I'd like to start opening the can of worms on patch 1.03, because it's time to start giving the community team who worked with us on this some much needed extremely high credit. What I am going to do is rollout the balance changes one section every couple of days. MaDDOX and his team we're nice enough to split up the changes by section, so for today's first roll-out, you get the "Generic" changes.
Now, let it be known that these balance changes were extensively tested for nearly 2 months, and all in all, this patch is going to change the game dramatically, for the better, and in to a far more competitive atmosphere.
It's important everyone is open minded about the changes until you actually get the patch in hand to start playing. So, look at these with an open mind, it's going to be a heavy balance overdose, so get ready!
And by the way, we are aiming to submit the patch to our QA department next Wednesday, less than a week from today. From that day, it is roughly a 3 week turnaround for QA to do proper testing and localization on the patch. Now, I am not promising the patch will go in to QA next Wednesday, but that is our target date, and if not, it won't be much later than that.
We apologize for the delay, but this is a massive patch, and while we are in the middle of BFME II, our resources have been very minimal to get this put through the final ringer. Your patience is unmatched and I thank you. So, here beginth the list! And please, start extending thanks to the "battle-test" team led by master MaDDox, because without them, it would be tough to say this patch would be a world-class hardcore gaming tested balance patch. We really took faith in the battle-test team to work with us on this, and the results have been outstanding, as you will see:
EDIT by Kiltec: "Generic changes" means the same like "general changes", ie all changes that aren't directly related with only one race but with several or all races.
Generic: --------
• Darkness and Freezing rain now take longer to recharge (5 min) than their effectiveness time (3 min) • Cloudbreak recharge time is now 6m 15s • Summoned Elves duration reduced (2 mins from 3 mins) • Summoned Eagles duration reduced (1m30s from 2 mins)
• Balrog now haS a faster wings-takeoff animation (0.7s from 1.7s), improving the AotD vs Balrog scenario balance • Balrog sensibly more resistant to magic damage like the one from Lightning Strike (80% damage taken from 100%) • AotD damage vs the Balrog reduced (approx. 30% of the original) • Balrog whip can now target air units, reload increased (30s from 5s), damage vastly increased (1 whip = dead eagle, 1/3rd health nazgul, half health lvl5 White Gandy), heroes can't resist it's knockback anymore • Balrog whip attack now has a special damage multiplier (x15) making it able to overflow Gandalf's bubble shield and bring a full health level 10 White Wizard down to 40% health. Lethal damage if Gandalf is casting any spell • Balrog now takes less damage from Eagles (40% from 100%)
• All infantry Forged Blades damage per second reduced by one third • All basic infantry now more resistant to specialist damage (Pikemen, TG, Elven, Rhun). It's now 29%/20% (from 50%/40%). • Basic Infantry Heavy armor fire vulnerability slightly increased (20% damage taken from 0%) • Catapult, trebuchet (60% from 100%) and ballista (50% from 100%) now more resistant to Ent damage • FoD Castle Towers base damage increased (25 from 20) • Final balance of cavalry: Howl Warg > HS Knights > Rohirrim > Wargs > Knights ~= Rohirrim (HS = Horseshields) FU Knights > FU Rohirrim > FU Wargs (FU/Full Upgrade = Horseshields+Forged Blades+Heavy Armor) • All combo hordes now get special bonuses: +10% dmg, +10 armor for melee+ranged, +20% armor for melee+cavalry and 120% dmg for pike+ranged or pike+melee
• FoD's outer slaughterhouses cost reduced (300 from 350) and provides similar cash as a lumbermil with 4 laborers (220 from 150 credits per minute). Ranks up to level 2 faster (6 min), when it matches a lumbermil production with 6 laborers (255 cpm). At rank 3, on the 23 min mark, provides 270 credits per minute. • Outpost (expansion) Citadels now have new models and are garrissonable, cost lowered (600 from 800). New mordor outpost hosts batts visibly and on top of them, taking advantage of auras but dying if the outpost is destroyed. • Outpost Citadels health sensibly reduced (2700 from 4000), can't be entered while repairing • Warg Lairs now drop 2 chests with 120•160 gold (from 150-250) and Trolls Lairs drop 4 chests with 150-180 gold. Total average is 280 gold from a warg lair and 660 gold from a troll lair. • Neutral Wargs now do more damage to structures (33% from 10%) • Neutral Warg now does more damage vs citadels (90% damage vs 33%) • Neutral Troll now has a larger guarding range (375 from 350) • Creep lairs are now more vulnerable to cavalry (crush) damage (56% damage taken from 50%). In practice that means 10 less blows from an unupgraded knight or rohirrim to destroy.
Isengard: ---------
• Warchant recharge increased to 2m15s (from 2m) • Vision of the Palantir now gives +15% speed to cavalry, crossbowmen (including combos), heroes and long ranged artillery units in its central area of effect. 2m40s recharge, 35s duration. • Saruman's Fireball and Lurtz' cripple accuracy and extension range increased (280 vs 250) • Saruman's leadership effect reduced, now +30% Armor, 200% Experience, Fear Resistance (from 150% Damage, +50% Armor) • Saruman's maxhealth increased by 10% (1100 from 1000) and Wormtongue setup time reduced (1.2s from 2s) • Lurtz Passive Leadership Damage boost reduced (+60% from +100%)
• Uruk•Hai with heavy armor now more vulnerable to crush damage (60% from 50%) • Crossbowmen have a longer pre-attack time (730ms from 500ms), per position • Pierce damage of crossbowmen vs cavalry reduced by 30% • Pikemen slash vulnerability (123% from 100% with heavy armor) and fire vulnerability (100%/75% from 60%/15%, unarmored/armored) increased • Warg Riders cost reduced (760 from 800), and now have health recovery ability when not fighting - 30s to start healing, 2 seconds for each 2-point heal • Warg's Howl is now 160% damage (from 150%) for 29s (from 35) • Warg's howl have a new aura effect, Heavy armor also has a new black skin to help distinguish their current power at any time • Wargs with Forged Blades now do less damage (80 from 90) • Berserker build time decreased (13s from 20s) • Berserker now slightly more pierce vulnerable (115% taken from 100%) • Ballista AI and pathing improved • Ballista sensibly more resistant to fire (25% from 50%) and siege (33% from 50%) damage • Ballistas now have a faster rate of fire (7s reload from 8s)
Rohan: ------
• Ent Allies Power Point cost reduced to 6 (from 8) • Elven Woods cost reduced (2 points from 3 points) • Some Rohan hero abilities (blademaster,shieldmaiden and glorious charge) are no longer cancelled by Freezing Rain • Glorious Charge reload increased (1m45s from 1m), damage decreased (130% from 200%) • Eowyn starts with horse • Gimli's rank-5 ability - slayer - recharge increased (1m30 from 1m) • Gimli axe throw recharge now takes longer (40s from 30s), gained some splash damage, half power vs heroes • Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli now cost 5 command points each • Aragorn's Blademaster duration slightly reduced (25s from 30s) • Aragorn's Army of the Dead has a shorter duration (32s from 45s) • Aragorn attacks faster and with 1/4th damage on its splash area, blademaster damage boost reduced (+50% from +100%), price increased (3500 from 3000), more vulnerable to MAGIC damage (100% from 75%) • Aragorn revival costs slightly increased to reflect its new cost • Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli now take more experience to level up above rank 7 (1100/1500/2000 from 900/1100/1500) • Legolas can't be killed by Istari Light in a single hit anymore • Legolas' Hawk Strike now has a 30% damage boost vs Gandalf, recharge is now longer (45s from 30s) • Eomer buildcost increased (1400 from 1200), spear damage reduced (280 from 400), smaller splash with half damage, spear recharge much faster (25s from 60s) and available from start • Eomer Horse leadership now on Rank 4, damage boost reduced (+60% from +100%)
• 'Crush revenge' damage higher for peasants (40 from 20 slash) • Rohirrim now take less command points (15 from 20) • Rohirrim attack reload increased (750ms from 1s, Damage per second = 53 from 40) • Rohirrim is now more resistant to slash damage (90% from 100%) • Rohirrim is now 10% more efficient vs Warg Riders (able to beat a batt without howl) • Rohirrim with HorseShields and HeavyArmor now more resistant to Magic attacks (80% from 100% damage taken) • Horseshield now gives less pierce-resistance to Rohirrim (30% taken from 20%). Heavy armor and HA+shields remain the same. • Yeoman Archers have now much more base damage - 32 pierce (from 10) and 37 flame (from 15) - but reload time is approximately 2.5 seconds longer per arrow • Yeoman Archer's now have 15% more speed. Crush-revenge damage (15 from 10) and buildtime (33s from 30s) increased • Elven Warrior's sight range reduced (270 from 420) • Elven Warriors now take more pierce damage with Heavy armor (60% from 40%) and 100%/20% flame damage (from 30%/0%) • Elven Warriors on swords now do Slash damage as in 1.01, speed reduction on formation is now lower (-25% from -40%). • Elven Warrior with heavy armor now more resistant to URUK (55% from 60%) and specialist (23% from 30%) damage, Crush vulnerability sensibly increased (90%/65% from 50%/50%), crush revenge damage halved. • Treebeard now has longer weapon range (600 from 500) and rock-throw damage (520 from 400) • TreeBeard now has a new aura effect to help distinguish the Ents under its effect • TreeBeard now adds a leadership to Ents, increasing their armor by 50%, speed by 25% and rock throw range by 10% • Treebeard enraged time reduced (1m30s from 2m30s) • Ents crush vulnerability reduced (40% from 80%) • Standard Ents health reduced (1700 from 2000) - please notice that total health with TreeBeard aura is around 2500 • Rohirrim Archer now does only 28% damage to anti-cavalry units (Tower Guard, Soldiers of Rhun, Elven Warrior and Pikemen), and less damage to trolls and drummer trolls (56% from 100%). Crush resistance increased (80%/30% from 100%/40%) • Rohirrim Archer are now more vulnerable to pierce damage (130%/50% from 100%/40%, with/without Heavy Armor) and flame (100%/80% from 50%/0%)
• Archery range experience requirement reduced - only three yeomans needed to rank up • Rohan Walls health reduced (4000 from 5000) • Rohan Gate more resistant to magic damage (120% from 300%) • Stables now level up much faster (1800 from 3000 experience required) • Armory cost now 1400 • All Rohan upgrades now research in 45s (vs 30s) • Forged Blades equip cost increased (350 from 300) • Heavy armor equip costs decreased (250 from 300)
Gondor: -------
• Rohirrim allies duration and recharge reduced (1m15s/4m from 3m/5m30s), it now spawns 4 batts instead of 5 • Gandalf now gains 300 health (from 500) when White (base is 1200), now costs 10 command points • Gandalf now requires more experience to level up above rank 7 (1400/1900/2500 from 1100/1500/2000) • Gandalf's Word of Power recharge time increased (4m30s/9m from 3/6m, with/without GtW) • Gandalf lightning strike damage sensibly reduced vs gates, now rank 10 is required to break a Rohan gate • Gandalf Istari Light now does less damage to the WitchKing (180% damage from 200%) • Gandalf shield bubble armor boost reduced (+99% from +200%) to make whipping a shielded Gandalf possible • Faramir now starts at rank 3 (with horse), leadership now at rank 5, +50 armor and fear resistance on a smaller radius (120 vs 200) • Faramir Wounding Arrow base damage increased (400 from 300), reload time increased (45s from 15s), reduced power vs Witchking (50% vs 300%), more effective vs Mumakil (300% from 100%), double damage vs Aragorn and Eomer • Faramir now has a hold fire button, bow base damage increased (40 from 30) and reloads Faster (1.4s average reload from 1.75s) • Faramir now switches to and from his horse faster (1.2s from 2s), speed on horses is now equal to the Knights speed • Boromir now starts at rank 3, +60% damage leadership at rank 4, Horn of Gondor at rank 5, Captain of Gondor at rank 6 • Boromir Horn of Gondor recharge increased (1m30s from 1m) • Boromir attack now swings quicker and has knockback damage, able to throw back non•hero targets • Boromir cost increased (1600 from 1400)
• Soldier cost now 120 • Fire arrow, heavy armor and forged blades equip cost 600 from 800 (360 with full discounts) • 'Crush revenge' damage higher for Gondor Soldiers (40 from 20/slash) • Knights health reduced by 10% (215 from 240) • Gondor Archers cost reduced to $250, 20% faster speed, take less command points (10 from 15 per batallion) • Gondor Archers pierce damage increased (12 from 10) with +12% attack bonus vs orcs • Ranger now takes 20 command points (from 15) and is very pierce (35% damage taken from 100%) and fire resistant (10% from 100%) • Ranger weapon now has increased range (370 from 350) and fast-fire feature, doubling reload rate after the second arrow. 150% pierce damage bonus vs Trolls and Mumakils • Ranger now have a "Hold fire" option • Tower Guard cost increased (500 from 400), 150% damage bonus vs cavalry and double the crush revenge, can't be trampled anymore when in blockshield formation • Tower Guards with Heavy Armor more vulnerable to slash damage (60% from 40%) and flame (10% from 0%), more resistant to standard pierce damage (10% from 20%) • Tower Guards in formation slowdown reduced (-50% speed from -25%), less armor protection (+40% from +50%) • Tower Guard experience requirement to reach level 2 halved (75 from 150). Other ranks requirements unchanged. • Knights now do crush damage (from slash) • Knights with both Heavy armor and Horseshields now have extra magic resistance (ie. can barely survive Word of Power) • Knight horseshields research cost and time increased (1300/45s from 1000/30s) • Knight Horseshields equip cost increased (300 from 200), but increases resistance to crush damage (77%/27% from 80%/40%) • Trebuchet's cost reduced (1000 from 1200) • Trebuchet's fire-upgraded damage (350siege/300fire from 300siege/200fire) and range (480 from 420) increased • Horseshield now make Knights less resistant to pierce (25% taken from 20%). Heavy armor and HA+shields remain the same.
• Workshop (Treb production structure) now costs 1500 from 2000 • Wall Trebuchets upgrade now take discounts from blacksmiths, like all upgrades • Barracks level 2 experience needed reduced to 4 soldiers (400 from 500) • Damage of the upgraded Battle arrows reduced (90 vs 120, base is 40) • Wall health reduced (3300 from 4000) • Numenor Wall health reduced (4500 from 5000) • Gondor Gate more resistant to magic damage (120% from 300%) • Gondor walls now give away experience when destroyed (50, same as large evil structures)
Mordor: -------
- Darkness Boost is now +33% damage (from +50%) and +50% armor - Witchking damage boost is now reduced (+50% from +100%) - WitchKing range of aura effect highly increased (500 from 200) - WitchKing now has a new armor, compared to the Nazgul's it's more pierce (40% vs 61%) and magic (80% vs 100%) resistant, and more flame vulnerable (80% vs 50%) - Witchking now takes half damage from some special hero attacks - Wounding Arrow, Hawk Strike, Spear Throw - Gollum now has proper hotkey, recruit and revival definitions, cost increased (150 from 50), has a new armor (melee-resistant) and +70% damage bonus vs infantry
- Orcs armor more vulnerable to uruk and slash (150% and 170% respectively, from 125% damage taken) - Orcs now has a longer attack reload time (1.83 from 1.63s), crush revenge damage reduced (13 from 20) - Orcs now do 36% damage to external economy structures and towers (battletowers, sentry towers, expansion citadels), and 50% damage to cavalry - Orc archers now have 60 hitpoints (from 50), and are more resistant to fire (50% damage taken from 100%) - Orc archers miss ratio reduced, pierce damage increased vs structures (150%), flame damage increased (20 from 15), damage halved vs cavalry - Orcs and archers experience required to reach level 2 slightly lowered (40 from 50), now gain more health in Level 2 (+30 from +20) and Level 3 (+25 from +20) - Haradrim is now more pierce vulnerable (125% damage taken from 100%) - Haradrim damage boosted vs structures (180%), cost increased (240 vs 200) - Haradrim now do 33% less damage vs basic archers (g.archer, yeoman, crossbow, m.archer) - Soldier of Rhun base buildtime increased (45s from 40s), damage vs infantry increased by 50% - Soldier of Rhun take less crush (20% from 50%), pierce (40% from 50%) and uruk (20% from 100%) damage - Soldier of Rhun 10% faster and it's now faster in formation (-30% speed from -40%) - Soldier of Rhun crush-revenge weapon now does 72 magic damage - more effective vs heavy armor and horse shields - from 60 slash - Drummer Troll base buildtime increased (53s from 45s), cost increased (1300 from 1200), aura has a higher area of effect - Drummer Troll is now more resistant to flame (30% dmg taken from 50%) and more vulnerable to siege damage (150% from 100%) - Mordor Troll now has a hold fire button, club (tree) weapon range sensibly increased (50 from 20) - Nazgul is now slightly more resistant to Magic damage (90% from 100%) - Nazgul takes more pierce damage (61% from 30%), less fire damage (50% from 90%), total damage taken from fire-upgraded arrows roughly the same - Mumakil takes more pierce damage (65% from 50%), and less fire damage (250% from 300%), total damage taken from fire-upgraded arrows slightly less (eg. 57 from 60 for a fire Elven Warrior) - Mumakil legs collision area increased (35/25 from 25/15, front/back legs) - Mumakil charge weapon now does critical damage to heroes (1500 vs 50). Standard crush now does HERO damage type (100% vs heroes) - Catapults fire damage now harms friendly units and structures (100% from 0%)
- Cost of Flag Banner equip upgrade decreased sensibly (450 from 600, full-discounts cost 270) - Haradrim Palace can no longer research the Banner upgrade - Troll cage now levels up faster, 1 troll less for level 2, 1 drummer or troll less for level 3
EDIT by MaDDoX: [i]This topic now consolidates all changes revealed until now. Only the last revealed faction will keep in its own pinned topic, starting from today.
EDIT by Kiltec: Added the changes for Mordor
~APOC
This post has been edited by |elder|Kiltec: Dec 3 2005, 10:42 AM
ya how does gondor expected to get 2PP when pipin cant stone troll lairs
Ever actually thought their "army" could get the pp's. Remember what Apoc said. HUGE patch. If these are only the "generic changes" think of whats to come.
I'll certainly wait until we know all of the details to start ripping the patch a new one. I hope that it is the case that Gondor gets the oppurtunity to use its army, besides knights, to get PP and creep. I want to believe that this one really will work, I really do!
What classification do elves fall under for combo bonuses? I've never really used them with combos, except a few times in the campaign. I figure that elf/elf combos would be ranged/melee, but what about say peasant/elf? Do the elves use bows?
Also, as players who have tested this, can you attest that combos are now viable choices, that they are in fact beneficial in some/many cases?
Exactly, remember that the patch needs to be seen as a WHOLE to make 100% sense, that was the entire point.
We have played getting for 1000 games of testing using players from GRs and other communities in order to get the best of the best testing. All I can say is that the people who tested the game were amazing and that they LOVE '1.03' like their own children
unless Pippin rock throw range is increase it is doubtful that Pippin can take down the troll cave without attracting the troll. As it stand now, pippin is just outside of the troll guard range. The patch will increase that guard range for the troll. We have to see if Pippin rock throw is increase which I highly doubt because why else would they increase the guard range of the troll.
Just use 2 knights to take down the troll down by destroying the cave and luring the troll back to the citadel.
THANK YOU APOC
This post has been edited by [THAD]VoVyNam: Oct 20 2005, 22:34 PM
Open up your minds. What if you don't need to take out a troll lair with pippin OR knights. Maybe faramir will come earlier or archers. LOTS of things might be improved.
Open up your minds. What if you don't need to take out a troll lair with pippin OR knights. Maybe faramir will come earlier or archers. LOTS of things might be improved.
lol, stop messin with their minds AnDrEj.
But I do agree that one could just use faramir to rip the troll up? (BTW: Why not lvl up faramir on trolls instead of the hobbit? Faramir is more useful)
and that they LOVE '1.03' like their own children 
I'd like to start opening the can of worms on patch 1.03, because it's time to start giving the community team who worked with us on this some much needed extremely high credit. What I am going to do is rollout the balance changes one section every couple of days. MaDDOX and his team we're nice enough to split up the changes by section, so for today's first roll-out, you get the "Generic" changes.
Now, let it be known that these balance changes were extensively tested for nearly 2 months, and all in all, this patch is going to change the game dramatically, for the better, and in to a far more competitive atmosphere.
It's important everyone is open minded about the changes until you actually get the patch in hand to start playing. So, look at these with an open mind, it's going to be a heavy balance overdose, so get ready!
And by the way, we are aiming to submit the patch to our QA department next Wednesday, less than a week from today. From that day, it is roughly a 3 week turnaround for QA to do proper testing and localization on the patch. Now, I am not promising the patch will go in to QA next Wednesday, but that is our target date, and if not, it won't be much later than that.
We apologize for the delay, but this is a massive patch, and while we are in the middle of BFME II, our resources have been very minimal to get this put through the final ringer. Your patience is unmatched and I thank you. So, here beginth the list! And please, start extending thanks to the "battle-test" team led by master MaDDox, because without them, it would be tough to say this patch would be a world-class hardcore gaming tested balance patch. We really took faith in the battle-test team to work with us on this, and the results have been outstanding, as you will see:
EDIT by Kiltec:
"Generic changes" means the same like "general changes", ie all changes that aren't directly related with only one race but with several or all races.
Generic:
--------
• Darkness and Freezing rain now take longer to recharge (5 min) than their effectiveness time (3 min)
• Cloudbreak recharge time is now 6m 15s
• Summoned Elves duration reduced (2 mins from 3 mins)
• Summoned Eagles duration reduced (1m30s from 2 mins)
• Balrog now haS a faster wings-takeoff animation (0.7s from 1.7s), improving the AotD vs Balrog scenario balance
• Balrog sensibly more resistant to magic damage like the one from Lightning Strike (80% damage taken from 100%)
• AotD damage vs the Balrog reduced (approx. 30% of the original)
• Balrog whip can now target air units, reload increased (30s from 5s), damage vastly increased (1 whip = dead eagle, 1/3rd health nazgul, half health lvl5 White Gandy), heroes can't resist it's knockback anymore
• Balrog whip attack now has a special damage multiplier (x15) making it able to overflow Gandalf's bubble shield and bring a full health level 10 White Wizard down to 40% health. Lethal damage if Gandalf is casting any spell
• Balrog now takes less damage from Eagles (40% from 100%)
• All infantry Forged Blades damage per second reduced by one third
• All basic infantry now more resistant to specialist damage (Pikemen, TG, Elven, Rhun). It's now 29%/20% (from 50%/40%).
• Basic Infantry Heavy armor fire vulnerability slightly increased (20% damage taken from 0%)
• Catapult, trebuchet (60% from 100%) and ballista (50% from 100%) now more resistant to Ent damage
• FoD Castle Towers base damage increased (25 from 20)
• Final balance of cavalry: Howl Warg > HS Knights > Rohirrim > Wargs > Knights ~= Rohirrim (HS = Horseshields) FU Knights > FU Rohirrim > FU Wargs (FU/Full Upgrade = Horseshields+Forged Blades+Heavy Armor)
• All combo hordes now get special bonuses: +10% dmg, +10 armor for melee+ranged, +20% armor for melee+cavalry and 120% dmg for pike+ranged or pike+melee
• FoD's outer slaughterhouses cost reduced (300 from 350) and provides similar cash as a lumbermil with 4 laborers (220 from 150 credits per minute). Ranks up to level 2 faster (6 min), when it matches a lumbermil production with 6 laborers (255 cpm). At rank 3, on the 23 min mark, provides 270 credits per minute.
• Outpost (expansion) Citadels now have new models and are garrissonable, cost lowered (600 from 800). New mordor outpost hosts batts visibly and on top of them, taking advantage of auras but dying if the outpost is destroyed.
• Outpost Citadels health sensibly reduced (2700 from 4000), can't be entered while repairing
• Warg Lairs now drop 2 chests with 120•160 gold (from 150-250) and Trolls Lairs drop 4 chests with 150-180 gold. Total average is 280 gold from a warg lair and 660 gold from a troll lair.
• Neutral Wargs now do more damage to structures (33% from 10%)
• Neutral Warg now does more damage vs citadels (90% damage vs 33%)
• Neutral Troll now has a larger guarding range (375 from 350)
• Creep lairs are now more vulnerable to cavalry (crush) damage (56% damage taken from 50%). In practice that means 10 less blows from an unupgraded knight or rohirrim to destroy.
Isengard:
---------
• Warchant recharge increased to 2m15s (from 2m)
• Vision of the Palantir now gives +15% speed to cavalry, crossbowmen (including combos), heroes and long ranged artillery units in its central area of effect. 2m40s recharge, 35s duration.
• Saruman's Fireball and Lurtz' cripple accuracy and extension range increased (280 vs 250)
• Saruman's leadership effect reduced, now +30% Armor, 200% Experience, Fear Resistance (from 150% Damage, +50% Armor)
• Saruman's maxhealth increased by 10% (1100 from 1000) and Wormtongue setup time reduced (1.2s from 2s)
• Lurtz Passive Leadership Damage boost reduced (+60% from +100%)
• Uruk•Hai with heavy armor now more vulnerable to crush damage (60% from 50%)
• Crossbowmen have a longer pre-attack time (730ms from 500ms), per position
• Pierce damage of crossbowmen vs cavalry reduced by 30%
• Pikemen slash vulnerability (123% from 100% with heavy armor) and fire vulnerability (100%/75% from 60%/15%, unarmored/armored) increased
• Warg Riders cost reduced (760 from 800), and now have health recovery ability when not fighting - 30s to start healing, 2 seconds for each 2-point heal
• Warg's Howl is now 160% damage (from 150%) for 29s (from 35)
• Warg's howl have a new aura effect, Heavy armor also has a new black skin to help distinguish their current power at any time
• Wargs with Forged Blades now do less damage (80 from 90)
• Berserker build time decreased (13s from 20s)
• Berserker now slightly more pierce vulnerable (115% taken from 100%)
• Ballista AI and pathing improved
• Ballista sensibly more resistant to fire (25% from 50%) and siege (33% from 50%) damage
• Ballistas now have a faster rate of fire (7s reload from 8s)
Rohan:
------
• Ent Allies Power Point cost reduced to 6 (from 8)
• Elven Woods cost reduced (2 points from 3 points)
• Some Rohan hero abilities (blademaster,shieldmaiden and glorious charge) are no longer cancelled by Freezing Rain
• Glorious Charge reload increased (1m45s from 1m), damage decreased (130% from 200%)
• Eowyn starts with horse
• Gimli's rank-5 ability - slayer - recharge increased (1m30 from 1m)
• Gimli axe throw recharge now takes longer (40s from 30s), gained some splash damage, half power vs heroes
• Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli now cost 5 command points each
• Aragorn's Blademaster duration slightly reduced (25s from 30s)
• Aragorn's Army of the Dead has a shorter duration (32s from 45s)
• Aragorn attacks faster and with 1/4th damage on its splash area, blademaster damage boost reduced (+50% from +100%), price increased (3500 from 3000), more vulnerable to MAGIC damage (100% from 75%)
• Aragorn revival costs slightly increased to reflect its new cost
• Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli now take more experience to level up above rank 7 (1100/1500/2000 from 900/1100/1500)
• Legolas can't be killed by Istari Light in a single hit anymore
• Legolas' Hawk Strike now has a 30% damage boost vs Gandalf, recharge is now longer (45s from 30s)
• Eomer buildcost increased (1400 from 1200), spear damage reduced (280 from 400), smaller splash with half damage, spear recharge much faster (25s from 60s) and available from start
• Eomer Horse leadership now on Rank 4, damage boost reduced (+60% from +100%)
• 'Crush revenge' damage higher for peasants (40 from 20 slash)
• Rohirrim now take less command points (15 from 20)
• Rohirrim attack reload increased (750ms from 1s, Damage per second = 53 from 40)
• Rohirrim is now more resistant to slash damage (90% from 100%)
• Rohirrim is now 10% more efficient vs Warg Riders (able to beat a batt without howl)
• Rohirrim with HorseShields and HeavyArmor now more resistant to Magic attacks (80% from 100% damage taken)
• Horseshield now gives less pierce-resistance to Rohirrim (30% taken from 20%). Heavy armor and HA+shields remain the same.
• Yeoman Archers have now much more base damage - 32 pierce (from 10) and 37 flame (from 15) - but reload time is approximately 2.5 seconds longer per arrow
• Yeoman Archer's now have 15% more speed. Crush-revenge damage (15 from 10) and buildtime (33s from 30s) increased
• Elven Warrior's sight range reduced (270 from 420)
• Elven Warriors now take more pierce damage with Heavy armor (60% from 40%) and 100%/20% flame damage (from 30%/0%)
• Elven Warriors on swords now do Slash damage as in 1.01, speed reduction on formation is now lower (-25% from -40%).
• Elven Warrior with heavy armor now more resistant to URUK (55% from 60%) and specialist (23% from 30%) damage, Crush vulnerability sensibly increased (90%/65% from 50%/50%), crush revenge damage halved.
• Treebeard now has longer weapon range (600 from 500) and rock-throw damage (520 from 400)
• TreeBeard now has a new aura effect to help distinguish the Ents under its effect
• TreeBeard now adds a leadership to Ents, increasing their armor by 50%, speed by 25% and rock throw range by 10%
• Treebeard enraged time reduced (1m30s from 2m30s)
• Ents crush vulnerability reduced (40% from 80%)
• Standard Ents health reduced (1700 from 2000) - please notice that total health with TreeBeard aura is around 2500
• Rohirrim Archer now does only 28% damage to anti-cavalry units (Tower Guard, Soldiers of Rhun, Elven Warrior and Pikemen), and less damage to trolls and drummer trolls (56% from 100%). Crush resistance increased (80%/30% from 100%/40%)
• Rohirrim Archer are now more vulnerable to pierce damage (130%/50% from 100%/40%, with/without Heavy Armor) and flame (100%/80% from 50%/0%)
• Archery range experience requirement reduced - only three yeomans needed to rank up
• Rohan Walls health reduced (4000 from 5000)
• Rohan Gate more resistant to magic damage (120% from 300%)
• Stables now level up much faster (1800 from 3000 experience required)
• Armory cost now 1400
• All Rohan upgrades now research in 45s (vs 30s)
• Forged Blades equip cost increased (350 from 300)
• Heavy armor equip costs decreased (250 from 300)
Gondor:
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• Rohirrim allies duration and recharge reduced (1m15s/4m from 3m/5m30s), it now spawns 4 batts instead of 5
• Gandalf now gains 300 health (from 500) when White (base is 1200), now costs 10 command points
• Gandalf now requires more experience to level up above rank 7 (1400/1900/2500 from 1100/1500/2000)
• Gandalf's Word of Power recharge time increased (4m30s/9m from 3/6m, with/without GtW)
• Gandalf lightning strike damage sensibly reduced vs gates, now rank 10 is required to break a Rohan gate
• Gandalf Istari Light now does less damage to the WitchKing (180% damage from 200%)
• Gandalf shield bubble armor boost reduced (+99% from +200%) to make whipping a shielded Gandalf possible
• Faramir now starts at rank 3 (with horse), leadership now at rank 5, +50 armor and fear resistance on a smaller radius (120 vs 200)
• Faramir Wounding Arrow base damage increased (400 from 300), reload time increased (45s from 15s), reduced power vs Witchking (50% vs 300%), more effective vs Mumakil (300% from 100%), double damage vs Aragorn and Eomer
• Faramir now has a hold fire button, bow base damage increased (40 from 30) and reloads Faster (1.4s average reload from 1.75s)
• Faramir now switches to and from his horse faster (1.2s from 2s), speed on horses is now equal to the Knights speed
• Boromir now starts at rank 3, +60% damage leadership at rank 4, Horn of Gondor at rank 5, Captain of Gondor at rank 6
• Boromir Horn of Gondor recharge increased (1m30s from 1m)
• Boromir attack now swings quicker and has knockback damage, able to throw back non•hero targets
• Boromir cost increased (1600 from 1400)
• Soldier cost now 120
• Fire arrow, heavy armor and forged blades equip cost 600 from 800 (360 with full discounts)
• 'Crush revenge' damage higher for Gondor Soldiers (40 from 20/slash)
• Knights health reduced by 10% (215 from 240)
• Gondor Archers cost reduced to $250, 20% faster speed, take less command points (10 from 15 per batallion)
• Gondor Archers pierce damage increased (12 from 10) with +12% attack bonus vs orcs
• Ranger now takes 20 command points (from 15) and is very pierce (35% damage taken from 100%) and fire resistant (10% from 100%)
• Ranger weapon now has increased range (370 from 350) and fast-fire feature, doubling reload rate after the second arrow. 150% pierce damage bonus vs Trolls and Mumakils
• Ranger now have a "Hold fire" option
• Tower Guard cost increased (500 from 400), 150% damage bonus vs cavalry and double the crush revenge, can't be trampled anymore when in blockshield formation
• Tower Guards with Heavy Armor more vulnerable to slash damage (60% from 40%) and flame (10% from 0%), more resistant to standard pierce damage (10% from 20%)
• Tower Guards in formation slowdown reduced (-50% speed from -25%), less armor protection (+40% from +50%)
• Tower Guard experience requirement to reach level 2 halved (75 from 150). Other ranks requirements unchanged.
• Knights now do crush damage (from slash)
• Knights with both Heavy armor and Horseshields now have extra magic resistance (ie. can barely survive Word of Power)
• Knight horseshields research cost and time increased (1300/45s from 1000/30s)
• Knight Horseshields equip cost increased (300 from 200), but increases resistance to crush damage (77%/27% from 80%/40%)
• Trebuchet's cost reduced (1000 from 1200)
• Trebuchet's fire-upgraded damage (350siege/300fire from 300siege/200fire) and range (480 from 420) increased
• Horseshield now make Knights less resistant to pierce (25% taken from 20%). Heavy armor and HA+shields remain the same.
• Workshop (Treb production structure) now costs 1500 from 2000
• Wall Trebuchets upgrade now take discounts from blacksmiths, like all upgrades
• Barracks level 2 experience needed reduced to 4 soldiers (400 from 500)
• Damage of the upgraded Battle arrows reduced (90 vs 120, base is 40)
• Wall health reduced (3300 from 4000)
• Numenor Wall health reduced (4500 from 5000)
• Gondor Gate more resistant to magic damage (120% from 300%)
• Gondor walls now give away experience when destroyed (50, same as large evil structures)
Mordor:
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- Darkness Boost is now +33% damage (from +50%) and +50% armor
- Witchking damage boost is now reduced (+50% from +100%)
- WitchKing range of aura effect highly increased (500 from 200)
- WitchKing now has a new armor, compared to the Nazgul's it's more pierce (40% vs 61%) and magic (80% vs 100%) resistant, and more flame vulnerable (80% vs 50%)
- Witchking now takes half damage from some special hero attacks - Wounding Arrow, Hawk Strike, Spear Throw
- Gollum now has proper hotkey, recruit and revival definitions, cost increased (150 from 50), has a new armor (melee-resistant) and +70% damage bonus vs infantry
- Orcs armor more vulnerable to uruk and slash (150% and 170% respectively, from 125% damage taken)
- Orcs now has a longer attack reload time (1.83 from 1.63s), crush revenge damage reduced (13 from 20)
- Orcs now do 36% damage to external economy structures and towers (battletowers, sentry towers, expansion citadels), and 50% damage to cavalry
- Orc archers now have 60 hitpoints (from 50), and are more resistant to fire (50% damage taken from 100%)
- Orc archers miss ratio reduced, pierce damage increased vs structures (150%), flame damage increased (20 from 15), damage halved vs cavalry
- Orcs and archers experience required to reach level 2 slightly lowered (40 from 50), now gain more health in Level 2 (+30 from +20) and Level 3 (+25 from +20)
- Haradrim is now more pierce vulnerable (125% damage taken from 100%)
- Haradrim damage boosted vs structures (180%), cost increased (240 vs 200)
- Haradrim now do 33% less damage vs basic archers (g.archer, yeoman, crossbow, m.archer)
- Soldier of Rhun base buildtime increased (45s from 40s), damage vs infantry increased by 50%
- Soldier of Rhun take less crush (20% from 50%), pierce (40% from 50%) and uruk (20% from 100%) damage
- Soldier of Rhun 10% faster and it's now faster in formation (-30% speed from -40%)
- Soldier of Rhun crush-revenge weapon now does 72 magic damage - more effective vs heavy armor and horse shields - from 60 slash
- Drummer Troll base buildtime increased (53s from 45s), cost increased (1300 from 1200), aura has a higher area of effect
- Drummer Troll is now more resistant to flame (30% dmg taken from 50%) and more vulnerable to siege damage (150% from 100%)
- Mordor Troll now has a hold fire button, club (tree) weapon range sensibly increased (50 from 20)
- Nazgul is now slightly more resistant to Magic damage (90% from 100%)
- Nazgul takes more pierce damage (61% from 30%), less fire damage (50% from 90%), total damage taken from fire-upgraded arrows roughly the same
- Mumakil takes more pierce damage (65% from 50%), and less fire damage (250% from 300%), total damage taken from fire-upgraded arrows slightly less (eg. 57 from 60 for a fire Elven Warrior)
- Mumakil legs collision area increased (35/25 from 25/15, front/back legs)
- Mumakil charge weapon now does critical damage to heroes (1500 vs 50). Standard crush now does HERO damage type (100% vs heroes)
- Catapults fire damage now harms friendly units and structures (100% from 0%)
- Cost of Flag Banner equip upgrade decreased sensibly (450 from 600, full-discounts cost 270)
- Haradrim Palace can no longer research the Banner upgrade
- Troll cage now levels up faster, 1 troll less for level 2, 1 drummer or troll less for level 3
EDIT by MaDDoX:
[i]This topic now consolidates all changes revealed until now. Only the last revealed faction will keep in its own pinned topic, starting from today.
EDIT by Kiltec:
Added the changes for Mordor
~APOC
This post has been edited by |elder|Kiltec: Dec 3 2005, 10:42 AM
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