User:Mindtheblob/themeConflict

Theme Conflicts

Not all themes are compatible with one another.

There are a number of ways themes can be in conflict.

For example, forbidden combinations may be defined in the theme game files, and event targets may impose further limitations by targeting the same theme slot (head, torso, arms, legs, skin, wings, tail).

Some theme requirements may impose further restrictions. These are discussed in detail in further sections.

This article shows a list of theme conflicts. Additionally, the final sections include more detailed discussions on the different types of conflicts.

List of Theme Conflicts

At the time of writing, we have elected to display all theme conflicts the player might encounter as lists.

Two scenarios have been taken into consideration:

• • What themes block a hero from receiving a given theme.
  • What themes are blocked by a hero who has a given theme.

Table here

Detailed Discussion: Forbid Combine With

Most events that grant themes have an Eligible for Theme: definition in the event targeting. This target requirement tests for:

• No member of the company may have the same theme.
• The hero must not have conflicting themes.
• The hero must have an empty slot for a theme piece.

Conflicting themes are defined in the theme .json files with a "forbidCombineWith": [] definition.

Important! A conflict between two themes occurs when the themes are defined with a forbidCombineWith: [] in either of the theme .json files.

Example:

gem: "forbidCombineWith": ["bear", "wolf", "tree", "fire", "skeleton"]

tree: "forbidCombineWith": ["bear", "wolf", "crow", "fire", "skeleton"]

This is an example from the crystalline and elmsoul theme files.

Note that only the gem defines tree as a forbidden combination.

Nevertheless, a hero with the elmsoul theme is not eligible for the event that grants the crystalline theme. Similarly, a hero with the crystalline theme is not eligible for the event that grants the elmsoul theme.

Note for modders! The "forbidCombineWith": [] definition also affects the ApplyTheme: outcome, which will not take effect when there is a forbidCombineWith conflict.

Detailed Discussion: Eligible for Theme Piece

Many event targets impose practical conflicts with themes by targeting the same theme slot.

Events define an Eligible for Theme Piece: requirement for a role. Following, the event outcomes apply the theme piece to the hero that matched the role. Most theme pieces take up a theme slot.

Example: Theme Slots and Pieces:

• Head:
  • hair stars, head, tattoo, latent
• Torso:
  • torso, latent
• Arms:
  • left arm, right arm
• Legs:
  • left leg, right leg
• Skin
• Wings
• Tail

Some theme pieces do not take slots. Exceptions include the elmsoul and frost hair streaks, for example.

Events that target the same theme slot for a theme piece are in practical conflict.

For example, without modding or cheats, a hero with the crystalline theme will not be eligible for the sylvan theme even though the theme files do not define a conflict, because both events target Eligible for Theme Piece: with the same theme slot (head).

Detailed Discussion: Forbidden Theme Aspects

The third main type of conflict includes events that define forbidden aspects for the role that is granted a theme in the event.

Similarly to the Eligible for Theme Piece conflict discussed above, they impose artificial restrictions (and practical conflict) to some theme combinations.

These are present in the Worlds Apart event that gives the Spell Touched theme, and the event that gives the Foxish, Scorpioid, or Skunkinsh themes.

Example: Forbidden Theme Aspects for Worlds Apart (Spell Touched)

Forbidden Aspects: theme_bear, theme_crow, theme_deepist, theme_gem, theme_fire, theme_foothill, theme_shadow, theme_star

A hero with the beartouched, [[crowtouched, mark of the horn, crystalline, flamesoul, child of the hills, shadow, or celestial themes is ineligible for the role that will be given the spell touched theme.

Note! Receiving the spell touched theme before receiving any of the themes above imposes no conflict on the themes.

Detailed Discussion: Other Practical Conflicts

Finally, there are some special cases of theme conflicts.

Flamesoul:

The event that grants the Flamesoul theme targets the left arm slot, but grants theme pieces for both the left arm and head (tattoo) slots.

A hero with a head slot theme filled that is not in a Forbid Combine With conflict with the Flamesoul will receive the left arm, but not the head.

Mortificial Enhancements:

The event for the Mortificial Enhancements theme requires a hero to have prosthetic limbs.

However, prosthetic limbs are replaced for a hero who receives any theme with limbs.

Events that Clear a Theme Slot:

While not a theme conflict, some events clear a theme slot before applying a piece, most notably The Merchant event. A hero with a wolf of crow tail for example, will have the tail removed before receiving another tail.

Rules of Thumb

Summing up, here are a few rules of thumb:

• If you desire a Spell Touched warrior, find the Worlds Apart event before taking other transformations (or inspect the forbidden theme aspects in detail beforehand).
• If you desire Mortificial Enhancements, find the Troygan the Enchanger event before themes that have limbs.
• If you desire a child of the hills, frogtouched, or mark of the horn hero with flamesoul, find the head theme piece for those themes first.

Detailed Table of Theme Conflicts

link to google docs here