My thoughts on original vs AP changes so far

[Ryastar]

After quite a bit of playing, I now have access to the first 5 islands (I refuse to kite on my first playthrough, I want things to open up naturally), and I've fought about 60 or so battles, which, except for one battle where I lost two priests right at the beginning of the game and didn't feel like replaying, are all no loss (warrior). I feel ready to give my preliminary thoughts on the changes.

1. Spell changes: the first one I only know of second hand, but gift is gone. It was a useful spell, but I agree with its departure, since there are many abilities with charges that are somewhat overpowered, and probably should be allowed to be cast again, and besides, there is always phantom. Second, battle cry is now mass from level 1. I both like and hate this. Mass spells are nice, and it is certainly more efficient to cast one spell and have all your troops benefit. On the other hand, one of my main uses for the spell is now gone. I used to use it to manipulate which one of my troops goes first. Let me give an example: say there is one enemy stack left in a hero battle. You have two troops left to move, and his troop goes afterwards. The hero has enough mana to cast a damage spell which will kill one of your soldiers, meaning no no-loss. Both of your troops have the same init, and the one that has higher speed (and therefore acts first) is within melee range, and would kill the enemy with their attack. Your other troop is within move range of a chest. Now, wouldn't it be nice to make it so that your second troop acts first, so you can collect the chest, then kill the enemy? As is, you are forced to kill with your first troop and forego the chest. Battle cry used to be my solution to this, but now there is no solution.

I was longer-winded there then I meant to be, so that will be it for now. I'll post more things later.

[Metathron]

I know what you mean, I used to do the exact same thing with level 1 and 2 battle cry.

[Sortvind]

I actually never used that spell much, i will give it a go.
Btw, does slow become mass when upgraded?

[DGDobrev]

No No Heroes 3-type slow in KBAP here - although a mass slow would greatly help the players, especially on the higher difficulties.

[Elwin]

Yea mass slow would be really nice thing ;p

[travelingoz]

Yes but "mass slow" would be a very powerful spell indeed! Perhaps if the cost were 40~50 mana it would be ok and not too unbalanced. I am surprised that there isn't any initiative reducing spell that you can cast on enemy units though.

[Ryastar]

Alright, more things that have changed:

Negative buffs now reduce morale!!! Let me say that again. NEGATIVE BUFFS REDUCE MORALE!!!!!!!!!!! This is both a powerful tool and a tremendous irritant, which means it fits right in. Now, unless there are positive buffs to counter-balance them, as an example, level one helplessness will reduce defense by 30%, and then take away another 15% att and def, as well as 25% crit chance. This would be incredibly overpowered if it didn't affect your own troops as well. I now find myself torn- I love how it makes enemies weaker with practically every spell, I took an ogre down to 4 defense or so with burn + helplessness in that order, and I hate how one measly freeze effect on my dragons, who with their 6 speed hardly notice the loss of one, makes them so sad that they lose 15 % of their attack and defense, and crit less often. In short, I don't fully agree with this change, but I can see how it profoundly changes the strategy. Dispel isn't useless now. Especially with the new poison/burn system, which makes those status effects acually mean something. In legend, I was always like "oh no, you did not just poison my dragons! I weep for the loss of thirty hp or so, in total, spread over three turns". Now it's "crap, my dragons got poisoned, ok how strong was the poisoning stack, and can I afford to take the poison damage, or do I have to dispel? Thank god that my royal snakes have higher init."

[Metathron]

Is it dispel or healing you use to get rid of poisoning/burning?

[DGDobrev]

Dispel. Healing lvl 3 works against poisoning as well.