Summons for the cursed knights: Familiars

[Savra]

I think the cursed knight needs some more uses, so being that It is a spell caster I figured we could make some familiars that it could summon.

Basically, each will need research, but we could make one for it to use free of research.
I'll make some concepts later if approved but first I'd like some feedback on what types we should it.

Here are some examples:

[makazuwr32]

Maybe some shadow/darkness related ones.
Not animals or giants though for sure.

As for how they should work we have 2 options:
1. Temporary familiar with vanishing, spell can have not that high cooldown (ofc it will still depend on strength of summon).
2. Permanent familiar without vanishing, spell will have for sure high cooldown (higher than with vanishing variant), some cost to summon (sacrifices/self damage to caster) or both.

Because undeads have vanishing+ spell i would prefer for him temporary summons with vanishing so necromancers would have more possible targets for that spell.

[Savra]

Vanishing is what I prefer, that way spirit towers have more uses.

As for the units, I planned to make them animal like in appearance for one, while the others would be more huminoid looking, no giants.

[makazuwr32]

not sure about animal-based approach. better some other (monsters, humanoids or like that, but not actual animals).

[Savra]

That's what I meant, they would some form of monster, but have an appearance similar to a animal. Like skeleton monsters for example.

[Savra]

How's some of these for examples? I'd like to have at least 3 familiars for the unit to summon. 2 requiring research, one to start with no research.

[Savra]

I'm thinking first set of images, first image, and from second set the first and last image.

The first image from the second set would be the free summon like the wolves for the druid, while the other 2 will require research.

[Alexander82]

Usually familiars were small animals with some magical features. What about some kind of imp, or something similar? It might have some spells on his own.

[Savra]

Could work, but I'd also like one big one and another tough one too, they won't be giants though.

[Alexander82]

Before choosing it, what is the role it should have?

[Savra]

First one could be the imp you were referring to, with a few spells to hinder the enemy.

The second I feel should be like a defensive unit that could temporarily hold back enemy troops, similar to the end for elves but less tanky.

The final one I think could act like a living battering ram, it would have decent health, speed, and attack. Might give it aoe too.

For looks I felt we could give them some sort of flame particles coming from them similar to the incubas the knight is riding.

[Anchar]

But what if each rider of evil spirits, for example, a fire death knight or a storm knight, are given their demons according to their elements?

[Savra]

Meh, I think they are fine, this one right here seems like he'd have a lot of "pets" at his disposal.

I don't think we need elemental minions for the others. Maybe for future that may be considered.

[Savra]

Like this maybe? Didn't have the cursed knights sprite so I was using the death knight as a template.

[Savra]

But what if each rider of evil spirits, for example, a fire death knight or a storm knight, are given their demons according to their elements?

Hmm, actually @Alexander82 what do you think of this?

We could just give the cursed knight more familiars to choose from but each knight could have their own based on their type as Anchar said.

[Alexander82]

Nice one.

Anchar's idea seems interesting.

They might all have that kind of hound with their own color. Each hound should be different in some way though (different stats and abilities).

Another option would be making all of them summon something different.

Since, aside the death knight, the other units were planned by @makazuwr32 , I'd like to hear what he thinks about it.

[makazuwr32]

for me it is fine if they'll get some temporary familiars.
alas i think that only 1 per knight (maybe exept cursed knight, this one can have 2).

[Savra]

Updated for death knight.

[Savra]

Storm knights.

[Savra]

I plan to make some sort of yeti like one for the chilled knight, that has the ability to throw ice balls at the enemy. For the plague knight I figured a rat would be fitting but the unit could mass spawn them, the blood knight could have some sort of bags familiar, while the cursed knight could have an imp to start and some monstrosity for it's second.

[Alexander82]

I think that these summons should act more like small additions than as main source of damage. I suggest not to make a yeti (that is a living primal creature and doesn't fit the race).

I don't understand what the "bags" is.

I like the idea of rats (this one can have no cd as it would be mostly to inglict poison than the damage itself).

[Savra]

I said yeti like not a yeti itself. As for the ability, it wasn't meant to do that much and is a one shot thing unless unit is near a spirit tower. But if you want I could make it into a boar like creature like the one in the second set of images I provided.

As for the "bags" I meant to say "bats" but Google auto corrected it to bags.

That was the idea for the rats.

Generally I planned to make the units only have the on hit effects and not any auras.

[Savra]

Plague rat.

[Alexander82]

It seems a bit to big for a rat, can you try making a smaller one on 4 legs?

[Savra]

Like this?

[Alexander82]

Nice

[Savra]

Blood knights.

[Alexander82]

Can you make it smaller? It seems too big compared to the others.

[makazuwr32]

Blood knights.

That one will fit for vampire.

[Savra]

Then why don't we swap the vampires transformation with the familiar?