Polymorph
 

Anyone here have any experience casting the Polymorph spell?

I also was wondering if there is a chance you might turn your own army into swine, since it has quite a large AoE, 10 I believe.

Re: Polymorph
 

I have a little experience. And yes, as with any large AoE spell, it can happen! I recommend a mage with high precision, and as close to the front of your army as can survive http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Polymorph
 

Is it worth casting in a big war with hundreds of troops? It costs 1 nature gem per casting

Re: Polymorph
 

It depends upon how tough the other army is, and whether you have a lot of nature gems. If you do intend to cast it in a big war, plan on spamming 10 Polymorphs or so. That should cost you 20-odd nature gems (because you'll give 3 or 5 gems to each Polymorph-casting mage on the theory that they'll blow some gems reducing fatigue) and take out at least a hundred enemies, even if they have good MR. That could mean the difference between losing to a large enemy army and crushing it decisively.

-Max

Re: Polymorph
 

Of course, a lot depends on your army and your opponent's army. If you are Ulm, and are attacking an army mostly composed by summons with high magic resistance... Well, you'd want to give your mage penetration-helping items, and precision helping items, and preferably cast Tempering the Will and/or Antimagic.

Re: Polymorph
 

I find the spell especially good against Vanheim (gets rid of glamour) and Jotuns (cuts them down to size).

Also, if your troops are worse than the enemy troops to begin with it doesn't really hurt that much to risk them being polymorphed.

Finally, I agree with Endoperez, particularly with regard to the magic penetrating items.

Re: Polymorph
 

Shouldn't mounted troops be turned into two swine instead of one? Oh well.

Re: Polymorph
 

Happy days: you cant hurt your own units with it.

AoE 10, plus two per extra magic skill. Costs two gems, not one. 200 fatigue. Works underwater. Doesn't affect undead or lifeless. Maybe not mindless either, not sure about that, but that would rarely matter. Casting it on militia might be embarassing... since they'd not become worse.

Re: Polymorph
 

I purposely have my casters spend a few rounds on self-boosting spells (esp. Eagle Eyes) before opening up Polymorph. Part of this is to allow the battle to progress a little- by round 5, all of those militia are probably dead and routed!

Is that "you can't hurt your own units" statement a result of testing? There's certainly nothing in the description to suggest that.

Re: Polymorph
 

It's based on a vague memory, and on examining the #spec field for polymorph in DrPraetorious spell modding files.