Astral Serpent
 

I armed 3 SC's almost the same. Sword of swiftness, luck shield, boots of quickness, black helmet, Shadow robe, and Bear claw talisman. However two of them got astral serpents and the last a Bottle of living water as I ran short of greens. All three fought in the same battle group in all the same battles.

The two with astral serpents have 93 and 95 kills. The one with the bottle has 48 kills.

I can think of a dozen reasons for this to be so that have nothing to do with the serpent.

However I was wondering if anyone else had noticed the astral serpents having a dramatic increase on kills. I had thought 3 extra damage points and a death poison roll per attack would have a effect but not a 90% increase in effectiveness.

My nation is EA R'lyeh and all battles have been against Vanheim and Arcoscephale.

Re: Astral Serpent
 

Wouldn't the kills from the water elemental be counted to the elemental, rather than the SC?

Re: Astral Serpent
 

Yes.

A water elemental does do it's share of killing. Best of all it does not get afflictions. Which is why I figured it a good item.

You just don't get the statistics. If you could add in the element's numbers the last guy might be higher, but I don't think so. Those quickened guys move fast.

Now if you could group the Elementals and cast a quicken spell on them that would be one quick, mean wall of water. A few boosts would make the terrors.

Re: Astral Serpent
 

Well, one thing that comes to mind is that each extra attack has a proportionally higher effectiveness against high defense troops (Vanhiem comes to mind). Not sure how the attacks are ordered, but it might be that the serpent isn't dealing so much damage itself as reducing the defense and letting other attacks land. You might try a dancing trident or stone bird to compare it to.

Just a thought, haven't tested this out.

Re: Astral Serpent
 

I think the Serpent is a pretty decent item, I mean it does death poison. I think it would be more effective than the dancing trident or the stone bird.

Re: Astral Serpent
 

Just have to try and see.

Re: Astral Serpent
 

Does the serpent just do one attack, or does it do one attack for each one the SC takes (IE 4 attacks for quickness plus sword of swiftness + another 4 attacks for serpent)? My observations say that its only one, but the text is misleading.

Re: Astral Serpent
 

I'm pretty sure it just adds an extra weapon, so just one attack

Re: Astral Serpent
 

A 3 armor negating damage could easily fall out higher and kill a 10 hp soldier.

Re: Astral Serpent
 

And then theres the death poison...

Re: Astral Serpent
 

I thought the astral serpent attacked anyone who attacked your unit. So it could potentially have a dozen attacks a round-but then, maybe it doesn't work that way.

Re: Astral Serpent
 

The in game description states that it strikes "each" time the holder attacks so I would take that to be four times for my champs. It is rare for any human sized victim to survive and walk around poisoned, though I have seen it.

I should point out that the slave princes are decked out with 20 strength and a 9 damage blade for 29 and victims are around 21 to 27 hp + arm. So as I understand it if they are surviving attacks it should not be by much. This might mean the few extra points could make a difference or it could just be luck.

Re: Astral Serpent
 

naw, the dude who says its just an extra weapon is the dude who is correct.

Re: Astral Serpent
 

well that's too bad then.

Re: Astral Serpent
 

Has anyone tried Astral Serpent in conjunction with Bow of War + eye of aiming?

Re: Astral Serpent
 

Why? Isnt the astral serpent just an extra melee attack?

Re: Astral Serpent
 

seriously dude, thats not how it works.

Re: Astral Serpent
 

OK, I'll admit it was entirely wishful thinking, but the item description doesn't rule it out. ANd it would be a coole effect, although once known it would be overexploited...