Behemoth?

[oldbone]

The desc of this ritual states that the caster cannot cast other spells, yet there doesn't seem to be a "link" between the behemoth and the caster... and the caster can still cast other spells in combat.

What's the deal?

Bad description text?

[Stavis_L]

The description doesn't refer to the caster not being able to cast spells, but rather the rider. Basically, it summons one undead elephant complete with undead rider who is technically/flavor-wise a mage (but who can't cast spells.) The summoner can do whatever you like afterward.

Not the most intuitive, and a lot of people ask.

[oldbone]

ahhh... that makes so much more sense - many thanks!

[ExHeretic]

If i remember the description text right it says that it takes mage to control/ride the behemoth. When you summon that behemoth you also get that mage to ride it. Controlling the beast is so difficult that the mage cannot do anything else than control it. So he is not casting anything in battles.

To make it simple the spell summon one behemoth unit. There is no connection between the summoner and the unit after you get it.

I hope this answers your question

Damn im slow
Or the ninjas are just way too fast

[Colonial]

Wow, I always thought it made the caster temporarily feebleminded or some such and was therefore a terrible spell. thus I never used it to check.

I woundered why people seemed to concider it a decent spell. I must say, that's some truly lousy flavor text :S

[Executor]

I quite like that spell early on.
Low level, cheap, only 6D, a lot of HP, and a fear aura. If you throw in an astral mage with luck and body ethereal it's pretty damn nice!

I myself wondered about the description. I though the casting mage was unable to preform any ritual spells or something once he summons the Behemot.

[Colonial]

Yeah, with that change I can defenately see a use for it. Fearless elephant if nothing else.

[brxbrx]

I used to think it was whichever mage was commanding the elephant
so i'd always carry around a dedicated necromancer because I though otherwise my commander'd go useless.
then I learned to "view battle"

[Kobal2]

Originally Posted by Colonial

Yeah, with that change I can defenately see a use for it. Fearless elephant if nothing else.

Fearless and encumbrance 0 elephant.
Trampling attacks quickly tucker regular elephants out in long battles, at which point they'll either get cut to ribbons or just stand there like idiots, blocking the fresh elephants behind them. This is especially true with armoured elephants and in fort battles. Behemoths OTOH just keep on trucking, and even put the fear of god in the poor schmucks they didn't grind into mush for good measure.

At 6D a piece they'd already be nice on their own, if you've got cheap S1 mages to give them luck and body ethereal they can be devastating. Just ask MA Ermor, who with a bit of effort can even make their dead, ethereal, lucky, MR boosted, action points boosted elephant corps fly if they want to . Sure, it's hard to set up, wasteful and probably not that much more efficient that plain old S buffed Behemoths, but dude: Flying. Elephant. Ghost. Zombies.
Now GoR a few. Give 'em slave matrices, have a master cast Fire Shield. Now you've got Flying Elephant Ghost Zombies ON FIRE! and you've pretty much won the game then and there. Or you can sell the rights to SyFy Pictures. Either way, it can't go wrong.

[rabelais]

How do you counter behemoths? They have too many HP for priests. assume they are neither flying or on fire, if that makes it easier.

Is there a counter for flying behemoths?

I honestly can't think of one other than storm. Or being size 6.