The "Trophy" Special
The Trophy Special is a second type of special which isn't single-use. It provides small benefits but provides them forever. Trophy specials are fixed points and can't be moved and they are located around the map the same way normal specials are. Since, unlike normal specials, they aren't single-use, trophy specials can be re-captured and pass between the hands of many Keepers. If a trophy special is captured by another Keeper than you lose its benefits.
Some trophies can be upgraded. When your Warlocks have finished researching spells in your library they will research any trophies you have in your possession/territory that can be upgraded. This will unlock a second tier ability or slightly improve its ability. If the Trophy is lost and reacquired it has to be re-researched. This research generally takes quite a long time and the more powerful ones take longer.
Trophy Specials are claimed in the same way Hero Portals were destroyed in DK 2, by claiming all the surrounding tiles with bridge/claimed path.
Trophies may often be placed to have a hostile neutral or heroic force guarding them. They may be placed in the middle of an open space like lava or water to make them harder to defend and encourage aggressive back and forth play and give people more of a chance at securing them.
Many of the bonuses in previous Dungeon Keepers have consisted on one-time bonuses like magic boxes and rooms full of claimable neutral creatures. This seeks to add an additional more ongoing, strategic effect to the mechanic of specials and increase their impact on the battle over time without unbalancing it. In addition it also seeks to add visual and game-play diversity - making the underworld into a deeper, richer, more satisfying place.
Concept art that I finally uploaded.
The trophy specials have a series of 8-10 skins to add variation and appear as statues and other map objects. It is possible these skins will be inter-changable and can be switched. It is also possible for special campaign specials and skins:
Good Specials
1) Crumbling statue of knight (Good for middle realms and the Overworld)
2) Frozen statue of monk (Good for cold realms. This statue is covered in icicles)
3) Soot-blackened statue of giant (Good for Fire Realms)
4) Ornate stone sarcophagus. (Great for underground vaults, graveyards and for vampires)
5) Stone reading-altar with a thick book open (one of those tilted ones with a ledge at the bottom so it doesn't fall off)
Evil Specials
6) Sinister-looking statue of vampire (Good for almost anywhere)
7) Blood-splattered altar
8) Low, squat table/altar with a mystery bag on top
9) Stone hand of evil with a chest lying in the open palm [tehbassdemon]
10) Small mound of bones with dead skeleton in knights helmet splayed across [tehbassdemon]
Possible Trophies (Just Ideas):
This is more to give you an idea than anything else.
KEY
{U} = Upgradeable (i.e. can be researched futher by researchers to provide extra effect.)
<NA> = Non-Accumulative (i.e. multiple identical specials will not add extra effect.)
~M~ = Multiplayer Only
The Fairy Horde
This special provides a constant but small trickle of gold into your dungeons treasuries.
The Pop-up Tome of Wealth
This special allows your imps to excavate gold and gem seams slightly faster.
Lucky Imp's Foot {U}
This special spawns two imps at your dungeon heart who will constantly re-spawn after dying as long as you hold the special. When upgraded in library these imps will no longer require mana to sustain and spawn at level 6.
Bane's Bag of Tricks {U}
This special spawns a skeleton at your dungeon heart who will constantly re-spawn after dying as long as you hold the special. When upgraded this special's skeleton will spawn at level 4.
The Staff of Knowledge
This special slightly increases motivation and efficiency of all creatures researching in your library.
The Anvil of Fire
This special slightly increases motivation and efficiency of all creatures manufacturing in your workshop.
Bane's Gravestone {U}
This special increases the level of all skeletons created at your prison by one. When upgraded this will increase the level of all skeletons not by one but by two.
Heart Pillar of Merle's Lost Dungeon {U}
This special increases the health of your reinforced walls by 25%. When upgraded, this special will increase wall health by an extra 10%.
The Boots of Sulphus
This special slightly increases movement speed of creatures across claimed land.
The Traitor's Talisman <NA> {U}
This special allows the Keeper to cast an otherwise unobtainable spell; a more potent version of "turncoat." When upgraded this will decrease the mana cost of the spell.
Keeper Marco's Imp Whip {U}
This special slightly increases the speed in which imps reinforce wall by 10%. When upgraded this will go up an additional 5%.
Grubb's Crude Amulet {U}
This special spawns two goblins at your dungeon heart who will constantly re-spawn after dying as long as you hold the special. When upgraded these goblins will spawn at level 2.
Lost Altar of the Dark Gods {U}
This special increases the mana provided by creatures pray at temples by 10%. When upgraded this will increase the mana provided by Dark Angels and Warlocks only by another 5%.
Enchanted Jar of Dirt
This special increases speed in which imps claim land by about 10%.
Keystone of Lord Elrich's Vault
This special decreases the building cost of all doors by about 5%.
Mysterious Scrap of Paper
This special causes a random different effect every time it is captured. It cannot be upgraded no matter what effect it gives.
Black Mana-Infused Orb
This special slightly reduces the mana cost of all Keeper spells. (5%?)
Keeper Magnus's Hidden Loot
This special slightly decreases the building cost of all rooms in your dungeon. (5%?)
Knud's Bewitched Cannonballs {U}
This special increases the damage done by all sentry traps by about 5% and gives them a limited ability to home in on targets making them more accurate by far. When upgraded sentry trap damage is upgraded by another 5%.
Almeric's Crystal Ball {U}
This special reveals a large section of the map around the specials position. When upgraded it grants the ability to see through invisibility to all allied creatures while they remain under its area of effect.
The Great Book of Deception
This special decreased the cost of Secret Doors by 25% and increases their health by 20%.
Lord Epoch's Enchanted Breastplate <NA>
This special grants all allied Black Knights and Knights better resistance against ranged and melee magical attacks.
Frong's Elemental Book of Lightning
This special increases the firing rate of all Lightning Traps by 10% and increases the power of the Lightning Keeper Spell.
Lost Scriptures of Gnoll {U}
This special decreases the gold cost of all doors and traps by 5% and then by a further 5% when upgraded. It also decreases mana upkeep costs of all traps by 10%.
Kric's Bone Amulet <NA>
This special grants a creature spell to all allied skeletons at or over Level 4 which allows them to summon a Level 1 skeleton with a short life-span from any creature corpse, much like Dark Angel "Skeleton Army". When this spell is cast the dead bodies are unaffected and remain, though they cannot be cast on again.
The Gauntlet of Heroes <NA>
This special greatly increases the all round combat prowess and efficiency of all heroic creatures in your employ.
The Cursed Loot of Lord Signus <NA> {U}
This special will make random heroes appear in your dungeon's prison/prisons at long intervals. This special only includes Guards, Archers, Elven Archers, Dwarves, Giants, Thieves and Wizards. The units that spawn are of random levels between 1-2. When upgraded they can appear up to Level 6.
Knud's Lost Blueprints <NA>
This special increases the health of all doors by 5% and adds 30% faster health regeneration to all.
The Unholy Grail <NA>
This special grants a powerful, unique spell with a extra-long cool-down called 'Imp Blitz.' It summons five Level 4 'Phantom' Imps at an indicated location on friendly soil who will toil at whatever task until the ability runs out, 30 seconds, where upon they will disappear in a puff of smoke. They do not require mana to sustain, but the spell will take an initial amount - not particularly expensive due to the long cool-down.
The Ageless Volume <NA>
This special will summon a mysterious warlock at your dungeon heart who will study for you. He has no name, researches more efficiently than any other creature and requires no sleep or food. What is more, upon death he will reappear at you dungeon heart at 10% health but with no reduced level.
Suggested By Others
Dominique's Powers of Persuasion
Dominique, bent over forwards, one arm on her hip, the other arm outstretched with her hand and finger becknoning you to come closer.
This special slightly increases the efficiency in the way you torture your victims making them convert far more easily without being killed and becoming a Ghost.
Altar of the Damned {U}
A Knight on his knees, arms spread out either side, with a sword thrusted through him from back through to front.
This special spawns a Ghost of Knight at your dungeon heart who will constantly re-spawn after dying as long as you hold the special. When upgraded this special's ghost will spawn at level 4. This alter also increases the chances that you will create more Ghosts in the Torture Room instead of convert.
Eternal Love of an Incubus {U}
An Incubus Lord (male counterpart of the Sucubus) with his arms crossed and head turned to the side as if he doesn't care about the two sexy Sucubi clawing longingly at him, his robe and his feet. They are also part of the statue.
This special spawns two Sucubi at the altar who will join who ever owns the Altar. They will constantly re-spawn after dying at the altar as long as you hold it. If the altar is claimed while you have the two in your possession they vanish from your dungeon returning to the altar to pay their respect to their one true love and their new dungeon master. When upgraded this special's Sucubi will spawn at level 4.
The Blood of Kessler Von Doom
Maybe the only trophy that is animated. A mininature flock of Bats. Increases the 'production' of Vampires in the Graveyard. It will take less to 'birth' one and they will rise already at level 2 with their own ability to ressurect.
Bloz' Baths
A Giant Bile Demon Lair 'Pool' from DK2. All Creatures health faster, and grow happier, when they are relaxing in their Lairs.
Hell's Fury ~M~
This altar would be a statue of a Wfto take on the female Horned Reaper standing with her own scyth. Decreases the anger of a Horned Reaper in your Dungeon allowing for you to literally treat like a normal Creature. His anger issues have lessened but he hasn't lost any of his prowers or skils, he is just easier to manage. He can even be around your other Creatures. This is dangerous though because, should you loose control of the trophy, he will return to normal, remember how docile you made him, and be more pissed off than ever before.
Concept Art
Feel free to make suggestions for name changes or other specials. Even concept art or ideas in general.
Suggestions
Traps & Doors
Mirror Trap
Arrow Slit/Loophole
Creatures
Gargoyle
Gremlin
Creature Spells
Bat Swarm
Specials
Trophy Specials