Crystal Shield
 

Is there any downside to equipping a mage with a crystal shield? It seems like it would be a no brainer to do so since it is an automatic power of the spheres.

Re: Crystal Shield
 

Little expensive, heavy encumberance, there are other nice shields aswell. Otherwise it's fine.

Re: Crystal Shield
 

It's kind of nice to boost H2 priests to H3 for Divine Blessing. But yeah, high encumbrance is the biggest drawback.

-Max

P.S. It only works for priests that have some regular magic paths in addition to Holy, though, like Jotun Godes, Vanjarls, Servants of the Oracles, etc. In theory you could get up to a effective H6 this way, though I don't know why you'd bother.

Re: Crystal Shield
 

Almost every piece of armor has encumbrance associated with it. This raises your spellcasting encumbrance which can be seen by clicking on the fatigue stat. Every time you cast a spell, this is added in addition to the spell's original fatigue cost.

You may find, however, that having an extra level in a spell category of your choice more than makes up for the extra fatigue caused by the shield's encumbrance by reducing the fatigue caused by the spell.

Jazzepi

Re: Crystal Shield
 

Yeah. But likely you are using the shield to push your paths up so that you gain access to whatever spell you are looking for.

Re: Crystal Shield
 

Or to boost the effects of whatever spell you're casting. I love to see D9 Cloud of Death, for instance. 14 AN damage (MR at +2 penetration), AoE 19.

-Max

Re: Crystal Shield
 

To use banishment against shadowvestals effectively!

Re: Crystal Shield
 

I couldn't get this guy to follow his script and cast Hell Power. Might have boosted him to H10.

Edit: Fighting more monsters made him cast it. The image has been updated.

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...nions/Ek-1.jpg

Re: Crystal Shield
 

Yes, the main drawback is encumbrance. Beware ! I had loose some mages in massives battles (i.e. long-during battles).

But it is really worth it, especially for boosting Holy. And if your Priests don't have any kind of magic, well, empowered them in the path where you have the most gems ;o)

I use this tactic often in my SP games.

QXel

Re: Crystal Shield
 

Not sure about this, but it could have been a lack opponents. Mages often don't cast scripted gem requiring spells against small/weak armies, even if they include some very tough units. E.g. it's hard to shadowblast an SC sometimes. Try against a horde of longdead or something maybe?