Charles Vane wrote:Many players avoid the aggressive path all together as the profits it yields are so small. This will increase those profits.
Players may decide to be a nobleman because they are eyeing up a port, this career gives an edge and without other nobleman standing in the way port take overs become much easier, cheaper, and more appealing to the little guy.
Merchants would earn "much" more coin but also lose a bit more, requiring them to carry larger purses. That coupled with larger bonus to plunder for pirates and privateers... sounds pretty good right about now.
The added abilities give those lacking voodoo or riches to obtain it so easily a decent tool to further their path. Free voodoo type specific to my aims, sweet less cost involved in my venture means more profit.
I think "labelling" would be a great addition. People specialize in fields all the time in life and gain advantages in those fields over those who opt the jack of all master of none route. (If you want to play balanced and opportunist, go privateer, no drawbacks. There's your jack of all.)There should be some separation based on path and direction it is much more realistic.. As it stands a merchants fleet can be just as powerful as a Privateers, pirates, or Naval style players.. this is not realistic at all.
Buffs involving pro's and con's further the strategic play involved in a game such as this, and make relationships and teamwork even more beneficial.
Well, we disagree in the labelling part, but that aside, I wish to focus on how you see this as enhancing action, which I encourage.
You say that many avoid the aggressive path altogether because the profit is small. I completely agree. However, I don't see this suggestion changing that. Sure, you're giving a small (yes, Grimrock, SMALL!) bonus to pirates, but you're also giving a big bonus to traders. So it would still be more beneficial to be a trader. So most people would still be traders. (Changing the bonuses so that it becomes more profitable to be a pirate than a trader would cause more pirates, but not be beneficial for the game, as it needs more traders than pirates, so that's not a good idea either).
Also, I think the separate "nobleman" class have a risk (not sure here, I admit) of causing LESS struggle over ports, as any non-noblemen might find this pointless, or at least too hard, in competition with the noblemen.
So I still don't see how this would lead to more action/combat. I may be wrong, or just missing some point, of course.