Trolls are redundant with ogres
Currently the defining features of Og are:
- High HP, but low AC/EV
- +3 maces aptitude and ability to use giant (spiked) clubs and large rocks. In gameplay, this means very high melee damage, a no-brainer melee weapon choice, and a no-brainer ranged weapon choice.
- Awful spellcasting aptitudes and int
- Lots of strength
Currently the defining features of Tr are:
- High HP, but low AC/EV, with the exception that their AC is high for D:1
- Claws 3, an unarmed aptitude higher than any of their other aptitudes, and ability to use large rocks. In gameplay, this means very high melee damage, a no-brainer melee weapon choice, and a no-brainer ranged weapon choice.
- Awful spellcasting aptitudes and int
- Lots of strength
- You regenerate and eat a lot
- Statue form is really good for you if you don't mind spending tons of xp
"Trolls are like Ogres, but even nastier." is a sentence in the manual, and unlike the rest of the manual, this sentence is correct and up-to-date. Trolls just aren't different from ogres in any exciting, defining way. Trolls get a little less HP/MP/EV/accuracy/spell success (unless it's an earth spell), and a better early game that more than makes up for it. That's about it. The introduction of Vine Stalkers encroached on this design space even further, by adding another species with high melee damage and regeneration.
If both species are to be kept in the game, then I suggest an overhaul to make Og and Tr more genuinely different. Since their most noticeable features at the moment are melee damage and HP, I'd suggest splitting them by those two features.
"New" Og would try to fill the "HP tank" role, without having tons of damage. It would have:
- Maces and Throwing aptitudes reduced to -2 or -3. Ideally, make all other weapon apts -1 or -2 as well.
- XP and fighting aptitudes stay, HP could be increased to 40% or 50% if you want Og to remain super overpowered
- In place of Basajaun, you could improve Og's spell school aptitudes to -1 and reduce their strength and increase their int, making them a more balanced species. I don't think Basajaun have enough reason to be added as a third large species.
"New" Tr would try to fill the damage role, without having tons of HP. It would keep its unarmed aptitude and mutations, but its HP would be reduced to +0%. Ideally it would get positive non-unarmed/maces/throwing aptitudes to avoid no-brainers. If you want it to remain super overpowered too, increase its non-HP aptitudes. This is worryingly close to VS, but species design space is so crowded that I cannot think of anything more differentiated, short of adding entirely new mechanics, which shouldn't be considered an option.
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