NUB QUESTION: What's happening to my mages' gems?

[Hellork]

This happens to me repeatedly:

I stock a mage up with air gems. I have the mage scripted to cast Wind Guide once, which costs 1 gem, and then other spells which cost no gems. I will watch the battle and observe that the only spell the mage cast which costs any gems is Wind Guide, and she only casts it once. But after the battle the mage will have 0 gems left, when she had 7-10 before it. What's happening to all the other gems? Is my opponent using something to destroy them?

[Jack_Trowell]

Mages can also use gems to increase their magic levels an decrease fatigue.

Your mage probably used its gem to make its other spells more effective or less costly.

[Esben Mose Hansen]

This is why most people take along sneaking units (scouts) to carry the gems for the mages. Having to restock those gems after every battle is one of those not-so-fun-things in this game

[hoo]

Another nub question:


Items like bag of winds: Says that anyone can open the bag to release a lesser wind elemental. I tried it with a regular commander and there was no command to use the item or something. How does that work?

Or if you script "summon lesser air elemental" will it then open the bag for no fatigure/no cost? so only mages can use it?

[thejeff]

Works automatically. The elemental appears at the start of battle.

[Taqwus]

Items which mimic spells can do so in three ways -- some autocast once at the beginning of combat, some autocast throughout a battle, and some are invoked by the commander in lieu of a normal action.

Most items that summon monsters are autocast-once items, with the notable exception of the skelispam talisman. Wraith Crowns, the Corpse Candle shield, the Soulstone of the Wolves (used to be action-based), the Pocket Lich, the Headless Hoburg, Percival the Pocket Knight... all autocast-once.

The Bag of Winds, waaaay back, was an action-based item, but this was judged to be unbalancing. A commander with a quickness effect could spam multiple air elementals per turn, which was a bit powerful for the cost.

[Hellork]

Jack_Trowell said:
Mages can also use gems to increase their magic levels an decrease fatigue.

Your mage probably used its gem to make its other spells more effective or less costly.

thank you