====== Air ====== {{:misc:magic:air.png?nolink }} **Air** is an Elemental path of [[magic]]. Among the four Elements, it governs the intangible gases. Its three queens govern clouds, storms, and lightning. Of the four Elements, Air is fairly easy to [[Evocation|Evoke]]; easier than it is to [[Alteration|Alter]], at least. In [[Thaumaturgy|Thaumaturgic]] tradition, the path is sanguine, resembling a more-positive sort of activity. In the Way of Five Elements, it is filled with determination. Air received significant changes in Dominions 6, with [[Glamour]] receiving all of its command over the unreal. Regardless, Air is the least understood of the four Elements in the [[nations-ea|Early Ages]], and it remains that way for the other two. The great **Air Mages** of olden times go from conquerors in the Early Ages to isolationists in the [[nations-ma|Middle Ages]], and few of them sire worthy successors. By the [[nations-la|Late Ages]], average capability with Air declines beneath even that of [[Blood]], though there are signs of grand discoveries beyond the game's scope. ===== Air Spells ===== Air has a fair number of tools. There are several summoning spells, but most of the options deal with battlefield movement, the weather, [[precision#missile-combat|Missile Combat]], and/or direct damage. {{:abilities:resist_shock.png?nolink }} [[Shock Resistance|Shock]] is the element-of-choice for Air's damaging spells. This is an [[Armor-Negating]] element, typically with either a limited range or a limited "area-of-effect" compared to spells of other elements. There are also "wind" spells that deal damage, albeit against full [[Protection]]. The four Elements have a variety of checks and balances against each other, even against themselves. For Air, the biggest counter for its [[Precision]] spells are other Air spells, such as [[Air Shield]], Mist, and Storm. For the damage-reducing spells, magical projectiles (such as those from [[Fire]] and [[Water]]) ignore or disable them. For the damaging spells, [[Earth]] provides [[Shock Resistance]], along with standard Protection that helps against the "wind" spells. ==== Pure Air ==== ^ Skill Level ^ Early Research (0-3) ^ Middle Research (4-6) ^ Late Research (7-9) ^ | {{path>A1}} (a dabbler) | Personal [[Air Shield]] \\ Self-[[Overcharging]] \\ Melee Shock Damage \\ Limited [[Stun|Stunning]] Gusts \\ Personal [[Floating]] \\ Personal [[Shock Resistance]] \\ Personal [[Precision]] Boosting \\ Personal [[Swiftness]] \\ Combat Hawks \\ Path-Boosting in Storms \\ Personal [[Flying]] \\ [[Fatigue]] Sniping \\ Lesser Air Elementals \\ Limited Range-Boosting | | | | {{path>A2}} (average) | Personal [[Mistform]] \\ Lesser Long-Ranged Shocking \\ Lesser Close-Ranged Shocking \\ Hawk Invasions \\ Lesser Air Shield \\ Stunning Gusts \\ Combat "Magic Missile" \\ Lesser Flying \\ Lesser Shock Resistance \\ [[Gem]]-Mailing \\ [[Items|Item]]-Mailing | Wyverns \\ Storm Drakes \\ Gryphons \\ Magic Wind Attacks \\ Lesser Mistform \\ Magic Phase Movement \\ Lesser Floating \\ Greater Precision-Boosting \\ [[Magic Site|Site-Searching]] \\ Lesser Chain Lightning \\ Greater Range-Boosting \\ Greater Shock Resistance | | | {{path>A3}} ("mastery") | Battlefield Precision-Reducing \\ "Magic Missile" Assassinations | Province-Terrorizing Storms \\ Greater Long-Ranged Shocking \\ Dragon-Folk \\ Greater Air Elementals \\ Lightning Spirit-Hawks \\ Massive Eagles \\ Army Precision-Boosting | Chain Lightning | | {{path>A4}} ("god-like") | | Obvious [[Patrol]]-Boosting \\ [[Death]] Gem Harvesting \\ Battlefield Storms \\ Coastal [[Income]]-Boosting \\ Supreme Range-Boosting | Air Elemental Spam \\ Supreme Air Shield \\ Greater Mistform \\ **Ranged Army-Shocking** \\ Greater Flying \\ Supreme Shock Resistance | | {{path>A5}} | | Commander-Pulling \\ **Worldwide Storms** \\ Battlefield Lightning Strikes \\ Domes of Air \\ Utilized Good Moods | Earth-[[Dispel|Dispelling]] \\ **Worldwide Dark Clouds** \\ **Air Queens** \\ Supreme Mistform \\ Supreme Flying \\ **Hectic Gem Generators** | | {{path>A6}} | | | Supreme Chain Lightning | ==== Air Crosspaths ==== These are the crosspath effects with Air as the **primary** path. * Air/**[[Fire]]**: Nothing with Air as the primary path, unforutnately. * Air/**[[Water]]**: Battlefield Blizzards that make it [[Scales#Temperature|Cold]]. * Air/**[[Earth]]**: Watchers, Patrolling statues that throw lightning bolts at foes. * Air/**[[Astral]]**: Tornadoes that drain Magic and Elemental Gems from the world. * Air/**[[Death]]**: Corpse Constructs, Flesh Golems based on Frankenstein's Monster. * Air/**[[Nature]]**: Amphipteres, winged snakes. * Air/**[[Glamour]]**: Nothing with Air as the primary path, unfortunately. ===== Indirect Magic ===== {{:abilities:resist_shock.png?nolink }} An Air Mage with {{path>A3}} has 5 points of [[Shock Resistance]], due to a better attunement with Air and its chosen weapon. One with {{path>A4}} or higher has 10 points of Shock Resistance, instead. {{:misc:gui:magicleadership.png?nolink }} Other than 10 points of [[Magic Leadership]] per level, that's it. The Magic Leadership isn't immensely significant for Air Mages, but //someone// has to have it to prevent the almighty Air Elementals from [[rout|routing]]. ==== Path Boosting ==== Air has nine [[items]] that boost it. Three are Artifacts. Only two of the non-Artifacts are fairly straightforward to craft, and these both come at [[Construction]] Level 5; these are the ??Winged Helmet?? ({{path>A4}}) and the ??Horn of Storms?? ({{path>A5}}). Air has an Air-boosting spell, ??Summon Storm Power??, but it only works after ??Storm?? or ??Blizzard?? has been cast. Air Mages can (and will) cast it even if a Storm/Blizzard isn't up yet.