Rate Unit Buffs

[Anthony]

Since we had a thread about summoning spells, the equivalent for friendly unit enchantments (hostile unit enchantments are a different category). Standard rating system: 1/5 is grossly underperforming, 3/5 is reasonable, 5/5 is grossly overperforming.

• Resist Elements: 3/5. This spell is very situational, but it's also cheap, and when you need to break a nature node filled with sprites it's handy.
  
• Giant Strength: 3/5. Nothing amazing, but doesn't feel like a wasted spell.
  
• Stone Skin: 2/5. I'd like this spell better if it were 8 instead of 10.
  
• Water Walking: 4/5. It's a lot more convenient than ships.
  
• Path Finding: 4/5. You only need one units, but double move overland is very nice.
  
• Elemental Armor: 1/5. Seriously, 35 mana for that?
  
• Iron Skin: 3/5.
  
• Regeneration: 3/5. Yes, regeneration is awesome, but it's expensive.
  
• Resist Magic: 1/5. Resisted spells are just not a big worry, and you have to cast it on all possible target units.
  
• Guardian Wind: 4/5. Basically the only way to beat a halfling city with slingers in the early game.
  
• Spell Lock: 1/5. Does this spell even work?
  
• Flight: 5/5. Spell should be something like upkeep 5. Main reason not to cast it is because the enchantment is even better.
  
• Invisibility: 3/5. Like regeneration, it's a great spell, but expensive.
  
• Wind Walking: 2/5. Wind Walking is an awesome effect, but for the cost you're better off with Jaer or a djinn.
  
• Magic Immunity: 4/5. Cost should be on a par with regeneration and invisibility.
  
• Haste: 3/5. Yes, it's impressive, but there are a lot of things you can do with 50 mana in combat.
  
• Eldritch Weapon: 2/5. At the time you get this spell, it's about as good as +1 sword with the typical foes you're facing. It's eventually a bit better, but it's never all that impressive.
  
• Chaos Channels: 4/5. Only problem is you need to figure out how to get them to Elite before casting it on them and you don't want to cast it on heroes, otherwise it would be 5/5. Arguably it should still be 5/5, flight and +3 shields are both worth well over 50/0, and flame breath isn't worthless and can easily be avoided by casting on units with ranged attacks.
  
• Flame Blade: 2/5. For 25 mana I expect more.
  
• Immolation: 4/5. Only good because it's bugged and works on ranged attacks.
  
• Bless: 3/5. It's a situational +3 shields
  
• Endurance: 3/5.
  
• Holy Weapon: 3/5.
  
• Holy Armor: 2/5. Doesn't work on fantastic creatures, and slightly expensive for the effect.
  
• Heroism: 5/5. The reason none of the other common life creature enchantments actually get used much; cast on a Green unit it's equivalent to +2 all attacks (flameblade, 25), +1 defense (stone skin, 10), +1 life (no equivalent, but probably worth ~10), +1 to hit (magic weapon, 10). Even on a Veteran unit it's providing around 30 mana worth of bonuses.
  
• True Sight: 3/5.
  
• Planar Travel: 3/5.
  
• Lionheart: 5/5.
  
• Invulnerability: 4/5. Ironskin subtracts an average of 1.5 hits, for 35. Invulnerability subtracts 2 hits and applies weapon immunity, for 40.
  
• Righteousness: 3/5.
  
• Cloak of Fear: 2/5. Too much stuff is immune or uses attacks that don't care.
  
• Black Channels: 1/4 or 4/5. If you can cast it on trolls it's awesome. On anything else, it's mediocre to terrible.
  
• Berserk: 3/5.
  
• Wraith Form: 3/5. Immunity to Crack's Call.
  

[Catwalk]

I'd rate both Stone Skin and Holy Armour 3/5. Depends on what race you're using, though. For races lacking good ranged units, defense buffs are nice. I'm also tempted to rate Holy Weapon 4/5, given that it's one of the few early enchantments that buffs ranged weapons. 3/5 for Eldritch Weapon for the same reason.

[zitro1987]

• Resist Elements: 3/5. Decent, cheap, situational.
  
• Giant Strength: 3/5. Rather decent and cheap, works well on multi-figured units, particularly halflings and high elves.
  
• Stone Skin: 2/5. 0.3 damage reduction isn't very noticeable
  
• Water Walking: 4/5. Very convenient as building ships distract from city development.
  
• Path Finding: 5/5. Ridiculous movement, should be 1mv regardless of terrain.
  
• Elemental Armor: 1/5. Situational and not cost-efficient for rare. Direct damage still hurts.
  
• Iron Skin: 3/5.
  
• Regeneration: 3/5. Worthy of 'very rare' despite high cost.
  
• Resist Magic: 1/5. It should be an automatic +3resist to be worth its upkeep.
  
• Guardian Wind: 4/5. Love it, might be too strong for common.
  
• Spell Lock: 2/5.
  
• Flight: 4/5.
  
• Invisibility: 4/5. Full of exploits, but at least it's expensive enough.
  
• Wind Walking: 3/5. Pathfinding is actually better on some ways, but still great for clearing up continents with a good army.
  
• Magic Immunity: 5/5. Broken spell. A game focused on magic and abilities, and this negates them all.
  
• Haste: 3.5/5. Double damage is impressive.
  
• Eldritch Weapon: 3/5. Decent and situational, as common spells should be.
  
• Chaos Channels: 4/5. Bonuses are very good, armor bonus is really broken.
  
• Flame Blade: 4/5. Outstanding for multi-figured units, especially ranged units.
  
• Immolation: 1/5. Junk. Easily blocked by armor.
  
• Bless: 3.5/5. Very nice spell, if situational.
  
• Endurance: 3.5/5.
  
• Holy Weapon: 3.5/5.
  
• Holy Armor: 2.5/5.
  
• Heroism: 5/5. Should be uncommon and more expensive. One of the many reasons life realm is overpowered.
  
• True Sight: 3/5.
  
• Planar Travel: 3/5.
  
• Lionheart: 5/5. Another reason life realm is overpowered.
  
• Invulnerability: 4.5/5. Yet more amazing unit enchantments, this one better suited for heroes.
  
• Righteousness: 3/5.
  
• Cloak of Fear: 2/5.
  
• Black Channels: 2/5. Benefits aren't really worth it.
  
• Berserk: 3/5.
  
• Wraith Form: 3/5. Better than black channels.
  

[Anthony]

As a side note, I'm okay with some schools of magic being better at some types of effects, but life magic also gets Prayer, Altar of Battle, Holy Word, Crusade, Resurrection, Raise Dead, ...

[Asfex]

Hmm..cloack of fear 4/5. Very good to capture neytrals.as combat. On vanilla?no.
Immolation 3/5-the only reason you want firebreath.
3.5/5-resist magic.antiblack,antigaze.
Some spells good in combo. How can rate it alone?in vanilla?

[Iranon]

• Resist Elements: 3/5. Nice little buff when relevant.
  
• Giant Strength: 2/5. Thoroughly unexciting.
  
• Stone Skin: 2/5. Thoroughly unexciting.
  
• Water Walking: 4/5. Weaker than the alternatives but convenient to have.
  
• Path Finding: 4/5. Very useful, conspicuously cheap.
  
• Elemental Armor: 1/5. Narrow and overpriced.
  
• Iron Skin: 3/5. Unexciting but useful.
  
• Regeneration: 2/5. For that price, I prefer something that keeps units in the fight in the first place.
  
• Resist Magic: 3/5. Nice little buff when relevant.
  
• Guardian Wind: 4/5. Potentially battle-deciding effect for a very moderate cost.
  
• Spell Lock: 2/5. Not useful often enough, but makes delightfully silly plays slightly less silly.
  
• Flight: 4/5. Very useful, both tactically and strategically.
  
• Invisibility: 2/5. Overpriced effect, not hopeless because the AI isn't very good against it.
  
• Wind Walking: 4/5. Great spell on a hero with a large movement allowance. There's the Wind Mage but nice not to have to rely on him.
  
• Magic Immunity: 4/5. Pricey but excellent.
  
• Haste: 3/5. Great on the right unit, but steep requirements.
  
• Eldritch Weapon: 3/5. Usually unexciting, somewhat interesting for punching through immunities in combination with others.
  
• Chaos Channels: 4/5. Clear downsides, but the most efficient buff out there. Bordering 5/5 thanks to Chaos Surge.
  
• Flame Blade: 3/5. Very respectable, especially nice on units with ranged or thrown attacks.
  
• Immolation: 2/5. Not terrible, but doesn't do much against units that warrant buffs in the first place.
  
• Bless: 3/5. Nice little buff when relevant.
  
• Endurance: 4/5. Turns * Spirits into very decent scouts, less downtime for powerful units.
  
• Holy Weapon: 3/5. About as strong as expected.
  
• Holy Armor: 3/5. Unimpressive but efficient against many neutrals.
  
• Heroism: 4/5. Very efficient even if it doesn't push the high end.
  
• True Sight: 2/5. Not relevant often enough, if it is there are often b etter options.
  
• Planar Travel: 3/5. Good, but I often prefer Plane Shift.
  
• Lionheart: 4/5. Excellent.
  
• Invulnerability: 4/5. Sharp cutoff point between "flawless victories" and "not that useful", but strong and sometimes an early game ender.
  
• Righteousness: 2/5. Pricey for something quite specialised that just limits options.
  
• Cloak of Fear: 2/5. Not terrible, but awkward compared to defense buffs (nothing against ranged, doesn't push defense past ability to damage).
  
• Black Channels: 3/5 some interesting applications, although I don't find it advisable to cast very often.
  
• Berserk: 3/5. Harsh limitations, but very efficient in some situations (strong first strikers if they can fight on their own terms).
  
• Wraith Form: 3/5. Expensive for what's primarily a single-unit movement buff, but saves some otherwise hard-to-avoid headaches.
  

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