| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Titus le Chmakus |
Posted - 11 Oct 2017 : 16:49:13
Any of you know how many would survive if a unit of 80 Knights of Samular on foot would charge 10 Red Wizards at 300m distance ?
Thanks for your wisdom |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| cpthero2 |
Posted - 28 Feb 2020 : 01:31:49
Master Rupert,
Great point until those mounts activate their Wings of Flying and Masks of the Mantis...
Just seeing how long we can keep upping the ante here. ;) haha
Best regards,
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
They don't need to teleport... Just use fly.
When I was playing in the Pathfinder/Iron Kingdoms crossover with my group, my gun mage would use fly and improved invisibility for fights, if at all possible. Before he had those options, he would routinely get mauled in combat, dropping below 0 hp on a couple of occasions. Once he had those spells, if he had time to use them, he didn't get injured in combat.
I'd have my guy fly up maybe 30 feet, shoot a bad guy, move wherever looked good at that moment, and then repeat the process.
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| cpthero2 |
Posted - 28 Feb 2020 : 01:19:16
Great Reader Kentinal,
Great point here. The Red Wizard PrC only requires 5th level to become a Red Wizard.
At that point, I'd give it to the mounted knights with the assumption that they have mounted feats, and are in a place that is suitable for mounted combat.
Best regards,
quote:
Originally posted by Kentinal
There is no way to answer your question. There are too many variables. The levels of both the Wizards and Knights are a factor. Also the foot rush depends on the equipment and ability of the troops on the Knights side. There depends on what spells the Wizards have available to choose from.
Add some, if not all on both sides might have magic equipment to change their abilities.
Then there is the random factor of hits, miss, saves, fumbles and so on determined by dice.
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| cpthero2 |
Posted - 28 Feb 2020 : 01:16:29
Great Reader sleyvas,
Damn, the images in my head that that spawned were fantastic! lol
Best regards,
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
Yes, I know every one of the Knights of Samular would die a horrifying death because of plot reasons in my head. Now, if it were 299m distance, the story might change.
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| Titus le Chmakus |
Posted - 14 Mar 2019 : 08:44:58
Ok thanks ! I thought you would stop being an apprentice when gaining your first level ! |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 13 Mar 2019 : 14:47:36
quote:
Originally posted by Titus le Chmakus
Hi guys
Are the wizard apprentices under level 1 ? I mean when you become level 1, aren't you apprentice anymore ? What are you then ? Is there a name for it ? Or are the lower levels (1-3) still apprentice ?
What do Acolyte and Adepts mean to you ?
I am trying to find names for lower level wizards (level 1-5) and higher ones (6-15), before becoming archmages. Wizard is pretty much too simple.
Thanks
There's no official cutoff, unless you want to go back to the class/level titles of 1E.
And an apprentice is just someone learning from a master. A 9th-level mage could have a gaggle of 1st-level apprentices, but he himself could be the apprentice of a level 20 wizard. |
| Titus le Chmakus |
Posted - 13 Mar 2019 : 10:35:19
Hi guys
Are the wizard apprentices under level 1 ? I mean when you become level 1, aren't you apprentice anymore ? What are you then ? Is there a name for it ? Or are the lower levels (1-3) still apprentice ?
What do Acolyte and Adepts mean to you ?
I am trying to find names for lower level wizards (level 1-5) and higher ones (6-15), before becoming archmages. Wizard is pretty much too simple.
Thanks |
| Titus le Chmakus |
Posted - 26 Oct 2017 : 13:44:31
That's right ! As we can set each individual some characteristics, the game can calculate all the rolls in just a few milliseconds ... But we need to set the values correctly !
So in the end, is it possible or not to damage walls with 10 wizards having at their disposal something like 5/10 level 9 spells ...? That will change the way I will code them ! Easier for me if not, but as we want to be the most lore accurate as possible, I wouldn't like to make mistakes ... |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 25 Oct 2017 : 16:36:48
(But I like 1E and 2E and "2.5E", lol. I don't even mind 3E and 3.5E. I view each D&D edition as a "different" standalone game.)
Each (A)D&D edition inevitably offered two separate rulesets for such stuff anyhow.
The basic "character scale" RPG combat resolution where individual characters roll their dice, where exact attacks and damages to each combatant and each castle wall are resolved.
And some kind of "battle scale" wargame resolution where each unit represents some kind of group and the combat mechanics are more abstracted, the exact weapons and spells and the exact hit points of each man or each castle wall aren't as important as determining how many men can still fight and whether or not the wall gets breached.
A Total War simulation falls somewhere between. And it calculates "randomly generated" results with far greater speed and precision than is realistically possible in D&D-type rulesets. Each 80-vs-10 battle would take hours of preparation and hours of resolution on tabletop, while it could be run numerous times on a computer. |
| Martinsky |
Posted - 25 Oct 2017 : 15:57:33
"...the "2.5E" rulebooks, lol." @Ayrik said
That the best lol!
Well anyway I agree that most of wall will have some magical protection or at least basic enchantement.
For Meteor spell it vary from different source. If you take the version where you can hit one shot for 20d6 (if I remember well) it will bypass easily hardness. Instead of having to reduce harness for time it will only apply once. Another version I saw on the web have a trail damage, plus 4 medium comet or 8 small, but no bludging. IDk if it come from a book http://rpg20.com/spells35.php?reptype=fullentry&valueid=308
Supposed version of 5th, but IDK if wall act the same in 5th. https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Meteor%20Swarm#content |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 25 Oct 2017 : 07:22:58
Fireballs (and similar spells) could do fire/flame, heat, and force/blast damages - all expanded into comprehensively detailed tables in the "2.5E" rulebooks, lol. Hurling fireballs at walls and structures was effective enough to batter them down after a while, effective enough to be a common tactic when wizards were available but siege engines were not, though stoneworks would tend to be shattered and blasted apart more than they'd melt into slag. More intense burning from dragonbreath could melt stone, though.
At least as described in the 1E, 2E, and "2.5E" sourcebooks which predate this "Stronghold Builder" sourcebook. |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 25 Oct 2017 : 05:15:19
quote:
Originally posted by Martinsky
@Kentinal I dont know where you saw stone are immune to fire. From Strongold builder book;
"Immunities and Resistances: As with other objects,
strongholds are immune to critical hits and subdual
damage. They take half damage from ranged weapons,
except for siege weapons such as catapults, ballistas,
and trebuchets (see below). Strongholds also take half
damage from acid, fire, and lightning attacks, and onequarter
damage from cold attacks. Divide the damage
by the appropriate amount before applying the wall’s
hardness. Sonic attacks do full damage."
That will still do (6d6/2)-8 fire by each meteor, so (24d6/2)-32. Plus the blugeing damage. Let say about 10 damage by cast with an unit of 10 wizard that do 100 damage already. Even at 1000hp by 10x10ft I can imagine with proper spell or proper energy those wall wont last long. (As for acid it half damage but it bypass hardness also like force or sonic).
I based on spell description quote:
The fireball sets fire to combustibles and damages objects in the area. It can melt metals with low melting points, such as lead, gold, copper, silver, and bronze.
The meteor swarm provides a fire ball spell effect.
One certainly argue that stone is soft as metals like gold. Indeed one can argue, despite spell description, that stone does take damage from fire ball that is different then melting.
As for fortified walls they would tend to be built to resist fire.
I took the view that the walls based on spell description and nature of construction would not be effected by the flames. I did not refer to the expansion of "Strongold builder" |
| Martinsky |
Posted - 25 Oct 2017 : 04:36:02
@Kentinal I dont know where you saw stone are immune to fire. From Strongold builder book;
"Immunities and Resistances: As with other objects,
strongholds are immune to critical hits and subdual
damage. They take half damage from ranged weapons,
except for siege weapons such as catapults, ballistas,
and trebuchets (see below). Strongholds also take half
damage from acid, fire, and lightning attacks, and onequarter
damage from cold attacks. Divide the damage
by the appropriate amount before applying the wall’s
hardness. Sonic attacks do full damage."
That will still do (6d6/2)-8 fire by each meteor, so (24d6/2)-32. Plus the blugeing damage. Let say about 10 damage by cast with an unit of 10 wizard that do 100 damage already. Even at 1000hp by 10x10ft I can imagine with proper spell or proper energy those wall wont last long. (As for acid it half damage but it bypass hardness also like force or sonic). |
| Titus le Chmakus |
Posted - 23 Oct 2017 : 08:42:58
Cheers Kentinal, it helps a lot ! No need precise calculations, what you said is enough !
Starshade, I'll stick to mass damage dealer spells as the game engine was not made at all to have mages ! But thanks |
| Starshade |
Posted - 20 Oct 2017 : 23:42:38
Making fun mass combat mages don't take that many spells, just some. The Dungeon Keeper 2 game had fun warlocks, is any effects possible? Passive abilities, or summon spells?
Invisibility, some detection, teleport (short range, random), pick an spell per spell level, and you are ok. Or add an damage effect if the engine allows nothing else  |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 20 Oct 2017 : 15:27:05
quote:
Originally posted by Titus le Chmakus
quote:
Under 3.5 fireball, thus meteor swarm does not harm stone. At best it can set wood on fire on might melt soft metals e.g. lead, silver and gold.
Yeah but meteor swarm is not supposed to be only fire !? There is a rock inside !?
Anyway, if you don't see any level 9 spell able to damage walls, that is better to me !
Well a closer look, you might argue that the 2d6 bludgeoning damage might harm a wall. If damage exceeds hardness. Hardness for stone is 8 and hit points for a wall is 15 per inch. A city or fort wall will be at least 3 foot wide at the smallest, that is 540 hit points to breech the wall. Most walls of fortifications would be wider a minimum 5 foot and could very well be 10 foot wide.
So every "meteor" that hits that causes 9 to 12 points of bludgeoning damage to a creature will harm the wall 1 to 4 points of damage. Rolling 4 12s hitting the same area will chip off one inch of wall.
So maybe 3000 strikes might get though a section of wall. I am not ready to calculate the actual odds. I will later if you really want the number crunch.
As to 9 level spell to damage items like walls, wish certainly could be considered. |
| Titus le Chmakus |
Posted - 20 Oct 2017 : 13:50:01
quote:
Are all the wizards allowed to do is blast? Or will they be true wizards. For instance, laying down areas of magnetism against heavily armored troops can be a significant (and surprising) way to just foil any kind of rush charge. This can lead to wide confusion at the last second that can ultimately lead to death of the charging group. Similarly, they can phase into the earth, transport themselves magically to a new location, turn invisible to move invisibly to a new location. If they're just going to be area effect damage dealers, why even call them red wizards.
Yeah well I understand it can be horrifying for you guys to have them only as area damage dealers, but that is almost the only thing the game allows us to do ! And I call them Red Wizards because they belong to the Thayan faction. Other are called simply Wizards ...
quote:
Under 3.5 fireball, thus meteor swarm does not harm stone. At best it can set wood on fire on might melt soft metals e.g. lead, silver and gold.
Yeah but meteor swarm is not supposed to be only fire !? There is a rock inside !?
Anyway, if you don't see any level 9 spell able to damage walls, that is better to me ! |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 20 Oct 2017 : 12:36:50
Under 3.5 fireball, thus meteor swarm does not harm stone. At best it can set wood on fire on might melt soft metals e.g. lead, silver and gold. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 20 Oct 2017 : 12:15:02
Are all the wizards allowed to do is blast? Or will they be true wizards. For instance, laying down areas of magnetism against heavily armored troops can be a significant (and surprising) way to just foil any kind of rush charge. This can lead to wide confusion at the last second that can ultimately lead to death of the charging group. Similarly, they can phase into the earth, transport themselves magically to a new location, turn invisible to move invisibly to a new location. If they're just going to be area effect damage dealers, why even call them red wizards. |
| Titus le Chmakus |
Posted - 20 Oct 2017 : 09:32:29
quote:
Originally posted by Wrigley
quote:
Originally posted by Titus le Chmakus
Thanks for your estimations ! Helps a lot. But according to what you said, they won't anihilate each other ... As when the quarter remaining soldiers will get into melee with the mages, none of them will survive ! So in the end, the quarter soldiers will ;-)
When 25% of one side remain on battlefield after a combat it is not much of a victory and that seems to me like a good result when two mighty groups clash. If you reduce that remaining amount they would not be able to clear the wizards and they would win absolutely (no casualities). If you go higher as Markus suggest than it would be a victory (not Pyrrhan as he says) for the knights.
It is a rough estimate and could be fine tuned by numbers in-game.
I see ! So I'll get around 25 to 40% ... Anyway, as the game uses random values, it can vary sometimes !
quote:
quote:Originally posted by Titus le Chmakus
Thanks for your estimations Markustay ! So on your side it is half of them making it ... Ok that was what I thought too. As the game uses some kind of random values, if I get to something like 40%, that might be satisfying too !
One last question, are level 9 spells like meteor swarm able to breach fortress walls ? Assuming these walls don't have any magic protections ...
In part it depends on edition you are using. Fire certainly can harm objects, a castle wall is an object, however objects also can have resistance without magical enhancement.
The best answer is a meteor swarm might harm a fortress walls. Circumstances apply as to if a breach occurs.
Well I should have asked : is meteor swarm strong enough to damage a stone wall (assuming it is a nomal city wall, not an extra reinforced one) ? Of course several of them would be necessary to create a breach. But I just need to know if the spell is not too weak ? |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 19 Oct 2017 : 23:40:16
quote:
Originally posted by Titus le Chmakus
Thanks for your estimations Markustay ! So on your side it is half of them making it ... Ok that was what I thought too. As the game uses some kind of random values, if I get to something like 40%, that might be satisfying too !
One last question, are level 9 spells like meteor swarm able to breach fortress walls ? Assuming these walls don't have any magic protections ...
In part it depends on edition you are using. Fire certainly can harm objects, a castle wall is an object, however objects also can have resistance without magical enhancement.
The best answer is a meteor swarm might harm a fortress walls. Circumstances apply as to if a breach occurs. |
| Wrigley |
Posted - 19 Oct 2017 : 17:24:30
quote:
Originally posted by Titus le Chmakus
Thanks for your estimations ! Helps a lot. But according to what you said, they won't anihilate each other ... As when the quarter remaining soldiers will get into melee with the mages, none of them will survive ! So in the end, the quarter soldiers will ;-)
When 25% of one side remain on battlefield after a combat it is not much of a victory and that seems to me like a good result when two mighty groups clash. If you reduce that remaining amount they would not be able to clear the wizards and they would win absolutely (no casualities). If you go higher as Markus suggest than it would be a victory (not Pyrrhan as he says) for the knights.
It is a rough estimate and could be fine tuned by numbers in-game. |
| Titus le Chmakus |
Posted - 19 Oct 2017 : 12:47:30
Thanks for your estimations Markustay ! So on your side it is half of them making it ... Ok that was what I thought too. As the game uses some kind of random values, if I get to something like 40%, that might be satisfying too !
One last question, are level 9 spells like meteor swarm able to breach fortress walls ? Assuming these walls don't have any magic protections ... |
| Markustay |
Posted - 19 Oct 2017 : 09:00:48
All levels being equal, then no matter what (even accounting for the 'phantom' magic items) you're at 8:1 odds. With no surprise, cover, uphill charges, etc, etc, and all things being equal character-wise, I would say half the knights make it to the Red Wizards to lay waste to them (because even though the Red Wizards may be high enough level for area spells, the knights will be the same level and have counter-measures, like charging in a VERY loose formation.
I don't know how Total War works, but I've played other mass-combat fantasy games, and level is a huge factor, which is why I am just assuming the 'playing field' is dead even in that regard. And yes, most mass combat games still have leveling, usually in the form of 'troop condition'. You'll have things like: Green, 'Blooded', average, exceptional, veteran, and maybe 'crack troops', which will add multipliers to the combat factors.
So unless those wizards use there final piece of magic (before entering melee) to escape the battlefield, they are going to get riggity-wrecked. It will by a pyrrhic victory for the knights, however.
IMO, of course. I've been around since before video games - I even designed a couple of those cardboard-counter games back in the day. Overwhelming odds will always carry the day unless you have very high 'rate of fire'. You're positions get overrun - just look at the German's Blitzkrieg warfare. Even an enemy with a nuke isn't going to hurt you if he can't get it off the ground. |
| Titus le Chmakus |
Posted - 18 Oct 2017 : 13:39:57
Thanks for your estimations ! Helps a lot. But according to what you said, they won't anihilate each other ... As when the quarter remaining soldiers will get into melee with the mages, none of them will survive ! So in the end, the quarter soldiers will ;-) |
| Wrigley |
Posted - 18 Oct 2017 : 12:01:47
I would suggest using mages as long ranged unit (like siege engines) and knights as heavy melee units. Anything closer will necessary draw a lot of questions as you can see above. You do not have tools for closer transcription into the game. They should be balanced on the same power level (take inspiration in-game form different units of those types). For high level contest I would suggest outcome of about quarter of knights making it to the mages if attacked the whole time so both units will basically annihilate each other if directed against each other. |
| Titus le Chmakus |
Posted - 18 Oct 2017 : 08:03:49
Well not exactly ! Some of what you say is correct but not all ! It won't be archery effects as I can tweak the zone to try to model the effects of spells like Fireball, which has a bigger impact than just a single arrow !
What you said seems very restrictiv, but that is all the game engine allows us to do ... Being RPG players and game masters here, it might look like rubish to you, but for all the Faerun/Total War fans, what we are trying to achieve will be very fun as there are very few games, if not even any, where all Faerun has been mapped and factions playable. All we want to do is being as accurate lorewise that it is possible with the game engine. http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?476733-Faer%FBn-Forgotten-Realms-TW-Updated-17-05-2014-first-units-for-AMN-(page-25)/
And as magic is a major aspect of Faerun, it has to be in the game, but as the RPG aspect is very limited, all we can do is use Wizards as war machines ! So I don't know yet if they will be used as archers or siege engines ! But I need your advice to know what power I have to give to these guys ! I have never played any proper war in paper D&D as large scale battles are pretty hard to manage for a single GM with only 2 or 3 players ...
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| Starshade |
Posted - 17 Oct 2017 : 20:12:29
Have is understood correct: You want to program into some sort of simulation software, a scenario where 80 footmen with sword and shield goes against 10 super powerful archers skinned as wizards? And want to simulate all spellcasting for Red Wizards as missile fire with level based spells reskinned as damage dealing archery effects?
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| Titus le Chmakus |
Posted - 17 Oct 2017 : 09:59:18
Heu ? I don't get your question ... The terrain looks like every pasture ... Green |
| TBeholder |
Posted - 17 Oct 2017 : 09:43:14
quote:
Originally posted by Titus le Chmakus
-What's the terrain like? For the test it is a flat pasture ... But all the possible terrains will be ingame. But this is part of the strategies the players will have to take into count !
...and what the terrain looks like.  |
| Titus le Chmakus |
Posted - 17 Oct 2017 : 08:38:43
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
quote:
Originally posted by Titus le Chmakus
Yeah that applies in a 1vs1, but is it still valid in a 10vs80 ?
And are you certain that 80 level 17 Knights in Silver would be crushed by 10 level 5 Wizards ?
If you understand this concept, then why in the Barrens of Doom and Despair did you post the original question as you did..... it was blatantly an unanswerable question because you included no detail.... and by detail to answer the question, I would expect full on-detail, not just "here's their levels". Which version of the D&D game for instance? What spells and magic items do they have available? Do the two groups know about one another? Are they spread out or grouped together? What's the terrain like? Was it that you just weren't thinking, or was there some other reason you asked the question as you did?
Yeah sorry guys, I am maybe too much into my Total War game as I haven't played D&D for a while (I lost my Game Master) ... It is sure that all what you mentionned has to be taken into count ! But I was just simulating the battle on a flat field as I need to tweak the spells damage value to be something credible in Total War.
So as you said, the real D&D 3.5 rules cannot be strictly respected here. What I want to know is how many damages to I have to assign to the wizards spells to make it credible ? I have 3 different wizards + some special ones (Red wiz, War wiz, Hathrans...).
I have some low level mages (like level 5), some middle level (level 11) and some high level ones (level 17), as I want them to be able to cast level 3, 6 and 9 spells. To make it fun, I have planed Fireball, Freezzing Sphere and Meteor Swarm.
So I was questionning about the pure damages the spells could deal as not all the other units are yet implemented in the game. But of course in the end, the Thayans will have their slaves & knights along with the Red wiz, the Waterdhavians will have their Lleilon lancers, Greycloak archers & Neverwinter nines with them (we have put WD and Neverwinter in the same faction)... So it will be full armies going to battle !
But if I don't have coherent values for spells, wizards will be eighther OP or useless, which is pretty shameful as they are a very important aspect of Faerun ! I don't want to do like int the Warhammer mod they made where Mages are ultimate and can oneshot everybody on the battlefield in a single spell, because this is not how I see the D&D Wizards.
Now sleyvas, to answer your precise questions:
-Which version of the D&D game for instance? 3.5
-What spells and magic items do they have available? As I said, Fireball for level 5 wiz, freezing sphere for level 11 and meteor swarm for level 17. They do not have any special magic items as I have made them already in the stats to increase attack/defense/resilience. But this has to be taken into count for the damages delt ! It will somehow reduce the damages of spells because we will consider that the targets have some magical equipment that could reduce the damages, whatever the equipment is ! But it must remain logical ! A level 5 target won't have a ring of resistance to fire 20 !
-Do the two groups know about one another? Of course ! Not all their darkest secrets, but yeah they won't be unknown one to another !
-Are they spread out or grouped together? Grouped toghether, the spread out is a functionnality allowed to the player, so it is his problem to manage !
-What's the terrain like? For the test it is a flat pasture ... But all the possible terrains will be ingame. But this is part of the strategies the players will have to take into count !
-Was it that you just weren't thinking, or was there some other reason you asked the question as you did? As I said, I was too much into my game and not considering your expertise. I was also thinking that nobody would answer, so pretty useless to write so many precisions !
Anyway thanks for your answers ! |
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