Faction Observations: Who's the strongest? Who's the best?

Garion · Post by **Garion** » February 25th, 2006, 6:10 pm

Homelands.

That's the problem with gryphons. I can't think of a fast unit with an impact attack. Which actually seems weird, since flails and maces were standard cheap cavalry weapons. I guess there's Oweac in EI, but he's alone in my experience.

So - as someone said earlier - there's not really a way to take advantage of their greatest weak point. Except ZOC the hell out of them, I guess, but even that is very hard to set up if your opponent is using them wisely.

I haven't done enough MP play yet to really rank the factions in that regard, so I'll just rate how much I like to play them.

1) Elves
2) Loyalists
3) Drakes
4) Undead
5) Knalga
6) Northerners

Really strong or no, I find myself dissatisfied with the optimal Knalgan strategy of picking some mountains and hunkering down there. A matter mostly of playing style. I like a running fight.

Northerners? They could probably use some tweaking. They may not actually be weaker than anything else - I don't think they are - but they sure are boring to play with.

Website · Post by **Sapient** » February 26th, 2006, 2:27 am

I see a lot of people think Northerners rank at the bottom. I play Northerners a lot, and my only gripe is that they have an inferior water unit line. (And some the recent changes to Undead made them even more troublesome for Northerners.)

Best faction depends on map and enemy, as Inuyasha already said... but here's my guess:

1) knalgan, loyalists: versatile and few weaknesses

2) rebels: need trees to reach full potential

3) northerners: reasons stated above

4) drakes, undead: great in some ways, vulnerable in others

After I play 1.1.1 some more, I'll likely change my opinion on these.

Shadowdweller · Post by **Shadowdweller** » February 27th, 2006, 2:31 am

Figure I'll try my hand at this. Doesn't really mean much, since relative strengths and weaknesses vary greatly depending on map and opposing faction. But as a general rule:

1) Elves- Very versatile, with easy means of obtaining some powerful abilities such as Leadership and the new slow.

2) Loyalists- Another very well rounded faction, but comes in just behind the elves due to the fact that every single unit is lawful.

3) Undead- Tricky to use, but extremely dangerous if used well. Cheap (High damage) mages, cheap fodder, and excellent resistances on the basic fighting units.

4) Northerners- Great cost effectiveness, ranged poison, and some decently damaging lvl 0s. However, lacks magic attacks (which are highly useful against high-def enemies) and is a bit light in the range department.

5) Drakes- Powerful attacks, great movement, and a good balance between ranged and melee attacks. However, expensive and quite vulnerable if an opponent somehow manages to hedge them in.

6) Knalgans- Faction has some glaring vulnerabilities. Slightly on the expensive side; poor interface between hill/mountain terrain and forests; lacking good means of dealing with high defense enemies; poor movement of basic fighters...except in extremely mountainous terrain (where they gain an edge due to low movement costs). Also is the ONLY faction incapable of dealing non-physical damage. Good selection of special abilities otherwise, and extremely hard to dislodge from mountains.

jaboua · Post by **jaboua** » February 27th, 2006, 5:42 pm

Tux2B wrote:And... where did you see they are official factions?

I think they are if you play in Peasant Gold Age.

Post by **Maeglin Dubh** » February 27th, 2006, 6:03 pm

Peasant isn't official.... Default is official.

player · Post by **player** » February 27th, 2006, 6:38 pm

Sapient wrote:
2) rebels: need trees to reach full potential

4) drakes, undead: great in some ways, vulnerable in others

rebels have trees on official, right? and they still arent the best caused by their low hp.

drakes and undead,all of them have their own weaknesses, like humans, weak on night, orcs on day,
their weaknesses are not only on their attacks and resistance but also on defense and other stuffs that affaects their performance.

Website · Post by **Sapient** » February 28th, 2006, 2:29 am

player: exactly.

Post by **Doc Paterson** » March 1st, 2006, 1:39 pm

Tmoiy wrote:
Doc Paterson wrote:Their great resistance to what? :/
Uh, everything? Dwarves don't have a weakness resistance-wise.

When I read your original sentence, I thought you meant "gryphons and their great resistances." Gryphons, of course, have no positive-number resistances.

Tippsey · Post by **Tippsey** » March 1st, 2006, 5:58 pm

Hey no lying Doc your confusing the new people. Gryphons like all living units have a 20% res to holy.

Post by **Doc Paterson** » March 1st, 2006, 7:10 pm

Tippsey wrote:Hey no lying Doc your confusing the new people. Gryphons like all living units have a 20% res to holy.

Lets also not forget their 40 percent resistance to wet towels, and their 60 percent resistance to wheel damage.

Tippsey · Post by **Tippsey** » March 1st, 2006, 10:21 pm

Ah yes them darn dirty towels may they be forever cursed.

Post by **Thrawn** » March 2nd, 2006, 12:13 am

Tippsey wrote:Ah yes them darn dirty towels may they be forever cursed.

they'll be good against the high elves though, right...?

toms · Post by **toms** » March 2nd, 2006, 2:35 pm

What kind of damage are towels?

(i suppose impact)

And what is wheel damage?

drachefly · Post by **drachefly** » March 2nd, 2006, 4:56 pm

No, if it was impact, it wouldn't have its own resistance figures.

Blade
Pierce
Impact
Cold
Fire
Holy
Wet Towel
Wheel
Grunge
Raised Toilet Seat

Post by **Thrawn** » March 2nd, 2006, 5:02 pm

drachefly wrote:No, if it was impact, it wouldn't have its own resistance figures.

... ...
Raised Toilet Seat

I thought we weren't making gender diffences besides pictures...

Seriously though, there is no best. The most balenced inside ther faction go to me: Loyalists, rebels, Dwarfs, Undead, Northerners but this can't make one better than the other if played right.