Blood-1 in Vanheim

[tinkthank]

I wish I were better at Vanheim, because I think it would support at least one form of playing style I like. Be that as it may, my question is:

- What is the deal with blood-1 skills?

I mean this: In the default theme, there are exactly two commanders who have some skill in Blood, and both of these (fairly expensive) commanders have exactly 1 point in it. (In Helhelm, it is 1 commander.) Right. I would like to know your ideas or speculations on how I can use this, or what one is "supposed" to do with this. To be more precise: I need at least Blood 3 in order to be able to forge any items which increase my blood skill (exception: Unique item Book o Secrets, req. 2, and the Ring of Sorcery, Astral 4). Which means if I want to do anything requiring blood 2 or more, I need to get a pretender with blood. All right, I can do that, go on some hunts and make him forge the results.

But I suppose my question is: What can you do with Blood 1? Have my really expensive commander blood hunt? I suppose that could be the answer, but I doubt it, especially after reading Saber Cherry's excellent summary on how inefficient that is. So is the plan: If you want to make use of the blood skill of those commanders, get a blood-3+ pretender, make him forge some brazen vessels etc., and boost those commanders? Or can I use blood-1 for anything interesting that I have (obviously!) overlooked?

Thanks much in advance.

[fahdiz]

Originally posted by tinkthank:
I wish I were better at Vanheim, because I think it would support at least one form of playing style I like. Be that as it may, my question is:

- What is the deal with blood-1 skills?

I mean this: In the default theme, there are exactly two commanders who have some skill in Blood, and both of these (fairly expensive) commanders have exactly 1 point in it. (In Helhelm, it is 1 commander.) Right. I would like to know your ideas or speculations on how I can use this, or what one is "supposed" to do with this. To be more precise: I need at least Blood 3 in order to be able to forge any items which increase my blood skill (exception: Unique item Book o Secrets, req. 2, and the Ring of Sorcery, Astral 4). Which means if I want to do anything requiring blood 2 or more, I need to get a pretender with blood. All right, I can do that, go on some hunts and make him forge the results.

But I suppose my question is: What can you do with Blood 1? Have my really expensive commander blood hunt? I suppose that could be the answer, but I doubt it, especially after reading Saber Cherry's excellent summary on how inefficient that is. So is the plan: If you want to make use of the blood skill of those commanders, get a blood-3+ pretender, make him forge some brazen vessels etc., and boost those commanders? Or can I use blood-1 for anything interesting that I have (obviously!) overlooked?

Thanks much in advance.

When I play Helheim (which is frequently - I don't often play base Vanheim because I enjoy Helheim more for some reason) I almost always take the Allfather pretender and slap some Blood, Death, and Air on him...but always at least 5 Blood. This has the added bonus of making those Valkyries and Vans devastating when blessed.

But I am no expert, and have never tested such a build in multiplayer.

EDIT: Doh. Instead of Air (on the Allfather), I meant to type Water (had your other post on my mind, it seems ), so that I can eventually summon up Ice Devils and bust out Illwinter if necessary.

[ March 08, 2004, 16:37: Message edited by: fahdiz ]

[fahdiz]

Also, I wanted to point out that Helheim gets two commanders with Blood - Vanjarls (I believe) and Hangadrotts. Hangadrotts get Blood 2 to start with, also. They are expensive, but really worth it!

You definitely will want to forge up some Blood-boosting items for those commanders, as with only 3 Blood and the natural other skills of Vanheim you can have Storm Demons and such running around all over the place.

[ March 08, 2004, 16:51: Message edited by: fahdiz ]

[tinkthank]

Hey thanks very much.

BTW I like Helheim too. Unless I am totally mistaken, however, Hangadrotts get NO blood. It's Air 2 DEATH 3, but maybe I am wrong.

But other than that: what can you do with Blood 1?

[fahdiz]

Originally posted by tinkthank:
Hey thanks very much.

BTW I like Helheim too. Unless I am totally mistaken, however, Hangadrotts get NO blood. It's Air 2 DEATH 3, but maybe I am wrong.

Ack! You are right - I was thinking of Vanlade (one of Van's national heroes) who I always seem to get relatively quickly. Mea culpa. Those Hangadrotts are still beastly, though, after the Behemoths start coming out!

(I think I need more coffee.)

But other than that: what can you do with Blood 1?

Bleed, Blood Burst, Blood Heal, Pain Transfer, Reinvigoration, Sabbath Master/Slave, Summon Imp, Banish Demon, Leeching Touch, Bind Serpent Fiends, Leech, and Blood Vengeance all only require Blood 1 - quite an impressive list, actually, for a commander with all the other great skills possessed by Vanheim! Just one forged +Blood item gives them access to Spine Devils, Fiends, Agony, Hellbind Heart, and Harm.

There are some really good combat spells and some decent early-game summons in both of those lists - and that's not even taking into account their other spell levels (Air, Death, and so forth)!

Blood 1 is combat, combat, combat. Which, coincidentally, works quite well to supplement and round out those expensive-but-heavy-hitting Van commanders. And if you happen to run into some Garnet Amazons or some such thing, you can use *them* for blood hunting (or use scouts, as is commonly done with a nation like Vanheim or Jotunheim) or for following your Van commander around casting Sabbath Slave.

[ March 08, 2004, 17:57: Message edited by: fahdiz ]

[Nagot Gick Fel]

Originally posted by tinkthank:
- What is the deal with blood-1 skills?

For Vanheim (Vanjarls) it's blood sacrifice. Although I don't think it's used very often.

The other reason is it's "thematic".