Nagas and other "lost" pretenders

[st.patrik]

Originally posted by Jasper:
The funny thing is that I find their transformation ability to be mostly a weakness. I would far rather have a dragon that kept his magical power, but couldn't transform.

Wouldn't that just be the same as buying a great sage, or whatever dragons are in human form?

[ October 08, 2003, 00:20: Message edited by: st.patrik ]

[Psitticine]

As I've said before, I'm a "role-playing" type, so the extra bonus flavor that comes from Draconic Pretenders is well worth the admission price. They seem powerful enough to me anyway, but, of course, Your Milage May Vary.

Call me weird . . . (pause to allow everybody to say it) . . . but I enjoy the fun of watching the enemy try to gang up on what seems to be a frail old mage, only to have a really NASTY surprise.

[Gandalf Parker]

I think the dragons offer alot of variety. Their human form can be a mage/searcher. They can fly to a far province, check it, and fly back. They can deliver flying troops to quickly support their front line. They can act farther beyond the dominion glow than many pretenders since they can get back very quickly.

I also have had good luck with cast xxxxx, cast xxxxx, cast xxxxx, transform, attack enemy commanders. A good choice of spells can make him 5 times as good. And you almost ALWAYS kill the fleeing commanders which makes for good item scrounging.

[Saber Cherry]

Oh, one thing I always wondered. If a dragon is in human form with 10 HP, and gets hit for 11 HP, will it die, or transform? And if the dragon form has 100 HP, but the human form is hit for 5 HP (and subsequently transforms into a dragon with 95 HP left)... does the pretender have a 5/10=50% chance of gaining an affliction, or 5/100=5% chance of gaining an affliction?

Without knowing these answers, I've always been afraid to send a dragon into combat in human form.

[Nerfix]

Originally posted by Daynarr:

Don't forget special blessing bonuses you receive at levels 4 and 9. If you want to boost your blessings, dragons are a good and cheap way to go. IMHO it makes them even more valuable (Nagas as well).

Uhhh...
Wasn't it at levels 4, 6 and 9?

[ October 08, 2003, 05:51: Message edited by: Nerfix ]

[Jasper]

Originally posted by Daynarr:
Don't forget special blessing bonuses you receive at levels 4 and 9. If you want to boost your blessings, dragons are a good and cheap way to go. IMHO it makes them even more valuable (Nagas as well).

I disagree. Dragons are not cheap when you take into account their initial dominion of 1. In order to get even a middle of the road 5* dominion you'll spend 105* points; a pretender starting with 3 dominion spends 42* pts. This puts them about on par with one of the 125 pt titans price wise, which is about as expensive as Pretenders come in Dominions.

Now that I think about it, titans are a good comparison from an effectiveness standpoint. Titans can more easily cast spells and fight, can freely use items to boost their combat power, start with more magic, have cheaper suplemental paths, and have cheaper prices for higher dominion. In return a dragon gets a few extra hitpoints, decent natural protection, and a not exactly awe-inspiring breath weapon. Nor are titans particularily potent pretenders...

I like and play Titans as well as Dragons, but I don't let this interfere with my assement of their balance.

* Edit: Oops! Those are the costs for a 6 dominion.

[ October 08, 2003, 10:41: Message edited by: Jasper ]

[Daynarr]

Originally posted by Jasper:
I disagree. Dragons are not cheap when you take into account their initial dominion of 1. In order to get even a middle of the road 5 dominion you'll spend 105 points; a pretender starting with 3 dominion spends 42 pts. This puts them about on par with one of the 125 pt titans price wise, which is about as expensive as Pretenders come in Dominions.

AFAIK there are no Titans, just Titan. There is female Titan though, with 1 in astral and nature but getting any of those to level 9 leaves you with little more then 100 points. The only Titan can get to level 9 in AIR easily and only in AIR which makes your holy troops 75% shock resistant.

And what if you want to use other bonuses instead? Like fire weapons if you get level 9 in fire. Will you use titan for that? Or nature level 9 to give regeneration to your holy ones? Or water level 9 to get quickness? I don't REALLY see what do you have to agree and disagree with my post. My post was not about comparing Titans with Dragons, it was about getting those blessings and Titan can be only used to get Air level 9. If you like Air bonus Titan is way to go, but if you like to get some other bonus you will most certainly NOT use him. Dominion or no dominion.

[Daynarr]

[quote]Originally posted by Nerfix:

Uhhh...
Wasn't it at levels 4, 6 and 9?

Only level 4 and 9. Why do you think level 6 would give bonus?

[Jasper]

Sorry Daynarr, I misunderstood you to have meant that dragons are cheap in general. I honestly hadn't even considered starting with a 9 in any field as a viable option, due to the extreme cost.

Hmmm, which indirectly brings up an interesting question. Do the special bonuses to holy troops stem from a Pretender's initial magic skills, or his current magic skills? Can you increase them with items or empowerment? What if you die?

[ October 08, 2003, 10:39: Message edited by: Jasper ]

[Kristoffer O]

Initial. Empowerment or death makes no difference.