Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

As per, are (some) summons "single instance" (if so, how do you know)?

I just summoned a second "Eater of The Dead" (in same province as first one, if that matters). It happily took my gems, but says "Noone answered the spell", and I have just my original EoTD in existence. Or, is it a chance thing, regardless of instances?

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

There's a few spells like this, but most give you one of a few possible summons. If another player manages to summon a being before you you can't get it.

There's 3 elemental queens of water and 3 of air. There's 2 kings of earth and 2 of fire. You can also summon Anthrax, the banefire king, with death, and the earth king Father Illearth with blood.

Some blood summons also work like this, there's 6 Ice Devils, 5 Arch Devils, 4 Heliophagus, and 4 Demon Lords.

You can get one of 6 Spenta when using Call Amesha Spenta. Hinnom can get one of 6 different Grigori when using Release Lord of Civilization. Mictlan can get one of 4 Tlaloques when using Summon Tlaloque. C'tis can summon the Devourer of Souls. Sauromatia and La Pythium can summon the Daughter of Typhoon.

I think that's all for Vanilla, but mods can add more. CBM adds a few (three for Agharta summoned with Open the Seal. One with the fire ritual "Quest for the Firebird", although I think that one might use a somewhat different mechanic).

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

That seems to be a rather complete list Redeyes. Good work. CBM firebird is also unique. No special mechanics iirc.

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

Well, it gets a different name every time it's summoned. I assumed it was some odd constraint with modding and perhaps not wanting to use a nametype just for it.

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

That is probably just the lack of a nametype.

(That is also what makes modding hero units harder).

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

Any specifics for my EoTD? (It's CBM if that makes any diff.)

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

Can all of these be resummoned once they are killed? I know this works for demon lords, I asume it works for the rest?

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

I understood Eater is an unique creature. Only one can exist at the time.

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

Thank you. (Shame it still takes my gems then!)
Is this information stored in a file (text editor, tool needed?), or would this be hard-coded?

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

I just draw conclusions based on the flavor text and the fact you cant summon more than one (iirc). I think these matters are "case sensitive"?

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

The eater of the dead has multiple forms. Its initial form is unit 994 and the game checks to see if that unit exists. If it does, then casting the spell again will fail. Once the eater grows in power and shifts to unit 995 then you can successfully cast the spell again since the game will not find that unit 994 already exists.

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

Ok, 5 by 5.

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

That should be the case. I haven't tested it with all the national summons but the elemental royalty certainly work that way.

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

Yowza! Thanks. The game's intricacies never seem to get exhausted, nor the level of detail you guys know :-)

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

CBM Firebirds can definitely be resummoned. Also the elemental royalty, as already mentioned. I *think* the demon aristocracy (or should that be malocracy?) can be, as well.

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

They can be resummoned, they retain curses, horrormarks, afflictions (they get a few heal checks on summoning them, I don't know how much).

If I recall correctly they retain prophet status. But not the magic levels. Do not know if they remain domspread, or if you can reappoint a prophet when they die.

Empowerments are also removed on resummoning.

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

Ahh, thx, that explains the crippled ice devil I just summoned. I thought that was part of his flavor like the one with useless icicles for hands.

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

Ahh, thx, that explains the crippled ice devil I just summoned. I thought that was part of his flavor like the one with useless icicles for hands. He was quite disappointing.

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

The Ice devils are considered to be the weakest of the unique devils. Still nice thugs/sc's. But a few nations that can get them also have better access to thugs (I'm looking at you, skrattir).

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

I think they do, like if someone else gets control of your prophet (the prophet starts spreading the other player's dominion).


We should probably discuss the Djinn, who can only exist one at a time. He's summoned from the magic lamp artifact, causing the lamp to disappear. If someone else makes the lamp afterwards and uses the lamp he instead gets control of the Djinn, and I think all item he's currently wearing.

You can also wish for unique beings that already exist, and if you do and someone else already owns it you'll get control of the unit instead. (Items should disappear, as wished for units aren't commanders by default and need to have Gift of Reason thrown on them.)

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

It will actually bring the wished for unit to the caster's province and you'll have to fight it. I don't think it's used much anymore without gem gens fueling wishes but if the unit had valuable unique magic items you could try setting up a charm squad to get the commander and items or just kill it outright.

Note that this only applies to commanders, which of course they would be if summoned through the normal summoning spells. But if instead of using the normal summoning spells I wish for a unique that has not yet been summoned/wished for they will of course arrive as a troop and needed to be GoRed. If someone else wishes for the unit before it has been GoRed then the second summoner will just receive the unit as a troop and not have to battle it as they they would if it had commander status (and of course even if you had to battle the summoned troop it would just retreat and die without any commanders on the field). Not that anyone would do any of this.

Interesting note: bodyguards will travel with a wished for unique commander so your welcoming party will have to deal with them as well.

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

That's interesting; never thought to test that.

I don't think it's been mentioned but they also keep experience which can be a nice little perk if they don't have a heap of afflictions or you can heal the afflictions.

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

I seem to recall that if you get the new eater of the dead to its final form it will replace the old one, because there can only be one at a time. Not quite sure though.

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

Does a wished for commander attack the province or assassinate the commander?

Re: Can you only have one instance of certain summons?
 

Interesting. If I get a chance later I'll test it.

Btw, those of you summoning the eater watch out for its final form as under CBM it autocasts Acid Storm which could make for a nasty surprise.


The commander attacks the province but the bodyguard contingent follows assassination rules. Meaning if 100 units are assigned to bodyguard the commander only 5 will travel with him to the wish caster's location (presumably ring of warning would boost this but I haven't tested it).