Poll: How much will the new bless effects affect your pretender design?

[Pocus]

can someone repost the complete blessing effects list that a beta posted somewhere? I cant find it again.

tia

[Nerfix]

You could have found it at Dom X...

Anyway:

Bless Effects

In Dominions II, the effect of bless is dependent on the starting magic of your pretender.
You get first batch of powers at magic level 4, and the first batch power is updated at
magic levels 6,8 and 10, except for the air shield effect. You get a second batch power at magic level 9. The effects are
initial, empowering or dying makes no diffrence to the bless effects.

None - Morale +3

Fire 4 - Attack Skill +2
Fire 6 - Attack Skill +3
Fire 8 - Attack Skill +4
Fire 9 - Flaming Weapons
Fire 10 - Attack Skill +5

Air 4 - Air Shield (20%)
Air 5 - Air Shield (25%)
Air 6 - Air Shield (30%)
Air 7 - Air Shield (35%)
Air 8 - Air Shield (40%)
Air 9 - Shock resistance (75%)
Air 10 - Air Shield (45%)

Water 4 - Defense Skill +2
Water 6 - Defense Skill +3
Water 8 - Defense Skill +4
Water 9 - Quickness (50%)
Water 10 - Defense Skill +5

Earth 4 - Reinvigoration 2
Earth 6 - Reinvigoration 3
Earth 8 - Reinvigoration 4
Earth 9 - Armor value +4
Earth 10 - Reinvigoration 5

Astral 4 - Magic Resistance +1 (Max 18)
Astral 6 - Magic Resistance +2
Astral 8 - Magic Resistance +3
Astral 9 - Twist Fate (protection from first hit)
Astral 10 - Magic Resistance +4

Death 4 - Lesser Fear
Death 6 - Lesser Fear
Death 8 - Lesser Fear
Death 9 - Life after Death, Fear (Undead beings only)
Death 10 - Lesser Fear

Nature 4 - Berserk +1
Nature 6 - Berserk +2
Nature 8 - Berserk +3
Nature 9 - Regeneration, Poison Resistance (50%)
Nature 10 - Berserk +4

Blood 4 - Strength +2
Blood 6 - Strength +3
Blood 8 - Strength +4
Blood 9 - Death Curse
Blood 10 - Strength +5

BTW, if somebody knows the numerical values of the Lesser Fear/Fear blessing, could you please tell me those values?

[ October 30, 2003, 11:40: Message edited by: Nerfix ]

[Jasper]

Originally posted by johan osterman:
If the blessings need to be improved to be desirable I think it is better to lower magic cost rather than starting off blessings at lower levels. The blessings start of 4 for a reason, to encourage players to give their pretenders a decent magic score.

I suggested starting at 3, but at +1 bonus, so the effect for 4 would be the same. The main difference would be to increase the benefit for higher levels, and that you'd get a bonus at every level rather than skipping the odd levels.

I suspect simply lowering the cost of magic won't help this issue, but instead free up more points to be spent on scales/castle, and an increased diversification in magic skills. Even halving the cost of magic would not convince me to get more than level 4 in anything, except possibly a 6 on a pretender that started with 3.

[Nerfix]

Originally posted by Jasper:

quote:

---

Originally posted by johan osterman:
If the blessings need to be improved to be desirable I think it is better to lower magic cost rather than starting off blessings at lower levels. The blessings start of 4 for a reason, to encourage players to give their pretenders a decent magic score.

I suspect simply lowering the cost of magic won't help this issue, but instead free up more points to be spent on scales/castle, and an increased diversification in magic skills. Even halving the cost of magic would not convince me to get more than level 4 in anything, except possibly a 6 on a pretender that started with 3.

---

I suspect it would help. Diversication or not, it could/would lead to players taking magic on their Pretenders. And that is your style of play. I can take 9 Fire with Moloch and get ok scales and a decent fort.

No wonder Sphinx and Fountains got so popular...

[Jasper]

Originally posted by Nerfix:
I suspect it would help. Diversication or not, it could/would lead to players taking magic on their Pretenders. And that is your style of play. I can take 9 Fire with Moloch and get ok scales and a decent fort.

Only if you play a nation like Abysia and take 3 Death and 3 Heat. I still simply don't see the minor bless benefits as worth an investment equivalent to _4.2_ scales -- and that's in the best case scenario.

As another example for Abysia, IMHO you'd be clearly better off taking 4 Fire, 3 Air on a Moloch, which would also cost less -- despite Moloch's path cost of 70.

I agree everyone has their own style of play, but would you really take a Fire 9 Pretender in a multiplayer game?

[Nerfix]

Originally posted by Jasper:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nerfix:
I suspect it would help. Diversication or not, it could/would lead to players taking magic on their Pretenders. And that is your style of play. I can take 9 Fire with Moloch and get ok scales and a decent fort.

Only if you play a nation like Abysia and take 3 Death and 3 Heat. I still simply don't see the minor bless benefits as worth an investment equivalent to _4.2_ scales -- and that's in the best case scenario.

As another example for Abysia, IMHO you'd be clearly better off taking 4 Fire, 3 Air on a Moloch, which would also cost less -- despite Moloch's path cost of 70.

I agree everyone has their own style of play, but would you really take a Fire 9 Pretender in a multiplayer game?

---

I was able to get Fortified City, 3 Order & Prod and i didn't have to take the death scale.

If you don't take the minors, you only get +3 Morale...

Why not? I don't consider 3 Order & Prod, Fortified City and non-negative Growth that bad.
Fear the Blessed Units of Flaming Death.

[ October 30, 2003, 12:48: Message edited by: Nerfix ]

[Jasper]

Originally posted by Nerfix:
Why not? I don't consider 3 Order & Prod, Fortified City and non-negative Growth that bad.
Fear the Blessed Units of Flaming Death.

Death by Lightning, for example. All of the factions have alot to gain from access to magic they normally can't use.