Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[WealthyRadish]

Having just set up a pit to dump goblins in for target practice, I found them rather lacking in terms of their lifespans. Being able to train them in dodging and armor use with spear traps would be fantastic, assuming that has an effect on arrow attacks anyway. If not, they'd still last longer against melee squads, which would be quite nice in training some new axe and speardwarves. I personally find using danger rooms to train my military directly disappointingly easy, but I can't imagine anything wrong with training enemy soldiers up with it.

Has anyone tried this out, or knows whether non-dwarves even gain experience?

[Rohain]

I know that tamed gremlins learn conversational skills and can be elected for positions in government.

Or atleast the wiki claims as such.

[Telgin]

I've seen it mentioned so many times that goblins will gain dodging experience from traps that I assume that it's true, but I haven't tried it.

Similar accounts of tiger men learning social skills would imply that most things that aren't animals can learn skills.

[WealthyRadish]

Awesome. I knew that it was related to the [CAN_LEARN]/[INTELLIGENT] token, just wasn't sure if it allowed the skills to be increased or only spawned with. However, social skills do seem to operate differently than other skills, as do invaders... I suppose I'll try it out and post the results. Couldn't find any other !!SCIENCE!! on the matter, anyway.

[Lagslayer]

I believe you only spawn with skills if you have the appropriate NATURAL_SKILL creature token. All others must be learned.

[Chocolatemilkgod]

If this does work, I suppose you could incorporate them into your security, defending against invading elves/humans/undead and the caverns. It's your own personal military who don't ever even need to eat

[slothen]

I believe you only spawn with skills if you have the appropriate NATURAL_SKILL creature token. All others must be learned.

well, invaders certainly spawn with relevant skills.

[Lagslayer]

I believe you only spawn with skills if you have the appropriate NATURAL_SKILL creature token. All others must be learned.

well, invaders certainly spawn with relevant skills.

Those skills are "trained" during world generation.

[slothen]

I believe you only spawn with skills if you have the appropriate NATURAL_SKILL creature token. All others must be learned.

well, invaders certainly spawn with relevant skills.

Those skills are "trained" during world generation.

only for historical figures.

[Loud Whispers]

I've done this before, and yes it works... Just give them somewhere to rest so they don't pass out from exhaustion.

[CognitiveDissonance]

I've seen it mentioned so many times that goblins will gain dodging experience from traps that I assume that it's true, but I haven't tried it.

Similar accounts of tiger men learning social skills would imply that most things that aren't animals can learn skills.

I can absolutely confirm that.

In early days of 0.31, I had a long hallway with weapon traps - silver, iron and glass. Mostly glass.
I used all kinds of trap components. They even had high quality everything so they wouldn't jam easily. At least I think that helps.

About three goblins succeeded in evading the traps. By the time they were through, they were legendary dodgers, and proceeded to destroy my 'military' and the rest of the fortress.

[Hyndis]

You could set up goblins in a danger room to use as target practice for marksdwarves. With legendary skills in dodge and block they should be immune to bolts, so your dwarves can fire at them forever without killing them.

Then if you want to kill them, just drown them or flood the room with magma. Can't dodge 7/7 water or magma!

[timotheos]

I've had goblins increase their dodge skill after being put in a room for target practice. I emptied several hundred bolts at one until I ran out of bolts and got bored. I then sent my legendary hammer dwarfs in to finish him.

[slothen]

remember they aren't just training dodge, they're training weapon skills too as they can parry weapon traps (at least dwarves can)

[WealthyRadish]

I dump their weapons first, so I seriously doubt they'll be a real threat, unless they can bite brains through masterwork steel helms.

Welp, if it's confirmed as possible, I guess no new !!SCIENCE!! for me. Is sad day.
Still, I like the idea of using them as a kind of softener against other invaders. Having a contingency plan that unleashes a horde of legendary goblin dodgers against a forgotten beast sounds quite dwarfy.