The Serpent Cult of Pythium
 

Since I'm planning to play the Serpent Cult of Pythium in a game in the near future, I was taking a quick look at their units. While I'd like to see nature 3 on the Serpent Priest, I can live with nature 2. I'm also wondering how the light lance that the serpent cataphracts wield works. Is it a 3 damage weapon that is armor piercing on the first hit the unit makes?

Re: The Serpent Cult of Pythium
 

AFAIK the Cataphract has a standard spear doing STR+3 damage, non AP (why would it be AP ?)
The reasoning is that the Serpent doesn't charge, so the rider is only mounted infantry, it does not have the special 1-shot 20 damage Lance attack of heavy cavalries.
The real boost with Serpent Cult to Cataphracts is that the Cataphract gets Sacred (and the Hydras too ! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif )

Re: The Serpent Cult of Pythium
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Sadly, that won't help him where he's goin'... ;-)

Re: The Serpent Cult of Pythium
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">They no longer carry a spear, but instead have a light lance. The description is:
Damaga: 3
(AP dependent charge bonus for first strike)
Attack: 0
Defense: 0
Length: 4

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Of course, you can only purchase the serpent cataphract in your capital, which reduces its usefulness quite a bit.

Re: The Serpent Cult of Pythium
 

Ahah, they've been changed in 2.11 (and undocumented as well http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif ) !
From the description you're right, the Lt Lance has a special 1st round AT attack.
Pretty cool, I'd check if the infamous Arco "Heavy" Cav were given it also http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: The Serpent Cult of Pythium
 

*dbl post, sorry*

[ April 09, 2004, 15:15: Message edited by: PDF ]

Re: The Serpent Cult of Pythium
 

Anyone have ideas about what blessing(s) would most benefit the Hydras?

Re: The Serpent Cult of Pythium
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">If I remember correctly it was part of saber cherrys weapons mod... so in a way it was documented. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: The Serpent Cult of Pythium
 

how it works exactly?

Re: The Serpent Cult of Pythium
 

Well, I don't think it's Armor-Piercing so much as the farther you move, the more damage it does. (In that case, AP = Action Points.) This, to me, makes the most sense from the standpoint of a Cavalry Charge.

As for what blessing is best for Hydras, Nature-Fire-Water is never bad. I don't recall their Magic Resistance, but I'd almost always take Nature so that they berserk. If you can get Earth 9, it might be worth it (it'll help your Mages too).

Bayushi Tasogare

Re: The Serpent Cult of Pythium
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Sadly, that won't help him where he's goin'... ;-) </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Xavier over at DomX has been running a 9/9 fire+ water moloch in MP with some success.

VERY scary Hydras. Dunno what he sacrified for it, but I bet they are fun. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Rabe the Retreating

Re: The Serpent Cult of Pythium
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Interesting question:

Fire - usually good with multiple attacks, but the Hydras deal plenty of damage already, so it might just be overkill 90% of the time.

Air - decent choice IMO, as one of the best defenses vs Hydras is xbows (and Flaming Arrows to make them even more deadly).

Water - the defense bonus doesn't really help, as Hydras haven't great defense to start with and are easily mobbed. OTOH it's good on Cataphracts, and water-9 makes the Hydras even more lethal than they are.

Earth - good but not great. But since all your mages are sacred, the extra reinvig comes handy.

Astral - being big targets, Hydras are prime targets for instadeath spells like Soul Slay or Disintegrate. A bit of extra MR can be the difference between life and death.

Death - improving a fear(+0) aura yields better results than giving lesser fear to non-fearsome sacred units. OTOH the death-9 blessing doesn't give undead Hydras.

Nature - usually a good blessing, but Hydras already have a good regen rate and poison resistance. If you want them go berserk, you have the nature mages.

Blood - extra strength is overkill. And having a dying Hydra death curse a crossbowman (or even a knight or a Jotun) doesn't really alleviate the pain of losing such an expensive unit.

I'd rate Air and Astral above the rest for the low bless effects, and Water and Air if you're looking for the high level ones.

Re: The Serpent Cult of Pythium
 

something ought to be done for the life after death effects, which is rather incomplete as of now. At least some new generic undead should be created (quadrupedal, bipedal and big, medium, small monsters, ...) and each living creatue should have a Category assigned.