lantern shield
 

What does it do exactly? What are Corpse Candles and how do they work?

I am asking because I am equiping an SC to take care of some other SCs/thugs, and I am trying to figure out what the best shield is. I guess the gold shield that gives awe is little use against high morale SCs, and a similar reasoning may apply to the charcoal shield.

Any suggestions are welcome, thanks!

Re: lantern shield
 

Eye shield and high defense.

Re: lantern shield
 

I love mass Lantern Shield in SP with battlefield luck http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: lantern shield
 

In general, the gold shield, the eye shield, the vine shield and the charcoal shield are good anti-chaff weapons, not so great against enemy supercombatants.

The lantern shield is nice if you have no other access to fear (because you need some other helmet), the stats for corpse candles are on pg 239 of the manual.

Against enemy SCs, you are probably better off going in there John Woo style, with a weapon in each hand.

If you really must have a shield:
* Do the enemy SCs have non-stratospheric MR? Given that you're fighting pythium, probably their MR will be >20, but if not, take the Eye Shield to blind them.
* Are the enemy SCs non-fire-immune? You might *consider* the charcoal shield, if you think an AP 7 hit will hurt them more than it hurts you (not likely.)
* The Scutata Vulturnus only shocks your enemy once, but that might be enough to tip the combat in your favor (if we're talking 1 SC vs 1 SC, the lightning strike causes some fatigue), and it provides some shock resistance, which you *must have* against Theurgs.

Hope that helps, but it depends on a lot of factors,

Re: lantern shield
 

A minor clarification: the SV shocks once per turn. The Copper Plate armor only shocks once per battle.

Re: lantern shield
 

more information about your SC and nation would provide better answers.

I think duel weilding weapons is a nice choice. I always use the lucky shield anyways.

Re: lantern shield
 

Thanks for the feedback. Right now I'd rather not be very specific on the specific situation I am looking at (MP game).

But it seems that perhaps the luck shield is the better option overall: fear doesn't really help against high morale, so unless the corpse candles do something usefull (i'll check my manual once i get home), the luck shield really seems best. Luck is something I'd take for any fight that takes more then a few rounds, and the luck shield frees up a slot. The other shields seem mostly useful for taking on hordes of lower level units.

I can't forge the Vulturnus shield, but I think that's because its level 8 of construction IIRC.

The option of going in with two weapons and no shield is also interesting. Any particular weapons that you would recommend for this?

Re: lantern shield
 

In general, if you're trying to kill another supercombatant, we're going to assume that you're strong enough to hurt him right through his high protection value, but that you may not be guaranteed to hit him.

In that case, your best bet is two swords of swiftness - making more attacks makes you more likely to hit with each attack (there's a defense penalty after the first attack), and raises the damage you expect to do.

The Wave Breaker is a sort of happy medium - you get 3 attacks (vs 2 with two weapons) but better attack skill and more damage than with swords of swiftness.

If, at the other extreme, you're sure you'll hit but not sure you can do damage, consider: dusk dagger, axe of sharpness (it's cheap), fire brand.

Also consider the Flambeau (if the enemy SC is a demon or undead) or the Moon Blade (if a magic being.)

Re: lantern shield
 

Raising your defense is much easier than attack, so eye shield is a cheap, in all meanings of the word, way of killing SCs.
And once again, judging by our tests Eye shield does NOT check MR, it works when your defense beats enemy attack. There is NO defense against eye shield, other than a 30+ attack and maybe a morningstar (I heard they have a bonus vs shields).
And honestly, I dont see attack of 30+ that often.

Re: lantern shield
 

For enemy SC killing, try:
2xShadow Brand
Horned Helmet
Jade Armour
Flying Shoes(or, if flying, boots of quickness and decent armour)
Bear Claw Talisman/Burning Pearl
Ring of the Warrior

4 Shadow Brand attacks per turn for big damage, 2 gore attacks to help with defence and maybe do damage, great attack from quickness, weapons and misc items, flying to hit the enemy fast.