Thanks much for that feedback -- I find myself spending more time modding the game than I do playing, so happy to have a thorough playtest.

I'm going to be adding fire-bomb type items in the next go-around, and will try to incorporate some your suggestions as well.

Do you feel they don't scale when assigned as unit items, or champion items, or both?

I see -- good input.  The only drawback I can see is if those core abilities would have to be modified I might have to modify the core files as well.

But I'll see what I can do.

I am now working on the weapons portion of my mod and I realize I might be able to use this to fix some basic problems I have seen in the game.  Using this methodology it is possible to fix the problems with limiting the range on bows.  Simply put by converting the basic bow attack from a spell to a special ability you have introduced it eliminates the AI problem with putting a range limit on a bow.  Previously if you put a range limit on the bows attack the AI just freezes and doesn't know what to do.  But if a weapon has a special ability the AI seems to be able to handle this.  I will try it out and let you guys know if it works.

While looking at this you have two different ideas to consider.  A direct ranged weapon bow, sling, and staff.  Or a accessory that gives an additional range attack to a normal melee unit.  So it depends on your intent for each weapon.  Now for the items such as the knives, axes, and javelins it makes sense to have them as accessories that can have independent stats compared to held weapons that are used for direct combat.  

Also I was correct when I looked back at the stats it becomes a combat ability only because it is listed as such when you reference the spell like:

<Attribute>UnlockCombatAbility</Attribute>

You just need to change how it is referenced when the spell is accessed through the weapon like:

<Attribute>UnlockRangedAction</Attribute>

After that each spell then needs the flag

<IsSpecialAbility>1</IsSpecialAbility>

changed to

<IsRangedAttack>1</IsRangedAttack>

otherwise it will be ignored by dodge against ranged stat.

Hopefully this helps.

Oh yeah when the spells you created are used you don't need to add the calculated data unless its used as an accessory then you do.

Cheers.

So no matter what AI value I set the special ability to the AI will not use it no matter what.  So I am going to try to remove the attack value and see if the AI will use the bow as a bow.

Alright final post for this after hijacking this thread for too much spam.  

For any and all normal ranged attack weapons such as; bows, knives, javelins, and axes you have to build a normal attack like a bow.  So the attack has to have the tag <Attribute>UnlockRangedAction</Attribute> so that the tag <IsRangedAttack>1</IsRangedAttack> in the spell attack is valid otherwise the attack won't be valid.  This also allows the game to recognize these attacks as ranged for the purpose of defending with dodge against ranged tag.  

For non-standard attacks like staves using the combat ability makes more sense especially using the damage calculator you made because it allows special abilities to scale based upon the total number of units.  All you have to do is set the spell to be resistible after making it a combat ability.  Also if you set the weapon combat speed to 0 and then add a casting delay to 1 then it is possible to make a staff have the same attack but also make it independent for combat speed determination.  This makes it possible to have a caster style sov/champ hold a staff but not slow the casting down and still have the option of a mana free casting ability.

Anyhow sorry for blasting this thread with posts of my frustration in weapons.