Kill Bonuses / Experience

[nvs]

Some things are too strong when they get kills, in particular, certain slates. And beyond these few structures, everything else doesn't really benefit much at all, unless it has a high base DPS.

I see two general options:

1. Deal with structures on a case by case basis, balancing as needed. This is a less drastic option. In a sense, improving on what is already there, given that kill buffs in their current form seem almost incomplete. One idea is to implement a kill buff ceiling that increases as a player progresses further into the game. This would aid immensely in balancing structures, while still giving the player the ability to buff them strategically.
2. Rework the kill buff system more drastically. For example, tying all gems of a certain type together, having the number of kills determine aura effectiveness rather than gem quality. Quality, however, would still dictate range. This is possible, albeit more difficult to pull off both in terms of enabling it behind the scenes as well as displaying it to the player. Another idea is to unlock abilities as a gem type levels up.

I'm leaning in favor of the first option, as it is easier to implement for me, and easier to understand for the player given it is a small change from what currently exists.

[nvs]

For a bigger rework to the kill bonus (experience) system, here are some ideas:

1. Reward towers with XP for each round they are alive. This makes early selections carry more weight, balance permitting, of course.
2. Reward XP, either directly or through some sort of multiplier, for damage done in a round. Diminishing returns can be introduced to discourage feeding kills to a single tower, as this would be hindering the XP gain from others.

[nvs]

Basically, introduce a system similar to the existing hero system in Warcraft III. Basically, towers (and only towers) would gain experience for each round they are alive. Details pending on that, as it could be a flat value or could along with round difficulty. This enchances the value of towers over slates.

Slates would then remain static, and perhaps only improve due to level progression. There is precedent for this behavior already (e.g. Ancient Slate). Basic gems would never improve, nor would they contribute to the experience of the structure they produce.

Each level would give a tower a skill point. These skill points could be used to improve the tower in various ways. These could be offensive and supportive options. Depending on strategy and luck, a player may opt for different upgrades in different games.

This removes kills from the concept of experience entirely. It rewards rushing early combinations. This promotes towers over slates without a doubt.

[GaDaHo]

Do as you please for here I wait to be surprised!