[1.0.9 Beta] Familiars have 2 mana so why can't they cast flame dart?

IQ?

They can, just choose not to.  Vulgar display of power.  That, and that soldiers that have magic, can only use it for their special abilities, not spells like a channeler.  But, then if the familiar doesn't have special abilities, then why do they have magic at all?  No fucking clue.

Familiars do have a special ability. It just doesn't get listed and it doesn't cost any mana. It's the vengeance counterattack.

I am fairly sure this is being addressed in 1.1 either by removing spell points from those units that do not need it for their ability, or adding abilities to use the spell points with.

It's pretty much UI issue. None of the creatures with essence are supposed to use sovereign spells. It's just that info panel always lists all spells, if unit has essence.

Now, the proper question would be why have essence, if they have no abilities that use mana?

think it justa a whoops - forgot to remove the essence

Just like Kingdom side equipment tech trees do not always progress as your research progresses, sometimes it regresses...It's like driving down the freeway with your idiot light on...  But oh well...Just a whooops that is a major annoyance in an otherwise very addictive TBS game.

Thats becasue the nerfed the warhammer from being a massive 24 attack to a 5 and didnt change when you learned it.

It's probably not a bad idea to leave the essence on the familiar and let a sovereign's familiar cast a small subset of the same spells the sovereign (master) can cast.