Lifespark and musings on defensive casting

[Kael]

Doe the lifespark work offensively? That is, can you have a lifespark and a unit in the same tile, have that unit attack, and then be healed by the lifespark when it would normally die? Also, how does this spell work with withdraw chance?

Nope its only defensive. Lifesparks as as handy when attacking as all healers, they can heal units before and after battle, but not during. This is my the first attempt to have a unit ability activate on someone elses turn.

It really doesnt interact with withdrawal. Withdraw is only checked just before the attacking unit is about to die, this is only activated when the defending unit is about to die.

 

[Chandrasekhar]

It really doesnt interact with withdrawal. Withdraw is only checked just before the attacking unit is about to die, this is only activated when the defending unit is about to die.

Good. I was worried that the lifespark checking when the unit would die and the withdraw chance checking when the unit would die might interfere somehow.

 

[Jono]

Does the Lifespark receive the actual medic promotion or a medic-imitating promotion? I'd think using it in a stack would be more efficient than sacrifcing it if so.

 

[Kael]

Does the Lifespark receive the actual medic promotion or a medic-imitating promotion? I'd think using it in a stack would be more efficient than sacrifcing it if so.

It has access to the heal spell, and the medic promotion. I mostly gave it the mdeic promotion so the AI would be better at knowing how to use it (put it with combat stacks).

 

[Jono]

Can't you make the AI think it has the medic promotion?

 

[Kael]

Can't you make the AI think it has the medic promotion?

Yes, but why make a change if I dont have to (specially with the AI, its messy). Easier to just give it the promotion, and it seems fitting that the top life summon would help those around it heal even outside of its main ability.

 

[Jono]

I just feel the Lifespark won't be sacrificed on will by most people.

 

[Sareln]

But you don't get the choice. It saccs in defensive battles only. So if all of a sudden a horde of horse archers come from out of your LOS and assualt the main stack, your lifespark is probably going to take on for the cause. (Expect only when playing humans or after Chalid has been some more awesome)

 

[Xuenay]

I just feel the Lifespark won't be sacrificed on will by most people.

If you want a medic, why not build one of the other units with that promotion?

 

[Jono]

Because you can cast a spell (no hammers required)?

 

[Unser Giftzwerg]

Because you can cast a spell (no hammers required)?

And since it takes no hammers, it's not all that big an investment to cast it again when the lifespark sacrifices itself. Si?

 

[Chandrasekhar]

Well, you do have to invest a promotion in a powerful third level caster, not to mention having life mana hooked up.

 

[QES]

I'm personally very excited by the coding aspects and potentials here. What else is planed for "intervening" combat mechanics?

Healing is cool. Is there a way to implement poison? Some sort of small but cumulative damage during every successive round of combat? Poision units would have low strength, but every hit they'd Reapply thier poision damage, meaning the longer they live the ever increasing amounts of damage they would do. Is this possible?
-Qes

 

[Sareln]

Well, you do have to invest a promotion in a powerful third level caster, not to mention having life mana hooked up.

Isn't it 3 life mana hooked up now?

 

[Jono]

I actually suggested poisons in the Suggestion Box, as my first suggestions... Unfortunately the thread died out like so many of my threads.

 

[Chandrasekhar]

Four life mana will give you it for free, but you'll need one more promotion per life mana that you don't have, to a minimum of one life mana to allow access.

 

[Sareln]

Four life mana will give you it for free, but you'll need one more promotion per life mana that you don't have, to a minimum of one life mana to allow access.

okay, cool. So the eternal flame wonder is very awesome now right? (Auto fireballs? Sign me up!)

 

[Unser Giftzwerg]

Four life mana will give you it for free, but you'll need one more promotion per life mana that you don't have, to a minimum of one life mana to allow access.

That's true, but irrelevant to the speculation. The speculation was over how the spell would be used by players who have already chosen to create tier 3 casters who know Life 3 spells. That decision may be easy or hard to make, but the discussion assumed it had already been made.

The thought was, I'd rather cast a Lifespark had stack it with my army, than build a unit with the Medic promotion. Spells don't cost hammers. But, the thought continued, if the Lifespark casts itself, I'm screwed! There goes my Medic "unit"!

To which I replied: So what? Just cast another Lifespark. It's not like they take hammers or time to create.

 

[Sareln]

It depends when the regeneration for units takes place. If it's at the beginning of the turn (which I think it is given what I've seen while playing) then losing the lifespark in between can really really hurt. Though you still want medics for their great works & temple & founding abilities.

 

[Chandrasekhar]

Making medics or getting life mana/promoting casters are both investments. That one is in hammers and the other in resource usage/time management is irrelevant. It's like saying, "Why build swordsmen when you can summon meteors?"