Curse

rocketspeed · May 31, 2006, 06:12 PM // 18:12

I've been an MM for about a year, and I've grown accustomed to the old Horror.

For the Vamps, is the +10 energy cost and the +10 recharge time worth it?

I think this is a case of quality vs. quantity.

What do you think?

xenoranger · May 31, 2006, 06:53 PM // 18:53

Consider the benefits.

I'm not going to talk about horrors only (FYI).

Horrors 15,3,5
1:24 Life span

Benefit:
Cheap
Body Block
effective killing machines

Drawback:
Melee only
No benefit to caster
Questionable AI
V Horrors 25,3,15
1:24 Life Span

Benefit:
Damage they deal is added to your HP
Effective Killing machines
Body block
Reasonable Skill Recharge

Drawback:
High Cost
Melee only
Questionable AI
Longer Skill Recharge
Fiends 25,3,5
1:24 Life Span

Benefit:
Better AI/Targetting
Ranged Attacks

Drawback:
High Cost
No benefit to caster
No Body Block
Reasonable Skill Recharge
Golem 15,3,30 {E}
Life Span: 1:46

Benefit:
High Level
Power Melee
Body Block
Exploitable Corpse

Drawback:
Only 1 at a time
Questionable AI
No benefit to caster

Honestly, you can get by with using a combination of Horrors and V Horrors. Fiends have kinda become outdated (except for some areas and uses), so it's a matter of what you want for your minions.

It isn't uncommon for people to still use horrors quite a bit. Horrors are fairly versetile and do teh exact same damage as V Horrors. What I usually do is keep both on my bar and try to cast VHorrors more often than horrors (when possible). Doing so gives a better HP management.

Francis Crawford · Jun 01, 2006, 02:53 AM // 02:53

I figure that I'm trying to get the strongest possible 10 minion army, so I go with all 25-energy animates. (All three of them right now). This entails switching to a 42 energy/-2 regen weapon set occasonally, but so be it.

Having a good mix of Vampirics lets me spam BotM in battle longer.

Having a mix of melee and Fiends gives some protection against AoE wipeouts.

Still, there are times when ALL my minions die. ::sob::

xenoranger · Jun 01, 2006, 11:53 AM // 11:53

I don't understand why people mix 25's? The casting cost is too high. That's why I use either fiends or horrors. Otherwise, you need OoBlood or MoRecall to get the energy back. Then you loose an elite that could be used for other purposes. (IE: Golems)

Mr_eX · Jun 01, 2006, 12:19 PM // 12:19

Animate Vampiric Horror gives you an undead minion and a form of health management all in the same spell. The way I see it, it's worth the energy cost, since the only other form of health management tied to Death Magic that I can think of (Aura of the Lich) is elite. Also, constant health gain during combat will take a bit of stress off of your monks.

Francis Crawford · Jun 01, 2006, 12:24 PM // 12:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by xenoranger

I don't understand why people mix 25's? The casting cost is too high. That's why I use either fiends or horrors. Otherwise, you need OoBlood or MoRecall to get the energy back. Then you loose an elite that could be used for other purposes. (IE: Golems)

I use Vampiric Horrors, Bone Fiends, and Flesh Golems and get by just fine.

I DO slow down the movement of the group a bit, but I think it's worth it.

That said, I look forward to experimenting with Glyph of Energy so as to improve my speed.

xenoranger · Jun 01, 2006, 12:25 PM // 12:25

Well, for Health Management, I use Taste of Pain. It's REALLY effective, although oddly does no damage to the enemy. I also sacrifice corpses for Soul Feast. This is while I have a VHorror horde (b/c of spaming BotM to keep them alive).

Aura of Lich is great, but remember that it reduces health which makes degen on you much more effective. Never hit AoLich if you are under the effect of a Degen. And, try to keep out of Degen while enchanted with AoLich.