Talk:Grisald's Reanimated Guardian
Armoured Tank vs Naked Skeleton
Would love to hear anyone else's experience with their skeletons plus any research.
When I first started using GRG, I would choose the heaviest armoured corpses I could kill. Knights in SUR or Imperial guards when I was grouped. Re-animated with all the equipment they wore and carried while they were alive. I was under the impression that a heavily armoured skeleton further protected by a TPA would assist me the most in combat. Now while it was true that it bought me further precious seconds in combat (e.g. against a group of SUR knights) allowing me a further couple of PFG casts before floater knockdown and my own TPA taking too much damage, I found this was not the optimal tactic.
Following the advice of MrWolfie, I switched to an unarmed, naked skeleton and was shocked at how much it improved combat. Despite my skeleton being unable to defend me (being unable to parry without a weapon), the sheer lightning speed of the skeleton's attacks, allowed me to avoid taking any hits, reduced floater knockdown etc. As I had been advised, the skeleton was able to drain the Action Points of my enemies, vastly reducing their attacks, even in groups of 4 or 5 concurrent attackers.
Naturally a 'very fierce' skeleton assisted the most, but even the weakest level naked skeleton would have an enormous benefit. I found that the TPA cast on the skeleton would last its entire lifespan, without the need to recast, very different to it's armoured equivalent. I don't know if this is because of a boost to the named skeleton's dodging due to zero burden, the reduced number of attacks from attackers or a combination of the two.
Am curious to know if naked and unarmed really is optimal, or if there's something even better.
Wise Nasrin of Mrs. Widgery's Lodgers (ma.sp.de bonus around 400+)
Increasing the strength of your skeleton
In addition to the above, just wanted to share my method for creating the toughest skeleton I can.
First using relevant buffs i.e.
(+3 Cons) casting the spell Wungle's Great Sucking
(+2 Wis) Shrine of small gods in OC
(+2 Int) Ephebian wooden horse
(+3 Wis, +2 Int, -3 Str) Flat Cap (n.b. a bronze helm would reduce your con, so not a good stat item to use for defensive spells)
(Dragging/getting my FNP cloud to carry) the corpse to an area of high background magic before casting GRG. My preference is either Holywood or The BP Wizards Bubble, far safer than the Hub.
All of the above combined grant me a super strong skeleton, comparable to a midbie warrior groupmate, and the TPA I cast on it and myself are also much stronger than normal. A highly recommended technique for solo fighting wizards!
Nasrin
