Grave Riders are the most enigmatic of the undead. When beneath the ground they spend their time alone wandering your dungeon, guarding or working in the workshop. In underground battle they are little differing from skeletons save for their much higher health, role as blockers and slightly slower speed. When above ground, however, they appear mounted and act more like blitzers. Unlike almost all other undead, Grave Riders can manufacture.
Health: Medium/Medium-High
Attack: Medium
Defense: Low
Armour: Medium
Accuracy: Medium-Low
Speed: Medium-Low (Medium-High in the Over world)
Dexterity: Low
Intelligence: Medium
Wage: Medium-Low
Fighting Style
When beneath the ground Grave Riders are moderately slow-moving, undead who carry rusty short scythes (not reaper style). Their attack isn't much better than the skeleton but they have much higher health. They are blockers though they have support elements.
Above ground they act as blitzers and have vastly different charcteristics.
Prospective Skills
Level 1 - Melee
A standard melee attack.
Level 3 - Shield Undead
A short-ranged (not melee) ability which applies a weak shield to all nearby undead creatures.
Level 8 - Stunning Blow
A melee special attack which instantly stuns most creatures and knocks them to the floor. This has a long-recharge.
Level 10 - Spirit Self
A self-targeting special ability which makes the caster insubstantial for a short period of time. All ranged traps (boulder traps included) and attacks will merely pass through him and all melee attacks and walk-over traps will be unable to target him. During this state he cannot attack but can move freely through doors and barricades. This has a long-recharge.
Level 10 - Duplicate Self (Boss Only)
A self-targeting special ability which spawns a complete duplicate of the caster with the same abilities. The duplicate lasts for ever but the original caster will die 30 seconds after the spell has been cast. When the duplicate spawns he will be exactly the same except for having completely refreshed health.
Appearance
Grave Riders resemble skeletons save for their weapon, slightly larger stature, cloak and rusty pieces of armour. They have a short rusty sickle or scythe. When on the surface they appear as mounted units and their short sickle gains a long handle.
Obtainable by
The Grave Rider is obtainable by prison, editor or temple. Although they are created in prisons, the circumstances of their creation are much more difficult than ordinary skeletons. They require a casino, a workshop and a graveyard of any size. The temple recipes are:
InformationDark Knight + 2 Skeletons = Grave Rider
2 Dark Knight + 3 Vampires = 3 Grave Riders
The Grave Riders were once part of a tribe of evil horsemen who rode across the plains of the over-world. They came to the attention of the heroes after they began ransacking small hero settlements and generally overdoing the whole rampaging horde thing. After several years the heroes tracked them down and managed to kill almost all of them. The survivors fled underground and sought the aid of a powerful vampire who had once been in the employ of Keeper Malice. He turned them into to powerful skeleton-like creatures so they could seek out retribution forever more.
"Boss" Version
The "Boss" version is a much more powerful Grave Rider who appears on some maps as an neutral or enemy adversary. His abilities differ slightly in that Stunning Blow is available at level 4 instead of level 8 and that Spirit Self is level 8. At level 10 he gains an ability called Duplicate Self which is available only to Boss version.
Boss Grave Riders are rarely mercenary neutrals in skirmish style-games and are aggressive neutrals mainly in such situations. They might appear in a mercenary sense in some campaign levels. When located, either as aggressive neutrals or booty, Grave Riders are often accompanied by several low-level skeletons.
Suggestions
Keeper Spells
Summon Decoys
Summon Wraith
Traps & Doors
Mirror Trap
Glass Door
Arrow Slit/Loophole
Creatures
Gargoyle
Savage
Mana Sprite
Alchemist
Peasant
Gremlin
Grave Rider
Creature Spells
Bat Swarm
Specials
Trophy Specials