Fatigue & Undead

[MaxWilson]

Apologies if this has been asked recently, but I searched and couldn't find it.

I thought undead, or any unit with zero encumbrance, was supposed to never accumulate fatigue except through spellcasting, no matter what armor they wear. I have a Wraith Lord who's fighting hordes of Jotun Militia while wearing Stone Boots (Stoneskin effect), a Pendant of Luck, and a Horror Helmet. He's scripted to <cast "Soul Vortex", Attack Closest>. This works fine except that every time he swings his sword he seems to pick up 13 or so fatigue, although after he gets surrounded by Jotuns he leeches it all back (which is in itself odd; since Life Leech does only 1 point of damage, I don't see how it's possible to leech more than 16 points of fatigue even if there are enemies on all 8 squares around you). Anyway, I don't understand where this 13 fatigue is coming from, since his encumbrance is zero. Can anybody help me understand?

Thanks,
Max Wilson

[Wish]

maybe temperature induced? is he getting hit with shock or steal strength?

otherwise it sounds odd.

[Micah]

The damage from soul vortex is like any damage: you add rolls to it. If you get outrolled by giant A by 5 points, you do no damage, but then you outroll giant B by 5 points and you get 6 damage and 12 fatigue. The deviation works heavily in favor of the vortex user since negative numbers don't have any effect.

I'm not sure exactly where the fatigue is coming from, but stoneskin will knock out your CR, so if there's any cold aura on the battlefield that might be the source of the fatigue. It shouldn't be from attacking though.

[MaxWilson]

Wraith Lord has a chill-3 aura, and I confirmed that taking off the boots stopped the fatigue damage (and vastly increased my survivability), so perhaps it was my own chill damaging me, along with my attendant ghosts' chills. Still seems a bit high but at least I know how to stop it now.

I can't believe how much fun Wraith Lords are. Ethereal, immortal, heavily-armored, and capable of casting Soul Vortex. The manual lists their Prot as 12 but it's actually 22, which makes a huge difference. This one is now standing off armies of 400 Jotunheim giants (AI-controlled, of course), which is so much better than dragging my F9 Valkyries around the map chasing them. Hmmm, I should make him some winged boots...

-Max

[Wish]

i like to give them flying boots, that harvester single handed weapon, and script them to shadowblast (or soul vortex) attack one turn, shadowblast, attack one turn, shadowblast, attack.

they end up in the thick of things with a point blank shadowblast that goes off like a fountain and usually clears a swath around them.

[MaxWilson]

Yeah, Shadow Blast is a great spell. Too bad it costs gems, which makes the logistics messy. Although with the script you suggest, you end on "attack" so it won't burn through more than 2 gems per battle. Hmmm. Sounds fun.

-M.D.W.

[Edi]

Wish uses the Sickle Whose Crop Is Pain to arm the wraith lord, generates a death gem every time it kills something. No logistical problems then.