Heroes 3 fan-made balance patch (mod) updated!

[UndeadHalfOrc]

Thanks to BAD23ro and Yasmiel, I could finally add a change to secondary skills in my patch.

The patch is 2.5 MB and consists of one EXE file (secondary skills change), and a bunch of .TXT that you just place in the heroes3/data folder.

Thanks to pol and Celestial Heavens for hosting it for all those years but now I have a new version and I uploaded to my own server space.

(EDIT: Uploaded to somewhere else now. Link should work. Sorry for my lack of activity)
http://www.yourfilelink.com/get.php?fid=1012388

EDIT: Now includes the turret fix change. Thanks kyrub!


Log of changes
About the log: Probabilities change were not documented. spell appearance in guilds was reorganized a lot (Necro will almost always get Animate Dead now, for instance). So were secondary skills.

Heroes 3 mod by UndeadHalfOrc
comments... anostf@hotmail.com


CASTLE CREATURES AND BUILDINGS
Increased gold cost of Pikeman from 60 to 65
Increased health of Archer/Marksman from 10 to 11
Increased defense skill of Archer/Marskman from 3 to 4
Increased wood cost of Upgraded Griffin Tower from 0 to 5
Increased damage of Swordsman from 6-9 to 6-10
Decreased damage of Crusader from 7-10 to 6-10
Increased health of Monks/Zealot from 30 to 32
Decreased wood cost of Training Grounds from 20 to 15
Decreased damage of Cavalier from 15-25 to 15-24
Decreased damage of Champion from 20-25 to 20-24
Decreased gem cost of Archangel from 3 to 2


RAMPART CREATURES AND BUILDINGS
Decreased gold cost of Centaur Captain from 90 to 85
Decreased gold cost of Wood Elf from 200 to 185
Increased gold cost of Pegasus from 250 to 260
Increased gold cost of Silver Pegasus from 275 to 285
Increased gold cost of Dendroid Guard from 350 to 370
Increased gold cost of Dendroid Soldier from 425 to 435
Increased gem cost of Upgraded Unicorn Glades from 5 to 6
Increased health of Unicorn from 90 to 95
Increased defense skill of War Unicorn from 14 to 15
Increased gold cost of Dragon Cliffs from 10000 to 15000
Decreased gold cost of Upgraded Dragon Cliffs from 20000 to 15000

TOWER CREATURES AND BUILDINGS
Increased basic growth of Gremlin/Master Gremlin from 16 to 18 (total 36)
Increased basic growth of Stone Golem/Iron Golem from 6 to 7
Decreased rare ressource cost of Mage Tower from 5 to 4
Decreased gold cost of Arch Mage from 450 to 420
Decreased crystal cost of Altar of Wishes from 6 to 5
Decreased gold cost of Genie from 550 to 525
Increased defense skill of Master Genie from 12 to 13
Increased gold cost of Golden Pavillion from 4000 to 4500
Decreased gold cost of Naga Queen from 1600 to 1550
Increased gold cost of Cloud Temple from 5000 to 8000
Decreased gold cost of Upgraded Cloud Temple from 25000 to 22000
Increased defense skill of Giant from 16 to 17
Increased health of Giant from 150 to 155
Decreased attack skill of Titan from 24 to 23

INFERNO CREATURES AND BUILDINGS
Increased basic growth of Imp/Familiar from 15 to 19 (total 38+8=46)
Decreased gold cost of Imp from 50 to 30
Decreased gold cost of Familiar from 60 to 40
Increased basic growth of Gog/Magog from 8 to 9
Decreased gold cost of Magog from 175 to 165
Increased wood cost of Upgraded Kennels from 0 to 5
Increased basic growth of Hell Hound/Cerberus from 5 to 6
Changed damage of Hell Hound/Cerberus from 2-7 to 3-6
Decreased defense skill of Cerberus from 8 to 7
Increased gold cost of Demon from 250 to 255
Increased gold cost of Horned Demon from 270 to 285
Increased attack/defense skill of Horned Demon from 10/10 to 11/11
Decreased sulfur cost of Upgraded Hell Hole from 5 to 4
Increased health of Pit Lord from 45 to 50
Decreased cost of Pit Lord from 700 to 670
Increased gem cost of Upgraded Fire Lake from 5 to 6
Increased damage of Devil/Archdevil from 30-40 to 32-42
Increased health of Archdevil from 200 to 210

NECROPOLIS CREATURES AND BUILDINGS
Increased basic growth of Skeleton/Skeleton Warrior from 12 to 13 (total 26+6=32)
Increased basic growth of Walking Dead/Zombie from 8 to 9
Increased defense skill of Walking Dead/Zombie from 5 to 6
Decreased gold cost of Wight from 200 to 180
Increased speed of Wight from 5 to 6
Increased attack/defense skill of Wight from 7/7 to 8/8
Decreased gold cost of Wraith from 230 to 210
Increased speed of Wraith from 7 to 8
Increased attack/defense skill of Wraith from 7/7 to 9/9
Decreased attack skill of Vampire/Vampire Lord from 10 to 9
Decreased damage of Power Lich from 11-15 to 11-14
Increased gold cost of Mausoleum from 2000 to 2500
Decreased attack/defense skill of Dread Knight from 18/18 to 17/17
Decreased damage of Black Knight/Dread Knight from 15-30 to 15-29
Increased attack/defense skill of Bone Dragon from 17/15 to 18/16
Increased attack/defense skill of Ghost Dragon from 19/17 to 20/18
Increased health of Ghost Dragon from 200 to 210
Increased gold cost of Necromancy Amplifier from 1000 to 2000

DUNGEON CREATURES AND BUILDINGS
Increased basic growth of Troglodyte/Infernal Troglodyte from 14 to 15 (total 30+7=37)
Increased basic growth of Harpy/Harpy Hag from 8 to 9
Decreased gold cost of Beholder from 250 to 240
Decreased gold cost of Evil Eye from 280 to 270
Decreased ore cost of Chapel of Stilled Voices from 10 to 5
Increased gold cost of Medusa from 300 to 310
Increased gold cost of Medusa Queen from 330 to 350
Increased gold cost of Minotaur from 500 to 550
Increased gold cost of Minotaur King from 575 to 625
Decreased defense skill of Minotaur King from 15 to 14
Decreased gold cost of Manticore Lair from 5000 to 4500

STRONGHOLD CREATURES AND BUILDINGS
Increased basic growth of Goblin/Hobgoblin from 15 to 17 (total 34+8=42)
Increased damage of Wolf Rider from 2-4 to 3-4
Decreased attack skill of Wolf Raider from 8 to 7
Increased health of Wolf Rider/Wolf Raider from 10 to 12
Increased gold cost of Wolf Rider from 100 to 105
Increased gold cost of Wolf Raider from 140 to 145
Increased defense skill of Orc/Orc Chieftain from 4 to 5
Decreased wood cost of Ogre Fort from 20 to 15
Decreased health of Ogre Mage from 60 to 58
Increased gem cost of Upgraded Cliff Nest from 0 to 5
Decreased gold cost of Roc from 600 to 550
Decreased gold cost of Thunderbird from 700 to 670
Decreased crystal cost of Cyclops Cave from 20 to 10
Decreased ore cost of Cyclops Cave from 20 to 15
Increased gold cost of Cyclops from 750 to 775
Decreased gold cost of Cyclops King from 1100 to 1025
Increased ore cost of Behemoth Crag from 10 to 15
Increased gold cost of Behemoth from 1500 to 1600
Increased speed of Behemoth from 6 to 7

FORTRESS CREATURES AND BUILDINGS
Increased basic growth of Gnoll/Gnoll Marauder from 12 to 14 (total 28+6=34)
Increased gold cost of Gnoll from 50 to 55
Decreased wood cost of Upgraded Gnoll Hut from 10 to 5
Decreased defense skill of Lizard Warrior from 8 to 7
Decreased gold cost of Dragon Fly from 240 to 230
Decreased gold cost of Serpent Fly from 220 to 210
Decreased wood cost of Upgraded Gorgon Lair from 5 to 0
Increased ore cost of Upgraded Gorgon Lair from 0 to 5
Increased gold cost of Mighty Gorgon from 600 to 650
Increased damage of Wyvern from 14-18 to 15-19
Increased health of Wyvern Monarch from 70 to 75
Decreased gold cost of Wyvern Monarch from 1100 to 1000
Increased attack/defense skill of Wyvern Monarch from 14/14 to 15/15
Increased attack/defense skill of Chaos Hydra from 18/20 to 19/21
Increased health of Chaos Hydra from 250 to 260
Adventure map stack sizes of serpent flies, basilisks, and gorgons corrected to standard amount for their levels

CONFLUX CREATURES AND BUILDINGS
Decreased basic growth of Pixie/Sprite from 20 to 19
Increased gold cost of Sprite from 30 to 35
Adventure map stack sizes of Air and Storm elementals increased from 8-12 and 8-12 to 10-16 and 9-14
Adventure map stack sizes of Earth and Magma elementals decreased from 16-30 and 16-25 to 14-26 and 14-20
Adventure map stack sizes of Psychic and Magic Elementals corrected to standard for level 6 (5-12, 5-10)
Increased gold cost of Firebird from 1500 to 1900
Increased health of Firebird from 150 to 165
Increased gold cost of Phoenix from 2000 to 3000
Increased health of Phoenix from 200 to 230
Decreased basic growth of Firebird/Phoenix from 2 to 1
Increased cost of Magic University from 10 Wood, 10 Ore, 5000 gold to 10000 gold, 15 Wood, 15 Ore, and 5 of each rare resource.

NEUTRAL CREATURES AND BUILDINGS
Increased First Aid Tent hit points from 75 to 100
Changed Naga Bank reward from Sulfur to Gems
Increased adventure map stack size of Peasant from 20-50 to 40-70


ARTIFACTS
Changed text of badge of courage to display immunity to mind spells
Changed type of badge of courage from Treasure to Major
Increased gold value of badge of courage from 1000 to 8000
Changed type of Necklace of Swiftness from Treasure to Minor
Changed type of Ring of Vitality from Treasure to Minor
Changed type of Necklace of Ocean Guidance from Major to Minor
Decreased gold value of Necklace of Ocean Guidance from 10000 to 3000
Changed type of Garniture of Interference from Major to Minor
Changed type of Sandal of the Saints from Minor to Major

SPELLS COST & EFFECTS
Changed most spells' mana costs.
Mass versions of Bless, Curse, Bloodlust, Weakness, Shield,
Stone Skin, Haste, Slow, Prayer and Counterstrike now cost more.
Removed Disguise (probability 0) from all Towns' Mage Guilds (except Conflux)
Removed Misfortune (probability 0) from all Towns' Mage Guilds (except Conflux)
Reduced effectiveness of Shield from 15% / 30% to 13% / 25%
Raised power of Land Mine from 10 to 15.
Lowered Implosion advanced bonus from 200 to 150, expert from 300 to 200
Raised power of Frost Ring from 10 to 13
Raised power of Fireball from 10 to 13
Raised power of Inferno from 10 to 15.
Raised power of Death Ripple from 5 to 8.
Raised power of Destroy Undead from 10 to 13.
Lowered Resurrect advanced bonus from 80 to 60, expert 160 to 80
Lowered power of Resurrect from 50 to 45.
Lowered Animate Dead expert bonus 160 to 80.
Lowered power of Animate Dead from 50 to 40.
Raised power of Hypnotize from 25 to 50
Raised Hypnotize Advanced bonus from 20 to 50, expert from 50 to 90
Raised power of Firewall from 10 to 15.
Town Portal is now a Earth & Fire spell, instead of just Earth
Raised chance of success of Magic Mirror by 20% for all expertise levels.

HEROES
Druids now start with 0/1/2/2 instead of 0/2/1/2
Demoniacs now start with 3/1/1/1 instead of 2/2/1/1
Heretics now start with 1/0/2/2 instead of 1/1/2/1
Changed Castle heroes starting Pikeman amount from 10-20 to 13-17
Increased Castle heroes starting Griffin amount from 2-3 to 3-4
Changed Rampart heroes starting Centaur amount from 12-24 to 14-18
Increased Rampart heroes starting Dwarf amount from 3-5 to 4-6
Decreased Rampart heroes starting Wood Elf amount from 3-6 to 3-5
Decreased Tower heroes starting Gremlin amount from 30-40 to 25-30
Increased Tower heroes starting Stone Gargoyle amount from 3-5 to 4-7
Increased Tower heroes starting Stone Golem amount from 2-3 to 2-4
Increased Inferno heroes starting Imp amount from 15-25 to 22-26
Decreased Necropolis heroes starting Skeleton amount from 20-30 to 20-25
Increased Necropolis heroes starting walking dead amount from 4-6 to 5-7
Decreased Dungeon heroes starting Troglodyte amount from 30-40 to 20-25
Increased Dungeon heroes starting Harpy amount from 4-6 to 4-7
Increased Stronghold heroes starting Goblin amount from 15-25 to 20-25
Increased Fortress heroes starting Gnoll amount from 10-20 to 16-22
Increased Fortress heroes starting Serpentfly amount from 2-4 to 3-4
Reduced Ignatus's stacks 2 & 3 by 5 Imps comparatively to the normal starting amount.
Reduced Galthran's stacks 2 & 3 by 5 Skeleton comparatively to the normal starting amount.
Reduced Shakti's stacks 2 & 3 by 5 Troglodytes comparatively to the normal starting amount.
Reduced Gretchin's stacks 2 & 3 by 5 Goblins comparatively to the normal starting amount.
Reduced Drakon's stacks 2 & 3 by 4 Gnolls comparatively to the normal starting amount.
All Level 2 creature specialists had their first stack increased by 1.
Decreased Bron's starting Basilisk amount from 4-7 to 2-3
Decreased Xeron's stack 2 (Hell Hounds) from 4-7 to 3-4
Darktstorn corrected to Darkstorm

SECONDARY SKILLS
Mysticism:
From 1 2 3 4 to 1 3 4 6 (+2 +3 +5)
Scouting:
From 5 6 7 8 to 5 7 8 10 (+2 +3 +5)
Archery:
From 10% 25% 50% to 15% 30% 50%
Offense:
From 10% 20% 30% to 8.33% 16.67% 25%
Estates:
From 125 250 500 to 200 350 600
Eagle Eye:
From 40% 50% 60% to 85% 85% 85%
Resistance:
From 5% 10% 20% to 7% 14% 20%
Learning:
From 5% 10% 15% to 15% 30% 45%
Logistics:
From 10% 20% 30% to 7% 14% 20%
Sorcery:
From 5% 10% 15% to 7% 14% 20%
Intelligence:
From 25% 50% 100% to 20% 40% 60%

PROBABILITIES
Changed a few primary skill probabilities, ignoring Conflux heroes
Changed a LOT of secondary skills probabilities, ignoring Conflux heroes
Re-organized spell appearance in towns, ignoring Conflux.
Conflux heroes (and only them) will only be available to Conflux players

[ByteBandit]

UHO wrote:
By the way, what's the best free hosting service for large files? Fileplanet?

Why not write AS and ask him to put it up here on CH? Just a thought.

[Metathron]

Yes, and the same could be done for your HoMM I and II patches as well.

[Pol]

Yes, your best bets are CH or CH.

I can gladly host it on h3maparchives(ch and yahoo groups) and link it here and it can be hosted on CH and linked on the main site too.

Most of free hosting services with free accounts will die after half of year. However fileplanet, rapidshare, filefactory, mediafire, turboupload, mumupload, yourfilelink are all good.

[UndeadHalfOrc]

I thought about it, but in all modesty, besides us few forum posters, I doubt all many people would be interested in my patches.

I'm very proud of my H3 patch, I worked on it since 2001 and I play constantly with it, had many multiplayer games with it as well (hot seat mostly). But most people who still play H3 would rather just play WoG than my patch, and even less still play H2. Don't get me wrong, WoG is ambitious, but when I tried it I thought there was just way too much downright silly stuff added in just for its own sake.

And I very much think my Heroes2 patch is still too young, and needs more playtesting to be considering "public-friendly". I have yet to see it used (by myself, or someone else) in a head-to-head multiplayer game.
But , I don't know. We'll see.

[BAD23ro]

Don't get me wrong, WoG is ambitious, but when I tried it I thought there was just way too much downright silly stuff added in just for its own sake.

I'm working every week at "Wog Balance" script and will be ready for Wog 3.59 and is alternative idea, because everything is redesign from spells to classes.

I can make even a version for Shadow of Death, but isn't the point because you doing good

[Darmani]

And I very much think my Heroes2 patch is still too young, and needs more playtesting to be considering "public-friendly". I have yet to see it used (by myself, or someone else) in a head-to-head multiplayer game.

I'd gladly change that.

[Muszka]

@UHO
You've decreased Logistics? I don't think it's a good idea.

[UndeadHalfOrc]

@UHO
You've decreased Logistics? I don't think it's a good idea.

On a not-so-recent H3 speciality popularity poll, logistics specialists won by a large margin.
I made tons of tests with this change, more so than any other secondary skill, created a map just for it, with 8 heroes doing a "race", with varying combination of pathfinding, logistics and specialists.

You can see the results of this race for yourself here.
Everybody has 1 Angel (speed 12), giving 20 movement squares normally.
The four top Knights have: none/basic/advanced/expert logistics. Expert gets 4 bonus squares total. (20 X 20% = 4)
The Ranger is level 20 Kyrre, Expert Logistics, No pathfinding.
The Death Knight has Expert Logistics, No pathfinding.
The Battle Mage is level 20 Dessa, Expect Logistics, Expert Pathfinding. 8 total bonus squares.
The Heretic has no skills, and moved a total of 11 squares (so you have a good idea of where the starting line was).




We'll see. I'm playing the SOD campaign right now with these secondary skill changes and so far I'm liking it.

[Muszka]

I myself did some tests with logistics, but I don't see the reason to decrase it's effectiveness. I like logistics more than any other skill, only wisdom and earth magic are in the same category. I also have high priority toward the Boots and Gloves. The more you walk the more powerful you are, 10/20/30% is a fair value to me. I like your other patches, and even this one seems good to me, if not for logistics.

[UndeadHalfOrc]

Thanks for your comments Muszka,

I like Logistics too, but, isn't it the sign of a skill being too good when you simply would not dare having your main hero without it? Most skills are deemed situational - Logistics is agreed upon as always good, always useful, no matter the map, situation, hero, faction, you name it.
Even Diplomacy (if no joinable stacks) and yes, even Wisdom (if only Strongholds and Fortresses on maps) can be situational.

The question to ask ourselves is: With Expert Logistics only giving 4 extra squares now (instead of the old 6), would you now choose a skill such as Armorer, Offense, Resistance, Ballistics, Leadership over Logistics, or would you still pick Logistics? If you would still pick logistics, then I have done my job. I know I'd still pick logistics

Remember, I am only doing this out of pity for those poor unlucky Heroes who never even got OFFERED Logistics.

[BAD23ro]

My opinion is clear here and Logistics shouldn't be nerfed.

If you ask me about the movement, I can tell you that I don't like the formula from any version of Heroes.

I myself created a new one and approved by players and is for wog. The formula: New Formula for movement is based on hero's level including AI (22 movement from start +1 movement at every 3 levels)

This was done so never a level 1 can have the same movement as a level 30.

Anyway, is for Wog 3.59 only

[UndeadHalfOrc]

Anyone else wants it reverted to 10%/20%/30% ?

I'd like to point out that Yasmiel changed it to 5%/10%/20% in his own patch, so for now it's two people who want it nerfed vs two people who don't.
We need a fifth opinion to break the tie

[BAD23ro]

@UndeadHalfOrc

My opinion shouldn't matter because I can do 1000% logistics anytime I wish, but I see no point to nerf logicstics.

I could give you an advice and I recommend you doing 2 patches with logistics nerfed and one with 30% logistics...I always doing 2 patches if are more requests.

[UndeadHalfOrc]

Everyone's opinion matters to me, and it isn't relevant to me whether you plan to use the patch or not.

My only concern is to achieve perfect balance, and I may be wrong in some things. That's why I'm looking for feedback, so people can point out my own mistakes.

For instance at some point some years ago I had the bizarre idea of lowering Dendroid hit points. After a few people disagreed, I changed it back to their original stats.

As for WoG, well let's just say the moniker "A new life of Heroes" fits it perfectly: it appeals to people bored with the regular H3 looking for more stuff, more features. I feel H3 is fine the way it is, it just needed some tweaking.

As for Necromancy:

I wish the formula could alter depending on the size of the map... I think 10/20/30 is good for small maps (when I play multiplayer it's almost always small maps).

How did you manage to change artifact properties? Specific offsets?

[Yurian Stonebow]

As a moderator of the MapArchive's ByteBanditmaps 6, H3 fan site owned by Steve@Pol, I added note "moderetor's choice for quality H3 personal patch, recommended" into the description of the link to UndeadHalfOrc's H3 patch. This was done to show my personal support for UHO's hard work.

Splendid stuff here, folks.



Yurian

[UndeadHalfOrc]

Thanks Yurian!

I still remember you wanting to increase Ancient Behemoth speed... sorry but I feel they fill their niche quite well as a scary walker unit... making them too speedy would only make them more similar to angels/dragons/devils! I did increase regular behemoth speed though...

Anyway, do you think Logistics should stay the way it is?

[Muszka]

@UHO
I will choose logistics even if it would give only 1 tile at expert. I know how much can be that one tile. I agree that most skills can be map dependent, but I will choose Earth Magic, no matter the map, just as logistics. Now, after I seen BAD's idea with lvl dependent logistics, I even more like it. Although I agree with BAD, that necrom. is overpowered, if possible I still would play with the original stats. I don't like decreasing, I must be a maximist I modified Even the WoG 3.58f, to my liking disabling weakening corrections. So my Ghost Behemots still fly and ignores defense.

sorry but I feel they fill their niche quite well as a scary walker unit... making them too speedy would only make them more similar to angels/dragons/devils!

I would increase Behemots' speed to 10 also Hydras could have a speed of 9-10.

[BAD23ro]

Necromacy must be changed:

Necromancy can't rise skeletons from undead, mechanics, elementals,

[BAD23ro]

How did you manage to change artifact properties? Specific offsets?

You need to create new offsets, otherwise will mess the entire game...the problem is more that 25 artifacts using just one line, so if you change the stats for necromancy, the artifacts with resistance will be changed as well.

So, I created a new offset from scratch