How do i get rid of this pretender ?

[triqui]

I don't get the massive love for Vengeance of the Dead in these parts. It's only useful in a very limited set of circumstances. In this case it's strictly inferior to Mind Hunt in every way. (Significantly harder to cast and a succesful cast isn't a sure kill - remember, we're facing the Aegis here, so the pretender will need to have accumulated a massive amount of kills to succumb to the turn timer - I am assuming the pretender isn't protected by S mages here: Since the pretender is moving every turn, any astral mages used to keep him safe would be left stranded and easy prey. [Barring stealth-capable S mages, but we're getting really far into counter-counter-counter territory here...])

The Aegis is the key difference. Other than that single artifact (or the Gorgon Pretender), it's better than mind hunt in every aspect, assuming you can cast both. It's harder to counter, has no backfire aspect, only needs a single MR fail (opposed to Mind Hunt, which need two), and, the best part of it, requires Thau 4, instead of two paths at 5/6. Depending on your nation, S3D1 is easier to have than S4 mages, and you can have potentially higher penetration with a high Astral mage. A S9 mage will get +3 bonus to Vengeance, and +2 to Mind Hunt.

In this particular situation, yes, Mind hunt is probably better, assuming he does not have S1 mages protecting him, becouse he has bassically the only item in the game that does not become VotD a insta-kill. But overall, VotD is a incredibly powerful spell against SC, and it's cast only at Thau 4.

[Bullock]

Thx for all those answers.
I keep in mind many of your ideas.
I think i ll mind hunt with my pretender full of magic pene (i m crafting the stuff actually) while i prepare some other trick in case the hunt fail.

I don't have a good enough income of S gems to wish, and btw he s free to craft again the item after that. (unless i m wrong)

And i m still hoping he s getting lost in astral planes 1/100 chance if i m correct that s not so bad. (it sounds even a bit high to me to put this kind of shoes on my pretender)

[brxbrx]

If you have high astral you can maybe try wishing his aegis away.
Provided you can procure the 100 pearls.

[Soyweiser]

If you are going to wish, wish the boots of the plane away. way more valuable

[brxbrx]

If he keeps the boots on for that long, he may also get lost in the astral plane. That'll make him an invalid. He'll be out of commission for a while and he'll come back stark raving mad.

[brxbrx]

Originally Posted by brxbrx

If he keeps the boots on for that long, he may also get lost in the astral plane. That'll make him an invalid. He'll be out of commission for a while and he'll come back stark raving mad.

Eventually, of course.

[NTJedi]

Not sure if it was mentioned, but curse him... this will bring other afflictions which will help break him.

[rdonj]

Wishing doesn't give him the option to forge it again. The boots go into your laboratory, and he can only get them back by wishing for them or by killing something you have that's equipped with them.

[Bullock]

Originally Posted by rdonj

Wishing doesn't give him the option to forge it again. The boots go into your laboratory, and he can only get them back by wishing for them or by killing something you have that's equipped with them.

Indeed =/ i should spend more time on wiki...

[brxbrx]

Originally Posted by Bullock

Indeed =/ i should spend more time on wiki...

I don't think Wish is so farfetched, even if you don't have enough pearls.

What level S is your pretender? If you need to empower him, then yeah, it's too much.