How to use blood magic effectively in battles?

Taqwus · #1 October 18th, 2007, 09:01 PM

Hell Power, if you've got multiple other paths.

In general, while Blood got a combat boost over D2, it's still a summoning-heavy school -- especially if you're Lanka or Mictlan with all those tasty national summons.

Edit --
Oh, and certain tasty items, as well. Blood Thorn is the only 1HD non-unique life-draining weapon in the game, IIRC. Hell Sword is 2HD, but gives fire resistance, 'zerk, AND lifedrain. Armor of Souls is nice if you're facing lots of astral mages or mindblasters, for the heavy MR boost. Boots of Youth, for, well, youth. Contracts give devils...

Warhammer · #2 October 18th, 2007, 09:23 PM

Life for a Life looks like it would be good against SCs.

Velusion · #3 October 18th, 2007, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Warhammer said:
Life for a Life looks like it would be good against SCs.

I've found B9 is excellent in that scenerio. The "send to inferno" spells and LfL can be very powerful against SCs.

Of course... you have to get to B9 and are only usable by above average blood mages...

Micah · #4 October 18th, 2007, 09:46 PM

L4L is B3, but only 1 slave, so a B2 mage could get a cast off...not exactly "above average" there. He'll be very much KO'd from it, but L4L is kind of a multiple-caster spell anyhow if you're trying to drop a 200HP SC.

Velusion · #5 October 18th, 2007, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Micah said:
L4L is B3, but only 1 slave, so a B2 mage could get a cast off...not exactly "above average" there. He'll be very much KO'd from it, but L4L is kind of a multiple-caster spell anyhow if you're trying to drop a 200HP SC.

I'm pretty sure the computer won't cast it (it will default to something else) unless you have 3B. I've actually been testing it out in test games the last few days and I can't get the B2 mages to cast it (even when loaded up on slaves).

Micah · #6 October 18th, 2007, 10:22 PM

Well, it wouldn't be the first time the spellcasting AI didn't work like it ought to, so I may very well be mistaken.

K · #7 October 19th, 2007, 12:39 AM

Reinvigoration is the best combat blood spell. Rush of Strength is nice as well. The spells that send dudes to hell are the premier SC killers.

Otherwise, pray your mages don't cast any of the other spells (though Hellbind Heart is almost as good as Charm or Enslave and will do wonders in Assasinations).

Otherwise, blood slaves make good meatshields.