Blood Magic, Demon Knights, and Vampires

[Wick]

I assume that a creature shapeshifting has its morale reset, but what is the effect on squad morale? For instance, if a vampire form has 10 morale and a misty form has 1 and a squad started that started with 10 vampires is now 5 & 5 then is it now below 80% of the "starting" morale? I'd guess it is but don't know.

Giving the misty forms morale 50, so they don't count toward squad morale, might also work if, when they changed back, they check if the squad routed. Would they?

And yes, vampires would be impossible to kill short of staking, garlic, fighting in the daylight, or cutting off their retreat. I think that's pretty thematic.

[KissBlade]

Onis turn into ghosts when they're "killed". Maybe you can have vampires do the same. Too bad Oni Troops in base aren't exactly a good model for usable troops =D. (I actually find myself making them in cb at times though)

[Tiavals]

While vampires surely aren't ghosts, Etherealness also denotes the fact that vampires are usually impervious to normal weapons, which is essentially what etherealness does. While the name might be wrong, the effect is right. If you shoot a vampire with a normal gun, he is unfazed by it. In dom3, he would be dead but back in a month, which seems contrary to most vampire lore, where magic weapons harm them normally but normal weapons rarely do much unless used in a ritualistic manner(cut the head off or stake the heart).

[Reverend Zombie]

Tiavals said:
While vampires surely aren't ghosts, Etherealness also denotes the fact that vampires are usually impervious to normal weapons, which is essentially what etherealness does. While the name might be wrong, the effect is right. If you shoot a vampire with a normal gun, he is unfazed by it.

Well, lots of depictions show a vampire being wounded by a normal weapon, then healing quite rapidly.

Maybe they could have their regen boosted to 50% or so to reflect this, without making then ethereal again.

[Morkilus]

I know we have had this discussion before, but I too am sad about the state of vampires. They were scary in Dom2 like they should be, and now they're just a laugh. I'd rather have ethereality back and have an occasional VQ rush than have pathetic vampires.

[SelfishGene]

But following mythology Dominions vampires have always been far scarier than vampires are ordinarily represented.

How many stories have you heard of blood drinking women in nightgowns taking on whole armies and beating them, straight up in a fight? .

Generally in literature even a small party can beat a solo vampire.

What would be nice, though, is a reduction in her path costs. 50 is too high; i'd like to see somewhere in the range of 20-30 per new path. The VQ could also have Seduction, and all Vamps should, perhaps, have glamour. All Vampire commanders should eat a few pop per turn as well.

We chould also have some summonable Vampire Princesses as well as if you give them seduction.

[Ironhawk]

Just give regular vamps back ethereality and leave it off the VQ. Its a matter of usability and balance.

[WraithLord]

Morkilus said:
I know we have had this discussion before, but I too am sad about the state of vampires. They were scary in Dom2 like they should be, and now they're just a laugh. I'd rather have ethereality back and have an occasional VQ rush than have pathetic vampires.

I have said it before in dom-II forums when I've first heard the plan to take ethereality from vampires in dom-III, I'll say it again - Vampires should be scary and powerful in a creepy way for no better reason than that they are a lot more fun to play than wimpy vamps.

I'd like to either see ethereality back or a different buff given to them. If not in a future patch then maybe in the balance mode.

[Sir_Dr_D]

I suggest vampires have automatic mist form.

[Boron]

If you have earth mages and blood hunters (like vanheim) you can also eventually spend some blood for empowering a few earth mages in blood.