Scorpion King and Medusa pretender...any use ?

[Jasper]

Originally posted by PvK:
The Medusa does seem to have more style than substance. Seems like she should have more awe or fear and/or a short-range paralyze attack (paralyze shield?) to live up to her reputation. Though from a practical standpoint, she's probably fine, as long as you're not trying to use her as a SC without the right extras, and as long as you aren't married to the "every pretender must be a SC" theory.

Hmmm, perhaps the Medusa should have a short range petrification damage shield?

In my experience the Medusa is a bit underpowered (due to IMHO unreasonably low hitpoints), but with carefull play still is an effective super combatant. Her ability to turn entire armies to stone in the early game can be very fearsome once you figure out how to keep her alive. She very quickly reaches 3 stars and tends to sit atop the hall of fame.

IMHO the medusa's biggest drawback is that her Nature and Earth magic overlap with Pangaea's magic, when you'd really like to have access to other paths. Even so, raise her hitpoints from 20->30 and I think she's good.

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by PvK:
The high natural defense is better than "free full black steel plate" because it has no defense or encumbrance penalty.

Well, if you consider that the analogue the Scorpion King is otherwise a mounted unit (feetless, larger size), you wouldn't have gotten a defense or encumberance penalty anyway. You do save out on the spellcasting fatigue, but black plate ain't all that.

The Medusa does seem to have more style than substance.

If she had a built-in Aegis effect, that'd make her a very scary person, with people being petrified and turned to stone and crap.

[Nagot Gick Fel]

Originally posted by Norfleet:

quote:

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Originally posted by PvK:
The Medusa does seem to have more style than substance.

If she had a built-in Aegis effect, that'd make her a very scary person, with people being petrified and turned to stone and crap.

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Hmmm, I haven't tried the Medusa for a long time, but Last time I did I think she still had that built-in 'Aegis effect'.

[Edit: just checked, apparently she still behaves just as a 'living Aegis' would in 2.12]

[ July 03, 2004, 16:58: Message edited by: Nagot Gick Fel ]

[Jasper]

Heh, if she didn't have the Aegis field then she definitely wouldn't be worth it!

[PvK]

I just assumed she didn't have an aegis, since I didn't see one in the character sheet, so I never tried her out! Sounds like something fun to try, now.

As for this:

Norfleet wrote:

Well, if you consider that the analogue the Scorpion King is otherwise a mounted unit (feetless, larger size), you wouldn't have gotten a defense or encumberance penalty anyway. You do save out on the spellcasting fatigue, but black plate ain't all that.

That's not correct. The defense penalty of armor does affect mounted units - only the encumbrance is ignored.

PvK

[ July 04, 2004, 05:11: Message edited by: PvK ]

[djtool]

i've been fooling around with the medusa and the CW theme and she is quite effective. Whether its the snakes or her eye's units attacking her are damaged like a damge shield. she has about the same hp as a VQ and Since in the CW theme high dominion is key you have 30 - 50 hps of space. The fear +5 is very nice as well. Use the usual SC spells maybe sub personal regen for BoW since missle units can rip her down pretty low in the opening round. Recuperation is the bomb. My base is as follows:

Ai4 W2 E4 N1

Ord3 Slo3 He1 Gro3 Mis3 Mag1 Dom8

punch up your heat if you want more magic. I haven't played an entire game with her but I think more heat may be tough cause your already on a sliding income scale as it is (your dom kill pop which depletes income eventually)

**added** with that basic magic set up she gets fatigued pretty quick. However since the units tend to melt as they attack you while you scare the piss out of them...I don't know how large a factor that is. I can't remember the penalty for going over 100

[ July 04, 2004, 08:44: Message edited by: djtool ]

[CayseP]

The medusa rocks, period! You obviously haven't experienced her armed with just a snake bladder stick scripted to cast earth power, invulnerability, strength of Gaia, attack rear ... She will just poison and/or petrify everything!