- Joined
- Aug 31, 2009
- Messages
- 775
Nah, he's still hard as nails. I forgot to mention, you don't get put to level 100 now when the fight starts - so it's still damn hard as hell.
Also, I'd like some people's opinions on something quite big I'm planning for the map:
Going back to the first ever prototype of the game, the order I made the heroes was:
1 - Stoneshaper
2 - Flamewaker
3 - Warlock
4 - Lich
5 - Assassin
6 - Naga Deep Lord
7 - Disciple of the Forest
8 - Crusader
9 - Lightning Harbinger
10 - Tinker
11 - Dreadlord
12 - Ranger
As is typical when making maps of this magnitude, the hero creation is a learning process. As such, the later created heroes were much better made and more imaginative than the first created heroes.
Over the design process, I've gone back to the earlier heroes and improved them to make them as good as the newer heroes.
The only exception to this is the Lich.
The only change I ever did to him was to nerf his ultimate, as it was hideously overpowered.
Problems I see with the Lich:
- Frostbolt is too weak at lower levels, making players avoid its use.
- Mana regeneration is only acquired through Mind Cool.
- Bonewards are much too powerful against bosses, as they distract them too easily and barricade them against attacking the players. The skeletons also trivialise Brutallus.
- Ultimate is channelled, and can be seen in the player's eyes as unfair should it get interrupted.
- Standard AoE ability, Ice Nova, requires you to be stood near enemies, and this is totally not what an intelligence hero should be doing.
- His intelligence bonus ability is very powerful, but he's the only hero that can provide a near permanent stat boost, making the ranks of Mind Cool seem forced onto the player in high-player-number games.
Good things about the Lich:
- He has good synergies with the Ranger and Deep Lord, as they both can provide the Frost debuff.
- Exceptionally good at controlling the battle, and keeping enemies at bay.
As you can see, there are some great problems with this hero, and I've already planned out the Solution:
The Lich will be replaced with a new hero, called the Frost Lord.
The Frost Lord will be using this model file, and his main aspect is Ice Magic (instead of a blurred mix of ice/necromancy).
Also, I'm really happy how the Felguards for the Warlock turned out, and I think this influenced my decisions for the new abilities.
The abilities I have imagined so far are this:
(R = Spell Rank)
Innate (Passive) Skill:
Crystallisation
The Frost Lord's attacks apply Frost, lowering enemy movement speed by 40% for 8 seconds. In addition, when the Frost Lord attacks an enemy already slowed by Frost, he recovers 2% of his total health and mana. This effect cannot occur more than once every second.
First Skill
Howling Blast
(90 + (15*R) Mana) (9 Sec Cooldown)
Blasts a target with frost dealing (R*19) + (R*0.36*Int) damage, and dealing 30% of this damage to other nearby units. All units hit by the blast are also Frosted.
Second Skill
Glacial Guardian
(120 + (90*R) Mana) (40 sec Cooldown)
Summons a permanent Glacial Guardian under control of the Frost Lord, which automatically uses a variety of abilities. You can only have a maximum of one Guardian at a time.
[See Below for guardian abilities]
Third Skill
Shatter
(55 + (15*R) Mana) (12 sec cooldown)
Shatters the armour of a target enemy unit, dealing (R*21) + (R*0.37*Int) damage and reducing the target's armour by (R*5) for 10 seconds. Can only be cast on a Frosted Target. If the target is not frosted, the attack is failed.
Fourth Skill
Cold Aura
(Passive)
(Requires Level 2)
Reduces nearby enemy movement speed and attack rates by (R*3)%. Also deals R + (R*0.01*Int) damage per second to nearby enemy units which are Frosted.
Ultimate Skill
Flash Freeze
(120 + (R*80) Mana) (Once per Round)
Freezes all enemy units in the target area, making them unable to attack or move for up to 8 seconds - even affecting boss enemies. Units frozen by Flash Freeze take (R*8) + (R*0.3*Int) damage, and pulse Frost onto themselves and other nearby units, every second.
[Guardian Abilities]
(Passive)
Glacial Endurance
- Reduces damage taken from attacks by (R*3) and causes the Guardian's attacks against Frosted units to recover 2% of its total health.
Frozen Punch (9 second cooldown)
- Smashes an enemy with fists of ice, dealing (R*8) + (R*0.1*Int) damage, and Freezing it solid for 5 seconds, making it unable to move or attack. Does not freeze boss enemies.
Ice Shard (10 sec cooldown)
- Calls down a Ice Shard on the target area, stunning units for 1 second, and summoning an Icy Minion. Icy Minions explode on death, dealing (R*12) + (R*0.08*Int) damage to nearby enemies.
Ice Nova (15 sec cooldown)
- Deals (R*5) + (R*0.07*Int) damage to nearby enemies, and Frosts them for up to 15 seconds.
Note: All abilities are subject to change in light of testing and balance issues.
As with the Warlock, the Guardian will auto-cast all of these abilities.
The Guardian will have high health and armour, but his overall damage is lower than the Felguard Duo.
I also haven't thought of a 3rd skill yet for the hero.
But judging how one of his abilities is an Aura, and another a permanent summon, it does mean this next ability needs to be a short cooldown ability otherwise you'll end up hardly ever having to press any buttons (like the old Deep Lord used to be).
Also, I'd like some people's opinions on something quite big I'm planning for the map:
Going back to the first ever prototype of the game, the order I made the heroes was:
1 - Stoneshaper
2 - Flamewaker
3 - Warlock
4 - Lich
5 - Assassin
6 - Naga Deep Lord
7 - Disciple of the Forest
8 - Crusader
9 - Lightning Harbinger
10 - Tinker
11 - Dreadlord
12 - Ranger
As is typical when making maps of this magnitude, the hero creation is a learning process. As such, the later created heroes were much better made and more imaginative than the first created heroes.
Over the design process, I've gone back to the earlier heroes and improved them to make them as good as the newer heroes.
The only exception to this is the Lich.
The only change I ever did to him was to nerf his ultimate, as it was hideously overpowered.
Problems I see with the Lich:
- Frostbolt is too weak at lower levels, making players avoid its use.
- Mana regeneration is only acquired through Mind Cool.
- Bonewards are much too powerful against bosses, as they distract them too easily and barricade them against attacking the players. The skeletons also trivialise Brutallus.
- Ultimate is channelled, and can be seen in the player's eyes as unfair should it get interrupted.
- Standard AoE ability, Ice Nova, requires you to be stood near enemies, and this is totally not what an intelligence hero should be doing.
- His intelligence bonus ability is very powerful, but he's the only hero that can provide a near permanent stat boost, making the ranks of Mind Cool seem forced onto the player in high-player-number games.
Good things about the Lich:
- He has good synergies with the Ranger and Deep Lord, as they both can provide the Frost debuff.
- Exceptionally good at controlling the battle, and keeping enemies at bay.
As you can see, there are some great problems with this hero, and I've already planned out the Solution:
The Lich will be replaced with a new hero, called the Frost Lord.
The Frost Lord will be using this model file, and his main aspect is Ice Magic (instead of a blurred mix of ice/necromancy).
Also, I'm really happy how the Felguards for the Warlock turned out, and I think this influenced my decisions for the new abilities.
The abilities I have imagined so far are this:
(R = Spell Rank)
Innate (Passive) Skill:
Crystallisation
The Frost Lord's attacks apply Frost, lowering enemy movement speed by 40% for 8 seconds. In addition, when the Frost Lord attacks an enemy already slowed by Frost, he recovers 2% of his total health and mana. This effect cannot occur more than once every second.
First Skill
Howling Blast
(90 + (15*R) Mana) (9 Sec Cooldown)
Blasts a target with frost dealing (R*19) + (R*0.36*Int) damage, and dealing 30% of this damage to other nearby units. All units hit by the blast are also Frosted.
Second Skill
Glacial Guardian
(120 + (90*R) Mana) (40 sec Cooldown)
Summons a permanent Glacial Guardian under control of the Frost Lord, which automatically uses a variety of abilities. You can only have a maximum of one Guardian at a time.
[See Below for guardian abilities]
Third Skill
Shatter
(55 + (15*R) Mana) (12 sec cooldown)
Shatters the armour of a target enemy unit, dealing (R*21) + (R*0.37*Int) damage and reducing the target's armour by (R*5) for 10 seconds. Can only be cast on a Frosted Target. If the target is not frosted, the attack is failed.
Fourth Skill
Cold Aura
(Passive)
(Requires Level 2)
Reduces nearby enemy movement speed and attack rates by (R*3)%. Also deals R + (R*0.01*Int) damage per second to nearby enemy units which are Frosted.
Ultimate Skill
Flash Freeze
(120 + (R*80) Mana) (Once per Round)
Freezes all enemy units in the target area, making them unable to attack or move for up to 8 seconds - even affecting boss enemies. Units frozen by Flash Freeze take (R*8) + (R*0.3*Int) damage, and pulse Frost onto themselves and other nearby units, every second.
[Guardian Abilities]
(Passive)
Glacial Endurance
- Reduces damage taken from attacks by (R*3) and causes the Guardian's attacks against Frosted units to recover 2% of its total health.
Frozen Punch (9 second cooldown)
- Smashes an enemy with fists of ice, dealing (R*8) + (R*0.1*Int) damage, and Freezing it solid for 5 seconds, making it unable to move or attack. Does not freeze boss enemies.
Ice Shard (10 sec cooldown)
- Calls down a Ice Shard on the target area, stunning units for 1 second, and summoning an Icy Minion. Icy Minions explode on death, dealing (R*12) + (R*0.08*Int) damage to nearby enemies.
Ice Nova (15 sec cooldown)
- Deals (R*5) + (R*0.07*Int) damage to nearby enemies, and Frosts them for up to 15 seconds.
Note: All abilities are subject to change in light of testing and balance issues.
As with the Warlock, the Guardian will auto-cast all of these abilities.
The Guardian will have high health and armour, but his overall damage is lower than the Felguard Duo.
I also haven't thought of a 3rd skill yet for the hero.
But judging how one of his abilities is an Aura, and another a permanent summon, it does mean this next ability needs to be a short cooldown ability otherwise you'll end up hardly ever having to press any buttons (like the old Deep Lord used to be).
Last edited:
