a unique “enchantment” school of magic, and banditry. They're secret arcane art of enchantment, preserved and honed over generations to manipulate the heart and intuition of a creature has also give rise to their ability to tame and harness the power of instinctual bugs... big bugs. Stag beetles are controlled and trained to become battle-ready mounts, serpentflies are trained as flying predators, and on far more rare occasions, a great purple worm can become loyal and feared vessels of awe for their newfound gnomish masters. Adding to the power of the Burrow faction, will 'o wisps, which are nothing more than peculiar globes of energy, will obey the gnomes with the proper coercion. Although no fully understoodd theory is established concerning the will 'o wisps, even by the gnomes themselves, it is speculated that a will o' wisp is an ethereal cousin of the gnome, or perhaps reincarnated gnomes that have returned to the world for a time in order to serve the gnomes or enjoy the life of aimless wanderlust. Whatever the reason may be, these will o' wisps are unusually friendly with the gnomes while aloof and sometimes hostile to other intelligent creatures.
Creatures
Tier 1: Bandit: Melee
The bandit is the light “infantry” of the gnomes. These young upstarts serve the roguely gnomish community by bringing back wealth to the community, taken from the pockets of unlucky travelers. When a bandit attacks an enemy stack that is adjacent to one of your stacks on the opposite side, he will do extra “flank” damage.
Tier 2: Stag Beetle Rider: Melee
Stag Beetle Riders are the fast moving cavalry units. When they attack a unit without having to move, they can dig in and impale with their horn, lowering the effective defense of the target for the attack.
Tier 3: Will O' Wisp: Caster
These strange spirits are incapable of attacking or using the defend option. Magic damage is reduced by 50% to these creatures. Will o’ Wisps have low level damage and buff spells to assist in combat, and will regenerate a small amount of mana in combat each round.
Tier 4: Swashbuckler: Reach Melee
Swashbuckler’s are the elite warriors, specializing in long, barbed chains used to lacerate their foes to death. A swashbuckler may attack a unit from two squares away. Additionally, he has the ability to tumble through units. A swashbuckler may move through other unit’s squares, both friendly and enemy, but not end on them. A swashbuckler cannot tumble through obstacles.
Tier 5: Serpentfly: Flyer/Ranged
Serpentflies are vicious insects with wings to propel them across the battlefield. In addition to their considerable speed and initiative, serpent flies may spit a stream of poison at a target. The poison does damage every round and has a chance to weaken the units attack as well. Damage is reduced to 1/4th at long range, 1/2 at medium range.
Tier 6: Bard: Caster/Ranged
Bard’s are the keepers of knowledge and arcane masters of the army. They have a special ability to dramatically raise the moral of a target, as well as several debuff spells to cripple enemy targets. Finally, bards have a mediocre ranged attack and suffer no penalties for attacking in melee as they are also trained with long, enchanted rapiers.
Tier 7: Purple Worm: Burrower/Melee
Purple Worms are the most fearsome creatures in the Burrow arsenal. The gnomes tame these rare monstrosities, with great risk, and although they more often than not fail at this task, occasionally one will be won over and become a loyal servant. Purple Worms can burrow into the ground, effectively disappearing from the battle map entirely. They may resurface anywhere they choose, including overtop of enemy stacks, which will deal damage to them as well as throw them to a nearby tile. A purple worm must wait 2 full rounds to replenish the acid on its’ maw before burrowing again. During the heat of battle, if a purple goes more than 2 full rounds without attacking, it will go wild and automatically resurface and attack the closest unit. Purple worms have an acidic film over their bodies that deals damage to units that attack them in melee.
Special Creature Type: Insect
Serpentflies, Purple Worms, and Stag Beetle Riders are part of the special "insect" creature type. These creatures begin combat with the enraged ability. If a Serpentfly or Purple Worm is in combat and there are no gnome stacks present on the field, or if they are not controlled by a Beguiler (gnome) hero, they will revert to auto-combat rather than being able to be controlled directly.
Special Buildings
Tavern is upgradeable: The Bardic Hall
The Bardic Hall grants you additional information from the thieves’ guild, an additional +1 morale when defending the town, and gives you 3 heroes to choose from when hiring.
Spy Agency:
The Spy Agency allows you to use spies to conduct operations. If you have a town hall, you may have 1 operation going on at any given time. If you have a city hall, you may have 2 operations going on at any given time. If you have a capitol, you may have 3 operations going on at any given time.
Spies:
Spies are special units from the Spy Agency that can perform various operations for you. They are not a tangible unit that can go into combat, but rather an ability. They have the following special abilities:
Reconnaissance: Spies will scout out a specific area on the map. (You click an unexplored part of the map, and after X number of days, depending on the distance, that part of the map will become revealed)
Cost: 250 gold
Town Scouting: Spies can scout out the area surrounding the town in order to slow the progress of approaching enemies. The movement rate for enemy heroes within 12 tiles of the town is cut in half. Town scouting missions have duration of seven days.
Cost: 400 gold
*Incite Uprising: This ability it unlocked when a hero gets the Spycraft skill. Spies will target a chosen building owned by another player (excluding towns). After X number of days, depending on the distance, that building will revert to neutral status. Mines targeted can also be disabled for 7 days.
Cost: 100 gold
*Demolition: This ability is unlocked when a hero gets the Spycraft skill. This ability allows you to destroy (“unbuild”) a building in an enemy town. This takes X number of days, depending on the distance. There is a 50% chance of success. If this is the only operation being conducted (from start to finish) the chance is increased to 75%.
Cost: 250 gold + ½ the cost of the building being demolished.
Escape Tunnel:
The Escape Tunnel allows a hero to flee from combat when defending a town.
Gemcrafter’s Guild:
You may trade crystals and gems at a better ratio as though you had 2 extra marketplaces.
Resource Silo:
+1 gem production per day
Note: A Burrow Capitol only produces 3,500 gold per turn
Burrow Class: The Beguiler
Ability Gain: Even
25% Attack/ 25% Defense/ 25% Spellpower/ 25% Knowledge
The Beguiler is a roguish class that relies on a combination of utility magic and cunning to undo their foes.
Main Skill: Guile
A certain percent of enemy creatures will become conflicted in their loyalties. This ability will weaken the necromantic magic of the undead as well, making them equally affected. 6%/12%/18%/24% of the enemies troops (randomly taken) will not participate in combat. (% Is taken based on the net HP of the enemy army, so higher tier units will take up greater percentages if taken out). Mechanical units are not affected by this ability.
Perks:
Mirage:
Grants you the ‘Mirage” ability which can be used on the adventure map once per day. The hero you target will become unfamiliar and confused with his/her surroundings, reducing their speed by 33% next turn. An enemy hero that is 5 or more levels higher than the hero casting the spell cannot be affected.
Spycraft:
Grants your Spy Agency additional operations they can perform.
Trapper:
You may set up two traps on the battlefield prior to combat. Damage of the traps is dependant on hero level + spell power. Being hit by trap will reduce a unit's initiative for the next turn by 25%.
Ultimate: Scry:
When preparing for tactical combat, the enemy sets up first and his positions are displayed, then, you may set up your troops for combat. Your army and hero receive a +20% bonus to initiative for the first turn.
____________
"Folks, I don't trust children. They're here to replace us."
|
|
MattII
Legendary Hero
|
|
posted September 18, 2008 08:33 AM |
|
Edited by MattII at 10:20, 18 Sep 2008.
|
|
Interesting concept, but lacking in what might be called a unifying force (usually either race or forced cohabitation of one sort another). In addition, each tier requires at least one upgrade (unless you want to take it back to HoMMII style).
|
|
zamfir
Promising
Supreme Hero
Allez allez allez
|
|
posted September 18, 2008 11:11 AM |
|
|
Yes, it s interesting, but this is not what I would call a complete, finished faction. There are many things missing, like the racial skill etc.
____________
5 Times TV
|
|
Lexxan
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Unimpressed by your logic
|
|
posted September 18, 2008 11:16 AM |
|
|
Interesting Blizzard Boy... Tell us more.
____________
Coincidence? I think not!!!!
|
|
Adrius
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Stand and fight!
|
|
posted September 18, 2008 08:48 PM |
|
|
Pretty good so far, keep it up 
____________
|
|
blizzardboy
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Nerf Herder
|
|
posted September 18, 2008 08:52 PM |
|
|
OP expanded upon.
____________
"Folks, I don't trust children. They're here to replace us."
|
|
doomnezeu
Supreme Hero
Miaumiaumiau
|
|
posted September 18, 2008 09:19 PM |
|
|
I especially liked the 1st tier unit's ability to do a "sneak attack" type of move, like the Rogue class in D&D environment. It could certainlly give some more tactics/positioning/thinking/white+torn off hair posibillities.
____________
|
|
Isabel
Known Hero
Dragonblessed
|
|
posted September 20, 2008 03:14 PM |
|
|
[quoteUltimate: Scry:
When preparing for tactical combat, the enemy sets up first and his positions are displayed, then, you may set up your troops for combat. Your hero receives a +20% bonus to initiative for the first turn.
This is cool, but I wonder if it is "ultimate" enough. If the +20% bonus to initiative is for the creatures, this skill will be much more better (since if your opponent moves first, you don't have much advantages with your troops placement).
|
|
blizzardboy
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Nerf Herder
|
|
posted September 20, 2008 09:58 PM |
|
|
Quote:
[quoteUltimate: Scry:
When preparing for tactical combat, the enemy sets up first and his positions are displayed, then, you may set up your troops for combat. Your hero receives a +20% bonus to initiative for the first turn.
This is cool, but I wonder if it is "ultimate" enough. If the +20% bonus to initiative is for the creatures, this skill will be much more better (since if your opponent moves first, you don't have much advantages with your troops placement).
Hmmm, you make a point. Something like this has the potential to be really powerful, so I was scared to make it too strong, but it is an ultimate after all 
+20% initiative for everybody for the first round it is.
____________
"Folks, I don't trust children. They're here to replace us."
|
| |
|
|
