Amrath Luap
12-01-2003, 01:27 PM
Allow me to begin with a bit of background - experts, skip away.
--------------------------------
We know that the little number after "HP" is NOT an accurate indicator of that particular piece's "lifespan", IF it has armor.
This is because armor reduces the damage inflicted on that unit. For example, a 20-dam hit only inflicts 10 ACTUAL damage if
the target has 50% armor. The upshot of this is that the unit has a PRACTICAL HP of TWICE its "theoretical" HP. We might also
remark in passing that Clerics would be twice as effective on a unit with 50% armor, because armor does not reduce healing.
Therefore a heal of 10 is exactly as efficient as a blow of 20, on such a unit.
We might find something called the REAL HP [as opposed to theoretical hp, the number displayed], which can be expressed by
the following equation:
REAL HP = [theoreticalHP] / [1-Armor]
For example, a Knight with 50% armor has a real hp of [50]/[1-.50] = 100. This means that 100 damage points must be
inflicted on it to kill it, despite the fact that it supposedly has "only" 50 hp.
Two things can be shown from this equation's graph.
1. The graph is exponential with respect to Armor [that is, with fixed theoretical HP].
The practical meaning of this is: all else being equal, the gap in REAL hp between a 50-armor and a 40-armor is LARGER than
the gap between a 40 and 30.
2. The graph is linear with respect to theoretical HP [with fixed armor].
The practical meaning of this is: all else being equal, armor confers a GREATER benefit on a unit of higher theoretical HP.
Finally, let me again remind you that since the Cleric's heal is merely a form of [reverse, unreduced] damage, it will ALSO
naturally have a greater effect on a high-armored unit. On a 50% armored unit, for example, the Cleric's unreduced heal
of 12 theoretical points translates into 24 points of REAL HP.
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Ok, lotsa math there Luap, but what's the point?
The point is that Speed has granted us a terrific unit for the purpose of increasing CERTAIN units' REAL HP through the use of
magic armor. Namely, the Stone Golem.
So after working through the above math, your first impulse would naturally be: Stone whichever 4 units on your team have the
highest REAL HP - that is the best combination of high armor and high theoretical HP.
Well, you don't have to take out your calculator to determine that the 3 Knights should be the first to go on a Magical Mystery
Tour.
Yet lots of people prefer to stone WEAKER units on whom the 30% armor bonus confers a markedly SMALLER advantage:
for example, the Assassin, the Witch, the Pyromancer, the Enchantress, even the Cleric! etc.
The Knight currently has 67 real HP. With the addition of that 30% armor he goes up to 112. A boost of FORTY FIVE points,
easily making him the behemoth of the field.
A boost on the Dragon [a convenient 4th Stoner!] takes him from 81 to 126 hp, also with a bonus of FORTY FIVE points.
The Assassin has 40 real HP, the armor bonus would bump her up to 67 - a bonus of only TWENTY SEVEN points.
The Cleric has 24 real HP, and armor would only give him 35, a bonus of ELEVEN points.
Note that armoring some units is TOTALLY useless. For example, an unarmored witch has a real hp of 28; with armor she
goes up to 40. While this supposedly protects her from Lightning Ward attacks [30 pts], she STILL dies in two hits from
everything else. For example, two Archer shots [20 pts each], two Knight slashes [22 each], etc.
Likewise, armor on a Cleric only preserves him from Witchburn - he is otherwise still the same old two-hit-wonder he always was
to every other unit on the board.
So my question for those who don't armor Knights: Why? Do you find it gives you more flexibility? Do you prefer the advantage
of surprise? etc
And a second question: which 4 units would you pick to Stone?
--------------------------------
We know that the little number after "HP" is NOT an accurate indicator of that particular piece's "lifespan", IF it has armor.
This is because armor reduces the damage inflicted on that unit. For example, a 20-dam hit only inflicts 10 ACTUAL damage if
the target has 50% armor. The upshot of this is that the unit has a PRACTICAL HP of TWICE its "theoretical" HP. We might also
remark in passing that Clerics would be twice as effective on a unit with 50% armor, because armor does not reduce healing.
Therefore a heal of 10 is exactly as efficient as a blow of 20, on such a unit.
We might find something called the REAL HP [as opposed to theoretical hp, the number displayed], which can be expressed by
the following equation:
REAL HP = [theoreticalHP] / [1-Armor]
For example, a Knight with 50% armor has a real hp of [50]/[1-.50] = 100. This means that 100 damage points must be
inflicted on it to kill it, despite the fact that it supposedly has "only" 50 hp.
Two things can be shown from this equation's graph.
1. The graph is exponential with respect to Armor [that is, with fixed theoretical HP].
The practical meaning of this is: all else being equal, the gap in REAL hp between a 50-armor and a 40-armor is LARGER than
the gap between a 40 and 30.
2. The graph is linear with respect to theoretical HP [with fixed armor].
The practical meaning of this is: all else being equal, armor confers a GREATER benefit on a unit of higher theoretical HP.
Finally, let me again remind you that since the Cleric's heal is merely a form of [reverse, unreduced] damage, it will ALSO
naturally have a greater effect on a high-armored unit. On a 50% armored unit, for example, the Cleric's unreduced heal
of 12 theoretical points translates into 24 points of REAL HP.
----------------------------------------------
Ok, lotsa math there Luap, but what's the point?
The point is that Speed has granted us a terrific unit for the purpose of increasing CERTAIN units' REAL HP through the use of
magic armor. Namely, the Stone Golem.
So after working through the above math, your first impulse would naturally be: Stone whichever 4 units on your team have the
highest REAL HP - that is the best combination of high armor and high theoretical HP.
Well, you don't have to take out your calculator to determine that the 3 Knights should be the first to go on a Magical Mystery
Tour.
Yet lots of people prefer to stone WEAKER units on whom the 30% armor bonus confers a markedly SMALLER advantage:
for example, the Assassin, the Witch, the Pyromancer, the Enchantress, even the Cleric! etc.
The Knight currently has 67 real HP. With the addition of that 30% armor he goes up to 112. A boost of FORTY FIVE points,
easily making him the behemoth of the field.
A boost on the Dragon [a convenient 4th Stoner!] takes him from 81 to 126 hp, also with a bonus of FORTY FIVE points.
The Assassin has 40 real HP, the armor bonus would bump her up to 67 - a bonus of only TWENTY SEVEN points.
The Cleric has 24 real HP, and armor would only give him 35, a bonus of ELEVEN points.
Note that armoring some units is TOTALLY useless. For example, an unarmored witch has a real hp of 28; with armor she
goes up to 40. While this supposedly protects her from Lightning Ward attacks [30 pts], she STILL dies in two hits from
everything else. For example, two Archer shots [20 pts each], two Knight slashes [22 each], etc.
Likewise, armor on a Cleric only preserves him from Witchburn - he is otherwise still the same old two-hit-wonder he always was
to every other unit on the board.
So my question for those who don't armor Knights: Why? Do you find it gives you more flexibility? Do you prefer the advantage
of surprise? etc
And a second question: which 4 units would you pick to Stone?