Re: LEGENDS - Spells

From: baidins@dori.cis.udel.edu (Juris Baidins)

Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1993 18:10:18 +0000

In article <Yfi6uTe00WBNM2rJ8d@andrew.cmu.edu> Theodore Wadsworth <tw1t+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:
>I have noticed that there are very few 1st and 2nd level battle and duel
>spells.  Are there any 2nd level worth learning or should I try to
>research 3rd level spells. i.e. => What are the best battle and duel
>spell (by level)?

It seems to me all the duel and battle spells are 2nd or 3rd level.
(There are many exceptions).

The best spells seem to me to be highly dependent on circumstances.

The level dependent damage causing spells (any duel spell causing
 5*level in damage
or any battle spell 20*level) are useful only against creatures
without much in the way of magic resistance and combat factors,
low level soldiers, the weakest monsters (lammassu, the youngest dragons)
Any serious MR (say 5 or above) or large numbers of opponents
(for battle spells)
renders these somewhat useless.  25 level wizard casting fire ball
on Arcane Lord Medusa will do 8 points of damage to it.
AL Medusas have MR 15 and 260 combat factors.

Two good duel spells are Empathic Cure and Dispel Undead?(#79).
Empathic Cure is first level and unaffected by Magic Resistance, but
you have to be seriously wounded to use this effectively.  Attack
a creature that will cause you serious wounds, then attack another one.
The spell will transfer your wounds to it.  Warning in the spell is
that characters wounded over 50% retreat before casting the spell.
So you want to be wounded between 40-50%.

Dispel Undead causes 30% damage to an undead character, is 4th level,
unaffected by magic resistance and is cumulative (eg three characters
casting it on one victim will 90% damage).  My main character and his
combat sidekick disposed of a licht giant insect doing this.  Cast it
twice, creature wounded 60%, retreats after special attack, no melee.

Other battle spells give bonuses to your troops and minuses to your
enemies (some spells are specifically for undead).

Other duel spells add to your defense factor, magic resistance,
special attack, add to your attack bonus, substract from you opponent.
One adds 10 to your defence factor if you are fighting undead.

I have found a very useful one is the warlock level 2 duel spell adding 3
to Magic Resistance, and 3 to Special attack resistance.  It is
very helpful against large special attacks.
Ancient arcana spells exist that increase your damage/invulnerability.

Juris Baidins
baidins@cis.udel.edu

References

LEGENDS - Spells
Theodore Wadsworth <tw1t+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Tue, 30 Mar 1993 16:00:31 +0000