break mirror

Dogboy · #1 December 31st, 2005, 12:32 PM

What's the best way to break mirror images? Heat from Hell? Area effect attacks? Darn things are hard to hit when all you hit is air!

Endoperez · #2 December 31st, 2005, 01:17 PM

Why break it? Charm, Enslave Mind...

In general, it might be better to come up with ways to utilize weaker points of the target, which might include low magic resistance.

I can't really help for the real question, though.

Wish · #3 December 31st, 2005, 01:35 PM

easiest way, i'd think is amn AoE attack spell, something like firebll or what have you - when the real one is hit, all the mirror images go away.

Truper · #4 December 31st, 2005, 01:45 PM

Something else you might consider is a large numer of attacks. Blade Wind, or a large group of shortbow.

Cainehill · #5 December 31st, 2005, 03:47 PM

Don't think any of those work - AoE _should_ do damage regardless of MI, but usually doesn't. Certain attacks seem to be ... bugged though : F9 blessed troops for instance, seem to immediately take MI down, as I recall it.

MI is a bit wacky (and a bit overpowered) : I've seen A3 mages with a single casting take probably 50+ attacks without losing the mirror images, destroying 110 troop independent provinces in melee, while I've seen an air-9 caster lose hers in about 2 seconds.

IMO, it ought to be more like in AD&D : every attack takes down a single mirror image until they're all gone, while getting one lucky hit leaves the remaining images up against successive swings. (Currently, it's more like : all images stay until the caster is hit, then they all poof, making it rather like betting one's life on the roulette wheel hitting red or black.)

shovah · #6 December 31st, 2005, 11:27 PM

not sure how to counter but i know a good use for it: MI+luck+etheral, 75% of non-magic hits not hitting, 50% of those that hit not damaging and the 50% that do go to mirror image i think (then you can add astral shield and resist magic if you want)

Arralen · #7 January 1st, 2006, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Cainehill said:
Certain attacks seem to be ... bugged though : F9 blessed troops for instance, seem to immediately take MI down, as I recall it.

It is not necessarily bugged - look here why F9 attacks are so good.

In short: F9 units do hit very well. Plus they get multiple attacks which reduce DEF. Most units using mirror image have high DEF as well. F9 troops will reduce the DEF to the point that hits are 90% sure. At that point chances are high that the "right" target is hit even with high-level mirror images.

Turin · #8 January 2nd, 2006, 07:53 AM

Use drain life spell, the mirrored unit will always get the fatigue effect, even if the real unit isn�t hit.

Arralen · #9 January 2nd, 2006, 11:04 AM

Thinking about this - the fatigue effect is a "secondary effect", very much like the fire damage of the F9 bless (as was pointed out to me in that other thread).

Could the fire damage possibly be ignoring the mirrors as well ?

Endoperez · #10 January 2nd, 2006, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Arralen said:
Thinking about this - the fatigue effect is a "secondary effect", very much like the fire damage of the F9 bless (as was pointed out to me in that other thread).

Could the fire damage possibly be ignoring the mirrors as well ?

Could very well be... and this would also explain Cainehill's theory/experiences about Flaming weapons ignoring Mirror Image.