Nagas and other "lost" pretenders

[johan osterman]

Originally posted by Jasper:

quote:

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Originally posted by Kristoffer O:
Dragons have been remade more than once. In Dom II a dragon in dragon shape has -2 in all magic skills. Thus dragons can cast spells, enter water (if blue) and will tend to have one high magic skill (several low level skills would not be usable in dragon shape). This fits their nature.

Great! That combined with their latest Dom 1 price of 50 IMHO might make them useable, although the price still isn't cheap when you factor in the Dominion of 1 (especially now that Dominion Strength can exceed 10).

The funny thing is that I find their transformation ability to be mostly a weakness. I would far rather have a dragon that kept his magical power, but couldn't transform.

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Eh, I think there must have been a misunderstaning somewhere. If you and everyone else is referring to what I said earlier about dominion strength exceeding ten, my correction was intended to state that I had it wrong, but that I wasnt sure if blood sacrifice or fire of the faith could bring it over ten. I haven't checked it out but my guess would be that they can not do this.

So as far as I know dominion strength is limited to 10.

[ October 07, 2003, 23:26: Message edited by: johan osterman ]

[st.patrik]

Originally posted by Jasper:
The funny thing is that I find their transformation ability to be mostly a weakness. I would far rather have a dragon that kept his magical power, but couldn't transform.

Wouldn't that just be the same as buying a great sage, or whatever dragons are in human form?

[ October 08, 2003, 00:20: Message edited by: st.patrik ]

[Psitticine]

As I've said before, I'm a "role-playing" type, so the extra bonus flavor that comes from Draconic Pretenders is well worth the admission price. They seem powerful enough to me anyway, but, of course, Your Milage May Vary.

Call me weird . . . (pause to allow everybody to say it) . . . but I enjoy the fun of watching the enemy try to gang up on what seems to be a frail old mage, only to have a really NASTY surprise.

[Gandalf Parker]

I think the dragons offer alot of variety. Their human form can be a mage/searcher. They can fly to a far province, check it, and fly back. They can deliver flying troops to quickly support their front line. They can act farther beyond the dominion glow than many pretenders since they can get back very quickly.

I also have had good luck with cast xxxxx, cast xxxxx, cast xxxxx, transform, attack enemy commanders. A good choice of spells can make him 5 times as good. And you almost ALWAYS kill the fleeing commanders which makes for good item scrounging.

[Saber Cherry]

Oh, one thing I always wondered. If a dragon is in human form with 10 HP, and gets hit for 11 HP, will it die, or transform? And if the dragon form has 100 HP, but the human form is hit for 5 HP (and subsequently transforms into a dragon with 95 HP left)... does the pretender have a 5/10=50% chance of gaining an affliction, or 5/100=5% chance of gaining an affliction?

Without knowing these answers, I've always been afraid to send a dragon into combat in human form.

[Nerfix]

Originally posted by Daynarr:

Don't forget special blessing bonuses you receive at levels 4 and 9. If you want to boost your blessings, dragons are a good and cheap way to go. IMHO it makes them even more valuable (Nagas as well).

Uhhh...
Wasn't it at levels 4, 6 and 9?

[ October 08, 2003, 05:51: Message edited by: Nerfix ]

[Jasper]

Originally posted by Daynarr:
Don't forget special blessing bonuses you receive at levels 4 and 9. If you want to boost your blessings, dragons are a good and cheap way to go. IMHO it makes them even more valuable (Nagas as well).

I disagree. Dragons are not cheap when you take into account their initial dominion of 1. In order to get even a middle of the road 5* dominion you'll spend 105* points; a pretender starting with 3 dominion spends 42* pts. This puts them about on par with one of the 125 pt titans price wise, which is about as expensive as Pretenders come in Dominions.

Now that I think about it, titans are a good comparison from an effectiveness standpoint. Titans can more easily cast spells and fight, can freely use items to boost their combat power, start with more magic, have cheaper suplemental paths, and have cheaper prices for higher dominion. In return a dragon gets a few extra hitpoints, decent natural protection, and a not exactly awe-inspiring breath weapon. Nor are titans particularily potent pretenders...

I like and play Titans as well as Dragons, but I don't let this interfere with my assement of their balance.

* Edit: Oops! Those are the costs for a 6 dominion.

[ October 08, 2003, 10:41: Message edited by: Jasper ]