Immediate Construction?

[Balakirev]

I'm new here, and new to the game, having purchased it only a week ago. I'm sure I'm not sharing a secret when I write that it's pretty deep!

My question may seem very newbie, but I hope you'll bear with me. What has happened is this: I created a god, whom, I discovered, could already forge very simple magical items at the start of a new game, without any levels in construction. I was under the impression that forging was linked to gaining levels in the construction school, as well as the levels one has in various paths. Did my god somehow gain an unusual bonus that I can't see, or is this simple construction a "gift" all starting gods already possess? In advance, thanks.

[Randvek]

All magical paths have a Level 0, spells you can cast without any research at all. Or, in the case of Construction, stuff you can make.

[Balakirev]

Thanks very much, both for the reply and the quickness with which it was posted. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Meglobob]

Every nation starts with the ability to build trinkets, lvl 0 magic items.

In most schools of magic there are lvl 0 spells you can cast from turn 1, earth shards in evocation and air shield in alteration for example.

Reading or just glancing through the manual helps.

[MKDELTA]

Yeah, and that level 0 items are pretty forgettable compared what you get with later construction levels, with the possible exception of the armor piercing weapons.

[Evilhomer]

I would say that level 0 has no items worth forging once you reach the endgame. Level 2 construction however has several items worth forging even in the late game (pendant of luck, forge hammer, clam of pearls to mention a few).

[Micah]

Hmm, the black steel armor pieces (especially the helmet) and the 100% resist rings can still be worth forging even at construction 6. The black steel mostly because most of the higher level items aren't Earth-based. 100% resists are hard to find in a single slot, and SR is hard to get in general.

[MKDELTA]

The armor piercing weapons could also remain useful for a while, at least untill you get better armor piercing weapons.

[Falkor]

I always let my Gorgon pretender forge raw hide schield on turn 1 and start expansion on turn 2. This simple schield greatly inrease her durability. I'm sure other SC could have good use of trinkets as well (PoD and black steel armor, schields).

[GrobRIM]

Evilhomer said:
I would say that level 0 has no items worth forging once you reach the endgame.


I always get to forge Rings of Fire/Cold/Poison Resistance in end games, as they are the only cheap items that provide 100% protection against these.

[Evilhomer]

True, if you for some reason fear just one element (say against aby or caelum) i guess those rings can be worth the cost/magetime.

But generally there are much better alternatives by then (like ring of regen if you have high hp, amulet of reinvigoration, pendant of luck, amulet of antimagic to raise mr as well as various unique items).

[vfb]

Evilhomer said:
I would say that level 0 has no items worth forging once you reach the endgame.



Maybe a Slave Collar squad could be useful against a big mage artillery army? Get 15 or so of your most afflicted commanders/scouts together and ...

Crack suicide squad. Suicide squad! Attack!

[Serenity]

Gah slave collar feeding is just not cool http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

[ano]

Slave collar cannot be found. I've tested it. And probably it is right because if not so, 4 or 5 scouts equipped with 2 collars each would be a way too powerful weapon against a mage province. A weapon that cannot be resisted.

[Folket]

You would just need to put void eyes and spell foci on your mages and they will be safe.

[ano]

What do you mean?

[Agrajag]

Fill up their misc. slots so they have no room to pick up cursed items.

[ano]

It is not easy for 20+ mages gathered in one province. Sages for example.
Anyway, this doesn't work.

[Wyatt Hebert]

Ano: This is a change, then, as I remember this has happened before.

On the other hand, it is possible that enemies will not pick it up, but I have seen friendlies pick them up.

Wyatt

[Folket]

Why would you fight with your sages? That does not make sense.

[Endoperez]

Scouts would attack research provinces, e.g. sages. Then the scouts would die, and the Slave Collars would be found, and several sages would now be feebleminded.

[Folket]

I always ferry my sages to my castles so that they are not sitting ducks.

[Balakirev]

Evilhomer said:
I would say that level 0 has no items worth forging once you reach the endgame. Level 2 construction however has several items worth forging even in the late game (pendant of luck, forge hammer, clam of pearls to mention a few).



I've forged the clam of pearls. But if I give it to a caster in my first province, does that caster acquire the extra astral gem/month, or does it go into a sort of province gem bank? And if I don't give it to anybody to wear, but put it in my forged item reserves, do I still get the astral gem/month?

[Endoperez]

Balakirev said:

I've forged the clam of pearls. But if I give it to a caster in my first province, does that caster acquire the extra astral gem/month, or does it go into a sort of province gem bank? And if I don't give it to anybody to wear, but put it in my forged item reserves, do I still get the astral gem/month?



Someone has to have the item, and the wearer will get the pearl to his personal gem box. This can be used to supply Astral mages with neverending supply of gems for spells such as Antimagic or Light of the Northern Star; some players also try to forge the clams as cheaply as possible (with at least Dwarven Hammers for 25% reduction in cost), hoping to stay in game for long enough for the clams to pay off eventually.