Imbalance
Imbalance is a feature of game when something (hero, creature, faction, spell, etc.) delivers strong advantage (overpowered) against analogues of its tier, or strong disadvantage. In tournaments players of same skill are expected to have equal chances of victory regardless of random effects, so this presents a problem.
Please note that imbalance units doesn't always mean strong units. For example, Vampire Lords are weaker than Unicorns, being two levels down. However, the latter are not the strongest 6th level unit. Their Blind ability is not unique (as some other units have petrification which works in a similar way), the chance they will use their abilities is not 100%, and it's not a thing which is a complete disaster for the enemy. As opposed to Blind, life drain works always unless there is a unit immune to it (e. g. other undead creatures), and it can increase dramatically the chance of winning a battle, lowering the casualities. Unicorns are strong, rather fast, and very mighty in a battle, but there are some other units which can be used in a similar way, while there is no one like Vampire Lords. Some units aren't very powerful but have great abilities. For example, Harpy Hags and Wolf Raiders are not strong themselves, as they are only 2nd level units and thus have low stats, but their abilities (respectively, to attack without retaliation and to come back, and to strike twice) make them a formidable force and are extremely helpful to the entire army.
Entities
Factions
- Conflux is considered imbalanced because of the combat statistics of its 1st (Sprite), 2nd (Storm Elemental) and 6th level (Magic Elemental) units; and also the quick growth and the Fire immunity of its 7th level unit (Firebird and Phoenix); as well as its Grail Building, Aurora Borealis, which fills the Mage Guild of that town with all unbanned spells.
- Necropolis is considered imbalanced because of ability to create huge armies of skeletons, as well as having the Vampire Lords.
Units
Imbalance abilities
These are abilities of 1-6 level units which can make a hero undefeatable. Besides death blow and death stare, they are always available or compulsory (i. e. will work automatically regardless of the situation). Important: many of these abilities are used only by upgraded creatures, whose basic versions aren't very useful (e.g Archers and basic Vampires are unlikely to be brought to a battle until upgraded).
- Double attack (Crusader, Wolf Raider) and double shoot (Marksman, Grand Elf)
- Jousting (Cavalier and Champion)
- Binding (Dendroid Guard and Dendroid Soldier)
- Spell casting (primarily Master Genie; however that should be used carefully, as Master Genies' spells are random)
- Demon farming (Pit Lord)
- Life drain (Vampire Lord)
- Death blow (Dread Knight)
- Strike and return without retaliation (Harpy Hag)
- Lightning strike (Thunderbird)
- Dispel and Weakness together with speed 13 (Dragon Fly)
- Death stare (Mighty Gorgon)
Secondary Skills
Spells
- Dimension Door
- Fly
- Town Portal
- Armageddon
- Implosion
- Animate Dead
- Resurrection
- Haste
- Slow
- Blind
- Berserk
Heroes
Artifacts
Buildings
- Treasury
- Library
- Castle Gate
- Skeleton Transformer
- Mana Vortex
- Portal of Summoning
- Ballista Yard
- Magic University
Tactics
Methods against imbalance
- Banning offending entities from game altogether
- Gentleman's accords so even if its in game, it will be not used (e.g. it might be forbidden to upgrade Vampires to Vampire Lords)
- Designing map in a way so even if entity is ingame its effect would be countered (e.g. artifacts against necromants, or multiple mid-tier creature dwellings which are not useful for necromants)
- And, last but not least, countering imbalance by your own play, tactics, and strategy.Template:Keywords