Age of Wonders 4 News

Hello everyone! My name is Luis and I am a designer at Triumph. I got the privilege of being the main designer for Dragon Dawn, our first content pack. In this dev diary I will go over the new Lizardfolk form and the new tomes of magic, as well as their units.




Lizardfolk are very thematic for the dragon themed dlc and we knew people have been wanting them since the game was announced, so we are very excited to give players access to this new form.


By default they have a new body trait that is going out with the free Wyvern Update, the Poisonous trait. This has a 30% chance to Poison melee attackers and also gives them a bit of Blight resistance. Lizardfolk also come with the Cold Blooded mind trait, which reduces the morale they lose in battle.


There’s a lot of ways to customize your Lizardfolk with a variety of heads and decorations, from snakes to crocodiles to chameleons and others, so you can make what your heart desires.





For the first time we will be doing mixed affinity tomes, and you can expect this trend to continue as new content and expansion packs come out.

For Dragon Dawn I wanted the tomes to represent the power of destruction and creation that is often associated with dragons so both new tomes come with the Chaos and Nature affinity.

[h2]Tome of Evolution - Tier I[/h2]


As the name suggests this tome is all about evolving units and comes with two units that benefit from this.

[h3]Slither Hatchling[/h3]


The slither hatchling is a skirmisher that counts as an animal and a dragon unit, so they have the Low Maintenance most animals have as well as the damage increase granted by Draconic Rage (this triggers when a dragon unit drops below 60%hit points). They can also apply Poisoned with their ranged attack and their melee attacks deal extra damage to Poisoned units!

Of course, this is the Tome of Evolution, so when they reach the champion rank they turn into a Tier 3 unit, the Slither.

[h3]Slither[/h3]


The Slither is a Tier 3 unit and has all the benefits of the Hatchling, just stronger. It also has the Slip Away ability that triggers once per battle when it takes fatal damage. This makes the unit quickly escape to a nearby hex and regain15 health.

[h3]Wyvern Fledgling[/h3]


The Wyvern Fledgling is a fighter unit and a strategic summon from this tome. It is a very simple dragon unit that can evolve into a random Tier 3 Wyvern. That includes the Fire and Frost Wyvern but with this pack we also introduce the Golden and Obsidian wyvern which this unit can also evolve into!



[h3]Unit Enchantment - Rapid Evolution Enchantment[/h3]


To make sure you can evolve your units, we added an enchantment that only affects units that can Evolve. It grants XP gained from combat as well as giving Tier 1 and 2 units Resurgence, meaning that if they die in battle but you are still victorious then the unit comes back with low hit points after battle.

[h3]Minor Race Transformation - Draconic Vitality[/h3]


So other units benefit from this tome, we have a minor race transformation that takes the concept of growth causing units to benefit more from their unit ranks more. Draconic Vitality grants +3 Hit Points per rank the unit has and makes them look more reptilian and spiky.




[h2]Tome of Dragons - Tier III[/h2]


The second tome you can unlock is all about the power of and acquiring Dragons and turning your units into Draconians.

[h3]Young Dragons[/h3]


Young dragons are Tier 3 Fighter units. While they may look like their adult counterparts they don’t yet have their elemental breath weapon or the extra damage on their claws. Once you research this skill you will be able to draft the Young Frost and Fire Dragons in your cities. Gold and Obsidian Dragons are new in this content pack and you can also get their young versions as long as you meet certain alignment requirements. When these units reach champion rank, they evolve into their Tier 5 adult forms.


[h3]Unit Enchantment - Flamer Focus[/h3]


The flamer focus is a reference to the Draconians from Age of Wonders 3, the Flamer unit had a Fire Bomb ability which this enchantment is recreating for Age of Wonder 4. It applies to Battle Mages and grants a full action ability that deals damage to a target and half to adjacent units while also applying Burning and Bleeding to those affected.



[h3]Major Race Transformation - Draconian Transformation[/h3]


The draconian transformation turns your race into Dragon humanoid hybrids. The Dragon type grants all racial units Draconic Rage, increasing their damage when they are under 60% hit points. This transformation also gives Burning Immunity and Natural Regeneration which causes units to recover hit points up to the amount they started battle with.





This is a brief view of what you can find in the tomes. The Dragon Dawn content pack is coming out on the 20th of June and I hope to see your Lizardfolk and Dragon Lord creations and mighty dragon armies!

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https://store.steampowered.com/app/2367860/Age_of_Wonders_4_Dragon_Dawn/

Today let's talk about amazing mods which were created by our talented modders in May!

Huge thank you to @JumboPixel for working on this video!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Rulers!

We are thrilled to announce that Age of Wonders 4 Dragon Dawn Content Pack will be available in almost two weeks — on June 20th 2023!

Like its name implies, the Age of Wonders 4: Dragon Dawn Content Pack is all about dragons. Players can build their fiery empires, lead reptilian armies, harness draconic magic, and set fire to their enemies as a Dragon Ruler. The pack will also launch alongside the free Wyvern Update, including an array of updates, quality of life upgrades, and balance changes identified by the Age of Wonders community.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2367860/Age_of_Wonders_4_Dragon_Dawn/

Learn more about the Content Pack in the First Look Gameplay video!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Read more about Dragon Lords in a dedicated Dev Journal

[h3]Age of Wonders 4: Dragon Dawn Key Features:[/h3]

• Dragon Rulers, a distinct new leader type, customizable from snout to tail, with unique new skills, equipment, transformations, and associated events!
  
• Lizardfolk, a new physical appearance for your factions
  
• Tome of Evolution, adding new units that evolve as they level, and new spells to boost all evolving units
  
• Tome of Dragons, adding spells to summon dragons, wield the power of dragons, and become dragons!
  
• The Ashen War, a new realm option where six mighty elder dragons are locked in
  

[h2]F.A.Q. [/h2]

How can I purchase the Content Pack?
For now you can Wishlist it and buy the DLC when it is out. But you can still purchase Expansion pass or Premium version of the game to have it added to your library in advance — it will be available at the DLC launch.

When the DLC will be available?
The Dragon Dawn Content pack will be available on June 20th.

What is a Wyvern update?
It is a free update which includes various fixes and some gameplay feature updates based on the community feedback and requests.

How will the multiplayer work if my friend has DLC and I don’t?
The DLC ownership rights of the game's host are used. If the host owns the DLC, all players can use the content as if they owned it.

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Hello everyone, my name is Tom Bird and I’m a senior developer at Triumph. Today I’m here to talk about the standout feature of our next Content Pack Dragon Dawn, the Dragon Lord.



For some background, dragons come in three major forms: the young, less sophisticated wyverns, the common dragons and, lastly, the mighty Elder Dragons. The Elder Dragons were among the first creatures that the Allfather gifted with life. They could utilize their vast intelligence and mastery of the elements to aid the Archons in shaping the worlds around the cosmos, as well as in crafting powerful artifacts. Now that the gates of Athla have reopened, these Elder Dragons have returned as Dragon Lords, seeking ascension to the ranks of Godir.

It is one of these Dragon Lords that you can now create to lead your race across the Astral Sea in order to claim new realms for your Pantheon. Where Godir focus on magical power, and Champions focus on diplomacy and economics, Dragon Lords focus entirely on their power to dominate the battlefield.



They’re so powerful they actually cost you economically to field, that 30g per turn can heavily impact your ability to build new armies early on. However, this cost can be offset by the new Dragon Hoard mechanic, which passively generates gold based equipment that you do not have equipped on your heroes. Since Dragon’s themselves can only use a limited amount of equipment, you should have plenty of armor and weapons left over to stash in your lair and earn you gold!

Of course, in order to make your dragon your own, you need to be able to customize your dragon’s appearance! While some things are fixed - you will always have 4 legs, 1 head and 2 wings - you have a huge amount of choice over how your dragon will look.



While creating your Dragon, you can also choose its starting affinity. This has several effects:

It grants you a point of that affinity, aiding your progress though the empire upgrade tree
It determines the type of damage your dragon’s breath weapons will do. A chaos dragon will breath fire, a nature dragon poison, an astral dragon lightning, etc
It determines the effect of your dragon’s aura, which is unlocked later via the hero skills system

This is only the start of your Dragon’s journey, of course. Once you are done in the Faction Creator, it’s time to take your newly created Lord into the world and into battle!



Obviously having a dragon on your side is a large advantage in early battles, and this only increases as your dragon grows in power and experience.

On top of the standard hero skills, Dragons can learn from their own set of skills:



These let you upgrade the size and shape of your breath weapon, as well as granting you extra abilities, such as a roar to inspire your armies or the ability to devour your unfortunate foes.

As your Dragon levels up, its connection to its affinity also increases. At levels 4 and 12, instead of gaining a signature skill, your Dragon can instead choose to deepen its connection to an affinity. You do not need to stick to the affinity you chose during Faction Creation, you can mix and match to truly make your dragon your own.



Here we can see our Astral Dragon has taken the path of Order, as well as getting a nifty new halo, their breath weapon has been upgraded to do spirit damage and inflict the Condemned status effect on their enemies.

[h3]The Ashen War[/h3]

And here is Thomas writing a piece on the Ashen War Realm he developed.
A new Realm has revealed itself, the battlefields of the Ashen war. In this world still to be formed, great dragons clash over its fate.



Six Elder Dragons, brothers and sisters in Creation, torn asunder by strife.
On one side, the Reshapers; Vox'Sebas the Forgefather, Alipavar the Destroyer and Kralicavir the Collector, guarding the cosmic balance of creation and destruction.
On the other, the Dawnwardens; Sumuskira the Grovetender, Soncevar the Radiant and Boszorkan the Arcanist, fighting to maintain the precious beauty of life and spirit.

In this Realm you face six Elder Dragons, split into two factions. Befriending any members of either alliance will please their allies, but aggravate members of the opposing faction. A wise ruler, Godir though they may be, would be wise to avoid invoking the ire of the Elder Dragons before they are ready, the Elder Dragons are not an easy foe to best.

Each Elder Dragon controls a people of considerable power, but their true strength lies in themselves and the lesser gifts they bestow upon their Heroes.
Each of the Elder Dragons represents an affinity, an aspect of creation, and has a unique ability that represents their exceptional power.

For example, Kralicavir the Collector, a Reshaper, is an Elder Dragon of Shadow commanding the many souls she has collected. This is reflected in her unique property: The Collector, granting her attacks the ability to raise slain units as Decaying Zombies under her control, and giving her a unique ability: The Collector’s Gift.



The Collector’s Gift is a powerful summon ability that summons several undead units under her control in tactical combat. While she herself can cast this powerful effect every few turns, her Heroes are granted a fragment of her power, able to use the Collector’s Gift once per combat instead.



While Kralicavir collects the dead, ensuring half of the cycle, her nemesis Sumuskira instead nurtures life ever-growing. Sumuskira the Grovetender, a Dawnwarden is an Elder Dragon of Nature, and is fiercely protective of all life, this is reflected in her unique talents and the boon she grants her chosen heroes.



Her gift heals all her allies on the battlefield, granting them regeneration and returning any Animal and Plant units on her side to life. This makes Sumuskira, like Kralicavir who is her mirror, an Elder dragon best dealt with first, lest their warriors overpower you thanks to their support.

Her chosen Heroes gain a lesser version of this ability, spreading the fortitude and regeneration to more of her beloved children, though the lesser power of such Heroes leads their effects to be more restricted.



The Ashen war is home to more than just these two however, Reshaper Vox’Sebas The Forgefather creates powerful Golems from his seemingly endless hoard while reinforcing his prized creations.
Dawnwarden Soncevar the Radiant awakens his unquestionably loyal legions and bolsters their morale to unnatural heights.

The youngest of the Dawnwardens, Boszorkan the Arcanist, seeks naught but the pursuit of the arcane, his ability to unleash a whirlwind of spells is revered by his disciples, who are eager for but a taste of his prowess.

Last there is the youngest of all the Elder Dragons, the one whose birth sparked the Ashen war, Allipavar the Destroyer, a Chaos dragon of indomitable might, none can rival her in a direct confrontation, and her brood likewise dominate on the battlefield through brutal strength.



The Ashen War is a Presence Realm trait included in Dragondawn and does not require any pantheon progression to unlock. Enter the battlefields of the Ashen war, and become a peacemaker, a Dawnwarden or a Reshaper as the Dragon Dawn rises.

Next week we’ll take a look at more Dragon Dawn’s content including the Tomes, Units and Lizardfolk Form! Also stay tuned for news on the upcoming Wyvern Update and other patches and feel free to Wishlist the Dragon Dawn DLC if you are interested!

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