Vampiric creeper

The vampiric creeper is an evil unit appearing in Stronghold Legends.
==Description==
The creeper is a devastating unit, which has both great physical and magical skills. It is fairly expensive to summon, but its abilities greatly make up for it. Its a very versatile creature, moving very fast and climbing walls without the need of a ladder. Its skin also makes it fairly resistant against projectiles, even the penetrative crossbow bolts.
The creeper's greatest strength lies in magic. It can brainwash weaker units (specifically Archers, Crossbowmen, and Men-at-Arms), so they join to the creeper's side, turning against their master. The ritual takes some time to complete, but the units being converted will freeze during its time. The creeper cannot fight when it is performing the ritual.
==Usage==
The vampiric creeper can be used in the battlefield to intercept a marching or fleeing army, taking away a bunch of troops and turn them against their comrades to soften up their ranks. However, they require some support to cover them while they are converting those units.
Creepers can serve to prepare a siege on a well-defended castle. Archers and crossbowmen, being a fairly common unit in defenses, may quickly fall under the creepers' control in no time by the dozens, as they cannot stop them even in the largest numbers due to the creepers' resistance. While the creepers are wreaking havoc, then siege engines or ladders may open a path to the enemy keep, leaving the enemy lord vulnerable to sweeping forces.
==Weaknesses==
Unfortunately, the creeper has a few weaknesses. Although it performs well in melee combat, multiple hard units such as swordsmen or pikemen may quickly kill them. It becomes even more important when the creeper is converting missile units in towers or gatehouses, when those units can just walk up and dispose of it with relative ease.
==Trivia==
*Vlad, a computer opponent, frequently sends vampiric creepers to wreak havoc. When he sends his first group of creepers out, he'll say: "Unleash the dark ones!".
ru:Змей-вампир
Category:Soldiers
Category:Stronghold Legends