Subscribe to download
Hour of Wonders

The basic principle of these balance changes is to ensure players are making strategic choices every turn, while condensing map sizes and game flow to allow for map completion within 1 - 2 modest play sessions; primarily to improve game flow for players interested in pacing targeted for multiplayer / higher replay frequency. Total game length is reduced to between 50 - 100 turns.

All feedback / issue reports are welcome!

Change List

Map

Map sizes drastically reduced
Map densities significantly increased (resources, camps, wonders, etc...)
Game event and quest frequency increased
Base income increased for early game scaling
All Victory condition timers reduced to 10 turns (from 15)
Reduced vendor cooldowns by 25%

Economy

Research requirements significantly reduced (50%)
Production and population requirements reduced (50%)
Base Empire and Throne income values increased
Increased Boost Cost multiplier to 60% (from 70%)
Increased all resource reward scaling by 25%

Cities

Base City Annex range reduced to 1 (from 2)
Increased base Food, Production, and Draft Income
Increased max population to 60 with minor adjustments to food costs
Reduced time to replace, remove, or repair owned province to 2 turn (from 3)

Units

Reduced movement effect from movement types to 4 movement per level (from 8)
Unit gold cost rebalancing (scaling based on tier, slightly favoring lower tier units)
Minor Unit attribute rebalancing designed to keep tier 1 and 2 units viable mid/late game.
Increased income from raiding / pillaging (100%)
Reduced damage from Speed March to 20%
Doubled base unit XP gain from all sources
Increased Road Build Cost to 10 Gold (from 3)
Base sight ranges increased by 1

Heroes

Reduced recruitment costs (50 Gold per hero level)
Reduced Resurrection cost to (25 Mana per level)
Lowered hero recruitment timers for faster game pace (Base 5 + 5 per level)
Increased Base Hero Defenses to 3 (to compensate for low tier unit buffs)

Diplomacy

Slight restructuring to settlement diplomatic progress times

Empire Development

Reduce City Cap upgrade costs to 200 per level
Reduce Annex Range Bonus from Expansive Reach (Nature Affinity) to 1 (from 2)
Reduce Movement Discount from Advanced Logistics (General Affinity) to 1 (from 2)

Empire Traits

Chosen Destroyer Trait now gives +5 Resources per population of razed city (was 40 per 3 population)

AI

AI resource benefits and cost reductions reduced to compensate for shorter game time