Battle Afflication

[Thilock_Dominus]

So my options are:

1. Global enchantment 'Gift Of Health'
2. Get my hands on an artifact called 'Chalice'
3. Summon the Faerie Court one 'Queen'
4. Avoid combat with my Pretender God
5. using spells like Body 'Ethereal' and 'Luck'

Shouldn't the priests have the ability to heal battle affliction or as a priest spell? It would seem as a natural part of beeing a priest.
And it wouldn't be wise not to use the pretender god dragon in the front line. Because its very powerfull in combat. I usually set my dragon to attack the rearest army and have great success using that strategy. it means I manage to split the enemy army up in two, my regular army forcing up the battlefield while my pretender god dragon are coursing fear and hold up the supporter units(archers, spell casters, leaders) so my regular army are suffering minimum damage.

[General Tacticus]

Originally posted by Thilock_Dominus:

5. using spells like Body 'Ethereal' and 'Luck'

Regeneration also decreases the chances of getting an affliction.

Shouldn't the priests have the ability to heal battle affliction or as a priest spell? It would seem as a natural part of beeing a priest.
And it wouldn't be wise not to use the pretender god dragon in the front line. Because its very powerfull in combat. I usually set my dragon to attack the rearest army and have great success using that strategy. it means I manage to split the enemy army up in two, my regular army forcing up the battlefield while my pretender god dragon are coursing fear and hold up the supporter units(archers, spell casters, leaders) so my regular army are suffering minimum damage.

Arcoscephale's priests can heal afflictions, but they are the only ones.
I personally never put my pretender in battle, I have had too many bad surprises, but then I don't choose dragons either. I agree a dragon belongs in the front lines, but surely you cannot expect him to be totally immmune to harm ? That would be too much As you said, he helped you a lot. The risk should somewhat match the reward, so the battle afflictions should be hard to get rid of. Of course, it helps to know beforehand how not to get them

Your best option now is probably Gift of Health (Nature 5, Enchantment 5). Enchantment 5 also nets you Dispel, which you will need sooner or later, so it is a good place to invest. Hopefully, Nature 5 is not too hard for you to get.

The Chalice is Construction 8 and expensive, and only one can be made. Faerie Queen is Conjuration 8 and Nature 5.

[PrinzMegaherz]

As it is, the game is unbalanced.
Mage pretenders are always useful. You can leave them in your capital to research and cast, or you can send them into secure areas to search for sites. Anyway, their usefullness does not decrease by doing their job.
On the other hand, combat pretenders will get afflictions over time, there is no way to prevent this. This makes them less usefull in most cases.

In my oppinion every pretender, at least the not human ones, should have some kind of immortal ability that makes them heal their afflictions themselves over time.

[ January 08, 2004, 10:08: Message edited by: PrinzMegaherz ]

Uhm,

Combat pretenders have a different role, arguably more benefitial than the 'stay at home' kind.

There are multiple ways to rid yourself of afflictions. And you can always get your pretender back; albiet without as much magical skill. Though if you take the talentless Wyrm, he can come back good as new only after 40 points of calling.

Combat pretenders help forge a game early, while rainbow/caster pretenders shore up the mid/late game for certain nations.

I am of the opinion that Rainbows are less 'useful' because when I start taking over a rainbow nation it's already all searched for me So I get all his goodies. Especially those back ones that he can't defend well. Whereas if you lose a combat pretender more often than not that place can be filled with another SC while you get your old one back at the expense of a few turns of priests.

[Wauthan]

Don't think one should turn afflictions into something trivial. Just how a priest would go about to heal a missing eye, arm or even head is beyond me. That a certain group of priestesses can do just that is mindboggling enough.

That said Zen brings up a very good point. When I create a supercombatant, besides the Vampire Queen, I simply take no points in magic. With enough priestly power it's even better than being immortal since the pretender bounces back good as new. Ready to be outfitted with fresh artifacts.

In my humble opinion dragons are not frontline fighters. They are artillery support that should be placed on fire closest with a suitable screen of immune troopers. If you want frontline fighters go with the Titans or Undead rather than the Beasts.

[General Tacticus]

Originally posted by PrinzMegaherz:
As it is, the game is unbalanced.
Mage pretenders are always useful. You can leave them in your capital to research and cast, or you can send them into secure areas to search for sites. Anyway, their usefullness does not decrease by doing their job.
On the other hand, combat pretenders will get afflictions over time, there is no way to prevent this. This makes them less usefull in most cases.

In my oppinion every pretender, at least the not human ones, should have some kind of immortal ability that makes them heal their afflictions themselves over time.

What you say is partly true, however you combat pretender has probably boosted your starting expansion far above what any mage pretender could do. And he probably cost you less design points to begin with.
A mage pretender is a long term investment, he won't pay off until after quite a bit of time. The combat pretender starts paying at once, but will need some help to stay useful. With the right equipment and the right magic support, you can keep using him to the end. Two different kind of investment, two different rewards, also different risks. It all balances out.

Oh, and I would LOVE to be able to send my mage pretenders with my main armies. They could do wonderfull things on the battlefield. But they would not survive. So instead, I leave them at home, doing what two or three normal mages could do just as well (research spells, search for magic sites). In a sense, I get less out of them than you do out of your combat pretender, much less even untill they are ready for the big ritual spells. And you could easily pull back the combat pretender from your armies at that time, empower him a little, give him good items, and make it an extra-tough pretender.

So I do not think pretenders are unbalanced. Each ones has strength and weaknesses, and that is balanced by their cost. There are even a few "immortal" ones. You just have to remembers that pretenders in this game are not yet Gods ! They can't win you the game by themselves, they are not invincible; they can just help along their chosen people to spread their faith.

[PrinzMegaherz]

You made a good point. Battle Pretenders may increase your initial expension, if he does not die by accident.

And I dont want my pretender to be invincible. However, I like the Idea of the bad guy hiding in some dark castle to recover from his wounds, until time comes for his revenge. If you like to read fantasy literature, you will find these things a common theme. I think a pretender, a nearly godlike being, should have that little difference from your normal commanders.

[ January 08, 2004, 14:16: Message edited by: PrinzMegaherz ]