What are the strongest summons?

[Joonie73]

What disadvantages come with "dead and decaying"? I have stayed away from Tartarian things for that reason.

Originally posted by HJ:
Maybe not the strongest (haven't really compared the stats), but tarrasque is really something. Its sprite is also great.
And considering the low cost (high magic requirements though), tartarian titans are also awesome. Through that spell, you in fact get other pretenders, only that they are dead and decaying...

Wyverns are fantastic and I personally like Vine Ogres. 1 Nature Gem for 2-3 Ogres per cast (or more depending on your equipment) that are enough of a threat that they have to be targeted because of their high HP and decent damage; but not expensive gem wise.

I have never had a Tartarian Giant die on me yet because he was decaying; they just need some blush. They don't radiate disease AFAIK.

[HJ]

Originally posted by Joonie73:
What disadvantages come with "dead and decaying"? I have stayed away from Tartarian things for that reason.

It was just a figure of speech. They are undead Versions of some pretenders, but otherwise have no downsides, aside from the fact they usually come with afflictions. They usually appear as normal units, not commanders, and that's what the "years of imprisonment have damaged the mind of dead god" in their description means.

[LordArioch]

I think that damaged mind clause might refer to their tendency to be about 50% feebleminded. Of course if you can gift of reason them you can probably gift of health or get a fairy queen to help you out. Or you could just use them as really elite troops.

[HJ]

Originally posted by LordArioch:
I think that damaged mind clause might refer to their tendency to be about 50% feebleminded. Of course if you can gift of reason them you can probably gift of health or get a fairy queen to help you out. Or you could just use them as really elite troops.

That's true, but I had them coming with various other afflictions, and even a few who came as commanders without me having to cast gift of reason on them.

[Arralen]

Originally posted by Keir Maxwell:
I would be really interested to hear what low level summons people have had good results with. So what magic level 4 and below ritual summonings have people done well with?

Using "Summon Animals" with Turmoil-3/Luck-3 and dominion of 7+ in my home province I got "lions/giant spiders/bears only" several times - that's 13 units with hp20+ for only 20 nature gems.

Vine Ogres are much cheaper, but don't have any attack or defense to speak of.

A.

[ December 14, 2003, 09:16: Message edited by: Arralen ]

Vine Ogre

HP 53 (Size 3)
Str 18
Prot 5
Att 12 (11, 11)
Mor 50
Def 3
MR 5
Pre 0
Enc 0
Move 2/12

Fist/Fist.

For 1 Nature Gem that is very nice. A decent attack skill isn't needed; as the fact he has 18 strength with 2 attacks (fist/fist) so he'll miss semi-often but when he does it will punch through armor/protection. Most Size 3 creatures, get swarmed by smaller units, so they are going to have a lower defense regardless, and I consider the 3 just a 'wth', sort of thrown in there, but it doesn't do anything and might as well be 0 for all the usefulness it provides. Their true weakness is against magic, I doubt a Vine Ogre could resist anything thrown at them, and I mean ANYTHING in all seriousness. That's just another 'wth' statistic.

Vine Ogres are great for smashing a flank or cavalry or Size 3 Things that try to trample, or just a wall of time. 53 HP takes some beat'n to get through so noone can use land units to rush through a core or flank to beat to archers or whatever you are protecting.

The primary issue with Vine Ogres is their "It requires a good mage, to cast who'd rather be out bust'n heads" and to be really cost effective it requires a mage with a few gems invested in him with some items to make it work.

I don't think I've ever summoned any vine creature (Ogre or man) with a Pretender (even the Druid), simply because they are so expendable.

Maybe if they add a synergetic "Bloom" or "Blossom" spell to some school that gives them perma-sleeptouch or a Sleep Cloud Aura (or allergies ) or "Burgeoning" that acts like the Pangaea Carrion Woods Unholy spells, that give Regeneration, MR, Protection, whatever I would consider it more of an investment and less of fodder.

OR a higher end Vine Creature like a Vine Thicket or Thicket Ogre or something. Maybe others use the druid's special ability and I am just not one of them; but he in my book, is only useful for stealth.

[ December 14, 2003, 12:03: Message edited by: Zen ]