Seeking Arrow Test (Updated 1st June 2009 to V1.1 with Death Bless tests)

[lch]

Okay, I've had a quick look. Being blessed with a God that has high death magic means that you have the same affliction causing effect like somebody who has the heroic ability "Legendary Cruelty". And that effect seems to always get applied when a unit is being hit, regardless from what.

Forget my earlier ramblings, please.

[Calahan]

I have updated the first post with information regarding the tests I have now run on the Death Bless and 'Seeking Arrow'.

They are reproduced here for the viewers convenience.

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I have now tested the Death Bless more thoroughly with the 'Seeking Arrow' spell, and I can only conclude that it has no effect on the spell with regards having an increased chance of causing afflictions.

For the test I used Bane Lords, and 'Seeking Arrow' casters wearing a shroud which bestowed the Death Bless upon them. I tested the D4 bless, and the D10 bless.

For one of the test runs I also sent the shroud wearers into battle the turn before casting the 'Seeking Arrow' spell, as I heard there was the possibility that the effects of the bless gained from the shroud does not 'stick' unless the unit has been in an actual battle while wearing it.

I also tested the range of damage that was inflicted in order to try and establish the actual damage roll that takes place during the spell.

Results.

'Seeking Arrow' damage mechanics.

Over the course of 400 tests, the average damage observed was 8.2, which corresponds nicely to the indicated damage of the spell, which is 8. The range of damage was between 0 - 24. This seems to indicate that there is a bonus roll added to the damage from the spell, but also an equal resistance roll to reduce/negate the damage.

It has been suggested that the 'Seeking Arrow' spell does 8 + DRN ( - DRN) points of damage. I am now pretty convinced that this is true. Although I was not able to determine if re-rolls for 6's are unlimited or not.


The Death Bless

After 100 tests in each category, the following number of afflictions were observed

No Death Bless - 18
D4 Bless - 19
D10 Bless - 21
D10 Bless (afterbattle) - 16

In the final 100 tests, the shroud wearers were engaged in a battle the turn before they cast the 'Seeking Arrow' spells. All this was done to ensure as well as possible that there was no problem with the bless effects from the shroud in 'sticking' to the unit.

The affliction mechanics from the manual states that the chance of an affliction occurring is the % HP lost in the attack multiplied by any extra affliction chance, such as the one caused by the Death Bless.

A Bane Lord has 42 HP, and a D4 bless increases the affliction chance by 100%. Now if my understanding of the mechanics are correct, in theory if the Bane Lord is hit for 21 HP (50% chance of an affliction occurring) or more from a D4 blessed unit, there should be a 100% chance of an affliction occurring (50% increased by 100% is 100%). During the D4 test, there was one incidence of 21 HP of damage occurring, but no affliction was seen.

A D10 bless has a 400% chance of causing an affliction, so in theory if a Bane Lord is hit for 9 HP (approx >20% chance of an affliction occurring) or more from a D10 blessed unit, there should be a 100% chance of an affliction occurring. Here is the maths I'm basing this on in case anyone thinks 20% increased by 400% is only 80%.

20% increased by 100% is 40% - D4 bless
20% increased by 200% is 60% - D6 bless
20% increased by 300% is 80% - D8 bless
20% increased by 400% is 100% - D10 bless

So >20% increased by 400% is >100%. During both the D10 tests, there was 63 occurrences of 9 or more HP of damage occurring, but no affliction seen.

Conclusions.

-The damage roll/mechanic for the 'Seeking Arrow' spell is 8 + DRN ( - DRN) *** Note the defender roll is minus all the damage, as it is possible for the defender to negate all the damage with a high enough roll.***

- The Death Bless has no effect when it comes to causing afflictions with the 'Seeking Arrow' spell.

I still have to run tests on other possible defences like etherealness, twist fate, regen etc. But I think I have tested all I can for the Death Bless, and have not once witnessed it having even the slightest effect with regards causing afflictions. (unless someone can suggest another way to test it).

The games used for these tests can be downloaded in the first post of this thread.

'Thank You' to anyone who reads this and anyone who offers feedback.

[WraithLord]

Necro

Calahan, I found this thread and your test results in my KB file (with grep magic) and followed the crumbs to here.
I was looking for an answer to a hypothetical question: Can seeking arrow (or a bunch of) be used effectively as an SC killer?

Let's take an example: a fully equipped Seraph attacked by a barrage of say 20 arrows. Is it a worth while investment?

Your results show: "300 Scouts equipped with a Small Shield (Parry 4) --- 150 died, 39 received afflictions."
So 50% got > 10 hp damage. Say 50% of 20 arrows do 10 hp damage. Should be enough to bring the fellow down?- nope?

[Baalz]

Haven't done any testing, but Micah killed one off my fully kitted Arch Devil once with a hail of seeking arrows. Certainly a worthwhile investment in the right circumstances - its actually a fairly reasonable price against mid HP SCs that self buff luck or just aren't wearing a lucky item. Seraphs would be great targets. You wouldn't need 20 arrows with how they're typically kitted, 10 would likely work.