Greater Servant?


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Barkeep

Posts: 4435

Joined: Tuesday, 11th January 2011, 12:28

Post Tuesday, 11th January 2011, 12:51

Greater Servant?

So, I'm about halfway through Lair with my DsCK of Makhleb (the new Demonspawn mutation system is great!), and get mobbed by a bunch of war dogs and a hydra. Been training invocations with minor destruction all game -- it was probably at 10. "OK," I think, "this is the time for a Greater Servant!" and get an Executioner. Who's not to happy to see me.

Fortunately, had the demonic guardian mutation, which had spawned a bunch of 5s (and was suddenly very interested in spawning more of them) and was near a lake I could cross with a scroll of blinking -- so my little imp guardians and the water delayed the Executioner long enough for teleport to kick in.

Unless I'm missing something, this ability seems like a rather dangerous panic button. Is there a reasonable way to use GS safely? Or is it a "train the heck out of invocations and use the skill before you get into trouble, not as a way to get out of trouble" kind of thing?
I am not a very good player. My mouth is a foul pit of LIES. KNOW THIS.

Vaults Vanquisher

Posts: 476

Joined: Friday, 31st December 2010, 06:38

Post Tuesday, 11th January 2011, 13:02

Re: Greater Servant?

It's one of those things you have to trust the RNG with. And one of those things the RNG can screw you over with if it feels like it. Less chance of it happening with a higher invocations, but, y'know, for most of the game you won't have that.

Dungeon Master

Posts: 1613

Joined: Thursday, 16th December 2010, 21:54

Post Tuesday, 11th January 2011, 13:46

Re: Greater Servant?

Like you said, use it before you get into trouble, not as a way to get out of trouble. It's not meant to be a panic button (although if you do spawn a hostile greater demon on yourself and have decent-ish invocations, trying to spawn more friendly ones in the hope that they'll take each other out isn't a terrible plan, if you have no better options).
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Barkeep

Posts: 4435

Joined: Tuesday, 11th January 2011, 12:28

Post Tuesday, 11th January 2011, 14:03

Re: Greater Servant?

Thanks. How I'm thinking about it now: don't use it for "Oh crap, it's Mara!" but rather "C'mon, let's go get Mara."

Of course, if you're gonna die otherwise, there's no reason not to summon a greater servant -- maybe it'll be friendly. But it's not something to rely on.
I am not a very good player. My mouth is a foul pit of LIES. KNOW THIS.
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Vestibule Violator

Posts: 1533

Joined: Thursday, 16th December 2010, 20:52

Post Tuesday, 11th January 2011, 17:46

Re: Greater Servant?

I forget the odds, but you just had bad luck. At Invo 10 I think you should have an 80-90% chance of a friendly. But a 20% chance of a hostile balrug should not be taken lightly, that's fo shizzle.

Spider Stomper

Posts: 197

Joined: Sunday, 2nd January 2011, 11:13

Post Tuesday, 11th January 2011, 19:18

Re: Greater Servant?

My DDCK who died a stupid death today found Greater servants to be wonderful. I didn't even use them as a panic button as much as a very powerful wand. "Oh a hydra. Greater servant. It's dead now. So is the other hydra near it. Oh and that bunch of yaks there too." Only reason I died in Swamp was I got cocky and didn't summon even MORE greater servants to clear the place out.

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