Celebrating One Year of Age of Wonders 4!

[Orphalesion]

would not want to be an all powerful wizard

People who want to play the champion of their faction rather than some void wanderer who came and subjugated them somehow?

Plus champions do have their gameplay advantages: bonus gold, bonus stability, bonus draft, and bonus experience for non-hero units in addition to the bonus relation to free cities. Why do people act like champion has nothing when compared to the two others?

What does the wizard king have? Some additional casting points, bonus mana, and the ability to cast two spells in one turn...once per battle. Hardly "all-powerful"

Since I have a mod that allows all the humanoid leadertypes to use all the cosmetics the customization factor doesn't factor into it in my case and I still have more champions than wizard kings.

 

[Kitschy]

...

What does the wizard king have? Some additional casting points, bonus mana, and the ability to cast two spells in one turn...once per battle. Hardly "all-powerful"
...

What does WK have you ask, well the answer is simple

 

[DragonZee]

People who want to play the champion of their faction rather than some void wanderer who came and subjugated them somehow

Well, I would say people are captivated by the power fantasy of playing WK I guess? Champion is just, well, your standard type of mundane leader... which is of course very good as I wouldn't have it any other way then having both leader types in the game. I also like to pick Champion from time to time although I always prefer magic user types in my games.

Besides both of them are vastly inferior when compared to the one and only ultimate option you can choose - a Dragon Ruler!

 

[Orphalesion]

Besides both of them are vastly inferior when compared to the one and only ultimate option you can choose - a Dragon Ruler!

Eh, the idea of the Dragonlord just doesn't appeal to me.

And I don't mind different people liking different stuff of course, I was just speaking against the idea that there's "no reason" to play a Champion. I like playing Champions ;-) I find it appealing in the lore (again you are the literal champion of your people, who's one of them, connected to them) and in the gameplay (as detailed in my other post)
I really mostly keep Wizard Kings for factions where I want the ruler to be a different form from the faction, or when I have a backstory in mind that would have a wizard king (like my faction based on Hastur/the King in Yellow)

(Also 80% of the time I forget that the Wizard King even has that overchannel ability, heh)

 

[Mammoet]

(Also 80% of the time I forget that the Wizard King even has that overchannel ability, heh)

Isn't that the main thing that is has going for it? That and the outerworldy costumes if you're into that.

 

[Orphalesion]

Isn't that the main thing that is has going for it? That and the outerworldy costumes if you're into that.

Yeah, pretty much, which is another reason why I prefer Champions, the Wizard Kings pretty much just have that overchannel ability, about which I forget most of the time anwyay.

As for the otherworldly costumes, just do it like me and download the mod that unlocks all the clothes for every ruler type/culture

 

[Kitschy]

Well, I would say people are captivated by the power fantasy of playing WK I guess? Champion is just, well, your standard type of mundane leader... which is of course very good as I wouldn't have it any other way then having both leader types in the game. I also like to pick Champion from time to time although I always prefer magic user types in my games.

Besides both of them are vastly inferior when compared to the one and only ultimate option you can choose - a Dragon Ruler!

People were speculating that high numbers for Champions could come from first story realm being champion locked and people going straight for it thus Champion creation gets a boost. (imo that's plausible explanation)