Black Mage (Human-Spellcaster) by Sodamoeba :yes3:

[Sodamoeba]

Black-Mage (name subject to change)

I figure a simple design like a pyromancer-shaped body with billowing black robes

HP:32
Armor:0
Power:20
Move Range:3
Attack Range/Pattern: Attacks 3 squares 2 spaces away (LOS applies)

Blue fire shoots from his hands and engulfs these 3 squares or any unit that gets in the way of LOS.
-xxx-
-----
--d--

and of course he can use that attack to the sides or behind him. The LOS can be used to hit multiple units, even if they arent all neatly lined up like his attack suggests they have to be.

Recovery:2
Blocking:0

Special:Summon Force Shield (requires 3 turn recovery)

A 3X1 row of solid magic shields is summoned on 3 adjacent empty squares. If a unit is blocking the shield from being summoned, no shield is summoned. The shields are placed in a manner much the same as the BMs attack, except they can be placed ANYWHERE withing a 3 space range. I figure the shields can run left to right OR up or down, but I dont know how that will be integrated into the game's interface.

Cross Punisher's Imperial Queen Bee was so awesome, and I loved the use of Hit Counters, that, if he doesnt mind, I would like to use them in this unit. Permission pending, each shield has 2 hit counters. After much thinking and trying different situations, I think that is the best number.


Abuse Potential: Here are two situations where some people might think the Black Mage can be abused...Well I will disprove that.

S=Force Shield
C=Cleric
B=Barrier Ward
M=Black Mage
K=Opponents Knight
O=Open Space

OOOKO
OOSSS
OOMBC

In this position, the knight cannot get to the cleric because the druid summoned 3 shields, and then was barriered in...this may seem like an impervious situation, except for the fact that the shields have hit counters. If the knight attacks the far left shield until it is destroyed, if the Dark Mage doesnt resummon for fear of being attacked, then the Knight can move to where the shield was...he can then attack the center shield until IT is destroyed, and attack the barrier ward. Then it all goes downhill from there for the defensive position, although a lone knight might find it hard even then to take on a cleric, BW, AND a black mage...but I was assuming that the Black Mage was low on health, and so was protecting himself AND the cleric. Abuse potential=1/5 because no matter what the knight will take 15 damage, maybe even 30 if the BM has a lot of HP left.

Now, I thought some people might also point out that if it is a weakened BM versus just a knight or an assassin, the BM could keep summoning shields 3 spaces away, keeping the melee unit from ever reaching him (scouts can use LOS to avoid shields), but please note that in 3 turns, the knight will be able to go AROUND the shields and attack the BM...abuse potential: 0/5

Ill make diagrams of other abuse potential situations if people bring them up...please tell me what you think of my unit!
:D

PS

*phew* and :yes3: = what came out in my title as : yes3:

[ironhorse123]

1 thing. With a 3 turn recovery on the shields. The knight can get 1 and 1/2 of the shields done by the time the mage can make 3 more. I think it can be absued in that was or else make the HP 40 so 2 attacks can kill it.

[Sodamoeba]

huh? 2 knight attacks WILL take out the shields...they each have 2 hit counters, so 2 attacks from ANY unit will take out a shield. Does that fix the problem?

[Kishin]

So basically, He's a magic furgon. I really like the attack pattern of how he attacks, it's unique. But the special ability to summons shields, Perhaps that should be a differant unit all together. No offense, but I've never known a black mage to use support magic in any game. Don't get me wrong, It's a good idea for a character, but I think it's abilites resembles to much of a furgon.

I like the character Idea in itself but I don't like it's special ability.

[Cardplayer89]

I think it'd be awesome if you could select 3 squares, instead of having to put them in a row. That would make it more unique than the Furgon's shrubs (although these are twice as durable, there's only 3 of them, so it balances nicely). My only question is you say the fire is LOS. A unit standing directly in front of the mage would get hit 3 times, at 20 damage each, which is too much damage. Other than that, I'd drop his HP some, as no other mage gets this much HP, and the only one who rivals power (raw) is the DMW, or a DSM (but that ruin's the Tyrant's strength, so it's balanced out). I would suggest no more than 35, and in all honesty, with the shields, I would say 28 would be more appropriate. Also take into consideration his wait time is 2, instead of the standard 3.

Overall, great idea, just needs a few tweaks.

[Sodamoeba]

okie dokie. I made a change in green to the attack...now he attacks only 2 spaces away, which I think justifies the 2 turn recovery.

Also, the only similarity between he and furgon is that they both summon an immovable object

BM--------------Furgon
shield------------bush
2 hit counters---1 hit counter
attacks 1X3-----attacks cross-pattern
BM can attack---furgon cannot attack


they are really very different, and their special attacks should be used for different purposes...Furgon mainly floods an area with weak bushes, while BM focuses to put up a strong barrier in a select space.


Cardplayer:

I thought for a long time about being able to choose where you put the three shields, but I decided that would make it extremely easy to plug up holes no matter where they were, and you would be able to encirle and slaughter all melee units. That would make a rush SO much less effective, that I dont think it would be fair...maybe someone else could also give some input on whether or not you should control where the shields go?


ALSO:
I think you are right. A spell caster should be able to be 2 hit by a knight, so I am lowering his HP to 32. :)

[Cardplayer89]

Well, since the range has been shortened drastically (yes, that is drastic)... hm... recovery is shorter though, so that helps balance it... I like it :)

[Sodamoeba]

since he now only has a range of 2, would 35 HP be more appropriate? That way only DMWs and above could 2 hit him...I mean to do more than 20 damage, he would have to be in a position where he would inevitable be 2 hit before he recovered, so I was thinking 35 HP would be better...

CARDPLAYER! read below!

If he chose where to put 3 shields, he could back up against the wall and surround himself, move to a different spot on the wall when a shield was destroyed, and never be hit in 1 on 1 against a melee unit

[JesusCraig]

Not true, if he surronded himself and the knight advanced with some other unit, they could kill the wall and the knight would press in against the BM, then hes stuck because of his wall...

[Sodamoeba]

True, but since its a focus spell, wouldnt the walls disappear when the BM moved? Or, since his movement was blocked, would he not be able to break the focus? ;) I guess the second way is more reasonable. So do you think you should be able to choose where you place the 3 shields?

[Cardplayer89]

Recovery of 2... takes 3 turns to break the wall, 4 to recover, and a 5th turn to attack... but... no, leave it the way it is, imagine how many setups you could have as endgame with a LW and this... 3 space wall is good.

[Sodamoeba]

Okay Ill leave it as it is...and, cardplayer, you mistook one thing...It takes 3 turns to break the wall and the BM has a recovery of THREE when he uses his special ability, even if he doesnt move...so the knight can move up and press him before he can recast the wall :) I spent two hours making sure this unit had zilch abuse potential dont try to tel me it does :nono: :D

[Kishin]

OOOOOOoookay It's a focused ablity *smacks forehead* Alright that cleared something up *thumps up* Sounds good to me.

[Sodamoeba]

*smacks forehead* = :fool:

*thumbs up* = :good:

But thank you :D As we all know legacy and the voting crew have the deciding word on these things, but its good to get some positive words and some good questions

[Cardplayer89]

Okay Ill leave it as it is...and, cardplayer, you mistook one thing...It takes 3 turns to break the wall and the BM has a recovery of THREE when he uses his special ability, even if he doesnt move...so the knight can move up and press him before he can recast the wall :) I spent two hours making sure this unit had zilch abuse potential dont try to tel me it does :nono: :D
3 turns to break, but then you have to recover (4 turns) and the 5th turn is your first opportunity to attack.

[Sodamoeba]

Right, which is why you can go around the wall and attack the BM in 3 turns :)

[Cardplayer89]

Exactly :)
Unless they have a Ward stopping you from doing that... but even then, you can break through (take heavy damage doing it tho... potentially)

[legacy67]

Well, this is basically the bastard love child of the DMW, Pyro and Furgon all rollled up into one weird night of passion.

You have basicaly stolen the roles played by 2-3 characters in the game and amalgamated them into one unit.

The attack has only one use, if a weakened character comes charging in, you may be able to kill it if its HP is low enough. But I doubt it. In all honestly, a magic attack that only has a range of 2, when done by a unit with low hp, no armor, and no chance of blocking, is sort of like shooting a bear with a .22 rifle, you really aren't going to do anything but piss it off.

Any melee unit that get's into a tangle with this guys will win, hands down. The range of the attack coupled with the weakness of the character completely undermines any offensive capabilities that this unit may have.

As a defensive unit, this is fairly mediocre. As Soda was so kind to show us, the shields are fairly inneffective as anything more than a mior nusiance. The ability to inindate the board with bushes makes the furgun much better at this.

All in all, there is not a lot of ingenuity here, just a combining of features already in the game.

Keep on trucking Soda, you'll get one soon enough ;)

[Cardplayer89]

lol, how the hell is it you've made like what, 6 units, one is Gold, and you are able to spot every flaw? Not mad, just jealous as hell :p Wish I had that kind of talent in unit creation :D

[legacy67]

First of all, I have only made 4 units. ;)

Second, I take time to really think about how I would use a unit, and how it would be used against me. This is the core of CAU.

My 3 first units were decent, each had mild flaws that made them not gold worthy; the Tribal MArksman was too much like the Scout, the Mountain Trapper used bugged squares, my Ogre berserker...

well I still think it got a bum rap. If I had been around for a little while longer it may have gotten a better reception, and I could have explained it better. By the time I made my edits the interest was long gone. But that, of course, is in the past.

If you look at my profile, I started posting in May, but have only posted 4 units. What does that say to you? I only post the idea that I think are top notch, of the many ideas that I have, only a very small select few make it to the message boards. That is after I type them up on my own computer, reread the idea a few times, edit, and then maybe consult a friend about a concern or two. You joined 3 weeks ago and have posted 7 unit ideas. I am sure that if you thought about it, they probably weren't the best work you are capable of, I sure think you are capable of better.

In terms of evalutating a unit, I think there is a very logical process that I go through every time, but maybe I'm just damn talented. :bigsmile:

Ask the other CAU judges, I'm not the only one who is good at seeing the little things in a unit design, I am probably just the most vocal.

[Sodamoeba]

Well I would LOVE to have a range of 3 or four on this guy...would it be better to increase range and take out the LOS factor?

EDIT:

Or...just scrap it...my trash can is getting full :rolleyes:

[legacy67]

Read my above analysis, I don't think this guy adds much more than a way to get 2 for 1, and he kinda does a poor job at both. Removing LOS and increasing the range would just make him somewhere between a Pyro and DSM without 2 squares of effect, and it would do nothing to solve his defensive lapses.

[JesusCraig]

On a slightly off topic note, I only have one unit.

Buh I'm a far more vocal judge then you legacy, you wait till I get the ball rolling on some unit. (see example morph ceta by xerent)

[Cross Punisher]

Yes you should all enjoy legacy while he's like this. Most of us were like that for a period, but we slowly slacked off due to inconsistancy. I've talked to a few people about and plan to talk to a few more about this, and what caused them to stop posting though I'm pretty sure what it is. :(

EDIT: Forgot to add

Permission Granted Soda. :)

[Sodamoeba]

lol ill be posting less now because my mom says im allowed on for:

1 hour
after homework and chores
after she gets home (6 PM)
and basically after dinner (7 PM)

...wtf :(

[Cross Punisher]

I'm not suppose to be on these forums at all which is why i'm most active late at night.

[Kyir]

why?

[Cross Punisher]

Because I'm suppose to be working on more "important" stuff.

[legacy67]

I love being out of high school. :bigsmile:

[Toledo 13]

This unit sounds like alot of fun. One of the better units I've seen. Is original from what I've seen. Cool thinking soda! :p

[cheeseypet]

O K i see it's uses