focus familiar

[darkken20]

i wondering witch is better focus familiar or darkstar cloak

[redshirt2375]

I think Focus Familiar would be the better choice in this edition since having the ability to hide your caster behind a building where she can't be seen yet she can still cast freely is much more useful than an extra power dice.

Being able to throw as many dice as you want at a spell (go Dark Elves) means that extra dice isn't likely to make a difference anymore, especially when all dice generated go into the pool for any caster to use instead of each caster generating their own dice.

Mind you I have yet to play a game in 8th so this is strictly speculation ;D

[Jack Shrapnel]

....mind you, if you get a very low roll for winds of magic (happens usually once per game) an extra dice can mean that you'll be pretty well able to dominate someone if they only have a couple of dispel dice... it won't happen that often, but pretty useful to get a spell through when their defenses are low....

[redshirt2375]

Another added bonus to the Focus Familiar is that since you can potentially hide you caster, it means that when you inevitably get a Miscast you won't be blowing up a lot of troops with her since she doesn't need to be with a unit.

[darkken20]

Dec 3, 2010 9:16:45 GMT -5 redshirt2375 said:

Another added bonus to the Focus Familiar is that since you can potentially hide you caster, it means that when you inevitably get a Miscast you won't be blowing up a lot of troops with her since she doesn't need to be with a unit.

so does that mean when she miscast and has to use the large template i put it over where she casted from

[thesanityassassin]

Yes, the template is centred over the mage when she miscasts....can be devastating if they're standing in a big block of infantry. This leads to some of the odd strategies like throwing a single level one into an enemy infantry unit and then rolling max dice to miscast on purpose.

[redshirt2375]

Dec 3, 2010 12:34:39 GMT -5 thesanityassassin said:

Yes, the template is centred over the mage when she miscasts....can be devastating if they're standing in a big block of infantry. This leads to some of the odd strategies like throwing a single level one into an enemy infantry unit and then rolling max dice to miscast on purpose.

aka The Suicide Bomber
aka The Super Fanatic...makes goblin fanatics look like amatures

[darkken20]

but she still gets damage right

[redshirt2375]

Yep...it's just a case of having the super blast going off surrounded by enemies instead of your own units.

I'd much rather remove a bunch of high elf spearmen instead of having to remove my Dark Elf spearmen especially when it means I also get whatever spell I just cast getting Irrisitabled to top it off.

I just want to mention now that this is a tactic I would not personally use but I'm sure we'll see it used at some point when unfamiliar out of towners show up for tournaments.

[stonecutter]

Dec 3, 2010 16:34:15 GMT -5 redshirt2375 said:

Yep...it's just a case of having the super blast going off surrounded by enemies instead of your own units.

I'd much rather remove a bunch of high elf spearmen instead of having to remove my Dark Elf spearmen especially when it means I also get whatever spell I just cast getting Irrisitabled to top it off.

I just want to mention now that this is a tactic I would not personally use but I'm sure we'll see it used at some point when unfamiliar out of towners show up for tournaments.

Unless you decide to move the ring of hotek within 12", you are still unlikely to get a IF/miscast even with 6 dice (~25% chance), so I doubt you'll see too much of the tactic. Even if IF occurs, you still have to roll the appropriate miscast on the table and rolling 8 or 9 might wound every mage on your side!! It is a pure move of desperation IMHO.

[redshirt2375]

I agree with you Frank, but there are always people out there who will try these kinds of tactics if they can find a reliable way to pull it off.

I don't remember exactly how it works, but don't WoC have and item that lets them modify the Miscast roll? They'd have a better chance of getting the result they want if they really wanted to try this.

[Jack Shrapnel]

yep, but it's an expensive item!

[stonecutter]

Dec 3, 2010 21:46:54 GMT -5 Jack Shrapnel said:

yep, but it's an expensive item!

It's not the item cost that is the issue for WoC. Their wizards are very expensive and they used the puppet to minimize the damage from a miscast since their characters are so expensive. Now, a WoC with the puppet and Dark elves with the ring of hotek would be a nasty combo for any opponent relying on magic!

[thesanityassassin]

We had thought of doing warriors and High Elves once where I take the item that forces a miscasting wizard to roll twice on the table (our choice of results) and then the puppet....