NOTE! This mod is obsolete in Dragon Dawn DLC! (DLC changes many Empire skills, so using this mod in Dragon Dawn will mess it up). use only for vanilla AOW4 pre Wyvern patch!

New Dragon Dawn (and free Wyvern update) mod is here: Balanced Empire Skills (Dragon Dawn)

Balancing this many Empire skills is never easy, but lets try! My biggest mod so far.

Changes:

General skills shouldnt be expensive so I reduced cost.. now we have more imperium for actualy fun skills.

GENERAL
Excavation cost reduced to 50 imperium
Road Building cost reduced to 50 imperium and unlocks very early
Rite of the last stand cost reduced to 100 imperium
Advanced Scrying Towns, vision bonus increased to 5
Forced March cost reduced to 100 imperium
Siege Spec. cost reduced to 100 imperium

NATURE
Natural Recovery now heals +20HP in your domain
Expert Sailors now gives +4 food on sea and rivers
Rite of the Guardian Spirit cost reduced to 100 imperium
Expansive Reach cost reduced to 150 imperium
Rite of Expansive Growth cost reduced to 200 imperium
Natural Order now gives +5 happiness per forested province

NOTE: Rangers 9th lvl skill is NOT changed in this mod, but if you want to use my "Domain Movement Increase" mod you can reduce this skill to 1st level skill costing only 50 imperium. (in that case just load BOTH mods) obviously, not balanced but good for map movement, so its in seperate mod (100% compatible with this one)

CHAOS
Lure of the Horde cost reduced to 100 imperium
Rite of the Chosen Warriors cost reduced to 200 imperium
Tireless Marchers: Forced March now does NO damage to units
Reign of Destruction: now u can unlock this 1 tier earlier. (9th instead of 10th, but same high cost)
Rite of Posession cost reduced to 400 imperium

ASTRAL
Astral Inspiration cost increased to 100 imperium
Philosopher Soldiers cost reduced to 150 imperium
Astral Binding: now u can unlock this 1 tier earlier. (9th instead of 10th, but same high cost)

MATERIUM
Consolidated Industry cost reduced to 50 imperium
Warsmithing cost reduced to 100 imperium
Rite of the Armorer cost reduced to 100 imperium
Specialist Districts now gives +10 gold per special district
Indomitable Defenders now gives +30 morale to defenders, cost reduced to 250 imperium
Rite of the Dreadnought cost reduced to 250 imperium

ORDER
Benevolent Conquerors: now converts into vasals 2 turns faster.
Justified Wars cost reduced to 200 imperium

SHADOW
Rite of the Cryptblade cost reduced to 100 imperium
Shadow Domain cost reduced to 200 imperium
Spying Shadows cost reduced to 350 imperium

well thats it, if u like it, have fun!

should be compatible with all other mods that dont change exactly the same Empire skills. Due to more extensive changes to Empire skills I recommend starting new game

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unzip files to your "\Documents\Paradox Interactive\Age of Wonders 4\Mods" folder (create one if u dont have)

enable mods in your AOW4 launcher (dowser.exe in game folder)
> playset
> add new playset
> check the "empire skills" mod name and play.
if you have more mods, add "empire skills" to your existing playset

NOTE!! If you are using my other mod "Better Transformations 1.1" please download and use other optional file named "empire skills compatible transformations.zip"
That way you will get correct tooltips (in game descriptions) for both mods.
This mod "Empire skills" must be BELLOW "Better Transformations" in load order! (in your AOW4 launcher)
If you are NOT using mod "Better Transformations" just load basic file "empire skills.zip".
Even if u manage to mess up something, both mods will work 100% fine, but u may not get correct tooltips for moded skills. But its pretty simple as described above.