| Spyder The Rogue | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Type | Non-Champion | |||
| Hiring Cost |
 300 | |||
| Upkeep Cost |
6 | |||
| Prereq. |
 20 | |||
| Moves |
 2 | |||
| Melee Attack |
 7 | |||
| Defense |
 5 | |||
| Resistance |
 6 | |||
| Hit Points |
 8 | |||
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
 Super Legendary | ||||
| Random Abilities | 1 (Fighter) | |||
Spyder the Rogue is one of the 35 Hero units featured in Master of Magic.
Spyder is a non-Champion Hero. He may randomly appear for hire if a wizard has at least 20 Fame points, in which case his Hiring Cost is 300 by default. Alternatively, Spyder can be summoned using the Summon Hero spell (or through partial failure of the Summon Champion spell), and can occasionally be found as a Prisoner reward after a successful Encounter.
Spyder is a good Melee Attacker, overall with a respectable set of combat properties, including good Defense and Health scores. While weak early on, he can quickly develop into a formidable combat Hero.
Spyder's default abilities, however, are his key advantage. Spyder possesses the Leadership trait, which gives bonuses to the attack strength of each friendly unit accompanying him on the battlefield. Furthermore, his Super Legendary ability increases his employer's Fame score by a wide margin. Both of these abilities improve with Experience, making this a very valuable support-hero. Furthermore, Spyder gets an extra Random Ability from the "Fighter" category, which can significantly improve his performance.
Spyder may be equipped with the basic fare of Magical Items. He will not be able to cast spells, and thus can focus on gaining various bonuses to make him even more useful during combat. Of particular importance are Defense bonuses, to ensure that Spyder remains alive during the battle (and thus continues to bestow bonuses to all friendly units).
Spyder's Upkeep Cost is 6 per turn, unless he has randomly acquired the Noble trait.
General Description[]
Spyder the Rogue is a glorious adventurer by trade. His exploits have carried his name across the land, inspiring tales of bravery and cunning. Any Wizard who hires Spyder into his employ will surely enjoy the benefits of the association! Spyder is also quite a charismatic fellow, capable of inspiring others to fight courageously.
Spyder appears rather innocuous at first glance. He is a young fellow, dressed in lively violet clothes, grey pants, and a blue hat decorated by a large pink feather. He has flowing greyish-brown hair and a matching goatee. Despite his appearance, he is quite deadly with a sword, and an agile fighter to boot. Spyder rides a dark-blond horse.
Initial Properties[]
Note: All data below assumes Spyder is at his lowest Experience Level, and without any Magical Items or Random Abilities - After all, any Hero can become devastatingly powerful after gaining several levels and powerful items. Please refer to the tables and chapters below for more information.
Attack Properties[]
Spyder's Melee Attack has a default strength of 7. With a basic To Hit chance of 
30%, he can be expected to deliver about 
2.1 points of Damage per attack. This is a respectable amount, and nearly guaranteed to do at least some damage to most enemy units - though not much.
With Spyder's Leadership ability, attack strength will rise with reasonably-good speed as he gains Experience. Of course, the primary advantage of this ability is that the same bonus is applied to all Normal Units and Heroes that accompany Spyder into battle. Therefore, Spyder is often best accompanied by plenty of units - each of which becomes stronger thanks to his presence.
Defensive Properties[]
By default, Spyder the Rogue has an average Defense score compared to other Melee-oriented Heroes, at 5. This enables him to block, on average, about 1.5 points of Damage from any damage source. This is enough to protect Spyder adequately against the attacks of most low-tier enemy units, but is not enough to ensure protection from stronger units.
Spyder's 8 Hit Points also contribute to his survivability. This score is significantly above-average for a budding Hero.
As with most Heroes, Spyder possesses a default Resistance score of 6. This makes him somewhat vulnerable to Curses and other combat maledictions. It will take at least 
4 Experience Levels before he can become immune to some of these effects, assuming no Magical Items or Random Abilities augment it.
Other Properties[]
Spyder the Rogue has a basic Hero's Movement Allowance of 2. This is good for speeding up his movement on the overland map, through plain land tiles like Grassland and Deserts. It also improves Spyder's ability to evade stronger opponents on the battlefield, or flank and attack weaker units in the enemy line.
As mentioned earlier, Spyder's Leadership ability not only improves his own Melee Attack strength, but also the strength of any friendly Normal Unit and Hero on the battlefield (but not friendly Fantastic Units). Each such friendly unit receives +1 Melee Attack for every 3 of Spyder's Experience Levels. Units with a 
Ranged Missile Attack, 
Ranged Boulder Attack, Thrown Attack and/or Breath Attack receive a bonus of +1 to the strength of each of these attacks, as long as Spyder is at level 6 ("Lord") or higher. Note that all this applies only during combat, and only when Spyder is present.
Spyder also possesses the "Super" version of the Legendary ability. While Spyder is under a wizard's employ, that wizard's Fame score is increased by 4.5 for each of Spyder's Experience Levels, including the first level. This helps maintain larger armies (by reducing the total Upkeep Costs for Normal Units and Heroes). It also helps attract other high-tier Heroes and Mercenaries to the wizard's employ, as well as Item Merchants offering their goods. The bonus to Fame is lost if Spyder is removed from the payroll (through either dismissal or death), returning the wizard's Fame score to normal.
Experience[]
The following table illustrates how Spyder's various skills and attributes increase as he gains Experience. Attributes not appearing on this list do not improve with Experience. The effects of the Leadership trait on Spyder's Melee Attack strength have already been taken into account here. Also note that Spyder always receives an extra Random Ability which may also increase with Experience, and may adjust any of the attributes listed below!
| Icon | Level Name | EP | Melee | To Hit | Defense | Resist | Hits | Leader | Fame |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Hero |  0 - 19
|
7
|
30%
|
4
|
6
|
8
|
0 | 4
|
|
Myrmidon | 20 - 59
|
8
|
30%
|
5
|
7
|
9
|
0 | 9
|
|
Captain | 60 - 119
|
10
|
40%
|
5
|
8
|
10
|
+1 | 13
|
|
Commander | 120 - 199
|
11
|
40%
|
6
|
9
|
11
|
+1 | 18
|
|
Champion | 200 - 299
|
12
|
40%
|
6
|
10
|
12
|
+1 | 22
|
|
Lord | 300 - 449
|
14
|
50%
|
7
|
11
|
13
|
+2 | 27
|
|
Grand Lord | 450 - 599
|
15
|
50%
|
7
|
12
|
14
|
+2 | 31
|
|
Super Hero | 600 - 999
|
16
|
50%
|
8
|
13
|
15
|
+2 | 36
|
|
Demi-God | 1,000
|
18
|
60%
|
8
|
14
|
16
|
+3 | 40
|
Average Damage Output[]
The following table shows Spyder's average Damage output with each of his attacks, based on his current Experience Level. The effects of the Leadership ability have already been factored into the values below. You can use the checkboxes to see the effect of some of the Random Abilities that Spyder may occasionally possess. Note that this table completely ignores bonuses from Magical Items, if any.
|
Improvement Overview[]
As with any other Hero, Spyder can eventually become very powerful as he gains Experience. Nonetheless, he is relatively weak at the lower levels.
Once Spyder reaches Experience Level 3 ("Captain"), his Leadership ability kicks in - improving the Melee Attack strengths of all friendly units on the battlefield (including himself). This can make an entire army much stronger by a small but significant margin. 
Multi-Figure units benefit even more from this, as each 
Figure's attack is improved as a result. Once Spyder hits level 6 ("Lord"), he will also improve all other attack strengths (except 
Magical Ranged Attacks) by +1.
Note that these bonuses also apply to Spyder himself, meaning that his Melee Attack strength can be said to improve faster than normal - though not as fast as with the Might or Blademaster abilities.
The Legendary ability improves very quickly, thanks to Spyder having the "Super" version of this ability. His employer's Fame score will skyrocket - reducing the total Upkeep Costs paid every turn, and thus allowing the employer to build larger armies. At level 9 ("Demi-God"), Spyder reduces the total Upkeep Cost of all units by 40! Furthermore, as Spyder gains levels and Fame soars, more and more Heroes and Mercenaries (some powerful!) will appear for hire - as well Item Merchants plying their wares.
Finally, if Spyder obtains good Melee-oriented Random Abilities, he will likely gain a very powerful Melee Attack early on. Still, unless one of the picked abilities also increases his durability in some way, he will still be in danger of dying if attempting to confront strong enemy units in Melee combat.
Ability Overview[]
Leadership[]
- During combat, this Hero bestows a certain bonus to the attack strength of each friendly Normal Unit and Hero, including him/herself (but not including Fantastic Units).
- The bonus to Melee Attacks is +1 per every 3 Experience Levels this Hero possesses.
- Once this Hero reaches level 6 ("Lord"), he/she gives a +1 to all friendly units' Ranged Missile Attacks, Ranged Boulder Attacks, Thrown Attacks and Breath Attacks.
- No bonus is given to friendly units' Ranged Magical Attacks.
Super Legendary[]
- While this Hero is under a Wizard's employ, that Wizard's Fame score is increased by 4.5 per every Experience Level the Hero possesses (rounded down), including the first level.
- If the Hero is lost or dismissed, the bonus points are removed.
Random Abilities[]
When a new game is started, the program randomly chooses 1 additional ability for Spyder. This is called a Random Ability. The selection is done completely at random (while observing a limit on the strength of certain abilities) from the list below:
 Agility
|
 Armsmaster
|
 Blademaster
|
 Charmed
|
 Constitution
|
 Leadership
|
 Lucky
|
 Might
|
 Noble
|
Whichever Random Ability is picked, it is permanent. Spyder will never re-randomize his ability during the course of a single game. He may, however, pick a different ability in the next game.
The Legendary ability does not appear on this list, since Spyder already possesses the "Super" version of this ability (it cannot be upgraded further).
If Spyder picks the Leadership ability, it will upgrade his existing Leadership to "Super" Leadership, increasing the bonus to friendly units' attack strengths by 50% (rounded down).
As a support hero, Spyder will benefit greatly from defensive properties such as Constitution or Agility, which will help protect him from damage during combat - and thus ensure that he keeps giving his Leadership bonuses to all other surviving units. Additional support abilities such as Armsmaster or Noble may also be desirable.
Alternatively, attack-oriented abilities like Might or Blademaster may help turn Spyder into a powerful Melee Attacker early on, but again if he is lost in battle all friendly units on the battlefield will lose the powerful bonuses from Spyder's Leadership, so placing him at risk is not too desirable.
Equipment[]
Spyder the Rogue has the following item slots:
| Icon | Name | Items that fit here |
|---|---|---|
|
Sword Slot | Sword, Mace or Axe |
|
Shield Slot | Shield, Chainmail or Platemail |
|
Jewelry Slot | Any Jewelry |
This set-up contributes primarily to Melee combat. This is excellent for Spyder, who is essentially a Melee-oriented unit.
Recommended Items[]
Spyder continuously bestows Leadership bonuses to all friendly units during combat. As a result it is often best to concentrate on items that improve his survivability, so that the enemy cannot take him out of the action (thus removing the powerful bonuses he gives). It is also possible, though somewhat less desirable, to invest in increasing Spyder's raw offensive strength as a Melee Attacker.
Weapon[]
- Spyder will likely want to wield a Sword, especially if one is found that bestows Defense bonuses. This will increase his survivability to a small degree. Attack Strength and To Hit values are also beneficial, making Spyder a stronger attacker, but it is generally preferred to avoid attacking powerful enemies with this Hero. Try to concentrate on keeping Spyder alive so that he can continue bestowing his Leadership bonuses on other units. If Spyder is caught with little friendly support however, he will need serious attack bonuses to come out victorious.
Armor[]
- Though Spyder's Defense rating is not too shabby, keeping him alive is important. As a result, heavy armor is recommended, with as high a Defense score as possible. Resistance bonuses may also be useful, ensuring that he is not taken out by powerful enemy spells that do not cause direct damage.
- If Spyder is used as a Melee Attacker, a good Platemail is recommended. Otherwise, when he is leading massive armies, a Shield may be sufficient - protecting him from Ranged Attacks and direct-damage spells.
- Movement Allowance bonuses may also be useful, allowing Spyder to keep his distance from powerful enemies. With a large bonus here, Spyder may maneuver easily to take out the weaker units in the enemy line while his friends deal with stronger opponents.
Jewelry[]
- Once again, Spyder's Jewelry should probably concentrate on increasing his survivability, through Defense, Resistance or Movement Allowance bonuses. Attack Strength and/or To Hit bonuses are useful, but only once Spyder's defensive properties are good enough to ensure that he does not fall when engaging enemies in direct combat.
- You can safely ignore bonuses to Mana ("Spell Skill") and Spell Save penalties - they will not help this Hero.
Acquisition[]
Spyder the Rogue can be acquired in one of four different methods:
- By hiring him as he comes to visit your Fortress town,
- By casting the Summon Hero or Summon Champion spells,
- By rescuing him from an Encounter zone,
- By Resurrecting him after he has been killed in battle.
Hiring Spyder[]
Every once in a while, a Hero will arrive at your Fortress town to ask for employment. The frequency of this event depends on your current Fame score, the number of Heroes already under your employ, and whether or not you have particular Retorts that affect this chance.
In order for Spyder to appear for hire in this way, you must meet several requirements:
- You must have at least 20 Fame points.
- You must have sufficient Gold in your treasury to hire Spyder (more on this below).
- Spyder must not have already been killed in battle.
Since the game randomly chooses which Hero appears during this event, there's no guarantee that Spyder will ever appear. The chance, however, increases if the number of other valid Heroes dwindles (such as when most other Heroes have died in battle).
The default Hiring Cost for Spyder is 300. This is reduced to 150 if your wizard has the Charismatic Retort. If you do not have this much Gold at the start of a turn (after paying all Upkeep Costs), Spyder will not appear for hire. In fact, if he is picked as the Hero who approaches you, and you lack the money to hire him, you are effectively forfeiting your chance to hire any Hero this turn.
After agreeing to hire Spyder (you can always refuse), you may give him any name you choose - he will be known as "<name> the Rogue". His overland unit will appear at your Fortress town or, if that town's garrison is full, next to your Fortress town.
Summoning Spyder[]
As a non-Champion hero, Spyder the Rogue can be summoned using either the Summon Hero or Summon Champion spells. However, Summon Champion only has a chance to bring Spyder to you if all Champions are unavailable at the time.
Once the spell is completed, the game chooses a random Hero to bring to your Fortress from a list of all available and valid Heroes. Therefore, there is no guarantee that Spyder will appear when these spells are cast, unless all other Heroes are unavailable.
Again, you get a chance to agree or refuse to hire Spyder. If you agree, he will appear in your Fortress town and/or next to it.
If Spyder is hired through the use of Summon Hero or Summon Champion, there is no need to pay any Hiring Cost. However, you may still need to pay an Upkeep Cost (see below).
Rescuing Spyder[]
On defeating an Encounter of at least moderate difficulty, there is a small chance that your reward will include a Prisoner previously held captive in this Encounter zone.
The game can randomly pick any non-Champion Hero to be rescued in this way - except Heroes that have already died while in your service. Your Fame and Gold are disregarded, and there is no need to pay any Hiring Costs.
Note that if the army that beats that particular Encounter already contains 9 units, you will never be rewarded with a Prisoner.
Resurrecting Spyder[]
For most wizards, losing Spyder in battle removes him from the game permanently. He will never appear again.
For 
Life-wielding wizards, however, who have access to the Resurrection spell, it is possible to bring Spyder back to life after he has died. In this case, Spyder returns to your Fortress town, with no Magical Items, but keeping all Experience he had prior to his death.
You may repeatedly resurrect Spyder each time he dies.
Upkeep Costs[]
Once Spyder is in your employ, you must pay him an Upkeep Cost of 6 at the start of each and every turn. Failure to pay this price due to lack of Gold results in Spyder leaving your employ. This is not permanent however: Spyder may still be acquired in any of the above methods with no penalty.
Note that if Spyder picks the Noble Random Ability, he will demand no Upkeep Costs - and instead contribute 10 to your treasury every turn!
Alternate Names[]
Other wizards can also have a Rogue, but they are different characters (what happens to one has no effect on the others), and go by different names, as follows:
Rogue |
Player | Alternate Name |
|---|---|---|
| Human (0) | Spyder | |
| Wizard 1 | Jester | |
| Wizard 2 | Marco | |
| Wizard 3 | Dupre | |
| Wizard 4 | Eroll |