Spellbringers is a total conversion custom map for Warcraft III, changing the game into an all-new classic real-time strategy game. The game currently features three unique, "completely asymmetric" factions, with a fourth being "in development". The namesake of the game is the Spellbringer, a unique, mighty structure that casts powerful global spells, adding a "new" twist to the classic RTS formula of gathering resources, base building, micro- and macro-management (see also: Age Of Mythology
, Command And Conquer and Dawn of War). Unlike in vanilla Warcraft III, there are no heroes, items, neutral creeps or buildings.
The map can be found and downloaded here (note that it is only compatible with the Reforged version). The community can be found on Discord.
This game provides examples of:
- Capitalism Is Bad: A significant amount of money has been poured into the development of new assets.
- Divine Conflict: The forthcoming campaign focuses on the rivalries between gods and goddesses and the mortals who get caught in the crossfire.
- Faction Calculus: Order (Powerhouse) prefers to approach problems through superior strength. Death ("Balanced") can overwhelm opponents in a swarm of zombies or slink around the shadows. Nature (Subversive) favours guile and finesse and is designed to be a challenging faction for beginners.
- Job Title: The eponymous Spellbringers are buildings that channel magical energies from the godly realms to mortals, granting them mighty powers in the form of global spells. This functions as a hybrid of Tactical Superweapon Unit and Support Power, similar to some Command and Conquer games.
- Obvious Rule Patch: During development, innovative tactics which playtesters found to be effective were patched out of the game with the intent of favouring specific playstyles.
- Ridiculous Procrastinator: Spellbringers has seen little to no active development for some time and it is currently unknown what status the Magic faction is in.
- Tech Tree: Most factions sport a split pathways style in their techtree, making it so you can choose one half of the techtree or the other. These split halves are often self contained with their overall design, allowing players to ignore the majority of the techtree to counter most threats.
- Worker Unit: Each faction sports a worker unit with some factions sporting multiple worker units (most notably the Nature faction uses Artisans, Saplings and Dendroid Treeherders in a convoluted economy).
- You Require More Vespene Gas: Spellbringers makes use of the gold and lumber resource economy of Warcraft III.
