Here's a take from someone who has spent far too much time over the years looking over rules and designing pen and paper game systems. You can tell the dev team/playtesters by the fact that they are playing Amber DRPG because the idea of dealing with mechanics, math, or min/maxxers is so out of the question...
I like the idea of having a simple way to code/design NPC's and to customize sovereigns in a more roleplaying way while also giving concrete bonuses along with the flavor.
So, basically with a hero NPC spawning they'd all have base stats and X number of traits/descriptors that would modify the base stats. For example Ulysses is a pretty powerful NPC with four descriptors Cunning, Well equipped, Leader of Men, and Curious. For each descriptor the base stats would go up a small amount representing greater overall talent. Specific descriptors like Well equipped would give 50 x X or 200 Gildar in equipment, Cunning might give plus four to Intelligence and X% assassination, Leader of Men might allow Ulysses to form an Army of X units which move at the same speed as Ulysses and have a morale bonus to attack after a victory, Curious might give 1/2X to Intelligence and a chance to spawn goodie huts when walking into new territory or somesuch.
The more descriptors the greater the cost of purchasing the hero/merc/npc. Also, having NPCs with different levels of experience when hired would be interesting rather than all being level 1. You might have the option of getting an old pro with just a couple of descriptors but level 6 or a young prodigy with many descriptors for the same cost in gildars.
Different descriptors might be:
Scout: X bonus to movement
Mercantile: X bonus to Gildar
Loremaster: X bonus to spell points
Knight: Mount (X would define what type of mount with 1 being a horse while 5 being a griffon)
Paladin: X bonus to attack and defense against creatures and NPC's with the descriptors unholy or undead.
Administrator: 5X% bonus to production.
Kind: bonus to friendly diplomacy
Psionic: Specialty attack against Intelligence and X Resistance to Mind Effects.
Arms Merchant: -5X% cost to purchases from the Trader screen and a random chance of a rare weapon or armor.
Independently Wealthy: Gear automatically upgrades to higher quality as the tech becomes available.
Famous: X% cheaper for purchases of other NPC's/mercs as your fame encourages other Heroes to join for the chance to meet their hero.
Sovereign: Give life to the broken earth.
Mage: Costs 2 descriptors but NPC can learn and cast spells at a Basic or Cantrip level. Prereq for other Mage descriptors.
Earth Mage: this trait allows NPC to cast earth spells at an Intermediate level or +1 level from base.
Master Earth Mage: another +1 level to earth or defaulting to spells at an advanced level.
Arch Mage: Costs 2 descriptors but NPC's magic ability goes up one level for all schools so he can cast spells at an Intermediate level.
(Thus a fire and earth Archmage would cast Advanced fire and earth spells and the total cost would be: Mage 2, Archmage 2, and Fire and Earth for 2 more for a total of 6.
As you can see it would be pretty easy to come up with tons of various traits to be represented.
To go with the roleplaying concept if your NPC/Sovereign was involved in a really cool and earthshattering quest then he might be granted a descriptor which would represent those quantum leaps of power that are a staple of rpg's. As it is going up a level is a pretty minor power boost while going from four to five descriptors would give greater flexibility and overall power plus making the character more interesting.
If you extend descriptors to Kingdoms then you could have discounts or price hikes on the cost of heroes that align well or poorly with each other. Or as I posted elsewhere (relating to a post by Gorstagg) like minded heroes might seek you out and join of their own free will. A mercantile, warlike, and greedy kingdom might attract an arms merchant who wanted to join in order to make the right contacts and to get a little fame. You could even have heroes join the competition because they dislike another nation greatly.
So, in the end you have more developed characters that are more interesting and more than just a collection of stats plus you give a lot of options to the modding community and later development. Elemental is supposed to be both strategy and roleplaying and it would be a shame to not have an effective and interesting way to develop and describe your character.
If someone else has a similar idea and I missed it during my scan of the forum then I apologize in advance. I mostly saw arguments for and against Attributes but this is designed to supplement attributes so the issue is moot.
