Following the leader rework in update 3.8, it seems like much of this suggestion has become redundant.
It is therefore withdrawn.
If anyone wants to reuse ideas from it in new suggestions, feel free to start new suggestion threads for that purpose.
Leader level cap bonuses are nearly worthless for mortal leaders, unless you singlemindedly focus on lifespan extensions. There are two reasons for this:
This is an issue that affects not just the values of traditions, policies , and leader traits. Worse, it affects high-cost sources such as species traits, civics, and ascension perks. Fortunately, #2 above is a design choice that can easily be changed for the better. This could go a long way towards making leader level bonuses feel more meaningful and engaging to collect.
The leader level system should be cleaned up in accordance with some important design principles:
The actual proposal of this suggestion thread is the list of design principles above. Below is but one example for how it could work out:
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[TABLE 1]
Levels and experience point requirements:
[TABLE 2]
Sources of leader level cap increases in the current system:
This equals a theoretical leader level cap bonus of +11 for generals, +13 for scientists, +14 for admirals, +14 for governors, and +15 for rulers.
It is therefore withdrawn.
If anyone wants to reuse ideas from it in new suggestions, feel free to start new suggestion threads for that purpose.
Higher levels require increasingly large numbers of experience points for the next level [see table 1 below], eventually reaching such amounts that mortal leaders are increasingly unlikely to ever reach them. If a leader level cap bonus never makes a difference, it is worthless.There are so many leader level cap bonuses that most can be ignored. When a total level cap bonus of +5 is all you need to reach the maximum level cap of 10, but you can reach a total leader level cap bonus of +13 or more [see table 2 below], it takes no special commitment to get the total level cap up to 10 and every level cap bonus beyond level 10 becomes worthless.
This is an issue that affects not just the values of traditions, policies , and leader traits. Worse, it affects high-cost sources such as species traits, civics, and ascension perks. Fortunately, #2 above is a design choice that can easily be changed for the better. This could go a long way towards making leader level bonuses feel more meaningful and engaging to collect.
The leader level system should be cleaned up in accordance with some important design principles:
The leader level cap bonus sum should never exceed +5.Since that is all that is required to reach the maximum leader level cap of 10.The effect would be that the remaining leader level cap bonuses would all be necessary to reach level 10, which would make the bonus from the associated species trait, ascension perk, tradition or technology much more valuable.Many of the current leader level bonuses need to be replaced with something else.
Only permanent sources should provide leader level cap bonuses.Otherwise, there may arise situations where the leader level cap drops below levels currently held by leaders.Most civics and all ruler traits are not permanent in nature.
The ability to reach level 10 should not depend on random sources.Gating a high-end goal behind random luck would be bad design.Ruler traits are random.Access to the Neural Tissue Engineering technology is not guaranteed.
The ability to reach level 10 should not require DLC content.This currently concerns only the species trait Erudite.
The most expensive sources, such as species traits and ascension perks, should also be the most impactful in this regard.One way to accomplish this could be to require these for the highest levels.
The leader level cap bonuses should come from different sources.It should be possible to achieve different leader level caps for different leader types.This would mean that a science-focused empire might produce the best scientists, while not necessarily being able to produce the best generals, admirals, governors or rulers.This allows empires to differentiate and feel more unique.
Level cap bonuses that are removed or diminished should be replaced with bonuses to starting level, starting experience, or experience point gain.This would make the sources of these bonuses more valuable than they are today.This also has the benefit that level 10 gradually becomes slightly more achievable for normal mortals, thus further helping the remaining leader level cap bonuses become more worthwhile.
The actual proposal of this suggestion thread is the list of design principles above. Below is but one example for how it could work out:
Leader level cap bonuses:+1 from species: Talented / Enhanced Memory+1 from ascension: Transcendent Learning+1 from technology: The Collective Self / Embodied Dynamism+2 from tradition to specific leader types:Scientists: Science Division (Discovery)Admirals: War Games (Supremacy)Governors: Colonial Viceroys (Domination)Rulers: Privy Council (Domination)Generals: Never Surrender (Unyielding)
(Alternatively, if we disregard guideline #2, civics could give type-specific +1 bonuses while the +2 from traditions is reduced to +1.)
Converted to starting level, starting xp, or xp gain bonuses:TraditionsMind and Body (Harmony)Polytechnic Education (Discovery)
TechnologiesSelected Lineages (non-machine non-Egalitarian policy); based on description, starting xp bonus would be bestCapacity Boosters (non-machine non-Egalitarian policy); based on description, starting xp bonus would be bestNeural Tissue Engineering (hidden technology)
Species traitsErudite (genetic engineering, requires biological ascension trait)
Leader traitsEye for Talent (organic rulers)
CivicsMeritocracy / Ruthless Competition / Pooled Knowledge / Factory OverclockingAristocratic Elite (governors)Distinguished Admiralty (admirals)Philosopher King (rulers)
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[TABLE 1]
Levels and experience point requirements:
Code:
01 0
02 200
03 475
04 825
05 1250
06 1750
07 2325
08 2975
09 3700
10 4500
[TABLE 2]
Sources of leader level cap increases in the current system:
+2 from species traitsOrganic+1 from Talented+1 from Erutide (gated behind genetic ascension path)
Machine+2 from Enhanced Memory
+4 from technologies+1 from The Collective Self (non-gestals) or Embodied Dynamism (gestalts)+1 from Neural Tissue Engineering (hidden technology).+2 from Capacity Boosters or +1 from Selected Lineages
+1 from ruler traits+1 from Eye for Talent
+2 from ascension perks+2 from Transcendent Learning
+3 from traditions (only +1 for generals)+1 from Polytechnic Education+2 from type-specific bonuses via traditions (generals currently not included)
+1-3 from civics+1 from Meritocracy, Ruthless Competition, Pooled Knowledge or Factory Overclocking+1 for governors (Aristocratic Elite)+1 for admirals (Distinguished Admiralty)+2 for rulers (Philosopher King)
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