Editing Stone Skin

{{Earth spells}}{{Spell
 | school      = earth magic
 | level       = 1st
 | cost        = 5
 | duration    = 1 rnd/sp
 | b_effect    = Buff, single target, [[defense]] rating is increased by 3.
 | a_effect    = Buff, single target, [[defense]] rating is increased by 6.
 | e_effect    = Buff, all own stacks, [[defense]] ratings are increased by 6.
}} It increases target, allied troop's defense.

== Heroes that specialize in Stone Skin==
* [[Xsi]] the [[Necromancer]]
* [[Darkstorn]] the [[Warlock]]
* [[Merist]] the [[Witch]]
* [[Labetha]] the [[Elementalist]]

== User comments & debate ==
Stone skin is often compared to [[shield]], which has similar effects.

They both reduce the amount of damage creature stacks receives, [[Stone Skin]] in terms of attack/defense, which increases or decreases the damage dealt, [[Shield]] reduces the damage the stack has gotten after this calculation, but only hand-to-hand damage, not ranged one (which [[Stone Skin]] takes care for), not magic (which would be in the Anti Magic Spell Buff domain, not Combat Buffs/Debuffs).

A rule of thumb wheter to use shield or stone skin in hand-to-hand combat is, that if enemy's attack skill is greater than your defense skill, use stone skin. Of course, with both spells active, your troops will receive considerably less damage.

[[Category: Spells]]
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Earth spells}}{{Spell|32|32|63|53|31|54|30|53|31|31|31|53
+{{Earth spells}}{{Spell
-  | school      = Earth Magic
+  | school      = earth magic
   | level       = 1st
-  | cost        = 5/4
+  | cost        = 5
   | duration    = 1 rnd/sp
-  | b_effect    = Increases the selected friendly unit's defense strength by 3.
+  | b_effect    = Buff, single target, [[defense]] rating is increased by 3.
-  | a_effect    = Increases the selected friendly unit's defense strength by '''6'''.
+  | a_effect    = Buff, single target, [[defense]] rating is increased by 6.
-  | e_effect    = Increases the defense strength of '''all''' friendly units by 6.
+  | e_effect    = Buff, all own stacks, [[defense]] ratings are increased by 6.
-}} It increases the target allied troop's [[primary skill#Defense skill|defense]].
+}} It increases target, allied troop's defense.
-'''Heroes starting with Stone Skin:'''
+== Heroes that specialize in Stone Skin==
-* {{Hn|Rion|Cleric}}
+* [[Xsi]] the [[Necromancer]]
-* {{Hn|Halon|Wizard}}
+* [[Darkstorn]] the [[Warlock]]
-* {{Hn|Zydar|Heretic}}
+* [[Merist]] the [[Witch]]
-* {{Hn|Vokial|Death Knight}}
+* [[Labetha]] the [[Elementalist]]
-* {{Hn|Xsi|Necromancer}}
-* {{Hn|Darkstorn|Warlock}}
-* {{Hn|Dessa|Battle Mage}}
-* {{Hn|Merist|Witch}}
-* {{Hn|Tiva|Witch}}
-* {{Hn|Labetha|Elementalist}}{{-wa}}
-'''Heroes specialising in Stone Skin:'''
-* {{Hn|Xsi|Necromancer}}
-* {{Hn|Darkstorn|Warlock}}
-* {{Hn|Merist|Witch}}
-* {{Hn|Labetha|Elementalist}}{{-wa}}
-'''Creatures immune to Stone Skin:'''
-{{immune|spell123=1|spell1234=1|spell12345=1}}
-'''Creatures capable of casting Stone Skin:'''
-* {{Cn|Master Genie}}s (Advanced level)
-* {{Cn|Enchanter}}s (Expert level)
-{{user commentary|
+== User comments & debate ==
-Stone Skin is often compared to [[Shield]], which has similar effects. They both reduce the amount of [[damage]] creature stacks receive. The main difference between these two spells is that Stone Skin also works against ranged creatures while Shield only reduces hand-to-hand damage. A rule of thumb whether to use Shield or Stone Skin in hand-to-hand combat is that if an enemy's attack skill is greater than your defense skill, use Stone Skin. Of course, with both spells active, your troops will receive considerably less damage.
+Stone skin is often compared to [[shield]], which has similar effects.
-Advanced/Expert Stone Skin is only strictly better than equal-skill Shield if the difference between your unit's defense and the opponent's attack is exactly 21 or 22.  <!-- At 20 difference, defense reduces the damage by 50%.  So 6 extra points of defense bring the damage to 35% of base, and so does Shield: 50%*(100%-30%)=35%.  At 21 or 22 difference, the unit takes 47.5% or 45% of base damage, and Shield is even less effective; however, the effect of defense is capped at 28 difference, so at 23 or more, +6 defense becomes less effective due to the cap. -->  That means Shield is almost always preferable, unless you expect ranged attacks.
+They both reduce the amount of damage creature stacks receives, [[Stone Skin]] in terms of attack/defense, which increases or decreases the damage dealt, [[Shield]] reduces the damage the stack has gotten after this calculation, but only hand-to-hand damage, not ranged one (which [[Stone Skin]] takes care for), not magic (which would be in the Anti Magic Spell Buff domain, not Combat Buffs/Debuffs).
-}}{{end of user commentary}}
+A rule of thumb wheter to use shield or stone skin in hand-to-hand combat is, that if enemy's attack skill is greater than your defense skill, use stone skin. Of course, with both spells active, your troops will receive considerably less damage.
 [[Category: Spells]]