Casting Earthquake with an Ancestor Smith

[Immaculate]

Hi,

Several times my ancestor smith has ignored his script and i want to know what i got wrong.

He is ordered to cast: bless, summon earthpower, earthquake. He has 6 earth gems.

But instead casts bless, summon earthpower, bladewind.


I feel there is something i am missing regarding gems or something but i don't quite get it... can someone explain?

[Corinthian]

Does he have earth 4? You need earth 4 to cast earth quake. And NO! You cant use a gem to boost his level. Not with this spell. It require 3 earth gems so an E3 caster cant spend an extra gem to boost himself.

[Immaculate]

I don't understand that mechanic. Can you explain?

[Starbelly Geek]

I don't understand that mechanic. Can you explain?
Earthquake requires E4 to cast.
Earthquake also requires the use of 3 earth gems to cast.
A spellcaster can only use a number of gems equal to their level in that path, so an E3 caster can only use 3 gems total.
It is possible to use one gem to boost your effective level in a path for one casting, so an E3 caster could use one gem to boost to an E4 for one spell.
However, an E3 caster can't both use 3 gems to cast Earthquake AND use one gem to boost effective level in the same turn, because that would require the use of 4 total gems in one casting, and an E3 caster can only use 3 gems total in a single casting.

Have an E3 caster cast Summon Earthpower first, then blow 4 gems on Earthquake (one to boost effective level to 5, and 3 to cast the spell, net 150 fatigue unless I'm calculating wrong).

Of course, if the opponent isn't strong enough, the AI might decide not to cast Earthquake anyway, but at least it's able to cast the thing.

[tratorix]

The amount of gems a caster can use to cast a spell is equal to his level in the required path. SO, since earthquake requires 3 gems to cast and a mage with 3 levels in earth magic can only use 3 gems per spell, he wouldn't be able to cast earthquake. Give him a pair of Earth boots, that will boost him to 4 so he can cast the spell properly.

Edit: Curse you, Starbelly Geek! *shakes fist*

[JonBrave]

For those of us trying to follow this thread, I wish someone would say what level an "Ancestor Smith" is ....

Because if he's E3 (like y'all seem to be saying) to start with, then surely after casting the "Summon Earthpower" (like the OP said) he's then a 4 and can use the level 4 to cast Earthquake with either 3 or 4 gems?

Or is an Ancestor Smith guy E2 to start with...?

:confused:

[tratorix]

Ancestor Smiths are E2. E3 after summon earthpower.

[JonBrave]

Ahhh, thank you, now the whole thread makes sense! :)

Might help if the OP stated that at the outset! (No criticism intended, just saying)

[thejeff]

Put some boots on a E2 Smith and he can cast Summon EarthPower and EarthQuake on round 2 with an extra gem. Of course, you really want EarthQuake to go off on round 1 before defenses go up.

Use a smith with a Crystal Matrix and some communion slaves and you can drop it Round 1. Make sure he casts after the slaves or give them slave matrixes.