Ashdod proto-guide

[MaxWilson]

Thug build for Zamzummim. Requires Alt 6, Const 6. Begin with 4D1E Zamzummim.

Shadow Brand
Luck Shield
Bracers of Protection
Girdle of Might

Cost: 6 pearls, 9 earth gems, 7 death gems (w/ dwarven hammer and Talmai forge bonus where applicable).

Yields Enc 3, att 13, defense 16, Prot 7. Then script <Blessing, Ironskin, Hold, Hold, Soul Vortex, Attack Closest>. With the suggested E10N6 this will give you Prot 24/26 on head/body and leave you at ~25 fatigue after the Soul Vortex. It's possible that you'll get swarmed before you manage to get off your Soul Vortex, in which case you'll cast it later on (spells cancelled due to melee stay in the queue). You'll have a 35+ HP (up to 60 occasionally), regenerating, zero-encumbrance thug with luck and 26 Prot (most size 2 units can't reach the head), Soul Vortex and Leeching Darkness for chaff killing, a 34 AP melee attack at attack 13, defense 16, with several slots left open for resistances and other toys as needed. Substitute Flame Brand for Shadow Brand to save on research and/or death gems.

For a unit with stats of Prot 4 Attack 9 Def 12, the Zamzummite makes a pretty neat thug. Astral Adonim are probably better, but the Zamzummite is recruitable anywhere and you'll have tons of them lying around doing research and battlemagey stuff anyway--this way you can convert one into a thug just by visting a laboratory. Flexibility + mobility = strength.

-Max