Answers.Body: <p>Not <em>just</em> amphibians. Other pieces too!</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>Note: I'm assuming an 8x8 board. A different board size would have <em><strong>VERY</strong></em> different values!</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>Let's take the queen as a standard. Queen consists of Rook + Bishop, but is given 9 points, rather than 8. This is due to its ability to switch colours (unlike the bishop).</p>
  <p>Another example is the Princess (B+N). It is supposed to be 6, but is reckoned to be ~8 (+2 synergy!). Whereas the Empress(R+N) is reckoned to be only <em>slightly</em> better (5+3 -&gt; 8.5), with only 0.5 synergetic effects!</p>
  <p>So, combine a rook with a knight, the synergy is only +0.5, but with a bishop, it is +1!</p>
  <p>I think it's more prudent to use the word &quot;restricted piece&quot;, as this includes bishops, as when they get unrestricted, they have <em>a lot</em> of synergy. Also, the knight, while being a leaper, doesn't add that much synergy, as it can still traverse every square of the board.</p>
  
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Body: <p>Reading about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy_chess_piece" rel="nofollow noreferrer">fairy pieces</a> I can see that an amphibian is a type of compound piece that has a larger range than either of it's components.  For instance the 3 leaper is restricted to approximately 1/9 of the board, and the ferz is restricted to 1/2 the board, but the compound piece of a ferz and a 3 leaper is able to travel to any square on the board.  I understand that the compound of a bishop and rook is usually thought to have a synergy of 1 point as the queen is thought to be 9 points and the rook+bishop is worth 8 points.  A non royal king is usually thought to have a synergy of 1 point as the wazir is worth about 1 point and the ferz is also worth about 1 point, but a non royal king is thought to be worth about 3 points.  I'm wondering is an amphibian would tend to have a synergy greater than that of other types of compound pieces given that it can cover more squares than the pieces its a combination of combined.</p>
  
Tags: <chess-variants><point-value><unorthodox-pieces>
Title: Do amphibians usually have more synergy than other compound pieces?
ThreadText: # Do amphibians usually have more synergy than other compound pieces?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2022-11-26)
  
  Reading about [fairy pieces](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy_chess_piece) I can see that an amphibian is a type of compound piece that has a larger range than either of it's components. For instance the 3 leaper is restricted to approximately 1/9 of the board, and the ferz is restricted to 1/2 the board, but the compound piece of a ferz and a 3 leaper is able to travel to any square on the board. I understand that the compound of a bishop and rook is usually thought to have a synergy of 1 point as the queen is thought to be 9 points and the rook+bishop is worth 8 points. A non royal king is usually thought to have a synergy of 1 point as the wazir is worth about 1 point and the ferz is also worth about 1 point, but a non royal king is thought to be worth about 3 points. I'm wondering is an amphibian would tend to have a synergy greater than that of other types of compound pieces given that it can cover more squares than the pieces its a combination of combined.
  
  **Tags:** chess-variants, point-value, unorthodox-pieces
  
  
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  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2023-05-23. Score: 3
  
  Not *just* amphibians. Other pieces too!
  
  > Note: I'm assuming an 8x8 board. A different board size would have ***VERY*** different values!
  
  Let's take the queen as a standard. Queen consists of Rook + Bishop, but is given 9 points, rather than 8. This is due to its ability to switch colours (unlike the bishop).
  
  Another example is the Princess (B+N). It is supposed to be 6, but is reckoned to be ~8 (+2 synergy!). Whereas the Empress(R+N) is reckoned to be only *slightly* better (5+3 -> 8.5), with only 0.5 synergetic effects!
  
  So, combine a rook with a knight, the synergy is only +0.5, but with a bishop, it is +1!
  
  I think it's more prudent to use the word "restricted piece", as this includes bishops, as when they get unrestricted, they have *a lot* of synergy. Also, the knight, while being a leaper, doesn't add that much synergy, as it can still traverse every square of the board.
  
  
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