8th Ed. Bastiladon questions

[Guran]

When I played my first battle a few weeks ago I fielded this awesome ankylosaur with his solar beam. Yes, pokemon pun intended. However, while playing we tripped over some questions about this big bugger. Us all being fairly new players, we were unsure and while looking in the big rulebook, we couldn't find any answers. Maybe we just blatantly overlooked it.

On page 49 of the army book, it says that if the beam of chotec is succesfully cast... But we couldn't find anything saying what I have to throw for it to be succesfully cast. Maybe this is a stupid question or I am really overlooking something, but if anyone could point me into the right direction I would appreciate it.

And secondly: are bound spells handled exactly the same as spells cast by normal casters? Using the same pool from the winds of magic and being able to be dispelled? While fighting, my friends dispelled it a lot, it just felt weird that such an expensive unit could be rendered useless so easily.

Thanks for your time and cheers.

 

[Scalenex]

For all the information you want on the Beam of Chotec (and other Bound spells), you should check the block on Bound Spells on page 37 of the Big Red Book.

Page 49 of the Lizardmen book. Beam of Chotec says it's power level 3. That means the owner choose between one and six of your power dice to cast the spell and said owner must roll at least a 3 to cast the spell. A would-be dispeller must roll whatever the caster got or higher (not just a 3). The dispeller gets to add the wizard level of his dispelling wizard (if he has a wizard and if that wizard hadn't failed a dispel roll the same turn). The Beam of Chotec does NOT get to add anyone's wizard level but on the plus side there is essentially no penalty for rolling irresistible force because the Beam of Chotec qualifies as an innate ability. That just means the unit can't cast the spell again this phase (which is fine because you couldn't cast more than one spell with a single Bastildaon anyway).

Note that most bound other bound spells work this way. The Ruby Ring of Ruin and Engine of the Gods bound spells are also 3+ to cast and the majority of bound spells in other army books are 3+ to cast.

If the Bastiladon's beam is the only spell you are capable of casting in your game, it's not a particularly potent bound spell since it's fairly easy to dispel. If the Beam of Chotec is used in addition to your wizards, it's a very nice tool to force your opponent to make hard choices for risk management. I would suggest reading the first two posts of this thread for a succinct but complete summary of how to use bound spells for maximum effect.

And also, welcome to the forum!

 

[Guran]

Thank you for the reply. I'll read up on it. So its bassicly going to be: use priest first, then use bastiladon. A 3 must be easy to roll.

 

[hdctambien]

So its bassicly going to be: use priest first, then use bastiladon. A 3 must be easy to roll.

It depends on what type of decisions you want to force your opponent to make.

One strategy is to 1-die the bastiladon in order to lure out 1 or 2 of your opponent's dispel dice before you cast something with your Priest/Slann. If your opponent attempts, but fails, to dispel the Bastialdon then that wizard can't dispel any more that turn so if an attempt is made he is lkely to use 2 dice rather than just 1. With this strategy you're trying to create (or increase) an imbalance in power/dispel dice.

If you are only running a priest and want to get the bastialdon's attack off, then you could use this stragegy in reverse (use the priest to lure out dispel dice, then throw everything else at your laser)

Also remember that a natural 3 always fails to cast or dispel, regardless of the wizards level.

 

[Ondjage]

Also remember that a natural 3 always fails to cast or dispel, regardless of the wizards level.

Nooo... Natural 2 on one die or snake eyes on two are failed casts, not 3

 

[T_Saurus]

Also remember that a natural 3 always fails to cast or dispel, regardless of the wizards level.

Nooo... Natural 2 on one die or snake eyes on two are failed casts, not 3

Hah you even missed one too lol.

If the dice roll is under 3 you fail. So 1 or 2 when 1 dicing. Or double 1s with two dice.

 

[hdctambien]

Also remember that a natural 3 always fails to cast or dispel, regardless of the wizards level.

Nooo... Natural 2 on one die or snake eyes on two are failed casts, not 3

Hah you even missed one too lol.

If the dice roll is under 3 you fail. So 1 or 2 when 1 dicing. Or double 1s with two dice.

Sweet, I've been playing that wrong for a while.