March 6th, 2004, 12:00 PM
|
|
|
Re: Caelum questions, both themes.
Quote:
Originally posted by Liadran:
Raptors have more options initially (because of their magic choices) to hurt enemy economy than base Caelum, the increase is not that huge, but can be significant in a dedicated economy strike.
|
This doesn't give you any more gems to use per turn, so I don't see it as being an 'improvement' over base which has just as good of a spell in Hurricane.
Quote:
|
It's true that High Seraph are much better in late game than Harab Seraphs, and that lack of water gives a disadvantage in water provinces. But the research is better and that counts for much initially.
|
This may be playstyle. It's not much more research. It's not like going from Jotun base to Jotun Niefel.
Quote:
|
Single pick in earth does in fact negate weapon array flaw a little. In early expansion that counts for much. Items can increase it later. Base Caelum is not that efficient in their earth approach and that gives them a flaw.
|
I assume by this you mean earth boots that you would have to empower someone to forge, then go from there? That may be an option in SP, but not in MP. And that option is still open to Base Caelum because High Seraphs come with 1Random. Ironskin is still Alteration 3, so it's not *that* early of expansion. If they started with it, I could see it.
Quote:
|
Dominion can't be forgotten. But without Hearth of Winter and Seraphines you can't push your dominion that efficiently in border provinces. That means that it's not that cold there than in your inner lands. In inner lands you don't need that cold resistance that much. But this is hard point in playing Raptors. They are definitely weaker in cold approach.
|
If you plan on not having a decent dominion, you are regulating a high percentage of your provinces to heavy economic penalties, since Caelum has Cold3 Preference.
Quote:
|
About lightning defence. Everyone will expect lightning from Caelum and keep that in mind (at least veterans). Battlefield placement, items and spells can decrease effectiveness of lighting attacks (let's forget spells over 7th level). I know that Thunder Ward gives 50% resistance. But that is a defence. It's not immunity (I never said about making it useless), but a good defence. Reducing those damages by half (especially with Orb Lightning, one of the best lighting spells) is quite important, it takes some edge away from you. It really doesn't make air-3 mage useless, but reduces their effectiveness. Never rely too much on lighting even with base Caelum, have to have other approaches in mind also.
|
Uhm. That doesn't change anything. You can expect lightning and air elemental strikes all you want. It's not going to change that advantage. As Tuna stated, Thunder Strike hammers through 50% resistance just fine and Shock Wave works great. It's not as if your normal armies (or even summoned) are suddenly lightning resistant because you expect heavy lightning use or even have the mage type (air) to keep in your main armies. With the mobility of Caelum and Cloud Trapeze and the effectiveness of Wrathful Skies and Storm (still) you will have a hard time convincing me that suddenly you are going to have a Air Mage with gems ready for Thunder Ward in every province. It also doesn't stop Phantasmal units (Wolves and Armies) with use from Air. And the Spell AI is smart enough to switch it after your scripted spells.
And if you are talking about magekiller combatants geared towards resistances, most of your opponents are smart enough to pick up at least the resistances of the nation they are up against. So it wouldn't matter if you relied on Lightning or not.
If you enjoy and feel that RotR is great, that's fantastic, but with all the minor points that they take away from the base theme are not replaced and is nowhere near as versitile and thus in my mind weaker.
[ March 06, 2004, 10:14: Message edited by: Zen ]
|