Using Crystals

from Elemental Forums


I'm very new to the game... just started over the weekend.

I have a crystal source next to my city, and I can't decide whether or not it's worth it to spend multiple turns building the necessary upgrade to use it at this point in the game (my city just went to level 2, so it's pretty early).  What exactly will I get from crystals?  I checked the in-game encyclopedia, and it mentions the thing you build, but I can't find anything about the resource itself.

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Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

You use crystal to train troops equipped with magic items. You can design your own troops. If you have a lot of crystal, you can equip units with lots of nifty items with a small crystal cost and a relatively low training time.

If you are not keen on building many troops, crystal is still worth quite a lot. AI's will give 5 gold for 1 crystal, so harvesting 1/2 a crystal per season nets you 2.5 gildar. That's a lot more than a merchant or market.

 

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top


Further to what Fallenchar said, realistically you can get away with zero crystal. It makes it a bit tougher, and you won't be able to equip troops with even the low tech magic items (like to ring of embers +1 def/+1 fire attack) or burning axe. You can still buy the stuff at the shop for your sov/champs, just will have to "make do" with mundane troopies and no mage staffcasters. I've played enough resource poor maps that I know the game can be won without crystal, but I always find it worthwhile to exploit crystal crags when I can. As well, if you are lucky enough to have a crag near your start position, that's a nice leg up - crags, even with enhancements, are really slow on the resource generation (edited to add) in comparison to the costs for any magical enhancements.

Anyway, it all depends on your play style and what you want to go for as to armies of doom or whatever. :)

Star Control: Origins