Sylvan Strategy Thread

[Elvin]

Remember that the article has been released for some time so they have already seen it. What would be left to do is read the whole thread

[winterfate]

That is true my friend.

I really need to get Tribes.

[Elvin]

Not a good combo with lack of time though

[Tensho]

Not much tactics with sylvan...
all you need is arcane archers!

[Elvin]

You are funny, sylvan works as a synergy. Sure arcane archers are good but the damage that sprites, wardancers, unicorns and dragons can do on the first turn is scarier. If the opponent kills your hunters with an implosion the others can continue butchering his army.

[decebalus]

I'd like to know what are the strategies against inferno....Anyone help pls...Also would be great if we say about main skills versus dungen...
thx

[Elvin]

Inferno is at a disadvantage no matter how you look at it I'd suggest light as a dark counter, enlightenment for mana and extra defense, logs(d'uh) with maybe swift mind. Luck is obligatory. Another that I usually get is attack->tactics, with 2 units at 15 init and another at 14 it's almost a guarantee that you hit first so you might as well place them all for a full frontal assault.

A few things to keep in mind. No matter how threatening the other units show ALWAYS shoot the seducers first. Don't leave your hunters in the open, either real or gated units will try to get adjacent to them. If you have word of light use high druids, with boosted spellpower it does insane damage. Silver unicorns are cool with aura of magic resistance though with the pristines you can opt for a double resurrection since they get a light spell for free when someone casts it.

Btw a destructive/warmachine combo can also be deadly if you can keep the high druids alive. Unless the opponent is Marbas

Against dungeon it's the same thing, charge them like there is no tomorrow. Any speed boosts as tactics, aura of swiftness or familiar ground are vital and so are 'damaging' skills. Elven luck or retribution for instance. Or empathy if you plan on resurrection tactics.

Edit: Something I forgot if you manage to get dark, then imbue arrow, rain of arrows and frenzy make for a sweet combo

[decebalus]

thx a lot m8....i've got marbas to deal with...

[John.Galt]

Btw a destructive/warmachine combo can also be deadly if you can keep the high druids alive.

Truer words have never been spoken. I have never seen a more rigged skill combination than Imbue ballista triple ballista and destructive magic. If you're lucky enough to get war machines, (Usually about 75% of the time if you play a long game. I did the math - 52% of the time I believe, War machines will show up before you're required to pick a sixth skill, and frequently you will get a witch hut or memory mentor, so I estimated 75% overall) turtling is your friend. Imbue chain lightning, rain of arrows, and watch their armies move back on the ATB bar due to master of storms. Then if there's a unit you REALLY want to die, throw your triple ballista at it. (Hint: This is the seducers)

But really, if you have war machines as Sylvan, there's no excuse for not being able to defeat a army that is listed as "challenging", frequently it can be done without taking losses, or if you do take losses, it's not to units that matter. (Read Pixies, War Dancers, Unicorns and Treants)

And yeah, even without war machines, mass initiative is always my strategy. Go with Wyngall, and get swift mind, your entire army will act before one of theirs does, and if you are able to kill a couple stacks, (This is were I disagree with Elvin) kill the ones that act first, not the seducers.

Sylvan is all about initiative. Get skills (like master of storms and master of ice) that let you control when the opposing armies get to act. If there are some horned demons that won't get to your troops for a couple turns, don't shoot at them, but if those Seducers are about to go, throw everything you got at them.

As for dungeon, the only specific things I have to say is that the Aura of magic resistance is a must. Also, have your AA's target the black dragons, as they will be difficult to control ATB wise, being magic immune and all.

And yes, I think if you did a breakdown, I think about 1/2 of my posts are talking about how uber insane war machines is with Sylvan.

[Wolfsburg]

That last post of yours was inspiring Elvin, I myself, a classical evil race player felt the urge to get Sylvan in my next game ASAP!

Lovely ideas and description.

Thanks.

[godlyatheist]

I want high druids to be part of my dungeon creatures, +25 spellpower is awesome for the warlock.

[John.Galt]

Rofl... high druids are just there to compensate for the rangers awful spellpower... putting them with dungeon would be... well... laughable.

[Elvin]

Correction, overcompensate

[Wolfsburg]

Lately I have been experiencing extreme bad luck with war machines skill popping up to my Sylvan heroes.

Third game in a row, where I get crushed for not having the cursed war machines to imbue my mighty spells on it...

Any thoughts or ideas about it?

Anyone sharing the same hatred for these stupid skill repetition that gets offered over and over until you pick them out of pure insanity so you just wont be forced to see its fckn image again?

No? Just me?

[godlyatheist]

The way some skills are offered is extremely stupid. Snatch, for example, as a tier 3 skill is often impossible to get after getting the requirement. Why do I need snatch when my hero is already lvl 15 and pretty much cleared the map? There is absolutely no point in having requirement for a skill if the chance of getting it after obtaining requirement is 1%. If Nival thinks some skills are too powerful then nerf it, and vice versa. I would like all ultimate skills be "adjusted" so they are not imba AND that any hero will receive it at lvl 25 automatically.

As for repitition, yes the game repeatedly offer me **** skills til I run out of other usable skills to take and is forced to take it and ruin my build. Seriously, the same perk should not be offered 10 times in a row just to prevent perk for that skill is a requirement for something else being taken. After all we want versatility in build so players stand more chance against different factions, if we keep getting screwed in the skill choices how can we do that?

[John.Galt]

Wolfsburg: I did the math once, War Machines has a 2% chance of showing up (Dumb because if you base your whole strat around it, as I do, and it doesn't show up, you're hosed) If you do the math, by the time you're fully developed, and forced to pick a different skill, there's approximately a 50% (52% I believe, actually, but who's counting) chance in a game you will be offered war machines, ignoring witch huts, memory mentors, etc.

So .5 probability ^ 3 games = .125, so there's a 12.5% chance that you'd be that unlucky. So really not that unlucky, but that's also ignoring witch huts and memory mentors.

Yeah I'm an engineering major. :-P

And yeah, I completely agree godlyathiest...

[Wolfsburg]

Thanks for the explanation John. Thats an interesting calculation you got there. But what still amazes me is how often some skills are repeatedly offered. Which seems awfully unlogical and flawed.

In those two games for instance, silent stalker was offered (no kiddin) around 10-12 times a game. Up to the point where I chose this ability just not to see its looks again. Delaying considerably my build.

So I am quite sure that the way skills are offered is clearly backed up by intrinsicate mathematical calculations, but there seems to a tendency to offer the same trait over and over, which can only be explained as:

1 - Mere coincidental
2 - Thought over by the producers for some unknown reason.
3 - Flawed randomization programming

And I tend to think number three is the most likely explanation, since I fail to see a reason for this tenacious repetition.

Well... I don't know. I would just love to see it modded. But this is probably hardcoded.

[Wolfsburg]

So, basically what pisses me off is not the 50% of NOT getting war machines, but the high percentage of chance to see skills repeatedly offered.

Yeah I'm an engineering major. :-P

Sweet! The greater the variety of sciences in the RT the better!

(Especially knowing how bad I am at maths... Its not a bad idea to have someone else doing the calculations around here)

[danhvo]

I used to think that some abilities are given better odds than others, until I read the guide. Now, I think I can manipulate the odds a little better.

What you forget is that, of the two abilities offered, one is a basic ability (that doesn't require another ability as a prerequisite), and the other is an advanced ability. The game will always try to stick to this unless it has no choice. If you see, for example, that Silent Stalker keeps being offered, then maybe Silent Stalker is the only advanced ability you're qualified for at the time. Then, if you refuse to select it and choose to advance a skill (or pick a new skill) instead, then the next time around, Silent Stalker might still be the only advanced ability for you, and will be offered again.

As an example, if you're qualified for 5 basic abilities, and 1 advanced ability, then you have only 20% chance of being offered the basic ability you want, but 100% chance of being offered the advanced ability. If, picking this advanced ability reduces the number to zero, either because this ability is not a prerequisite for another advanced ability, because it's the 3rd (last) ability for this skill, or because you need to advance the skill before you can choose another ability, then the next time you level up, both ability slots are available for basic abilities, and you'd improve your chance of being offered your ability to 40%.

Frequently, what happens is, when you're not offered the (basic) ability that you want, like Ballista, you would choose a new skill instead. Well, picking a new skill opens up 3 new basic abilities for you, and your chance of being offered Ballista the next time just got even smaller.

If you pay attention to what abilities you're qualified for, then you might understand better why the game seems to deliberately foil your perfect hero build.

[Grumpy Old Wizard]

I used to think that some abilities are given better odds than others, until I read the guide. Now, I think I can manipulate the odds a little better.

You do have better odds at advancing in some skills than others depending on what faction you are playing. Of course if you only develop a couple of skills at a time you can help yourself a little a bit in possibly getting the skills you want. Look in the fan made manual under "Hero Development: Skills Advancement."

For example, when a wizard levels he has a 15% chance of learning enlightenment or summoning but a 2% chance of learning attack/defense/leadership/luck.