This is a question that's come up amongst mods as to whether crystal armour and blades should be able to be blessed like normal weapons and armour, or whether they should be counted as magical equipment (i.e. already blessed) and thus cannot be blessed.

The idea is that if they are blessable, any blessings given will not stack with the effects of the armour or blade. For example, if you take crystal armour (MR 1) and the golden blood blessing (MR 2), you simply use the highest value of the two (2 in this case), you do not add them together.

Personally, I think it's reasonable that they can be blessed, because they aren't really magical, they're just made from a crystal which happens to have special properties.

where's the no crystal in the army at all option?

I think we already decided we want crystal in the army.

I dont think so. What does everyone else say?

SA, we've decided to leave Crystal as an upgrade to units and characters instead of separate units.

Anyways, I'm voting for both are blessable, but I think we should instigate a reduced amount of points they can take. Such as 35pts for Dominions/Princedoms/Virtues and 85pts for Cherubims, along with the can't stack rule.

(Guns down SA)

Crystal is here to stay, if you have a major problem with it bring it up elsewere rather than threadjacking.

GS

I think that it should be Crystal OR blessed, not both.

That was my originaly thought Hak, but if one were to take an all Crystal army, they would have nothing but Armor Piercing and MR1 for the whole army, quite boring and nobody would take it because there's no flexibility. A reduced points allotance is best IMO, because it signifies 10 pts for AP and 5 for MR(1), doesn't allow the stacking of similar abilities, but still allows some flexibility in the list.

i say both as of now in my fluff (which i am fighting to get A Ok from one person so H&A will have no more arguments) its just an item with the mark of our father, and skilled crafting. but it should be fine to bind it our stuff is nothing more than enchantments.

clavix crystal based armies take skill cuz the core units cost a lot.

The reduced points make a certain amount of sense. Crystal equipment is slightly different to mundane equipment in that it doesn't have a drawback. A halberd costs less than a sword of might because it takes two hands to use, but a crystal blade is just a boosted hand weapon. I'm not totally OK with the idea on the principle that if they can be blessed they're not magical, but I can at least see the logic behind it.

Another option is we could allow a limited set of abilities to be blessed on Crystal, allowing items such as the MR (2) to be negated completely. Of course, making the fluff to justify may be harder than justsaying the MR doesn't stack...

I think the problem with the idea is the "complication" factor. We dont want, nor do we need to overcomplicate the rules in relation to blessings.

GS

I say that we stick with a simple if one takes the crystal upgrade they may still take blessings but Armour piercing and MR don't stack. This keeps it simple and goes for the idea we want.

ya good point. how bout crystal armies can take a reduced number of blessings?

Not a bad idea Hak...

GS

NB on crystal blessings page

if you are taking a "Pure crystal army", then you are restricted to x blessings, or x points worth of blessings, or only certain blessings, so restrict some ones which would be cheesy for crystals...

That could work. Say restrict heroes to a max of 2 blessings and lords to a max of 3, and allow both lords and heroes to only choose one blessing from each section (removing the ability of lords to take two from one).

Alternatively just leave it as it is. You already pay around 40 points per hero for the crystal stuff, and I'm not sure we should restrict it further.

That is what I am saying. If you are already paying for the crystal upgrade you should just not limit their options any further. Just allow them to take blessings if they are upgraded to crystal and have the points cost for crystal come out of their 100 or 50 point limit.

If we did that, we would need to drop the points for crystal dramatically.

Yeah true or we could not limit it and make it also not count out of their points limit. You are paying out the ass for it anyways (excuse my language) so I think it is fine if we just leave it as is and make it blessable but not stackable.

yea Fe's idea is good just leave it as it is, and make the abilities unstackable.

I guess it could work. I still would rather have a minor points drop in their Blessings.

why? crystal sofar in my knolage is just a strange plant only growing on our island.

And that has what to do with gameplay? Thye are getting MR1 and AP. I just believe that 15pts should be taken from their blessings (possibly dropping the cost to become a Child of Crystal by 15pts).

just keep the points how they are its fine dont worry about it. it costs you 50 points by it and if your general has it then you magic is dead, then to have it crystal theamed would make it worse for your army's numbers.

its fine

That made almost no sense and I agree with Clavix that it is a little pricy for what you get.

DA, Crystal can be put onto magic characters in case you haven't read the current Compendium. Just because you're only allowed Level 1 and 3 Spellcasters does not mean that your magic is dead.

And my suggestion for the Children of Crystal is drop the points cost by 15pts on their Blessing Allotance (meaning 85 for lord and 35 for heroes) and dropping the price to become a Child of Crystal by 15 (35 Lord and 30 Heroes) to compensate.

i know about the army calvix, but when both of you wizzards cannot get off a spell vs. a LVL 2 Damsel your magic is shot.

or just keep it as it is, i'm mainly agenst it because there is no reason to do it, and my wizzard also won't be able to carry the Blessing of Metatron stoping him from becoming a good stat boster for nearby units. in simple crystal means heavy anti-magic with no magic casting