I have been inspired by the analysis done by fas723 and lettucemode to create my own analysis. With the rise of spawnpoints lately, this analysis focuses entirely on the mana efficiency of attacking creatures and conjurations. Please read the Limitations section before attempting to make any sense of the results.
Methods:I first started by separating each relevant attack from the creature or conjuration and perform simplistic statistically averaged attack against a set of hypothetical defenders to calculate the expected damage. There were 8 defender configurations that were chosen... 0 Armor, 2 Armor, 4 Armor, and Resilient, 0 Armor Aegis 1, 2 Armor Aegis 1, 4 Armor Aegis 1, Resilient Aegis 1.
In this calculation, resilient means the same thing as arbitrarily large armor. Once the attacks were computed, the average of the attacks were calculated and stored for the rest of the calculations. The efficiency score of the is then computed by dividing the average projected damage by the mana cost of the creature or conjuration.
To calculate best general attack efficiency, the highest scoring attack for each creature or conjuration is selected and ranked according to it's score. Similarly, the best general weakest attack efficiency is the lowest scoring attack for each creature or conjuration ranked according to it's score. These two scores should provide upper and lower bounds to the true score of a creature.
Equations Used:1: Dice Rolled = Attack Dice - Aegis Value
2: Expected Crit Damage = 1/2 Dice rolled
3: Expected Damage = Number of Strikes * MAX( Dice Rolled - MAX( Armor - Piercing : 0 ) : Average Crit )
4: Average Damage = ( Expected Damage for 0 Armor + Expected Damage for 2 Armor ... ) / Sample Count
5: Cost Efficiency = Mana Cost / Average Damage
Limitations:Attacks that have a trait that directly affects the number of dice rolled or damage dealt vs armor were applied where applicable. The traits included in the calculation include charge +X, piercing +X, +X vs Type(+2 vs flying), critical damage, bloodthirsty +X, doublestrike, triplestrike, sweeping, and zone attacks(calculated vs at most 3 defenders). Many other traits are left out of the calculation such as burn, corrode, unavoidable, ethereal, and so on because they represent more tactical lines of play, which is outside the scope of this analysis.
There is no way to know how likely a given attack is usable in the general case (if even at all). As such, the best I can do is provide a maximum and minimum score from the best attack and the worst attack and let you guys figure out for yourselves where the true value actually lies.
Finally, before taking note about about the efficiency of Ballista, remember that this calculation does not factor in tactical play, and that includes the fact that it can only attack every other turn at most. It was calculated the same way that other creatures were. That said, an argument could be made that no creature is guaranteed to attack every turn in all cases(except possibly Grimson).
Top 50 Results:Best General Attack Efficiency | | | Best General “Weakest” Attack Efficiency | | |
Rank | Name | Score | Rank | Name | Score |
1 | Ballista | 0.461 | 1 | Ballista | 0.461 |
2 | Vine Snapper | 0.446 | 2 | Goblin Grunt | 0.391 |
3 | Feral Bobcat | 0.438 | 3 | Akiro's Hammer | 0.391 |
4 | Akiro's Hammer | 0.427 | 4 | Raptor Vine | 0.319 |
5 | Dwarf Kriegsbiel | 0.398 | 5 | Bitterwood Fox | 0.313 |
6 | Goblin Grunt | 0.391 | 6 | Skeletal Minion | 0.313 |
7 | Zombie Crawler | 0.391 | 7 | Vine Snapper | 0.313 |
8 | Ludwig Boltstorm | 0.361 | 8 | Iron Golem | 0.279 |
9 | Shaggoth-Zora | 0.359 | 9 | Orc Butcher | 0.273 |
10 | Oscuda | 0.346 | 10 | Shaggoth-Zora | 0.273 |
11 | Zombie Brute | 0.330 | 11 | Skeletal Sentry | 0.273 |
12 | Temple High Guard | 0.323 | 12 | Thunderift Falcon | 0.260 |
13 | Raptor Vine | 0.319 | 13 | Timber Wolf | 0.243 |
14 | Bitterwood Fox | 0.313 | 14 | Zombie Crawler | 0.234 |
15 | Skeletal Minion | 0.313 | 15 | Blue Gremlin | 0.232 |
16 | Zombie Minion | 0.313 | 16 | Thornlasher | 0.223 |
17 | Darkfenne Hydra | 0.293 | 17 | Zombie Minion | 0.223 |
18 | Unstable Zombie | 0.292 | 18 | Nightshade Lotus | 0.223 |
19 | Iron Golem | 0.279 | 19 | Bridge Troll | 0.221 |
20 | Steelclaw Grizzly | 0.276 | 20 | Devouring Jelly | 0.221 |
21 | Mountain Gorilla | 0.273 | 21 | Knight of Westlock | 0.221 |
22 | Orc Butcher | 0.273 | 22 | Skeletal Knight | 0.221 |
23 | Sir Corazin | 0.273 | 23 | Earth Elemental | 0.219 |
24 | Skeletal Sentry | 0.273 | 24 | Deathfang | 0.203 |
25 | Thunderift Falcon | 0.260 | 25 | Darkpackt Slayer | 0.202 |
26 | Goran, Werewolf Pet | 0.250 | 26 | Dwarf Kriegsbiel | 0.199 |
27 | Timber Wolf | 0.243 | 27 | Zombie Brute | 0.199 |
28 | Bloodcrag Minotaur | 0.242 | 28 | Temple High Guard | 0.198 |
29 | Grimson, Deadeye Sniper | 0.242 | 29 | Asyran Defender | 0.195 |
30 | Dire Wolf | 0.240 | 30 | Invisible Stalker | 0.192 |
31 | Tarrok, The Skyhunter | 0.240 | 31 | Accolyte of the Bog Queen | 0.188 |
32 | Earth Elemental | 0.234 | 32 | Asyran Cleric | 0.188 |
33 | Blue Gremlin | 0.232 | 33 | Brogan Bloodstone | 0.188 |
34 | Kralathor, the Devourer | 0.227 | 34 | Darkfenne Bat | 0.188 |
35 | Goblin Slinger | 0.223 | 35 | Feral Bobcat | 0.188 |
36 | Thornlasher | 0.223 | 36 | Firebrand Imp | 0.188 |
37 | Venomous Zombie | 0.223 | 37 | Goblin Builder | 0.188 |
38 | Nightshade Lotus | 0.223 | 38 | Psylok | 0.188 |
39 | Bridge Troll | 0.221 | 39 | Steelclaw Grizzly | 0.184 |
40 | Devouring Jelly | 0.221 | 40 | Oscuda | 0.183 |
41 | Highland Unicorn | 0.221 | 41 | Ravenous Ghoul | 0.183 |
42 | Knight of Westlock | 0.221 | 42 | Grey Angel | 0.182 |
43 | Skeletal Knight | 0.221 | 43 | Whirling Spirit | 0.182 |
44 | Spitting Raptor | 0.216 | 44 | Ichthellid | 0.181 |
45 | Selesius, The East Wind | 0.208 | 45 | Necropian Vampiress | 0.180 |
46 | Deathfang | 0.203 | 46 | Redclaw, Alpha Male | 0.180 |
47 | Darkpackt Slayer | 0.202 | 47 | Emerald Tegu | 0.174 |
48 | Skeletal Archer | 0.199 | 48 | Unstable Zombie | 0.174 |
49 | Royal Archer | 0.198 | 49 | Togoroh, Forest Sentinel | 0.173 |
50 | Asyran Defender | 0.195 | 50 | Thorg, Chief Bodyguard | 0.169 |
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I have probably forgotten to include important information on my methods. Please ask you you have any questions or feedback, enjoy the data, and remember that it is only a guide.