What I'm going to suggest, will not be implemented for retail game because the time needed for it, but if it is taken into account for future patches, or for modders, maybe some of you can find it satisfying:
--> Introduce Levels in some (or many) of the lairs. First level is a weak lair. After cleaned, it becomes a Middle Lair, let's say 1-5 turns later. It might mean the Lair is deep and hides surprises, so you have to go down far inside to get middle monsters. After cleaning it, the Lair may get Strong Level, and finally it may get Deadly.
To give flavour, not all lairs should follow this same way, a randomization could be introduced in the leveling system, depending on Wildland settings. The more difficult Wildland settings, more % of starting a stronger lair. Not all lairs should reach all levels neither. A number of levels allowed per lair could manage it (from 1 to 3 levels)
And the Wildland setting could affect the % of the next level once cleaned: more % of increasing a stronger level when cleaned. A weak coul jump to Strong...
An example of getting the initial Level I Lair for an easy Settings: 60 % weak, 25% medium 10% strong 4% deadly 1% epic
When cleaned, we could have a % of having another level in the deep...or like I said, randomize a max number of levels. If it success,, or still levels allowed, then the next level could be like 70% level +1 (from weak to medium) 29% level +2 (from weak to strong) and 1% level +3.
All this numbers and % are just orientative.
Doing this, the world will be more according to the Wildland settings, the Lairs will give more fun, and more strategic can be followed: don't level up Lairs in strategic tiles to avoid possible undesirable neighbours!!! And if you build anyway, at least a crappy troop could defend the weak monsters...
A collateral of this is most of the dragons and Lords and big beasts will disappear from map, as they will be inside of the highest levels of lairs. It is a pity, because it is beatifull to see the map full of dragons and Lords...but for the gameplay is so disappointing...because it closes many places to build cities, and the well-known chasing dragon issues.
This doesn't mean all dragons and Lords will be removed into lairs. Some of them could be keep outside like now, but:
- A proper number, depending on map size and wildland difficulty.
- Have them tied near (1-5 tiles) to the Green Wildlands (sorry, I don't rememeber the name of these green zones), so they will not interfere too much with the rest of the map like now.
I'd like to know what you think about this suggestion... the idea of leveled lairs sounds exciting to me and could give solution to the chasing monsters, and give chances to the AI to improve too and not suicide...
