The Good, the Bad, and The Ugly: Spells

[fahdiz]

Originally posted by Chazar:
With Caelum, I'm a bit disappointed by mages: they rarely deliver the significant punch that might turn the tide of the battle.

Well, they're cheap enough that you can bring them in force...and then voila! There's your punch! You're probably building dozens of them anyway, just for research purposes.

Never underestimate, too, the power of stealthy, flying, level 3 priests to push out your dominion to get everything (especially temp) in your favor prior to the battle. That's one of the huge strengths of Caelum, and it more than makes up for the offensive capabilities of their mages.

[Chazar]

Originally posted by Arn de Gothia:
A cloud-trapezing Caelum High Seraph with a staff of storm and knowledge of the spell "Wrathful Skies" delivers quite a punch though.

No doubt about that! I'm rather referring to lower level spells...

Originally posted by Graeme Dice:
Since lightning bolt is the single most accurate (other than prec 100) spell in the game with a precision of 7. Combine that with the precision of 12 on the high seraph, and the aim spell and it will rarely miss.

Hmm, I should check that aim-spell, good hint, thanks!

I did not want to complain that much, but I just feel that a single high seraph will not deliver as much as I expected (as compared to 17 rear-attacking iceclads which cost the same amount of gold, as I usually do not care about resources but supplies). Maybe my main problem is that I'm lacking the understanding of range:

What does a range of, say, 25+ mean? 25 squares plus one square per extra path/gem? Does the range affect precision? Where do you place your mages then?

I think placing them among archers is a bad idea, as targeting enemy archers is one of my own favourite commands. So I place them a good way behing them. Maybe thats my problem why lightning always strikes invisible foe's...

[ March 15, 2004, 14:52: Message edited by: Chazar ]

[fahdiz]

Originally posted by Chazar:
I think placing them among archers is a bad idea, as targeting enemy archers is one of my own favourite commands. So I place them a good way behing them. Maybe thats my problem why lightning always strikes invisible foe's...

I usually fit them out with Amulets of Missle Protection or some other anti-projectile gear, as you've got easy access to that stuff in abundance with a nation like Caelum - and then I go ahead and stick them right behind my archers, or even in between two squads of archers.

[Saber Cherry]

Originally posted by Chazar:
What does a range of, say, 25+ mean? 25 squares plus one square per extra path/gem? Does the range affect precision? Where do you place your mages then?

Range reduces accuracy. 25+ means 25 if you exactly meet the requirements, and plus something per level above... it may be +5 squares/level, or +10% squares/level, but I doubt it is 1 square/level which would not be noticable.

[Chazar]

Hmm, I dont have the manual with me at work (which is a good thing, as I am already reading within this forum to much... ), but I recall that while melee was explained, it simply said something like ranged attacks are handled similarly. Well...

So I guess Precision is rolled against Defense with adding the usual open-2D6-roll, and Damage is exactly the same, i.e. Strength+WeaponDamage vs. Protection, +2D6 each. (Alhough most ranged attacks ignore Strength and have a higher Damage-value.)

Can someone add the Range value and the actual Range to the picture? Perhaps ActualRange-Range is used instead of Defense, but then, were does Defense from Shields kick in against missiles?


How do I advance flying mages like those of Caelum without a staff of storms? Attack one turn seems deadly to me with flying mages in good weather conditions, let alone the fatigue flying gives...

(at SaberCherry: Thanks for your comment, but my emphasis was not meant to be on the "+", but rather on the general range-mechanis as asked above now. - My fault, now that I reread my previous-post again.)

[ March 15, 2004, 16:11: Message edited by: Chazar ]

[Tuna-Fish]

iirc, for missiles precision is only used to determine the square that will be hit, and the chance to hit someone in that square is 10+2d6* vs 10+shield defence+2d6*, tried against everyone in the square until it hits or runs out of targets, possibly in an order of size.

Observation to be made is that targets with v.high shield defence, ie nataraja with 2 weightless tower, are practically immune to missiles.

[Arryn]

Originally posted by Tuna-Fish:
Observation to be made is that targets with v.high shield defence, ie nataraja with 2 weightless tower, are practically immune to missiles.

Unlike normal defense, shield defense subtracts from the chances of a missile to hit. And even if it does manage to hit, then the victim's full protection rating kicks in and the missile will likely do no damage at all.

In short, shielded targets are very hard to damage with missiles ... unless it's your own troops being shot in the back.