Factional Redesigns

[DreamWeaver]

That doesn't sound too bad in general.

*** You could name the something like T'Aleen Empire

The "evil empire" type sounds difficult to balance, as it would have to be powerful to do what it needs to, but it might be too powerful to combat easily.  And given that combination, why would not everyone else band together to get rid of them right off the bat?

*** You have stated that at game start, most cities will be small and mostly ruins, with almost no defences and very little for city structure. You could say that the T'Aleen Empire seems to been able to build up a couple of cities with some defences and some regiments. Realize having some forces and looking like your got the upper hand is always a good start.

As to all the factions banding together to fight them, that is possible but not very likely. Maybe over time, but they would keep spreading like the plague.

The "naval merc" would need to be deferred until I have naval operations running, of course, and Pirates wouldn't have anyone to attack without PC ships in use.

*** I understand that the Naval has to wait at this time, but Pirates can always rad coast lands and cities.

I'm not sure I see what good an NPC "Heretic" would do for the design, but come up with something if you like and see what kind of balance we can work out.  (Or just wait until some future time when they "appear" to players in the game system.)

 *** The Heretic or <Named Religious faction> would give the religious factions someone to hate and hunt and fight against, maybe the Blood & Fire.

For your extra faction, are you thinking something along the lines of mystics and/or researchers of lost antiquity?

*** At this point I am not sure, as I said maybe we just stick with the core 7 factions and just redesign them to be better.

I'd like to see what you have in mind for combining the other types, as well.  And of course we'd like to get a number of folks contributing and providing a consensus for us to follow.  (Anybody know what kind of a quorum we might need?)

Don't forget to work out combinations of cooperation and with antipathy.