Essence of the Channeller

I recall reading we will have the choice of evolving our Channeller into a powerful force such as Sauron or we may choose to imbue or essence into other parts of the game.  I have listed ideas for different ways essence can be distributed.  Each choice can have an associated essence cost determined by developers.

1) Terraforming =
This provides the option to change a few squares of terrain into another type of terrain.  This could provide a desert with an oasis or it might turn an area of forest into ashes or be used to connect two nearby bodies of water.  This is most commonly used for providing fertile ground for new villages.

2) True Vision =
This provides the channeller a clear knowledge of all hidden and invisible units, structures or resources for a specific 3X3 map area.  The range depends on how much essence is placed into the spell.

3) Mass Teleportation =
This opens a temporary one way portal which transports a large number of units and creatures across the map to a known location.  The range depends on how much essence is placed into the spell. 

4) Essence for Life =
This will turn the target location or thing alive to obey the channeller.  A statue would become a living moving unit(gargoyle), a grass square would create an earth elemental, a water square would provide a water elemental, a tree would become an Ent, a lava square gives a fire elemental, etc., etc.,

5) Item Enchantment =
The channeller targets an item to attempt in making the item more powerful.  The success depends on the amount of essence invested and the current overall magical power of the item.  A regular sword would be easy to enchant where a rare powerful artifact would be more difficult.  The item might recieve increased damage, speed, or other bonuses such as poison damage, knockback, life drain, etc., .

6) UnNatural Disaster =
The channeller uses essence to generate natural disasters for a target area.  This has a limited range to the distance of the channeller.  The natural disasters will start near or within the target area, but may randomly move.  The more essence used the more natural disasters will be generated.  These can include hurricanes, earthquakes, meteor showers, volcanic eruption, etc, etc, .

7) Promote to Champion =
The channeller targets a unit under his control which allows the unit to become a champion.  The unit is now able to increase in levels and have all the other benefits as other champions.  It may be limited on the number of items it can equip depending on the creature, thing or being.

8) Empowering =
The channeller uses essence so the next magic spell casted is more powerful and more likely to be successful.  This action also will cause the channeller to fall asleep for one turn after casting the next desired magic spell.

9) Plane Shift =
The friendly target army or units enter into a different plane for three turns where they remain on the map yet unable to see or make contact with any friendly or enemy units.  While they can see building types it's not possible to interact with any building types.  The range is limited to being near the channeller and the amount of essence depends on the overall total hitpoints for all units. 

10) Evolution =
This allows the target unit or target channeller to improve one or more personal statistics such as intelligence, strength, speed, hitpoints(directly related with size increase), dexterity, wisdom, eyesight, etc., etc., .  Each improvement becomes more expensive as the statistic raises. 

11) Were-Transformation =
This provides the option of permanently changing shape into a completely different form.  Options include unique choices which provide powerful benefits and disadvantages.  Choosing a 'Were-Type' transformation can provide one of many forms.  A WereWolf, WereBear, WereOwl, WereTiger, etc., etc., .  Each shape provides advantages and disadvantages yet not as extreme as other Transformation options. 

12) Path of the Undead =
This action turns the channeller or the target unit into one of the undead.  This might be a mummy, vampire, ghost, lich, etc., etc., . Each type of undead will have certain strengths and weaknesses yet all can be harmed by types of holy attacks.

13) Titanize =
This provides the 'Titan' transformation which takes any existing form and greatly increases its size and hitpoints.  The channeller may choose to cast this on himself or on another unit within range.  The titan shapes are giant types which might be another unit type of massive size such as a giant cyclops, a giant warrior, a giant werewolf, etc., etc., .  Once this has been done the cost of using 'Evolution' on a Titan increases by ten times.

14) Doppelganger =
Once the channeller casts this spell the channeller has a good chance to become the next creature or being he fights in combat as long as he makes the killing blow in melee combat.  The larger the creature or being the less likely it will work, but it's still possible.  Once the channeller changes into the new shape the doppelganger effect ends.
 

 

3,801 views 8 replies
Reply #1 Top

I don't know.  I'd always envisioned more of an investment in certain areas that counteract the inherant weaknesses that every channeller starts off with at the beginning of the game.  Some (not all), but some of what you mentioned seems better suited to a game where magic is supposed to be more common than it would seem Stardock wants here (i.e. teleportation, and I hope they don't do imbuing land that way... it sounds really time intensive and micromanaging heavy).  Example:

Starting problem with heroes:  They are weak and puny.

Solution:  Invest mana into turning them into true heroes by improving stats (as you mentioned above), giving them the ability to cast specific or specific level spells, giving them leadership (mentioned in the tactical battles thread, although for played battles that should give a combat effectiveness or morale bonus to nearby troops), or giving them custom built magical items (designable much the same way everything else is).  The more powerful the item the more mana must be invested in it.

 

Starting problem with land:  It has the growing potential of my front lawn.

Solution:  Turn the land all pretty and green by investing a large amount of essence into it.  Or perhaps just have an "essence meter" that determines how much of your essence is invested per turn (possibly as a percentage of essence income or perhaps not) into the land within your territory.  Nations that put essence into improving their land will gradually grow green and fertile over time.  Nations that don't remain ravaged wastelands.

 

Starting problem with the world:  It is in one piece.  Not quite a problem really, but the fact that letting it be in one piece means you have to share makes it makes it a problem.

Solution:  Nuke the world with some kind of superspell which you've been accumulating essence for almost the entire game.

 

Starting problem with your avatar:  He is weak and puny.

Solution:  Go to gym, drink lots of protein shakes, and give yourself incredible tactical battle capabilities by massively increasing your size, strength, dexterity and ability to cast battle magic.  Perhaps a Ring or two?  Nothing fancy, just a little something forged in what travel agents would call an "exotic location" with "many friendly locals" who like nothing more to have a nice friendly "chat" with the red hot pokers after a hard days looting and pillaging you.

Reply #2 Top

Quoting lwarmonger, reply 1
I don't know.  I'd always envisioned more of an investment in certain areas that counteract the inherant weaknesses that every channeller starts off with at the beginning of the game.  Some (not all), but some of what you mentioned seems better suited to a game where magic is supposed to be more common than it would seem Stardock wants here (i.e. teleportation, and I hope they don't do imbuing land that way... it sounds really time intensive and micromanaging heavy). 

Your examples seem to match what can be done from the ideas I provided above... at least I don't recognize the difference.  Considering the game title includes, "War of Magic"...  I'm expecting magic to be very common and using essence will be one type of magic specific to only the channeller.  Considering the entire game will have only one unit per player, the channeller, which can distribute essence it's not really possible for anything listed to be time intensive and/or heavy micromanaging.  I estimate each turn during early game each player will do one or two essence choices... then as the game progresses using essence will be done less and less as it will be stored for bigger and more potent changes.

 

Quoting lwarmonger, reply 1

Starting problem with land:  It has the growing potential of my front lawn.

Solution:  Turn the land all pretty and green by investing a large amount of essence into it.  Or perhaps just have an "essence meter" that determines how much of your essence is invested per turn (possibly as a percentage of essence income or perhaps not) into the land within your territory.  Nations that put essence into improving their land will gradually grow green and fertile over time.  Nations that don't remain ravaged wastelands. 

While this suggestion may work for early game this would not work if a player trys to expand into neutral territory or an allies territory which was agreed upon by the ally.  This suggestion also creates a problem where enemies could build new towns easily on your healthy expanding soil, thus if you start losing it only makes it easier for your enemies.  The suggestion I provided allows the player to target specific desired areas beneficial for only the needs of the player and/or his allies.

Reply #3 Top

The few hints we've had about essence so far leave me with the impression that it will have just a few uses and probably no direct spell-like effects.

Essence retained means a 'stronger' channeler unit (my guess is the strength is in how much mana you can handle at once--more essence means more mana flow).

Essence 'invested' means either restored/cleansed lands or an enhanced champion. Maybe combining an essence investment with a mana-fueled spell could do some things like make a champion into a were-critter or some of the other effects in the OP, but mostly that list reads like spells.

Reply #4 Top

Quoting GW, reply 3
The few hints we've had about essence so far leave me with the impression that it will have just a few uses and probably no direct spell-like effects.

Essence retained means a 'stronger' channeler unit (my guess is the strength is in how much mana you can handle at once--more essence means more mana flow).

Essence 'invested' means either restored/cleansed lands or an enhanced champion. Maybe combining an essence investment with a mana-fueled spell could do some things like make a champion into a were-critter or some of the other effects in the OP, but mostly that list reads like spells.

My impression of what I've read about essence is that the player will be able to 'choose' where to imbue his essence whether it's in himself (#10 thru #14), or within other parts of the game such as terraforming(#1), champions/units(#4,#7,#10-#13), items(#5), and weather(#6).

And while a few (#2, #3, #8 and #9) are more spell related these naturally should 'only' be available to the channeller improving his defensive ability or if the channeller places himself at risk on the front lines it can provide a few important surprise attacks.   The only exception might be the mass teleportation which may also exist as a high level spell.  

I don't see essence being retained, but rather something which is used to imbue the channeller, items, units/champions, weather and/or land.  This way if a player chooses to imbue the essence inside the channeller the player will have choices for developing his channeller into the desired shape/design.  The player could remain a simple mage with powerful champions, an intelligent WereBear with magical items, a giant vampire, or choosing one of the two shapes of Sauron thus your enemies will be less likely to predict your game strategy.

Reply #5 Top

Interesting stuff. Are these considered guidelines or skills? Terraforming for example could be used to plant an orchard where there was none before. But would tree planting be considered a "terraforming" power or part of the skill itself?

I ask this because there are just so many ways each power could be utilized. Putting essense into a hero could mean imbueing them directly with essense, or it could be the act of giving them an amulet with some of your essense in it. The difference is that in the latter case the amulet can be given away (or stolen).

Reply #6 Top

Quoting Tamren, reply 5
Interesting stuff. Are these considered guidelines or skills? Terraforming for example could be used to plant an orchard where there was none before. But would tree planting be considered a "terraforming" power or part of the skill itself?

I believe the channeller should be able to choose the type of terrain which appears when using Terraforming... so he may select grasslands, forest, swamp, water, desert, hills, etc., .  So one square of forest wouldn't really be a forest, but it would be an area with trees. The more essence used the larger the target area.  The range for this action should naturally be limited to the location of the channeller... I estimate 5 squares for a range.


Quoting Tamren, reply 5

I ask this because there are just so many ways each power could be utilized. Putting essense into a hero could mean imbueing them directly with essense, or it could be the act of giving them an amulet with some of your essense in it. The difference is that in the latter case the amulet can be given away (or stolen).

It should be possible to place essence directly into a champion(hero) and/or directly into an item.  Ideally the player should be able to place essence into any structure, creature or terrain.  For example essence placed into a wall would provide a stronger and enchanted wall providing benefits otherwise not obtainable.

Reply #7 Top

I like the brain storming.  I don't have a whole lot to add really except cut down on the direct spell-like effects.

I'm an extremely conservitive player, which means if something that is finite (as I understand essense to be) can be expelled to create 1 time effects (like half the above effects) then I would never use those abilities.   Thats all fine and dandy, not everybody should want to use everything, but the type of people that would use them are the super-elitest players that play the game so much that they can budget every of essense from the get go, and quit the moment their mass-teleportation fails to get the results they want thus dooming them to be behind the conservitive players.   If such super-elitest players flood the multiplayer space, then I'd expect to have binary results; *is rapped in <insert very little number of turns* or *manages to fight off the strategy that would cause the 1st result, then other player quits* and I'm not a fan of that and I think it generally hurts the multiplayer scene as I find it does in other games that feature it.   I don't want to bring down the 'pros', but I'd rather be able to expect un-expected uses of essence... if that makes any sense.   

 

I agree with giving essense directly into a creature, item, hero, or structure.  Anything that would cause a perminant effect is good.  I'd also be ok if you had to spend essense everytime you built anything major, like a new town, portal, or wizard tower (and by wizard tower I mean in the master of magic or age of wonder sense, where your main-guy sits and causes uber-influence/changes the shape of the front lines in a significant way)

Reply #8 Top

Quoting landisaurus, reply 7
I like the brain storming.  I don't have a whole lot to add really except cut down on the direct spell-like effects.

I'm an extremely conservitive player, which means if something that is finite (as I understand essense to be) can be expelled to create 1 time effects (like half the above effects) then I would never use those abilities.   Thats all fine and dandy, not everybody should want to use everything, but the type of people that would use them are the super-elitest players that play the game so much that they can budget every of essense from the get go, and quit the moment their mass-teleportation fails to get the results they want thus dooming them to be behind the conservitive players.   If such super-elitest players flood the multiplayer space, then I'd expect to have binary results; *is rapped in <insert very little number of turns* or *manages to fight off the strategy that would cause the 1st result, then other player quits* and I'm not a fan of that and I think it generally hurts the multiplayer scene as I find it does in other games that feature it.   I don't want to bring down the 'pros', but I'd rather be able to expect un-expected uses of essence... if that makes any sense.   

Well we've been informed essence can be placed into the channeller thus creating a single powerful unit, thus I listed #10 thru #14 providing players multiple ways to create very unique strong or very strong channellers.  It would be sad if anyone choosing to have a strong channeller meant only one giant human.  From the list #3 and #9 are designed more for defensive and escape purposes as bad luck might leave you under attack from something in a dungeon during the early game stages where other magic and technology hasn't been researched.  This allows the player another chance at hope.  From the list #8 is one of those that should only be available to the channeller, unless the developers have a channeller tag which can be listed in magic spells it would have to be linked with essence.  From the list #4, #5 and #7 is the channeller placing his essence into a unit, thing or item.  From the list #6 is a defensive tool for stopping the notorious blitz strategies... it's not 100% accurate on stopping a blitz, but it will have players think twice about risking its largest army during early game to swallow a nearby opponent.  And last #2 would be something primarily used during the early game stages, but should be linked with essence to prevent a strong player from using regular mana to locate multiple helpful structures, resources, and enemies.

 

Quoting landisaurus, reply 6

I agree with giving essense directly into a creature, item, hero, or structure.  Anything that would cause a perminant effect is good.  I'd also be ok if you had to spend essense everytime you built anything major, like a new town, portal, or wizard tower (and by wizard tower I mean in the master of magic or age of wonder sense, where your main-guy sits and causes uber-influence/changes the shape of the front lines in a significant way)

I'm also hoping to see multiple ways of injecting essence into things on the map.