New Player questions

[RegnorVex]

Geez, the depth of this game. Like a good game of chess, there are basic operating principles governing the openings but then you're quickly into unpredictable tactics that put a higher value on situational awareness and knowledge of general principles. But like chess, I can see that there's also a lot of community knowledge about how to respond to well known lines.

I've been playing vanilla. Do people still play that or is CBM pretty standard? After reading the 300 page manual, I'm concerned that everything I know is wrong (to paraphrase Firesign Theatre).

[capnq]

Originally Posted by RegnorVex

After reading the 300 page manual, I'm concerned that everything I know is wrong (to paraphrase Firesign Theatre).

There are things in the manual that are wrong, often because they were changed in patches. There are entire nations not mentioned in the manual that were added in patches, as well. These forums are the most comprehensive Dom3 resource that I know of; you can dredge up a lot of info with the Search function, when you have a specific question.

[RegnorVex]

Yes, I've noticed that. I've been pouring through the forums a lot lately and have learned much from that experience. A lot of the replies in this thread have been very helpful (looks at Dragar). At the end of the day, however, nothing has been more instructive than actually playing.

[Dragar]

CBM is pretty standard now. Don't worry, all the principles and mechanics are the same, its just some details that differ - I'd make the switch sooner rather than later though

You are right in your assessment, and that there are standard responses to different threats - off the top of my head, counters to typical threats:

Large armies:
• Bigger (or better) armies!
• Thugs/SCs with high defence and/or protection, regen, area effect weapons or shields
• Large area of effect or battlefield wide spells
• Numerous raiding forces to take more than you lose from the 1 or 2 big armies against you

Undead:
• Low level spells such as solar rays, dust to dust, banishment
• Higher level wither bones, solar brilliance, undead mastery, fire storm
• Global spell purgatory if they are invading you
• Anti-undead thugs

Raiders:
• Mind hunt (if they have no astral)
• Teleporting thugs
• Counter-raid
• Castles

Thugs/SCs:
• Single target high precision elemental damage if not immune – frozen heart, disintegrate
• Penetration boosted astral magics of MR not very high – paralyse, soul slay
• Death magics – life drain, disintegrate
• Blood magics – leech, life for a life, the two level 9 prison spells
• Counterthug – specifically designed to kill his target, typically something that will attack first turn while the SC buffs himself. Something flying with a high attack score and armour piercing or negating weapon is often a good bet. Boots of speed or jade armour with a dusk dagger or gate cleaver will finish someone off quick smart if defence isn’t too high. If you know he casts 5 buffs at the beginning of combat you have time to dish the damage and don’t have to self-protect too much.
• Horror spam

Elephants (and other tramplers):
• Large creatures/giants if you can field them
• Fear spells
• Immobilisers like prison of fire
• Animal awe
• Commander assassination

Deadly archers (wind guide/flaming arrows_:
• Arrow fend
• Storm

[chrispedersen]

Originally Posted by Dragar

Large armies:
• Bigger (or better) armies!
• Thugs/SCs with high defence and/or protection, regen, area effect weapons or shields
• Large area of effect or battlefield wide spells
• Numerous raiding forces to take more than you lose from the 1 or 2 big armies against you

Large armies:
• How are the armies fixed for leadership. If the army has relatively few leaders, assaassinate the leaders via
assassins, mindhunts, remote spells (earth attack, situationally whirlwhind), seeking arrow.
• Kill the army via remote spells. Usually gem intensive -things like wolven winter, flames from afar.
• Communions. Master Enslave. My army now.
• Skelly spam

Deadly archers (wind guide/flaming arrows_:
• Arrow fend
• Storm

• Archer decoys

Blessed units.
• Capitol only: Shut down the capital.
• Kill the blessing priests: Earthquake, rain of stones
(Also a pretty good answer to communions).



Actually Dragar - this would make a GREAT topic for a sticky.

[Edi]

The strategy index is probably the most concentrated source of useful links, though even there some info (such as how the site searching spells work) is outdated due to the most recent patch.

[Frozen Lama]

Originally Posted by Edi

though even there some info (such as how the site searching spells work) is outdated due to the most recent patch.

shouldn't that link just be removed so as to not confuse players?

[capnq]

Originally Posted by Frozen Lama

shouldn't that link just be removed so as to not confuse players?

Ideally, the info should be updated, but until then, IMO it's better to have partially correct info available, than to not have any indication that some answer to a question exists.

[Dragar]

true, will combine posts and start a thread, useful reference we can build

[happygeek]

This is a great thread, thank you. Can I ask questions here too or is that hijacking? In the hopes it is not....

- What does "CBM" mean?
- How many mods can I have going at once? Can I get that better independents mod going with some other ones too?
- Where do you see all these links? I don't see anyone's links in anyone's signature -- in fact, I don't see any "signatures" -- did I break something?
Thank you