Please replace the static champion locations with Quests. The champions look silly standing there waiting to die or be hired.
Benefits:
+Exploration (will this quest be for an item or champion?)
+Faction Differentiation (no need to predetermine Kingdom or Empire. Dynamic based on who completed the quest)
+Research (retains need to research magic tree for better champions)
+Mod (developer and mod community has great control over quest difficulty and reward)
+Aesthetics (quest locations > static champion lairs)
I agree.
I don't even like most quests because the rewards are just not worthwhile. I don't look forward to them. Getting some really cool unit would be great. I'd love to get a Darkling champion or an Umberdroth steed.
I like this idea.
It's the Seven Samurai method of character introduction. I like it.
Oooo, I like this suggestion. Fits in nicely with having to research adventure tech to recruit higher level champions. Great idea.
There is one possible problem I see resulting from this - One player can scoop up all the heroes on the map, not to mention with the number of heroes present of either faction you would quickly bloat your army. I'm okay with quests opening champions rather than a simple gold cost, but the quest should indicate if you are hunting a hero to assassinate or recruit, to keep the faction specific heroes relevant. It would also solve the issue of opposing heroes being far too easy to kill.
Champions should be charismatic heroes joining your cause for a reason they believes in (money could be one of them) - not mercenaries you hire paying them once and then endure whatever you make them do for the rest of their lives just to get better equipment I guess ... or are they slaves you buy from the owners of the locations you find them in?
Give the champions a loyalty stat and some personality traits that will make them leave you if your actions/special event/conditions don't please them. For example you get other champions they can't stand around for some reason, not completing their quests in time (the one you got him with and other ones they throw at you at level up or on special events/conditions of your sovereign/faction/enemies)
That will not be a problem if you had to:
1. Research questing to get access to difficult quest that grant high level champions
2. Find quest locations, starting and subsequent ones (increase the count and distance to them according to the lvl of the champion you gonna get) - and btw stop showing where the quest locations are even tearing the fog of war - it kills the exploration part just mark any unvisited location with some marker/tool tip hint
3. Complete the quest (maybe even with the help of the champion you will get as reward that joined you on the previous location, but will leave you if you don't find/complete the last one - loyalty stat can prevent you from stripping him of his belongings)
4. Keep all your champions happy/get rid of the ones causing too much trouble
Killing champions aligned with enemy factions standing around waiting to be hired just to prevent enemies to hire them or as an easy lonely target feels really cheap I always thought that the only way you should encounter a champion you'd want to kill is leading an enemy fraction army. But now that you mention it finishing the quest, but not in a way that particular champion wanted so he attacks you instead of joining in or having a chance that a champion you pissed off long enoug becomes a traitor and convinces half of the units of the army he is in to rebel against you and align with another faction or go bandits and starts fighting the remaining half of that army sounds really cool
How about do the Quest Idea for Champions ...
but make each Champion different.
Some require Gold, others mana, others crystal. Maybe some even want something else entirely.
Point is, you go on a quest, it 'opens' the Champion. You have the option of gaining their services. Maybe by simple merit of completing the quest they will join you (level 1s, weaker level 3s).
However, if you cannot pay them, then they simply remain on the map. Maybe they start wandering around, recruiting bandits or mercenaries to work for them. Maybe they start to explore lairs on their own. Maybe they decide to attack more civilized factions ...
While land, titles, liege/vassal-like relationships, dynasty trees for champions would be great - I'm not sure it fits the developers' vision for Elemental
Champions are not channelers nor simple wandering monsters - an intermediate set of behaviors could be made... or the ones that get hired but then disappointed and leave a specific faction could just become available to get hired by the same/another quest for another faction.
I agree that land would likely be too complicated, hence I edited it out (would have spoilered it if I knew how on this forum), so that the original intent of the idea can still be read.
Yes. Personal quests (individual for each Champion or Champion type) would be nice. Perhaps a Champion that completes their personal quest gets an extra special perk/trait? Even Valkyria chronicles did this, and that is an FPS. Well technically a JTPS. (Japanese third person shooter)
Also, generic 'hard quests' that allow you to go out of your way in order to help heal a champ's injuries ... that would be nice.
(and not a lame potion that heals all injuries, but a quest reward option which heals an injury or two)
A chain (or tree - for different choices we make at finishing them) of personal quests that every champion ask us to complete from the recruiting quest until it gets to max level would be great but its a lot of work and hard to make them different. Its easier to make lots of...
I would like this, very much. Please give me my 'paladin in the cave, surrounded by bandits' back!
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