Anti-Horror Strategies

[NTJedi]

dirtywick said:
Anyone try purposefully horror marking bodyguards so they have a chance of being attacked as well? Can that be done?

Yes if there was a summoning spell which provided fast and/or flying units which were already horror_marked then I'm sure it would be used to provide guards for important horror_marked commanders.

Perhaps Illwinter will add this type of spell after they return from vacation.

[Epaminondas]

Endoperez said:
There's also taking Luck and/or Drain.

Explain this a bit, Endoperez? Does plus luck or drain scale reduces the appearance of horrors?

[NTJedi]

Uh-Nu-Buh said:
So your pretender, prophet, or favorite hero got horror marked, eh? Quelle horreure! What do you do to ensure survival? Everybody share your tips on surviving this unfortunately common occurrence....

If it's early then starting the battle casting 'returning' thus the horror never has a chance to even strike. Blood slaves will provide time in a battle and can be acquired early as well.

Uh-Nu-Buh said:
Possibilities:

Bell of Cleansing--does this consider Horrors to be demons?

The bell won't work because the horrors are considered magic beings and not demons or undead. So weapons like the elf bane and an item of penetration would be a good combo.

Uh-Nu-Buh said:
Wraith Crown. Anybody?

Yes the wraith crown is good and provides lifeless beings thus the horror cannot gain hitpoints when attacking them. I recommend lifeless beings whenever possible ESPECIALLY against the real nasty horrors.

[Shovah32]

If you could risk it skullface might be more useful than wraithcrown, letting you cast raise skeletons each turn.

[Taqwus]

I've seen the non-nerfed Hunter of Heroes laugh at a Wraith Crowned EA Demonbred, easily kill all the undead, then the Demonbred itself. The same Demonbred had killed the HoH easily when using a Spirit Helm -- the HoH is not lightning resistant... but it has Blood Vengeance (as do all Doom Horrors other than Scabiel), so low-level undead will easily maim themselves when attacking as the HoH.

A Phoenix Rod would also work, because they also lack fire resistance.

But yes, Petrify is a lethal pick if possible, and has the advantages of not needing gems and also being reasonable for normal battles. Magebane and the Infernal Sword also have unresistable effets, and Magebane has the further edge that it'll boost your MR so you have a chance of surviving the Consume Soul attack and of bypassing Blood Vengeance. Magebane will horror-mark you, but with it, you shouldn't have to hard a time of surviving them.

Ark -- needs to beat high MR, does very little damage per turn (you want to KILL it -- not disease it, blind it (may not even need eyes, can't remember), or do a piddling couple of hp).

Otherwise... you want precise, non-MR-based damage. High level Blood has two unresistable "send them to Hell" spells. Against two of Umor's forms, Astral would also be an important flag. That... or Returning.

[NTJedi]

Taqwus said:
I've seen the non-nerfed Hunter of Heroes laugh at a Wraith Crowned EA Demonbred, easily kill all the undead, then the Demonbred itself. The same Demonbred had killed the HoH easily when using a Spirit Helm -- the HoH is not lightning resistant... but it has Blood Vengeance (as do all Doom Horrors other than Scabiel), so low-level undead will easily maim themselves when attacking as the HoH.

The wraith crown is to provide time for the commander and the low-level undead will make sure the horror doesn't gain more hitpoints.

[Frostmourne27]

What about the blood spell that does irresistable damage? A life for a life? I dunno what it's called, but it's supposed to do like 40+ an damage. There's also the necromancery touch spell that does tons of damage, although you risk blood vengancy doom. Non-gift of reasoned tartarians would probably do prety well, since they're are undead and you could theoretically have ten of them.

[Epaminondas]

I am not sure if these are considered horrors, but I had a huge number of units attack me, and it said something like "you were killed by the souls of all enemies you've slain."

What in the world is that, and what triggers it?