Starting my first Warcraft map, need just a little help with specific questions!

[Sapherno]

Well, title pretty much says it. I've been going over certain tutorial stuff, on other sites as well as here, But I have specific questions that I've had a really hard time finding out online.

First things first, the map I want to create is Similar to the Naruto Castle Defense map (basically inspiration XD). Now, The main thing is I've figured out how to add custom skins, and I've figured out how to assign skills to characters, and how to have characters SELECT those skills, but the main issue i'm coming into now, is Balance and scaling. I want to have a balanced map, with multiple difficulties. I want EVERY character I have have the potential to beat the map with right leveling, but also a challenge, so that it encourages group play.

So first question would be, what should the scaling for the enemies be, verses how much the heroes would scale in comparision?

 

[Sintriaxx]

I think balance comes from testing. Set a ratio, test it and adjust it. Remember, perfect balance is next to impossible.

 

[Dr Super Good]

Consider limits when doing balancing. A lot of "Naruto" style maps end up number spam with everything hitting for umpteen billion damage. Instead choose a reasonable end game damage amount and health and balance backwards from then.

In the case of hero defences you can use pretty much linear power growth as if the player fails to keep up they will be crushed. You might want to add "key" times to progression where hero power scales faster from then on so that you can add "difficult" sections by scaling monsters faster than the heroes should be scaling. These key times also are when players feel strong and is usually when they get access to their ultimate or certain end game class of items.

Consider what moves your heroes should have carefully. Sure a single target move that does 10,000 damage is great and all but kind of sucks when you are fighting 100s of enemies with only 1,000 health. On the other hand a huge AoE move in that case that does 1,000 damage will be totally rigged and the player using it will likely end up performing a lot better than the one with 10,000 damage. Add tough guys like heroes or captains to the enemy which have considerably higher health so that single target moves have a purpose. Also limit the power of area moves so that their effectiveness remains with crowds and not single target units.

Do keep in mind the 400% limit to faster attack speed and that attack speed cannot go beyond the attack damage point time. If necessary consider making attack speed not scale much at all.

Mana and such resources should always be limited unless the classes special is unlimited resources (eg Illidan in Heroes of the Storm who has no resource). Be careful that scaling does not destroy this limit turning the map into a huge ability spammage. Also make sure that mana regenerates fast enough so that casters can actually do stuff instead of being weak fighters.

Watch out for too many abilities that apply debilitating effects such as stormbolt, cluster rockets, inferno, bash etc as permanently stunning mobs or bosses defeats all challenge.

 

[Sapherno]

Wow Super Good, you blew my mind!

Thank you very much for the helpful advice, I'll take that under wing, and work backwards