Wind ride

Gandalf Parker · #1 May 21st, 2007, 10:22 PM

Unless its changed it wasnt a random drop when I did it. The description says that it will find a commander in the target province and drop him at the mage that cast it. For 10 air gems and being able to target anyplace on the map its isnt bad.

It also mentions that it doesnt work well on large commanders and powerful earth mages if that helps the original poster.

Foodstamp · #2 May 21st, 2007, 10:45 PM

That sounds pretty awesome. I am going to have to make use of that spell in the near future

Tichy · #3 May 21st, 2007, 11:26 PM

Thanks everybody. I knew there were some kinds of commanders immune to it (big and/or earth mage), but I cast it a good number of times and kept coming up empty. I was having trouble believing I was constantly getting unlucky...but then again I've had the AI cast it on me numerous times and never seen it work -- I always get the 'picked him up but couldn't carry him off' message.

What's your yield on it, Gandalf? (# of casts/successes)?

RamsHead · #4 May 21st, 2007, 11:42 PM

I believe ethereal commanders are immune as well.

I haven't used this spell yet in Dom 3, but in Dom 2 I had no problems using it. It is quite an addictive spell.

Gandalf Parker · #5 May 21st, 2007, 11:43 PM

Like I said, havent used it in a long time. What I remember is that it worked pretty much every time unless there was an obvious reason.

You arent playing on one of the no-indepts maps are you?
Also keep in mind that you cannot pick up Province Defence units.

The game Im playing now just got up to being able to cast it. Maybe I will try a few. It was supposed to be a quicky game to test if turning down the resources would improve the AI's like people suggest (it apparently does) but like always I cant seem to do a quick test game without getting so caught up in it that I keep going "just one more turn" (yeah, like THAT works!)

Wish · #6 May 22nd, 2007, 02:10 AM

i tried to use it for ferrying, and it kept dropping light weight communicants into the ocean. not one got all the way to their target... and it was being cast by an air queen.

RonD · #7 May 22nd, 2007, 12:48 PM

In a recent MP game, the Mictlan player tended to not have very many commanders. His opponent could cast 1, 2, or 3x Wind Ride, and defeat the leaderless devils with a scout. Useful regardless where the commanders landed.

Tuidjy · #8 May 22nd, 2007, 06:02 PM

At the very least, Wind ride fails on:

Pretenders.
Etherial commanders.
Earth 3+ mages.
Size 5+ commanders.
Commanders with glamour.

Too many people try it a few times, fail, and give it up. It is a wonderful
spell for disrupting an army before an assault, and for stealing a mage that
you need. Of course, you better make sure that the province where you
charmed the victim can withstand the retaliation that is bound to come.
Don't forget that the enemy knows exactly what to expect. I remember that in a
game in Dominions II Man charmed one of my commanders in his sage province. On the
next turn, 30+ commanders were stoned and baked at the cost of two recruitable
commanders of mine. Unfortunately the charmed guy was amongst the survivors...