Soul gate

[HJ]

I've been trying out this theme, and there are a few things I don't quite understand.

1. Spectral weapons require MR check to see whether they hit the target or not. Does this happen in addition to usual comparison between att/def and damage/protection, or instead of one of these steps? In other words, a unit has to hit the target, be able to do damage, and on top of that it has to pass a MR check? What is the value that compares to MR in the first place (an equivalent of penetration for weapons)? (this MR requirement is not specific to spectral weapons only, but I still don't get it)

2. How do paralyzing attacks work exactly? Yes, they freeze the target, but don't do any other damage? In other words, if I have only spirits in my army, they will paralyze the enemies to oblivion but never actually kill them? The same goes for strength drain, does it in fact do any damage? I don't seem to have noticed any physical damage from either of these attacks, but I guess I might be wrong.

Btw, while I'm talking about the paralysis, how does illithid mind bLast work exactly? There are some things written down in its additional effects that I don't get at all.

3. Apparitions seem to disease every other unit in the squad they are placed in, although those units are undead. Am I right on this? What are the effects of the disease on undead? They don'y lose hitpoints, and heal after the battle (the incorporeal ones at least), but do they get additional afflictions at the same time?

All in all, very interesting theme, but might be very weak if MR is added on top of everything else, paralysis and strength drain don't do hitpoint damage, and the undead get additional afflictions. The only unit that is able to do damage then in the whole theme are the legionnaires, and you can only get them in a castle. Also, in a few turns you're not able to reanimate anything but the shadows in a province, since both corpses and population will be gone, so no more spirits or apparitions. Commanders are a bLast though - immortal, ethereal and with insane stats. I sent one centurion in an arena deathmatch just for fun since I was trying out things, and he killed a regenerating earth-powerful cyclops without getting a scratch in some 20 turns the battle Lasted. He didn't hit very often, but he couldn't be hurt either.

[ November 18, 2003, 17:13: Message edited by: HJ ]