Wish List: targetable spells

[st.patrik]

Time for another suggestion that's too late and too much work to be implemented

I have always wondered why spells are not targetable. After all, regular missile troops can pick whether to fire at commanders, mages, archers, etc., so why not troops that hurl magical attacks toward the opponent?

Say I'm Ulm, fighting against a feudal independant - If I could have my smith aim his 'blade wind' at the longbowmen, rather than at the knights who it won't trouble in the least it would be sweet

Here's why it wouldn't work though: suddenly certain spells would become really overpowered - like for example 'mind burn', and any other high precision damage dealer.

If there were a way to make it work without screwing the balance entirely I think it would add an element of strategy currently lacking. And it would be sweet

[Daynarr]

Well, targeting commanders and spell casters specifically is no longer possible for anyone. Best thing you can do is order someone to attack rearmost enemies (ground troops and flyers) archers don’t have even that so they can shoot at closes enemies, enemy archers, large units and cavalry (not sure I missed something). On the other hand AI that handles targeting for units (archers, spellcasters) has been greatly improved so you will see much less friendly fire (its still there but on specific occasions and not nearly as much as it was in DOM I) and casters wont even use spell on targets they can't harm with it and will pick target and spell they can do most harm with it. For example, my fire level 9 pretender uses FIRE DARTS even if he can use fireball against enemies as he can send lots of them and they are very accurate. It’s not uncommon for him to get about 100 kills in first 10 turns.

[Psitticine]

On the same subject of good spell and target selection, I love the way the AI won't let you give it useless orders. I was just playing with a prophet who had Divine Blessing set as his first round spell. Well, he'd been in a field awhile and all his sacred troops were . . . well, let's just say they were all Ex-Parrots.

The unit refused to cast the spell, as it would affect exactly NOBODY, as he himself is always blessed and nobody else was eligible. Instead, he picked the much more appropriate action of unleashing a fire bolt from his magic weapon.

Smart fellow, my prophet. Knows just when it is safe to disobey the soon-to-be-Allmighty!

[Nerfix]

Yes, yes, supayes, supawundeba,SUPAWUNBAYES!
Finaly some combat AI improvements!

[st.patrik]

Thanks for the info -

It makes sense that the archers and mages have the same targeting capabilities, so if even the archers have more limited options then they are aligned - just not the way I was suggesting

So is the idea that we can trust the mages to make smart decisions? Is that only with regard to choice of spell, or does it also extend to target for that spell? e.g. is my astral mage as likely to target a militia-man as a dangerous enemy mage when casting 'mind burn'? Will he cast 'flying shards' (the crappest spell ever IMO) at the knights or at the lightly armoured infantry?

[Daynarr]

Mages will make good choices in spells (although you can tell them what to cast) and targets as well. For example, my pretender from before (level 9 fire) wasn’t shooting fire darts at enemy who were engaged in close combat with my troops, but at enemy that was behind them, or if there was no such enemy he would use more accurate spells, like incinerate to avoid hitting his own troops. All in all i think I saw him make only 1 friendly kill so far while he killed about 500 enemies total.

Oh yeah, it's true AI will ignore commands that will be useless in battle (like casting arrow fend if there is no enemy ranged troops on the field and he will also restrain himself from using gems if the battle is easy to win.