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[Nirur Torir]

We're losing an awful amount of slaves to spitters. Tentative support for greatflare, especially because I'd like to start getting some mages trained. If we can revise mages cheaper, we might even get 2/front this turn.

Greatflare: (2) Jilladilla, Nirur
Zeus' Fist:

No Design:

[Tack]

I'd like spitters to go away, instead of just being disoriented.
We should drop a die on counter-artillery tactics too.

Arcane spear
This spell is an extension of the basic kineticism taught to apprentices, yet only mages can use it to the devestating effect it is designed for.
Initially, a javelin is formed out of mana. A regular skirmisher's javelin or bolt can also be thrown, but tend to leave the ground less easily due to a lifetime of intense study making for less-than-ideal javelin-throwers.
After the spear is thrown into the air, the Mage takes control of it and directs it with immense speed and force towards an enemy, striking with the power of a siege weapon and devestating the ranks behind.
This spell can also be used defensively, casting the spell with multiple smaller spears and having them seek and strike the nearest enemies, albeit with far less force and control.

[Madman198237]

The mass lightning spell I propose would likely function a lot better for killing spitters.

And, I didn't think I'd get to say this, it'd be easier than a spear-chucking spell with two firing modes.

Greatflare: (2) Jilladilla, Nirur
Zeus' Fist: (1) Madman

No Design:

[Taricus]

The problem with getting spells now is that we already have all the slots on our apprentices filled and we don't have any mages.

[Madman198237]

You're right, but as was mentioned, now is probably the time to adjust our spending, and pour some training into mages. Deploying one of them, even given the highly limited selection of spells we have, would likely turn around the course of battle.

[Nirur Torir]

Given our luck with rolls and how much we probably need a success here to keep the town, I'd rather go with Greatflare than trying for Zeus' Fist and inventing an entirely new spell type.

I don't like Arcane Spear. It's complex, a hybrid spell breaking new ground all-around, and it's not significantly different than a ballista bolt/squad of skirmishers.

[Madman198237]

If you want to go THAT route, make a spell that causes enemy ranged units, specifically the ranged ones, to become directionally challenged. Force them to fire on their own buddies, instead of at us.

Same illusion/distraction/confusion idea, different implementation.

[Iituem]

Design: Greatflare   [Effectiveness: 3+1] [Cost: 3] [Bugs: 1+1]  {Easier: Essentially scaling up an existing spell.}

With the stated goal of obfuscating enemy spitters, the Greatflare takes the illusory sound and light of a Daze spell and increases its scale while adding a ranged component.  Whereas Daze could only be cast at short range, perhaps ten paces in front of an apprentice, a mage can create a long-distance 'projectile' of a spell which activates when it reaches its target, producing the signature noise and flash.  The Greatflare is at its most effective at range, where it has the same range as a shortbow or a spitter's globules and can blind and disorient spitters during an advance.  It is least effective against charging enemies, who already have some momentum brought up, and is as effective as an ordinary Daze spell in ambushes and melee (although it can be used to supercharge a Daze spell up close, doubling its range and intensity).

There's just one problem; as an illusory spell rather than one creating true effects, the illusory effects need to be visualised clearly by the caster, resulting in unavoidable backlash.  Every time a mage casts Greatflare, they are blinded and deafened in proportion to their enemies.  It's a problem.  Still, three mages working in concert can overcome one another's lapses in ability long enough to completely neutralise a single Spitter's output.


It is now the Revision Phase.  You have 2 dice remaining.

[Jilladilla]

Yes! Update finally!


As for the spell, it works! It's just that our bug dice are cursed.... Wait, Bugs... We're fighting the Hive, who are bugs! No wonder the category is so against us!
So, what were our plans for our dice? I think giving the spearmen some body armor was one idea, we could also fix the defects of the spell, or claim more resources.

Also, I propose renaming the 'Bugs' Roll to 'Flaws' or 'Defects'. To make the it not metaphysically aligned with the Hive.

[Nirur Torir]

We might be able to revise the spell to work off of an apprentice's senses.

I'm leaning towards revising that and making mages cheaper.

[Iituem]

If you revise a Lesser Spell version, it will be consummately weaker in power.  There's a reason Greater Spells take mages to cast.  (Theoretical more powerful spells would require more powerful mages).

[Tack]

No he means foist off the backlash to a nearby apprentice.

[Iituem]

Votes are building up in the other thread.  Any revisions this turn, or are you saving the die?

[Madman198237]

I can't fluff them right now, but consider this a vote for a mage-cost reduction revision and the make-the-apprentice-suffer-the-effect revision idea.

[Jilladilla]

Let me have a shot at it:

Mind Link
Our Illusionary magic currently requires the caster to experience the effects that they intend to inflict on their targets, perhaps not creating a direct bridge between minds, but something very close to one. But either way, it is a situation that cannot continue.

The Mind Link pushes this just a little bit further, and it will allow an apprentice to link their mind to a willing target, in this case a Mage that will be casting a Greatflare, and take any abnormal mental states and experiences that the recipient of the spell may suffer from. While said apprentice will likely become violently ill in short order from the constant barrage of intense disorientation if the Mage casts multiple Greatflares, it shouldn't cause any lasting effects, provided said illness doesn't render them unable to dodge a soldier drone's stab or run away from a lost battle, and they're allowed a week or so to recover.
There, a plan for the make-the-apprentice-suffer-the-effect.

Armored Spearmen
Spearmen currently make up the bulk of our forces, and yet they must suffer without armor while our forges lie dormant and ore piles up!

No more, from hence forth they shall be equipped with a light bronze breastplate! While coverage of the armor is limited, and the stronger drones would easily be able to punch right through it, it should still vastly increase the average survival rates against the smaller worker drone swarms, as well as being able to withstand the lighter splashing from the hunter drones.
Would this likely start taxing our ore? Probably. But the increase in combat effectiveness would be worth it I feel. After all, these guys are our #2 chaff unit, meant to die off in droves before our actual important units start taking very heavy losses. With it only being a light bronze breastplate I see the cost rising to 1.5 or 2 ore, but I'd guess more towards 1.5. Remember that Iituem said a while back that fractional costs are a thing.

(1) Mind Link: Jilladilla
(1) Armored Spearmen: Jilladilla

(0) Save a die:
(0) Save both dice:

Thing that really doesn't matter at all, but I'm being suspicious as heck
(1) Rename the 'Bugs' rolls to 'Defects': Jilladilla
(0) Leave it as is