882 replies to this topic

[Hasfusel]

Going back to what was being said before, it's not as if Saruman would tolerate anyone holding the Ring against him.
And they just wouldn't take the Ring. Saruman says don't touch, the Uruks don't touch. Simple. If Uruk take, Saruman obliterate. It's impossible to have an Uruk with the Ring on the same team as Uruks loyal to Saruman; the moment Saruman discovered one of his own had the Precious he'd command everybody just to kill him and take it back, using someone really loyal like Lurtz to actually retrieve it.
And he was planning on betraying his allies anyway; he was trying to hold off Mordor as long as it took to find the Ring, and then he'd use it to rule the world, Mordor included.

Mounting a tower would be cool, but hard to make realistic and game-effective.
Hey, an idea - each race has some form of cool tower upgrade for their fortress - The Wizard's Tower, the Witch-King's Sanctum, the White Tower, etc.
Why not have it so that one hero at a time can garrison inside these towers, or on them such as with Saruman? It's a thought. Useful if you're defending a super fortress with a hero, but the hero is dying and needs somewhere to hide while perhaps giving some extra effect such as blasting spells at surrounding enemies (Saruman, Gandalf, The WitchKing, etc.) while standing on the tower and blasting enemies with spells or hiding in the tower and providing Leadership to surrounding units.

[Devon]

I'm not sure rob ever actually saw that idea scryer (which might have been mine to start? I forget...), so I'm sure nothing is decided, but I'll mention it to rob next time he's on.

[Scryer]

I'm pretty sure that it was your idea, Yoda. But I'm not 100% on this.

[Dalf32]

i recall liking the idea when it was put up so i say we go
for it.

and i think it might have been yoda's idea

[Scryer]

Mounting a tower would be cool, but hard to make realistic and game-effective.
Hey, an idea - each race has some form of cool tower upgrade for their fortress - The Wizard's Tower, the Witch-King's Sanctum, the White Tower, etc.
Why not have it so that one hero at a time can garrison inside these towers, or on them such as with Saruman? It's a thought. Useful if you're defending a super fortress with a hero, but the hero is dying and needs somewhere to hide while perhaps giving some extra effect such as blasting spells at surrounding enemies (Saruman, Gandalf, The WitchKing, etc.) while standing on the tower and blasting enemies with spells or hiding in the tower and providing Leadership to surrounding units.

I don't like the idea because there is so much to micro-manage during a battle (whether you're assaulting or defending) that by the time you scroll all the way back to your fortress, the tide of battle could turn easily. Not only that but I would rather have a hero like the WK out in the field of battle if the fortress is under heavy fire because the hero damage does make a difference .

Now the Saruman idea is different from this because:

a. It sort of fits with the lore. Sure it's not Orthanc but it's the next best thing !
b. It gives Saruman an even more unique purpose. No longer will he be a lesser version of Gandalf in game (*inplants better lightning spell suggestion from long ago here*). This time he can be lazy and shoot spells from far away.
c. It gives Isengard a unique curve. By this I mean that it causes Isengard to be the only faction (correct me if I'm wrong) that generates some of its power and strength from the fortress itself. For other factions, the fortress is just something that you ignore and hope your enemy doesn't find it .

Edited by Scryer, 12 December 2008 - 04:45 AM.

[shadowcreature]

I will 6th it because 6 is my lucky number (and the devil's ).

And now to make my post not seem so immature :

There was talk a LONG time ago about having a fortress upgrade where Saruman can mount it and cast spells from there. Is this idea being completely scrapped, or is there a slight chance that it could get added? I don't lean in a particular way for this question; I just don't think that we all confirmed that it wasn't an idea to consider.

i think my "dream" suggestion on page 19 may have been the catalyst for the ball to roll on this one.

[{IRS}Athos]

I second Saruman being the only one with a tower. I mean, Mordor could upgrade to a tower witha permanent Eye of Sauron, but only one person can stand on top of a tower and blast people because only one person ever did so: Saruman. He called down lightning (FotR) and shot a fireball at Gandalf (Rotk)

[{IP} Aridor]

I know it would be a friggin ton of work but I think that we should try to dive unique style fortesses for each faction. Like we did for the Elves.

[Pasidon]

Problem with that much work is that people tend to neglect it as long as posible and it ends up not getting done.

[dojob]

I don't think everyone needs to have something like this, but it would be cool as some people said if a fort with saruman garrisoned inside had powers like leadership, fireball, lighting, etc.

[{IP} Aridor]

The more uniqueness the better.

[Hasfusel]

Yeah. I love the Saruman/Tower idea, personally.
As for his Lvl.10 power, I'm all in favour of an Avalanche power (like with Angmar's last power) to match Gandalf's Word of Power. It's lore-fitting, as well; there's suggestions that Saruman caused the avalanches and snowstorms on Caradhras, especially in the movie where you see him chanting on his tower while the snow falls around the Fellowship.

[Devon]

I've been suggesting that for, well, probably a year Though as a 25pp, not saruman lvl 10.

[Scryer]

I've been suggesting that for, well, probably a year Though as a 25pp, not saruman lvl 10.

Agreed. And his level 10 power should be his lightning strike, except improved to the extent of the current Isengard's Fortress's lightning strike power.

I think that if this upgrade does get implemented into the fortress, that it should give a price decrease to Saruman. My reason being that if it's going to cost 2000 and if Saruman is still at 3000 then it would get pretty expensive to get the "mount the tower" upgrade working to its fullest. Either that or you can just decrease the price of the upgrade.

[Devon]

I think I was gonna give him a passive leadership to furnaces and mills when he was in the tower too

[Hasfusel]

Yeah, that would be cool, too.
I thought that the Avalanche power should be a 25pp summon awhile ago, so I'm cool with that.
Has anything been decided for Saruman's Lvl. 10 power yet? I don't know about you guys, but his current one seems kinda lame. It can't do very much. I mean, it does quite a bit of damage, but it only damages a very small area, and isn't strong enough to wreck buildings. I'd recommend either giving him his own Word of Power (maybe, however, the colour could be changed to show individuality?) or something more unique and more fitting. Perhaps it could even be a passive power, such as Saruman of Many Colours. It'd involve a new skin, and giving him a wider radius of damage, hitting and damaging more units at one, and improving his speed and health and/or giving him faster recharge time and more damage from his Wizard Blast and Fireball powers. It's an idea...

[Scryer]

Agreed. And his level 10 power should be his lightning strike, except improved to the extent of the current Isengard's Fortress's lightning strike power.

Where my vote lies for his level 10 power...

[{IP} Aridor]

And make the tower have avalanche with lightning

[Hasfusel]

Avalanche with lightning?

...

I'm not quite sure what you mean.

[{IP} Aridor]

Both powers at once. Like when he tried to bring down the mountain on the Fellowship.