Air vs Nature

Blessing Effects.

I have never found myself in a situation where I had to say to myself "Air 9 would be great on this unit". I believe that is an oversight.

With the somewhat limited use of missile weapons; the fact that most sacred units cannot be mass produced because they are capital only it means if you are going to go for a good bless effect; it needs to count.

To that end; Air got the short end of the stick. The base ability at 4+ is decent ability Air Shield 20+. It isn't the best around but it can apply to a variety of units and is semi-useful. The point I find hard to justify is Air 9 and 75% Shock.

Now, I know in Dom1 there were issues with mass Air Elementals and the superiority of air and I *do* see it's usefulness. But I what I do not see is it's cost for effect. Especially when I have an example in another bless effect that has both a resistance and an additional powerful effect. Now maybe I haven't been hit by enough massings of spring hawks with orb lightnings everywhere to justify it.

Can anyone give me examples where this ability has dramatically changed their sacred unit's survivability?

Now lets look at Nature 9. Base ability 4+ is Berserk1+ 1 point per 2 levels. At Nature 8 +3 Berserk. Berserk is an all around great ability. Even alone this is a good ability to have on sacred units and makes for a good choice. The secondary ability at Nature 9, is Regeneration and 50% Poison Resistance.

Not just one powerful effect (Regeneration) but kind of an 'extra' thrown into the mix with the Poison Resistance. This hampers one entire race's troops type of damage (Atlantis). Plus regeneration and the berserk ...

Am I wrong in my thought pattern; or do people use Air 9 consistantly and I'm just not seeing it?

[Truper]

It would be useful as a counter to the famous Storm, Wrathful Skies, Shimmering Fields extended combo.

But no, I've never found myself considering an air 9 pretender for the bless effects. Now as an Orb Lightning specialist on the other hand...

[trebuchet]

I believe spells like Wrathful Skies (I think that's the one, anyway) are worth consideration in conjunction with the bless effect.

That said, I pretty much don't find *any* bless effect worth spending up to L9, period.

[Nerfix]

Lava Warriors. Nuff said.

And some of the level 9 blessing are just fantastic. Like fire 9. Extra attack+flaming weapons.

You use Air 9 on Abysia? Why not nature 9? You get an additional 3 Berserk, regen and poison. Most arrows/xbows are only going to berserk a Lava warrior, not kill them.

[Nerfix]

Nature doesn't fit the theme, i don't need any more berserk on them, have you ever seen massed xbows and their regeneration will be rather marginal. And 75% shock resistance is a 75% resistance against the armor piercing electric attacks.

Actualy, i use Fire 9 with abysia.

[ November 26, 2003, 20:14: Message edited by: Nerfix ]

[Truper]

But at 55 gold 30 resources, how many of them are you ever going to have? Not many, and fewer than if you'd used the points spent in getting to fire 9 on scales.

That's what keeps me from being terribly impressed by the bless system - it affects only a small portion of your troops.

[Nerfix]

With Moloch, i can afford order and prod 3, growth and luck 0, heat 3 and magic 2 and take a decent castle and fire 9.

[ November 26, 2003, 20:20: Message edited by: Nerfix ]

[apoger]

My opinion:

The only blessing effects that I have found potent are nature and fire. And then only in certain circumstances.

Wrathful Skies is no longer as potent as before, as it hits fewer spots every round. Still very strong in large/long battles, but harder to use as a mage versus army weapon. I consider this a good thing.

Thats fire, why choose fire instead of air? There is a Titan with 3 Air to start so same point cost.

Exactly Alex, that is why I wonder at the use of other abilities. They are functionally useful. Earth gets Reinvigoration, which is good for both Sacred and Mages. Then +4 Prot, which if you pick the right race can help quite a bit. Death has fear. The only one in that same type of boat is Blood which has a good base ability +2 Str at Path 4, but Death Curse is ... bleh. Even if you use throw away units like Flaggelents or Battle Vestals, in order to curse everything.


Edit: "Exactly Alex ..."

[ November 26, 2003, 20:25: Message edited by: Zen ]