Well, I finally got around to writing a message here. So, let me share the idea I wanted to voice. Surely many of you know about Heroes III and that there is a fan-made expansion for it, excellent in every sense, called Horn of the Abyss (or HotA for short). Ever since they introduced the pirate faction, I've been thinking about how great it would be to add a new faction to Heroes V, add new visitable objects, add conservatories where defeating the guards grants troops as a reward (I personally really missed this in the fifth game), work on fixing the game, port it to a 64-bit system, optimize it, clean it of various clutter, and various smaller things.
To put it directly, I dreamed that Heroes V would have its own equivalent of HotA, one without all those extra and unnecessary things found in Heroes 5.5, which I really dislike for their overloaded elements.
So, regarding factions, I used to want to see the Cove in the game, but now I want to see a fully recreated Sanctuary, specifically the one from Nival, not from the 6th game. And besides it, I also wanted to add a faction that simply won my heart and gave me food for thought... I'm talking about the recently added faction in HotA, namely the Factory. I've been thinking about its equivalent for the fifth part. I've thought through practically every aspect possible.
And so I want to describe it below:
[spoiler=General Information]
Faction Name:
- Guild of Creators (Factory)
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Hero Class:
- Inventor: Magic class, stats 0 1 2 2
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Alignment:
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Terrain Type:
- Mesa (or essentially Wastelands)
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State:
- Wastelands of Navarre (a state that could be located on the very edge of the Silver Cities)
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Schools of Magic:
- Magic of Chaos
- Magic of Summoning
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Deity:
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Resource:
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Tear of Asha:
Celestial Forge: Increases weekly creature growth by 50%, brings an additional 5000 gold per day to your treasury, and gives all
Inventor heroes the spells "Summon Airship" and "Dismount Airship", provided they are level 25.
Building this structure requires the Tear of Asha.
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Native War Machine:
_________________________________________________________Factional Skill:
- Technology – Allows creatures under the hero's command to deal increased damage to enemy stacks
that have an innate or acquired magical effect, and additionally reduces the gold cost for hiring creatures in towns.
- Basic Technology (10% damage, -5% hiring cost)
- Advanced Technology (20% damage, -10% hiring cost)
- Expert Technology (30% damage, -15% hiring cost)
- Ultimate Technology (40% damage, -20% hiring cost) [Requires Pendant of Mastery]
Improved Mechanisms – Gives all mechanical creatures under the hero's command 10% magic resistance.
Elemental Protection – A special war ability of the Inventor temporarily grants the selected
creature 50% protection from all elemental spells. Effect duration in turns is 2+0.25*Hero level.
Maiming – The hero gains a special war ability that can be applied to one of their own stacks.
Under this ability, the creature can, when attacking an enemy creature, inflict an effect on it that causes it to
receive 15% more damage from physical attacks, including ranged ones.
Gift of Ylath – At the start of the round, all enemy creatures will take damage similar to the Chain Lightning spell,
whose damage will be equal to 50+5%*Hero level.
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Unique Buildings:
- Artifact Shop: Allows purchasing artifacts.
- Scroll Shop: Allows purchasing spell scrolls for resources.
- Mana Tower: Gives the garrison hero +20 mana during a siege; after the hero leaves the town, they lose the additional mana.
- Magic Crystal: The "Spellpower" of all Inventors is increased by +1 (cumulative with other castles).
- Fuel Depot: Increases the weekly growth of Mechanics, Engineers, and Sappers by +4.
_________________________________________________________City Building Layout:
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Creatures
Halfling Warrens -> Halfling Houses:
- Halflings
- Halfling Grenadiers (Upgrade)
- Brave Halflings (Alt-Upgrade)
Smelter -> Engineering Workshop:
- Mechanics
- Engineers (Upgrade)
- Sappers (Alt-Upgrade)
Manufactory -> Factory:
- Mechanoids
- Mechanoid Sentries (Upgrade)
- Mechanoid Demolishers (Alt-Upgrade)
Serpentarium -> Palace of the Couatls:
- Couatls
- Ancient Couatls (Upgrade)
- Crimson Couatls (Alt-Upgrade)
Saloon -> Watch Post:
- Mercenaries
- Mercenary Captains (Upgrade)
- Bounty Hunters (Alt-Upgrade)
Catacombs -> Deep Catacombs:
- Sand Worms
- Olgoi-Khorkhoi (Upgrade)
- Cave Worms (Alt-Upgrade)
Assembly Line -> Slipway:
- Walkers
- Dreadnoughts (Upgrade)
- Juggernauts (Alt-Upgrade)
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Unit Abilities:
- Living Creature – This is a living creature of flesh and blood, so it can be resurrected. (All creatures except Mechanoids, Walkers, and their upgrades)
- Mechanism – These creatures are not alive, and cannot be poisoned, blinded, affected by diseases, and are also unaffected by spells that influence the mind.
They also cannot be resurrected or healed in a First Aid Tent. However, they can be repaired using Repair and Fix. (Mechanoids, Walkers, and their upgrades)
- Flying Creature – This creature can move to any part of the battlefield during its turn, regardless of obstacles in its path.
(Couatls and their upgrades)
- Large Creature – This creature is larger than others and occupies four squares on the battlefield. (Couatls, Sand Worms, Walkers, and their upgrades)
- Shooter – This creature can deal damage from a distance. When the target is more than half the arena away, the enemy receives only half the normal damage. Shooters cannot shoot
when blocked by an enemy creature. If there is no Ammo Cart in the army, the number of shots is limited. (Halflings, Mercenaries, and their upgrades)
- Lucky – The creature always has positive luck and it cannot be lower than 1. (Halflings and their upgrades)
- Stunning Projectile – Each ranged attack by this creature has a certain chance to stun the enemy so that they cannot retaliate against melee strikes.
Does not work on mechanical creatures, undead, or elementals. (Halfling Grenadiers)
- Giant Hunter – Deals increased damage to large creatures. (Brave Halflings)
- Repair – This creature can repair friendly mechanical creatures and war machines within range twice per battle,
and also has a 10% chance to resurrect enemy mechanical creatures that will be under the hero's control until the end of the battle. (Mechanics, Engineers)
- Fix – This creature can repair friendly mechanical creatures and war machines at a distance once per battle. (Engineers)
- Flamethrower Attack – When attacking, the creature deals normal damage to the primary target, and half damage to the creature behind it. There is also a
small chance that both targets may receive a burn effect lasting 2 turns. (Mechanics and their upgrades)
- Mining – This creature can place 3 mines on the battlefield per round; their damage is equal to half the health of each creature in the stack. (Sappers)
- Armor – This creature is immune to all spells and effects that reduce Defense. (Mechanoids and their upgrades)
- No Retaliation – Enemies never retaliate against this creature after its melee attack. (Mechanoid Sentries)
- Covering Fire – This creature can make a retaliatory ranged attack against an adjacent enemy stack attacking an ally.
(Mechanoid Sentries)
- Detonation – If this creature with the activated ability dies, it explodes, dealing damage to each adjacent stack.
The ability can be activated without spending the stack's turn. No corpse remains after the explosion. (Mechanoid Demolishers)
- Meditation – This creature can become immune to enemy attacks or magic once per battle (activatable ability).
The invulnerability state ends at the start of this creature's next turn (not counting extra turns from high morale).
However, the creature sacrifices its turn to use the ability. (Couatls, Ancient Couatls)
- Invulnerable Strike – This creature can become immune to enemy attacks or magic once per battle (activatable ability).
The invulnerability state ends at the start of this creature's next turn (not counting extra turns from high morale).
The creature retains the ability to move and can even attack an enemy stack without risk of receiving a counterstrike. (Crimson Couatls)
- Crystalline Feathers – This creature is immune to instant death from abilities that guarantee killing at least one creature in a stack. (Crimson Couatls)
- Preemptive Shot – If the creatures become the target of a ranged attack, they shoot at the attacking enemy stacks before taking damage.
Damage from the preemptive shot is calculated the same as for a normal shot. The ability does not work if the creatures are blocked by an adjacent enemy stack
or if they were attacked by war machines or shooters with area-of-effect attacks. (Mercenaries and their upgrades)
- Reaction Shot – This creature can make an additional free shot at the first enemy that comes within a line of up to 5 cells. (Mercenary Captains)
- Marksman Shot – After shooting, there is a chance to additionally kill at least one creature from the enemy stack. The number of killed creatures
cannot exceed the size of the attacking stack. The ability does not work when there is a penalty behind city walls. (Bounty Hunters)
- Underground Movement – Similar to creatures with the flying or teleportation ability, they can move across the battlefield,
ignoring obstacles in their path. The ability is unavailable if battles take place on ships and bridges; in this case, these creatures
move normally on foot. (Sand Worms and their upgrades)
- Immunity to Blindness – This creature cannot be blinded. (Sand Worms and their upgrades)
- Corpse Absorption – Each time this creature absorbs a corpse, it gains +1 additional strike on its next attack.
Additional strikes are delivered only after the enemy's counterattack (if possible) and can be used only once per battle.
If the enemy dies before all additional strikes are delivered, the remaining strikes are saved for the next attack. Unused additional strikes
are saved until the end of the battle. (Olgoi-Khorkhoi)
- Worm Bite – When this creature attacks, there is a 20% chance that the creatures of the target enemy stack will age – each creature's health will be reduced by 50%.
Duration – 3 turns. (Cave Worms)
- Rage – This creature's Attack parameter increases if any friendly stack (except those consisting of resurrected or summoned creatures) is killed.
(Walkers and their upgrades)
- Thermal Ray – This creature can sacrifice its turn to conduct a thermal ray attack in a specified direction (activatable ability).
Executing this attack, the creatures hit a nearby wide area of five to six squares with the ray. Any stack caught in this attack takes damage
equal to the damage of these creatures' normal attack. The enemy cannot retaliate against this attack. (Dreadnoughts)
- Shock Wave – This creature can release a wave that deals 10% of its normal damage in a 10x7 cell radius and has a chance to stun small creatures,
and reduce the initiative of large ones. (Juggernauts)
_________________________________________________________Heroes
Campaign Heroes:
Roman – "Vassal of Grimheim and Navarre"
Specialization: If the hero's army simultaneously contains creatures from the "Fortress" and "Guild of Creators" factions, they receive +1 to morale and luck, as well as +1 to Attack and Defense for every two hero levels, starting from the first.
Biography: Roman was once a simple mercenary in the free cities, earning a decent living. Then he managed to work as a guard in the Griffin Empire for a time, and later became a vassal in Grimheim, simply because one of the dwarven regents took a liking to him during diplomatic negotiations between the empire and the mountain folk. However, after a long time, he learned about the new state created by former mages of the Silver Cities and, out of curiosity, decided to visit it and learn more about them.
Skills and Abilities: Basic Technology, Basic Leadership, Diplomacy.
Starting Army: Halflings 15-25, Mountain Guardians 18-26, Mechanoids 0-4
Spell: Magic Fist
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Douglas – "Sheriff"
Specialization: Mercenaries, Mercenary Captains, and Bounty Hunters in the hero's army receive +1 to Defense and Attack for every two hero levels, starting from the first. The "Preemptive Shot" ability is enhanced; it now works even if there is an enemy stack on the adjacent cell and if it is attacked by a Ballista.
Biography: --------
Skills and Abilities: Basic Technology, Basic Offense, Archery.
Starting Army: Halflings 15-25, Mountain Guardians 18-26, Mercenaries 1
Spell: Lightning Bolt
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Tavern Heroes:
Jens – "Halfling Commander"
Specialization: Halflings, Halfling Grenadiers, and Brave Halflings in the hero's army receive +1 to Defense and Attack for every two hero levels, starting from the first.
Biography: --------
Skills and Abilities: Basic Technology, Ethereal Luck, Traveller's Luck.
Starting Army: Halflings 15-25, Halflings 15-25, Halflings 15-25, Ammo Cart
Spell: Divine Strength
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Janet – "Mechanic Foreman"
Specialization: Mechanics, Engineers, and Sappers in the hero's army receive +1 to Defense and Attack for every two hero levels, starting from the first.
Biography: --------
Skills and Abilities: Basic Technology, Basic Chaos Magic, Master of Fire.
Starting Army: Mechanics 6-8, Mechanics 6-8, Mechanics 6-8
Spell: Magic Arrow
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Joseph – "Mechanoid Creator"
Specialization: Mechanoids, Mechanoid Sentries, and Mechanoid Demolishers in the hero's army receive +1 to Defense and Attack for every two hero levels, starting from the first.
Biography: --------
Skills and Abilities: Basic Technology, Basic War Machines, Ballista.
Starting Army: Mechanoids 4-6, Mechanoids 4-6, Mechanoids 4-6, Ballista
Spell: Haste
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Heinrich – "Couatl Speaker"
Specialization: Couatls, Crimson Couatls, and Ancient Couatls in the hero's army receive +1 to Defense and Attack for every two hero levels, starting from the first.
Biography: ---------
Skills and Abilities: Basic Technology, Basic Defense, Retaliation.
Starting Army: Halflings 15-25, Mechanics 6-8, Mechanoids 0-4
Spell: Summon Wasp Swarm
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Bart – "Sulfur Prospector"
Specialization: The hero brings +1 sulfur to the treasury daily.
Biography: --------
Skills and Abilities: Basic Technology, Basic Defense, Evasion.
Starting Army: Halflings 15-25, Mechanics 6-8, Mechanoids 0-4
Spell: Stone Skin
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Castor – "The Enlightened"
Specialization: The hero increases the duration of spells, even those with a limited number of turns, by +1 turn for every four hero levels, starting from the first.
Biography: --------
Skills and Abilities: Basic Technology, Basic Sorcery, Wisdom.
Starting Army: Halflings 15-25, Mechanics 6-8, Mechanoids 0-4
Spell: Sword Wall
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Elsa – "Cryomancer"
Specialization: Enhances the spells "Ice Block", "Ring of Cold", and "Crippling Cold". When calculating the effect, Spellpower is increased by Hero_level/3 rounded up.
Biography: --------
Skills and Abilities: Basic Technology, Basic Chaos Magic, Master of Cold.
Starting Army: Halflings 15-25, Mechanics 6-8, Mechanoids 0-4
Spell: Ice Block
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Jasmine – "Elemental Guardian"
Specialization: Enhances the "Elemental Protection" ability. Its use will increase defense against offensive elemental magic by +5%*Hero_Level. An enemy hero spends 1 more mana on casting Chaos magic spells.
Biography: --------
Skills and Abilities: Basic Technology, Basic Enlightenment, Elemental Protection.
Starting Army: Halflings 15-25, Mechanics 6-8, Mechanoids 0-4
Spell: Fire Trap
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So, I think I've described everything. Oh yes, sorry about the description of the hero Roman, I just decided to quickly sketch an example biography ^^'
