User:Csaros/Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin Patch is a mod for Horn of the Abyss , intended to bring balance and QoL changes to the game. The changes are meant to be beautiful, balanced, bold, brilliant, benign and to sometimes benefit from a touch of buffoonery. One of the key drives for the design of the mod was increasing the variety of gampelay elements present when playing optimally. Naturally, as a result, game balance was one of the primary aims.

If you encounter an issue, please re-download the mod first (~55 MB) and re-install it. If the issue persists, contact me on the Talk page or on Discord.

Pumpkin Patch can be played using the online lobby. However, playing ranked games with it, for now, is not allowed by the HD lobby rules, and may result in bans or penalties. Starting from 1.4.3, an anti-cheat measure has been implemented, which ensures players can only play multiplayer using Pumpkin Patch if they have the same gameplay features enabled (but ignoring skins).

Current Version

Download Pumpkin Patch Installer

Alternative download link: Pumpkin Patch 1.7.3 on Mediafire.

The current version of the mod is 1.4.7 for HotA 1.7.3.

If the installer doesn't work for you, because Windows Defender sometimes blocks exe-type files, or because you're drive C:/ is system-only, you can download an alternative version using mediafire or google drive.

If the Windows Defender keeps on registering a false positive, open the Windows Defender notification (don't "Dismiss" it), open "Protection History", press the most recent threat (make sure the "Affected items" is the Pumpkin Patch) and choose Actions -> Allow.

Changelog

The mod is subject to change and updates with further tuning of the balance changes are released regularly. If you have any suggestions as to balance or want to playtest the upcoming changes, feel free to message me on my Talk page or join the Pumpkin Patch Discord server.

Known Issues

Devil's and Arch Devil's skill, which reduces enemy Luck, doesn't decrease the chance of random skills applying. A solution to the issue is being actively investigated.

Alternative Versions

Version 1.3.8 is available here.

Installation

If you want to be able to quickly switch between Pumpkin Patch and regular HotA, it is recommended to create a copy of your heroes 3 folder.

To install the mod, simply open the installer. The mod should be able to tell whether you are using a Polish version or not, and update accordingly. It is recommended to manually uninstall the previous version, if you want the mod to make an automatic backup - otherwise, the automatic backup may be faulty.

If you're using the file labelled "Manual Install", place all files in your game directory. If you want to use the Polish version, you need to copy the files from the folder "Polish" into your game directory. It is recommended to install the mod only after uninstalling the old version.

To uninstall the mod, simply replace all files with the contents of the backup zip archive created by the mod, or use the uninstaller.

Main Features

• New Launcher, HexSwapper, which you can use to edit your game. Simply double-click it to open it.

• Balance tweaks, including spell balance
• Improvements to Inferno's demon farming strategy
• Quality of life
• New combination artifact: (  Armageddon's Blade)
• New heroes: Athe, Gwenneth, Winstan, Archibald, and Zenith.

List of changes

Core Gameplay

• See Gameplay Changes

Towns & Buildings

• See Town Changes

Creatures

• See Creature Changes

Heroes

• Gwenneth the Cleric (replaces Sanya on random maps, which can be disabled via Hex Swapper)
• Balindar the Wizard (replaces Thane on random maps, which can be disabled via via Hex Swapper)
• Athe the Heretic (replaces Olema on random maps, which can be disabled via via Hex Swapper)
• Zenith the Warlock (replaces Straker on random maps, which can be disabled via via Hex Swapper)
• Archibald the Warlock (replaces Jeddite on random maps, which can be disabled via via Hex Swapper)
• See Hero Changes

Secondary Skills

• Archery: Bonus Damage 10/25/50% → 20/35/50%
• Expert Ballistics: Shoots twice → shoots thrice
• Eagle Eye: Pre-combat learning chance 10/20/30% → 20/35/50%
• Expert First Aid: Bonus Health 15% → 20%
• Learning: Bonus Experience 20/40/60% → 10/20/30%
  • Specialty bonus per level 5% → 20%
• Navigation: Bonus Movement 50/100/150% → 50/75/100%

Spells

• See Spell Changes

Artifacts

• See Artifact Changes

Optional Features

• See Gameplay Options (via Hex Swapper)

Adventure Map

• See Adventure Map Changes

Miscellaneous

• Hex Swapper program
• New map object variants for different terrains
• Moats mention that they deal damage
• Updated hero restrictions in Battle of the Sexes and Battle of the Sexes (Allies)
• Added a remastered version of Long Live the Queen
• Death Ripple no longer affects unliving creatures
• Bloodlust is now considered a mind spell

New Portraits

• 
  Gwenneth
• 
  Winstan
• 
  Archibald Ironfist
• 
  Zenith
• 
  Kastore
• 
  King Nicholas Gryphonheart (Lich)
• 
  Resurectra
• File:== Balance ==
• File:=== Secondary Skills ===
• File:** Learning specialty now provides a 20% bonus per level.
• File:=== Game Mechanics ===
• File:* Luck, in addition to its standard effect, now affects the chance of random on-hit attacks (such as Stone Gaze, Aging, etc.). Each point of luck corresponds to 1⁄4 of relative difference.
• File:* The chance for creature banks to be of size 1/2/3/4 was changed to 15%/35%/35%/15% (from 30%/30%/30%/10%).
• File:=== Buildings ===
• File:=== War Machines ===
• File:=== Heroes ===
• File:Moreover, with magic schools re-balanced, there is no longer a point in HotA heroes having their magic schools odds skewed against Air and Water and towards Earth - therefore I altered them to a more reasonable, lore-friendly division. ''
• File:''Leena is considered to be one of the best secondary heroes on poor maps, as level 3 Leena can bring your kingdom 1350 gold; this is equivalent to a level 7 Lord Haart. I made the two heroes now equally viable supports. ''
• File:''Inteus's specialty does not work on his own units, as all elementals are immune to Bloodlust, and Phoenixes are immune to Fire Magic.
• File:=== Starting Armies ===
• File:''I increased the starting amount of Gargoyles solely to buff Piquedram, a generally undesired hero.''
• File:Moreover, Conflux heroes now start with the creatures their specialize in:
• File:* Ignissa starts with 2 stacks of 3-5 Fire Elementals.
• File:* Thunar starts with 2 stacks of 3-5 Earth Elementals.
• File:* Labetha, Grindan and Erdamon start with 1 stack of 3-5 Earth Elementals instead of Air Elementals.
• File:* Fiur, Luna and Ignatius start with 1 stack of 3-5 Fire Elementals instead of Water Elementals.
• File:* Monere and Kalt start with a standard Conflux army (Air Elementals and Water Elementals).
• File:=== Creatures - Tweaks ===
• File:=== AI and Fight Values ===
• File:Due to other changes:
• File:Based on their existing stats and abilities:
• File:=== Combat Spells ===
• File:=== Adventure Map Spells ===
• File:=== Movement ===
• File:== Boldness ==
• File:=== New Artifacts ===
• File:=== New Heroes ===
• File:Winstan specializes in Precision. He starts with Mysticism, Archery and the Precision spell (from his specialty). He replaces Thane by default.
• File:== Benefaction ==
• File:=== Artifacts ===
• File:==== Artifact Class Changes ====
• File:==== Combination Artifacts ====
• File:=== Heroes ===
• File:''Might heroes with Scholar now start with a spellbook and a spell''
• File:* New portraits available in the map editor:
• File:=== Creatures ===
• File:=== Reduced Randomness ===
• File:=== Morale and Native Terrain ===
• File:For the purposes of morale and native terrain:
• File:=== Fixes ===
• File:* Added a mention to the description of Conjuring artifacts that they no longer belong to a set.
• File:* Fixed the incorrect stat progression of wizards past level 10: 30/20/20/30 replaced for the correct 20/20/30/30
• File:* Fixed “Loins of the legion” being referred to as “Hips” in the map editor
• File:* Fixed the typo in Jeddite’s Biography.
• File:* Bloodlust: It is now considered a Mind spell. Ogre magi’s bloodlust counts as a level 1 spell.
• File:* Moats mention they deal damage
• File:* Poison renamed to Venom (and Poisonous to Venomous).
• File:=== Variety ===
• File:=== Adventure Map Objects ===
• File:* Added 8 various 1-tile impassable obstacles that the function as Pandora Boxes, and thus can be set to appear (or not), depending on the difficulty level. This should allow for more creative mazes, where the path taken depends on the map difficulty.
• File:* Added 8 various quest guards that look like obstacles.
• File:* Added 2 pumpkins, courtesy of VMaiko.
• File:* Added 3 bridges, each of which functions as a 2-way portal. Placing the bridges next to one another allows for a seamless connection between two islands, without impeding naval movement.
• File:* Added a water-only treasure chest, which functions just like normal treasure chests.
• File:=== Game Mechanics ===
• File:* Easy AI looks for the Grail after finding every single obelisk, instead of never:
• File:* AI looks for the Grail after finding 1/8 obelisks on Expert and Impossible
• File:* The limit of heroes present on the map before AI refuses to hire new heroes has been increased to 32 / 45 / 60 / 80 / 80, based on the difficulty level.
• File:* The limit of heroes each AI player can hire has been increased to 3 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 8, based on the difficulty level.
• File:UI
• File:* Opening a Pandora box no longer shows the prompt "Are you sure you want to open the box?".
• File:* Left - clicking a Town Hall lets you build in the town! Right - clicking shows level of the Town Hall, as before.
• File:* Double clicking a map calls advanced options instead of starting the map.
• File:* Tavern only provides map rumors; if no map rumors are customized, it only provides random rumors.
• File:* Removed Tactics explanation screen at the beginning of every battle.
• File:Maps
• File:== Beauty ==
• File:=== Conventional Consistency ===
• File:=== Design Consistency ===
• File:* Magic classes can now learn Interference, with the exact odds as the ones they had for Resistance before. This means that Wizards, Artificers, Warlocks and Elementalists can't learn it.
• File:=== Verbosity ===
• File:* Extended Mutare Drake's bio.
• File:== Buffoonery ==
• File:* The brilliant writing of Foolhardy Waywardness will forever remain seen in random signs and ocean bottles.
• File:== Optional Features and Skins ==
• File:Using '''HexSwapper.exe''', you can alter your game by simply clicking a button in the beautiful UI designed by Aphra.
• 
  HexSwapper's Skins menu (1st page)
• 
  HexSwapper's Gameplay menu

Lift magic skill restrictions

When this change is active, Overlords, Barbarians and Mercenaries can learn Water Magic, but the odds are very low (1/112). Beastmasters and Rangers can now learn Fire Magic. Odds are very low (1/112). 1 point of Wisdom chance removed from the appropriate classes.

Luck and Morale limit expanded

Increases the cap on the Luck bonus from the skill, artifacts, buildings and adventure map bonuses to +3/4/5. The calculations remain linear; for example, At +4 morale, the chance for an extra turn are 16.7%.

By default, this setting is set to 4, to increase the relevance of [[Luck (skill)] and Leadership.

Refuse unwanted secondary skills

If you receive a level-up, and don't want to take either of the offered skills, simply accept the hero level-up window (by clicking the Accept button, Space or Enter) without choosing any of the options. Your hero will not receive any of the unwanted skills then.

By default, this setting is on.

Experience depends on AI value

In the Pumpkin Patch, by default, experience scales with AI value / 16, and is increased by 12.5% for hero combat, and another 12.5% for sieges. This makes experience match the difficulty of the fight. As a result, on random maps, guards of the same types of objects will provide the same amount of experience, regardless of their level, or whether they are defensive or offensive units.

Griffin Tower without Barracks

Removes the requirement of building Blacksmith and Barracks to access the Griffin Tower. The Griffin Tower will, however, still require the Guardhouse.

Gwenneth available by default

Replaces Sanya with Gwenenth by default on random maps.

Winstan available by default

Replaces Thane with Winstan by default on random maps.

Athe available by default

Replaces Olema with Athe by default on random maps.

Archibald available by default

Replaces Jeddite with Archibald by default on random maps.

Zenith replaces Straker

Zenith, a Mummy specialist from the desert on the surface of Nighon, replaces Straker. Zenith can upgrade Walking Dead and Zombies into Mummies. This setting is turned off by default.

Cloak of the Undead King raises Wraiths instead of Liches

Turned on by default, this option makes the Cloak of the Undead King raise  Wraiths instead of  Liches, .

Balanced old Hill Fort

With this option enabled, old Hill Fort upgrades units at a higher price: level 1 for 100%, level 2 for 125%, 3 - 150%, 4 - 200%, 5 - 250%, 6 - 300%, 7 - 400%.

Familiars can fly

Lets Familiars fly. Increases the cost of Familiars by 10.

Chaos Hydras can regenerate

Gives Chaos Hydras the Regeneration ability. Reduces the effect of Regeneration to 25 HP per turn, increases the price of Chaos Hydras to 4000 gold and reduces their speed to 7.

Unique starting armies

Alters the starting armies of all heroes with unit specialties, to start with units they specialize in. Does not affect level 7 specialists such as Xeron or Kilgor.

Primary skills increase at a constant rate

Removes the primary skill increase changing once the hero reaches level 10.

Magic Rebalance

This option, designed by Koneser Zawartości, alters the level and mana cost of almost all spells with the intent of making spells be more balanced among each other, not across schools of magic or in comparison to hero classes.

Spell changes

Adventure Map spells:

• Summon Boat is now a level 3 spell and costs 8/7/7/7 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Scuttle Boat is now a level 1 spell.
• Visions is now a level 1 spell.
• Disguise is now a level 1 spell and costs 3/2/2/2 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• (!) Fly now costs 16/12/12/12 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• (!) Dimension Door is now a Fire magic school spell. AI value increased to 30/30/150/150.
• (!) Town Portal is now Water, Earth and Air magic school spell and costs 25/20/28/28 for no skill/beg/adv/exp. AI value increased to 30/30/150/150.

Combat spells

Spells currently at level 1:

• Fire Shield - now costs 4/3/3/3 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Prot. from Air, Fire, Water, Earth - now cost 3/2/2/2 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Dispel - now costs 3/2/2/2 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Magic Mirror - now costs 4/3/3/3 for no skill/beg/adv/exp. It gives 40/40/60/80 percent chances to reflect enemy's spell. AI value decreased to 3/3/4/4.
• Mirth - now costs 3/2/2/4 for no skill/beg/adv/exp, giving +2/+2/+3/+3 morale.
• Fortune - now costs 2/1/1/2 for no skill/beg/adv/exp, giving +2/+2/+3/+3 luck.
• Misfortune - now costs 3/2/2/3 for no skill/beg/adv/exp. Lowers luck by 2/2/3/3.
• Counterstrike - now costs 2/1/1/1 for no skill/beg/adv/exp, giving additional 2/2/3/3 counterattacks.
• Remove Obstacle - now costs 6/4/4/4 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.

Spells currently at level 2:

• Cure - now and costs 5/4/4/5 for no skill/beg/adv/exp. Heals 7 HP per SP (plus old skill bonuses).
• Quicksand - now costs 6/5/5/5 for no skill/beg/adv/exp. Summons 6/6/8/10 sand patches.
• Land Mine - now costs 6/5/5/5 for no skill/beg/adv/exp. Summons 6/6/7/8 mines.
• Force Field - now costs 8/7/7/7 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Earthquake - now costs 5/4/4/4 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• (!) Magic Arrow - now costs 6/5/5/4 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Shield - now costs 5/4/4/7 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Sorrow - now costs 4/3/3/6 for no skill/beg/adv/exp. Lowers morale by 2/2/3/3.
• Death Ripple - now costs 7/5/5/5 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Sacrifice - now costs 8/6/6/6 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Bless - now costs 5/4/4/6 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Curse - now costs 5/4/4/6 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Bloodlust - now costs 5/4/4/5 for no skill/beg/adv/exp. Grants +4/+4/+6/+6 attack points.
• Precision - now costs 5/4/4/4 for no skill/beg/adv/exp. Grants +4/+4/+6/+6 attack points.
• Weakness - now costs 5/4/4/6 for no skill/beg/adv/exp. Lowers attack by 4/4/6/6.
• Stone Skin - now costs 5/4/4/5 for no skill/beg/adv/exp. Grants +4/+4/+6/+6 defense points.
• Disrupting Ray - now costs 6/5/5/5 for no skill/beg/adv/exp. Lowers defense by 4/4/5/6.
• Slayer - now costs 6/4/4/4 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.

Spells currently at level 3:

• (!) Haste - now costs 6/4/4/8 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• (!) Slow - now costs 6/5/5/10 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Frenzy - now costs 10/8/8/8 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Forgetfulness - now costs 7/5/5/9 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Blind - now costs 9/7/7/7 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Teleport - now costs 9/7/5/3 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• (!) Ice Bolt.
• (!) Lightning Bolt - now costs 9/7/7/7 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Fireball - now costs 10/8/8/8 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Fire Wall.
• Air Shield - now costs 5/4/4/7 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Destroy Undead - now costs 13/10/10/10 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.

Spells currently at level 4:	

• (!) Frost Ring - now costs 14/12/12/12 for no skill/beg/adv/exp. Deals 18 points of Dmg per SP (plus original skill bonuses). AI value increased to 18/18/18/18.
• (!) Inferno - now costs 18/16/16/16 for no skill/beg/adv/exp. Deals 18 points of Dmg per SP (plus original skill bonuses).
• Armageddon - now costs 22/18/18/18 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Prayer - now costs 8/6/6/10 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Berserk - now costs 18/16/16/16 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Hypnotize - now costs 18/15/15/15 for no skill/beg/adv/exp. Takes control of creatures with (30 x SP + original skill bonuses) HP. AI value decreased to 15/15/25/50.
• Clone - now costs 18/15/15/15 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Fire Elemental - now costs 23/20/16/16 for no skill/beg/adv/exp. AI value decreased to 40/50/60/70.
• Earth Elemental - now costs 24/21/17/17 for no skill/beg/adv/exp. AI value decreased to 40/50/60/70.
• Water Elemental - now costs 22/19/19/19 for no skill/beg/adv/exp. AI value decreased to 40/50/60/70.
• Air Elemental - now costs 22/19/19/19 for no skill/beg/adv/exp. AI value decreased to 40/50/60/70.

Spells currently at level 5:

• (!) Resurrection - now costs 22/20/20/20 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• (!) Animate Dead - now costs 24/20/20/20 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• (!) Meteor Shower - now costs 20/17/17/17 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Implosion - now costs 28/24/24/24 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Chain Lightning - now costs 22/19/19/19 for no skill/beg/adv/exp.
• Titan's Lighting Bolt - now deals 60 per SP + 0 damage. AI value increased to 150/150/150/150.

Buildings: Cost of 1 level mage guild was changed to 3 Wood, 3 Ore, 500 gold. Cost of 2 level mage guild was changed to 5 Wood, 5 Ore, 1 Crystal, 1 Sulfur, 1 Gem, 1 Mercury, 2000 gold. Cost of 3 level mage guild was changed to 5 Wood, 5 Ore, 4 Crystal, 4 Sulfur, 4 Gem, 4 Mercury, 2000 gold. Cost of resource silo was changed to 5 Ore, 500 gold.

Static spell specialties

Replaces all spell specialties with a static 25% bonus, except for Cure and Magic Arrow specialties, which instead provide a static 50% bonus.

Unpredictable Genies

Genies can cast all positive spells, as well as  Clone,  Resurrection and  Implosion on their allies. Moreover, all of their spells are always random and ignore any targeting requirements, such as Resurrection only being cast on the living. This setting is only recommended as a gimmick for a fun playthrough.

1 hero only

Forbids the AI from hiring more than 1 hero; increases the default scouting radius by 2, and allows heroes with basic view air to see enemy heroes.

Gallery

• 
  New Gardens of Revelation
• 
  New Hill Forts
• 
  New Ivory Towers
• 
  New Pirate Caverns
• 
  New Ruins
• 
  New Trees of Knowledge

Thanks

• HotA Crew - for the incredible HotA mod, for including my ideas into your actual game, and for adding my beloved Murdoch to All In. I love your work. Please treat this mod as a sign of appreciation, a post on Ideas and Suggestions and as an application to the HotA Crew.
• The Wiki team - for this amazing website
• DoR team - for the incredible support of my project and the kind words! I can't wait for DoR release!
• void_17 – well done with the IDB, thanks for the help
• Aphra - you've done more than I could ever repay for
• Ponczek, krzyspasztecik12, guest_273 - for ideas and suggestions; look, I've incorporated a whole bunch of stuff you've asked me for!
• Melkor, Eldrin - for ideas and suggestions.

Credits

HotA - HotA Crew

HD MOD - baratorch

Pumpkin patch - CsArOs

Art - Aphra

See Also:

Visit the Pumpkin Patch Discord server

You can leave feedback via the feedback form.

A YouTube playlist with videos all about the Pumpkin Patch: YouTube - CsArOs