1.8.20 - Balance patch

The mana cost required to move a piece is now fixed and no longer depends on water:

• Pawns and knights: require 1 mana

• Rooks and bishops: require 2 mana

• Queens and kings: require 3 mana

This change is noticeable in the mid-game and late-game. It's an explicit buff for pawns, rooks, bishops and knights, and a deliberate nerf for the king, which was much needed.

Certain ascensions have been adjusted in line with this change and now have the advantage of no longer varying based on whether it's a player piece or an AI piece:

• Water ascension: now provides 1 extra mana max

• Lightning ascension: now provides 1 extra mana income

• Ice ascension: the frozen piece receives 25% more damage (I'm not certain about this one, perhaps 50% is preferable, but I don't have enough feedback on this ascent yet)

Certain spells and items have also had to be modified or rebalanced:

• Wings

• Superconductivity (unfortunately, still a rather bad spell in my opinion)

• Burning Bypass

• Toxic Bypass

• Blessed Bypass

• Explosive Bypass

• Fire aura (nice update on this one)

• Toxic aura

• Frozen aura

• Magic broom

• Starving fish is removed and replaced by the "Papper plane"

Since water no longer has downside, water spells now provide less.

This is just the beginning of several balancing updates. I didn't pay much attention to it when I revisited the spells, the goal being to find enjoyment in them above all. It was only the first step.

Enjoy!