Equipment: which to use and what to avoid?

[sector24]

I really like the Spirit Helmet even if it's not the most efficient helm. And of course I have to mention clams because no one else has yet.

[Lingchih]

The Crystal Shield is too heavy for anything but an undead commander who doesn't get any encumbrance to carry. I lost a good Gorgon by stupidly equipping one that I got in a luck event.

[vfb]

Green Dragon armour is not good because if you could make it, you could have made Hydra Skin instead, freeing up a misc slot and getting 100%PR instead of 75.

I build a few Horror Helmets if I'm not worried about being mind hunted, and I've got enough death gems. Don't build Skulls much unless I've gone drain-2. Snake Bladders plus Horror Helmets can be good for killing morale and stripping Glamor. Vine Shields are good if you can't make Charcoal Shields.

Armor of Souls is great if you can forge it and have the slaves. You can even squish the slaves with your Dwarven Hammer etc, unlike the contracts.

[Lingchih]

I always wondered how the Dwarven Hammer helps with using blood slaves. I see now. You squish them with it.

[vfb]

Yeah, He who spareth the hammer hateth his slaves, or something like that.

[Baalz]

quantum_mechani said:
Hmm, I read it more as for building SCs, but in any case I'm not convinced on the crystal shield for any purpose. If you have the astral to forge one communions and power of the spheres can almost always fill the niche.

I've had a couple times when crystal shield was quite useful. When you're one level short of that devastating spell (army of gold, weapons of sharpness, darkness, wrathful skies, fog warriors, etc.) and your caster doesn't have astral. True, this is a niche use, but one that I find comes up a decent amount of the time. True, a communion can sometimes fill this role, but being able to air drop in a single tough guy to cast earthquake/flame storm/etc., returning the turn the enemy army moves to attack you is not really possible to duplicate with a communion.

[thejeff]

I forget, does a Crystal Shield boost holy, if the bearer is just a priest?

[parcelt]

How about the crystal coin? I always felt it was one of the best deals you could get (for an SC).

True, it has no offensive capabilities like charcoal shield, but it gives you luck (freeing up a slot, I therefore like it better than the luck pendant) and still has decent defensive stats.

[llamabeast]

Well, the crystal shield is amazing for getting you up one more level in battle to cast big battlefield spells, if you can forge it.

Only got A3? Stick on a crystal shield and you can cast Fog Warriors. Similarly it can give a bit more earth for Army of Gold/Lead. Or a bit more holy for Divine Blessing. In battle it's almost as good as a Ring of Wizardry.

However, it's true that it should be used only for casting a single spell (or maybe two) per battle, otherwise the weight is indeed an issue.

[llamabeast]

I believe the bearer has to be a mage for the shield to work though. So on a holy-only priest it's no use. But on a mage-priest it's great.