More newbie questions

Corporal Kindel · #1 July 2nd, 2009, 01:29 PM

Hello

I’m a new player, been playing the demo version, ordered the full version and expect it to arrive sometime today as per tracking info from amazon.

A couple of questions came up last night when I was playing the demo version. I tried to create a PoD pretender using Maverni. I sent my pretender out alone (dom5 e4w4d4) he ended up getting slaughtered by a group of 30 or so barbarians which I figured would be an easy kill (for me not them!). I’m new & haven’t learned the intricacies of this game yet. The difference between the attack & defense skill was something like –4 (19 defense for my pretender and 15 attack for the barbarian). I figured I was pretty much ok at neg4 but I ended up getting slaughtered when the barbarians charged forward. My PoD killed a lot as they ran up with a sky shards (or something like that) spell. Also, at least one of the barbarians was able to hit me doing like 20 damage (as I watched the small red numbers during melee), but according to their weapon stats (which I paused & looked at) their swords only do 5 damage. So my questions are: how were they able to flatten my so badly when I though I was safe defensively? And why were they able to do 20 damage hits with 5-damage swords?

My second question is related to starting positions (on the strategic map). For some reason, the map generator started my home province out in the middle of the ocean? I figured it had something to do with the 4w (magic) skill I purchased for my pretender at the outset, but when I was attacked by the barbarians, the background map showed a green plains type area, I thought this was weird. Is this a bug, or is it something else I’m missing? Also the demo version gives no explanation on what to do with gems, so I’m completely lost as to what (or what’s best) to do with these?

My third question was answered by reading another thread, just verifying here: undead & immortal (such as my PoD) can only have afflictions healed by the chalice or the spell Gift-of-Life, correct? Of course my pretender somehow ended up getting a limp and a -4 strength affliction

earlier somehow after only two turns on the map & dying on the third!

I plan on reading the manual as soon as my game arrives (well, maybe I’ll play a bit first

), so short one-sentence answers would be great if the above stuff happens to be covered in the manual.

thejeff · #2 July 2nd, 2009, 02:12 PM

Most of that is in the manual, but it's still sometimes obscure so...

1) There is a defense penalty after each attack in a round, so your PoD's +4 advantage quickly becomes a penalty once he's surrounded. Damage (and pretty much all random numbers) are generated with an open ended roll. If a 6 is rolled (on a d6), add another die roll. Repeat until a non-6 is rolled. I believe its (damage + roll) - (protection + roll). If your PoD had fatigue, which he did since he was casting, there's a good chance of a critical hit, which does extra damage.

2) There was a bug where when you started a game with the same name as the previous one, the map could get screwed up. I think this was fixed in a patch. If not it's easy to avoid by using different names for new games.
As for what to do with gems, the short answer is magic. Forge things, cast ritual spells or powerful battlefield spells. What's best to do has filled many threads...

3) Undead pretenders such as the PoD only heal with Chalice or Gift of Health. The PoD is not immortal, but immortals can be healed by other healers and may also heal when they are reborn. I believe all pretenders have a chance of healing when they are called back after dying, but that's a drastic way of healing.

Illuminated One · #3 July 2nd, 2009, 02:23 PM

Barbarians can be nasty, except they dont stand up against missile weapons, which Marverni has in abundance.

SCs shouldn't rely on defense alone, so you should have a extremely high protection (through items or spells, earth magic mostly) and/or a effect that stops attacks from happening (awe, vine shield) or from doing damage (body ethereal, luck). Look for Baalz guide on thugs if you want to know more.

Gregstrom · #4 July 2nd, 2009, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thejeff

Most of that is in the manual, but it's still sometimes obscure so...

1) There is a defense penalty after each attack in a round, so your PoD's +4 advantage quickly becomes a penalty once he's surrounded. Damage (and pretty much all random numbers) are generated with an open ended roll. If a 6 is rolled (on a d6), add another die roll. Repeat until a non-6 is rolled. I believe its (damage + roll) - (protection + roll). If your PoD had fatigue, which he did since he was casting, there's a good chance of a critical hit, which does extra damage.

In addition to this: The damage rating of a weapon is added to its wielder's strength for the purposes of damage rolls.

As regards raising pretenders from the dead, I've noticed that they frequently come back with 2 or 3 afflictions they didn't have while alive. I think it might be related to being dead.

thejeff · #5 July 2nd, 2009, 03:44 PM

Right. Forgot to mention strength.

I've always assumed that extra afflictions were gained in the last few blows before they died.

Gregstrom · #6 July 2nd, 2009, 04:43 PM

I guess losing 100% of your remaining health probably gives you an affliction

SlipperyJim · #7 July 2nd, 2009, 05:48 PM

Immortal beings will automatically heal afflictions over time. They don't need the Chalice or Gift of Health. However, the Prince of Death isn't actually immortal, as others have noted.

Probably the best way to use the Prince of Death as a supercombatant (SC) is to give him a lot of Death magic (to boost his innate Fear) and Dominion 9 or 10 (for Awe). The combination of high Fear and Awe can be very effective in preventing melee attacks. It's especially good at stopping units with low Morale, like Barbarians.

Even so, you want a little bit of insurance, because the Prince of Death is a bit fragile. So research Construction 2 right away, and then give him some toys. Black Steel Plate is always nice, and it even matches the scary image of the Prince of Death....

thejeff · #8 July 2nd, 2009, 06:07 PM

Or just forge him that Black Steel Plate right away and don't bother researching Construction

And don't have him cast attack spells, just attack. He won't kill a lot of most indies, but the Fear will break them.

Corporal Kindel · #9 July 2nd, 2009, 06:52 PM

Thanks a lot for the timely answers guys.

My DOM3 arrived today, and my free time just started now so I'm ready to do some software-loadin, rock-n-rollin & barbarian butt-kickin

Payback is gonna be hell for those little twerp barbarians

vfb · #10 July 2nd, 2009, 07:28 PM

The PoD doesn't need a big fear boost IMO, but if you want to cut down on afflictions, Dom10 is better than Dom9, and give him some earth for additional protection. Death in multiples of 5 increases the number of enemy troops affected by the fear aura, and it's cheap to boost to Death-5.

He can scare off indy defenders even if he does have a bunch of afflictions, but feeblemind (or mute) always sucks.

Maybe try Dom10, Earth-4, Death-5, and see how that goes.