Warlock

[johannhowitzer]

WARLOCK

HP: 35
Power: 14 Unblockable
Armor: 0%
Blocking: 33%
Recovery: 3
Movement: 3
Range: 5

The Warlock is a necromancer, a powerful master of the dead arts, who can attack the very life force of his opponents. His victims may not immediately feel the effects, but their doom comes soon after.

Lifedrain
The Warlock places a deadly curse within the veins of the target, dealing 12 unblockable damage 2 turns later. This damage may be prevented by a barrier if the barrier exists when the unit is attacked, but if the attack lands, no barriers set up afterward may prevent the damage. It does not remove any barrier. This damage ignores any enemy armor, always hitting for the full 14.

Vampiric Aura
The Warlock may draw upon the life force of the beings around him, draining 4 health from each of the adjacent spaces 1 turn later and healing himself for up to 16.

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This unit is meant to stack damage. Timing is crucial... while the unit can reach just as far as a Pyromancer or Witch, the damage is significantly lower. It is best to set up the damage to hit during the enemy cleric's cooldown, as it's designed to get extra damage in within fewer turns.

The Aura can be used to anticipate lethal damage, and may also be used on friendly units. It's mainly a tempo-gaining move, as he'll still need to wait as normal. Since the Warlock deals no immediate damage and is only slightly more resilient than a Pyromancer, he is very vulnerable when isolated.

[johannhowitzer]

Bump.

[Boreal]

It's an interesting idea, albeit, but it's lack of power makes it almost worthless. In case you didn't notice, a cleric heals 12 damage too. If I may, I would classify this unit as worth less than a pyro. However, It could be improved, as it certainly is an interesting effect. First, it needs more power. 18-20 would actually worth the unit space. It's health drain ability currently seems an underpowered move, because currently, the Warlock is not worth saving. Instead, the ability could replaced with a sacrificial ability like the Assassin. Perhaps, when it's health is below 5, he could sacrifice himself to deal his power to all units within 2 squares after a turn, keeping in line with his way to get around barriers. Overall, bad. But a nice first draft with the possibility to be used very strategically.

[johannhowitzer]

THAT is the kind of input I look for! Thank you! (Would you mind taking a look at my "Lifecrystal," linked in my sig?)

I understand that it still takes a turn to attack with this piece, so stacking damage warlock-knight-knight does 56 absolute damage over 3 turns, same as if the warlock did damage instantly instead of lagged.

Here's the thing - the idea is to tag something with this, then provoke a heal. The second the heal goes off, the unit the warlock hit is down 12 health from max! That's enough to kill a witch or pyro for sure with one hit from a scout. It gives the enemy a latent threat - if he heals after the lock strikes, he's got to make sure the afflicted unit can't be brought within 12 HP of death in the next few turns! Passive threats can be quite powerful, this can discourage healing, cause retreats, etc.

If you want me to increase the power some, I will, but I didn't want it to be overpowered. I was also thinking of upgrading the range to 5, so it could reach beyond a pyro. And I could maybe make the attack (and maybe Vamp Aura too) ignore armor, like the Wisp - that would make it much more potent against knights, more damaging than a pyro in fact.

If the warlock became worth saving (it IS a unit in your force, after all), that drain-heal special move is actually quite potent. Thinking of making it instant so it's more useful; instant heals are critical when in danger, and it would allow the 'lock to finish off units with <5 HP instantly, which would be nice in some situations.

Added:

Trying out 14 power while ignoring armor mitigation.

Victim, followed by units that can kill it with Warlock damage pending, in one, two, or three or more hits. Underlined means that if the Warlock has 12 power, that unit would survive an extra shot against that attacker... for example, while a Dragon could kill a Scout in one shot with a Warlock at 14, it would need two shots with the Warlock at 12.

Cleric/DMW/BW - LW DT DSM DMW Knight Berserker Muddy GA Beastrider Scout Assassin Pyro
Pyro/DSM - LW DT DSM DMW Knight Berserker Muddy GA Beastrider Scout Assassin Pyro
Wisp - LW DT DSM DMW Knight Berserker Muddy GA Beastrider Scout Assassin Pyro
Chanty - LW DT DSM DMW Knight Berserker Muddy GA Beastrider Scout Assassin Pyro
Assassin - LW DT DSM DMW Knight Berserker Muddy GA Beastrider Scout Assassin Pyro
Scout/Berserker/Beastrider - LW DT DSM DMW Knight Berserker Muddy GA Beastrider Scout Assassin Pyro
Furgon - LW DT DSM DMW Knight Berserker Muddy GA Beastrider Scout Assassin Pyro
Golems - LW DT DSM DMW Knight Berserker Muddy GA Beastrider Scout Assassin Pyro
Knight - LW DT DSM DMW Knight Berserker Muddy GA Beastrider Scout Assassin Pyro
LW - LW DT DSM DMW Knight Berserker Muddy GA Beastrider Scout Assassin Pyro
DT - LW DT DSM DMW Knight Berserker Muddy GA Beastrider Scout Assassin Pyro

Attacks which bring the Assassin to Desperation HP are in white:

Warlock at 14 - LW DT DSM DMW Knight Berserker Muddy GA Beastrider Scout Assassin Pyro
Warlock at 12 - LW DT DSM DMW Knight Berserker Muddy GA Beastrider Scout Assassin Pyro

I hope this gives a better gauge of this unit's power balance. In light of this information, what's your opinion?

[Boreal]

I think I understand now, the idea is to blast some pesky mage, THEN get him to heal by sniping his scout or cleric, but then the mage who was drained will get no benefit from the heal, as the damage comes into effect AFTER the HP is added to the units. IF this is correct, then it has more use than I originally thought. It still needs more power, though, unless it could hit for 14 regardless of armor, like wisp poison. I like the chart you made, but you made it with best-case scenario in mind, such as these units are within range, and you would always hit, but it is helpful nonetheless. Good work. =)

[johannhowitzer]

Information like this is always best-case scenario. You probably would have a hard time reaching a cleric with this guy, but most of the info is valid. Threat of death is just about as good as guaranteed death in this game, since it means the enemy's got to take measures to protect or risk a unit lost. It's up to the player to determine how useful this unit will be against a given enemy in given situations.

Ignoring armor seems to be best - otherwise it's terribly underpowered against Knights and the like. Given the kill combos on my chart for the units with higher armor, I don't think making this ignore armor is going to hurt them too much! :)

Thanks a bunch for the input and compliments. Changing the power to 14 and ignoring armor. It makes sense, after all - attacking a unit's life essence wouldn't be mitigated by metal the way swords and even fire would! :p

How do you feel about increasing attack range to 5? It's survivable enough already that it doesn't need more movement, but would the extra range be overpowered?

[Boreal]

A range of 5 would make the Warlock more valuable. He can then zap a witch, who cannot attack him back without moving 1 square up, but then she would be killed next turn. Same goes for pyros. He is also out of knight range, which means he could be barriered. He is already fragile enough as it is, and I don't think he would be used much if he can be hit easily. Increase the range, and you have a well-balanced unit who would actually be useful.

[johannhowitzer]

Done. Thanks for the input; my initial post was, I think, a bit over-cautious - I saw this as a powerful strategy and didn't want this guy to be overpowered. When you said to give him 18-20 power, I went, "whaaaaaaa?" ;)