158 The battle for Gobwin Knob, page 145

[Welf von Ehrwald]

"Rigth, whit what...army"

Full level, nearly full memory, zero upkeep cost - this is game breaker. I wonder if Stanley ever unlocked all secrets of his Hammer.

[Hobgobwin]

Yes, yes, yes! All questions answered. Stanley's faction is invincible!

[RMS Oceanic]

Ooh, enforced Face Heel Turn for the win.

I wonder how preserved the mass decrypted army will be?

[Welf von Ehrwald]

I just realized, Ansom spoke first to Parson and not to Wanda, and he expresses loyalty to him. he even doesn't look at Wanda. So he seems to be less loyal to Wanda than to GK. A ptential blow to all the "Wanda will get rid of Stanley" theories.

[SteveMB]

Ho. Lee. Boop.

I can hardly wait to see Stanley's face when he comes home to this.

[kreszantas]

yea SteveMB we agree, pretty much said same thing on Giant's website. rutrow to those who oppose Stanley now, an intellegent 0 upkeep undead, this is definate game shifter here folks. Strap on your seatbelts this is going to be on heck of a ride!

[R3u]

Stanley left Parson-and-company unattended for Two Days, Possibly Three. In that time, the treasury has gained incredible potential increases, everyone's morale has gone UP, he's gained who-even-knows-how-many warlords including at least one fanatically loyal high-level royal that will get along with him famously (Ansom), his forces have multiplied by at least 10x (and their total upkeep has gone down), he's gained an Arkentool which has attuned to a loyal follower of his, and they also won the fight with no further casualties among the casters. But the city got reduced to level 1 or 0.

Oh, and a dragon popped, so he's got one more of those.

I...think we can count this one as being a good mark on Parson's record. But, if Stanley decides he's not so fond of Parson (that whole insubordination, not a prettyboy, strange foreigner who barely knows erfworld thing), here's an interesting scenario:

When Parson was appointed as the High Warlord, Stanley had no other choices. ...but Stanley now has a high-level intelligent uncroaked prettyboy warlord, with tons of military experience, who is fanatically loyal to his cause and beliefs, wants to help him conquer the world, will probably nigh-worship the ground he walks on (until convinced of Stanley's poorer personality traits - but fanatic converts aren't so good at logic, at first), and will "...shock and awe [enemies], just standing on the walls commanding the fight" for any number of additional reasons. One who also knows Erfworld far, far better than Parson ever will -- and has a reasonable tactical mind.

How's "High Warlord Unsom" sound to you guys? Especially with Parson in attendance as his lackey, since Ansom's too smart to let Stanley send Parson off to do infantry fighting (..as was the previous plan) unless Parson offends him somehow. Ansom would be the perfect go-between / mediator for Stanley and Parson. Worshipful to Stanley's goals and ideals; but smart enough to listen to Parson, and charismatic enough to make Stanley listen to him.

[Shadow of the Lotus]

I speculated last thread that the arkenpliers might be able to be used in mass and that, if they were able to create super-uncroak like Ansom, that it would be ridiculously powerful. Can't say for sure, but at least we know the pliers can be used in mass. Certainly hope that each unit has full memory and is exactly like Ansom. If that was the case though, how in the world would anyone ever defeat Wanda / Parson? The arkenpliers seem too powerful in comparison to the arkenhammer and arkendish. We probably don't know everything with the arkendish, and it seems likely that there are powers associated with the arkenhammer that we're not aware of yet (or Stanley for that matter). Maybe the predictamancer not only told Wanda that she was going to get the pliers but also how to use them to their full power?

[Kreistor]

Stanley now has a high-level intelligent uncroaked prettyboy Loser that thought Stanley was stupid, now has incomplete memories, and may have as much Loyalty to one of his subordinates as to him, and questionable motivations.

On the other hand, with incomplete knowledge of the world, Parson has used a force considered woefully pathetic compared to its opponent's and not only won, but retrieved the quested for Arkenpliers and created a city that will rebuild itself quickly. Parson is also bigger than Ansom, and that matters, too.

[Mikalyaran]

A couple thoughts...

it possible that the decrypted units strength is still, to some degree, under the limitations of croakamancy. in one of the comics someone said that the more time and effort put into uncroaking a unit the longer it will last et cetera. So maybe Ansom will never decay and is full strength because he was the only one decrypted. since this army was a mass decrypting its possible they will decay at some point. Or not, maybe this is just overpowered.

Also it may be possible that since there side has two arkentools now that the artifacts powers are even stronger. Perhaps we will see the dragons upkeep go down and strength go up or some such thing. Because i definitely agree that decrypted units, if they are 0 upkeep don't decay and retain full stats, are really powerful.

either way with Wanda finding corpses everywhere, Parson as high warlord, the casters the dwagons, the monies, and all the other advantages they have, I think that GW has a VERY bright future.

[Subtext]

Even if Ansom is Level 10 and handsome, it is Parson who won the battle, not him. Level 10 warlord with waaay superior force failed a clear win against a Level 2 warlord who was just learning the basic fighting rules...I know who I'd put in charge.
And even if Ansom is loyal to Stanley's side now, you shouldn't forget that Stanley loathes Ansom

[The Dark Fiddler]

Hmm... two Arkentools on one side?

This is just begging for divine intervention. Especially with the new game breaking abilities. Five bucks says the Titans get involved? No? Oh well.

Ah yeah, what will Stanley do when he sees this? Murderous rampage?

[k33g0rz]

maybe stanley might order Parson to be decrypted since that would reduce his upkeep from 1000 to 0 schmuckers

[The Dark Fiddler]

Do you mean uncroaked? Of course, that'd require him croaked first...

Decrypted means deciphered...

[k33g0rz]

yeah i mean ordering parson to be killed then raised to eliminate upkeep

[The Dark Fiddler]

Well, I don't see why he'd do that to the person who planned the victory over his worst enemy.

Then again, it IS Stanley... still doubt it though.

[Bilgor]

Ahh, but at least part of the upkeep pays for Stupid Meals, and Parson seems to get some sort of upgrade with each SM.

Sometimes it's a prize, and sometimes it's Erfworld trivia.

I can't imagine Stanley would be so eager to prevent Parson from improving.

[Joe Falco]

Now that we know now that Ansom has his memories (most of them anyway), what will happen if Ansom should face Jillian and Vinnie? What great drama will happen then?

[SteveMB]

Especially with the new game breaking abilities.

Maybe breaking the "game" of Erfworld is what Janis meant....

[Ptorquemada]

Okay, I like the New Ansom. I like the new look, the new attitude, the fact that he's wound so tight it's only a matter of time (and, probably, seeing Jillian) before the whole thing goes SPROING ...

Stanley's gonna be overjoyed. (Eventually. He's gonna be ballistic first.) Replace Parson? No way; even Stanley's going to know that Parson did what couldn't be done. He's going to leave Parson planning things in the background and put Ansom out front and center, maybe as Field Marshall or something.