Hi there,

I've been working on a mod for the past month or so (originally started it a couple of years back) which adds a new race to the game (it also enhances all weapon effects and sounds for the existing races).

You can read about it and download the latest version on ModDB: http://www.moddb.com/mods/sins-dark-reavers-mod

I'm trying to make the new race as balanced as possible, so any feedback would be much appreciated. I'd like to know if anything seems overpowered/underpowered.

I started out by just copying the Advent Rebels, and I've gradually been changing things to make them distinct. So with AR as the starting point here's a list of the changes:

### ---- Structure Changes ---- ####

Moved Restore Antimatter ability from Temple of Renewal to Repair Platform and moved it to tier 4.

Replaced Temple of Renewal with Shield Recharger and moved it to tier 2.

Moved Shield Bestowal ability from Hangar to Shield Recharger.

This means DkR have no access to repairs in the early-game, relying on their shields even more than the Advent.

Replaced Deliverance Engine with Eye of Nightmares which shuts down a planet's economy almost completely for 3 minutes, and immobilizes all enemy ships in the gravity well for 1 minute.

### ---- Research Changes ---- ####

Arctic Prosperity (Added) (increases max population of ice planets)

Homeworld Prophecy / Thriving Desert Cities -> Subterranean Prosperity x2 (increases max population of asteroids and dwarf planets)

Cleanse & Renew -> Shield Mastery (late-game shield upgrade, primarily to add resistance phase missiles)

Return of the Fallen -> Virtuous Clarity (small early-game allegiance boost to buff early economy)

Reanimation -> Furious Initiative (ships move faster through phase space and upon entering a gravity well)

Expulsion -> Efficient Manufacturing (mid-game ship production speed buff)

Wail of the Sacrified -> Outsourcing Contracts (ability to speed up ship production for a limited time at a single planet by spending credits)

Mass Communion -> Phase Terrors (upgrade for Phase Jump Inhibitors which has a chance to disable phase jumping entirely for a short time)

Communal Labor -> Portable Frameworks (faster build speed, slightly better than Advent but more expensive)

Wall of Faith -> Unshakeable Skepticism (more culture resist to make up for a lower culture spread rate)

Karmic Retribution -> Civilian Preservation (grant shields to trade ships, refinery ships and module constructors)

Divination -> Development Ingenuity (increased planet development speed for logistic/tactical slot increases)

Hardened Cities -> Fortified Tunnels (same but tweaked numbers)

Synergy -> Potent Emplacements (flat boost to beam defense damage)

Mass Transcendence -> Science of War (boosted experience, but no constant gain)

Augmented Defense Grid -> Augmented Defense Grid (same)

### ---- Ability Changes ---- ####

## Frigates ##

Martyrdom (scout ability) -> Disrupt Mining (scouts can disable enemy extractors)

Steal/Transfer Antimatter (light frigate abilities) -> Burst Containment (disable abilities for a very short time and depletes more antimatter than Steal Antimatter, but costs antimatter to cast and has a longer cooldown)

Deceptive Illusion (long-range frigate ability) -> Void Conduit (teleport a short distance)

Shield Projection (defensive support ability) -> Refractive Barrier (channeled AoE that reduces chance to be hit by 25% and boosts shield/hull regeneration)

Repulsion (defensive support ability) -> Umbral Shell (make target invulnerable for a short time - channeled and interruptable)

Suppression (offensive support ability) -> Enervation (disables movement, but reduces chance to hit instead of disabling weapons, and has a shorter duration)

Perserverence (offensive support ability) -> Enveloping Darkness (powerful AoE slow and vulnerability)

Ruthlessness (heavy cruiser passive) -> Obfuscation (halves range of whatever the cruiser is firing at)

Energy Disruption (corvette passive) -> Shield Disruption (reduces enemy shield mitigation)

## Supeweapon ##

Deliverance Signal (superweapon ability) -> Nightmare Pulse (immobilizes all ships within a gravity well, and cripples the planet's economy)

## Starbase ##

Mass Disorientation -> Paralyzing Torrent (AoE damage and immobilize)

Meteoroid Control -> Defiant Resolve (unyielding will, only increases weapon dmg and without the invincibility)

## Titan ##

Purification -> Retaliatory Justice (reflects some damage back to attackers, turns some damage into antimatter)

Chastic Burst (titan ability) -> Shadow Burst (only visually different at the moment)

Strength of the Fallen -> Vengeful Longevity (gain stacking damage reduction buff for destroyed allies)

Unyielding Will -> Wave of Terror (AoE immobilize and antimatter drain)

## Capital Ships ##

# Battleship #

Detonate Antimatter -> Atomizing Surge (single target damage with damage amplification debuff)

Animosity -> Dispersion Field (self-targetted short duration damage reduction buff)

Energy Absorptive Armor -> Ancilliary Generators (passive maximum shield and shield regen buff)

Cleansing Brilliance -> Decimation Beam (lower damage, lower cooldown cleansing brilliance)

# Siege #

Reverie -> Shield Wrack (AoE damage against shields only)

Guidance -> Intensified Assault (decreased weapon cooldown and increased weapon range for short time)

Clairvoyance -> Percussive Warheads (passive planet siege dmg boost)

Provoke Hysteria -> Havoc Charge (long range anti-module ability, high damage and disables module for a short time)

# Colony #

Colonize -> Colonize (speeds up planet development time for a while)

Malice -> Spatial Tide (targeted repulsion to break up fleets)

Shield Regeneration -> Shield Rejuvenation (same)

Resurrection -> Colonial Commerce (passive income)

# Carrier #

Telekenetic Push -> Protective Aura (passive aura which reduces damage taken by strikecraft)

Adept Drone Anima -> Hailstorm (boosts damage of all strikecraft within radius for a short time)

Amplify Energy Aura -> Shroud of Renewal (disable own weapons and strikecraft launch while repairing own hull)

Anima Tempest -> Control Systems Virus (disable strikecraft launch for all enemy ships in grav well for short time)

# Support #

Vertigo -> Destructive Echo (direct copy of Malice)

Vengeance -> Guardian Skin (single target armor boost)

Concentration Aura -> Invigorate (passive aura which boosts antimatter regen and ability cooldowns)

Domination -> Distant Onslaught (large weapon range increase and minor damage buff to friendlies within radius)

# Battleship2 #

Fracture -> Confinement Beam (tractor beam which disables target completely)

Psionic Scream -> Nullification Pulse (single target disable abilities and drain antimatter)

Lethargy -> Shield Sundering (AoE causing targets shields to have a chance to be ignored, and shield regen reduced)

Revenge from the Beyond -> Sweeping Liberation (mass AoE disable immunity, speed boost and minor shield restore)