If Presidential Candidates Were Pox Nora Runes...

Why is Obama like a Firk Diplomat? Well, for starters, everyone including the national media seems to be Awestruck of him, much like a celebrity. And he IS a diplomat. In his debates, he certainly pacifies any other diplomats. His attacks aren't just attacks, they are psychic multi-attacks from every direction, withering the opposition.

Firk Diplomat (Obama)

Obama would be...

Why is McCain like a Jakei Elder? Well, he starts slow with a really low speed, but builds momentum as he goes and winds up kicking with a super long-range attack on the opposition. He can put up a force barrier to block the opposition, or basically go comatose with crystallize. He is old and slightly crippled, but don't underestimate this strong scrapper - he's tough!

Jakei Elder (McCain)

McCain Would Be...

If Presidential Candidates Were Pox Nora Runes...

Forsaken Wastes Faction Bonus - Rune Cooldowns Explained

Forsaken Wastes: Cooldown numbers URL: http://forums.poxnora.com/showthread.php?t=341By LordSerkan

"The following is a repost I made on the old forums. The reference to rawk619's guide is no longer valid, as it was from the old forums, but the rest of the information presented is still accurate regarding FW cooldown times:
------------------------------Okay, as probably most of you have when first starting out playing FW, I read rawk619's sticky'd guide in this forum titled "The Guide to the Undead. Post your builds and strategies!" Unfortunately, I have found it has some incorrect data regarding full faction FW cool down times.
Here is what I found:- When talking about how long a cool down is for a given champ, you need to think in terms of the cool down representing how many of *your* turns it will be before you can play that champ again. What this means is that if a champion of yours has a cool down of, say, 2, and he dies on your turn (maybe he was a bile zombie that you sacrificed) then it will be two more of your turns before he'll be available to you again. That is to say, you'd have to finish your current turn that the champion died on, then your opponent goes, then you'd have your first turn after your champ had died, then your opponent goes again, then on your second turn after the champ died you'd be able to deploy him again.
- This also means that it doesn't matter whether a champion dies on your turn or your opponents turn... it will still be the same number of your turns after the champ dies before it is available again (e.g.: if that 2 turn cool down bile zombie is killed on your opponents turn, you will still have to wait for your second turn after it dies before you can redeploy it).
- You have to be careful when it comes to units that die due to "damage over time" effects, such as being charred or chilled. That damage occurs at the start of each player's turn, so if one of your units dies at the start of your turn, that turn does not count towards its cool down (e.g.: if your 2 turn cool down bile zombie dies at the start of your turn due to chill damage you'd have to finish your current turn and then 2 more of your turns later you could redeploy that unit).
- Special note for short lived units: Skeleton berzerkers and death guards both have the short lived attribute, where they live either 3 rounds or 6 rounds, depending on how you've upgraded them. A base death guard costs 30 nora and last 3 full rounds, which means it survives 3 of your turns (and the turn it is summoned counts as one of those 3) and 3 of your opponents turns. If it isn't killed by damage, it will simply die after your opponents 3rd turn following the death guard's deployment. Please note... it dies *after* the end of your opponents 3rd turn, which means it really dies at the very start of your 4th turn, which means that turn doesn't count towards its cool down and it will show the number 2 in your rune dock (you have to wait two more turns to deploy it again). If, on the other hand, your opponent kills the death guard by damage then your turn immediately following its death counts towards its cool down. The net-net is, if your death guard (or zerker) can't do anything useful for you on its last turn (setting it up to block your opponent so they are forced to kill it is something I'd consider useful though), you may want to jump it off a cliff or run it across lava or something else to kill it so that you'll get access to it one turn earlier than you would if it dies due to its short lived property.
The formula for determining the actual cool down for your units is very simple. It is their base cool down multiplied by 0.4 and then round down the result. I have confirmed this is how it works by capturing the cool downs from 23 champions with different nora costs and will include that data at the end of this post for those that are interested. What you will see is that the cool down turns are slightly off from what was posted in rawk619's guide (they are generally 1 turn quicker).
The base cool down for a unit is the truncated value of its nora cost divided by 5. You can see this value for each of your champions by mousing over their rune in the rune bar when you're in a battle. The first line shows you their nora cost, the next line shows you their base cool down. So you basically end up with the following base cool downs for any champion:
Nora cost range : base cool down turns15-19 : 320-24 : 425-29 : 5and so on
This translates into the following cool downs for a full faction FW deck:Nora cost range : FF FW cool down turns15-19 : 120-24 : 125-29 : 230-34 : 235-39 : 240-44 : 345-49 : 350-54 : 455-59 : 460-64 : 465-69 : 570-74 : 575-79 : 680-84 : 685-89 : 690-94 : 795-99 : 7100-104 : 8105-109 : 8110-114 : 8115-119 : 9120-124 : 9125-129 : 10130-134 : 10
This creates "sweet spots" in terms of how much nora you could potentially make a champ cost before it ups the number of turns it will take to cool down. These would be nora costs up to 24, then up to 39, then 49, 64, 74, 89, 99, 114, and 124. In other words, it doesn't matter if your champ costs 50 nora or 64 nora, it is still going to have a 4 turn cool down.
For those interested in seeing the raw data I collected, here it is:Nora cost of my champion : cool down turns when it died on my opponents turn17 : 130 : 239 : 242 : 344 : 347 : 358 : 463 : 469 : 570 : 571 : 572 : 573 : 574 : 575 : 676 : 678 : 679 : 686 : 690 : 799 : 7100 : 8115 : 9
I hope this all helps clarify how our full faction bonus works on our cool downs and helps folks design their champs with more insight into how soon they'll come back.
------------------------------
Someone then asked for data about 10/10 battle group cooldowns, to which I replied with the post below.
------------------------------
I don't play anything but FF, but I think the 10/10 bonus is a 30% reduction in cool downs? Assuming (yes, that word) the formula works the same you'd just substitute the 0.4 multiplier with 0.7, giving the following numbers:
Nora cost range : 10/10 FW cool down turns15-19 : 220-24 : 225-29 : 330-34 : 435-39 : 440-44 : 545-49 : 650-54 : 755-59 : 760-64 : 865-69 : 970-74 : 975-79 : 1080-84 : 1185-89 : 1190-94 : 1295-99 : 13100-104 : 14105-109 : 14110-114 : 15115-119 : 16120-124 : 16125-129 : 17130-134 : 18

LS"

How The Speed Statistic Works, And How to Make it Work For You

Basics Speed determines the amount of Action Points (AP) a champion rune recieves each turn. The amount of AP a champ has on a given turn is directly related to how effective that champ will be that turn. This makes Speed the most important stat on any champion.

Effective Speeds and AP The amount of AP a champ receives per turn is determined by their Speed divided by 2 (rounded up) + 1. For example, a champion with a speed of 8 will gain 5 AP per turn. Because of the rounding up while determining AP, the ideal speed for every champion are odd numbers, either 9 or 11. This allows the champion to gain the maximum benefit in terms of AP generation for nora / cp cost (given that speed 10 or 12 would make the champ cost more nora but give the same AP per turn).
Upgrading every champ to at least a speed of 9 is considered standard. Upgrading to 11 Speed is something that depends on individual champions and battlegroups. Some champs have an ideal speed at 13 speed, though this is something that only applies to champions in the K’thir Forest faction.

Basics of Counting Squares and APCounting squares is something that all good Poxnora players will intuitively do. To count squares effectively, remember that:
1. Moving a champ costs 1AP per square. 2. Attacking with a champ costs 3AP on the first attack and another 5 AP to attack again. 3. 8 AP is the magic number to attack twice. 4. Champs with speed 9 or 10 will gain 6 AP a turn. 5. Champs with speed 11 or 12 will gain 7 AP a turn. 6. Champs with speed 13 will gain 8 AP a turn. 7. There are many, many champs that cause exceptions to these rules. What these basic rules do is allow you to determine an opposing champ’s effective range or what champs it can be capable of attacking. So for example:
1.Look at the champ’s speed. For this example, say speed 9. 2.Look at how much AP it currently has. For this example, say 0 AP. 3.You now know how much AP it is going to have next turn. (0 AP + 6 AP generated = 6 AP). 4.The most important step is to look at any abilities the champ may have. 5.Put these numbers together to determine where that champ can attack. So our example champion will have 6 AP to move and attack. Since every champions first attack costs 3 AP, the champion can only attack anything that is within 3 spaces (i.e. 6 AP total – 3 AP to attack – 3 AP for 3 spaces moved). Note that knowing what abilities a champ may have is key to advanced Square Counting.
Thus, to avoid being attacked by that champion in the next turn, keep your champions at least 4 spaces away.
Counting squares and AP also applies to your own champions. Every move you want to make should either maximize your own AP (i.e. let every movement allow your champs to attack or allow your champs to gain 8 AP to attack an opponent) or mess with your opponent’s ability to attack (moving just one square out of range).
Counting Squares vs AP Management So you’ve counted squares and your champ can attack an opposing champion? Before you send your champ into the fray, know that there is a basic tactic of Poxnora: attacking twice is better than attacking once.
Understand that champions retain AP (with the exception of champions with the Berserker ability) so not all AP need be spent each turn. In fact, the maximum amount of AP a champ can store is equal to it’s speed. It is often advantageous to save AP if you want to change your plans next turn, or if you want to stay out of range this turn. Saving more AP is also a benefit of higher speed -- you have a higher maximum AP. Champions with 9 speed can spend until 3; 11 speed can spend until 4, and 13 speed can spend until 5 with no loss in AP next turn.
Thus, when you move a champ to attack your opponent, know how much AP they are going to have next turn. They do not waste AP in movement, meaning they have more AP with which to attack. Be wary of the number 8 especially, since that is the number that allows two attacks per turn.

Advanced Square Counting(To be completed)
Ranged Attacks:
Engaging/Disengaging:
Terrain:
Ability Modifiers:
There are a wide range of abilities that certain champions can possess that change the basic rules of movement and AP generation. (Notes will be added to each specific ability).
Abilities that have different AP costs of attacks
Multiattack
Frost Cone
Barrage and Pummel
Blood Rage
Abilities that cause different AP generation
Berserker
Drive
War Cry
Battle Drum
Invigorate
Initiative
Abilities that affect movement
Beckon Demon
Relocate Ally
Catapult and Leap
Mobility
Teleport
Spell Modifiers:
Mobilization
Speed Modifiers:
K’thir Forest Speed Bonus
Frozen

Pox Nora Conspiracy Theory!

Maybe it is old news, but just discovered this gem on Pox Wiki, quoted below. It's a conspiracy theory! Gotta love it! This just goes to show how fanatical some players get about their favorite game. Personally, I think the developers created eight very strong individual factions, each with their own strengths and weakness, but which together as either Protectorate or Wrath make for pretty balanced and diverse opponents. Plus, continuing development means constant tweaking, new rune additions, and new synergies, all of which contribute to an ever-changing power curve. I would take the following info with a grain of salt, but a fun read nonetheless.


"Lighthouse is a rumored secret society within the community of Poxnora.

Lighthouse was first mentioned in a thread started by Sarahzoe in reference to a group of prominent players that were behind the Nora Freeze nerf. The story is that Sarahzoe was contacted by Lighthouse to create a series of threads to try and sway the community to prevent the Nora Freeze nerf, and later to retract the nerf or "fix" the rune. phaeton426 and ssez are rumored to be at the head of Lighthouse, which is perpetuated by the creation of a guild called, Lighthouse by phaeton426 and ssez. Others feel that this was only an attention grabbing scheme by all three or one, Sarahzoe, phaeton426, and ssez. Whatever the truth may be one thing is for sure. Nobody knows as yet whether or not Lighthouse really exists.

As the original "Whistle Blower" on the Lighthouse, I do know a few things. I was contacted by a person who claimed to be a member of this organization. I learned that it was started by a group of 5 or 6 friends who lived in and around Chicago. The initial purpose was to make sure that Protectorate factions maintained some sort of playing advantage over Wrath factions. Their method of choice was to use the forums to alter popular opinion and thus persuade the developers to make changes that were advantages to the Protectorate.

Whether they still exist or not, it is likely that they did at one point. The evidence to support this is all over the forums. My guess is they are still around but are significantly more careful who they try to recruit. I also suspect that many if not all of the original members are no longer involved. When I was first contacted, I thought it would be cool to join but quickly changed my mind and declined. If you, the reader, ever get an invitation, I would think twice before getting involved."


From Pox Wiki, http://www.poxwiki.com/Lighthouse

I Purchased Four Exclusive Rune Packs!

Just purchased four of the exclusive rune packs at Target. They carry a $10 pack (no exclusive rune), and a $25 pack, which includes one exclusive (protectorate) rune and a 100-rune pack. Will edit my post once I enter the codes to let you know which runes I got!

Update: redeemed my four rune packs and here is what I got:

3x Dwarven Windfury (Exclusive)
1x Sacred Tundra Amulet (Exclusive)
1x Dwarven King
1x Faultbreaker
1x Carrion Colossus

This purchase was a great success, with two titans and three Windfuries, currently the most sought after rune in the game. The Windfury is very powerful, being ranged, with a strong melee attack and survivability, so this rune should hold its high value extremely well over time.

Beverage of Choice While Playing Pox Nora?

What is your beverage choice and/or snack while playing Pox Nora? My favorite is beer. Yes, I have an unhealthy affinity for the stuff. And gummy bears.

General Game Strategies, Part 1

For newer players, here are some game tips and strategies I picked up along the way. FYI: I consider myself a n00b and casual player because although I have in times past achieved around rank 500 with my Forsaken Wastes battlegroup, I play around with crazy deckbuilding schemes, play un-playable champs just for fun, and generally play all factions (though I mainly play FW, UD, ST, SP). Advice:


- Pay for a set of runes, at least a 100 pack, but I recommend spending what you normally spend on any good, new PC game, i.e. $35-$50. The bigger the rune pack, the better the value!

- The sample battlegroups are rarely updated and, depending on which faction you pick, may not provide a good enough deck to beat another trial player!

- The game has eight factions, play them all or you are wasting money by paying for 1/8th of a game. This also goes for playing all game types & modes, using the trader, chat, forums, etc.

- You should focus on building one main faction into your PvP winning deck, because runes can get expensive, and you need many rares and/or some exotics to make it to higher ranks. Once you have at least one competetive deck in any faction, then you can build another from any faction, and keep doing so.

- The more competetive (PvP), winning (PvP or Campaign), or fun (Any Game Mode) decks you have successfully built, the more fun the game as a whole will become, because switching to a new faction & deck will break any monotony or playstyle rut you are presently in.

- Build you decks with a sensible mixture of melee and ranged troops. While playing, use your archers to provide backup to the melee champions, but keep close so as not to be separated and picked off by spells, stealth units, etc.

- For PvP, always include some way of ridding the enemy of his pesky overpowered equipment. There are champion abilities and spells that do this, e.g. Shatter, Disarm, Recycle.

- Winning the game is all about Nora, plain and simple. Control the Nora, and you control the map, control the map and you control the game, control the game and you win!

- Before you do anything else, capture the Nora Font closest to your base (shrine). This will generate the Nora "income" per turn you need to summon units, play spells, etc.

- Always have a viable defense plan for your primary Nora Font (closest to your shrine), secondary Nora Font (any other you control), and shrine. Tides turn quickly, and you need to be able to swim with or against the current, and not drown. Think of your defense planning as your waterwings against Davey Jones Locker.

- Try to include units with varying movement abilities - leap, flying, teleport, high speed - in order to remain a threat on various maps with differing terrain.

- Never rush an enemy group of champions with a single champions of yours, no matter how powerful. Lone melee exotics can be killed easily by a group of ordinary common runes.

- Conserve Nora from turn to turn, do not use it all on any given turn. This gives you a "safety blanket" to cast spells from or otherwise surprise the enemy. One good surprise can change the direction of the game.

- Conserve AP on all your champions. Try to move and or attack, but keep at least 2-3 extra AP available per champion at the end of your turn. Next turn you may be able to move and attack twice if your speed is upgraded correctly, which is devastating to the enemy.

- Run champions that may attack at 9 speed, so that they may move and attack on the same turn, or move one space and attack twice if needed. Upgrade a few of your best champions to 11 speed, in order to guarantee two attacks per turn, but as this makes them cost a lot, do this sparingly, with maybe two or three maximum, like heroes, titans, exotics.

- Ten champions per battlegroup is a good rule of thumb, then I recommend 7 spells, 2 relics, and one equipment. One relic should be your faction's Battle Standard flag if you have one and play full faction, otherwise one offensive and one defensive relic.

- Use full faction, multi-faction, or multi-rune synergies to gain a power edge over your opponent before the game even begins, in deck building. For example, powerful combos like the Dragon Skull relic (SL) + Firestorm spell (US) make use of amplify fire damage plus a (now amplified) fire damage spell with damage over time, utilizing a multi-faction synergy. You can do this in full faction by using powerful synergies like Demon Champions and the Beckon Demon ability of the Darkelf Priestess to gain a lot of ground quickly.

- Equipment can turn the tide in any one-on-one champion face off. Place a shield or weapon equipment on any good melee champion, and you increase its power level considerably. Do this while contesting a font, and you almost guarantee yourself a win, short-term or even final.

- Play any combos, decks, or factions you do not fully understand, to learn their pros & cons.

- Upgrade all melee champions, at least with speed 9, but after that only with absolutely necessary abilities for your deck and rune synergy and overall strategy to work. A very nora efficient deck will usually win over a more costly, highly upgraded deck, due to faster respawn times, cheaper deployment, more units on the field, extra nora in reserve, etc.

- Have some means of Nora generation in your deck, in addition to shrines and fonts. Some faction bonuses help (SP or FW's Boon of the Undead ability), otherwise use relics (Unholy Tomb, Nora Mine), champions (Scorched Dwarf, Nora Beast), or spells (Marsh Song, Thorn Collection). Backup or extra nora can give you the edge.

- Keep track of respawn times and cooldowns when building your battlegroup, and also in-game while planning your strategy, or engaging in any battlefield tactics.

- Try out new battlegroups in the Anything Goes (AG) room prior to the PvP ladder. If you cannot win in AG, tweak your battlegroup and try again, or scrap it and build another.

- Have some type of stealth detection in your battlegroup.

- Have at least one highly specialized defensive unit handy, for emergency shrine or font defense.

- Use a relic offensively at an enemy nora font (place it in the nora font's zone and that font will go neutral when your turn ends to deny the enemy of nora and contest the font), in order to buy yourself some time for strategy and tactics. This works best when backed up by at least one champion, since relics are relatively light on HP and easy to destroy.

- Play campaigns or in AG in order to gain CP (experience points) to upgrade your champions for a viable PvP deck, or to add value to them in order to trade for other champions in the Trader.

- In the Rune Trader, almost all single same-rarity rune trades are denied or fail because outbid. As a general rule, if you trade a same-rarity rune as the one you want, then add at least two sweeteners (that don't suck), you will win the bid.

- Use the Rune Crafter to create any runes you might need or are missing. The cost is usually higher than what you receive, but in some cases crafting might be a lot cheaper than in the Trader.

- Purchase essential runes immediately in the Single Rune Store, rather than trying to trade for them. Trading for an entire battlegroup, especially for rares or exotics, can take weeks.

- If you can afford it, buy only jumbo 250 rune packs, because your return investment and value are much higher since you get many more rare runes, and thus 10% opportunity for exotics.

- Exotics are a strong trading commodity. Keep this in mind always.

- Learn rune trade values well before you ever use the Rune Trader.

- Don't ever, ever, ever, accept a trade based on promises or placeholders and not actual runes, unless you need to learn the lesson that not all people are honest and want to help you.

- Don't ever click a URL link in a trade offer, it may be a scam that you will regret greatly.

- Be polite and mature in chat, while in-game and out. Be a community leader, not loser.

- Help new players, because with each expansion, the game becomes increasingly complex.