Edain Mod 4.8 released!

[Elendils Cousin 3. Grades]

Greetings, companions of Edain!

Today, we have released Patch 4.8 of the Edain Mod.

You can download the complete package by clicking on the banner. Unzip the files, then follow the setup to install 4.8.

If you encounter any problems with the mod, stop by in our Support forum!

New gamemode: FreeBuild

The ability to choose between free build and fixed build has been one of the most requested features ever since we first revealed the change back in late 2012. For a long time we did not dare to attempt this, as there was work enough in re-implementing all the factions from 3.8.1. With Edain fully re-released in 2022 we finally had time to start thinking about where we wanted to take the mod. As there was also interest within the team to add free build back into the game, we decided to work on this new gamemode.

The FreeBuild gamemode is a return to the vanilla game mechanics, removing quite a lot of the general changes made by Edain 4.0 while keeping the core of each faction as it is. Castles, camps and settlements are replaced by citadels and builders, economy buildings level up over time once again, CP is obtained from constructing farms and factions can build walls freely once again.

Our focus remains on fixed build, we intend this gamemode to simply be a mirror of fixed build Edain. For this reason we currently have no plans to make any more large changes specifically for this gamemode. We will continue to support it by adapting new fixed build features to it and by making small balance changes based on your feedback but we do not intend to make any more large changes such as the implementations of the walkable walls.

If you have ideas or feedback on Freebuild please make use of the General suggestion board, it helps us keep the discussion organised.

New map feature: Belfalas

In 4.8 you will be able to lead the proud men of Dol Amroth into battle with the Map Feature: Belfalas. This map feature available on maps based on fiefdoms of Gondor allows you to play a version of Gondor that relies more heavily on its cavalry than on its elite infantry. Lead a cast of unique heroes based on the royal family of Dol Amroth, assemble a powerful fleet and fight back against the foul corsairs and evil easterlings that seek to ravage the fiefdoms.

To discover all the maps that offer this map feature you can sort maps alphebatically and look for maps with the "Belfalas" prefix. We hope you enjoy this new variation of Gondor.

Suggestions for this new map features? Please make use of the Gondor board.

Overhauled faction: Isengard

As you've discovered recently, not only have we completely overhauled the entire look of Isengard but we have also made some large changes to their gameplay. By making use of the new Gatherstow outpost players can keep Wildmen strategies viable for a much longer duration. Through the "Calls" system you can specialise your strategy (or just go for all of them if you have enough plots) and fine tune your game against your enemy. Recruit the powerful Brutes of Dunland to give your frontline more staying power or send out your Guards of Orthanc to protect Saruman.

Feedback on this change can go directly into the already existing Isengard board

Additional changes

Beyond these three main features, we have been working on a multitude of small and large changes based on the feedback we have received. These are all listed below, enjoy the many little improvements and quality of life changes. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on them. We wanted to thank everyone who has been reporting bugs and the Unchained Team especially for their very extensive changelog which has helped us identify many bugs.

General:

• New Gamemode: FreeBuild - No more build plots!
• New map feature: Belfalas - The proud soldiers of Dol Amroth stand at your command!
  • Belfalas: Dor-en-Ernil
  • Belfalas: Nennirad (new)
  • Belfalas: Shores of Dol Amroth (new)
  • Belfalas: Tolfalas
  • Belfalas
  • Belfalas: Loeg Waerin
  • Belfalas: Isle of Pirates (new)
• Special outposts now allow you to use the spellbook, similar to "normal" citadels, should the citadel in your main base get destroyed
• The Hidden One now has a "reverse convert" power that turns targeted objects neutral hostile
• The Hidden One can now bring Sauron directly to level 10
• Discounts and similar building effects are now abbreviated in the palantir to ensure visibility
• Battleships takes less damage from unupgraded archers
• Some heroes that can mount are recruited and revived mounted
• Level 2 economy upgrades cost reduced from 900 to 800
• Level 3 economy upgrades cost increased from 900 to 1000
• Forged Blades reduced cost from 900 to 800
• Heavy Armor increased cost from 900 to 1000
• Pikemen armor against melee cavalry improved by ~20%
• Some units are now visible in the hero bar:
  • Iron Hill Scouts
  • Thrallmasters
  • Captains of Rohan
  • Orc Overseer
• Unit damage from catapults in the center reduced from 600 to 400
• Ruined towers HP reduced from 4000 to 2000
• Recruitment building commandset standardized, should always have the order Swordsmen, Spearmen, Archers based on unit tier

Misty Mountains:

• Moria Chieftain: Chieftain of the Hordes - now summons Goblins after a set amount of attacks
• Moria Chieftain: Chieftain of the Hordes - no longer triggers on buildings
• Moria Chieftain: Chieftain of the Hordes - Upgraded goblins are now selected by E with other moria goblins
• Dragon Strike is now available from the Drake Lair palantir
• Moria pikes can no longer be flanked (bugfix)
• Orc drummers are now a horde with ranged fighters, so they no longer run directly into the enemy
• Spiderlings summoned by broodmothers no longer block the pathfinding of other units
• Warg packs can now upgrade Banner Carrier manually and gain increased armor  against swordsmen and archers at level 2.
• Goblin-town citadel income reduced from 40 to 10
• Smaug's Sea of Flames: Can now be simply left clicked to cast directly
• Goblin Town Summoned Plunderers now respect CP costs
• New main base building models
• Base layout slightly reworked, additional defensive structures

Gondor:

• Signal Fires reworked to fix the regeneration bug
• Signal Fires can now set a rally point
• Gondor Barrage knockback increased
• Gondor archers now gain +20% damage and -20% speed in formation instead of +30% damage and -15% range (same speed as swordsmen)
• Assistance in Times of Need spellcost reduced from 6 to 4, cooldown reduced from 540s to 370s
• Imrahil's Atheling Guards: Health increased by 25%, now permanently under the effect of Discipline
• Iron Ore cost reduced from 600 to 400
• New English voiceset for Imrahil
• New German voiceset for Imrahil

Rohan:

• Pippin: Curiosity of the Fool - can now be cast while moving
• Summoned Assembly Camp can now set a rally point
• Summoned Assembly Camp no longer auto repairs like a citadel
• Grimbold can now use his ability on the move
• New Rallying Call FX
• Eomer can be recruited in the Royal Camp
• Eomer build cost reduced from 2200 to 2000
• Eomer "Ride of the Exiled": New visual
• Marshals and Captains can mount without a stable
• Theodred has a new voice in the german version

Dwarves:

• Dale and Lake-town buildcost increased from 400 to 600
• Dale tower range reduced from 375 to 350
• Bombur heal reduced from 5% to 2% per second
• Dwarven Forge buildcost increased from 800 to 1000
• Murin buildcost reduced from 2100 to 1800
• Ered Mithrin: Health increased from 165 to 247 (elite archer)
• Iron Hill Scout can now recast their ability if they were knocked down while summoning
• Summoned Citadel: New power - Echoed Call
• Nori Ambush damage reduced from 60 to 30

Lothlorien:

• Entmoots can now set a rally point
• Enchanted River can be cast more easily
• Castle bridges hp reduced from 6000 to 4000
• Heart Tree's fear is now an active that can be autocasted
• Minstrels now benefit from "Patrol of the Marchwardens", cp cost reduced from 60 to 30, number of minstrels required for trample resistance from 3 to 4
• Treebeard provides fear resistance to nearby ents

Imladris:

• Protection of the Bruinen cooldown increased from 460s to 540s
• Green Pasture buildcost increased from 600 to 700
• Blademaster: Focussed Assault - now reduces movespeed by 25% instead of increasing it
• Blademaster damage with forged blades reduced from 229 to 204
• Miruvor cooldown increased from 180s to 210s
• Stables no longer block the construction of other buildings after their destruction
• Buildcost of Library increased from 800 to 1000
• Sanctuary of Knowledge nerfed from +100% to +75%
• New model for Imladris farm

Angmar:

• Tribute Carts auto-move can now be disabled
• Tribute carts no longer give more money when sent in to higher level buildings
• Gulzar: Acolyte summon can now be auto cast to summon as often as possible
• Thrallmaster can now recast their ability if they get knocked down while summoning
• Rhudaur Axemen damage reduced from 25 to 22
• Witch-king: For the Iron Crown! - radius reduced from 30 to 25, heal reduced from 25% to 15%
• Deepened Instincts armor buff now persists for 30 seconds after leaving the building
• New model for Rogash
• New voiceset for Turncoats in both English and German

Mordor:

• Mollok: Rage can now be cast while moving
• Dark Marshal: Ring Hunter - Now reveals hidden enemies in a wide radius
• Shadow Lord: Ring Hunter - Now reveals hidden enemies in a wide radius
• Black Riders now die more quietly
• Black Riders mount now has a cast time
• Gothmog: Reinforce the Line made simpler to cast
• Sauron's orc quest now properly tracks: morgul archers, morgul pikemen, overseer guldur archer, overseer guldur pikemen, overseer morgul pikemen, overseer morgul archer
• Cirith Ungol overseer orcs no longer level up faster than without overseer
• Grond archers properly die when it dies
• Gorthaur's Werewolves: Increased health and damage, reduced cost
• Tol-in-Gauroth leadership nerfed to +25/25
• Call the Horde spell cost reduced from 6 to 4
• Morgul Fortress and Dol Guldur Fortress buildcost reduced from 2500 to 1500
• Morgul Fortress can now level up through recruitment
• Morgul Riders: Now require a level 2 Minas Morgul fortress to recruit
• Morgul Fortress new ability: Banners of the Dead City (Level 3) - Cast on an orc pit to unlock recruitment of Morgul Orcs
• Dol Guldur can now level up through recruitment
• Castellans: Now require a level 2 Dol Guldur fortress to recruit
• Dol Guldur new ability: Banners of the Tainted Fortress (Level 3) - Cast on an orc pit to unlock recruitment of Dol Guldur Orcs
• Grond archers can shoot while moving
• Grond acts as a banner carrier for nearby units and restores fallen units
• Grond armor reduced, especially against pikemen
• Annatar automatically transforms back after 120 seconds
• Annatar no longer lowers the armour of enemy units by 25%
• Cirith Ungol Halberdiers no longer require Influence of Sauron to be recruited
• Black Uruk Archers now require Influence of Sauron to be recruited
• Mordor can now level their internal and external economies by casting Influence of Sauron on any two internal or external structures (e.g casting it on two Tribute Posts levels both Tribute Posts and Arsenal Camps to level 3.)

Isengard:

• All buildings visually reworked
• New spellbook images
• New Citadel Ability: Perilous Vents
• Steelworks can now research unit upgrades
• Grima: Level 3 and Level 7 can only be cast when there are targets in the range
• Uruk Captains can now once again be researched on multiple units at once but only work when a unit has reached level 2
• Berserkers give more experience when killed
• Berserker damage without Forged Blades reduced by 20%
• Lumbermills now reduce costs of buildings and machines again
• Sharku Scent of Blood duration increased from 30s to 60s, casts faster, modifier range doubled, cooldown reduced from 210s to 180s
• Fires of Isengard now debuff buildings, reducing the armor of affected buildings by -75% for 30 seconds
• Mines: CP cost from 30 to 10, buildcost from 900 to 600, damage radius slightly increased, damage to walls increased
• Workers trained from the Timber Yard no longer cost CP
• Wulfgar's abilities: level requirements increased, Revenge on Rohan and Wild Plunderers swapped
• Uruk Hunters: +15% health, vision range standardized to melee unit range
• New unit: Orthanc Guards - Heroic spearmen that can be recruited from the citadel after having purchased the Wizard Tower spell
• New Outpost: Dunlending Gatherstow - Gathering place of the dunlending it provides power buffs, can research upgrades and recruit units
• New unit: Brutes of Dunland - Heroic swordsmen that can be recruited from the Dunland Gatherstow
• Wulfgar: Arm - Ability removed, replaced by Emissary of the White Hand. Wulfgar can purchase heavy armor to increase his health and armor, after having purchased the upgrades he discounts all Dunlending upgrades by 20%.
• New settlement: Work Tent - Resource building that produces more resources for every unit upgrade researched (banner carrier, forged blades, heavy armor, steels bolts and uruk captain)

Arnor:

• Arrow Volley cost increased from 2 to 3
• Eagles cost increased from 6 to 7
• Swords of Westernesse cooldown reduced from 540s to 210s, damage bonus increased from +15% to +25%
• Arvedui buildcost increased from 2200 to 2500
• New FX for the rallying call
• Aranarth scatter shot massively buffed
• Arvedui now summons veterans who are level 5

Maps:

• Belfalas: Dor-en-Ernil
• Belfalas: Nennirad (new)
• Belfalas: Shores of Dol Amroth (new)
• Belfalas: Tolfalas
• Belfalas
• Belfalas: Loeg Waerin (new)
• Belfalas: Isle of Pirates (new)
• Exploration: Moria (new)
• Horde: Thranduils Halls (new)
• Hollin Ridge (new)
• Outskirts of the Westfold (new)
• Arnor: Minhiriath: Arnor recruits Cardolan units (thanks to Gnomi and Caun)
• Druadan Forest: Druedain creeps replace some of the orc creeps  (thanks to Gnomi and Caun)
• Great Greenwood: Over time, spiders and Dol Guldur creeps appear (thanks to Gnomi and Caun)
• Weathertop: Warg creep added atop the hill, can be replaced by Aragorn/Hobbits or Nazgul depending on the factions (thanks to Gnomi and Caun)
• Arnor: Cardolan: Cardolan units added for Arnor (thanks to Gnomi and Caun)
• Emyn Muil: Settlements removed and added (thanks to Gnomi and Caun)
• Lamedon: Narrow passages widened, bridges reworked slightly (thanks to Gnomi and Caun)
• Plains of Rhudaur: Rhudaur units added for Arnor, Hwaldar bonus creep added unless Angmar is present as a faction (thanks to Gnomi and Caun)
• Rhudaur: Rhudaur units added for Arnor(thanks to Gnomi and Caun)

AI:

• Angmar AI recruits rams again
• Gondor AI can recruit fiefdoms
• Mordor AI can now make use of Evil Men reinforcements
• Arnor AI can now recruit Lindon Guardians
• Imladris AI can now recruit Lindon Guardians
• Dwarven AI can now recruit Khazad Veterans

As always, we are looking forward to your feedback. If you want to talk about the return of the freebuild gamemode, we've got a thread for that here; for everything else from the new Belfalas faction or the Isengard rework to new maps, there is a general feedback thread here.

Have fun playing!

Your Edain team