Spells that apply attack damage

[Tsaras]

I have searched and found some threads about this, all of em stating that it is particularly hard to do this, especially in earlier TFT versions.
I want to have a spell that applies attack damage to enemies, or sends hero attacks in some fashion.

Example effects:
1) Spell that applies attack damage to enemies in an area.
2) Multishot with all attack modifiers.
3) Dummies that attack with hero's damage.

Now, I have thought of a solution but I haven't read about this anywhere, so there might be some flaw to it.
Is it possible to create a dummy hero based on the hero that casts the spell, make him same level, give it the same items and order it to attack?

 

[Nichilus]

I am not sure what limitations are there for old TFT, but dealing hero damage was always possible via:

• Unit - Cause some_unit to damage other_unit, dealing 100.00 damage of attack type Hero and damage type Normal

I don't know if it is possible to detect attack/damage type during a "unit takes damage" event on TFT. It is possible on newer versions. Also on newer versions you can change the attack/damage type of incoming damage via triggers, which could trivialize what you want (i.e. have a Fireball spell which has arrow projectile instead of fiery ball and change its attack type to hero via triggers).
On TFT, I imagine you will have to use the Channel spell as base and trigger everything yourself - including using a projectile system to simulate the projectile flying. Once projectile reaches target, you damage it via the trigger action above.

Is it possible to create a dummy hero based on the hero that casts the spell, make him same level, give it the same items and order it to attack?

I think it can kind of be done, yes - via Wand of Illusion. Want of Illusion is same as Mirror Image, but it creates a clone of targeted unit, not of caster.
So create a copy of Wand of Illusion, set it's "Damage Dealt" field to 1.0, so that the illusion deals full damage and have a dummy unit cast it on the hero you want to clone.
This will create unit with same level and same items as the targeted unit.
The only disadvantage is that it is an illusion unit (i.e. subject to disappearing when its expiration timer expires, could be dispelled, etc.) and it does not copy over buffs and debuffs. Also, owning player will see it with blue tint (same as for Mirror Images). However it will use the bonus damage from items, same attack setup (projectile model, speed, etc.).

Manually creating a copy is more complex and has more drawbacks, however in essence:

• yes, it is possible to create same unit-type (same hero)
• yes, it is possible to copy hero's inventory to another hero's
• yes, it is possible to give the hero same level
• yes, it is possible to order it to attack
• it is not really possible to copy hero's debuffs and buffs
• you will have that hero twice (or more), so the same hero icon will appear in top-left corner. On same note, you will get death messages whenever the copy dies, etc.