Game mode: The Quest for The Holy Grail

For this game mode the objective is to return the Holy Grail to Camelot at the centre of the map. It will play like a cross between CTF and TTH. The Grail is buried in a random position under a mine near the centre of the map. The opposing armies must capture Mines in order to dig below 5 squares in certain areas.

Gameplay is divided into two parts:
The Search For The Holy Grail
The Siege of Camelot

Each player starts as a builder but can change to a knight or archer in their castle barracks (Class changes may take longer than normal). Anyone can change to builders at the captured mines in order to search for the Grail. Gold could be used to upgrade the archery range or knight barracks to include spec arrows and demo weapons.

Certain other artifacts can be returned to the castle treasury for bonuses. Artifacts tend to activate during The Siege of Camelot. Several artifacts give the players who found them new classes or skills. One artifact per player. Many Cursed Artifacts may appear which look identical to Holy ones until returned. Not all artifacts will appear in every match. (Apart from the Grail, Sword in the Stones and the auto-assigned Dark Armour.)

One player from each team must bring back "the Sword in the Stone" to be crowned King. (The sword will be quite hard to reach and a new king can be voted in to reduce greifing chances.) The King has no advantages in combat to begin with but gains "immortality" when the Holy Grail is captured.

The opposing team has a set time in order to retake Camelot before the land submits to their new king. During this time the winning team spawns in Camelot but must change classes. (Which will slow them down.) The King however does not die but is teleported back to the castle to "recover". Essentially, he respawns but does not need to change class. The opposing King is transformed into the dreaded Black Knight who has similar powers. His powers come from his Dark Armour which while useful, is inferior to the Grail.

The Dark Knight has extra health but a King who has quaffed from the Grail has heart recovering powers.

Other artifacts may include:

Spoiler: Spoiler Hint

Excalibur, found in a lake. Allows one team to suspend the powers of the Holy Grail/Dark Armour when the enemy King is killed in the second half. It also boosts the attack of the King/Black Knight who wields it.

Mirror of Merlin: Summons Merlin to aid your team. Similar to a necromancer, maybe some slight alterations or at least a new sprite. Cursed version summons an evil necromancer.

Wings of Icarus: Gives the player who returns it a gliding-chicken ability in the second half. Cannot be turned off so has bonuses and disadvantages.

Shield of Aegis: Increases shield size and may reduce shield stun time.

The Frog Prince: The player takes the frog with him until he reaches the team castle, when the frog is reverted to normal he repays his saviour with gold. Its' cursed version The Blobbertripe frog, is an irremovable animal which uses team chat to rant about archers needing balanced.

I think this mode, while it may seem complicated at first glance is easy for new players to play at a basic level, ie. rush the enemy or dig for the grail. It would also offer bonuses and variation for more experienced players. New builders would be less tempted to hang around base if they can search for the Holy Grail instead.

With a variation in artifacts and who receives them every match would be different with skill still deciding who gets what artifact but with the luck factor of anyone having a chance of getting screwed over. Server owners could choose different locations for some of the artifacts, such as high towers or in dungeons. This could also be adapted into a dungeon-crawler or RPG mode of some sort.

Please add your criticisms or suggestions below. I would especially like more artifact suggestions as that area has so much potential.

 

I really like it especially the artifacts. @Geti Add this pleeease

 

I'm not sure I can see anything that isn't already possible to mod in the current build?

 

I like it
By the way a lot of people will complain about the separate Sword in the Stone and actual lake Excalibur, you're going to need a disclaimer

 

You do realise how much work it'd take?

 

Yes, and it is a 2d map usually, unless you do a shiprekt point of view. Would all these artifacts (shield of aegis, Excalibur etc.) be close together, in the center?