Recommended turn order based on play times:

I can confirm Dread Reaper in Tomb at strong defenders. Usually together with 3 T1 + 2 T2 or 2 T1 and 3 T2. More common is 5 T2 and 1 T3 though. The Dread Reapr could also be replaced with a Titan, it happened for me 2 times in the Acadamy game. 
The Titan/Dread Reaper have nothing to do with battle enchantments though, its simply luck of the dice (different sets of defenders is possible, same as all other sites).

== PBEM 2vs2 Team Tournament ==
The issue which prevented from changing the status to "Ongoing" has been fixed. Please update the status of the games which started.
1 game has not yet sent its class/race but otherwise, all games are started or about to start I think.

== Balance ==
@Tasslehoff: are you sure you had Dread Reapers in Tombs? Weren't there rather Death Bringers? I've never seen a Dread Reaper in a Tomb.

@all: why make high-level sites harder? marcus provided some elements. You can find more here: http://aow.triumph.net/forums... And I'll make videos of how I do high level sites probably soon.
We are talking about Legendary and Mythical sites here, that is to say the top 2 hardest-level sites, namely Dungeon, Forbidden Sanctum, Sunken City, Sphynx Temple, Hall of the Forefathers for the Legendary ones and Ziggurat, Lost City,   Castle of the Lich King  for the Mythical ones (hardest).
Tass, you said you never do these sites now. So changing them would not change anything for you. But it would prevent players who know how to make them to crush you without giving you any chance even you play a better strategic game than them. These sites provide huge rewards (500 RP, secret spells, crazy items, 2 T3, etc.) which are game-changing. We could reduce the rewards but that is difficult to implement through modding. But in any case, it should not be easier to do a Legendary site (Dungeon) than an Epic one (Tomb or Forbidden Sanctum for instance).
At the minimum, we should add a battle enchantment for Dungeons which is one of the worst offender as it gives (usually) two free T3 units.
We should not determine the results of all the quarter final games of tournaments based on who clear better than the rest. AoW3 is not just about clearing, it's also about good strategies (movements on the map and choice of armies basically) and good management of resources. If we don't change anything, it will be like the quarter finals of the previous Duel tournament where - when Necro is not dominating -, the result depends on who gets the top items, spells and units (through mind control) faster and production or summoning is totally absent from the equation.
So sure, top clearing players should get an advantage, but, no "It is my fault that I can't clear high level dungeons on turn 10 (I can clear the Lost Library!). Other players are picking the right race / class combinations and are just flat out better than I am" it incorrect. Top players should be able to clear high-level sites on turn 20 or so and average players maybe on turn 30-40 or so,  so that top players still benefit from their skills but games are not just a competition on who exploit the AI best.
Making high-level sites impossible to clear with T1 and T2 will not make the game less fun. It will make it more fun because you will have more strategies in mid game and maybe reach late game more often so you will experience more of what AoW has to offer. And you will still be able to clear them but just not with T1 and T2.

We can reduce the strength of the proposed battlefield enchantment to make the sites not much more difficult than now. But we really need to prevent the current exploits of taking many turns to position and split the enemy and win a Dungeon with basically 2 heroes, 1 T2 and 3 T1.
I hope I can make some videos soon to illustrate that and convince some of you.
Happy to discuss that more on the chat!

What about to lower the reward that could unbalance the game and leave the fun of explore a site ? I'm not a great player, but I never explored a Mythical site if I remember.

Edit: in the last few games I found a Dread Ripper in every Epic Tomb. c'mon guys!!!

I cant clear a Dungeon by turn 10 either, not with weak starting units anyhow.
But I do believe that a site, witch is so rewarding (2 t3, or 1t3+t2) should at least offer a difficulty worthy of such a reward. I also think its worth to mention that the stalling technique used to clear such a site very early in the game, will not effect most players in a horrible way, if you approach it when you are more suitable to it, i.e with 3 t3 and 3 leaders, the spell wont hurt you as bad as if you approach with 2 heroes, 1 t2 and 3t1 units. Your units will have more hp and def so suffocate(the spel) wont damage you so much.

But to offer a compromise, maybe put together a few people that can trial it and offer feedback in beta before its officially moved to the main branch.
Rookie, Tass and Eskild who was first to offer input should be included in such a trial and can provide non-biased feedback.

I believe the PBEM mod should achieve balance between classes and races only, and it should do it with as few changes to the game as possible. 

It is my fault that I can't clear high level dungeons on turn 10 (I can clear the Lost Library!). Other players are picking the right race / class combinations and are just flat out better than I am. I will likely be against proposed changes to dungeons. 

I´ll back you up on that one Tass.

I really don't understand the need to make treasure sites harder and harder to clean. Strong defenders are already difficult to me and the game results less funny.

== PBEM 2vs2 Team Tournament ==
Classes/races received for everyone except:
- gabthegab
- Marcuspers
- Evgendil
- Hiliadan
- rickyroo222
- Lightform
- Jundland Banshee
- Boze
- embahr
So basically all but 3 matches are ready to start. Please check the settings posted by your opponents and start the match. Once it is started, please update its status to "Ongoing" through the drop-down menu.

Round 2 should end around 16 January (16 November + 2 months).
Round 3 will use v1.18 of the balance mod (same as now).

== 2017 PBEM Duel Tournament ==
23 players joined, only 9 slots left to join: https://www.the-battlefield.c... />I am trying to get Zaskow to release the "tournament size" map in the beta branch of the balance mod but he is facing some bugs... I hope v1.2 will not be delayed too much as a consequence.

== Balance ==
Please provide feedback on these new priority changes for v1.21 (probably for round 2 of the 2017 PBEM Duel Tournament):



GC24
Dungeon's battle enchantment is Suffocating Sadism. Every turn, one enemy unit is hit by 15 physical damage, Undead, Machine, Elemental and Incorporeal are immune. Every time an enemy dies, all defenders of the Dungeon get +100 Morale and +1 melee strength.
GC25
Earth Elemental cannot be obtained as a reward any more in the Forbidden Sanctum
GC26
Forbidden Sanctum's batte enchantment is Mass Bless / Mass Curse and Shock Missile cast every turn on a random enemy unit
GC27
Sunken City's battle enchantment is Frost Missile (cast every turn on an enemy unit)
GC28
Sphynx Temple's Greater Immolation affects 2 enemy units every round (was 1)
GC29
Hall of the Forefather's battle enchantment is Vengeful Totem: enemy units are affected by Glacial Totem and one enemy unit is hit by Vengeful Frost every turn
GC30
Ziggurath's battle enchantment is Filth Pith
GC31
Lost City's battle enchantment is Bell Tower
GC32
Castle of the Lich King's Batte Enchantment is Lich King's Undying Army: all defenders have Undying and enemy units get 20% Spirit Weakness.
GC33
Healing is once per battle (was cooldown 3).
Shamans and Evangelists get Combat Healing in addition to their Healing ability. Combat Healing starts fights with an initial 4 turns cooldown, it heal 20 HP and it can be used once per battle. Combat Healing has no effect on the strategic map (but Healing still works on the strategic map). Order of Healing gives Healing and Combat Healing to Theocrat's Supports
GC34
Transform Mana Node can target any Mana Node (was can target only basic - i.e. non elemental - Mana Node)

Ro16b
Lesser Charm and Charm have strength 6 (was 7) and 8 (was 9) respectively


Th08b
Lesser Convert and Convert have strength 8 (was 9) and 10 (was 11) respectively





Pa01
Guerilla Tactics apply to all units (was only Infantry and Irregular)
Pa02
Hide Out costs 40 CP to cast and has an upkeep of 15 mana/turn. Disjunction cost is 55 CP (was 60 CP and 20 mana/turn ; disjunction cost was 80 CP)
Pa02a
Hide Out gives Invisibility to all your units in enemy’s domain (was All friendly units in enchanted city's domain are invisible). It costs 700 RP, 150 CP, is tier V,  has an upkeep of 40 mana/turn and its disjunction cost is 170 CP (was 60 CP and 20 mana/turn, 120 RP, tier II; disjunction cost was 80 CP).
Pa03
War Anthem costs 20 CP to cast (was 30 CP). If it fails, the unit suffer -100 morale instead (was no effect if it failed).



Ea01
Domain of Earth costs 160 RP and 40 CP (was 180 RP, 60CP).
Ea02
Domain of Earth gives +1 defense to allied units in the enchanted city’s domain.
Ea03
Slow costs 9 CP and 300 RP (was 10 CP and 350 RP).
Ea04
City Quake costs 90 CP (was 100 CP)



Ai01
Domain of Winter costs 160 RP, 40 CP and 15 mana/turn (was 180 RP, 60CP, 20 mana/turn).
Ai02
Domain of Winter gives +1 ranged damage to allied units in the enchanted city’s domain.


Ai05
Artic Empire gives Inflict Chilling and Inflict Frostbite to units in your domain.


Ai07
Air Master gets Dark Storm instead of Wind Ward. Dark Storm is a strategic spell which gives -2 vision range to all enemy units. It costs 2500 RP and 600 CP, is tier VII, its disjunction cost is 500 CP and its upkeep 80 mana/turn.
Ai07a
Air Master gets Heavy Winds instead of Wind Ward. Heavy Winds is a strategic spell which gives -2 vision range to all Flying enemy units and prevent them from Flying in tactical combat. It costs 800 RP and 150 CP, is tier V, its disjunction cost is 170 CP and its upkeep 60 mana/turn.



Cr02a
Domain of Life gives Fast Healing (stackable) and +20% Spirit protection  to allied units in the enchanted city’s domain.
Cr02b
Domain of Life gives +5 HP  to allied units in the enchanted city’s domain.


Cr04
Temperate Empire gives +1 defense and +1 resistance to allied units in your domain.


De04
Blight Empire gives Inflict Curse to allied units in your domain.


Wt01
Water Master gets Hail Storm instead of Drench the Land. Hail Storm is a strategic spell and causes 5 physical damage and 5 frost damage to all units and gives Weaken for 1 strategic turn to all Machines or Undead up to 2 hexes away from its center. It costs 350 RP, is tier IV, costs 90 CP.

Bishmanrock quitted!

Bishmanrock joined !!

== PBEM 2vs2 Team Tournament ==
Round 2 has started! Your match has been generated and the hosts are the teams on top on the roster here (or first in the game blog): https://www.the-battlefield.c... />For hosts, please host the game and post screenshots of the settings as in round 1.
For all, please send your class/race to judges (Fistandantilus, Markymark and me). Please don't send it to a judge if he is your opponent! I currently have class/race for rrrrookie & jonny thunder, West Coasters,  The Baballas, Reapers.<
Round 2 is played with the Main branch of the PBEM & Single Player balance mod: http://steamcommunity.com/sha... It has just been updated with v1.18 a few minutes ago by Zaskow.

Please note: teams Phoenyx Rising and Bastards of the North's positions may change, I reported the match before the result was known to speed up the launch of round 2.

Please start your match as soon as possible! Round 2 lasts only 2 months and it's short! Good luck and have fun all!

Reminder: you can check the rules here https://www.the-battlefield.c...

gladis quitted!

Good question! v1.18 will be used for round 2. That's the version that has been tested for 1.5 months on the Beta branch of the mod: http://steamcommunity.com/sha... So you can test it now if you want, through the Beta branch of the mod.
The Main branch of the mod is going to be updated with v1.18 as soon as the 2 remaining matches end (so probably tomorrow).

It's not planned to use v1.2 in the 2vs2 team tournament for now (though that may change in the future but we'll communicate at least 1 round in advance). So the 2vs2 team tournament should stick with v1.18.
(the next DUEL tournament will use v1.2 though)

Which mod are we using for round two?

Can we access the official mod for round two now?

I have found references to 1.16 and 1.18, but I thought
you mentioned 1.2.

@participants of the 2vs2 tournament: today is the last day of round 1. ALL teams (including those who lost on round 1) play on round 2 because it's a double-elimination tournament. Please check the roster to see your next match: https://www.the-battlefield.c... />Please send your class/race to the judges as soon as possible so that next round's matches can start quickly.

Reminder of rule 5: "A team cannot play the same class or race that it played in its latest match. BEFORE the match, you must let the Judges (but not your opponents) know what class and race you will play for your upcoming match by private message in the Battlefield website. For example, if your team played Human Theocrat and Warlord Frostling in your last match, for your next match, you cannot be Human, Frostling, Theocrat or Warlord (all the 4 are forbidden).
Both players in a team can play the same class/race as long as they respect the restrictions explained above."

I've received the class/race of Reapers and rrrrookie & jonny thunder so far.

Please note that the following teams are likely to surrender round 2: King Serpents (Evgendil left the community) and Team Mariusz (inactive). We need to discuss among judges how to deal with that, regarding the application of rule 5.

Round 2 will be officially generated (and matches will be created here in the Battlefield, with associated game blog) as soon as the 2 remaining matches end (they need to finish the ongoing turn when the deadline expires + report with screenshot of score and then judges need to announce the winners).

==== 2017 PBEM Duel Tournament ====
Registrations are still open for the next Duel Tournament: https://www.the-battlefield.c... Currently 14 players joined!
Remember there will be prizes for this tournament (see details here https://www.the-battlefield.c... so a payment system will be opened later this year, with the recommended contribution set at 3€ (you can join without paying but then you cannot win any prize).
For those who haven't yet, please vote What would be the best system to prevent participants to choose always the same class/race in the next tournament?

==== PBEM 2vs2 Team Tournament ====
2 matches still ongoing. Next round starts on 15 November. Please check the roster (https://www.the-battlefield.com/aow3/index.php?page=tourneyroster&tourneyid=5) to see who you will face and then send your class/race to the judges not involved in your future match.
It's a double elimination tournament so teams who lost have a 2nd chance, please check the loser bracket.

==== 2015 PBEM Duel Tournament ====
The match Skuns vs Fistandantilus has not yet started, waiting for Fistandantilus, and also waiting for v1.18 on the main branch of the balance mod (will happen on 15 November after the end of round 1 of the Team Tournament).

==== Balance discussion ====
@all: please check my message below listing all the new and old proposed priority changes and please provide feedback.

@Imperium about hero leveling: most of the things that allowed XP farming have been removed already: heroes and leaders do not get XP for non-attack abilities and the XP counters of units (see the Wiki http://age-of-wonders-3.wikia... have been reduced. I don't think it's possible to go much further in that direction (we can further reduce the XP counters for T2 and above maybe) and we rather need to increase the XP necessary to level up.

==== Misc ====
There is a new poll: What is the best class according to you?
Please also note that the ranking system will be updated. One of the big change is that the 1000 points floor will be removed: if you lose and that brings you below 1000, you'll not longer stay at 1000, you'll be allowed to fall below. A news article will explain the changes soon.

Hi Hilliadan,

I'm only a rookie PBEM player but I agree that hero levelling should be nerfed especially if some players manage to level up to 15 in that many turns ! But maybe it takes special circumstances to achieve that, so could you elaborate on the means to do such a quick hero levelling ? Maybe we need to nerf only a specific mechanism which gets exploited instead of the whole hero levelling system.

@all:
PBEM 2vs2 Team Tournament: only 3 matches are still ongoing following the end of Reapers vs Jonny Thunder & rrrrookie today.
Please remember that it's a double elimination tournament so losers play a 2nd match! Please check the roster: https://www.the-battlefield.c... />For those who know their opponents already, please send your class/race to judges not involved in our match. Next round will probably start on 15 November and not earlier as the 2 replacement matches will probably not end before.

Balance: the changelog for v1.2 has been confirmed: http://aow.triumph.net/forums... />However, feedback on the changes proposed in my earlier post are still very welcome and necessary! We'll try to get v1.2 in the beta branch as soon as possible to test it but I think we'll need a v1.21 for the 1st round of next PBEM Duel Tournament, as we lacked time to confirm many proposed changes for specs, healing and high-level sites.

@gladis: mmh, yes but at the same time I think removing all XP for Touch abilities or other abilities would be a big nerf for units. It has been removed for heroes & leaders in the balance mod but I don't think it's such a big issue with units. Please check this page which explain XP gains http://age-of-wonders-3.wikia... (please note that the XP counters are lower in the balance mod, killing XP for heroes is lower and heroes+leaders do not get XP for non-attack abilities)

For me the levelling itself is still dumb. A T4 Lord of the Deep gets 8 XP for stunning a unit in a arleady won battle. This Kind of abilities should only provide 4 XP It´s way too easy to Level this T4. I saw cbower once levelling a Guardian Angel in 2 rounds to elite (with a pillar of the heroes) But is this really how the game should work?
Speaking about the Guardian Angel, she/he should definetly get MC! It´s a unit who fights for clear principles. Same for the other Angels if they don´t have MC..

I guess I understand the basis for GC23, but still think the xp increases are too extreme. I will refrain from voting on GC23