Dom 1 newbie question re afflictions
 

Hi,

I'm busily playing the D1 demo trying to spool up so I'll have half an idea of what to do when I get D2.

In my current game I'm playing Ermor and took the Prince of Death. I was using him to search for sites and for reasons I won't go into ran him into one province to take it back. Now, I see he has 2 afflictions (mute and chest wound) and has lost 1 from several (maybe all, don't remember) of his magic schools. Can I do anything about his afflictions?

From what I've seen via searching sissypigs the answer is: I'm playing the wrong freaking nation and/or should have used an immortal instead and NEVER have sent this mook into battle.

Second question: If I restart, is there any item I can craft in the demo while playing Ermor that will protect my pretender from afflictions/curses? I sure hope there are ways to rid pretenders and, heck other leaders of these two things in D2. This seems way overboard. Any time I send a pretender in combat I seem to pick up at least one affliction. (I've started about 20 games and played until I figured out a few more things, then restarted with what I'd learned.)

Thanks for any and all help.

Hitting my head hurts,
V'ger gone

Re: Dom 1 newbie question re afflictions
 

as far as items which prevent afflictions, there is a ring of regeneration which you should be able to make if you have skill in nature, and the proper research done [it IS available in the demo]

the bad news is that once you have an affliction there's no easy way to get rid of it. There's some stuff which isn't available in the demo, or you could just kill off your pretender - when it comes back it ought to have a clean slate when it comes to afflictions (at least so the theory goes - I've never actually tried it). The downside is you lose one level in each school of magic.

The Last option is not to use your pretender for combat, but for forging, searching, rituals etc. only.

Re: Dom 1 newbie question re afflictions
 

>and has lost 1 from several (maybe all, don't remember) of his magic schools.

Yes, after resurrection pretenders have lost 1 point in -all- magic schools. That's often a critical situation, especially for 'rainbow mages'. Some players use to take pretenders without any magic (like the Wyrm) to avoid this problem BTW. No magic, no loss upon resurrection ! Probably not a good solution for Ermor however (you have so much design pts to spend that you dont need a cheap pretender).

>Can I do anything about his afflictions?

Immortals (like the Phoenix or the Lich), Pangaea and Pangaea-like creatures (like the Medusa) heal battle afflictions automatically. Arcoscephale priestesses can heal afflictions too.
When a god reincarnates, he has a _chance_ of healing some or all of his wounds. Regenerating pretenders often come back without afflictions.
An artifact, the Chalice (Construction 8), will have a chance of curing one affliction per unit in the country. The Nature spell Gift of Health (Enchantment 5) also cures afflictions. But thats not for the demo.
Note that regeneration does not heal afflictions, it only reduces the risk of getting some in battle (so a Ring of Regeneration, for exemple, will not heal a lost eye). And regeneration does not work at all on inanimate creatures (like Golems or Crushers).

>is there any item I can craft in the demo while playing Ermor that will protect my pretender from afflictions/curses? .

No immunity.
As St Patrick said, a Ring of Regeneration will give you a good protection against afflictions (unlike most undeads, the Prince of Death is not inanimate, no problem).
There is no protection vs Curse. Not even resurrection.

>Any time I send a pretender in combat I seem to pick up at least one affliction.

The chance of getting a nasty wound depends on the hit points loss, compared to the total hp. So if a terrible blow takes 50% of the hp, this unit has 50% chance of getting an affliction at random.
With 45 hp as a base, the PoD is not a tough guy. His fear aura does not protect him from the first blow.
If you want to see him in close combat, improve his protection (armor) and/or reduce the chance of being hit (etherealness + luck, using items like Faithful, Pendant of Luck, Chain Mail of Displacement or Robe of Shadows, or using spells) and/or immobilize his opponents (vine shield immobilizes, charcoal shield burns).
Cheers

Re: Dom 1 newbie question re afflictions
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Actually there's a trick that allows you to cast Gift of Health in the demo, if you have enough research power to jump from Enchantment 3 to Enchantment 5 in one turn.

Re: Dom 1 newbie question re afflictions
 

Don't Arco Priestesses heal afflictions with their special "heal" action ?

Re: Dom 1 newbie question re afflictions
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I think Sunray already mentioned it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Dom 1 newbie question re afflictions
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I think Sunray already mentioned it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Oh yes ...sorry http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Dom 1 newbie question re afflictions
 

>Don't Arco Priestesses heal afflictions with their special "heal" action ?

Yes they do. Very useful for combat pretenders. How convenient ! Arco has a special, non regenerating, combat pretender : the Nataraja...
And Arco mages can easily take more risks using Astal Projection and Mind Hunt (against, say, Rlyeh or Abysia).
Cheers

Re: Dom 1 newbie question re afflictions
 

Hi,

Thanks, everybody. I really appreciate all the help. I decided to restart and keep ol' PoD away from the action until I could properly spruce him up. I hadn't/didn't plan on using him as a supercombatant, but just sent him in one province one time to take it back from some indies. (And got 2 afflictions and lost 1 on each of his magic schools. Ow.)

This time, he'll have a huge army protecting him, IF he goes in. I have Etimmi (sp) an immortal to use as my main whomp guy.

I'm still going to make a bunch of stuff for PoDy, just in case.

Thanks mucho,
V'ger gone

Re: Dom 1 newbie question re afflictions
 

I've had a few afflicated Pretenders in Dom II, but nothing as bad as what you're describing. I think the chances of them getting hurt permanently may have been adjusted. (Just a guess though. Your Milage May Vary.)

Re: Dom 1 newbie question re afflictions
 

hehe... this reminds me of a game where i had moloch leading abysia. i designed him to be a rainbow mage, with 2-3 levels of magic in each path... in the second or third battle (which took place in the first 5 turns) he got the "feeble minded" permanent affection (-> loses every magic capabilities). my moloch was pretty useless after this; couldn't forge any artifacts or cast any spells. arrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

after this experience i send the moloch in battle only when he's carrying the ring of regeneration. i guess i've learned my lesson.

cheers

segfault.

Re: Dom 1 newbie question re afflictions
 

There is yet another way of healing aflictions in Dom I (likely the most convoluted one):

Wish for 'priestess', and use your precious lady afterwards to heal your big guy/pretender.

This shows one of Dom's strenghts: there are often many different ways available of achieving the dessired result.

Re: Dom 1 newbie question re afflictions
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Wished priestesses need an additional 40 nature to be GoR'ed though.

A cheaper way might be to 'buy' priestesses directly from the Arco player, if you have a common border.

Re: Dom 1 newbie question re afflictions
 

yes true you have convoluted means to heal afflictions, but there is one thing you cant do : resurrect someone which is not in the hall of fame (and event that, you need death and he is a mummy...)

I would have liked to have some spells on that http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Dom 1 newbie question re afflictions
 

<<<
A cheaper way might be to 'buy' priestesses directly from the Arco player, if you have a common border.
>>>

and if he dont agrees, wind ride and hellbind heart / charm.

Re: Dom 1 newbie question re afflictions
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Variant: pick up a lycos amulet with your battlemage pretender as you conquer your first independent province (can't cast battle spells anymore)

Variant: pick up a Knife of the Damned with your melee pretender (and start collection afflictions).

Variant: pick up a lycos ammy with your demigod-sized pretender (and morph into a wimpy werewolf).

Bottom line: a few independent leaders types sometimes wear cursed items, learn who they are, and avoid meeting them if you still have free weapon or misc slots.

Re: Dom 1 newbie question re afflictions
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Shame on the Arco Pretender that sells his babes!

I always disliked this particular use of the domination spells for trading (regarding nation specific commanders, that is), because of the dilution of the differences between nations.

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">This however I have no problem with. Of course, retaliation is to be expected in this instance from the pissed neighbour. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

--editted my spelling

[ October 01, 2003, 16:03: Message edited by: Wendigo ]