A block mechanic? Could this be possible? Let’s consider an infantry unit with a tower shield or some other big shield. The block mechanic works something like the Shrivamsha Rider dodge ability. But it only blocks melee based attacks, apart from units like elephants, you can’t block an elephant tusk swing. Can block one melee attack every 5 seconds.
Let’s consider the stats of the unit like that of a fully upgraded generic champion with a block ability. How much of a difference in a fight could it make if it had the ability to block? Even if the other unit gets the first strike in, it blocked at first, allowing the blocker units to strike back in turn without losing HP from the first hit.
Or what if a spearman unit with high bonus damage vs cavalry. Similar to that of a halberdier. How much tougher would these units be if knight’s first attack is negated by the block ability?
As the Attackspeed of the Paladin is 1,9
The Block would negate 1,9/5= 0,38 / 38% of the damage.
Geberic Paladin would need 8 instead of 5 Attacks against a champion.
A generic Halb would deal 148 instead of 74dmg against a generic paladin!
A japanese Halb would win against a generic paladin (180hp)
Only Teuton- and Frankpaladin would survive against japanese halbs
Pls no more gimmicks. What’s next, a hero unit with actiave abilities like in warcaft 3.
Age 3 and age 4 already, went that road.
I say No more.
These quickly special abilities make the game worse by overcomplicsting tsuff with no benefit.
Same reason league of legends was great 2009-2013 and then, gradually overcomplicated and reworked everything beyond recognition, completely losing the simple mechanics but hard to master appeal of the game
I think that would be a cool and interesting mechanic for a new unique unit.
An infantry with relatively weak base stats for it’s cost that relies on blocking the first attack of an enemy in a fight.
This unit would be bad if outnumbered but very good in 1v1.
So basically the opposite of the Urumi.
It shouldn’t be a unit with a large shield because shields are primarily there to block arrows, melee weapons and small shields are used to block melee attacks.
So a unit with a small target shield could work or even better a parrying dagger like a Swordbreaker for example.
In some way that would work out similar to a charged attack. You always start the battle with a damage advantage.
And it would have the same balance problem, just even worse: The unit would be absurdly strong in hit and run fights. Imho this could only be balanced if its a rather slow infantry unit. The idea is interesting, but I suspect it would take some tries to get the unit to a good spot.
Would it be though?
Wouldn’t the same apply to Urumis? Or even more so the Coustillier that is a fast cavalry unit.
This ability would be worse then a charged attack since it is useless against ranged units (including ones doing melee damage like Axe Throwers) and civilian units like villagers.
So it would only be good against other infantry since cavalry can chase them and all ranged units are unaffected.
So it could be a nice unique unit for a civilisation that has an infantry weakness.
Both Urumi and Coustillier are not units that are in a good spot balance wise imho - coustillier also needed severl patches to even get to the spot they are now.
But this bonus would be inherently weaker.
It’s basically a charged attack that is as strong as one attack of the enemy unit.
Urumi even have an area of effect charged attack.
In a different thread it was discussed that Sandy according to Sandy there is supposed rock paper balance between archers infantry and calvary and the reason why infantry are the weakest link is because archers have range calvary have mobility and infantry dont really have anything and conisdering that a Paladins can kill 2 Champions I would say this might be justified the as game mechanic or civ bonus the problem is that civs like Goths would need to be balanced to compensate. But this change should only be for the militia line starting with M@A or longswords