I'm looking to make a new pally book, since it's been a while and i could never really get valor to rev up with him and subsequently never really activated too many auras.

I'd like to try making something a little more focused on that and naturally I don't need anyone to build the book for me, but just looking for some advice on what other folks have had success with for generating valor.

Am I understanding 'overdraw' correctly in believing that it increases the range of the attack by one and not that it adds a dice to the attack (which the bloodwave's "volley" command already does?

Regardless, this certainly looks like a good start to me, things probably still need some more balancing but the commands look decent to me, and are distinctly different from the other two WLs and the second ability or increasing the range of summoning could be really good.

Another idea might be a pet ability for the Ivarium WL. Could call it second in command or lieutenant with some sort of attached buff or ability.

Meditation amulet seems to go against what the build is designed to do.

For one sbp it could be situationally useful

Will comment more later.

1. Would cut marked for death for another rust; you are low on ways to deal with armor anyway and I find it a more generally useful card.
2. Plagued: This card is too expensive for me. For four spell book points, you might get a few points of damage (for one round only).
3. I miss ways of protecting the thoughtspores (glancing blow, lesser invisibility, brace yourself, etc).
4. I don't see any armor in this book. Relying on defenses is not enough, and even if you can kill them relatively quickly, playing without armor is too risky.

These are the initial impressions.

1. MfD is certainly a candidate to be cut.  However, I have Rust, Steal equipment, dissolve, acid ball and explode as counter equipment/armor answers. A back up rust or even a second steal equipment isn't a bad idea tho because it answers two problems with one action.
2. Plagued has since been replaced with a back ghoul rot, although, the thought of enchanting my own Brute with plagued is really entertaining.
3. Thoughtspore protection is missing from this book, will look into making room for some.  Arcane ward is there for some protection tho.
4. Currently relying on steal equipment for armor if needed. Risky, yes but this book is meant to keep my FM away from the action. Until absolutely necessary and even then innate defense, symbiotic orb, force shield, and reverse attack provide a wealth of protection, even if they have counters

I find it kind of funny that you chose Brutes because "they don't need a lot of support" (which is true), and then you choose to spend a lot of actions supporting them. 

The irony wasn't lost on me haha

I've tended to steer away from Battleforge recently, but I've been running Mind's Eye books and keeping my FM far away from the action until it finally catches up to me and then...surprise! Galvitar + Doublestrike.

Hope that helps!

That kind of what the goal of this book has become (modifications will be updated on the soon), because I'm trying to do something different with the FM than I usually do.

You can find the story here: http://forum.arcanewonders.com/index.php?topic=18882.msg0;boardseen#new

Jason requested a separate thread for thoughts and advice, and as a fellow aspiring author I thought, 'why not'

Be helpful, be encouraging, and ultimately, be honest.

[spellbook]
[spellbookheader]
[spellbookname]Brute Master[/spellbookname]
[mage]A Forcemaster Stats Spellbook[/mage]
[mage]built by the OCTGN SBB[/mage]
[mage]A Forcemaster Spellbook[/mage]
[mage]built by the OCTGN SBB[/mage]
[/spellbookheader]
[spells]
[spellclass]Enchantment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=PSE03]2 x Chant of Rage[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1E01]1 x Bear Strength[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1E24]1 x Magebane[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFE07]1 x Rust[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWAFME08]3 x Redistributed Power[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1E31]2 x Poisoned Blood[/mwcard]
[mwcard=LG01E05]1 x Summoning Circle[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWE05]1 x Forcefield[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWAFME09]3 x Repulsion Field[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWE04]1 x Force Crush[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWAFME05]1 x Lesser Invisibility[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1E34]2 x Reverse Attack[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWA01E02]1 x Arcane Ward[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFE03]1 x Arcane Corruption[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWE08]1 x Mind Shield[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWAFME07]1 x Mind Seize[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Equipment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MWAFMQ06]2 x Symbiotic Orb[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1Q23]1 x Regrowth Belt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWQ03]1 x Force Ring[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1Q08]1 x Elemental Wand[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWQ04]1 x Galvitar, Force Blade[/mwcard]
[mwcard=PSQ05]1 x Leviathan Scale Armor[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWQ07]1 x Psi-Orb[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Attack[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MWAFMA01]1 x Force Daggers[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNA01]1 x Acid Ball[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWAMKA06]2 x Projected Palm[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWA02]2 x Force Hammer[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Conjuration[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MW1J22]1 x Tanglevine[/mwcard]
[mwcard=LG01J04]2 x Mind's Eye[/mwcard]
[mwcard=PSJ06]1 x Pillar of Righteous Flame[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Creature[/spellclass]
[mwcard=DNC22]2 x Zombie Brute[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWC16]1 x Thoughtspore[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWAFMC04]2 x Force Gremlin[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Incantation[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MW1I24]1 x Seeking Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1I28]1 x Teleport[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNI08]3 x Dissolve[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWI17]1 x Force Push[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1I06]3 x Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1I26]1 x Sleep[/mwcard]
[/spells]
[cost]Total cost: 120 pts[/cost]
[/spellbook]

so here is the zombie brute Forcemaster book that I have now played some version of in 3 matches now against some very good players on OCTGN.
The result have been generally unsuccessful in the sense that they have all been losses, but they have also been very competitive matches. Leaving me in a spot of wondering; is the book the problem or is it my play? The answer is probably a little of both, but I'd love to hear some thought on the book and its general strategy.

---

The idea here is aggressively position my Brutes very early with the combination of mind's eye and summoning circle, making my opening look something like this.

T1:- move one space and cast Mind's eye FC
- QC magebane on opponent
T2: QC Summoning circle and summon brute.

from there I buff them and support them through the mind's eye while building my mage up and keep creeps away from me with CoR back to brutes and eventually force crush and other DoT dmg along with the brutes I win through control and more power.

---

at least that's the theory, but the results have been pretty damn mixed.
Redistribute power on the Brutes might be a clever idea but is possibly too action intensive and possibly unnecessary as it is.
the brutes have been taken down very quickly in almost all the games to this point and I actually just abandoned even summoning the 2nd one against Bilbo's Paladin.
the sbps for the brutes leaves my mage a little under powered imo it seems. I really struggle to lay down a lot of damage quickly which is weird for a FM, but it has been the case to this point.


I am all ears for advice on the book and ideas for improving my play.