Small imp-sized neutral creatures with a violent taste for blood almost as big as its malicious talent for mischief. Gremlins usually move in small groups and are surprisingly good flankers when in numbers. They also have the ability to sabotage/disable traps which can quickly become frustrating. What can be even more annoying is their knack for avoiding death, whenever their health drops below a certain point they will flee, extremely fast as they are, and avoid all creatures until their health has recovered thanks to their passive ability to quickly regain health.
Health: Medium
Attack: Medium-Low
Defense: Medium-Low
Armour: Low
Accuracy: High
Speed: Medium-High/High
Intelligence: Medium
Wage: Moderate
Prospective Skills
Level 1 - Melee
Melee is a close-range attack for medium-low damage.
Level 1 - Self-Heal [Passive]
This passive ability is the most important in the Gremlin arsenal. Although not always evident or particularly flashy, without it Gremlins would quickly fall prey to even the weakest of creatures.
Level 3 - Disable Trap
A short-range melee ability which nulls traps until they can be examined and reactivated by a troll or fellow manufacturer. When disabled a trap has a small glittering "X" with a strike through it revolving above it. They can also use this on some lesser types of doors to bar them open so allies (not common enemies) can pass. This is particularly useful when escaping prisons.
Level 4 - Repel Creatures
A short-ranged spell that pushes all surrounding creatures 2-3 squares back allowing the gremlin to escape. They usually use this just before fleeing. This spell looks like a thin clinging ring of mist pushing out from the creature. It could be likened to a very weak Word-of-Power.
Level 8 - Disable Trap [Ranged]
The ranged Disable Trap special allows Gremlins to target traps traps from a medium distance which is particularly useful against those protected by barricades or Fear Traps. It has quite a long recharge but is positively infuriating when they band together in groups.
Fighting Style
Gremlins are fast flankers who, though small, are pretty good fighters. They work in numbers and take pleasure in causing mischief. They are extremely hard to kill because they will instantly flee when they drop below half health and will then proceed to avoid all creatures until they regain full health thanks to their passive ability to regain health. They will also flee if stronger units like dark angels, mistresses, vampires, black knights, knights, giants, bile demons or horned reapers enter the fray. They love disabling traps not hidden behind protective barricades and make a point of doing so.
Gremlins also possess a unique brand of defensive magic which they can use to great effect to give themselves breathing space when escaping or avoiding other creatures.
Gremlins are weak against Fear Traps until they hit level 8 as they can't get close enough to disable them. At level 8 they gain ranged disable which also works against traps with barricades in front. Gremlins are also unable to deactivate boulder traps although they can take out trigger traps just fine.
Jobs
-Train
Loves
Gremlins love mischief and get kicks from disabling traps. They are also very social and like other gremlins though they don't mix with other creatures. They also love wide open spaces. Gremlins also love chasing imps round the dungeon which means that if you have a small pack it becomes very difficult to get some work done.
Hates
Gremlins hate manufacturers and it is mutual. The also hate it when another gremlin is angry and if one gremlin is upset than chances are that others will follow.
Obtainable by
Gremlins are obtained by torture, temples and world-builder. Their temple sequence are as following:
Behavior in DungeonImp+Goblin+Imp = 1 Gremlin
Imp+Fairy+Imp = 1 Gremlin
Goblin+Troll+Create Imp = 2 Gremlins
8 Gremlins = 4 Goblins, 1 Troll, 1 Fairy, (see Mentor Quotes)
Gremlins don't manufacture or research, but will train. They need only a single to chicken to sate their hunger. When unhappy, gremlins will steal manufacture crates and hassle your imps. If angry they will scout and then rebel, and thus leave your dungeon and head back to the wild. If a hostile or neutral Gremlin is left in your prison it is only a matter of time before it breaks out by climbing the prisons walls. They like chasing imps which tends to stop imps doing assigned work.
Hang-out Group
Gremlins hang out with other gremlins.
Lair
Lairs? Gremlins are hyper-active little things and don't need sleep.
Mentor Quotes
"Your Gremlins can't reach the handles of doors in your dungeon. They demand imp-flaps."
-Mentor
"Your Gremlins are angry. Issue your creatures with steel-capped boots."
-Mentor
"Your Gremlin have risen up against you and set up a small revolutionary state in the vicinity of one of your hatcheries."
-Mentor
"Your Trolls have invented a new game involving their hammers and one of your Gremlins."
-Mentor
"Keeper, your Gremlins decided to try synchronized swimming in your temple. None survived, but you appear to have discovered a new temple recipe. Nicely done, Keeper."
-Mentor
"Wild Gremlins are sabotaging your traps!"
-Mentor
"A Gremlin has stolen a manufacture crate!"
-Mentor
"A Giant just clubbed one of your Gremlins; He swears it was self defense."
-Mentor
"Your Gremlins are working on a revised fitness plan for your imps, Keeper."
-Mentor
"A Gremlin has found an entrance to a strange land inside one of your chicken coups... clean them out more regularly, Keeper."
-Mentor
"Bitter inhabitants of this realm have vowed to rid themselves of oppressive outsiders and have set up an insurgency... and yes, they are two feet tall."
-Mentor
Overall Summary
To quickly summarize all, Gremlins are incredibly fast flankers which work best in mobs or groups. They are weak alone. Gremlins are workshop-orientated but do not manufacture and are loathed by those that can, mostly because they are tricksters and are the penultimate when taking on any defense thanks to their disable trap abilities. Gremlins also despise manufacturers.
Gremlins are neutral creatures and are notoriously tricky, hard to pin down and defeat. They will run from any force containing more powerful mid-to-late game creatures or if out-numbered. They will not be challenged by any trap defenses you can put up as they can easily disable them. They do, however, have a weakness against Fear Traps until they level up enough to gain the ranged disable. This won't really help you take them out unless they can be somehow trapped. Barricades may also be effective for a while, but these aren't always possible.
Overall in terms of combat power, a lone gremlin doesn't stand a chance. A pack can be an effective fighting force against early-game creatures, but would succumb easily in a straight fight with even mid-game creatures. The strength of the Gremlin, thus, as a neutral creature is not in sheer power, direct force or lethality like most neutrals, but in the ability to stay alive and continue to be a thorn in your side for the long term. Gremlins favor attrition
Good evidences of Gremlin's persistent knack for survival include their rapid passive heal (like imps but faster), their habit of climbing out of prisons, their speed and willingness to flee if in outmatched and their disable and repel spells which all help survivability.
Gremlins are best deployed in maps with large open caverns with bodies of water and few dead ends.
Gremlins treat imps the same way that cats treat mice. In the wild they will actively kill them or, should they enter your dungeon they will attempt to kill them.
They do not require sleep, and although they self-heal they do still need food.
Hints
1) If you leave a Gremlin to long in your prison it will climb out.
2) Gremlins may not need food for healing but it still fills their little tummies.
3) Anger even a single Gremlin at your own risk as others will quickly follow and the will desert you and head for the wild which in the long run may cause you infinite trouble.
4) Early on Gremlins have a weakness against Fear traps as they can't get close enough to disable them with their melee disable. Fear Traps are effective against Gremlins until they reach level 8 upon which they gain ranged disable. Use Fear Traps to protect your other traps.
Suggestions
Traps & Doors
Mirror Trap
Glass Door
Arrow Slit/Loophole
Creatures
Gargoyle
Gremlin
Specials
Trophy Specials