Of Dragons

how cool is this?!

from Elemental Forums

Quoting BoogieBac,
I beleive most dragons are CONSIDERABLY more powerful than your starting channeler.

This will be really interesting to see- the Dragon interaction.  I suppose they could act like Pirates from Sins (attacking whomever gives them the most gold), or like a minor race in GalCiv.  As if there wasn't enough strategic play already, now we get to worry about getting fried from dragons! 8O

That'd be interesting to pit dragons against other dragons.  Or see them all team up (form some kind of a clan) to take out the most powerful channeler, or whomever they *think* wronged them.  Wow- cool strategy options.

Any other cool ideas on how Dragons could play a role in Elemental?

elemental
87,990 views 42 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

Im curious to see if they will play like the other heroes you can hire. If so, in atleast one game I play I want to have a dragon that i've channeled alot of my essence into and make him like...a super dragon or something like that. Who needs an army when you can have a dragon of god like power

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Stowe, I believe that I read somewhere that you can "hire" dragons, or convert them to fight for you and they will act much like heroes. Im thinking it would be neat to then ride your new dragon friend! A dragon and channeler together might just be unstoppable :thumbsup:

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Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

 /agreed, If they let you ride the dragons that would be incredible lol. From what I gather from the various previews and things regular soldies will be able to ride more things than horses, so It's not hard to imagine they would let the channeler ride a hired dragon....I can't wait for this game!

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

If nothing else, multiple mount types seems to be a player favorite feature.

Sounds good that your "starting channeler" is less powerful than a dragon, plenty of room to grow :rofl:

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting StoweMobile, reply 1
Im curious to see if they will play like the other heroes you can hire. If so, in atleast one game I play I want to have a dragon that i've channeled alot of my essence into and make him like...a super dragon or something like that. Who needs an army when you can have a dragon of god like power

I'm not sure if you could channel any of your essence into a dragon, then again I'm just basing that off the notion that dragons are going to be insanely powerful so they might not need your essence. Then again, it certainly would be cool.

But what I'd like to see is to ability to 'pimp' my dragon by throwing on embued armor and items (Which in a way would be like giving the dragon your essence). I also would like to know what it would take to counter a dragon. In the interview, it was mentioned that if an opponent gained the support of three dragons it was "over" for you. However, I'd love to be able to build and embue heroes just to specifically be dragon-slayers. Granted, it would take a lot of my essence to create such a hero, but it couldn't be a bad investment.

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

In my view dragons should be there on the map, too powerful to steamroll over even with an army, and one way to make use of them is to throw a very difficult and costly spell that tries to control or bind the dragon to your channeler and his cause. If you suceed the others have something to worry about and you will have a great gaming hour. If you fail there is the risk that the dragon realizes it was you and comes gliding through the air towards your tower in a screaming, flaming rage. Interesting gaming time however it turns out ...! :grin:

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

Well the dragons are sentient, so you could also use diplomacy to get them on your side, rather than a spell of binding. It would be cool if you could bribe some particularly greedy dragons to join your cause!

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

Even better would be if you could PLAy as the Dragons, you know like a seperate faction with its own views on the world and politics. Though I like the idea of coverting Dragons to your cause and giving them essance.

Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Polistes, reply 8
Even better would be if you could PLAy as the Dragons, you know like a seperate faction with its own views on the world and politics. Though I like the idea of coverting Dragons to your cause and giving them essance.

That's when modding comes into play my friend.

Reply #10 from Elemental Forums Top

And please allow us to bribe the enemy dragons as well as the neutral ones!

As the greatest, most narcistic, beasts there is, why wouldn't their allegiance be fickle?

Quoting StoweMobile, reply 7
Well the dragons are sentient, so you could also use diplomacy to get them on your side, rather than a spell of binding. It would be cool if you could bribe some particularly greedy dragons to join your cause!

Reply #11 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting BoogieBac,

I beleive most dragons are CONSIDERABLY more powerful than your starting channeler.
I saw this post, but you forgot to put the question before the answer.  Someone asked if the Channeler would be stronger than dragons AT THE BEGINNING of the game.  The real question, is whether your Channeler can become stronger than a dragon in the end.  Because I've heard mention that your Channeler can become like Sauron in LotR or even like a Valar (the gods of Lotr).  
Could Sauron beat up Smaug?  I think the answer is "yes".

 

Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting the, reply 6
In my view dragons should be there on the map, too powerful to steamroll over even with an army, and one way to make use of them is to throw a very difficult and costly spell that tries to control or bind the dragon to your channeler and his cause. If you suceed the others have something to worry about and you will have a great gaming hour. If you fail there is the risk that the dragon realizes it was you and comes gliding through the air towards your tower in a screaming, flaming rage. Interesting gaming time however it turns out ...!

I totally agree.  The high risk/high reward factor of getting a dragon is going to add so much variety and replay value to each game and I love it.  I like the idea of a spell, but would also love to have different options.  Variety is the spice of life.  Like having to do a difficult or lengthy quest for the dragon to gain its allegiance, bribe the dragon, cast a spell on it, etc. but if you don't bribe enough money, or fail the quest, the dragon might turn on you.  Or let you live and go on its merry way.  I just hope that there isn't a cookie cutter mold such as giving a dragon 100,000 pieces of gold and its yours every game, the same way, the same amount.  That would ruin it for me.

Another thing I hope for is for dragons NOT to be a playable race.  They're supposed to be extremely powerful units and having a faction like that would diminish their importance.

Just my 2¢

 

Reply #13 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting SackLunch, reply 12

Another thing I hope for is for dragons NOT to be a playable race.  They're supposed to be extremely powerful units and having a faction like that would diminish their importance.
If they are supposed to be so extremely powerful, why couldn't dragons be a certain flavour of channeler?
Channelers are supposed to have to potential to become Titans, afterall.

Reply #14 from Elemental Forums Top

Excellent point, I was just thinking I wouldn't like if it ended up something where the basic troops fighting in battles were some sort of dragon.  I didn't think of it as the Channeler being a dragon.  Not my cup of tea, but it makes sense and I got no qualms with it.

Reply #15 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Ilumino, reply 11

Quoting BoogieBac, I beleive most dragons are CONSIDERABLY more powerful than your starting channeler.

I saw this post, but you forgot to put the question before the answer.  Someone asked if the Channeler would be stronger than dragons AT THE BEGINNING of the game.  The real question, is whether your Channeler can become stronger than a dragon in the end.  Because I've heard mention that your Channeler can become like Sauron in LotR or even like a Valar (the gods of Lotr).  
Could Sauron beat up Smaug?  I think the answer is "yes".
 

I agree, Ilumino.  I imagine channelers should be able to become (depending on how you play the game) stronger than dragons, otherwise what's the point?  How else (other than via gold bribing) would you get a dragon to join your side if he could just devour you whenever he felt like it?  I suppose there are ways, but I want my channeler to be able to take a dragon head on and win (although I'm sure it would be a tough fight!).

Reply #16 from Elemental Forums Top

This is an area where I think Stardock's plan is already the right one. Dragons shouldn't be commonplace creatures or a playable race; they should be extremely rare and extremely potent NPCs.

That opinion is based on nothing more than my own sense of the kind of world I'd most like to play in.

- Ash

Reply #17 from Elemental Forums Top

To me Dragons are what make a fantasy along with trolls, wargs, fellbeasts ect ect.

The Idea of basically playing as humans is kinda boring, bring on my orcs, goblins, and whatnot. Dragons would also be sweet. Also if I recall there are different types of Dragons, not all of them should be all powerful or deadly.

Reply #18 from Elemental Forums Top

I'm glad dragons are not a playable race. When I thought the Beasts were a playable race and read their background, i wondered how SD could balance the awsomeness that is an army of Dragons. Its a much better mechanic to have them neutral (whether visable on the map or not) and be able to recruit them.

Reply #19 from Elemental Forums Top

I like the idea of recruiting them as well however I do think they can be a playable race, after all like I stated earlier not all dragons should be all powerful. Their should be different dragon types with different abilities and characteristics, and of course some are not meant for fighting and whatnot either.

Reply #20 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Asharak, reply 16
This is an area where I think Stardock's plan is already the right one. Dragons shouldn't be commonplace creatures or a playable race; they should be extremely rare and extremely potent NPCs.

That opinion is based on nothing more than my own sense of the kind of world I'd most like to play in.

- Ash

I firmly agree. Dragons action should be a special treat regardless of what side of it you face. :wc:

Reply #21 from Elemental Forums Top

I think a dragons sheer physical size would prevent it from being a playable race...though in many fantasy settings dragons can take the form of other beings.

Reply #22 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting StoweMobile, reply 21
I think a dragons sheer physical size would prevent it from being a playable race...though in many fantasy settings dragons can take the form of other beings.

No doubt. A dragon city would be an entire mountain range and that would only be a small city at best.

Reply #23 from Elemental Forums Top

Here's another question to pose relating to dragons-

How could you "win" one to your side?  Some thoughts:

  • Bribing it (money or gifts)
  • Questing for it (either you get the dragon as a result of the quest, or you go on a quest for the dragon, afterwhich he joins you)
  • Threatening it to join or die (this would take quite the army and power, but should be an option)
  • Magic (as mentioned previously, some sort of mighty, expensive spell to charm it to join you)
  • Giving it important information (Player X is about to destroy the mountain you live in, or Player Y has a hero/army that's coming to steal your treasure- join me)
  • Give it a hug (OK- this one's a joke)

Any other ideas on how/why a dragon would join up?

Reply #24 from Elemental Forums Top

Giving it important information (Player X is about to destroy the mountain you live in, or Player Y has a hero/army that's coming to steal your treasure- join me)

How can you imagine it might work? Even if it is true, it is not an important information. It must have been necessary to make some quest. And you have this option  already mentioned above. So it is no new option.

Reply #25 from Elemental Forums Top

I think we all forgot one vital point. We are all thinking about hiring or convincing a Dragon to work for us. I wonder if by actions and or battles one could come to loose the dragon he has. Maybe Mr dragon is rightious and you start killing the innocent and it turns on you. I find that idea very appealing also. Oh the chaos it could make...

 

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