Simple newbie question

[Tuidjy]

I noticed that when you play Ulm with a level
three earth magic pretender, he gets to cast
Legions of Steel without having researched it.
This does not seem to be the case with other
races. Is this a bug, or a feature, and if the
latter, where are bonuses like this described?

By the way, I am still playing the demo, my game
has not arrived yet... oh, the pain!

[Cohen]

Each nation start with 1 already researched spell. This to keep mages useful even if research is poor, as in first turn of the game.

Ulm has Legion of Steel.

[Duncanish]

Every nation starts with a spell pre-researched, which in Ulm's case is Legions of Steel. Some nations have more than one, but they're usually the summons-heavy nations/themes. Use the search function and you'll find at least one full list of every nation and theme's spells.

Note: the default spells can be changed on some maps or scenarios.

[Tuidjy]

Thanks. I tried searching for the info before,
but I gave up quickly, not knowing what exactly
I was searching for.

I love this game. I have gotten more gametime
from the demo than I have from the Last few games
I have bought. And I just tried my second race,
after managing to get firmly on top of a full
set of impossible AIs by month forty.

I wonder whether it is possible to BEAT the map
by month forty with all AI at impossible...

[Duncanish]

Starting Spells

Mictian (Base) - Bind Fiend (2 Blood), Bind Spine Devil (2 Blood)
Abysia (Base and Blood of Humans) - Flare (3 Fire)
Atlantian (Base) - Friendly Currents (2 Water)
Pythium (Base) - Communion Master (1 Astral), Communion Slave (1 Astral)
Pythium (Serpent Cult) - Horned Serpents (1 Nature)
Arcoscephale (Base)- Astral Window (2 Astral)
Machaka (Base) - Seven Year Fever (1 Nature, 1 Fire), Blindness (1 Fire)
R'lyeh (Base) - Mind Burn (2 Astral)
Man (Base and Last of the Tuatha) - Soothing Song (All "Song" 1 Nature), Healing Song, Song of Bravery, Sleep (2 Nature)
Pangaea (Base and New Era) - Tune of Fear (All "Tune" 1 Nature), Tune of Growth, Tune of Dancing Death, Panic (2 Nature)
Pangaea (Carrion Woods) - Carrion Lord (3 Nature, 2 Death), Carrion Lady (2 Nature, 1 Death), Carrion Centaur (1 Nature, 1 Death)
Ulm (Base and Iron Faith) - Legions of Steel (3 Earth)
Ulm (Black Forest) - Sanguine Heritage (3 Death, 3 Blood)
C'tis (Base) - Terror (3 Death)
C'tis (Desert Tombs) - Revive Tomb Consort (1 Death), Revive Tomb Priest (2 Death), Revive Tomb King (3 Death), Terror (3 Death)
C'tis (Miasma) - Summon Bog Beast (2 Nature, 2 Water), Terror (3 Death)
Caelum (Base and Return of the Raptors) - Wind Guide (2 Air)
Marignon (Base, Fires of the Faith, Conquerors of the Sea) - Holy Pyre (2 Fire)
Marignon (Diabolical Faith) - Bind Harlequin (1 Blood)
Vanheim (Base) - Phantasmal Warrior (1 Air)
Vanheim (Midgard) - Ghost Wolves (3 Air)
Vanheim (Helheim) - Phantasmal Warrior (1 Air), Reanimation (1 Death)
Jotunheim (Base) - Reanimation (1 Death), Curse (1 Astral, 1 Nature)
Jotunheim (Niefelheim) - Illwinter (5 Blood, 2 Water), Breath of Winter (2 Water)
Jotunheim (Utgard) - Luck (1 Astral), Curse (1 Astral, 1 Nature)
Ermor (Base) - Body Ethereal (1 Astral)
Ermor (Ashen Empire) - Revive Lictor, Censar, Bishop, Acolyte, Wailing Lady, Spectator (2 Death), Revive Arch Bishop, Dusk Elder (3 Death), Raise Skeletons (2 Death)
Ermor (Soul Gate) - Dark Knowledge (1 Death), Revive Wailing Lady, Spectator, Shadow Tribune (2 Death), Revive Dusk Elder, Wraith Centurion (3 Death), Revive Wraith Senator (4 Death), Revive Wraith Consul (5 Death)
T'ien Ch'i (Base) - Celestial Soldiers (2 Air, 1 Astral), Celestial Servant (1 Earth, 1 Astral), Flight (2 Air)
T'ien Ch'i (Spring and Autumn) - Demon of Heavenly Rivers (1 Water, 1 Astral), Demon of Heavenly Fires (1 Fire, 1 Astral), Spirit Mastery (1 Death), Flight (2 Air)
T'ien Ch'i (Barbarian Kings) - Celestial Soldiers (2 Air, 1 Astral), Celestial Servant (1 Earth, 1 Astral), Spirit Mastery (1 Death), Flight (2 Air)

I wasn't able to beat the time limit with Impossible AI with the default maps. You could try downloading a smaller one. Targa's "Clash of the Titans" map is a one-on-one map with no sea races allowed. I think it's still available on the Illwinter site. I did manage to beat every nation on Impossible AI with that map. I had way too much time on my hands while waiting for my copy of the game.

[Anglachel]

[quote]Originally posted by Duncanish:

Starting Spells

Ulm (Black Forest) - Sanguine Heritage (3 Death, 3 Blood)

First off, thanks very much for the list in its entirety. Next thing, I was interested in the above spell so I made a quick Vampire Queen pretender in the Ulm Black Forest theme with 3 blood and 3 death in magic paths. Now if the purpose of the list is to show spells already researched I would not need to research at all to have access to this or other spells right? Are they only tied to priests? The reason I ask is because I couldn't find the above mentioned spell in the ritual list or combat list when I looked. I am still playing Version 2.08 if that makes any difference. I haven't tried any others to see if this seems to be a problem but I can confirm the Mictlan one as working for either a vampire queen pretender or normal priest. Is this a list from Dominions I? Could that be why I don't see Sanguine Heritage anywhere in my above example? Thanks for you answers in advance.

[ April 10, 2004, 13:53: Message edited by: Anglachel ]

[Graeme Dice]

Originally posted by Anglachel:
The reason I ask is because I couldn't find the above mentioned spell in the ritual list or combat list when I looked.

It's a ritual spell, so you should be able to see it in the ritual spell list. Check your units that you can build. If they don't include rangers, wolfherds, and fortune tellers, then you are using either the default theme or iron faith theme for Ulm.

[Anglachel]

Doh! In my rush to check the spell out I didn't put Black Forest as a theme. Thanks Graeme!

[Anglachel]

Ok, here are the stats on what you get for Sanguine Heritage :
Vampire Count
Hit Points:25
Protection:0
Morale:15
Magic Resistance:16
Encumberance:0
Fatigue:0
Strength:14
Attack Skill:12
Defence Skill:12
Precision:12
Move:3/14
Leadership:50
Magiceath-2, Blood-2 Reasearch:7
Special Abilities:Regeneration(3 per turn), Cause Lesser Fear(-3), Cold resistance(100), Undead(duh), Poison resistance(100), No need to eat, Immortal, Ethereal, Flying, and Stealthy.
Weapon:Life Drain

Not too shabby. Has a cool looking icon too. 44 Blood slaves to summon though so it wasn't out until turn 9 with Vampire Queen blood hunting every turn.

Edit:Oh, just noticed that they have the ability to make thralls in a fashion like the Vampire Queen calls Vampires buy sitting around and defending the castle.
Thralls:
Hit Points:10
Protection:0
Morale:17(nice)
Magic Resistance:7(ouch)
Encumberance:4
Fatigue:0
Strength:10
Attack Skill:8
Defense Skill:7
Precision:8
Move:1/12
Special Abilities:None

Basically drooling pincushions.

[ April 10, 2004, 15:51: Message edited by: Anglachel ]