Clams overpowered?

[Graeme Dice]

Originally posted by Norfleet:
For a non-hoarder to win against a hoarder, he merely needs to halt the hoarding: If mages who make clams keep getting eaten by horrors, the hoarding will stop shortly.

So, now Mictlan and Abysia can do something about it if the clam hoarder hasn't been smart enough to put domes on his provinces.

[Graeme Dice]

Originally posted by tinkthank:
Seems that in order to get lots of clams and have them be useful (that is, not get them first at turn 90), you need to
- produces water mages
- use those water mages to go and find water gems
- use those water mages to forge clams/turn
- use those water gems to forge clams

You don't actually need to find any alternative sources of water gems. As described in "The Next Patch" thread, even with only 5 astral pearls per turn from your capitol it takes only 69 turns to reach 100 clams.

[Graeme Dice]

Originally posted by mnoracle:

quote:

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blood stones are both at a normal cost/benefit rate

Hmm... let me see, blood stones 20+5, but they are also pump earth magic skill. Thinking that you can easily amass huge numbers of blood slaves, i don't see where is the main difference with clams.
So BS are broken!!!

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To get to 200 earth stones, which is the equivalent in magical income to 100 clams, will cost you 4000 blood slaves if you don't have hammers on your forgers, or 3000 slaves if you do. The stones do produce earth gems to pay for that part, but you can't alchemize gems into blood slaves.

[Graeme Dice]

Originally posted by Norfleet:
If VQs and Clams were the most powerful things ever, I'd be seeing EVERYONE with a VQ pouring out clams. Clearly, this isn't the case.

That's making the assumption that everybody plays to win, instead of to enjoy the game. That's not a valid assumption.

[Pirateiam]

After looking at the VQ (I never played her) I think the developers just forgot one thing that would balance her. It follows all the themes in the game and makes logical sense (just watch any vampire movie) She should simply be very susceptible to fire. I know whenever I meet a vampire on the street I have an overwhelming need to set them on fire!

[Reverend Zombie]

Originally posted by Graeme Dice:
That's making the assumption that everybody plays to win, instead of to enjoy the game. That's not a valid assumption.

But if you play and enjoy losing, why do you care about what you see as uber-overpowered strategies?

Enjoy the loss!

[Huzurdaddi]

Piercing beats unarmored much harder than siege does *150% I think, whereas siege does 125% for certain, or as many would put it, "fo' sho'"*

Well piercing does work pretty well against but it does not work as well as siege. Rememeber siege units do wackloads of damage with an area effect and at very long range. When you see decent amount of siege and you have unarmored troops you know you are doomed ( you are also somewhat doomed by piercing as well ). Remember wrt. piercing, most flying units are light armored and they take a real whooping from piercing.

Sorry to digress but it's a great game !

If VQs and Clams were the most powerful things ever, I'd be seeing EVERYONE with a VQ pouring out clams.

Well not everyone, but everyone who was clued in AND wanted an easy win. Quite often people want to chalange themselves, especially when they are playing against opponents who are sub-par ( compared with themselves ) they try sub-optimal stratigies.

Look clams are much like metal makers + fusion in TA. Actually, it's basically identical. In 1v1 games metal makers are not "overpowered" as you can win without using metal makers (by rushing hard). However in FFA games they are dramatically overpowered since they are the only path to victory ( again against competent opponents ). This game is much like an FFA game ( since we generally play with multiple opponents ). Further, clams are worse than metal makers + fusion since they require a resource which is not as critical to one's war machine as the metal + energy which goes into the fusion+metal makers ( clearly water is important but not as important ).

As to the VQ. She's just amazing at the start of the game. Maybe she is balanced considering that she's not great at the end. Maybe she is balanced since she costs quite a few points ( mostly for the magic ). Maybe. I don't think so, personally. If I was playing against someone near my level ( which I do not think is that high ) I would take a VQ for sure.