Giant Strength | ||
---|---|---|
Realm | Nature | |
Spell Rarity | Common | |
Spell Type | Unit Enchantment | |
Casting Cost | 40 | |
Combat Cost | 8 | |
Upkeep Cost | 1 | |
Research Cost | 80 | |
| ||
If the unit has a Thrown Attack, its strength is also increased by +1 per figure. |
Giant Strength is a Common Enchantment belonging to the Nature Magic realm. For 40 it may be cast on a unit on the overland map to give it a permanent +1 bonus (per figure), which must then be maintained with a 1 per turn Upkeep Cost. If the unit has a Thrown Attack, the strength of this attack is also increased by +1.
Alternatively, a cheaper version of the same spell may be cast for 8 during combat, in which case it will temporarily bestow the same bonus on a unit for the duration of the battle (with no permanent effects or upkeep costs).
Effects[]
Giant Strength increases the Melee Damage potential of a unit by improving its Melee Attack by a small amount.
This spell may be cast on any friendly unit, whether on the overland map or within combat. Although the effect of the spell is the same in both cases, there are different costs and long-term implications for casting this spell outside of combat.
Melee Attack Bonus[]
Giant Strength bestows a +1 bonus on each figure in the targeted unit. The bonus makes the unit's melee attack stronger, by adding one more chance to make an extra point of damage with every attack (that chance is based on the unit's To Hit bonus).
Giant Strength is exceptionally potent when cast on a Multi-Figure unit - the more figures, the better - since it applies to each figure within the unit. Therefore, an 8-figure unit of Nomad Pikemen actually receives 8 extra Melee points (one per figure) so long as all its figures are alive. In comparison, a 1-figure Stone Giant only receives one extra point, a largely insignificant amount considering how many Melee Attack points it already has.
Thrown Attack Bonus[]
In addition to the above, Giant Strength will also increase a unit's Thrown Attack by +1, assuming the unit had a Thrown Attack at all to begin with.
As explained above, this is significantly more powerful a bonus when cast on Multi-Figure units, since each figure's attack becomes stronger as a result.
Usage[]
Giant Strength may be cast during combat for the rather low Casting Cost of 8. In this case, the spell will only affect the targeted unit until the end of the battle - at which point it will dissipate. This is good for instantly making a unit more potent, surprising the enemy.
Alternatively, Giant Strength may be cast on the overland map for a lasting effect. In this case it costs 40 to cast, and requires an Upkeep Cost of 1 per turn to maintain. Failure to pay this Upkeep Cost due to lack of Mana will cause the spell to dissipate. However, as long as the spell is paid for (and not dispelled by any rival Wizard), the unit continues to enjoy its +1 bonus.
Like all other Unit Enchantments, Giant Strength must targeted at a friendly unit, whether in or out of combat. If the desired target is in an overland army stack, click on that stack to get a list of units inside it, and then select your desired unit.
Once the spell is in effect, the unit will glow with a Green aura, unless there is a more powerful spell also affecting it.
If you've placed Giant Strength on a unit, you may remove it by examining the unit's details and clicking the Enchantment's icon. The primary reason to do this would be in order to remove the spell's Upkeep Cost, thus conserving Mana for other spells.
Acquisition[]
As a Common Nature spell, Giant Strength may become available to any Wizard who possesses at least one Nature Spellbook. However, its availability during the game is not guaranteed unless the Wizard acquires at least 7 Spellbooks.
Customized Wizards possessing up to 10 Spellbooks at creation time may choose this spell as one of their default spells before starting the game, in which case the spell will already be researched and available for casting immediately on the first turn. Wizards with 11 Spellbooks are guaranteed to have this spell available for casting as soon as the game begins.
Wizards with 6 or fewer Spellbooks who have not chosen Giant Strength as a guaranteed spell have a random chance of being able to Research it. The chance for this spell to appear increases with the number of Nature Spellbooks the Wizard possesses or obtains during gameplay. With −3 Spellbooks, the spell is guaranteed to appear for Research if it is not already available for casting.
Giant Strength has a base Research Cost of 80.
With at least 1 Spellbook, the Giant Strength spell may be acquired as a reward for winning encounters in creature Lairs, Towers, et cetera, or when conquering the Fortress of a rival wizard who has already researched this spell.
Strategy[]
As mentioned above, the more figures are in a unit, the more potential benefit there is to casting Giant Strength on it. Units with 8 figures gain the best benefit, as their Melee Damage potential increases by 8, a significant amount.
Therefore, Normal Units are often the best targets for this spell.