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nature

Nature

Nature is one of the eight Paths of magic, and one of the four paths of Sorcery. A number of its spell and ritual effects are affected by Growth/Death scales and/or whether they are being cast in/at a forest or wasteland.

On a strategic level, it is a path of tradeoffs (this can also be seen, e.g., in how it affects the nation's Divine magic). On one hand, it increases the user's max age by 50% per point, potentially staving off old age and its consequences. On the other, when the check for whether a pretender loses paths or dominion upon dying is made, each point in Nature increases the chance of losing a point in magic paths by 10%. This means that, with the baseline being 50%, an N5+ pretender is guaranteed to check for losing paths, rather than dominion, upon death. Nature is also the most likely path to be diminished whenever a pretender loses paths. Of course, some might consider preserving dominion over magic paths (which can be empowered) not a tradeoff, and even desirable, especially in light of the fact that this does not affect bless effects, as even a pretender who's lost all their magic paths will retain whatever bless effects were set during pretender creation.

Nature confers the following indirect effects upon any and all units with paths in it:

  1. Magic Leadership +5 / level
  2. Max Age +50% / level
  3. Supply Bonus 10 / level
  4. Poison Resistance (5 at N3, +2 for each additional level)

The power/utility gap for Nature is between N2 and N3, when Strength of Gaia becomes available, giving the N3 mage potential access to N4. Note that unlike, e.g., Summon Earthpower or Summon Water Power, it requires crosspathing.

Nature's remote site-searching spell is Haruspex.

Nature's province dome is Forest Dome.

Nature's gem generating global enchantment is Mother Oak.

Having Nature as the pretender's dominant magic path affects its nation's Divine magic in the following ways:

  • Banishment becomes Final Rest - reduced AoE, easier to resist, but kills targets outright if not resisted
  • Smite becomes Word of Thorns - deals less damage, but entangles and bleeds the target

Notable Nature Combat Spells

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Mass Regeneration - nature 44 - Gives all living units on the caster's side regeneration.

Poison Cloud - nature 33 - A less intensive version of foul vapors, in terms of area, effect, duration, but also demand on the caster.

Poison Ward - nature 22 - The early Foul Vapors prophylactic, in case one's units do not have poison resistance.

Relief - nature 55 - Reduces the fatigue of all friendly units, mages or otherwise, as long as the caster is alive.

Serpent's Blessing - nature 44 - The battlefield-wide poison resistance bestower.

Sleep Cloud - nature 22 - An AoE sleep spell. Damage will wake the affected units up, unless it's poison. Have fun scripting related combos.

Wooden Warriors - nature 22 - Grants a group of units Barkskin, increasing their natural protection, but making them vulnerable to fire.

Notable Nature Rituals

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Notable Nature Summons

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Creeping Doom - nature 33 - If your opponent is not entomophobic, this spell might change that.

Pack of Wolves - nature 11 - Quick to research, cheap way to summon stealthy animals.

Swarm - nature 11 - Depending on the number of casters allows them to deal with PD and/or skelly-spam.

Notable Nature Global Enchantments

Enchanted Forests - nature 77 - All forests not under the owner's dominion effectively act as their temples. All forests within the owner's dominion send attacks into adjacent provinces owned by other pretenders. Strength of attacking force affected by Growth scales. Will not attack into wastelands.

Gift of Health - nature 66 - Boosts HP for all friendly units in the owner's dominion, as well as healing afflictions over time. Noted as one of the few ways to heal Tartarians of their afflictions.

Gift of Nature's Bounty - nature 77 - Increases income of every province under the owner's dominion.

Mother Oak - nature 55 - Quick and easy way to set up a stable naturegem income. Easy to contest, unless invested into.

Notable Nature Forged Items

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Nature Shields

Vine Shield nature 2210naturegem Construction 4
This Buckler (usable by Mounted guys) is famed for its ability to hold down attackers! Everyone uses it!
PROT 13, PARRY 5, Entangles melee attackers

Nature Boosters

Thistle Mace nature 2210naturegem Construction 4
This Mace (Length 1) is less of a mace, and more of a thistle Nature focus.
BLUNT, DMG 3, ATT -1, DEF -1, causes 15 POISON DMG on DMG, nature 11 boost
Treelord's Staff nature 5540naturegem Construction 6
This Quarterstaff (Length 3) is alive, but it probably won't stab you in the back.
BLUNT, DMG 3, ATT +2, DEF +4, Forest Survival, nature 22 boost, Far Caster 1 (Nature), Ivy Lord 1

Notable Nature Crosspaths

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Nature Crosspath Combat Spells

Foul Vapors - nature 33water 11 - The reason you will hear poison resistance being necessary in pretty much every build.

Strength of Gaia - nature 33earth 11 - Boost's the caster's Nature path by 1, as well as granting Barkskin, regeneration, and extra strength.

Nature Crosspath Global Enchantments

Haunted Forest - nature 55death 11 - Anything that was once living and dies within the caster's dominion will rise as a Manikin. Temporarily.

Nature Crosspath Boosters

Atlas of Creation earth 33astral 3340earthgem40astralpearl Construction 8
Makes the reader able to find all the more interesting places on the map. Makes horrors find the reader all the more interesting.
earth 11astral 11nature 11 boost, Spell: Record of Creation
Armor of Twisting Thorns blood 33nature 2215bloodslave10naturegem Construction 4
I can't imagine that this feels nice, but it gives you washboard abs to compensate. You can't take the thorns out, EVER!
PROT 13 (Head & Body, Also Fills Head "Slot"), DEF -1, ENC +5, MM -6, Poison Barbs 10, nature 11blood 11 boost
Moonvine Bracelet nature 33astral 1115naturegem5astralpearl Construction 6
They say this thing looks nicer than a tiny wreath while you should be sleeping.
nature 11 boost, Retinue of 1 Vine Man
The Tome of Gaia earth 22nature 2210earthgem10naturegem Construction 8
By your Earthpowers combined!
earth 11nature 11 boost
Magic
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Categories Combat Magic Ritual Magic Notable Spells
Paths Fire Air Water Earth Astral Death Nature Blood Holy
Schools ConjurationAlterationEvocationConstructionEnchantmentThaumaturgyBloodDivine
nature.txt · Last modified: 2024/02/29 16:13 by joste