SC's vs Thugs

[Valandil]

Maybe a vastness from the gate...
I also gave the gift to the ettin mandragora (no wish).
It was pretty good, but not worth the blood hunting in a pop-killing dominion.

[Cainehill]

RonD said:

That's the theory. It assumes a minimum-level caster, base dominion, etc. Practice is somewhat different. My experience is that any one (or even two) things with 19 MR facing a squad of 5 or more Atlantis or Pythium astral mages will fall to soul slay, and probably sooner in the battle rather than later (and will probably be paralyzed to boot).

Yep - especially considering that most people who are trying to do enslaves or soul slays, etc, probably have equipped their mages with items such as Rune Smasher that give a bonus to penetrating MR.

[shovah]

but the best part is when you send a bunch of chaff and archers against those mages with only a few guards . but a spell focus+rune smasher astrologer will just laugh at most thugs or scs

[RonD]

shovah said:
but the best part is when you send a bunch of chaff and archers against those mages with only a few guards . but a spell focus+rune smasher astrologer will just laugh at most thugs or scs

Do you really expect a competant player to leave a squad of astral mages standing out in a field, waiting for your chaff and archers to march up and kill them?

The trick to successful MP does not lie building the right army or in making the perfect SC - it lies in making sure you are the one who chooses the time, place and circumstance of the critical battles.

[KissBlade]

Very true Ron, that is probably one of the first things I learned from blitzing.

[OG_Gleep]

I just learned of Gift of Reason not too long ago. Do you guys use this often? Whats the most cost effective thug that you guys tend to use?

[shovah]

the most cost effective thugs are probably banelord with luck ammy, life drain and either air shield/flying shoes if possible. these guys are extremely cheap (for thugs/scs atleast) and are pretty tough. a few trinkets can be added (especially with a heroic ability) and with a hellsword/other berserk item they can be used in packs

[Alneyan]

Tartarians are an old favourite for Gift of Reason... or that sleezy Air Queen/Arch Devil... you've just captured in a fight (Enslave Mind is your friend).

If you want to make a bold statement about your might, nothing beats a Gift of Reasoned Dragonfly, with no fewer than 1HP and abysmal fighting stats. If you are so powerful that you can afford this kind of waste of gem, how could you fail to squash your foes like... well, a dragonfly?

[Peacekeeper]

new goal in life: make a dragonfly SC...or thug at least.

[shovah]

tartarians can be good withGoF but gems would be better spent on more tartarians in most cases(might get a commander anyway) other good things are vastness's, abominations, tarrasques and anything you consider worthy of wishing for (ie combat pretender)