Lopsided techtree/superability combinations

for those custom races...

I'm curious what everyone thinks of the ability to use anyone's tech tree when creating a custome race. It seems that if the original races are balanced, some races must have better tech trees than others. For example, some races have really terrible super abilities (like super spy), and I was wondering if anyone thinks this is offset by their starting bonuses or super abilities. If so, it seems like you could make a custom race that could mop the floor with everyone else by using the best tech tree and super ability and getting rid of all those useless starting bonuses some races get.

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First off, I'm not sure how 'balanced' the races are in the general sense. Each race has it's hayday/map/situations. They are NOT however balanced 100%. That was what DL was, every expansion from that further 'unbalanced' the races.

I will admit, there are some Super Abilities or Tech trees I'll avoid. Those are just my opinions though on the maps and game style I play.

The Iconian tree for instance. They are pretty rough for economy, just like the Yor. The Iconian tree however can allow for some Precursor-like ships when it comes to hp/regen. I think I had a ~750hp Huge ship in the Iconian's hands...level 0 ship.

I will say that the Super Diplomat teamed with either Krynn or Korath tech trees is very Influence-overpowered. That Dark Influence building (+200% influence) tossed on an influence tile, with SD and influence bonuses elsewhere...you don't miss the fact that you don't have a spore ship. I've won a couple conquest/influence victories w/o firing one shot or loosing 1 person due to those buildings with the evil kitten eating (sorry KP) Korath!!!!

Other combinations can/will be found.

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Yeah I didn't really think the races were ever balanced to begin with, but it does depend a lot on play style. But the Krynn influence thing is close to what I was talking about. A really good influence race is gimped with the near-useless super spy ability. Customizing helps make them much more powerful.

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I've played several games as a Research-intensive custom race, 7 majors and 8 minors. The 7 majors are: Arcean, Drath, Iconian, Korx, Krynn, Terran, and Torian. In _every_ game, by the time we were all rubbing elbows, nobody wanted to mess with me because I was sooooooo far ahead of them in tech. (Despite the fact that my military value was zero.) Plus favorable Diplomacy relationships because I was waaaaaayyyyy ahead in Diplomacy/Influence tech.

However, the Krynn consistently overwhelmed the other races one after another via Influence and military might. Towards the end, all that was left was Krynn, Terran, and me, plus one or two minors. _Every_ game.

The eventual result was me, massive tech leader, _finally_ building uber-powerful ships (several hundred hit points, 100+ Offense/200+ Defense, movement 15+) and cutting through the Krynn fleets like a knife through water. (Like just one of my ships could slice through a fleet of Krynn heavy cruisers and come out the other end w/o a scratch.) Several score of Krynn planets later, the Krynn's Influence near-victory was all for naught.

Now, if I did NOT have such a huge tech lead, and if the other majors had been more aggressive against me in the early phase, that Krynn progression would undoubtedly been overwhelming. _Every_ game.

For some reason, "fair and balanced" doesn't come to mind.

But whoever said that the Universe was fair?

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