xREL.v3

Update v1.8 Hotfix:

- Fixed a typo in one of the XML files which was causing the game to crash.


Update v1.8:

Features

- Added the ability for monster lairs to pull from a few random configurations of monsters, instead of always having the exact same monsters. (ex: instead of always having 3 Ruffians at a Ruffian Camp, sometimes it will have 3 Ruffians, sometimes 2 Ruffians and a Wolf and sometimes 2 Ruffians and Barren's Witch).
- Added the Barrens Witch unit. This unit is a spellcaster who can heal allies, curse enemies and cast contagion. She can often be found aiding bandit camps, or in larger covens in service to demons.
- Added the Gilden Lion unit. This unit a strong fire elemental that does fire damage, including burning anyone that attacks it. Like other types of fire elementals it is vulnerable to cold. It shares the speed and high dodge of the cats it resembles, and gets an Attack bonus against Champions. It is typically found in service to Wilding Shamans or around ancient desert temples.
- Added the Obsidian Legion unit. These are powerful warriors wield 2 scimitars and gain a charge each time they are struck in battle. If they get at least 5 charges they go into a frenzy that gives them 3 free immediate actions. It is good to kill them quickly. The Obsidian Legion are mercenary's and though they can occasionally be found in their own forts they can also be found working for Syndicate or more powerful organizations.
- Added the Malayan Devilman unit. They claim to be ambassadors from a distant continent. They are powerful fire casters, lobbing flame waves and fireballs with equal ease. They have no stronghold of their own but can sometimes be found meeting with other creatures like the Brood, Dark Wizards and Demons. It may be worth skipping a mnster lair if a Malayan Devilman is in their ranks. Or at least be sure to bring some protection against fire magic.
- Added the Darkling Overseer unit. Only found in the largest gatherings of Darklings the Overseer grants bonuses to his entire Darkling Army. A horde of Darklings can be a nuicance, headed by an Overseer they are much more dangerous.
- Added the Coal Golem unit. Like the rest of his kind this Golem is a sturdy, if not slow, unit. But the fire burning in this one gives him a unique vulnerability. If he is struck 3 or more times he will explode, doing damages to anyone with 2 tiles of him, ally or enemy. They can also breath out a choking gas that blinds and poisons nearby units. Coal Golem's are fairly rare and used by other armies when more reliable golems aren't available (sometimes to their misfortune).

Balance

- Stalkers gain +5 Attack vs champions.
- Plaguestalkers gain +10 Attack vs champions.
- Increased later game tech costs slightly
- Increase Improvement costs slightly

Update v1.7b:

- Fixed most frequent crash bugs


Update v1.7:

Features

- Added support for class requirements on weapons, armor and items
- Added the Banner of the Brave accessory, Army gets +1 Attack And +2 Defense, Commander only
- Added Walderon’s Banner accesory, Army gets +1 Moves and +2 Initiative, Commander only
- Added the Banner of Zad-Zabril accesory, Army gets +25% Fire Resistance, Commander only
- Added the Mage's Staff weapons, ranged lightning damage, Mage only
- TONS of new conversations
- Modders can now create map stamps with starting point locations saved in them

Balance

- Adept’s Robe is now Mage only and Defense increased from 1 to 2
- Archmage’s Robe is now Mage only and Defense increased from 5 to 6
- Mage’s Robe is now Mage only and Defense increased from 3 to 4
- Impenetrable Tower Shield is now Defender only
- Tectonic Bulwark is now Defender only
- Shield of the Sentinel is now Defender only
- Ring of Mastery is now Mage only
- Wage costs are now proportional with group sizes (increased wage costs for larger groups)
- Assassin’s Blade is now Assassin only
- Sharp Longsword is now Assassin only
- Serrated Longsword is now Assassin only
- Legendary Longsword is now Warrior only
- Brutal Trog Scimitar is now Warrior only
- Bashing Maul is now Warrior only
- Relations penalty for ambitious civs reduced to -1 from -2
- Relations requirements for treaties eased so that you can have unfriendly relations and still make treaties
- City population reqs to level up reduced slightly
- Towns provide slightly more money per turn
- War monger player relations penalty goes away after 10 game years
- Wildlands will start to spawn increasingly nasty monsters in the unknown areas of the world the longer they are left around
- Capitar faction stores sell things for 20% off
- Bell Tower unrest reduction changed from 10 to 5
- Fortress production bonus reduced
- Reduced odds of Bacco the Beggar quest coming up
- Reduced odds of other various quests from coming up (the ones we see 30% of each game apiece are now 10%)
- Final quest boss combat speed increased from 22 to 40, HP increased from 500 to 600.
- Ranged weapons now convey an accuracy penalty (harder to hit something with a ranged weapon than a melee weapon)
- Sovereign mana production reduced from 2 to 1
- Town Halls reduced to -10 Unrest instead of -20
- Reduced the production cost of Harbors

Fixes

- Fixed the cause of 80% of the 1.6 crashes
- Fixed bug that caused the battle initiation window to display the wrong battle rating for the armies
- Fixed weird pathfinding bug that caused rivers to be extremely aggravating to deal with
- Fixed splash damage on the Greatsword, Titanic Maul and Bashing Maul
- Fixed an issue with a broken [OtherPlayer] tag in a dialog popup
- Fixed the Master Archer ability
- Fixed an issue where the wildland player could spawn champions
- Fixed an issue that could cause the AI to fail at casting summoning spells on some tactical maps
- Fixed an issue causing Grip of Winter to become permanent

AI

- AI won’t cast negative city enchantments on players it
- Fixed bug that caused the AI to overestimate the city defense value
- Made AI smarter about declaring war based on if they are already at war
- Fixed bug that would cause the AI to keep units in a city far more than they should
- Fixed a bug that would cause the AI to send a unit out of the city when enemies were right there
- AI upgrades its outposts
- AI is more likely to go for the Spell of Mastery if they are dominating
- Adjustments to the city calculation for dtermining whether a city is well defended or not
- Fixed a bug that would cause the AI to try (and fail) to cast the same enchantment over and over again resulting in it not casting other strategic spells
- AI can summon Arcane Monoliths
- Fixed bug that would cause lots of strategic spells not to be cast due to it thinking their value was 0
- Fixed a bug that caused the AI to cast expensive tactical spells even when it wasn't supposed to
- Modified AI priorities of numerous city improvements
- Full, completely rewritten battle ranking system for more accurate measurements of a unit's actual lethality
- Fixed an issue keeping the AI from declaring war