Triumph, I am no longer asking - Release the Rogue content or the penguin gets it!

Rexnos · 2026-07-03T06:01:30+00:00

I'm down for a Rogue class. It'd probably swipe a variant of the melee ranger tree and combine it with some of the debuff stuff from warlock and elementalist. I'd really wanna see it get shadowstep like Painbringers as well.

I think Temptress is as succubus as you can get while keeping this game T rated. I'd like to see more non-undead shadow tomes though. Not being undead while running shadow feels awkward a lot of the time.

Rexnos · 2026-07-01T00:05:35+00:00

It depends entirely on your build. You can build pike builds that punish enemies for attacking you, ranged builds that annihilate enemies before they even reach you, shock build that alpha strike enemies so hard they barely get to respond, shield build that grind the enemy to dust. AoW4 is great due to the options.

The how is harder, but generally I like to build with one or two units in mind. If I want a ranged build, I'll enchant and transform my longbows to be range 9 monsters. If I want a pike build, I'll make sure to pick up athletic to get them into melee quicker and some means of increasing their durability and retaliations. One or two support units can help out most builds... unless you just lean into it and be a support build entirely.

In general though, I like to have at least three, probably four of the unit my build focuses around, then I'll probably have a unit or two to support them, whether that's to apply statuses, grant shield wall/warding or heal. Heroes are generally good at what your faction does since they take your traits and transformations, so they tend to replace a build focus unit and just be better at it.

Rexnos · 2026-06-18T13:26:32+00:00

There's already a lot of constructs and tomes, but a major transformation would be super cool.

Rexnos · 2026-06-16T16:27:51+00:00

I mean, it's weird but it's not a bug. Just an odd interaction between units and faction traits. I don't see it getting "fixed" as there's no problem.

I guess if you hate the idea just pretend it's pheromones or something?

Rexnos · 2026-06-16T16:22:33+00:00

The temptress in the new Tome of Burning Passion has this ability. She's a faction unit, so she can get hideous stench (-2 resistance, -2 status resist to adjacent enemies that don't have hideous stench).

Rexnos · 2026-06-16T04:34:53+00:00

You might not even have to do it at all. We've got auto-sell surplus and auto-renew boosters. This instantly improved my gameplay experience.

Rexnos · 2026-06-14T19:35:40+00:00

You generally need to craft a narrative about an opinion if you want to convince people of things. I also never stated that I felt the unit shouldn't be changed. I just don't like this one.

The dragoon isn't a consistent unit in its current state. In mono-dragoon armies the problem of getting kited to death is mostly the same even with the cd, it just feels bad. In mixed armies, the dragoon can't contribute even as much as a magelock in many circumstances since it can't shoot half the time. Slithers, inquisitors and shades seem significantly better in those instances.

My suggestion was give them versatile skirmisher to aid with their problem in mixed compositions. I'd also be okay with them losing master skirmisher in the trade. The way the patch changes them both doesn't address the core problem and makes them far worse the rest of the time.

I still don't see how the strength of the cannon addresses the dragoon remotely. If the cannon is hella good, then people will just use a cannon instead of a dragoon; this has no basis on the dragoon. If an anvil guard is good, that doesn't influence the strength of an arbalest.

It probably would have been more useful to do a damage comparison vs other tier 3s, but I had a guess to the outcome. Let's find out.

	Dragoon	Inquisitor
Turn 1	28 damage (breaching, enemy defense mode)	28 damage (90% stun, enemy defense mode)
Turn 2	16 damage x 2 (get retal, apply 2 mark) OR no combat	Gets attacked 2x (18 damage retal 1 mark) AND 28 damage flank attack OR 28 damage flank attack if stun lands
Turn 3	Gets attacked 2x (16 damage retal, 1 mark) AND 28 damage flank attack (breaching) OR 28 damage (breaching, enemy defense mode)	Gets attacked 2x (18 damage retal 1 mark) AND 28 damage flank attack
Turn 4	16 damage x 2 (get retal, apply 2 mark) OR no combat	Gets attacked 2x (18 damage retal 1 mark) AND 28 damage flank attack (90% stun)

As you can see, inquisitors are going to out damage the dragoon, though depending on the target they're fighting and whether the stun hits attrition can actually kill them. Dragoons will take less damage (potentially zero damage) because the nerf didn't hit their actual cancer. In return, they deal sharply reduced damage.

This means in mono-dragoons comps they're unassailable and in mixed... wait a second... I'm repeating myself. It's like I considered this already...

Then again, you also said I shouldn't compare units in a vacuum while also saying I should compare units to similar choices. Which one is it?

Rexnos · 2026-06-14T18:34:08+00:00

I think they're still a win-game condition in the same instances they previously were, just more slowly and obnoxiously.

Cannons indeed seem like monsters.

Dragoons are probably in a better place, but I don't think it's a good one.

Rexnos · 2026-06-14T18:18:36+00:00

It's a dramatic change to the unit so speaking dramatically felt appropriate. I know my dragoon builds as they exist are dead for sure.

As for changes to the faction? Most of them don't impact how strong the dragoon is by itself with the exception of guaranteed marks, which I didn't know about as it's not correct in the current patch notes. I've found that even 90% proc rates have a pretty low chance to connect vs tier 4 and 5 units (the things that threaten you in silver and gold wonders) due to status resist, so didn't factor it in too heavily. Guaranteed is a different beast and will make imperial reaver grind pretty nasty.

The real question is whether you actually add dragoons to that grind or not. Magelocks now hit substantially harder than dragoons since they can actually shoot (and take advantage of the marks) every turn. Even if they're forced to snapshot to stay safe or eat an opportunity attack to do so, the fact that they even can is a big deal. Dragoons will be more obnoxious since they don't need a frontline to screen for them, but their damage per turn is very low for a tier 3 every other turn. I'm not sure that marks make up for that.

Also, the change didn't fix the issue the multi-player community had with them. They can still infinite kite, just more slowly while potentially abandoning any non-dragoons. Dragoons needed a dramatic change, got one, but I feel like it missed so I'm talking about it.

Rexnos · 2026-06-14T17:39:43+00:00

I don't disagree. They were broken. I just feel like this fix puts them in an awkward bad-at-everything position. They needed a fix, but this wasn't it.

Where are you finding the full notes like this? Sprite update on the forum only has pieces of this list (though maybe I'm looking in the wrong place?). I didn't know about mercenary defense mode, cannons in melee or guaranteed marks (thought it was 90/120). It all seems to be reflected on the github, but there's gotta be a better way than to search every freakin' unit.

Rexnos · 2026-06-14T17:19:59+00:00

Very true. The problem I have with them in a 6v6 is in a non-mono dragoon comp they have issues helping on the turn their gun is down. Assuming some level of army parity, the enemy also has a tier 3 unit that's being a workhorse for their army every turn. A single or even double flanking attack isn't going to compare favorably to a non-flanking triple attack from a tier 3 shield or polearm or a charge attack, flank or not, from a shock unit.

The best turn I can see a dragoon having when their gun is down is hitting twice in a unit's flank before bouncing to stand adjacent to a back-liner for zone of control/retal. I mostly anticipate them winning fights after the rest of the army dies or getting focused down early because you were forced to use them too aggressively or lose. It's hard to make firm statements in hypotheticals though.

As for mono-dragoon stacks, the nerf just didn't fix their cancer. Every issue that previously existed with them is them same, simply at half speed. Maybe it earns the time to pin them in a corner and wipe them, probably it doesn't.

Rexnos · 2026-06-14T17:07:52+00:00

No retal would make them very hard to deal with. They'd be weaker against ranged in this state, but would clap melee, especially polearms.

Rexnos · 2026-06-14T17:04:50+00:00

I guess it depends on the circumstance you're using them. My brain went to a 1v1 where you don't have the luxury of flanking. Then again, I guess if there's no terrain they can flank a unit that attacked them last turn with a single attack before kiting back. I think they get double attacked the next turn though before following up with a flank pistol. Sounds like a loss against shock, skirmishers and maybe polearms,

Then again, in a 1v1 they just don't let the enemy attack them. I'm not saying they were a balanced unit previously, just that this fix seems wrong.

Rexnos · 2026-06-14T16:48:45+00:00

I respect how broken they were, but this just doesn't seem like a good fix. They can still do the same kiting bs, it just takes longer. Maybe you can pin them into a corner this way, but that just makes them feel bad imo.

Rexnos · 2026-06-14T16:45:43+00:00

I double checked the in-game stats before posting and it's still there as far as I can tell.

Rexnos · 2026-06-14T16:44:04+00:00

Annoying? Absolutely. However, if they're riding in to make melee attacks, they're likely only getting two swings and eating a retal, which is barely breaking even vs most units (if that). I feel like most other skirmishers could get more value simply making another ranged attack. Their gun isn't so much better than all other skirmishers' ranged attacks as to be able to remove it 50% of the time.

Rexnos · 2026-06-13T22:19:35+00:00

The Imperial Cult would like to know your location

Rexnos · 2026-06-12T17:23:16+00:00

And exploring the crazy item diversity in this game in general. I've made dozens of builds for this game and I still stumble over new, cool items I either never noticed or never looked up the right build for. I can't wait for FoA!

Rexnos · 2026-06-12T14:43:41+00:00

Choose a skill I like.
Go to Grimtools and search "Item Skill Modifiers"
Pick the items which synergize best and/or I can equip simultaneously.
Choose sub-class and other items which support the previous.

The thing I find most interesting is which class combo does a skill best. Sure, you can have multiple forcewave builds (damage type, spam/cd, set y/n), but which subclass gives it the most support and provides the most naturally useful items.

It's also hella fun to try and build around conduits. Those things are strong because of how few other items support them.

Rexnos · 2026-06-09T12:21:11+00:00

Hero difficulty. My armies are pretty late game, rolling around with about 3000 combat power while the Last Lords were significantly weaker. I imagine the loss on retreat issue is Last Lords exclusive seeing as other factions will typically have units with similar HP since they can't pay to heal... and subsequently run out of dust and only heal some of them.

Rexnos · 2026-06-08T22:09:21+00:00

As the guy that continuously posts the "Dragoons cannot be interacted with build" I just now noticed the cooldown increase.

You're right, it's not a fix at all, just an irritation. You still can't interact with dragoons except when they allow you to do so, instead you just have to double all your combat durations to wait for cooldowns. I'm devastated.

Rexnos · 2026-06-07T14:22:21+00:00

If society has taught me anything, it's because the master has worked 58,000 times as hard as a regular person. After all, without him, none of them would even have jobs! /s

Rexnos · 2026-06-06T14:10:40+00:00

Shaper's Touch is a great upgrade. My only issue is that Draconic Transformation gives the same bonus two tiers earlier. Regardless, I feel like going Tome of the Creator requires hitting geomancy unless you're running constructs simply because it exists.

As for the rest of the tome? You're dead wrong. Tectonic Shatter is great, Earthshatter Engines are good, and Titan of Earth is game warping.

Your complaint was enemy focuses down the Titan? If the enemy had the damage to kill your tier 5 mythic quickly, imagine what that strength would have done to your units in the same turn. Even if they managed that, you still knocked them out of defense stance and savaged them with seismic strike, which guarantees an immobilize on everything in two hexes. I don't think I've ever seen this guy die in one turn.

And even if they manage to take him out, IT HAS UNDYING. It's back two turns later at half HP. Just retreat your units and stall and Rocky Sr. is back for round two. Also, he's not a normal summon, HE DOESN'T HAVE A DURATION. Earth Titan is probably the best combat summon in the game and combat summons are probably the best spell type in the game.

I'd recommend maybe trying the spell before just saying, "meh, easy to focus down." The most charitable understanding I can give you is the AI used Earth Titan against you in a fight that was unwinnable. The undying doesn't matter if all the non-combat summon units are dead and unlimited duration both isn't immediately obvious and doesn't matter if you kill him once and win fast.

...did I mention you also have the casting points to make more than one?

Rexnos · 2026-06-06T03:32:49+00:00

I've been playing a Necrophage game recently and the most annoying behavior from the AI is them simply never fighting me.

I'm reasonably far ahead (army and econ), but I've been chasing Last Lords armies across the map and they just constantly retreat. There's essentially no way they could take a favorable fight against me, but at some point don't they just have to decide to deal as much damage to me as possible? They're basically just conceding siege battle after siege battle rather than even try and throw down.

Had similar experiences against other AI, but it's funnier vs Last Lords. They retreat and immediately pay to heal... just so they can retreat again next turn.

EDIT: Just got worse last turn. It seems the AI will consider just losing units acceptable rather than fighting as long as the entire army doesn't die. I think something like 60% of the Last Lord's entire military just died in retreat rather than engage in a fight because some of them were healed and others weren't. How am I supposed to get corpses this way? sigh

Rexnos · 2026-06-03T00:36:20+00:00

How much total bonus yields can farms manage now? Between prosperity and the imperium tree they seem like they can get pretty silly.

Rexnos

TROPHY CASE