Lanka: unit stats, comments and tips

[sunray_be]

Thanks GrobRIM, I've added the missing stats you found in my file.
cheers

[TwoBits]

Now that we've had a while to play around with them, any other Lanka tips and advice out there?

Personally, I'm trying to figure out a use for the Rhakshasis. They're more expensive and less survivable than the Rhaksharajas (who also have better leadership and priest power), and for what? Nature magic? The much cheaper Yoginis have that covered. Seduction? Well, after trying that out, it just seems to be an good way to get an expensive unit killed, for little in exchange (maybe a couple assassinations, and some seduced crap commander you have no use for). I guess they could make interesting stealth commander for Atavi troops, but wow, pretty expensive for that, I think.

So what am I missing/misunderstanding here?

And oh, anyone know for sure whether demons are immune to disease or not?

[Jack_Trowell]

Don't think of seduction as a way to capture units, but as a better assassination ability.

With it, your Rhakshasis are de facto assassin mages that can, with the correct spells/items, kill most commanders.
I once used one that to capture a indep province near my capitol while my main army was elsewhere (indeps str 9) : it took 3-4 turns to kill all the commanders, and one more to capture the province, it was a lone commander, and not an army.

And of course sometimes you get lucky and get a free commander. Usually just a normal commander (always useful for carrying troops to the front), but sometimes you can be very lucky and get a mage with useful magic paths or a good ability.

[chrispedersen]

Jack_Trowell said:
Don't think of seduction as a way to capture units, but as a better assassination ability.

With it, your Rhakshasis are de facto assassin mages that can, with the correct spells/items, kill most commanders.
I once used one that to capture a indep province near my capitol while my main army was elsewhere (indeps str 9) : it took 3-4 turns to kill all the commanders, and one more to capture the province, it was a lone commander, and not an army.

And of course sometimes you get lucky and get a free commander. Usually just a normal commander (always useful for carrying troops to the front), but sometimes you can be very lucky and get a mage with useful magic paths or a good ability.

Generally not worth it MP.

However, considering making one a prophet. Script smite. Will generally kill any unit you cant seduce. You look like a genius when you get early game magic items this way.

[mivayan]

TwoBits said:
Now that we've had a while to play around with them, any other Lanka tips and advice out there?

Personally, I'm trying to figure out a use for the Rhakshasis.

They have two 100% randoms, so there's a chance you'll get a D3 or N3 mage, which is pretty unlikely with the others. You'll want one or two to forge some items. Otherwise I dunno, 350 gold for an assassin that still is likely to die if your target is quick enough to attack in round one... risky.

[TwoBits]

Yeah, I've tested out the Rhakshasis myself, and they just seem too expensive to risk in an assassin's role, at least in an MP game. Are there any ways to increase the chance of a seduction? Items that increase penetration perhaps?

If not, sounds like they're only worth buying for a chance at D3 or N3 (at 350 a pop though, that's an expensive bet).

Well, we'll see if anyone comes up with another idea for them.

Until then, I'll toss out a few Lanka tips for others to try:

1. Find a crap province next to the capitol (swamp or something is good), and start re-animating ghouls. Even a lowly indie priest can do it! About 2/3 of your ghouls should be big monkey-ghouls (how cool is that!) who are about double the power of regular ghouls. Not bad for a province that might otherwise go to waste. The unit description (I forgot their name unfortunately) says the odds for killer ghoul-monkeys declines markedly the further away from the capitol, but I haven't tested out by how much.

2. 15 death gems and a little research can easily get you into the water! 3 gems and Ench 2 get you a Mound King commander, I think, and 12 gems and Conj 2 get you 20 Ganas. They are poor amphibians still, but their ethereal ability should keep them in the fight long enough to rout armies consisting only of your average Joe-merman or triton. If you want a little more insurance, you can fill out your force with some re-animated soulless or longdead (or use 12 more gems for another batch of ganas to be extra sure).

On another note, in an SP game once, I GoRed some of those 4-armed Davanas, with very nice results, as they tended to get some random levels of air/death/priest magic to go with their giant size and multiple limbs...

[TwoBits]

Hmm, no action here recently, so I'll ask another question:

What should be done with Lanka's national hero? I forget the name, but the 4-armed fallen angle thingy with blood-3.

Seems like 4 deadly weapons in 4 flailing hands might be nice, but the low HP (only 28?) seems to rule out any real SCing. You'd get more 4-armed fun out of GoRing those size-6 national blood summons. All I seem to do is use it as a blood hunter. A fairly good one, to be sure, but seems kind of a waste.

Does Lanka have another hero? This is the only one I've ever seen.

[Wish]

cat charm increases chance of seduction on women, bear charm on men, I think.

I dunno about GoRing blood summons, but the mandaha is hands down the best non-unique SC chassis in EA.

[Aleph]

Demons are immune to disease. I've put fever fetishes on them and they don't lose hp.

[Wick]

Wish_For_Blood_Slaves said:
cat charm increases chance of seduction on women, bear charm on men, I think.

I don't, it certainly didn't in Dom2.