Newbie question on communion
 

Communion. I lined up my 12 Starspawn and they all cast communion slave. Then my big lad, with the starshine cap, case communion master. I could not see any difference.

Can some one point me in the right direction to see the effects of this spell? I would like to play with it and try some things out.

Re: Newbie question on communion
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Assuming your master was astral-3, with the cap and 2^n slaves he should now be able to cast 3+1+n level astral spells. You have to cast such a spell to see a difference.

With R'lyeh, you could try to start with Poison Ward to dispatch all these tritons more easily. Try with a nature-1 mage or priest master and 2 slaves (preferably Starchilds), and don't forget to give nature gems to the master.

Re: Newbie question on communion
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">My own fault, I should have been more precise.

Quote:

but I can not script spells he can not cast before he gets the level boost. Is there a trick to that?

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Have you only tried? You _can_ script the greyed-out spells your mage shouldn't normally be able to cast, as long as they're listed in the popup spell menu. Just make sure to power-up before (thru communion, or other booster spells or items).

Quote:

Also, is there no way to see that his level has gone up?

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">You can't. Probably an oversight.

Quote:

I know he should be able to cast more spells but he does not seem to do so.

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Yep, sometimes mages seem to disobey your orders while they have the levels and gems they need to cast the spell you scripted them for. But from what I've seen it happens as often without communion than with it.

Re: Newbie question on communion
 

Try a spell that visibly scales with caster power, like Orb Lightning, if you want to confirm it's working.

Re: Newbie question on communion
 

Sorry if I am being thick, but I can not script spells he can not cast before he gets the level boost. Is there a trick to that?

Also, is there no way to see that his level has gone up? When power of the spheres is cast I see his level go up.

I know he should be able to cast more spells but he does not seem to do so. In fact, he keeps casting body ethererel over and over! He cast quickness and then cast body ethererel twice in the same turn. As that was the first spell he was scripted to do, it was the second and third castings...

Re: Newbie question on communion
 

Hmm, I think I have figured out part of the problem. The particular game was going well and I was beating the AI like a drum. I had never found a library, so my research was weak. As such, when I cast communion, it probably worked, but I had no higher level spells to cast! Nagot, it was your comment on the greyed out spells that made me realize this, thanks. I think this is also why he was casting spells over and over, he just did not have a big menu to choose from.

As for knowing if the power level has gone up, I guess it is just an oversight, something that might be able to be fixed in another patch.

Re: Newbie question on communion
 

What's the deal with the fatigue cost 100- for the communion slave spell? If the point is to give your fatigue to the communion master, but you use all your fatigue doing it, isn't that rather counter-productive? Or is the idea the level-1 slaves pass out and then get fatigued up to 200? (Or is the idea to empower the slaves somehow above level 1 before they cast the communion spells?).

PvK

Re: Newbie question on communion
 

It's so they don't have so much fatigue to rip through I believe. Communions above 4 Slaves really start adding up and since the fatigue is evenly spread you regenerate 20 fatigue a round (with 4) no matter what type of spell you cast. Plus remember that each slave gets the spell of their master. So if the Master casts Summon Earthpower, all the slaves under him have 4 Reinvigoration as well as the 5 normal fatigue healing from being over 100+ fatigue.

Re: Newbie question on communion
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Plus any reinvigoration from an earth blessing on your pretender.

Re: Newbie question on communion
 

Only if the communion master or the communion slaves are sacred and either the Slaves must be blessed, or the blessing cast on the Master *after* he casts Communion Master.

[ January 21, 2004, 05:19: Message edited by: Zen ]

Re: Newbie question on communion
 

Power of the Spheres is not that far up the research tree, particularly if you are using a lot of astral magic. My plan was one unit would cast that on the first round while everyone else cast Body Ethereal. This would then reduce the cost of casting Communion Slave for fatigue (I think), making it even more effective and give almost everyone great defense.

Re: Newbie question on communion
 

Power of the Spheres only affects the unit that is casting the spell. Maybe you are thinking Light of the Northern Star? A more cost effective way is to have someone carry a Banner of the Northern Star, as it casts it for free.

Then you can have your slaves cast Communion and they would have 2 Astral during the battle.

Re: Newbie question on communion
 

I see the light!

Re: Newbie question on communion
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">That's the incoming Fireball, fool. Run! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif

Re: Newbie question on communion
 

Er, umm, yeah, that was the spell I meant. The one that boosts everyone. Thanks for pointing out I got the wrong one, newbies are easily confused. Not like me! No, no, no, I am not a newbie, no, I never get confused…

Last night I captured an Crystal Shield, which was a nice addition in the spell boosting activity. Shame I have started a new game with C’tis and can not try out the communion. I also got a library very early one, only to find I am infecting all my nice new sages! I aim aiming for Gift of Health (I think that is the right name!) which I understand from Fire and Blood will help limit the damage, if not eliminate it. In addition, I have a pretty aggressive dominion to take advantage of Miasma, so I am hoping Gift of Health will also reach out during my attacks.

Re: Newbie question on communion
 

You get Shamans as C'tis which are very acceptable Communioners.