Alongside new archetypes and unreleased spells, the Quanticians working behind the scenes on Spellcasters Chronicles were also developing a host of new creatures. One of these talented developers looks back at three of them: the Undead Knight, the Elemental Spirit, and the Skyship, each designed around a very different gameplay philosophy.

Undead Knight

“Armed with a war axe so massive that any other rider would lose their balance, the mere sight of an Undead Knight is enough to send chills down your spine,” smiles Pierre Mallet, Game Designer and one of the creators behind the creature. “Its armor reveals an otherworldly blue specter through its joints. It rides the skeletal steed that Death itself kept by its side, its tattered cape fluttering after countless battles.” Designed alongside the Rhino Rider, the Undead Knight was envisioned as a very different take on mounted creatures. “The Undead Knight, from the Necromancy school of magic, truly shines on the battlefield. With devastating momentum, it crashes through enemy formations, leading the charge at full speed while stunning priority targets such as Dryads and Liches.”

With its striking appearance and uncompromising approach to frontline combat, it's easy to imagine the Undead Knight quickly finding its place across Ashkenon. Pierre certainly believes so. “Its speed and tactics, allowing it to break enemy formations, would surely have appealed to Spellcasters looking to counter support-heavy strategies through a much more direct approach.”

Elemental Spirit

The next unreleased creature embraced a completely different fantasy. “Made of living clay, Elemental Babies seem to be sleeping... or perhaps meditating, until their chrysalises become Elemental Spirits,” explains Pierre. Shedding their physical shell in favor of robes woven from natural phenomena, these creatures had been part of the team's vision since the earliest days of Spellcasters Chronicles. “The Elemental Spirit was meant to embody the Spellcasters' ability to reshape their environment. But we enjoyed the infusion mechanic so much that we eventually extended it to every creature in the game.”

To obtain one, players first had to summon an Elemental Baby, then infuse it with the element of their choice. “The Elemental Spirit attacks from range and applies its element to enemies very quickly. Defensively, it ignores elemental effects, making it an ideal creature both for maximizing elemental interactions and countering those of your opponent.” According to Pierre, the creature would have been especially popular among players who enjoyed elemental strategies. “Players would have appreciated the elegance of its projectiles and loved watching enemy armies become frozen solid—or struck by lightning—from head to toe, depending on their preferences!”

Skyship

Equipped with devastating Technomancy weaponry, the Skyship featured both an anti-Titan cannon and infusible missile salvos. “Nothing was too good for the first Rank 4 flying summon we were about to introduce into the game,” Pierre says. The Skyship was intended to become one of the game's most spectacular units, with the goal of relentlessly pressuring Titans and enemy Life Stones. “It would aim its cannon at the closest target, dealing colossal damage at regular intervals. And if threatened by an enemy Spellcaster or their summons, it would retaliate with its missiles.” An unstoppable war machine, then? Not quite. “Its health pool would have been fairly limited, balancing out its overwhelming firepower!”

For Pierre, the Skyship would have built upon the enthusiasm of players already had for Rank 4 creatures. “I think the Skyship would exceed Ashkenon's strategists' expectations. It's one of the very few creatures capable of threatening both Titans and Spellcasters alike, creating incredible battles. My thoughts go out to the Technomancers who dreamed of wielding this very special weapon!”