So 1.4 has arrived and there has been some good tweaking – sovereigns have generally received some significant constitution bumps.
HOWEVER, the 10 core sovereigns are still not equivilent. This imbalance can be seen by determining the value that sovereigns start at as if they were made by players. (My Core Assumption is that all stats (etc.) have game value equal to purchase value.)
There are STILL other unaddressed issues that can be simply addressed with this rebalancing. Most of these I (and others) identified nearly a year ago!
1) The magic schools are not distributed evenly
Enchantment = 7
Combat = 9
Terraforming = 4
Mobility = 4
2) Some of the characters have simple equipment unavailable in design - Queen's staff, Axe, Dagger, etc.
3) Verga still has a ‘talent’ (naturalism) for his History, not a profession
4) There is a duplication of backgrounds (FOUR with royalty!)
5) Many of the traits (especially newer ones like Green Thumb and Tracker) and disadvantages are not used
6) Karavox has yet to have replacement talent for Organized lost several versions ago
7) Starting abilities not quite matching background (talk of Verga with a blade, but he starts with a club. Karovox is a powerful channeller, but with only 10 Int)
8) Kul and Verga have armlets that give +2 rather than the +1 in the store for players
9) Most sovereigns now start with CONs over 15, and (only) Verga starts with a stat (STR) greatly above what is generally permitted, e.g. 18. (this could be considered a quirk rather than an issue of course, see solutions below).
This large increase in Con has further unbalanced the aovereigns, especially those who did not get a big boost, and it also makes other high stats (e.g. Procipinee’s Intelligence) less impressive! No original sovereigns can match these high stats (15 hard code limit).
DETAILS
As laid out below, updated to 1.4
a ) Column 1 is sovereign name
b ) Column 2 is number of stat points x 3 points per stat point, less 150 (the free 10 in each stat)
c ) Column 3 is magic (books)x 5
d ) Column 4 is Talents less weaknesses (discounting Verga's "naturalism", as it replaces a roughly equally powerful range of backgrounds.)
e ) Column 5 is starting Equipment (for equipment not normally available, follow rough apparent rule of Defence items=cost, and Offence items = cost/2.5, rounded (Markinn's/Carrodus's axe is a little pricey, but its metal, one-handed, etc. A Dagger (5 dam) is better than staff (5 dam) as it has accuracy, speed, dodge bonuses, so can count as 3 rather than 2 (i.e. like an Axe, which does 7 dam but gives no other bonuses).)
Relias 45 + 10 + 10 + 3 = 68
Procipinee 24 + 20 + 15 + 2 = 61
Carrodus 27 + 10 + 10 + 5 = 52
Irane 45 + 10 + 3 + 3 = 61
Markinn 39 + 15 + 7 + 3 = 64
Ceresa 21 + 15 + 3 + 3 = 42
Karavox 30 + 10 + 0 + 2 = 42
Magnar III 21 + 15 + -6 + 4 = 34
Verga 48 + 5 + -6 + 3 = 50
Kul-al-Kulan 42 + 10 + 10 + 3 = 65
PROPOSED SOLUTION
Clearly there has been an attempt to increase most of the core sovereigns HP by giving them better Cons (although Ceresa and Karavox lost out).
Using the current point system, I suggest rebalancing the sovereigns along the following lines (while some people might value certain traits more or less than what Elemental values them, but that is subjective so I'm just considering given point value):
1) Each sovereign should cost the same (in this case 52, which is what a cunning player can effectively spend by buying a stat point for 1 point if done correctly).
2) They are more of an archetype, specialists in their own way (makes the game more interesting)
3) They are all balanced in of themselves, not requiring faction selection to balance them
4) Assumes all abilities work as described (if not that’s a game-fix, rather than balance, issue)
5) Across all 10, use many more professions, talents, and weaknesses, and starting gear
6) Most are exceptional in some way (Verga’s strength being the precedent)
SOLUTION DETAIL:
I’ve detailed a new conceptualization (without going too far from the originals), with each line detailing changes where appropriate, with the first as an overall summary, then stats, spellbooks, background, abilities/disadvantages, gear, and total points added up.
The intention to enhance CON has been retained but scaled back to a flat 15 in most cases so it is within custom sovereign norms. Furthermore, there has been some stat decrease to balance that and to keep within the 52 point limit.
Relias remains a rounded adventurer par excellence (more movement-focus), swift on foot:
1. Str 11, Int 11, Con 15, Dex 11, Chr 11
2. 2 Spellbooks: Mobility (to get around), Terraforming (to get over/under obstacles)
3. Adventurer
4. Tracker (replacing Hardy)
5. Shield (which grants dodge, a movement defence), travellers boots, club
6. 27+10+0+10+5 = 52
Procipinee, the wizard, brought up in royalty, familiar with all things arcane but a little bit condescending to others.
1. Str 7, Int 18, Con 15, Dex 8, Chr 8 (Lower str/dex to balance higher intelligence, to be the intellectual equivalent of Verga)
2. All 4 spellbooks
3. Royalty
4. Meditative, Attunement, Blunt
5. Staff
6. 18+20+0+12+2 = 52
Carrodus, the reformed thief now warlord, grants his cities/troops bonuses, listening to his Generals as he knows his own mental limitations
1. Str 12, Int 9, Con 15, Dex 9, Chr 13 (Str/Chr emphasis - as a warrior leading troops)
2. 2 spellbooks: Mobility + Enchantment (to enhance troops/city)
3. Warlord
4. Tactician, Intimidating, Stupid
5. Warcoat, Axe, Armlets
6. 24+10+0+12+6 = 52
Irane, the warrior-queen, the princess of stealth, the lady of nimbleness, known to throw caution to the wind!
1. Str 8, Int 10, Con 15, Dex 18, Chr 10 (lower int/chr, super dex for a DEX/THIEF theme)
2. 2 spellbooks: Combat + Mobility (move in, weaving and ducking for a quick blow!)
3. Thief
4. Daring, Reckless
5. Travellers Boots, Shield, Armlet, Helmet, Dagger (speed, defensive)
6. 33+10+0+0+9 = 52
Markinn, a miner’s miner, knows/makes/is as tough as/has the personality of metal. Not a people person, he knows how to manipulate the earth’s wealth instead.
1. Str 11, Int 10, Con 18, Dex 10, Chr 6 (high CON/HP theme)
2. 2 spellbooks: Enchantment +Terraforming
3. Miner
4. Naturalist, Wealthy, Hardy, Ugly
5. Axe, Greaves, Helmet
6. 15+10+0+22+5 = 52
Ceresa, linked to the oracles, is the story-telling manipulative bard – with a cunning wit to twist people around her littlest finger
1. Str 7, Int 14, Con 15, Dex 8, Chr 14 (Int/Chr for a Bard theme)
2. 3 spellbooks: Combat, Mobility and Enchantment
3. Bard
4. Diplomatic
5. Staff, helmet
6. 24+15+0+10+3 = 52
Karavox, a channeller of great power, born in wealth, destroying from afar (as in his background, possibly fearing physical confrontation?) is powerful but careless with his might!
1. Str 10, Int 15, Con 15, Dex 10, Chr 11 (Int boost, also a minor MONEY theme)
2. 3 spellbooks: Mobility, Enchantment, Terraforming
3. Merchant
4. Meditative, Wealth, Cowardly, Reckless
5. War-Staff
6. 33+15+0+2+2 = 52
Magnar III, an ancient and deformed adversary, has deep technological knowledge, has learned to wait, ignoring the needs of his people, to strike opponents when they are weakest
1. Str 13, Int 10, Con 15, Dex 10, Chr 7
2. 3 spellbooks: Combat, Enchantment, Terraforming
3. Assassin (or the Thug's ability?)
4. Attunement, Brilliant, Hardy, Ugly, Inefficient
5. War-Staff, Helmet
6. 15+15+0+19+3 = 52
Verga, the consummate scarred warrior, knows where to find your neck for his axe-head, using fear to inspire loyalty in his men, often prefers the axe to magic
1. Str 18, Int 10, Con 15, Dex 14, Chr 5 (STR theme, better weapon (an ‘axe’!))
2. 1 spellbook: Combat
3. Warrior
4. Tracker, Stupid, Inefficient
5. Axe, Cuirass, Armlets, Helmet
6. 36+5+0+4+7 = 52
Kul-al-Kulan, a channeller of repute, from underground caverns/dungeons, knows his fungus, driven him deadly insane, and driven other people away
1. Str 11, Int 14, Con 15, Dex 11, Chr 6 (Int/Con Tactician theme)
2. 2 spellbooks: Combat, Terraforming
3. Dungeon Master
4. Brilliant, Tactician, Greenthumb, Insane
5. Club, Cuirass, Helmet
6. 21+10+0+17+4 = 5
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(I'm assuming Factions have not significantly changed either?)
