VQ Counters - NO Debates

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by PvK:
Other ideas:
Blindness

Blindness works off of MR, so is unlikely to stick. Even if it does, it will probably heal within a turn or two. I wouldn't count this as a good counter for any SC, though, due to the difficulty of sticking any MR-based spell on a god chassis.

Paralysis

While not quite as overpowering as it once was, due to the fact that it's no longer permanent, Petrify provides a means of applying irresistable paralysis to anything. It's much easier to put down an SC when it can't move. It helps that the targetting AI is will preferentially target the flying, in-your-face VQ here.

Black Bow of Betulf

Too much of a long shot: The multiple mirror images and/or air shielding of a buffed up SC will make it difficult for an archer firing a single arrow, even with high precision, to successfully hit. If successful, however, this can certainly be supremely annoying, as it may take several turns to be rid that feeblemindedness, during which the VQ will be mostly useless.

the missile weapon that kills in one shot

MR negates. See problems above with anything strictly MR-based.

capturing her home castle

This will certainly put an end to the problem, in conjunction with a strategy to put the VQ down in or out of battle.

unliving summons

Good as part of a one-two punch.

outnumbering with own summoned Vampire Lords

This can work: The lifedraining attacks will affect and fatigue out the VQ, and it appears that lifedrain may still inflict fatigue damage even when it fails to cause physical damage due to protection. It helps that one of you is also immortal. In YOUR dominion, the sheer crush of hundreds of vampires may very well be enough to stop the VQ in its tracks, simply because with all damage shields only of minimal value against the vampires, even if the VQ is powerful enough to slay them with impunity, they won't actually STAY dead, and it will be impossible to kill them all within the 50 turns alotted to you for a battle. Thus, strategically, the VQ always loses this.

Liches and Bog Mummies can do similar things, perhaps better when they have high built-in protection, which can be harder to counter than etherealness

A lich can certainly be tweaked effectively for battle, and his higher base protection will negate the need for ironskin, so he can Body Eth himself in place of ironskin. He also has the benefit of having innate D3, and thus doesn't have wasted blood magic.

magic weapons (bypass ethereal)

Always a helpful option for dealing with any ethereal SC, VQ or not.

Death summons (several relatively cheap and skilled warriors available with magic weapons included and no life for VQ to drain)

Wights, perhaps. VQs tend to do more poorly against undead for the loss of all life-draining options, and the fact that most undead are not susceptible to mass damage shields like BoW or Soul Vortex. Simply burying your opponent under a deluge of them is often adequate to attain strategic victory.

[ May 05, 2004, 18:51: Message edited by: Norfleet ]